Young artists return to the Algonquin

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on April 29, 2009.)

A rare opportunity to hear some exceptional young classical artists in concert at the Algonquin Theatre presents itself this Sunday, May 3.

The Young Artists Performance Academy of The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto will present an afternoon of excellent music and feature a number of solo performances.

Twenty-four of the academy’s most gifted students will be returning to Huntsville after their very successful concert last May, when Huntsville’s Ashley Hill brought her fellow classmates to the Algonquin Theatre. The resulting performance was a very rewarding experience for the audience and participants alike.

“We plan on featuring a number of our recent competition winners in the program,” said Alicia White, academy manager. “The program will be very approachable with works including Handel’s Concerto Grosso (Alexander’s Feast), Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, Winter, Beethoven’s Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58 and a newer work by Jeff Ryan titled Ecce Homo.”

Primarily because of the link with Hill, a Huntsville Festival of the Arts (HFA) scholarship recipient at every age level, the festival sponsored the concert and is bringing back the artists for a second time.

“Initially, I was approached by Ashley about having the Royal Conservatory students play in Huntsville, and it just seemed so appropriate to provide an opportunity to have her come home and showcase both her skills and the skills of the talented students she is working with,” said HFA general manager Rob Saunders.

The Young Artists Performance Academy provides the ideal nurturing environment for committed, gifted young classical musicians to perfect their performance skill, musicality and artistic excellence. Working together with world-class faculty and acclaimed guest artists, academy students share high-calibre musical experiences and celebrate each other in achieving an outstanding level of musicianship.

The academy is designed for musicians looking to challenge and refine their unique talents. Faculty believe that young talent, expertly trained, can become great talent and that a nurturing, yet challenging, creative environment produces disciplined, well-rounded artists who will seek to communicate their unique voices through the lifelong celebration of performance.

“Surprisingly, they do not get many opportunities to perform outside the GTA, and both the school directors and the students are thrilled about Sunday’s concert in Huntsville,” said Saunders.

The concert begins at 2 p.m. and will run for approximately 90 minutes. Adult tickets are $15, with a special price of $5 for youth under 18 to encourage aspiring young artists to come and listen to these youthful prodigies.

Tickets are available at the Algonquin Theatre box office, by dialling 789-4975, or online through the festival website at www.huntsvillefestival.on.ca.

Letters to the editor: Oz was huge success!

(The following letters originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on April 29, 2009.)

Community production of Oz was pure wizardry at work

A prominent Huntsville playwright was heard to remark last week that The Wizard of Oz was “one of the best productions ever to come out of Muskoka.” It was a sentiment echoed by many who saw the musical at the Algonquin Theatre, a lavish show that recently played to 3,600 people over the course of 10 shows.

Bringing a community musical back to Huntsville has been a longtime vision of Huntsville community theatre thespian and director Gregg Evans. It was not an easy feat, bearing in mind the financial cost and number of people required to make such an event successful.

Last year, Evans approached the Huntsville Festival of the Arts (HFA) and the Huntsville Rotary Club for help in re-launching the annual spring musical tradition. With a leap of faith, they came on board and together, with some 200 volunteers clocking up more than 15,000 hours, Evans’ dream became reality. The resulting show was a visual and aural feast, from the wonderful sets, the great music emanating from the orchestra pit and the fabulous costumes and props to the incredibly talented cast.

The production was a success that surpassed all expectations. It was once said, “If you build it, they will come,” and the people of Muskoka came in droves. That support, through net proceeds, will benefit a number of worthwhile local projects supported by Rotary and the HFA.

If Oz is any indication of what the future holds for the annual community musical, we say, “Welcome back!”

Gillian Brunette
Huntsville Festival of the Arts
board member
Huntsville

--------------------------------------------

Musical was a huge success

Bravo to the Huntsville Festival of the Arts, the Rotary Club of Huntsville, Gregg Evans and the amazing actors and behind-the-scenes supporters of the recent totally delightful production of The Wizard of Oz.

This community never ceases to amaze me with its talent, energy and willingness to create opportunities for fun, excitement and learning for young and old alike. Add that to the commitment to use the proceeds of such efforts to support local projects and you have a truly winning combination for everyone.

With the availability of our beautiful Algonquin Theatre as the perfect venue, I certainly hope that this particular partnership, the festival, rotary and North Muskoka Players, will continue to thrive. I, for one, look forward to many future productions.

Thank you to everyone involved.

Lela Shepley-Gamble
Huntsville

Singing siblings’ theatre hope no phantom dream – watch for them this summer

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on April 15, 2009.)

By Gillian Brunette

Amy and Chris Wallace of Utterson share a lot more than the blood in their veins. The siblings are blessed with amazing sets of vocal pipes.

Chris has been heard in several local theatrical performances, including Sound of Music, Jesus Christ Superstar, Aida and Annie, and is playing the part of the gatekeeper in the upcoming musical Wizard of Oz.

Amy’s assured operatic tones belie her youth (22) and lack of professional training. She too has received kudos for her performances in local concerts and theatre productions.

KINDRED SPIRITS: Chris and Amy Wallace, two extremely talented singers, are hoping to present a tribute to Broadway at the Algonquin Theatre in the not-too-distant future.

The Wallaces’ first love, however, is the music of Broadway, especially Phantom of the Opera. Chris, with some health challenges of his own, can relate to the Phantom, while Amy identifies with Christine.

“We’ve been interested in theatre since we were very small. We used to hang up a sheet at home for a curtain and then we would perform Phantom,” recalled Amy.

Chris has donned the Phantom mask and cape on more recent occasions. “Once at the Algonquin Theatre for a Broadway show, and twice in shows at Trinity United Church,” he said.

To date, the Wallaces have pursued their own creative paths, but would like to perform together in public. “That is our goal. We’ve done so much (singing) together behind closed doors, we now want to showcase to the public,” said 25-year-old Chris.

Recently, the siblings recorded a Phantom tribute CD. “We did it at home to give to our family and friends and to help get our voices out there,” said Chris.

Huntsville Festival of the Arts (HFA) director and assistant artistic director for Oz, Suzanne Riverin received a copy of the CD. “Chris said he wanted me to hear it and I thought it would be cute, but I was blown away by the quality of their singing,” Riverin said.

Music is in the Wallace genes. “We were brought up with music. Our grandfather was a choirboy in England, then performed in shows such as Oklahoma and others in Bolton (Ont.), where we were born,” said Chris.

He continued: “Dad was in the school choir in Bolton, and our mother (Julie) has been in several of the shows here and in the community choir.” Julie Wallace is also in Oz, playing the part of Aunt Em.

Chris and Amy went to V.K. Greer Public School (Amy transferred to Huntsville Public with the boundary change) and then to St. Dominic Catholic Secondary School in Bracebridge. After graduating, Chris studied sociology for one year at the Nipissing University campus in Bracebridge, but his long-term goal is to be an airline pilot.

Meanwhile Amy, who has won several gold awards at singing festivals in Barrie and Orillia, plans to attend Canadore College in North Bay in the fall, where she will study office administration. With a voice that has been likened to that of Sarah Brightman, she spends much of her spare time practising alongside a karaoke machine, and in duets with her brother.

For now, Amy and Chris may be virtual unknowns in the arts world, but with the help of the HFA, they are hoping their fortunes will change. Their first opportunity to perform together will be this summer when they sing at Trinity United Church for one of the HFA’s Music at Noon concerts.

And, they will continue to pursue their shared dream of bringing the songs from some of Broadway’s hit shows, such as Evita, Cats and, of course, Phantom of the Opera, to the Algonquin Theatre in the not-too-distant future.

Marché 2008 photos - see anyone you know?

It will soon be time for the 2009 May Marché, the primary fund-raising event for the Huntsville Festival of the Arts (HFA), and the season's best soireé! This is a night for sampling fine food and wine, sipping martinis and socializing, outbidding your buddies at the silent auction table and, perhaps, winning a diamond pendant valued at $5,000.

Circle May 22 on your calendar and get your tickets fast - they're $50/each until, April 24, when the price goes up to $60/each (if there are any left by then). Tickets are limited, and this event always sells out. Once again this year, the Marché will be hosted at Deerhurst Resort, 7-10 p.m.

Just to whet your appetite, or to remind you of all that went on last year, here are a few photos...

Welcome to the 2008 May Marché!
Help yourself to an icy martini and mingle....

...you never know who'll you'll be introduced to (or by)...

...or what glamorous celebrities you'll meet...

...or how they will behave (after a few martinis)...

...or which politicians will let their hair down...

...or how much fun you can have in the Deerhurst ballroom...

...before your head is finally ready to hit the pillow.

[The photos above were taken by Jon Snelson and Gillian Brunette.]

For the moment, Marché tickets are available at three locations in Huntsville: Robinson’s Independent Grocer (by the entrance), Treasures and Trophies on Main Street, the Huntsville/Lake of Bays Chamber of Commerce office.

You can also contact an HFA board member or visit our website www.huntsvillefestival.on.ca, where you will also find information about the entertainment line-up for the upcoming season.

Funds raised at this event will facilitate the HFA's many arts-related projects throughout the community, as well as making it possible to bring top-notch performers to town and to promote the arts through a variety of educational endeavors. See you there?

Lavish Wizard of Oz musical opens April 16

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on April 8, 2009.)

By Gillian Brunette

Stunning costumes are the result of many nimble fingers and hours upon hours of hard work

After months of preparation and growing excitement, the fruits of a community’s labours finally hit the stage next week.

The Wizard of Oz opens at the Algonquin Theatre on Thursday, April 16, and runs for 10 performances, including three matinees, one of which is reserved for the schools.

Hundreds of hours of volunteer work have gone into the Oz production, from the creative crews who built and painted the sets to the folks in the orchestra meeting weekly for rehearsals and, of course, the cast, under the direction of Gregg Evans and choreographer Suzanne Baxter, who have been in rehearsal since the beginning of the year.

But, most likely for audiences, the biggest impact – the ‘wow’ factor for want of a better term – will be the stunning costumes, lovingly designed, cut and stitched by a talented team of artists led by Nicole Pantaleo.

WINDOW DRESSING: Nicole Pantaleo tweaks the costume of the Mayor of Munchkinland (Taylor Calleja) in the window of Christmas Tyme on Main Street on Saturday morning. The live window display will be repeated this Saturday, April 11 between 1 and 3 p.m.

She alone made in excess of 32 costumes, not to mention 40 Munchkin hats. “I had help with the hats though, thanks to Ashley West and Kim Gerhart,” said Pantaleo.

Pantaleo is a relative newcomer to the Huntsville area, having arrived here with husband John and two children, Connor, 15, and Ella, 11, from Toronto two years ago. They opened a business, Alberto Salon and Spa just off Brunel Road beside the high school, and almost immediately became involved in community theatre.

“I helped out with A Christmas Carol and met Gregg Evans,” she said. Pantaleo has worked extensively in theatre so, not surprisingly, Evans was quick to add her to his list of able volunteers.

“I went to George Brown for fashion, then worked in film in Toronto and theatre in Stratford and Lindsay, as well as for costume houses in Toronto,” said Pantaleo, adding that, after 10 years and with small children, she began working from home, making dance costumes.

Pantaleo has spent hundreds of hours on costumes for Oz. “It’s been a huge undertaking, but a lot of fun,” she said.

With the lead roles featuring two or three different actors, more than one costume for each character was required. Beverley Hawksley designed and made the two Cowardly Lion outfits, sculptor Brenda Wainman Goulet fashioned two costumes for the Tin Man, Jocelyne Lamoureux took care of the three Dorothys, Sherry Peddie, the two Scarecrows, Barb Hartwick, the two Wizards and three witches, Celia Finley, the three Totos, and Diane Bickley ensured the three Glindas will glitter in their gold and white finery.

When Oz hits the stage, even more volunteers will be working hard in the wings, with stage crew Jay Osborne, Zelda Dwyer, Suzanne Riverin, Don McCormick and Lisa Thomas (props), ensuring everything runs smoothly.

Down below in the dressing rooms, Carol Rhodes and Lynn Fletcher, along with more than a dozen helpers, will be applying makeup, and Carlyn Preston and Ashley White from Alberto Salon and Spa will see every hair is in place.

It’s a stage musical of mammoth proportions. An old adage states ‘build it and they will come’ and, if ticket sales are any indicator (more than 1,500 as of April 1), every seat will be filled at each performance.

That is the hope of Evans, the Rotary clubs of Huntsville, the Huntsville Festival of the Arts, and the North Muskoka Players, who have shouldered the production costs.

Presenting a show of this magnitude does not come cheap, said Evans. “It cost $42,000 to produce Jesus Christ Superstar, and royalties alone for Oz are in the region of $8,000.”

The Wizard of Oz is presented at 7:30 p.m. on April 16-18 and 22-25, and 2 p.m. on April 18 and 25. Tickets are $80 for a family of four, $25 for adults and $20 for youth under 18, and are on sale at the Algonquin Theatre box office on Main Street, by dialing 789-4975, or online at www.algonquintheatre.ca.

Huntsville festival is named among top 100

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on April 8, 2009.)

By Gillian Brunette

The Huntsville Festival of the Arts (HFA) has been recognized for its efforts by Festivals and Events Ontario.

Out of approximately 2,500 annual festivals and events staged each year in Ontario, the HFA has been named one of the top 100. The recognition is for the period April 2008 to March 2009, and the announcement was made at the Festival and Events Ontario 23rd annual conference held March 7 at the Holiday Inn Burlington Hotel and Conference Centre.

Kareen Burns, HFA president, said she was thrilled to hear about the recognition. “I have had a dream that is, quite miraculously, becoming a reality. Our dynamic and eclectic Huntsville Festival of the Arts has been delightfully acknowledged in the top 100 festivals in Ontario. I am so proud of our wonderful and creative team who made this happen. We all look forward to a wonderful and creative future.”

Solicitations for submissions from Festivals and Events Ontario were issued toward the end of the previous calendar year, and an independent jury of industry peers conducted the selection process just prior to the conference, said executive director Gary Masters. “Recognition is eagerly sought by (festival and event) organizers as evidence of their ability to stand out amongst the many deserving of the honour,” he said.

The festivals and events industry in Ontario encompasses many experiences, which include traditional festivals, agricultural fairs, exhibitions and shows, heritage, music, performing arts, sports, highland games, holiday celebrations, aboriginal events, culinary, outdoor activities and more.

To view the top 100 festivals and events winners go to www.festivalsandeventsontario.ca.

Introducing Susan Lowe

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on April 8, 2009.)

By Paula Boon

Susan Lowe loves to help people succeed.

That’s why the president of the Muskoka Literacy Council (MLC) thrived in her career as a special education teacher and why she gravitated toward the literacy council when she and her husband Michael moved to Huntsville in 2002.

Lowe says the most wonderful part of both jobs is seeing people begin to feel good about themselves when they meet with success. “Relationship forming is most important,” she says. “If you have a trusting relationship, you can conquer mountains together.”

She gives the example of a favourite former Grade 6 student. “He was a nightmare on the schoolyard, a real hood. I loved him,” she says. “We had an amazing rapport. He was bright as a dollar, but it wasn’t coming out.”

Three years later, while waiting in line at a fast food restaurant, Lowe heard a booming voice calling her name, and there he was, thanking her for getting him the help he had needed. “I just about wept,” she says. “His goal was to be a truck driver. Every time I see a truck go by I think of him. I hope he made it.”

Lowe has formed those same strong relationships at the literacy council. “Each person comes in with an individual goal,” she says. “We’re not teaching a program, we’re teaching individuals.”

Born in England, just after the war, to a Canadian father and British mother, Lowe’s family moved to Huntsville in 1957, when she was 11. She met her husband Michael, whose family has a long history in Dwight, at Huntsville High School. However, the two didn’t begin dating until they reconnected in Toronto after she had attended Ottawa Teachers’ College.

The couple married in 1968 and had two children, Wendy and Jason. “Being their mom is the most important thing I have ever done,” Lowe says. She took 17 years away from teaching to be there for her family.

When Michael was ready to retire, the Huntsville area was a natural choice. Soon after arriving, Lowe responded to a newspaper advertisement for MLC volunteer tutors. Shortly thereafter, she was assigned the role of assessor because of her background. By 2003, she was on the board, and in 2005 she became president. That was a difficult time for the literacy council, which was in need of restructuring.

“The first huge change was to add computer classes,” she says. “That removed the stigma associated with coming to the literacy council.”

Now, courses are also being created that are specific to the education and skills required for jobs in different sectors. Last August, the MLC co-located with the Employment Resource Centre at 64 King William Street. “It’s seamless. It’s working beautifully,” she says. “More people are being served by both agencies as a result.”

Besides her day-to-day duties at the literacy council, Lowe’s biggest jobs as president have been running annual fundraisers the golf tournament and the Muskoka Novel Marathon, which takes place this year from July 17 to 20.

She has kept busy outside of work, too. For example, Lowe is an art aficionado and owned Gallery in the Woods in Dwight from 2002 to 2006. “I featured the works of 64 artists, 95 per cent of them local,” she says. “The whole premise was for people who travelled here to take back original local art to remind them of where they’d been.”

Lowe also organized Art Among the Pines, an annual event, in Dwight from 2003 to 2006, with help from her husband and children. She is also a member of the Huntsville Festival of the Arts board.

When asked about the future, Lowe says she plans to continue her volunteer work, but the recent death of her younger sister has reminded her of the importance of stopping to smell the roses and watch the birds. “Wendy was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in October and died Jan. 7,” she says. “My sister lived a very balanced life. I need to take lessons from her.”

Thanks to Doris Villemaire for suggesting that Susan be profiled.

May Marché 2009 will be better than ever

(The following Trumpeter column originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on April 1, 2009.)

By Myke Malone,
Huntsville Festival of the Arts director

I can hardly believe we are in the process of planning our ninth annual May Marché.

How time has flown and how much the marché has grown since the first one, nine years ago, when we booked the members’ lounge at the Hidden Valley ski clubhouse. We had three wine companies, one brewery and eight local restaurants offering samplings of their products. We sold 200 tickets and it was a sell-out. Wow, we were pretty impressed!

The following year, we expanded into both rooms at the ski club and hosted a sold-out crowd of 300 people. By year four, due to the growth, we moved the marché to Deerhurst Resort, where we hosted three breweries, 10 vineyards and more than a dozen local restaurateurs. After two years in the Peninsula Ballroom at Deerhurst, we had outgrown the room’s capacity of 450 people. It was time to expand yet again, and we spilled out into the rotunda and grand hallway.

For the past three years, we have been hosting a crowd of 600 people, every ticket sold way before the night of the event. Last year, the marché featured four breweries, 17 vineyards, and 15 local restaurateurs.

While we can no longer grow bigger, we continually strive to add more features to the marché. My co-chair, Ross Kirwin, and I are always looking for something new to spice up the event. We’ve even had cars, jet skis and ATVs on the auction table. We have pulled a few new ideas out of the marché hat for this year as well.

MAN WITH A PLAN: Myke Malone is one of the key organizers of the May 22 fund-raising event, hosted annually to benefit the Huntsville Festival of the Arts and its many endeavors.

Once again, we are fortunate to have Polar Bear Diamonds returning as our event sponsor, and they have generously donated a diamond pendant valued at $5,000 that will be raffled off. Deerhurst executive chef, Rory Golden, will again create a spectacular ice carving at the martini bar and supply a cornucopia of incredible desserts. Golden will be joined by other area chefs, all of whom are donating their time and great products for a good cause.

The evening will again be hosted by Deerhurst Resort, and it takes place on Friday, May 22, from 7 to 10 p.m. Our ticket price will remain the same, at $50, if purchased before April 24. After April 24, tickets will be $60 (if there are any left by that time).

Buy early or you may have to resort to placing an advertisement in the Forester, as one individual did last year. He offered to pay a premium price for anyone willing to part with two tickets.

The Huntsville Festival of the Arts (HFA) is a registered charity and your support, over the years, has enabled the festival to not only underwrite some incredible performances by some of Canada’s rising artists, but also to support many local arts initiatives such as a scholarship program, theatre funding for Huntsville High School, public school projects and artists’ workshops.

Last year, the HFA was the proud recipient of the Huntsville Lake of Bays Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence award for Best Community Organization. The festival is proud of its work in our community and I am proud to not only co-chair the May Marché for the ninth year, but also to be a director of the festival board for my 10th season.

Thank you for your continued support of the Huntsville Festival of the Arts, and I look forward to seeing you at the marché.

Marché tickets are available at Robinson’s Independent Grocer, Treasures and Trophies on Main Street, at the Huntsville/Lake of Bays Chamber of Commerce office, or through our website www.huntsvillefestival.on.ca. Check out our exciting 2009 summer lineup or look for more stories on our blog at www.trumpeterhfa.blogspot.com.

Ruth Cassie, Carlos del Junco to play at next Muskoka Song Night at the Hideaway Pub

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on April 1, 2009.)

By Gillian Brunette

Award-winning harmonica player Carlos del Junco and singer/pianist Ruth Cassie are the featured performers at the Hideaway Pub on April 7 beginning at 8 p.m.

The two will join Muskoka singer/songwriter Linda McLean, host of Muskoka Song Night, an eclectic music showcase held on the first Tuesday of every month. The 18-month series of song nights and music clinics is being sponsored, in part, by the Huntsville Festival of the Arts.

Named harmonica player of the year seven times out of the Canadian Maple Blues Award’s 11-year history, del Junco plays the harmonica like nobody else in the world. Born in Havana, Cuba, del Junco is a pioneer of the 10-hole diatonic harmonica. The music played by this harmonica maestro transcends all categorization, fusing his respect for tradition with a fresh, innovative and truly modern approach. Get ready to forget all you thought you knew about the harmonica. Del Junco presents a no-holds-barred display of fun and melodic virtuosity.

Huntsville native Ruth Cassie now divides her time between country and city. With her ethereal voice and piano-plunking hands, she has just returned home from Canadian and European tours with Hawksley Workman. Cassie’s songs and live performances garner comparisons to musicians such as CocoRosie, Regina Spektor, Joni Mitchell, Tori Amos and Serena Ryder.

The evening will also include good eats from Lorraine Morin of Soul Sista’s and fair trade organic coffee courtesy of Muskoka Roastery.

Tickets for Muskoka Song Night are $10 (or $100 for the series of 12 concerts) and available at the door, which opens at 7 p.m. Seating is limited.

For more information, contact Linda McLean via e-mail (info@lindamclean.com) or visit her website: www.lindamclean.com.