Festival hits a high note with the May Marché

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on May 27, 2009.)

By Gillian Brunette

The Huntsville Festival of the Arts (HFA) May Marché, considered by many to be a major event in Huntsville’s social calendar, surpassed all expectations again this year.

Held last Friday at Deerhurst Resort, tickets had been in hot demand for the annual fundraiser, which was sold out many weeks beforehand. The marché brought more than 600 people to the Waterhouse Ballroom where, in a carnival-like atmosphere, they wined, dined and were entertained over a three-hour period.

Building on the success of the recent musical presentation of The Wizard of Oz (co-sponsored by the HFA), the marché had a decidedly Oz flavour. Dorothy’s house, magically transported from Kansas, had landed just inside the main entrance of the ballroom and beside it stood the iconic windmill.

Food and beverage kiosks were arranged around the perimeter of the room and, in the central section, gold-skirted tables displayed numerous silent auction donations. Vendors and displays also lined the adjoining hallway, where marché patrons could listen to live jazz music, watch a caricature artist sketch cartoon portraits or sample the vast array of desserts, including a chocolate fountain.

“The marché is the festival’s primary fundraiser of the year and has become a critical part of our overall program funding,” noted Rob Saunders, HFA general manager. “The ability to make a substantial amount of money, and have fun doing it, is only possible through the donations we receive from our restaurant and spirit vendors, our silent auction donors, the generosity of our host Deerhurst Resort and the support of our event sponsor Polar Bear Diamonds.”

This year’s silent auction raised more than $14,000, bringing the total amount raised to approximately $40,000. This includes money raised during the evening’s raffle for a $5,000 diamond necklace, which was won by Janine Scott of Dwight.

The Huntsville Festival of the Arts is a not-for-profit organization that brings a year-round celebration of the arts to the Huntsville area. As well, it funds educational programs and scholarships for both elementary and secondary school arts students. Information about the HFA’s summer line-up of shows and other activities can be found on the website: www.huntsvillefestival.on.ca.

The HFA's 2009 May Marché!

READY TO SERVE: Soul Sistas owner Lorraine Morin (right), her husband Gerry and staff members are eager to serve up some tasty vegetarian treats.

PEACHY PALS: Robin Clipsham, in character as “Peaches,” shares a laugh with Sybille Pieper at Friday’s May Marché.

EAT, DRINK AND BID MERRILY: The annual May Marché is a great way to sample some delicious local cuisine, as well as raise money for the Huntsville Festival of the Arts.

HEAR, HERE: Town Crier Bruce Kruger reminds the crowd at Deerhurst that one of the silent auction tables is about to close.

HOLD STILL: Marion and Bob Shaw pose for caricaturist Rob Westall, who sketched willing subjects throughout the evening.

SWEET DIP: Tom Pinckard dips a piece of fruit in the chocolate fountain, one of the popular dessert offerings at the HFA’s annual marché.

PICK YOUR OWN: There seemed to be acres of delectable desserts to select from at Deerhurst last Friday.

ENJOYABLE EVENING: Festival founder Jim Alexander, John Newel of BDO Dunwoody and Don Spring of Cavalcade Photo (left to right) enjoy participating in the HFA’s annual fundraising gala.

[The preceding photos were taken for the Forester by Bev McMullen, "Talk of the Town" columnist and photographer for Metroland North publications.]

Students benefit from alliance between Huntsville school and Festival of the Arts

(The following Trumpeter column originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on May 13, 2009.)

By Greg Sutherland,
Huntsville High School teacher

Over the past five years, the staff and students of the Huntsville High School (HHS) music program have instituted a co-operative venture with their Family of Schools.

A team-teaching strategy at the high school has allowed small groups of four to six students, accompanied by one teacher, to visit the elementary classrooms from junior kindergarten to Grade 8 in their class period and provide valuable musical exposure for the younger students. During that time, the high school students’ presentations have included an introduction to various instruments exploring the sound and technical differences, a short performance and a chance for all elementary children to explore an instrument.

As luck would have it, three years ago, the music program was able to broaden its base even further when it partnered with the Huntsville Festival of the Arts (HFA). In a co-ordinated effort to expose young people to the Algonquin Theatre, the festival agreed to underwrite the costs of a number of performances and workshops for both elementary and secondary students.

Since then, the HHS music department has been able to use the theatre for a variety of events including two fundraising performance/workshops by the professional vocal touring group Cadence, six band concerts and two performances of the Song Project, for more than 800 elementary students, plus one sold-out evening performance for the public.

The partnership has been extremely beneficial to all parties. Funding by the festival has allowed the high school students an opportunity to perform in a professional forum, along with providing theatre exposure to the younger students. In addition, it has created enthusiasm and creative opportunities for staff and students alike.

The Song Project is a perfect example of what the partnership has produced. The collective features an ensemble of five amazing HHS vocalists, singing a variety of pop, rock and new country songs, backed by an all-star faculty/student seven-piece band.

Over the past three years, this ensemble has opened for performers such as Jully Black and the Canadian Tenors, along with headlining their own sold-out performances and playing for private functions. The group’s success is directly related to having had the opportunity to hone their skills in a professional forum like the Algonquin Theatre.

This year’s version features Rachael Wright, Jenny Smith, Kaitie Dafoe, Sarah McNeil and Taylor Petman on vocals, faculty members Jordan Riley on keyboards and Louis Tusz on percussion and trumpet, Kevin Bell, Tyler Ayles and Nick Harris on guitar, Blaine Mackie on bass and Shane Connon on drums.

For those interested in seeing and hearing the fruits of the collaborative efforts of the HFA and the HHS music program’s partnership, there are two upcoming opportunities at the Algonquin Theatre: Fanfare on May 28, featuring the HHS concert bands, stage bands and vocal ensemble; and the Song Project in a two-hour performance of rock, pop, rhythm and blues, and new country classics on June 4 and 5.

For more on the HFA and to check out the exciting 2009 summer lineup, go to www. huntsvillefestival.on.ca. Look for more stories and photos on the festival blog at www.trumpeterhfa.blogspot.com.

Arts scholarship applications for HFA and choir are due at the end of the month

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on May 6, 2009.)

Two leading community arts groups have once again combined their energies and financial clout to enhance the level of funding support available to promising performing arts students in the area.

This year, performing arts students, other than vocal applicants, are encouraged to apply for a Huntsville Festival of the Arts (HFA) scholarship, while vocal students will be eligible to apply for a scholarship provided by the Huntsville Community Choir.

The HFA scholarship award was introduced in 1997 to foster the development of the performing arts talent in the community. For 2009, the festival has decided once again to offer junior, intermediate and senior scholarships.

The junior scholarship, of up to $500, is available to applicants 13 years of age and under as of Dec. 31, 2008. The intermediate scholarship, an award up to $1,000, is available to students 16 years of age and under as of Dec. 31, 2008. The senior scholarship is awarded to students 17 years of age or older as of Dec. 31, 2008. The senior awards, for the year, will total $1,500.

Students may only apply for one level of scholarship per year, and scholarship funds must be used toward the cost of tuition to a post-secondary institution, or applied toward lessons from a qualified instructor. The community choir will divide a total of $1,000 among winners in junior, intermediate and senior categories. Candidates must reside in the Huntsville/Lake of Bays area.

Applications for both scholarships may be picked up from the Huntsville High School guidance department, music department, or at the Huntsville Forester office at 11 Main St. West. Applications are to be completed and mailed back to the festival office by May 27.

In addition to the application, each candidate will be required to perform a live audition in front of an adjudication panel. Auditions for both scholarships will be held at Trinity United Church on Saturday, June 13. Award recipients will be notified during the week following the auditions.

Previous festival scholarships have been awarded to students pursuing studies in dance, theatre, and music. Scholarship recipients and applicants have participated in a number of performance opportunities over the years, both during main stage concerts at the festival and Music at Noon concerts.

Winners of either the festival or community choir junior or intermediate scholarships are eligible to re-apply for the senior scholarship but senior candidates can only win once. However, unsuccessful senior applicants are encouraged to audition in subsequent years.

For further information please contact Rob Saunders at 788-2787 or Gerri Mar at 789-3175.

Project brings students and seniors closer

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on May 6, 2009.)

By Gillian Brunette

Decades may divide the community’s young people and its senior citizens but, thanks to a new arts education project, the gap has been somewhat narrowed.

An Edge of the Woods Theatre project titled Where I’m From is celebrating the lives of area seniors, whose stories are being immortalized through the arts.

The project is a collaborative effort between Edge of the Woods Theatre, Huntsville High School and Rogers Cove Retirement Residence, where HHS Grade 10 drama students recently presented a theatrical piece to media, invited guests, and the residents whose stories inspired their artistic work.

For two days in April, students interviewed residents of Rogers Cove, then over the span of two weeks worked with project leaders Dan Watson, his wife Christina Serra and other professionals to create poetry, theatre, photography and visual art based on the residents’ memories. The results of those interactions were a 15-minute theatre presentation, a video and drawings and poems created by Grade 10 visual arts students.

The event opened with a black and white video, taken by Lisa Riverin-Thomas, showing the students interviewing and working with the Rogers Cove residents. The drama students then followed with several clever skits and poem recitals, all of which related to the residents’ stories.

SCARY RIDE: Students in the Huntsville High School Grade 10 drama class perform a skit for residents and guests at Rogers Cove last week as part of the Edge of the Woods Where I Am From project. [Photo by Jon Snelson.]

The students’ efforts were met by an appreciative audience members, many of whom had ‘dressed down’ in deference to their young visitors.

“The residents, of their own volition, decided to wear ball caps, hoodies and jeans,” explained Watson, who is Edge of the Woods co-artistic director and an HHS alumnus. He added: “Next time it won’t be just the students performing.”

A quilt, one of two created by textile artist Meredith Powell, HHS and Huntsville Public School students, was presented to Julie Martin, activities director at Rogers Cove.

“The Grade 3/4 class at HPS took some of the poems and painted on little pieces of cloth and the collage was made into two quilts,” Watson explained.

Among the invitees were MPP for Parry Sound/Muskoka Norm Miller and Ontario Trillium Foundation representative Lois Cookman, who is chair of the grant review team for the area.

Announcing a $44,600 grant to Edge of the Woods Theatre, Miller and Cookman presented Watson with an Ontario Trillium Foundation plaque stating: ‘This organization is proudly supported by a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, which builds healthy and vibrant communities in this great province.’

“When the grant came in, I was thrilled,” said Cookman. “This is one of those ones that is special, one to cherish, because it partners the youth with seasoned citizens and records a history that we can all share. It’s a very good use of our funds.”

“This announcement is a huge step for our company,” said Watson. “It affords us an excellent opportunity to reach more audiences in more communities, and to take a greater role in developing and presenting the artistic talents of those living in the Muskoka and East Parry Sound region.”

The provincial grant will go toward three theatre projects this year. One is the Where I’m From Project, and another the Edge of the Woods Theatre Festival, which takes place this summer in Burk’s Falls (July 9), Huntsville (July 10 and 11), Port Sydney (July 12) and Bracebridge (July 13).

The third venture, taking place July 27 to Aug. 14, is titled the Downtown Project and will celebrate the 140th anniversary of Captain Hunt’s arrival to the area.

The Edge of the Woods Theatre company was created in November 2007 after the Huntsville Festival of the Arts approached Watson and Serra about bringing more alternative theatre to the area. Through this collaboration, the Edge of the Woods Theatre Festival was born and continues to grow.