Hello Theatre Lovers!
Things are just bustling around Theatre Collingwood these days! This week will mark our launch of our TWO Christmas shows online, and we cannot wait to share them with you! Leisa Way has a tremendous following in our Theatre Collingwood audiences and we know you are going to LOVE her new Christmas show ROCKIN ‘ROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE. And yes, the guys from The Wayward Wind Band are all back with her! Think back to a simpler time when families gathered ‘round the television to watch their favourite artists perform their Christmas specials, and that’s the kind of nostalgic experience you can create this holiday season with this show! It’s packed with superb talent and great music. When you purchase your link, Rockin ‘Round The Christmas Tree is available to watch online from December 19th until January 3rd.
Call 705-445-2200 or purchase your link HERE.
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We had so much fun making this promotional video for our staged reading of A Christmas Carol, with Tom Strnad from Mountain Goat Film. Shirley Joost is our Ebenezer Scrooge, and when we did this video Shirley had not even had one read-through rehearsal! She is a fantastic Scrooge and the entire cast are really brilliant in their roles. We have been doing read-through rehearsals on ZOOM! Gosh the world has certainly changed!
I’m really proud of this production and we invite you to mull the cider, pick your favourite seat at home and tune-in to A Staged Reading of a Christmas Carol. This year marks our company's second annual presentation of the dramatic reading made famous by CBC Radio, with local VIP performers including Melanie Case, Janet Fairbridge, Shirley Joost, Laurie May, Simone Shears and Leslie Worts. Incidentally, it is only fitting that in this “unprecedented” year that Theatre Collingwood would cast all women in the roles, truly making this a unique version! We are also delighted to have Anne Raciunas as our Foley artist (sound effects) and Greg Gibson as our Musical Director and accompanist. The performance is available to watch beginning at 7:00pm EST Friday, December 18th until Sunday, December 20th midnight. For your link please call 705-445-2200 or you can purchase HERE. Please remember these links make GREAT Christmas gifts!
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Our latest Facebook Live show was on December 2nd. It was fascinating to speak with Musical Director Greg Gibson. He’s a hometown boy who has toured the world with his incredible musical talents. We also spoke with the Collingwood Arts, Culture, and Entertainment (CACE) group’s committee chair, Rob Hart, about how things are going with regards to a future arts centre in Collingwood. Rob told us about his amazing history with the Mississauga Living Arts Centre and updated us on the feasibility study that the Town of Collingwood is doing. If you have not registered your (non-financial) support of this project please go to www.collingwoodarts.com to do so. Theatre Collingwood would love to have a home in that future arts centre and we feel strongly about the economic driver it would be for the region. If you would like to watch the interview with Rob you can find it on our Facebook page and the video is available there to watch.
This week we have two new guests to chat with on The Stage Door. Andy Dumas has been an actor and a fitness guru for many years and will share his fascinating stories with us. He is a boxing expert and has integrated that knowledge into his workout program and new book. Arkady Spivak is the Artistic Director for Talk Is Free Theatre known for his innovative projects, one of which was Tales of An Urban Indian which we brought to Collingwood and was performed on a town bus!
Tune in on Wednesday, December 16th at 7pm on our Facebook page. If you are not familiar with Facebook Live please feel free to call our office for help. When you watch our shows please tell your friends, SHARE, LIKE, and help us to continue to produce this work. To watch our past episodes please check them out HERE.
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Our Newest Board Member
We would like to welcome Kerry Mader onto our Theatre Collingwood Board of Directors. Kerry was elected to the position at our AGM held on December 7th. He brings a wealth of experience with him to the board and we all look forward to working with him. I’d also like to thank all who attended the AGM.
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Exciting News From CBS!
Before 2020 comes to a close, Jupiter and Saturn will be so close that they will appear to form a "double planet." The great conjunction, as the planetary alignment has come to be known, hasn't occurred in nearly 800 years. When their orbits align every 20 years, Jupiter and Saturn get extremely close to one another. This occurs because Jupiter orbits the sun every 12 years, while Saturn's orbit takes 30 years — every couple of decades, Jupiter laps Saturn, according to NASA."Alignments between these two planets are rather rare, occurring once every 20 years or so, but this conjunction is exceptionally rare because of how close the planets will appear to one another," Rice University astronomer Patrick Hartigan said in a statement. "You'd have to go all the way back to just before dawn on March 4, 1226, to see a closer alignment between these objects visible in the night sky." Aligning with the winter solstice on December 21, 2020, the two planets will be just 0.1 degrees apart — less than the diameter of a full moon, EarthSky said. The word "conjunction" is used by astronomers to describe the meeting of objects in our night sky, and the great conjunction occurs between the two largest planets in our solar system: Jupiter and Saturn. The planets will be so close, they will appear, from some perspectives, to overlap completely, creating a rare "double planet" effect.
Why would we not expect things to be rare this year?! ENJOY!
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Here is a Christmas treat for you. An annual tradition for many, this presentation of Handel's Messiah was filmed live from the Sydney Opera House last December.For those who have not been to the opera house, you are certain to enjoy seeing the inside of this beautiful space. If you have been to the Sydney Opera House please tell me about your experience HERE.
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Here is a link from Readers Digest to new upcoming Christmas movies you can watch on Netflix Canada. Happy Viewing!
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Have a great week everyone! Please take care, wear your mask, and social distance. We’re going to get through this craziness together!
Erica
Erica Angus
Executive Director, Theatre Collingwood
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