Happening Before The Snow Flies!
Hello Theatre Friends,

It’s hard to believe that today is September 1st! The summer has flown by as it so often does. I am sure you feel like I do, that it was so lovely to be able to be with friends and family again and especially nice to be enjoying live entertainment again!

I’d like to thank my staff for so kindly celebrating my 10th anniversary this summer! It’s been 10 years of programming for Theatre Collingwood for me!

I love my life!
#BESTJOBEVER
Thank you to everyone who joined us at The Marsh Street Centre for Leisa Way’s show “Rock ‘N Roll is Here to Stay!” We had so much fun and I hope you did too! You just can’t beat that good old Rock & Roll and it occurred to me how ageless it is. One just had to look around the audience to see the great age range in attendance at each show! Many thanks to Leisa and her wonderfully talented band, plus all our friends at The Marsh Street Centre!
UP NEXT!
We are in final preparations for our next show, Norm Foster’s “THE FOURSOME”. This wonderful play is coming to us from The Foster Festival in St. Catharines. Rick, Ted, Donnie, and Cameron are home for their twenty-five year reunion; a great time to go out for a game of golf and catch up on each other’s lives. Unlike their college days, the conversation doesn’t include talk of beer and final exams, but of colonoscopies, home-security systems, alcoholism, Buddhism, and more! This is a great comedy and we thought “what better place to stage it than at the first tee of the Cranberry Golf Course!" The play runs each evening at 7pm from September 20th to 23rd. It WILL sell out so please don’t wait to order your tickets. Some questions have come to me so I will try to answer them:

  • Yes, the play is being done outdoors on a golf course!
  • Cranberry Golf Course is located at 27B Harbour St W, Collingwood
  • You do not walk the course
  • We will provide seating, but feel free to bring a cushion if you like for your chair
  • The actors will all have microphones, so you will have no problem hearing them
  • We will also be providing lighting, as we know it can get dark as the evening rolls on
  • Please dress for the weather. As the sun goes down you may want a blankie!
  • We will have a concession stand. The golf course will run their bar cart.
  • If it rains we will try to bring the show indoors, or else we will refund your money.
  • Please arrive around 6:30pm to get seated. Expect to be with us for 2.5 hours
  • We will have an intermission
  • The actors are fantastic and this unique experience is one you don’t want to miss!
  • You can purchase tickets online HERE or call our office at 705-445-2200
ATTENTION! ATTENTION! CLASSES WILL BE BACK IN SESSION!
We are so excited to tell you that we are offering two new classes for mature adults this Fall. We are welcoming back our friend Scott Hurst to teach two, five-week programs, after the success of our spring classes that we offered. The classes will run from Friday, October 7th to Friday, November 4th (5 weeks). There are two different programs. Each will take place at the Free Schools Room at the Collingwood Library (totally accessible space), and the fee is $175 + HST. Please call the office to register.
10am-12:30pm ACTING FOR SENIORS 101 – CREATING CHARACTERS FOR THE STAGE [no pre-requisite]

This entry level course is for those seniors who wish to learn how to create a character using
scripts from existing stage plays. Weekly exercises will involve vocal work, light physical awareness exercises, text analysis and scene study. Monologue and scene work will be offered for those who would like an extra challenge between classes. Memorization is optional. This would be a perfect course for those considering auditioning for community theatre at any level, or for those who just want to push their comfort level and try something new.

2pm-4:30pm STORYTELLING FOR SENIORS 202 – TELLING YOUR STORY
[pre-requisite Effective Storytelling 101]

This course is an expansion and extension of the earlier course we held in the spring, and will focus on the development of your own personal story for print or performance. This is neither an acting class nor a writing class, but it will focus on the effective performance of your material for audiences of various ages, or in preparation for telling your story in print for others to read. Most “writing’ will take place between classes as homework with specific objectives.
Town Survey and Upcoming Election
With the Municipal elections coming up on Monday, October 24th the Town of Collingwood is asking its citizens to take part in a BUDGET SURVEY which you can find HERE. Please take a moment and let your Town Council know what you think the priorities are.

As you know, we are in desperate need of a Centre for Arts, Culture and Entertainment. There are many important issues, but the time has come for Collingwood to have a proper facility for arts & culture, and a home for Theatre Collingwood and other arts groups to thrive in.

Please tell council that you believe this should be one of the top priorities.
DID YOU KNOW?

  • Ontario's arts and culture sector represents $28.7 billion or 3.5% of the province's GDP and 301,495 jobs.

  • In 2019, gross domestic product (GDP) of culture and sport in Canada increased 2.6% to $63.2 billion, representing 2.9% of the total economy. The culture sector generated $57.1 billion (or 90.4%) of this amount, while the remainder was attributable to sport.
HOUSING NEEDED FOR ACTORS
If you currently have room to house actors for us please email to erica@theatrecollingwood.ca. We are looking for rooms in or near Collingwood. Housing actors or crew is a pretty easy to do. We ask you provide a private bedroom and washroom, and access to the kitchen should they choose to cook. They work most of the time so you will barely see them. Most of the time we are only looking for a few nights. Housing an actor is a great way to really help our theatre company and Canadian actors, make a new friend, and get to see shows for free! Thank you.
HERE’S A FEW GREAT VIDEOS FOR YOU TO CHECK OUT!
Once again I have gone down the rabbit hole at YouTube. Check out this wonderful interview with Jodie Foster on The Actor’s Studio HERE

I’ve followed this father-daughter duo for many years. It is so great to see a more mature Savanna, with her father Mat Shaw singing When You Believe. Check them out HERE
STAGE WHISPERS PODCAST
Nancy Chapple Smokler kindly interviewed me on her theatre podcast STAGE WHISPERS last weekend. We had a great chat about all things Theatre Collingwood! The podcast comes from Simcoe County and covers both professional and amateur theatre in Central Ontario. The episode will air on September 9th (episode 42). Check it out wherever you get your podcasts or HERE
Our Friend & Actor Andy Dumas is directing and acting in
“DON’T MISUNDERSTAND ME!”
with the Thornbury Community Theatre and The Marsh Street Centre.
Written by: Patrick Cargill
Directed by: Andy Dumas & Julian Ford
Produced by: Annette Sandberg
Cast: Andy Dumas, Julian Ford, Jane Bolton, Chelsea Weston, Dana Kaluzny
Sponsored by: Brenda Tullio of The Ear Clinic  
Hilarious misunderstandings abound in this witty English comedy full of revolving-door antics and mistaken identities. This brilliant cast will keep you guessing and laughing through this farce style comedy production. Tickets are on sale NOW! 7 performances to choose from!

Call 519-599-7837 for tickets
WE’RE LOOKING FOR PORCHES FOR 2023!
Yes, the Portside Festival will be back for 2023, and we are now looking for next year’s porches! We especially are trying to find historic homes that can hold 50 people in their backyard or fenced in front yard. That being said, if you think you have a home that might work for a show in your yard (even if it is not historic) please send a note to erica@theatrecollingwood.ca. We’d love to come visit. If you happen to have photos of the yard and porch that really helps. Perhaps you have a friend or neighbour whose home you think might work? Looking for those homes you've driven by and always wished you could go in! We could not do this festival without the generosity of our great homeowners and I would like to say a giant thank you to all the 2022 homes!
UPCOMING AUDITIONS

Our friends at Gaslight Community Theatre are holding auditions for their 2022 tour "Unsolved Mysteries". Auditions will take place at the Simcoe Street Theatre – located at 65 Simcoe Street in Collingwood.  

Sept. 8th – 6:00pm to 9:00pm

Sept. 10th – 10:00am to 2:00pm

No experience necessary. No need to prepare. Our auditions are always relaxed and informal. For more information about Gaslight check them out HERE.

Contact laurie.gaslight@gmail.com to book your time slot!
P.S. I'm really happy to say that I will be directing one of their plays again this year!
As always, I love to get your notes. If you have any comments or suggestions please email me HERE . Thank you everyone. Have a wonderful long weekend!

Erica
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