What's the Buzz? | June 20 2022
Hello Porch Lovers!

As promised, I am back to highlight more of our great PORCHSIDE FESTIVAL performers.

We are thrilled that so much is opening up in the arts and culture world now, and we hope you will be able to take the time to check out our festival.

PLEASE SHARE THIS NEWSLETTER WITH YOUR FRIENDS.

The festival runs through the month of July. 13 different porches, 25 performers and 39 shows!

It’s going to be so much fun and we hope to see you there!

BOOK YOUR TICKETS HERE OR CALL 705-445-2200 
Gabs Sings Babs

Starring Gabi Epstein with accompanist Mark Camilleri

July 9th at 7pm
July 10th at 2pm & 7pm

Location: 57 St. Lawrence St., Collingwood

Porch Generously Sponsored by Kerry Mader & Dr. Brian McCrindle

Hailed “Canada’s Queen of Cabaret” by CTV, Gabi Epstein is a DORA winner and one of Canada’s leading stage/cabaret performers! She is best known for playing Audrey in “Little Shop of Horrors” at the Stratford Festival and Fanny Brice in “Funny Girl” at the Segal Centre and the Harold Green Jewish Theatre. Gabi is thrilled to be bringing “Gabs Sings Babs” (a personal love letter to Barbra Streisand) to our PORCHSIDE audiences in a spectacular setting.

Some of Gabi’s other credits include: Once (Mirvish– DORA AWARD Ensemble/Production), Billy Elliot(Stratford), Home for the Holidays (Grand Theatre), Prom Queen (Segal Centre), FAM JAM (Porchside Songs, Musical Stage co.), Fiddler on the Roof (Stage West/Capitol Theatre), Sweeney Todd, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Candide, Dani Girl (TIFT), The Sound of Music, Blood Brothers, Perfect Wedding (Drayton), We Will Rock You (Magnus Theatre), To Life (HGJT– DORA AWARD Nomination Outstanding Performance), Toy Story the Musical as an original company member (Disney), and way too many concerts to mention. Gabi will be performing the role of Roz in “9 to 5: The Musical” at the Capitol Theatre in Port Hope this summer.

In Gabs Sings Babs Gabi Epstein (“Gabs”) shares her own journey of self-discovery using reimagined rearranged versions of Barbra Streisand’s greatest hits. Audiences will enjoy new exciting versions of Don’t Rain on My Parade, People, Papa Can You Hear Me, Happy Days are Here Again, The Way We Were, AND MORE!

A touching, reflective, and (of course) FUNNY show “Gabs Sings Babs” reminds us to remain true to ourselves by celebrating what makes us unique.
From Dusty to Dua

Starring Leah Allyce Canali with accompanists Chris Tsujiuchi and Mike Meusel

July 12th at 7pm July 13th at 2pm & 7pm

Location: 288 Beech St., Collingwood

Porch Generously Sponsored by Hearn Beaumont Real Estate Group

From Dusty to Dua is a retrospective of all of the best British Soul voices: Adele, Amy Winehouse, Dusty Springfield, Shirley Bassey, and even the Spice Girls!

Leah Anne Canalli uses the music of these female superstars to tell her story of working as a touring vocalist and songwriter. Combining classical training with a signature smokey soulful tone, Leah is a multi-genre master. Her voice has been compared to Adele, Amy Winehouse, Joss Stone, Mariah Carey and Jill Scott but her vocal style is a sound all its own. And she is a power house!

In addition to her stage life, she is a session vocalist, songwriter and commercial jingle composer. Whether it be a headlining spot on one of the largest stages in the world or an intimate piano bar, Leah has an innate ability to connect vocally and emotionally to any crowd. Her repertoire combines the best of old and new, contemporary and classic with arrangements that will make you fall in love with your favorite music all over again.

Here’s some fun facts: Leah has been a touring vocalist since the age of 19. In 2016 her YouTube channel caught the eye of International Drag Superstar, RuPaul, who is an avid follower and sharer of all of Leah’s music. She has become one of the go to vocalists and songwriters for the franchise and she has written, recorded and performed with: Katya, Trixie Mattel, Brooke Lynn Hytes, Priyanka, Cheryl Hole, Tynomi Banks and BOA. Her song Queen of the North, which she co-wrote for Brooke Lynn Hytes, was used as the finale song of Canada’s Drag Race Season 2 which marked the first time, in the history of the franchise, that a non-RuPaul song was awarded this honor!

Performance credits include: The Boston Red Sox, New England Patriots, Pride Toronto, World Pride, Celebrity Cruise Lines, World Fashion Week, Mirvish Productions (Broadway North), and The Official Inaugural Party of Barack Obama.
Person of Interest

Written and performed by Melody A. Johnson
Additional dialogue by Eric Woolfe
Original Direction by Rick Roberts
Produced by Lunkamud

July 14th at 7pm July 15th at 2pm and 7pm

Location: 66 Georgian Manor Dr., Collingwood

Person of Interest is a tale about a good, law-abiding citizen who hoped to volunteer, and so applied for a police background check. It was at that point when she discovered she was a Person of Interest…courtesy of some bad neighbours next door. It was their final act of retaliation!
Debuting in 2018, Person of Interest yarn spinning comic tale that has been delighting audiences across the country. Theatre Collingwood audiences may remember Melody from when we presented her one woman play Miss Caledonia. She is a brilliant comic and story teller, and we are delighted to now have her as part of the Porchside Festival.

From Melody: I’m from Brantford, Ontario which is mostly known for Wayne Gretzky and Alexander Graham Bell. Not bad company. After I received my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theatre at York U, I began travelling and performing all over. I’ve created some wonderful characters in Canadian theatre while working alongside some of the best directors and playwrights around. While working on traditional plays I also monkeyed around in the improv and comedy worlds. Improv great Colin Mochrie hired me for The Toronto Second City Touring Company and that’s how I got to writing, mostly on my feet. After my time as a mainstage actor I began directing Second City’s touring company and mainstage revues, and ‘comedyturged’ south of the border on Second City Chicago’s #DateMe show. As an actor, comedian and storyteller, I honed material for my latest show, “Person of Interest” at comedy clubs in Toronto and Halifax. I’m also pretty honoured that actors coast to coast are now performing my play Miss Caledonia.
Handsome, But Charmless!

Starring Kyle Golemba & accompanist Adam White

Sunday, July 3rd 7pm Monday, July 4th 2pm & 7pm

Location: 297 Beech Street, Collingwood

Handsome, But Charmless is titled after Kyle’s worst review. The critic said he was handsome, but charmless. Well we beg to differ!

I have been following Kyle for years, and while he is very handsome (I always thought he looked like a young Brad Pitt) he is anything but charmless!
He and Adam White have been presenting cabaret style shows since they met in 2006. Kyle met Adam and asked him to team up on a one-off cabaret. Sixteen years, nine cabarets, three provinces, one album and a forever friendship later, they’re still at it with this brand-new show which we are thrilled to bring to Collingwood! 

Handsome, But Charmless is full of great Broadway music, hilarious stories, and reflections on a life in Canadian theatre. Kyle and Adam have been called “an excellent team” (BroadwayWorld) with “spunk and style” (Toronto Star), who are “witty” and “charismatic” (The Carillon). Together, they make Handsome, But Charmless a performance to remember!

Kyle is from Regina, Saskatchewan. He has performed on stages from Nanaimo, BC to Summerside, PEI, including seasons at the Stratford Festival, the Shaw Festival, and the Charlottetown Festival. In addition to his theatrical work, he has also appeared in A Christmas Dance Reunion (Lifetime), SurrealEstate (SyFy), Hairspray (New Line Cinema), and Ross Petty’s A Christmas Carol (CBC).

Adam is a teacher, music director, and performer. He is currently a professor and co-coordinator of the Honours Bachelor of Music Theatre Performance Program at Sheridan College. Adam has music directed and acted at theatres across Canada, with favourites including Billy Bishop Goes to War (Neptune Theatre), Glorious! (Stage West Calgary and Globus Theatre), and his own cabaret, Something’s Coming.  
DON’T FORGET TO PRE-ORDER YOUR TREATS TO ENJOY DURING THE SHOWS

We have added something really fun to the festival this year. You can now order a Charcuterie Picnic Box to enjoy during the show! Just call our office at 705-445-2200 and place your orders. We can provide both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. These Charcuterie Picnic Boxes are from Holly Haire Events and they are absolutely delicious, and just perfect for nibbling on during the shows. They also include a beverage. At just $15 each, they are a true bargain! Plus, Holly is donating $5 from each picnic box sale to Theatre Collingwood to help support the Porchside Festival!  
Also, at most of the shows we will have a visual artist dispaying their talents, in addition to the show performer.
Please note that work will be for sale and we encourage you to support our region’s incredible talent!

Thank you! I look forward to seeing you at the festival!

Erica

Erica Angus
Executive Director, Theatre Collingwood

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