Hello Theatre Lovers
Well, we have just finished Week #15 of Working From Home! It’s so hard to believe. I am extremely grateful that I was able to get a haircut and that my hairdresser fixed my colour! The government seems to not be giving any hints as to when live performance spaces will be back up and running and I guess the truth is that there is still much unknown. What I do know is that as soon as we get the word that we can begin performances safely, we are ready to do so. Our staff and Board of Directors cannot wait to welcome you to our shows,and I know that all the wonderful artists we work with are just dying to get back up on the stage!
In terms of our programming, once we get the OK to open we will program great entertainment for you! It is with great sadness that we have had to come to terms with the fact that we will not be able to present our 2020 Summer Theatre Festival. This virus holds the cards but it will not last forever, and we look forward to when we can all gather safely together again! We will continue to keep you posted and we would like to thank all our patrons and sponsors for your ongoing support.
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Please remember that even though things are opening up to some degree, we must still be very careful. We have all done a great job so please continue to wash your hands frequently, try not to touch your face, practice social distancing, and when you cannot do so, please wear a mask. We all want this over as quickly as possible. By adhering to these safe practices you are helping us to be able to open sooner rather than later. We thank you.
If you have any questions or comments do not hesitate to contact me
(HERE)
.
I ALSO REALLY ENJOY HEARING ABOUT ANY OF YOUR GREAT THEATRE STORIES!
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I have spoken a lot about
ticket sales
and it is certainly a difficult subject. The truth is, we really need your help. We are asking everyone who has purchased tickets to please leave your ticket money with us and if we are able to present any shows before the end of the year, you can use that money for 2020 tickets. At the end of the year we are asking you to please turn that credit over into a 2020 donation. You will receive a full tax receipt and you will know that you played a key role in our survival through this unprecedented time. All donors will be invited to an event in the future where we will recognize you and thank you for you generous support of Theatre Collingwood. From the bottom of my heart I want to thank you, because without donations this year we would be closing our 36 year old company. If you have any questions or concerns do not hesitate to call our office at 705-445-2200.
IF YOU WISH TO MAKE A DONATION
NOW
TO SUPPORT THEATRE COLLINGWOOD THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT TIME PLEASE
CLICK HERE
.
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This week I watched the 2019 CATS! movie. I had heard so much about how when the film was first previewed people hated it and it was pulled shortly after. I wanted to share my opinion with you. I actually enjoyed it, but as I have said before, there is rarely a piece of art in which I cannot find some redeeming factor. The stage production is a piece of work that I find people either love or hate when they see it live. After all, it is just a collection of cat poems and really has no story line. Many people leave the theatre wondering what they just experienced. In the movie they tried to add some links between the poems to create more of a story line. I love the music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and I thought it was kind of fun that these people/cats had super powers to leap small buildings due to CGI (computer-generated imagery). The movie is packed with superstars, and I adore Judi Dench’s gender-flipped Old Deuteronomy. I could, however, fully understand why it did not work on the big screen. For live theatre lovers it is not true to the original play, and for movie lovers it is not detailed enough. For me it was not a waste of time, I enjoyed watching it and I appreciated it for what it was. However, I would take the live version ANY TIME over this version!
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Have you ever wanted to open the stage door and take a peek inside to find out what really goes on behind the curtains?
I am so excited to announce that I will be co-hosting a bi-weekly online show with Tanya Mazza, Arts & Culture Coordinator for the Town of Collingwood. Join us on July 8
th
at 7pm on the Simcoe Street Theatre Facebook Page LIVE stream for our premier show, as we feature conversations, stories, songs and readings with Canadian performing artists and organizations, both local and national. Watch our TC Facebook page for more info!
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The UK’s National Theatre
is providing some great opportunities to view theatre productions at home right now. Until July 2
nd
, for your summer fix of Shakespeare’s A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, check out:
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MARIPOSA FOLK FESTIVAL
For the first time in its 60-year history, Mariposa will be hosting a free online concert series over the coming months called Mariposa Virtual Stage.
Episode 1, hosted by CBC Radio One’s The Next Chapter producer and host Shelagh Rogers, will launch Sunday, June 28 at 8:00pm EST, with an online watch party on Mariposa’s Facebook page:
For those who miss the launch event, the concert will also be available on Mariposa’s newly designed website at:
Episode 1 is a 20-minute video, paying homage to folk legend and Mariposa veteran Gordon Lightfoot. Audiences will get the opportunity to listen to an unreleased recording of Lightfoot’s 1964 Mariposa performance of ‘Early Morning Rain’. The second part of Episode 1 features Canadian acoustic-folk duo Dala. The Juno nominees bring a fresh sound of acoustic pop and will pay tribute to the folk legend by performing their rendition of ‘If You Could Read My Mind’.
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Yul Brynner: The Man Who Was King
I was always amazed by Yul Brynner. If you feel the same way you may want to check out this documentary about the man. There are a lot of ads that you need to skip but the video is worth watching.
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Behind The Curtain of “O”
The iconic Canadian circus company Cirque du Soleil has been hit very hard through this pandemic. The company is so huge and has so many shows, that it stood to be the most vulnerable when people could no longer gather to see such performances. Check out this wonderful YouTube video that gives you a sneak peek behind the curtain of their “O” show.
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The Collingwood Downtown Business Improvement Area (BIA) is pleased to announce the return of the
Collingwood Downtown Farmers’ Market,
this (past) Saturday, June 27. After an initial delay due to COVID-19, they have worked with the Town of Collingwood and the local health unit to ensure that they have all protocols in place to ensure a safe shopping experience for both market vendors and customers. The market will open from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. to accommodate pre-ordered items and seniors, and will continue to 1 p.m. Please note that the market will be very different this year as you will be asked to respect physical distancing and bring a face mask with you. Inflow of traffic at the one way entrance along Pine Street, as well as arrows, will guide you through the market to reach all your favourite vendors.
Thank you, everyone! Have a great week! Happy viewing!
Erica
Erica Angus
Executive Director, Theatre Collingwood
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