opening November 28th and running until December 13 at the Hope Community Church in Strathmore, the Strathmore Theatre Players Guild presents A Christmas Carol, adapted by Lynn Stevens, directed by Angela Woodford-Reeves and Jeanette Brown, produced by Lauren Nelson and starring Courtney Nelson as Scrooge. Kyle sits down with Courtney and Lauren to discuss how important this work is not only in general, but to Strathmore itself and how many groups have come together to bring this show to life to inspire audiences this Holiday Season.
Tickets: https://thevaultonline.ca/collections/strathmore-theatre-players-guild
About the Show:
By suggesting famous Christmas carols, this talented author incorporates appropriate music for the re-telling of this classic story. You’ll meet all the great characters: Christmases Past, Present, and Future; Tiny Tim; Bob Cratchit; and, of course, Ebenezer Scrooge! This is an inspiring musical that captures the essence of the great tale, and of the meaning of Christmas.
Opening November 29th and running through December 7 at the Bnai Tikvah Temple in Calgary, Chai Life Theatre presents Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, directed by Sean Anderson. Kyle sits down with Sean and producer Laura Shuler to discuss the creation of a new theatre company in Calgary and the difficulties in bringing this massive musical to the stage.
Tickets: https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/joseph-and-the-amazing-technicolor-dreamcoat-5
About the show:
This show is an uplifting and vibrant musical that tells the story of Joseph, a young man with dreams and aspirations. Set in a colourful, fantastical world, it captures his journey of hope, resilience, and self-discovery as he navigates challenges and triumphs. With catchy songs, lively choreography, and a joyous spirit, the show celebrates the power of dreams, family bonds, and the importance of believing in oneself. The dazzling technicolor coat symbolizes Joseph’s uniqueness and the message that everyone has something special to offer.
Opening November 7 through November 8 at Theatre 1308, The Unicorn Collective presents The War Brides Are Coming, written and directed by Gail Whiteford. Kyle sits down with Gail to discuss the importance of this work, at this time of year and why audiences should take the time to recognize their own immigrant history and some specific Canadiana of the War Brides of the second world war's arrival in Canada for the first time.
About the Show: This year is the 80th anniversary of the end of the war in Europe and the 80th anniversary of the War Brides arriving in Canada. Over 65,000 came to Canada with their husbands and their children. The War Brides came from all over the United Kingdom and from nearly every country on the European continent. The women represented a diversity of experiences and backgrounds. The Unicorn Collective is proud to celebrate the arrival of the War Brides by presenting their production of “The War Brides Are Coming”, a play based on the arrival of two war brides about to start a whole new life in Canada. Come celebrate with us.
Opening November 1 and running through November 8th at The Pumphouse Theatre in Calgary, MisFit Theatre YYC presents, Dads, The Musical directed by Nicola Payton. Kyle welcomes Nicola back to the podcast for the third time to talk about the relevancy of this Canadian made musical about 3 stay at home dads, and how relevant the show is 35 years after it first debuted.
Tickets: https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/dad-the-musical
About the Show: DADS! The Musical. Written by Robert More and Tom Doyle. Directed by Nicola Payton & Clark Adams Music Direction by Krista Willott
DADS! The Musical is an uproariously funny and poignant look at three first time dads, suddenly without jobs, choosing to stay at home and take charge of fatherhood. DADS! is witty, clever, relevant, and shows the nature of a changing society – it’s where social viewpoint and entertainment meet. The show features loveable characters, hilarious scenes, four puppet babies, and high energy musical numbers! A must see - not to be missed!
Opening October 17th and running through October 25th at the Pumphouse in Calgary, Scorpio Theatre presents The Affections of May directed by Stuart Bentley and Nicole Dickinson. Kyle sits down with Stuart and Nicole to talk at length about how this production came to be along with Stuart's history with the production and the inextricable link between comedy and tragedy on stage.
Tickets: https://www.morpheustheatre.ca/?page_id=7805
About the Show: After being deserted by her husband, a woman suddenly finds herself the centre of attention in a small resort town.
Opening October 17th and running through November 1st at the Old Church Theatre in Okotoks, Dewdney Players presents The Woman in Black, directed by Claire Hoyer. Kyle sits down with Claire and performer Paarth Kelkar to discuss how important this play is to Claire, how hard it is to direct for the first time, and the differences between live theatre and film.
Tickets: https://www.showpass.com/s/events/Okotoks,AB,Canada/?search_string=dewdney
About the Show: The framework of this spine-tingler is unusual: a retired lawyer hires an actor to tutor him in recounting to family and friends a story that has long troubled him concerning events that transpired when he attended the funeral of an elderly recluse. There, he caught sight of the woman in black, the mere mention of whom terrifies the locals, for she is a spectre who haunts the neighbourhood. Terrible things occur when anyone sees her! The lawyer has invited some friends and family to watch as he and the actor recreate the events of that dark and stormy night. A classic of the genre.
<h6>The Woman in Black, by Stephen Mallatratt and Susan Hill, based on the novel by Susan Hill, presented by special arrangement with Concord Theatricals</h6>*Warning: Implied child death, strobe lights, loud noises, and potentially frightening moments.
Opening October 17th and running through October 26 at the Swamp Donkey Theatre in Bragg Creek, Swamp Donkey Musical Theatre presents String, directed by Juleta Severson-Baker. Kyle sits down with Juleta to talk about this new musical and what it took to bring it to life under lights.
Tickets: https://www.showpass.com/s/events/all/?search_string=string+the+musical
About the Show: String is a captivating musical where myth and modernity intertwine. After angering Zeus, the Fates, the goddess sisters who spin, measure, and snip the strings of life for every human on Earth, find themselves banished to a modern office building in the mortal world, where they continue their work hidden among the mortals whose destinies they weave into one giant, glorious tapestry. When eldest sister Atropos accidentally loses her pair of scissors in the building, she meets Mickey, the building’s overnight security guard. Soon love gets the better of her, and she finds herself falling for him, stealing his string to keep him immortal and defying all of the rules she has to follow as a goddess. This exception to the rules begins to disrupt the natural order—can the tapestry of the Universe and her sisters stand this flaw? Fall for this original, uplifting, and belty musical about fate, love, and the imperfections that make us human (synopsis from broadwaylicensing.com).
Opening on October 8 in Calgary at The Legion #275 Express Entertainers presents an original "Northern Nights." Kyle sits down with co-founder Wayne Arsenault, Media Manager Abby Carey and performer Megan Kerrigan to discuss how this show was created and what it takes these days to attract the attention of potential audiences.
Tickets: https://www.expressentertainers.ca/
About the show: Come back with us to the 1800s to a wild west saloon where the whiskey flows and if you fight your horse, you do it outside. The Wild Rose of the West herself, Shania McQueen, is returning to her hometown to put on a show and everyone is coming to see it. Everyone, including a murderer! Lock the doors and watch your sidearm as a classic "Who dunnit" unfolds. Will the hapless deputy Garth Eastwood be able to catch the criminal? Has British newcomer Waylon Wayne sipped his last tea? Can Shania McQueen keep the rowdy crowd entertained? And does the bartender Hank Bronson have enough whiskey to get through the night? Will you solve the murder or become the next victim? Find out in Northern Nights: A Comedy Country Musical!
Opening October 3rd and running through October 11th at the Pumphouse Theatre in Calgary, Morpheus Theatre presents There Goes the Bride, directed by Wayne Hunter. Wayne sits down with Kyle for the second time to talk about how different a farce is to direct from a radio play and the obstacles that come with directing Fall shows after summer holidays.
Link to Tickets: https://www.morpheustheatre.ca/?page_id=7805
About the Show: When beleaguered advertising executive Timothy Westerby hits his head on the morning of his daughter’s society wedding, he awakes to find himself in the company of Polly Perkins, a 1920’s Flapper girl straight out of his current advertising campaign. It soon becomes all too clear that no-one else can see or hear her, and when another bump on the head transports Timothy back to 1926 and the Savoy hotel, the carefully planned wedding preparations disintegrate into chaos as friends and family attempt to lead Timothy back to reality and his daughter down the aisle before the newly arrived ‘In-Laws’ abandon the wedding. From the duo that wrote Move Over, Mrs. Markham, and Ray Cooney’s Run For Your Wife, this farce is sure to delight.
Opening September 12th and closing September 27th, Front Row Centre Players presents Rock of Ages, produced by Haley Dorais and Directed by Stephen West. Kyle sits down to discuss the long development of this production and what 80s rock means to Haley and Stephen.
Link to Tickets: https://werklundcentre.ca/whats-on/rockofages
About the Show: It’s the tail end of the big, bad 1980s in Hollywood, and the party has been raging hard. Aqua Net, Lycra, lace and liquor flow freely at one of the Sunset Strip’s last legendary venues, a place where sex machine Stacee Jaxx takes the stage and scantily clad groupies line up to turn their fantasies into reality. Amidst the madness, aspiring rock star (and resident toilet cleaner) Drew longs to take the stage as the next big thing (and longs for small-town girl Sherri, fresh off the bus from Kansas with stars in her eyes). But the rock ’n’ roll fairy tale is about to end when German developers sweep into town with plans to turn the fabled Strip into just another capitalist strip mall. Can Drew, Sherri and the gang save the strip – and themselves – before it’s too late? Only the music of hit bands of the decade hold the answer.