The Curtain Club Theatre - NEWS!

FOR TWO NIGHTS ONLY - WILD ABANDON, BY DANIEL MCIVOR

2011-06-08T23:16:00.005-04:00

The Curtain Club is pleased to announce a special summer production for two nights only! On July 15 and July 16 only, The Curtain Club will present the Canadian play Wild Abandon by Daniel MacIvor.

Plenty of tickets for the run of Wild Abandon, at the incredible price of only $18.00 each (students $15 each), are available from The Curtain Club box office (905-773-3434).

Wild Abandon is a one man show about Steve, a man who believes he’s alone in the world. This is a raw, existentialist play staring Stephan Ermel as Steve. Stephan, who is a student of drama, won The Curtain Club’s Cicely Thompson Scholarship some years back. Seeing Stephan evolve from his highschool years, when he preformed in The Curtain Club production of Marvin's Room by Scott McPherson, will be a treat for long-time Club patrons!

Daniel MacIvor is a Canadian actor, playwright, theatre director and film director. He was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia and educated at Dalhousie University in Halifax, and then at George Brown College in Toronto, Ontario.

JUNE 11, 2011 - Join us for Doors Open, and Visit Our Booth at the Heritage Village Festival

2011-06-08T23:02:00.003-04:00

The Curtain Club is excited to participate in Doors Open Richmond Hill on June 11. On the same day, The Curtain Club will have a booth as the Heritage Village Festival on Yonge St. The Club will be open for Doors Open visitors from 10 am to 4 pm. You can take a tour backstage, try on some medieval costumes, and take a look at the set for Regret's Only - the play that is currently running. You can also put your name forward to win tickets to one of our upcoming productions: Wild Abandon by Daniel McIvor. We will also be giving away tickets at The Curtain Club booth will at The Heritage Village Festival. See you Saturday!

For more information, consult: http://www.richmondhill.ca/subpage.asp?pageid=heritage_doors_open_event

OPENING THIS WEEK, ON JUNE 3

2011-05-30T18:11:00.004-04:00

Regrets Only
A Comedy by Paul Rudnick

Richmond Hill, Ont. (May 30, 2011): The Curtain Club is pleased to announce the opening of the last play of the 2010/2011 Season, Regrets Only, a comedy by Paul Rudnick on June 3 (there will be a preview on June 2 and the play closes on June 18, 2011). On June 3, 2011, after the opening night performance, patrons will be treated to a reception in the lobby of the theatre with an opportunity to meet the cast, design team and crew. Plenty of tickets for the run of Regrets Only, at the incredible price of only $18.00 each, are available from The Curtain Club box office (905-773-3434).

Regrets Only is a comedy about manners set in a Park Avenue penthouse in Manhattan. It explores the latest topics in marriage and friendship and the plot touches on issues such as the drafting of a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.
The play revolves around married socialites Jack, an attorney (played by Greg Nowlan) and Tibby (played by Victoria Curran) and their relationship with designer Hank (played by Steve Hetherington, who is also producing Regrets Only). Hank is one of the world’s most successful fashion designers. Jack and Tibby’s daughter, Spencer (played by Rakhee Morzaria) is getting engaged during a city-wide strike adding to the romp. Adding colour are Myra, the maid (played by Heather Nutt-Christensen), and Marietta, Tibby’s mother (played by Lorraine Whaley).

Producer Steve Hetherington has been pleased with work of the cast and crew on Regrets Only as the entire team had to work around the 2011 Theatre Ontario Festival, which The Curtain Club hosted from May 18 to 2011. He was rallying the team during the technical runs during this weekend saying “We're almost there everyone! Thank you all for your hard work on this show and working around the Festival.”

Regrets Only is a modern “drawing room” comedy, and was first performed in New York in 2006 with the character of Tibby played by Christine Baranski. Paul Rudnick, was born in 1957, is an American playwright, screenwriter and novelist. His plays include I Hate Hamlet, Jeffrey, The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, Valhalla and The New Century. He also wrote for Premiere magazine under the pseudonym Libby Gelman-Waxner. He is Jewish and openly gay.

Each season The Curtain Club gives back to the community through its Charity Night initiative. One performance of each play is given to local charities to use as a fundraiser or a volunteer thank you. The Curtain Club is pleased to welcome York Central Hospital Volunteers, Thornhill Chapter and the Club Tamar as recipients of the Charity Night for Regrets Only.

What a wonderful 2011 Theatre Ontario Festival!

2011-05-26T16:38:00.000-04:00

The Curtain Club was proud to host the 2011 Theatre Ontario Festival right here in Richmond Hill from May 18 to 22, 2011. The performances and the awards brunch were held at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, but all other Festival activities were held at The Curtain Club.

The Curtain Club was particularly proud to to have Joan Burrows’, long-time member of The Curtain Club, resident playwright and former President, play “Staff Room” included in “Grassroots,” an anthology of plays being published by Theatre Ontario and released by Canada Playwright Press during the 2011 Festival.

Joan says “I'm thrilled to have Staff Room included in “Grassroots!” And especially excited that the anthology is being launched in the very space that gave Staff Room its first premier production. I think it speaks volumes about the entire Curtain Club whose members gave it such encouragement, support and effort to make it all possible.”

The Festival was a great success with Festival adjudicator Jane Carnwath awarding 15 awards during the Award Brunch on May 22. Five of these, including best production, were deservedly won by “Trying,” presented by Domino Theatre from Kingston, Ontario.

The productions that participated in the Festival were:
• “Suds,” a musical comedy by Melinda Gibb, and presented by Whitby Courthouse Theatre for ACT-CO.
• “Balconville,” a bilingual comedy by David Fennario, and presented by Espanola Little Theatre for QUONTA.
• “Trying,” a drama by Joanna McClelland Glass, and presented by Domino Theatre (Kingston), for EODL.
• “Who’s Afraid of Virgina Woolf?” a drama by Edward Albee, and presented by Theatre Windsor, for WODL.

"Who's Afriad of Virginia Woolf?" was a masterpiece!

2011-05-22T09:51:00.003-04:00

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? was a great close to the 2011 Theatre Ontario Festival. At the Awards Brunch on May 22, the best production of the Festival as well as the best in other aspects will be selected ....

The cast and crew arrived at the green room party last night quite late as the three act play was the longest of the Festival so far.

taking the stage tonight "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"

2011-05-21T13:35:00.007-04:00

DON'T MISS THE LAST PLAY OF THE 2011 THEATRE ONTARIO FESTIVAL AT THE RICHMOND HILL CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS.

The classic drama by Edward Albee is a must see and favourite of audiences -- based simply on the fact that it has seen so many Broadway revivals.

The cast and crew have been busy building their set at the RHCPA and rehearsing. The show is at 8PM. Tickets are available from the RHCPA Box Office at 905.787.8811 Walk-in Patrons Are Welcome!! TICKETS ARE JUST $25 EACH. See you there.

And don't forget, tomorrow at 11:30 AM there will be an awards brunch. Tickets are on sale at the RHCPA box office, but we need you to purchase those in advance as we need to notify the caterer of the number of attendees. And, of course, if you are there you will hear first-hand who takes all the Theatre Ontario Awards this year! So, don't miss out!

On May 20th "Tyring" was a Triumph during the 2011 Theatre Ontario Festival

2011-05-21T13:08:00.007-04:00

Last night was the third night of the 2011 Theatre Ontario Festival. The audience has now developed a taste for excellence and they were not disappointed.

Tyring was a poignant masterpiece. At times pulling at strong emotions, always challenging perceptions, and occasionally uproarious.

Festival adjudicator Jane Carnwath, during the public adjudication noted "everything about this piece fit." She comment on the impact that people have on each other, and the many clashes: social class, generation....

FOLLOWING the show, patrons, and the cast and crew met at The Curtain Club for a green room party!

This morning, May 21, Jane provided the cast and crew and several other keen theatre enthusiasts many more tidbits during the private adjudication at The Curtain Club. She commented on the symmetry in the play, as well as the in the choices that the design team had made. She commmented on the many catch phrases in the play -- "lace your skates and get on the ice;" "I am a bugger for work;" my mind just left without permission."
Jane also provided amazing suggestions to the cast on crew on different approaches to the play and even had the two actors stand up and perform several scenes. It was a very positive experience for all.

THE FESTIVAL CONTINUES TONIGHT WITH THE CLASSIC "WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?"
PLENTY OF TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE RHCPA -- WALK-INS ARE WELCOME!

Balconville -- "highly successful" --- TONIGHT: Trying by Joanna McClelland Glass

2011-05-20T15:05:00.007-04:00

On May 20th, in the morning Jane Carnwath was joined by the cast and crew of Balconville for a private adjudication. She was informative and managed a very educational discussion about the production staged on May 19th by the Espanola Little Theatre as part of the 2011 Theatre Ontario Festival.

Jane noted that they showed "sound integrity and vision."

Photo (L to R) -- Karen Gerrard (co-producer with Mike Voivin), Warren Tilston (Johnny), Richard Gamelin (co-set designer with Walter Maskel), Walter Maskel (Director), Jane Carnwath (festival adjudicator), Yolande Maskell (Cecile), Helen Landry (Irene), Raymond Landry (Claude), Mike Carre (Gaetan and stage manager), Kathy Carre (Muriel), Jessica Lajoie (Diane), and Mike Boivin (Thibault).

If you feel as if there might be some couples in the group, you would be correct! What fabulous teamwork on the part of the group from Espanola!

TONIGHT -- TRYING!!!

Don't miss tonight's performance of Tyring by Joanna McClelland Glass. The cast and crew have been busy building their set and rehearsing. This two hander co-stars Noami Ballance as Sarah Schorr and William Morrow as Judge Francis Biddle.

PLENTY OF TICKETS ARE STILL AVAILABLE AT JUST $25.00 EACH from the RHCPA. Walk-ins are welcome.

Balconville scored a home run!

2011-05-20T08:27:00.009-04:00

The cast and crew of Balconville took stage last night at the 2011 Theatre Ontario Festival and were an instant hit and scored a home run.

This bilingual comedy was a challenge to some members of the audience at times, but with the steller acting each gesture was clear to interpret and the audience was very impressed by this left wing, political satire, that was also a barrel of laughs.

Jane Carnwath, during her public adjudication, commented on the details of the set, noting "it's fithy up here," and praised the cast and crew for fully committing to their roles (as actors, set designers, sound designers etc.)

Earlier in the afternoon, Jane Carnwath held a workshop for seasoned and prospective directors. It was well attended by theatre lovers from far and wide. She noted, "make sure it's clear who's boss!"

The 2011 Theatre Ontario Festival continues tonight with Trying! PLENTY OF TICKETS ARE STILL AVAILABLE FROM THE RHCPA BOX OFFICE FOR JUST $25 EACH. WALK-IN PATRONS ARE WELCOME, BUT NOTE THAT THE PERFORMANCE BEGINS PROMPTLY AT 8pm.

The EODL winning production of “Trying” is a drama by Joanna McClelland Glass.

TONIGHT - Balconville - A bilingual comedy takes stage

2011-05-19T13:27:00.004-04:00

The cast and crew have been rehersing all day at The Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts -- they even built this fabulous set TODAY! PLENTY OF TICKETS ARE STILL AVAILABLE AT $25.00 EACH FROM THE RHCPA!

Jane Carnwath says "You Succeeded"

2011-05-19T13:16:00.006-04:00

On May 19th in the morning the adjudications (private) for SUDS was held at The Curtain Club.

The three female cast members -- Heather, Heather and Donna were joined on stage by Jane Carnwath (the adjudicator) as well as the two producers of SUDS and the set designer for SUDS.

Jane commented that the written musical itself reads as "nothing" special but that the cast and crew, especially with the leadership of the director, the musical directors and choreographer, "succeeded" in getting the audience to "come along" for something fun.

SUDS was a roaring, rocking success -- THE THEATRE ONTARIO FESTIVAL continues tonight with Balconville

2011-05-19T08:20:00.004-04:00

The Theatre Ontario Festival is here!
In a fantastically well attended opening ceremony, Richmond Hill Major Dave Barrow and others officially opened the proceedings at The Curtain Club. The Curtain Club is proud that Joan Burrows, long-time member of The Curtain Club, resident playwright and former President, had her play Staff Room included in "Grassroots," an anthology of plays that was launched by Theatre Ontario during yesterday’s opening ceremonies.

(L to R): Richmond Hill Mayor Dave Barrow (L) along with several councillors attenended the opening ceremonies of the 2011 Theatre Ontario Festival and is seen here with festival co-chair Wayne Milliner (R).
Following which everyone proceeded to The Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts for the opening show of the Festival — SUDS!

(L TO R): Donna Lajeunesse (Marge), Heather Gibb (Cindy), Jason Butler-Burns (Everyone Else), and Heather Johnson (Dee Dee) were the very talented cast from the Whitby Courthouse Theatre that stared in SUDS, the musical that opened the 2011 Theatre Ontario Festival on May 18, 2011.

All day the cast and crew of SUDS had been building their set and running through the technical aspects of the show. Just before supper time, they had a full run of the show to ensure everything was ship shape for their audience at 8 pm.

They were fantastic and the audience was roaring with laughter and even broke into song with the cast a time or two. You could tell that festival adjudicator Jane Carnwath was not disappointed as she made her brief public adjudication following the performance.

Don’t miss the other shows during the 2011 Theatre Ontario Festival. Who knows when Richmond Hill be hosting such as great event in town again.

after the opening ceremonies -- SUDS tonight at the RHCPA

2011-05-18T17:40:00.003-04:00

The almost sold out SUDS has been rehearsing all day at the RHCPA...don't miss tonight's great show!

TONIGHT - official opening ceremonies of the 2011 Theatre Ontario Festival

2011-05-18T11:19:00.004-04:00

TONIGHT -- MAY 18, 2011

BEFORE YOU HEAD TO THE RICHMOND HILL CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS FOR THE FIRST PERFORMANCE OF THE CENTRE, COME TO THE CURTAIN CLUB FOR THE OFFICIAL OPENING CEREMONIIES -- A YUMMY DESSERT RECEPTION FOR THEATRE ENTHUSIASTS AND LOCAL DIGNITARIES.

EXPECTED GUESTS INCLUDE:

2011 Theatre Ontario Festival
Co-Chairs, Sharon Dykstra & Wayne Milliner
President of Association of Community
Theatres - Central Ontario President, Cam Lund
Theatre Ontario President Julianne Snepts
Town of Richmond Hill Mayor, Dave Barrow
Festival Adjudicator, Jane Carnwath
Festival Playwright-in-Person, Emil Sher
Richmond Hill MPP, Reza Moridi
Oak Ridges - Markham MPP, Dr. Helena Jaczek
The Curtain Club Playwright-in-Person, Joan Burrows

PLEASE NOTE == THE RECEPTION WILL BE AT THE CURTAIN CLUB (400 NEWKIRK ROAD) FROM 6 PM TO 7 PM.

Well the skies may be grey but your Festival 2011 Committee and the over 50 member volunteers are busy getting ready for Opening Night tonight at The Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts. If you are a little down because you haven't had a chance to get the BBQ out.... why not come out and see the best community theatre the Province has to offer.

Local Richmond Hill residents will have seen our ads in The Liberal along with a great article last week about our own Playwright in Residence Joan Burrows.

Hope to see you there!!

Staff Room included in “Grassroots!”

2011-05-10T00:53:00.004-04:00

The Curtain Club is proud to announce that Joan Burrows,long-time member of The Curtain Club, resident playwright and former President will have her play Staff Room included in “Grassroots,” an anthology of plays being published by TheatreOntario and which will be released by Canada Playwright Press during the 2011 TheatreOntario Festival in Richmond Hill.

"Grassroots" will have 5 full length plays, all of which have been produced at the community theatre level. Staff Room was chosen out of 38 submissions.

Joan says “I'm thrilled to have Staff Room included in “Grassroots!” And especially excited that the anthology is being launched in the very space that gave Staff Room its first premier production. I think it speaks volumes about the entire Curtain Club whose members gave it such encouragement, support and effort to make it all possible.”

Staff Room was really well received by patrons on The Curtain Club in 2004 and was selected as the winner and represented the Association of Community Theatres – Central Ontario . It later went on to win the “Best Production” at the 2004 Theatre Ontario Festival in Sault St. Marie.

In 2006, a second production of Staff Room was mounted by Kanata Theatre and then a third by Theatre Guelph. Joan Burrows has gone on to study playwriting at Theatre Ontario Summer Courses, and is currently working on her fourth play.

The Miracle of Theatre is Coming to Richmond Hill ... call the box office now!

2011-05-03T12:17:00.007-04:00

Tickets now on sale for May 18, 19, 20, 21 and the Awards Brunch on May 22.
Don’t’ miss this fantastic chance to enjoy four award winning plays in one weekend. Single tickets are just $25.00 and can be purchased from the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts Box Office (905.787.8811).
Like any good competition, there will be an awards brunch on Sunday, May 22, 2011. It will feature the best of everything during the festival – sort of like the Oscars or the Tonys or in this case the Theatre Ontario Festival Awards. In addition to individual tickets, patrons can purchase ticket packages. Tickets for three plays at $75.00 or three plays and the Awards Brunch at $105.00; Tickets for four plays at $100.00 or four plays and the Awards Brunch at $130.00. This is a unique opportunity for theatre enthusiasts, theatre scholars, and theatre novices alike to get a feel for theatre – the technical aspects, the entertainment value, and the intellectual investments that are required to mount a fantastic play. Join members of The Curtain Club during this fantastic week in welcoming patrons and productions from across Ontario to Richmond Hill.

BUY YOUR TICKETS - SUDS

2011-05-03T12:07:00.003-04:00

On Wednesday, May 18, opening night of the Theatre Ontario Festival, representing the winning production for ACT-CO will be “SUDS,” the Rocking 60s Musical Soap Opera by Melinda Gilb. “SUDS” is the delightful musical story of a young teenage girl.
For regular patrons of The Curtain Club, “SUDS” will offer an unusual opportunity to see a musical. According to Festival Co-Chair, Wayne Milliner, “SUDS” is also a musical that will be attractive to “Baby Boomers counting the years, as the musical is reminiscent of music from their youth, including the Beatles. He continues, “What makes “SUDS” so much fun are the lyrics in the songs. A mailman delivers a letter "Dear Jane" and the woman sings, "Wait, oh yes, wait a minute, Mr. Postman." What I find interesting is that this musical; which was created by Melinda Gilb, a Broadway, Off-Broadway and television veteran; and Steve Gunderson, a composer, arranger and playwright; is based on a 1920s silent movie. Can you hear me humming?”

BUY YOUR TICKETS - Balconville

2011-05-03T11:51:00.004-04:00

On Thursday, May 19, the QUONTA winning production of “Balconville,” is a bilingual comedy by Canadian playwright David Fennario. This play in two acts, considered to be Fennario's best play, was first performed at the Centaur Theatre, located in the Old Stock Exchange Building in Old Montreal, in 1979. It opened to highly favourable reviews, and has been performed in Europe. It was also adapted for TV in 1984. David Fennario was born David Wiper. His pen name, "Fennario," was given to him by a former girlfriend, and is based on the Bob Dylan song, "Pretty Peggy-O."
Festival Co-Chair, Sharon Dykstra describes the play: “Well, it’s set in Pointe Saint-Charles, a neighbourhood of Montreal considered an industrial slum. It takes place during a hot summer in which the Montreal Expos were playing well. Has that ever happened? What is important to note is that in the late 1970s there was a lot of language tension in Montreal. Perhaps Fennario was the first author to illustrate that not all Montreal “Anglos” were monied and that there are the same blue-collar socio-economic issues facing the “Anglos.” This play particularly struck with me because I found the juxtaposition of the grittiness with the comedy/drama both enjoyable and moving.”

BUY YOUR TICKETS - Trying

2011-05-03T11:46:00.002-04:00

On Friday, May 20, the EODL winning production of “Trying” is a drama by Joanna McClelland Glass. Festival co-chair Wayne Miller noted that ‘“Tyring” could be considered a semi-autobiographical work by Glass. It is a smart and witty and focuses on the differences between two people: Sarah – young, female and from the Canadian prairies; and Francis – older, male and a former U.S. Attorney General. There are so many themes in this play – gender, generational issues, geographic identity. I think this is the play that I most identify with in this year’s Festival and I hope our patrons see all four just to be able to compare Canadian playwright Joanna McClelland Glass was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan . Her works have been produced across North America, in England, Australia, Ireland and Germany. Trying (2004) premiered in New York, and has played in Chicago, Ottawa and Toronto. Set in 1967, it is based on Glass’s working relationship as a young Canadian from the prairies with Francis Biddle, Attorney General under President Franklin D. Roosevelt and a judge during the Nuremberg trails.

BUY YOUR TICKETS - Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

2011-05-03T11:38:00.005-04:00

On Saturday, May 21, the closing night of the Theatre Ontario Festival, the WODL winning production of “Who’s Afraid of Virgina Woolf?” is a drama by American playwright, Edward Albee. “Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” opened on Broadway at the Billy Rose Theater on October 13, 1962 and won the 1963 Tony Award for Best Play. “Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” is a play on the title of the once popular song "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" from Walt Disney's The Three Little Pigs, but named after the famous English novelist. Festival Co-Chair Sharon Dykstra describes “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” as arguable the most produced of the Festival plays this year and is excited that it has been selected for 2011 Festival. “I am particularly pleased as I know that “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” will be produced again on Broadway in the fall of 2012 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the play’s original opening night. It is one those plays that is a bit voyeuristic to watch. It is semiautobiographical, it is dark, and it is a comedy, about a dysfunctional Oklahoma family coping with the death of its patriarch. It is a play that is interesting to stage for those of us who work on shows. The last Broadway production was in 2005 and stared Kathleen Turner. That production was nominated for six Tonys and received one, for best actor in a play. It also has the longest run-time of the four plays during this festival, with three acts.”

The Miracle of Theatre is Coming to Richmond Hill ... call the box office now!

2011-04-10T17:20:00.004-04:00

The Curtain Club is pleased to announce the plays at the 2011 Theatre Ontario Festival. The 2011 Theatre Ontario Festival will be co-hosted by The Curtain Club, the Association of Community Theatres – Central Ontario (ACT-CO) and Theatre Ontario. The 2011 Festival Chairs are Sharon Dykstra and Wayne Milliner.

So, what is the Theatre Ontario Festival? In the spring, each of the four regions of Theatre Ontario hosts a festival to choose the best production in its area. The winning production then becomes that region’s representative to the annual Festival. This year the festival is being hosted by The Curtain Club in Richmond Hill at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts. There are plenty of tickets from the Box Office (905.787.8811) and the Festival Website (www.tofestival2011.ca).

The four Theatre Ontario Regions are: (1) Eastern Ontario Drama League (EODL); Western Ontario Drama league (WODL), Association of Community Theatres – Central Ontario (ACT-CO, of which The Curtain Club is a member), and QUONTA representing the a region originally known as “Quebec and Ontario Theatre Association.”

The Miracle of Theatre is Coming to Richmond Hill ... learn about coordinating properties

2011-04-10T16:55:00.002-04:00

Peggy Wrightson, who has been involved in community theatre for over 23 years, the last five in York Region, is a seasoned actor. However, she notes in community theatre all club members take on different roles to ensure a production comes to fruition. For Peggy, being properties coordinator is something she enjoys when she is not on stage. She notes that properties are those things that actors use on stage, and it allows the audience to appreciate the character. She notes the challenges one has in creating props that are authentic to the time. She also highlights the importance of the props coordinator to work closely with set decorators and costume designers to ensure a cohesive appears to a show.

The Miracle of Theatre is Coming to Richmond Hill ... learn about directing

2011-04-10T15:59:00.002-04:00

Brandon Moore, a longtime member of The Curtain Club explains directing in community theatres as an opportunity to hone and improve a craft. As a longtime actor/director himself, he has a lot of experience, including with the Theatre Ontario Festival. The Festival, he explains is a real opportunity for theatre directors to hear objective feedback on the production a director is fortunate enough to take to the Festival from a group of objective and experienced peers. He notes that Directors face challenges too, as taking a production to a festival, which is often in a larger space than where community theatre groups typically perform, and need to work with entire design team and cast to compensate. Brandon explains that what he likes best about directing is “working with actors and designers to get the best out of them.”

OPENING THIS WEEK - Someone Who'll Watch Over Me by Frank McGuinness

2011-03-28T19:31:00.002-04:00

On April 1, 2011, after the opening night performance, patrons will be treated to a reception in the lobby of the theatre with an opportunity to meet the cast, design team and crew. Plenty of tickets for the run of Someone Who'll Watch Over Me by Frank McGuinness, at the incredible price of only $18.00 each, are available from The Curtain Club box office (905-773-3434).

Each season The Curtain Club gives back to the community through its Charity Night initiative. One performance of each play is given to local charities to use as a fundraiser or a volunteer thank you. The Curtain Club is pleased to welcome PFLAG and B’Nai Brith-Thornhill for Diabetes as recipients of the Charity Night for Someone Who'll Watch Over Me by Frank McGuinness.

Watch Someone Who'll Watch Over Me by Frank McGuinnessand enjoy some great dialogue! Call the box office today for tickets!

2011-03-28T19:26:00.003-04:00

Someone Who'll Watch Over Me by Frank McGuinness was first staged in July 1992, at the Hampstead Theatre in London’s West End. Frank McGuinness first came to prominence with his play The Factory Girls, but established his reputation with his play about World War I, Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme. It won numerous awards including the London Evening Standard Award for Most Promising Playwright for Frank McGuinness. He has also written new versions of classic dramas, including works by Henrik Ibsen, Anton Chekhov, and Euripides.

L to R. David Lang and Cam Lund. Photo by Davis Strong.

PLENTY OF TICKETS REMAIN - Someone Who'll Watch Over Me by Frank McGuinness

2011-03-28T19:23:00.003-04:00

In The Curtain Club production, the ensemble cast of three (3) actors, David Borwick (plays American prisoner Adam), David Lang (plays Irish prisoner Edward), and Cam Lund (plays English prisoner Michael), have endured a sort of boot camp to get ready to portray the physical attributes of men who’ve been imprisoned for a long-time. They have both enjoyed the chance to focus on the discipline required to challenge themselves physically, and lamented the limitations of having to perform within the confines of their basement prison set, which has few props and accoutrements.

Don't miss a great production!

L to R. David Borwick and David Lang. Photo by Davis Strong.

DON'T MISS A GREAT DRAMA - Someone Who'll Watch Over Me by Frank McGuinness

2011-03-28T19:19:00.002-04:00

Irish playwright Frank McGuinness uses powerful dialogue that questions people's inhumanity and highlights stereotypes related to nationality, marital status, and profession with humour that is sometimes black. The characters engage in “games” to while away the hours away in a manner that is equally shocking and amusing.

For The Curtain Club Production of “Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me” by Frank McGuinness David Lang (who plays Irish prisoner Edward), and Cam Lund (who plays English prisoner Michael), have endured a sort of boot camp to get ready to portray the physical attributes of men who’ve been imprisoned for a long-time.
Photo by Davis Strong.

BUY YOUR TICKETS - Someone Who'll Watch Over Me by Frank McGuinness

2011-03-23T23:17:00.003-04:00

The Curtain Club is pleased to announce the opening of Someone Who'll Watch Over Me by Frank McGuinness; the fourth play of the 2010/2011 Season and the second play of the 2011 calendar year. On April 1, 2011, after the opening night performance, patrons will be treated to a reception in the lobby of the theatre with an opportunity to meet the cast, design team and crew. Plenty of tickets for the run of Someone Who'll Watch Over Me by Frank McGuinness, at the incredible price of only $18.00 each, are available from The Curtain Club box office (905-773-3434).

The drama Someone Who'll Watch Over Me by Frank McGuinness is a play about human endurance, weaknesses, and emotion. An American doctor and an Irish journalist are being held captive by terrorists in Beirut. They exercise, they argue, they do what they can to survive. Suddenly, they are joined by an English academic. The three men display their national biases and prejudices, intensified by the cramped confines of their “cell,” a windowless basement room.

The Curtain Club Thanks Charles Foran

2011-02-28T20:00:00.003-05:00

The Curtain Club celebrated a great fundraising event on February 27, 2011.

Author Charles Foran was in attendance to give us all a little bit of insight from his book: Mordecai: The Life & Times, which was released in fall 2010.

A number of local persons of note were also in attendance, including Richmond Hill Member of Provincial Parliament Reza Moridi; and Oak Ridges/Markham Member of Provincial Parliament Helena Jaczek (pictured with Charles Foran).

We would also like to thank MPPs Moridi and Jaczek for taking the time to join us during this important fundraising event.

AUTHOR'S NIGHT - Sunday, February 27th

2011-01-31T17:22:00.008-05:00

The Curtain Club is thrilled to present Canadian author Charles Foran on Sunday, February 27th. Charlie will be speaking and reading from his most recent book: "Mordecai: The Life and Times". This is a great opportunity for all you avid readers out there.

Doors open at 6:30 and the evening will start at 7pm. Cost is only $15 and includes coffee and dessert. To order tickets you must call the box office at 905-773-3434

Please feel free to forward to all your friends, book clubs etc.
On February 14 it was announced that Charles Foran has won the $25,000 Charles Taylor Prize for excellence in literary non-fiction by a Canadian author for "Mordecai: The Life and Times." The prize was established in 2000 by arts philanthropist Noreen Taylor to honour the memory of her late husband, Charles Taylor, the prominent Canadian journalist, author and horse-breeder.

Opening This Week - Ken Ludwig's "Lend Me a Tenor"

2011-01-25T18:29:00.004-05:00

L to R. Jim Canale (as Tito) and Dave Corbitt (as Max) in the The Curtain Club Production of Ken Ludwig's Comedy "Lend Me a Tenor." Photo by Davis Strong.
L to R, unless otherwise noted: Jim Canale (as Tito), lying down, Rob Goodale (as Saunders), and Dave Corbitt (as Max) in The Curtain Club Production of Ken Ludwig's Comedy "Lend Me a Tenor." Photo by Davis Strong.

CALL THE BOX OFFICE -- Ken Ludwig's Comedy "Lend Me a Tenor"

2011-01-05T12:09:00.007-05:00

The Curtain Club is pleased to announce the opening of Ken Ludwig’s Comedy "Lend Me a Tenor;" the third play of the 2010/2011 Season and the first play of the 2011 calendar year. On January 28th, 2011, after the opening night performance, patrons will be treated to a reception in the lobby of the theatre with an opportunity to meet the cast, design team and crew. Plenty of tickets for the run of Ken Ludwig’s Comedy "Lend Me a Tenor," at the incredible price of only $18.00 each, are available from The Curtain Club box office (905-773-3434).

Director Brian J. Moore describes the play as “an old-fashioned comedy, that’s not very old at all. It has all the elements of an entertaining night out: mistaken identity, amazing co-incidence, double entendres, requited love, and the list goes on! For a production like this to work, and ours does, not only does the chemistry of the ensemble cast play a key role, but also a well designed set that helps bring to life the chain-reaction of entrances and exits!”

ORDER YOUR TICKETS NOW -- Ken Ludwig's Comedy "Lend Me a Tenor"

2011-01-05T11:57:00.007-05:00

The Cleveland Opera Company’s premiere producer is anxious as “Othello” is about to be performed at a gala fundraiser; but Tito Merelli (played by Jim Canale), who is scheduled to play the lead, has gone missing just three minutes before curtain!

Supporting Jim Canale in The Curtain Club production are Dave Corbitt (as Max), Samantha Lynch (as Maggie), Rob Goodale (as Saunders), Kate Amos (as Maria), Trevor Birrell (as Bellhop), Vanessa Siu (as Diana), and Liz Best (as Julia).

L to R, unless otherwise noted: Max (Dave Corbitt) and Tito (Jim Canale) practice their operatic singing with Dave Sansom (centre) in The Curtain Club Production of Ken Ludwig's Comedy "Lend Me a Tenor." Photo by Brian J. Moore.

NOW REHERSING - Ken Ludwig's Comedy "Lend Me a Tenor"

2011-01-05T11:49:00.003-05:00

In The Curtain Club production, the ensemble cast of eight (8) actors relish the chance to enact the high-drama of Ken Ludwig’s Comedy "Lend Me a Tenor." Set in 1930s Cleveland, Ken Ludwig’s Comedy "Lend Me a Tenor" is a hilarious rollercoaster of epic proportions.

Each season The Curtain Club gives back to the community through its Charity Night initiative. One performance of each play is given to local charities to use as a fundraiser or a volunteer thank you. The Curtain Club is pleased to welcome Richmond Hill United Church and Richmond Hill Garden and Horticultural Society as recipients of the Charity Night for Ken Ludwig’s Comedy "Lend Me a Tenor."

HAPPY NEW YEAR - 2011!

2011-01-01T19:44:00.002-05:00

Twelve Angry Women ***** Opens November 19, 2010

2010-11-17T19:25:00.006-05:00

The Curtain Club production stars Helen Gialedakis, Rakhee Morzaria, Colleen Sibeon, Lorraine Whaley, Hayley Fisher, Louise Howlings, Flo McLellan, Colleen Simm, Zara Stuart-Jones, Joan Shaw, Lise Boily, Kirsty Campbell, Juanita Harris, and Phyllis Anderson, all seasoned actors, many of whom have been seen in several The Curtain Club productions over the years. Director Joan Burrows has taken a very dramatic look at some very difficult issues such as the possibility of a mandatory death sentence, parenting, racial discrimination, and the need for unanimous verdicts by jurors in the American judicial system. Also of particular difficulty for a director is that fact that throughout their deliberation, not a single juror calls another by her name because the names are unknown by the jurors.

Reginald Rose's Drama Twelve Angry Women

2010-11-17T19:22:00.003-05:00

Based on Reginald Rose’s television drama, Sherman Sergel’s Twelve Angry Women is about t twelve jurors who must decide the fate of a 19-year-old boy accused of murdering his father. What seems like an open and shut case slowly begins to shift when one of the jurors opens the eyes of the other's to the “facts”. As the twelve women re-examine and re-enact the murder , personalities clash and hidden selves are revealed in an effort to reach the final verdict.

Twelve Angry Women, stage version by Sherman L. Sergel

2010-11-17T19:20:00.002-05:00

Twelve Angry Women was first performed on Broadway some 50 years after the television version and opened on October 28, 2004 at the Roundabout Theatre, where it ran for 328 performances.

Reginald Rose (December 10, 1920 – April 19, 2002) was an American film and television writer most widely known for his work in the early years of television drama. Rose's work is marked by its treatment of controversial social and political issues.

OPENING NOVEMBER 19, 2010

2010-11-17T19:16:00.003-05:00

Reginald Rose's Drama Twelve Angry Women, stage version by Sherman L. Sergel

The Curtain Club is pleased to announce the opening of Reginald Rose's Drama
Twelve Angry Women, stage version by Sherman L. Sergel, the second play of the 2010/2011 Season. On November 19, 2010, after the opening night performance, patrons will be treated to a reception in the lobby of the theatre with an opportunity to meet the cast, design team and crew. Plenty of tickets for the run of Twelve Angry Women, at the incredible price of only $18.00 each, are available from The Curtain Club box office (905-773-3434).

Each season The Curtain Club gives back to the community through its Charity Night initiative. One performance of each play is given to local charities to use as a fundraiser or a volunteer thank you. The Curtain Club is pleased to welcome St. Matthews Health Ministry as recipients of the Charity Night for Twelve Angry Women.

The director speaks about The Perfect Rhyme

2010-09-16T19:00:00.002-04:00

In The Curtain Club production of The Perfect Rhyme the cast of 3 actors spurt poetry and stampede on large Elizabethan books. Director Sharon Dykstra describes the play as the story of a poor poet (played by Steve Hetherington) who spends his days composing perfect rhymes to his “lady” (played by Nicole Downie). She further adds that working on a period piece is both exhilarating and intimidating as both the actors and the design team have to research the details of the period. For instance their posture, manner of speech, costumes, social norms were different. She thanks her design team for bringing to life the period and her actors for keeping her laughing throughout the rehearsal process.

Being a Poet in a Play...

2010-09-16T18:53:00.003-04:00

Steve Hetherington, a long-time member of The Club who plays the poet, explains: “The comedy in this play comes from the lady’s view of men who write poems, and the difference in stations of the poet, his man servant (played by Stephan Ermel), and his lady. I feel that it also comes from the ingenious set design created by Bill Cochrane which brings real focus to the books that the poet so loves. I have really enjoyed working on this production, not least because of the crazy costume that I need to wear...can you say purple pants!”

The Perfect Rhyme – A Poetic Comedy

2010-09-16T18:47:00.004-04:00

The Curtain Club is pleased to announce the opening of The Perfect Rhyme by Canadian playwright Barry Yzereef, the first play of the 2010/2011 Season. On September 17, 2010, after the opening night performance, patrons will be treated to a reception in the lobby of the theatre with an opportunity to meet the cast, design team and crew. Plenty of tickets for the run of The Perfect Rhyme, at the incredible price of only $18.00 each, are available from The Curtain Club box office (905-773-3434).

Each season The Curtain Club gives back to the community through its Charity Night initiative. One performance of each play is given to local charities to use as a fundraiser or a volunteer thank you. The Curtain Club is pleased to welcome Friends of East Guillembury Library and Canadian Federation of University Women as recipients of the Charity Night for The Perfect Rhyme.

ONE SEASON ENDS AND ANOTHER BEGINS

2010-08-02T18:29:00.007-04:00

Alas, the 2009/2010 Season comes to an end.

This season must surely have been one of the most eventful of The Curtain Club’s 5+ decade history.

We planned to begin the season late in the year to compensate for the planned renovations (yes, new bathrooms and better space for our patrons, just about nothing for us, The Club members). But, we felt it was a necessary and important investment for our loyal patrons (that’s you).

So, our plan was to open the season with I Ought to Be in Pictures, a comedy by Neil Simon. A sure hit! But, alas, the renovations delayed the season opener (I am not sure why we were surprised), and we opened the season at The Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts with Marion Bridge, a first for us and a fantastic experience (dare I say) for The Curtain Club and The Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts.

We were reassured by The Construction Team (which includes so many groups of people only Wayne – our Vice President, and Brian – our Theatre Manager, could keep up), that things would be ready for Laugh Lines (another first for us – a series of one-act comedies) to rehearse at The Curtain Club). We were wrong. After a valiant effort by the four Laugh Lines directors and their cast and crew, we snuck back into The Curtain Club just 10 days before the one-acts opened.

We were all thrilled to be back home!

The third and fourth productions of the season were able to rehearse, enthral the audience, and close according to plan. But, what ever became of I Ought to Be in Pictures, the play that was supposed to open the season? Well, the cast and crew rehearsed off-site and it became the first ever summer production at The Club, opening just two weeks after Cliffhanger (the fourth play) closed! And what a fantastic success it was!

While all this was underway, the annual elections for new members of the Executive were held. So, we would like to thank Joan Burrows, who stepped down as president after her two year term and welcome Mary Jane Boon, our new president.

And, busy times for The Curtain Club continue with rehearsals underway for the first play of the 2010/2011 Season – The Perfect Rhyme. This comedy, arguably set in Elizabethan times, is sure to be another hit.

So, don’t dilly dally and get your season’s subscriptions now! And, yes, we are still fundraising as we have a hefty bill left from the renovations, and work is still underway – you may have noticed that the sign above our door that declares us as “The Curtain Club” is still missing! So, don’t forget to make a donation and we will graciously accept and even give you a tax receipt for your trouble!

The Cast Comment on I OUGHT TO BE IN PICTURES - Opening July 16

2010-07-12T19:00:00.007-04:00

Left: Hayley Ferguson comments on her role as Libby: "Once I began to learn the role, I came to really connect with Libby. She may have naively moved to Hollywood to gamble on success on the silver screen, but I feel her real gamble was in trying to reconcile long differences and being brave enough to look in long abandoned closets."
Right: Vanessa Taylor comments on her role as Steffy: "This is perhaps Simon's most autobiographical work, as Herb, like the playwright, is a Hollywood screen-writer. I know also that Simon has daughters and was married several times. For me, playing Steffy was not dissimilar to playing an arbitrator to the fantastic emotional highs and lows experienced by Herb and Libby."

The Cast Comment on I OUGHT TO BE IN PICTURES

2010-07-12T18:47:00.004-04:00

Daryl Marks comments on his role as Herb, a struggling screenwriter who abandoned his New York family 16 years earlier to settle in Hollywood: "Having the opportunity to play such a challenging role as Herb has been an experience that I will treasure for a long, long time. Herb is such a complex character to get a hold of and it has been both a demanding and exhilarating journey. Herb is struggling with demons from his past, and when he is confronted with them head on, it makes for an amazing story. To find the comedy from such a sad and difficult situation is thanks to the beautiful direction we received from Andrea Emmerton. Neil Simon's words are like poetry, and to bring his poetry to life would not have been possible without the strengths of both Hayley Ferguson and Vanessa Taylor. They have given me so much to work with and it has been truly an honor to have worked with two such professionals."

“I Ought to Be in Pictures” – A Dramatic Comedy from Hollywood

2010-07-12T18:45:00.002-04:00

The Curtain Club is pleased to announce the opening of I Ought to Be in Pictures by Neil Simon, the fifth and final play of the 2009/2010 Season. On July 16, 2010, after the opening night performance, patrons will be treated to a reception in the lobby of the theatre with an opportunity to meet the cast, design team and crew. Plenty of tickets for the run of I Ought to Be in Pictures, at the incredible price of only $15.00 each, are available from The Curtain Club box office (905-773-3434).

Director Andrea Emmerton notes: "In I Ought to Be in Pictures Simon writes the spirited and touching tale of an unusual family reunion. As a director, working with such rich material and at The Curtain Club is a pleasure. That said, it has been a very challenging year for us all. I started off this season stage managing Marion Bridge, which as you will recall, we had to stage at The Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts. With I Ought to Be in Pictures, which was rescheduled as the last play of the season from originally being scheduled to open this season in Fall of 2009, I was further challenged by the really short rehearsal time in the Theatre – you will recall that our fourth play Cliffhanger only closed on June 26, 2010. Why all these changes you might ask? Well, it’s all been due to the recent renovations at The Club. Which thankfully are complete but for a few details. What we still have on our shoulders are all the bills to pay. All that aside, working on I Ought to Be in Pictures has been a pleasure, especially given a very talented cast, a supportive design team and a hardworking production team headed up by producer JoAnne Spitzer. I know that the patrons will enjoy this play as much we have enjoyed working on it!"

I Ought to Be in Pictures focuses on absentee parent Herb Tucker (played by Daryl Marks), a struggling screenwriter who abandoned his New York family 16 years earlier to settle in Hollywood. When his daughter Libby (played by Hayley Ferguson) arrives at his West Hollywood bungalow with acting ambitions, Herb and his girlfriend Steffy (played by Vanessa Taylor) react with verve leaving the audience laughing out loud.

Each season The Curtain Club gives back to the community through its Charity Night initiative. One performance of each play is given to local charities to use as a fundraiser or a volunteer thank you. The Curtain Club is pleased to welcome Jewish Women International of Canada (JWIC)-Golda Meir Chapter as recipients of the Charity Night for I Ought to Be in Pictures by Neil Simon.

The Cast Comment on Cliffhanger by James Yaffe!

2010-06-07T20:18:00.002-04:00

Kay Valentine comments on her role: "Given the choice between a drama and a comedy, I would always pick a comedy. But, working on a comedic thriller is particularly exciting. It's both challenging, because you are supposed to be quite stoic, and yet the audience is laughting their heads off. I can't say how enjoyable it's been working with Kingsley and the other members of the cast."

Dave Corbitt comments on his role: “Since I am avid fan of televised police dramas like Law & Order & CSI it is great fun to play a detective. I've even been watching some old "Columbo" shows to get some ideas for my character. Who wouldn't enjoy a role where you get your own gun and handcuffs!”

The Cast Comment on Cliffhanger by James Yaffe!

2010-06-07T20:15:00.002-04:00

Peggy Wrightson comments on her role: “Let’s face it, I love being on stage. This is just another chance to suspend reality. My role in this play is very critical and is great fun to play. If I knew being evil could be so much fun, I wouldn't have spent so much of my life trying to be good!”

Kingsley Owen comments on his role: “Once I began to learn the role, I came to realize that I have a lot of Henry's personality traits and so I've put them to use. I tend to have my head in the clouds and ignore practicalities. I am outspoken in my theories but can be persuaded to change them. This ambivalence in Henry gives rise to both suspense and humour. While this play is an 'audience pleaser' it's not so simple to perform. It's a mystery and so the actor has to remember what he knows and what he doesn't know at any given moment in time in order to react appropriately. And, at 76 I'm 12 years older than Henry but I'm hoping the audience won't notice.”

CLIFFHANGER – A suspenseful comedy

2010-06-07T20:06:00.003-04:00

The Curtain Club is pleased to announce the opening of Cliffhanger by James Yaffe, the fourth play of the 2009/2010 Season. On June 11, 2010, after the opening night performance, patrons will be treated to a reception in the lobby of the theatre with an opportunity to meet the cast, design team and crew. Plenty of tickets for the run of the Cliffhanger, at the incredible price of only $15.00 each, are available from The Curtain Club box office (905-773-3434).

Director Sharon Dykstra notes: “In Cliffhanger Yaffe mixes two crowd pleasing theatrical genres: suspense and comedy to sublimely entertain the audience. As a director, working with material that is so rich and full of humour is rewarding, but I have to really thank our cast for bringing Yaffe’s imagination to life.”

Henry Lowenthal (played by Kingsley Owen), a veteran professor of philosophy at a college, and his wife Polly (played by Kay Valentine) are looking forward to Henry’s appointment to an endowed chair so that they can enjoy their golden years. But their plans are kyboshed when Henry’s successor, a malicious and ambitious woman, Edith Wilshire (played by Peggy Wrightson) decides to not recommend Henry for the chair. Henry, in a moment of poor judgement, puts himself and Polly in a predicament from which hilarious complications arise. A rather sinister young student, Melvin McMullen (played by Stephan Ermel) and a suspicious police lieutenant, Dave DeVito (played by Dave Corbitt) add to the suspense and humour.

Playwright James Yaffe, born in Chicago, Illinois in 1927, is a graduate of Yale University and is one of the most prolific American writers of the 20th century. In addition to plays, he has written novels, short stories and for television.

Each season The Curtain Club gives back to the community through its Charity Night initiative. One performance of each play is given to local charities to use as a fundraiser or a volunteer thank you. The Curtain Club is pleased to welcome St. Matthews United Church, B'nai Brith Canada, and York Central Hospital Volunteers as recipients of the Charity Night for Cliffhanger by James Yaffe.

Fans of Theatre...Don’t Miss this Chance to Visit Backstage and Win Tickets!

2010-05-31T23:29:00.003-04:00

The Curtain Club is pleased to announce its participation in Doors Open 2010. On June 12th along with various other locations in Richmond Hill, The Curtain Club will open its backstage space to fans and patrons.

Joan Burrows, President of The Curtain Club, notes: "Theatre is enjoyable and thrilling to an audience because of the illusion that’s created on stage. Opening our backstage doors may destroy this but I know that our patrons will also find the experience fascinating. Much of what we do is created in a very small space. Our regular audience only gets to see the lobby and the auditorium but Doors Open will allow them to tour backstage and check out the dressing rooms, storage spaces, workshops as well as the technical area of the booth for lighting and sound operation. Also, our wardrobe room will fascinate as well as entertain as we plan to pull several items out for you to try on - so bring your cameras!"

Doors Open guests are encouraged to refer to following website for more information: http://www.richmondhill.ca/documents/doors_open_flyer_w_map.pdf

The Curtain Club will have a booth at the Heritage Village Festival, June 12th in downtown Richmond Hill (on Yonge Street between Major Mackenzie Drive and Crosby Avenue). Drop by The Curtain Club booth to win tickets for the fourth play of the 2009/2010 Season: Cliffhanger by James Yaffe. For more information on the Heritage Village Festival refer to the following website: http://www.richmondhill.ca/documents/heritage_village_festival.pdf

The Curtain Club will have a booth at the Town of Richmond Hill’s annual Canada Day Celebration, July 1st at Richmond Green Park. Drop by The Curtain Club booth to win tickets for the fifth and last play of the 2009/2010 Season: I Ought to be in Pictures by Neil Simon. For more information on the Canada Day Celebration refer to the following website: http://www.richmondhill.ca/subpage.asp?pageid=canada_day_celebrations

2009/2010 FESTIVAL GALA AWARDS (THEA) RESULTS

2010-05-09T14:39:00.002-04:00

Congratulations to The Curtain Club and it’s members on nominations and awards received during the Association of Community Theatres - Central Ontario Gala.

Congratulations to Colleen Sibeon who was awarded best performance by a female in a supporting role in a drama for her portrayal of Louise MacKeigan in Marion Bridge. Congratulations also to Dan Suplido for his nomination for best set design for Marion Bridge. This production was the only one entered into the festival this season due to the renovations of The Curtain Club and was staged at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts.
http://www.actco.ca/festival/2009-2010/2009-2010ACT-COFestivalAwards.html

The Curtain Club is the envy of patrons's in Richmond Hill, Georgia.

2010-05-09T10:22:00.006-04:00

We recently moved to Richmond Hill. I just found you guys on the web and was thrilled that our little town has a theatre. I was all prepared to order season tickets and apply for membership. I was very excited about the new Center for Performing Arts. Imagine how I feel now that I discover you are in CANADA and I am in Richmond Hill, Georgia- a place really wanting for performing arts…sigh. BTW - your sets look amazing!

2010-04-16T17:04:00.004-04:00

What a surprise for the cast and crew of Einstein's Gift! Vern Thiessen, the author of the play, sent his well wishes via email.

Hi!
I note on my calendar that you open EINSTEIN soon. Please pass on my regards to the cast and crew for a successful run.
Yours
Vern Thiessen

NOW PLAYING - EINSTEIN'S GIFT

2010-04-15T13:25:00.003-04:00

EINSTEIN’S GIFT – A dramatic interpretation of history

Richmond Hill, Ont. (April 15, 2010): The Curtain Club is pleased to announce the opening of Einstein’s Gift by Canadian playwright Vern Thiessen, the third play of the 2009/2010 Season. On April 16, 2010, after the opening night performance, patrons will be treated to a reception in the lobby of the theatre with an opportunity to meet the cast, design team and crew. Plenty of tickets for the run of the Einstein’s Gift, at the incredible price of only $15.00 each, are available from The Curtain Club box office (905-773-3434).

Einstein’s Gift features a star studded cast of 9 actors, many of whom play multiple roles in this tribute to two important men of the 20th Century: Fritz Haber and Albert Einstein. While the two Nobel Prize winning scientists may not have know each other quite in the way that Vern Thiessen describes, the play is Thiessen’s attempt to show the “humanity” of the two, caught in the web of moral issues of pre- and post-World War I.

Einstein (played by Dave Henderson) and Haber (played by Rob Goodale) exemplify the differences between pure and applied science, but Thiessen also uses them to explore the relationship between imagination and knowledge; between faith and nationalism; between pacifism and war. This not to be missed production of Einstein’s Gift is directed by Joan Burrows and explores what happens when society takes what one discovers or invents and does something horrible with it.

Joan Burrows notes: “In 1905, who would have thought that anything these Jewish-German men were developing would result in negative consequences? In this dramatization of their lives, Thiessen gives us a challenge in the play’s structure – Brechtian in style and very fitting given it is the story of Germany from the turn of the century to the beginning of the second world war. The play has been a “gift” to all of us who have worked on it, stretching us creatively and intellectually. We hope you enjoy the journey as much as we have!”

Supporting Dave Henderson and Rob Goodale are Brandon Moore (as Otto, one of Haber’s research assistants), Samantha Lynch (as Clara Immerwahr, a Jewish-German chemist and the first wife of fellow chemist Fritz Haber), Ainsley Ford (as Charlotta Natha, Haber’s second wife), Marcus Bruce (as various characters including Bernhard Rust, Minister of Education), Ashley Casciato (as various characters including a German soldier and a cabaret singer), Art Sinukoff (as various characters including a German general and a deacon), and Ken Marquardt (as various characters including Colonel Peterson and a Gestapo soldier).

Playwright Vern Thiessen was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba and studied, both, at the Universities of Winnipeg, and of Alberta. He is a past-President of the Playwrights Guild of Canada and won the 2003 Governor General's Award for English-language Drama, for Einstein's Gift, which was first performed in 2003 at The Citadel Theater, Edmonton Alberta.

Each season The Curtain Club gives back to the community through its Charity Night initiative. One performance of each play is given to local charities to use as a fundraiser or a volunteer thank you. The Curtain Club is pleased to welcome Salvation Army, Richmond Hill Community Church and Friends of the East Gwillimbury Library as recipients of the Charity Night for Einstein’s Gift.

2010-03-14T21:01:00.002-04:00

The Club is abuzz with rehearsals for Einstein’s Gift by Vern Thiessen. With fencing specialists giving actors lessons, and light and special effects designers creating the visual impact of the prewar German academic life, Club members are hurrying to get another play up and running in this compressed, post-renovation, season. In the photo "Harber" and "Einstein" are seen fencing.

New NEWS Blog

2010-03-13T07:57:00.002-05:00

Now that we have re-opened the theatre and the major building construction is pretty much completed, this blog will be our new NEWS site where you can find all about what's happening at the theatre including press releases.

Access previous news items and press releases at the following link:

NEWS Archives

Opening Night Ribbon Cutting

2010-02-21T19:55:00.000-05:00

We're finally home!Opening Night of Laugh Lines

We are back in!

2010-02-13T12:14:00.000-05:00

"We are ready to open the theatre!"

A few things to paint...

"Welcome back!"

First general meeting back in the theatre!

Bathrooms, entrances, hallways ... oh my

2010-01-16T06:00:00.000-05:00

New bathroom sinksNew lobby entrance
The new corridor
New barrier free washroom

Site Meeting

2010-01-08T16:24:00.000-05:00

Serious meeting...View up to the Props room
The new kitchen is taking place. Where is the coffee pot??
The new entrance to the lobby

First Show now to be held at Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts

2009-12-16T04:52:00.000-05:00

Seasons Greetings from The Curtain Club!

As you can imagine, it has been a very busy, often stressful but exciting autumn for us. The construction of the new washrooms, handicapped accessible entrance, and upgrades to our heating, air conditioning, and sprinkler systems has progressed relatively well (thank goodness for that wonderful fall weather). However, many of the factors in a construction process are beyond our control and like most projects we had our share. We are not certain that we will have an occupancy permit for our production of Marian Bridge in January as planned. As a result, we have made the following arrangements.

The Curtain Club will open Marion Bridge on Thursday, January 21 at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts (RHCPA) , 10268 Yonge Street in the heart of Richmond Hill. We will have performances on Jan. 21 at 8:00 pm, Jan. 22 at 8:00 pm, Jan. 23 matinee at 2:00 pm and Jan. 23 at 8:00 pm. We are pleased to have this opportunity to partner with the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts.

The RHCPA is a much larger theatre and, therefore, the box office had the difficult task to organize our 13 performances into one of the 4 performances at the centre.

For our Subscribers, you will receive a letter advising of your new date. Please ensure that all members of your party are advised of your new date and time.

If you are unable to attend this performance, please call the box office at 905-773-3434 to change to another performance date. (subject to availability) There will be no charge for exchanges!

The RHCPA is also opening its doors for us to have an "Open House" for both our members and subscribers. Please come out for a free evening on Thursday, January 7th from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm to take a look at the new theatre, hear some short readings from the plays in our season and learn about the Theatre Ontario Festival which The Curtain Club will be hosting at this new arts centre in May of 2011.

We apologize for any inconvenience this change may cause and we thank you for your patience and understanding. As always we are committed to bringing you the very best in community theatre and we look forward to continue doing so on this production with our collaboration with the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts.

We are all looking forward to seeing you in January at the RHCPA!

Joan Burrows
President, The Curtain Club

It's getting closer...

2009-12-12T12:21:00.000-05:00

The new face of theatre...(waiting for new signage)
The new kitchen bar is taking shape:

The new corridor (still a little rustic):
The back side exterior of the theatre (the new washrooms!!)

The new face of Theatre takes shape

2009-11-29T18:37:00.000-05:00

The new front of the theatre viewed from the parking lot.
New front entrance viewed from Elgin Mills.

There is the new stage door! Please no autographs yet.

Nov 17 - Painting the building

2009-11-22T09:48:00.000-05:00

The Marquee entrance - looks like a theatre!
Shouldn't this be a scenic backdrop? Where are Alice and Kingsley when you need them!

Nov 16 - New Siding goes up front!

2009-11-16T21:33:00.001-05:00

The new siding on the front of the building.The new entrance is taking shape
The view inside the new entrance
The view out of the new entrance

Nov 13 - No turning back now!

2009-11-15T13:49:00.000-05:00

Front entrance and parking get covered.This isn't your parent's old Curtain Club.
The new kitchen taking shape.

Nov 11 - Outside Front Entrance

2009-11-15T13:43:00.000-05:00

Cement! And no, there are no old seats under here.

Nov 2nd - New Entrance

2009-11-15T13:37:00.001-05:00

View out of the new front entranceI think the skylights will be closed up. Sorry no dome.
This the new corridor entrance to the auditorium. See SM's desk to left.

Imagine the new Marquee!

2009-11-01T21:42:00.000-05:00

view from the grassy knoll (our photog is in stealth mode)

Beam me up Scotty!

2009-11-01T21:39:00.000-05:00

There be walls here!

2009-11-01T21:35:00.000-05:00

Foundation poured and walls begin!

2009-11-01T21:32:00.000-05:00

October begins with progress

2009-10-05T21:59:00.000-04:00

We don't get to use the heavy equipment when we build sets.
Just imagine... new washrooms. Don't worry, we'll put up walls for you shy ones.

The new entrance takes shape.

Lots happening now!

2009-10-04T08:50:00.000-04:00

Props storage room looking from the green room.

General contractor and mechanical contractor at our bi weekly update.

The Props room never looked so open! Easier to spot squirrels.

The footings for the new washrooms.

The new entrance opened up.

Demolition begins!

2009-09-20T12:33:00.001-04:00

East Corridor cleared out (view from Stage Manager's desk)

The lobby cleared up

No more kitchen sink!!

You wanted new washrooms - here are the old ones

Front of the Theatre

Letter to our Patrons

2009-09-20T12:28:00.000-04:00

Please note that we have altered our season slightly. You Ought to Be in Pictures, originally scheduled to be our opening show, will now close our season in July.

The reason for this change is due to the construction of the new washrooms and the new handicapped accessible entrance. The fencing is up and the demolition has begun. We hope to be back on our stage for rehearsals in early December and ready to open with Marion Bridge by Canadian playwright, Daniel MacIvor, next January. It has been a long and tedious summer. The outline below explains our joys and frustrations of building expansion.

June
• The tenders come in ranging from 1.16 million to 1.3 million! We faint! Then we sit down with the architects and Deciantis Construction to discuss the gap and find ways to reduce costs. Sub-contractors are also contacted to revise items to meet our budget. A week later, the new cost is reduced to $1,080,000 – still too much for us!
More meetings are scheduled to further reduce the cost of the project.

July
• We meet with Mayor Barrow to present our business plan and ask for consideration for either a grant or an interest free loan from the town to help with the cost of the construction. He agrees to discuss with council members.
• We meet with the architects and Deciantis Construction and receive a new cost of $898,999 which will not include finishes such as painting, carpentry, carpeting etc. These items will have to be done by club members as the money becomes available over the years.

August
• We receive information about the 2009 Infrastructure Stimulus Fund which is opening up money to non-profit organizations who are ready to begin capital building projects immediately. We pull all the material together for the application and submit it. We will find out whether we have received this grant money or not by the end of September.
• We hold a club meeting to share information and voice our concerns about the project. A motion is passed to continue with the construction. We understand that these improvements are for the benefit of our audience and are long overdue.

September
• Deciantis Construction begins demolition and construction of the new washrooms and side entrance at a cost of $918,280.
• We wait impatiently to hear about our grant application.
• We prepare our presentation to the mayor and council and will try to work out how we can borrow money for improvements to a building that sits on land owned by the town.
• We send out our subscriber tickets because THE SHOW MUST GO ON!

As you can see, it has been a rather difficult summer for the executive members – too many meetings and too many disappointments! However, we are confident that our business plan projected for the next ten years is solid.

Not only do our productions do well financially, but also we have proven to be excellent fund raisers with our participation in the Rotary Auction and weekly charity bingos, selling 50/50 tickets and relying on generous donations from our members and subscribers. And on that note, I would like to thank all of you who sent in a donation along with your subscription renewal. We received over $13,000 from our returning subscribers! And if you meant to do so, but forgot, please do not hesitate to send a tax refundable donation. As you can see, we have a rather large bill to pay in November!

If you have any concerns relative to your subscription please contact our box office at 905 773-3434. The box office has been authorized to offer free exchanges (subject to availability) for “I Ought To Be In Pictures” until December 31, 2009.

It’s going to be an exciting year for The Curtain Club. Five great shows and new bathrooms!
Thank you so much for continuing to support us. We look forward to seeing you in January 2010!

Sincerely,

Joan Burrows
President, The Curtain Club

Ground Breaking!!

2009-09-20T12:12:00.000-04:00

September 10, 2009

President, Joan Burrows, and Theatre Manager, Brian Moore, 'perform' the ceremonial ground breaking on the new Curtain Club addition.