Mark Twain visits the Falls this week!
Mark Twain visits the Falls! The shade of Mark Twain dropped in to local venues on the weekend to let people know that he would be arriving for six performances at the Station Theatre in Smiths Falls, starting on Friday, July 16. Mark Twain's Patent Scrapbook is a "tour de force" one-man performance.
Read on...
Community theatres working together to present summer excitement
Smiths Falls Comunity Theatre and BarnDoor Productions, Perth's original community theatre are working together to bring two productions to the SFCT's new Station Theatre stage in July and August.Opening July 16 will be Mark Twain's Patent Scrapbook, a one-man show created and performed by BarnDoor Productions' Producing Director David Jacklin in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the death of one of the English languages most important authors and humorists. Jacklin first performed a one-man show about Mark Twain 33 years ago and this new show builds on the that original script, combining material that has become available since that time and old favourite pieces from Twain's rich store of work into a show that drew high praise from audience members in a May preview held in Perth. Audiences at that time dubbed Jacklin's performance a "tour de force" and "absolutely fantastic. It needs to be seen." Back for an extended run, it will have Smiths Falls performance on July 16, 17, 22, 23 and 24 at 8:00 p.m. and July 18 at 2:00 p.m.
The second production is a truly unique piece of theatre, unlike anything offered anywhere else in the region. Dark of the Moon is a dramatic, poetic, musical, comic, and always entertaining play that premiered on Broadway in 1944 and became an instant hit. Based on the centuries-old folk song, The Ballad of Barbara Allen, Dark of the Moon, by Howard Richardson and William Berney, is a tale of forbidden love and passion set in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. With a cast of 18, the play incorporates old-time bluesgrass, folk and gospel music, the mysticism of mountain lore and a tragic love into a memorable story that the London Daily Herald called "an astonishing play and a fearsome legend." The New York Times said it was "the kind of play the audience instantly likes" while the Ottawa Citizen went further. "With the abandon of a spring colt, the imaginative poetic drama, 'Dark of the Moon', has bounded onto Broadway and created a stir unlike anything seen this season." Dark of the Moon will run July 31, August 5, 6 and 7 at 8:00 p.m. and August 1 at 2:00 p.m. Note that the show opens on Saturday the 31st.
The two community theatres are working together on these productions, with BarnDoor bringing the shows to the stage, while the SFCT provide the support staff and the venue. The beautiful new 144-seat Station Theatre is a jewel to be seen, an intimate, well-appointed and very comfortable theatre that well-justifies the community theatre's decade-long effort to rebuild the town of Smiths Falls' decaying train station and put it to good use.
BarnDoor Productions is likewise hard at work on creating a theatre of its own in Perth, the Full Circle Theatre, a conversion of a 60-year old auto shop and car wash into a 120-seat theatre that will be a permanent home for BDP, after 15 seasons. The two summer productions are fund-raisers to help with the project.
BDP and SFCT first cooperated on a production in 2001, presenting a concert production on an original holiday musical, The Holly Tree, based on stories by Charles Dickens.
The new Station Theatre and the soon-to-open Full Circle Theatre are similar in house size and stage size, opening up possibilities of easy trading of productions in the future, something which can only be of benefit to both the theatres involved and their communities.
Tickets for either show are $20 reserved or $23 at the door. Reservations can be made by simply calling 613 267 1884. Students are $12 at any time.
TorQ Percussion Quartet
On Friday July 30th, for one night only, the Smiths Falls Community Theatre is proud to present TorQ.
Smiths Falls' own, Richard Burrows, is proud to bring his group to his home town. They have competed as the sole Canadian representative at the Luxembourg International Percussion Quartet Competition, and have performed at numerous Canadian Music Festivals.
Awarded a MARTY for "Best Emerging Performing Arts Group - 2009" by the Mississauga (ON) Arts Council, TorQ was formed in 2004 by four young, enthusiastic Toronto-area percussionists looking to add new energy to percussion repertoire and performance.
Tickets will be available at Bham's Kiosk in the County Fair Mall or may be purchased at the door.
Some updated photos of the entrance hall and the installation of the theatre seats.
Help!
Smiths Falls Community Theatre is looking for backstage help of all kinds: props, set construction, makeup, producers, and stage managers.Interested parties can contact Nancy (613) 283-7696.
