All Articles

A beige background. In the top right corner Santa is writing on a piece of paper while talking with three kids. Text reads "Miracle on 34th Street," "Adapted by the Mountain Community Theatre," "From the Novel by Valentine Davies," "Directed by Valerie Winslow," "By permission of Dramatic publishing," "Thursday ~ Saturday," "December 1 ~ 17," "Curtain 7:30, 2:00 curtain on final Saturday," "Tickets available through the Grand Theatre Box Office," "For more information www.dominotheatre.com," "with support from the Kingston Media Group."

‘Miracle on 34th Street’ Showcases Family Fun

  • Domino Theatre
  • Review

At the Domino Theatre, a by and for family Christmas meditation on what it means to believe is showing. Miracle on 34th Street as it exists onstage was adapted from the 1947 film of the same name. The premise of the show sees a stranded Kris Kringle (Phil Perrin) as he tries to spread Christmas spirit around New York City, encountering the unlikely trio of Doris Walker (Jennifer Tryon), her […]

Read More About ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ Showcases Family Fun

Kingston Meistersingers Usher in Long-Awaited Musical Comedy for Kingston

  • Kingston Meistersingers
  • Review

Mel Brooks’ film The Producers was his 1967 directorial debut. Starring Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder, the story followed fading Broadway producer Max Bialystock (Mostel) as he and accountant-turned-producer Leo Bloom (Wilder) attempted to put on the worst Broadway show of all time. The Broadway musical adaptation of the film, and subsequent movie musical, stars Nathan Lane and Matthew Brodrick, following the same plot. Put on by The Kingston Meistersingers, […]

Read More About Kingston Meistersingers Usher in Long-Awaited Musical Comedy for Kingston
A pumpkin, orange, and strawberries are growing in grass. Very tiny boots and a very tiny garden shovel are on the grass. Text reads "Garden of Edith," "First Ditch," "Ontario Arts Council"

‘Garden of Edith’ is a Fantastical Feat

  • Festival
  • Review
  • Shortwave Radio Theatre Festival

Let’s talk audio plays. There’s an obvious challenge here: Keep an audience engaged through only sound. Under-do it: you’ve lost their attention. Over-do it: tumultuous confusion. Finding that happy medium is really where a show sells itself. Now, one begs the question, does Shannon Kingston’s Garden of Edith find that sweet spot? …Yes. With beautiful precision. Presented by First Ditch Collective, the premiere of Garden of Edith begins with a […]

Read More About ‘Garden of Edith’ is a Fantastical Feat
Three men appear. Two are in are dressed in suits. One man is is wearing a cowboy hat. Text reads: "Theatre Kingston THESE DEEDS Written and Directed by CRAIG WALKER"

‘These Deeds’: A Masterclass in Staging Historical Fiction

  • Review
  • Theatre Kingston

Craig Walker’s These Deeds is one of those shows that feels rewarding as you watch it. Historical fiction as a genre has this charming quality about it—ever feel “in” on the plot when a historical figure pops up in a Tarantino movie? That feeling is what Walker is able to draw out of the audience. The play follows Walker’s fictional characterizations of author Bram Stoker (George Masswohl), actor Sir Henry […]

Read More About ‘These Deeds’: A Masterclass in Staging Historical Fiction
A drawing on the left of three sitting in a building under construction, doing work on it with the words 'mere mortals' displayed. A middle drawing of a man and woman holding hands and sitting on a lily pad with the wording 'time flies' displayed. A drawing on the right of a man walking down the street. He passes a mirror and the reflection is of a similarly dressed, similar looking man who isn't quite the same. The wording 'degas, c'est moi' is displayed. Above the three drawings, 'Time Flies: An Evening of Ives October 13 - 30 The Bottle Tree Studio Series' is displayed.

‘Time Flies’ will make you wish Time Stood Still

  • Bottle Tree Productions
  • Review

Effortlessly effervescent and fantastically funny, Time Flies, an Evening with Ives had me stifling my laughter from beginning to end. In the small—but effective—studio of Bottle Tree Productions, I was so pleased to be in such an intimate setting for this performance and at a run time of only one hour, I was desperate for more.  The performance consists of three vignettes and two transitional monologues (performed by Kyla Todd). […]

Read More About ‘Time Flies’ will make you wish Time Stood Still
Vivek Shraya poses against pink, shimmering curtains wearing a pink coat with pink makeup and licking an ice cream cone

‘How to Fail as a Popstar’ Revels in its Missteps

  • Grand ONStage
  • Review

Upon entering Kingston’s Grand Theatre, I felt I was terribly mistaken.  Throngs of people were lined up in every direction. It wasn’t the crowd I was expecting, mostly older folk. Had I not done my pre-show research on the right show? As I scanned my ticket the box office attendant asked, “Are you Colin James?”  I nervously replied, “No, I’m Freddy Van Camp.” As it turns out, Colin James is […]

Read More About ‘How to Fail as a Popstar’ Revels in its Missteps
Photo of Erin Ball using aerial silks against a white background.

5 Q’s with Erin Ball

  • Artist
  • Interview

5 Q’s, 5 Femmes is a short series facilitated by writer Kemi King, interviewing five femme identifying artists; getting to know a little bit about them and their craft.  Erin Ball identifies as a white, Mad (from the Mad Pride Movement), Disabled treaty inhabitant. She is a double below knee amputee and circus artist based in Katarokwi/Kingston. She is the director of Kingston Circus Arts and is the co-founder of […]

Read More About 5 Q’s with Erin Ball
A black and white photo of Tracey Guptill smiling against a plain background.

5 Q’s with Tracey Guptill

  • Artist
  • Interview

5 Q’s, 5 Femmes is a short series facilitated by writer Kemi King, interviewing five femme identifying artists; getting to know a little bit about them and their craft.  This interview is with Tracey Guptill: a movement based actor, stilt walker, and collaborator. Along with establishing anARC Theatre, and its coLABoratory method for Research-Creation, she co-created When I get There as a part of her Masters in Environmental Studies at […]

Read More About 5 Q’s with Tracey Guptill
Photo of Alyssa Vernon against a white background.

5 Q’s with Alyssa Vernon

  • Artist
  • Interview

5 Q’s, 5 Femmes is a short series facilitated by writer Kemi King, interviewing five femme identifying artists; getting to know a little bit about them and their craft.  This interview is with Alyssa Vernon. Alyssa is a Queen’s University graduate in Gender Studies, with History and English teachables. As an educator, Alyssa strives to continually advocate for marginalized students and believes in the power of art as resistance, paired […]

Read More About 5 Q’s with Alyssa Vernon
Aisling Murphy in a blue shirt in front of a grey background.

5 Q’s with Aisling Murphy

  • Artist
  • Interview

5 Q’s, 5 Femmes is a short series facilitated by writer Kemi King, interviewing five femme identifying artists; getting to know a little bit about them and their craft.  This interview is with Aisling Murphy. Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, Aisling is a playwright, critic, dramaturg, and academic. Aisling is a staff reporter at the Toronto Star, the senior editor at Intermission Magazine and president of the Canadian Theatre Critics Association. […]

Read More About 5 Q’s with Aisling Murphy
A thin stream leads up to a small, wooden stage that has red curtains pulled across. There is one lawn chair on each side of the stream. A man sits in a wheelbarrow on one side of the stream smoking a pipe and playing a guitar. Trees surround the stage and one has two archery boards attached to it. At the bottom reads: ROBIN HOOD.

‘Robin Hood’ was more than just Fanciful Fun

  • Festival
  • Kick & Push Festival
  • Kingston Theatre Alliance
  • Lakeside Players
  • Review

I was nervous when I strolled through City Park and I saw a haphazard setup of black boxes and forest-themed shower curtains. But, the Lakeside Players production of Robin Hood charmed me from start to finish. The well-known fairytale format was both honoured and upended for a modern audience. The writing spoke to the entire crowd, appealing to even the youngest. It was somehow modern and poetic; delectable to the […]

Read More About ‘Robin Hood’ was more than just Fanciful Fun
Jill Glatt smiling outside in a blue shirt.

5 Q’s with Jill Glatt

  • Artist
  • Interview

5 Q’s, 5 Femmes is a short series facilitated by writer Kemi King, interviewing five femme identifying artists; getting to know a little bit about them and their craft.   This interview is with Jill Glatt, a Katarokwi/Kingston-based illustrator, printmaker, arts educator, and French teacher with the Limestone District School Board. She has developed and delivered programming for the Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning, Kingston Arts Council, Centre Culturel Frontenac, […]

Read More About 5 Q’s with Jill Glatt