Kingston Theatre Alliance Archive

Poster for 'Living with Shakespeare". Animation of a man looking shocked and staring at Shakespeare who is sunken into a chair, drinking soda, and reading. There is garbage and a mess all around him. Text reads: "Living with Shakespeare by JEREMY SMITH and STEVEN GALLAGHER"

Driftwood Theatre’s Love Letter to Shakespeare

  • Festival
  • Fringe
  • Kingston Theatre Alliance
  • Review
  • Theatre Kingston

In Living With Shakespeare, Jeremy Smith takes a personal approach to a playwright who has loomed over his career for the past thirty-odd years. Beginning as “a shy kid from Nowhere, Ontario” and eventually becoming the artistic director of Driftwood Theatre, Smith recounts the rain storms, lullabies, motorcycle rides, and missed family gatherings that have shaped his Bard-imbued life.  The script, written by Smith and director Steven Gallagher, incorporates beloved […]

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Poster for Bottle Tree Productions' 'Surely, Sherlock'. Text reads: "Bottle Tree Productions Surely, Sherlock Starring all of your favourite sleuths aboard The Disoriented Express! Book by Anne Marie Mortensen & Daniel Smith Music and Lyrics by Michael Capon"

A Witty Mystery: ‘Surely, Sherlock’

  • Bottle Tree Productions
  • Festival
  • Fringe
  • Kingston Theatre Alliance
  • Review
  • Theatre Kingston

Who committed the crimes? No one knows. Welcome to the Disoriented Express. Surely, Sherlock is a witty musical written by Ann Marie Mortensen and Daniel Smith with lyrics and music by Michael Capon. The musical is a parody of the 2017 hit movie, Murder on The Orient Express, and is being performed at the Baby Grand Theatre in the 2023 Kingston Fringe Festival as part of the 2023 Kick and […]

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Poster for 'Sometimes I Love You, Always'. Text reads: "The Kick and Push Festival Art Sanctuary Presents a Basement Production of a veces te quiero siempre Sometimes I Love you Always Written and Directed By: Booth Savage Starring Janet-Laine Green With Booth Savage "You know, you really shouldn't let just anyone into your home. These days you can never tell." THURSDAY AUG 03 8:00 PM VENUE 2 CONFEDERATION FRIDAY AUG 04 4:00 PM VENUE 2 CONFEDERATION SATURDAY AUG 05 2:00 PM VENUE 2 CONFEDERATION SUNDAY AUG 06 4:20 PM VENUE 2 CONFEDERATION"

A Muffin You Can’t Refuse: ‘Sometimes I Love You, Always’

  • Festival
  • Fringe
  • Kingston Theatre Alliance
  • Review
  • Theatre Kingston

One rainy night, 70-year-old Mary Louise (Janet-Leigh Green) invites an Internet friend (Booth Savage) over for coffee. (You can tell they’re in their 70s because they say “Internet friend”.) She wastes no time stripping him of his wet clothes, dressing him in her husband’s hand-me-downs, and interrogating him within an inch of his life. In the time it takes for his things to dry, the situation goes from weird to […]

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Poster for "Menno-Morphosis" A drawn figure is seen with butterfly wings against a blue background. Text reads: "MENNO-MORPHOSIS How to become a secular mennonite in 500 years or less. Written and performed by Sandra Banman Directed by Catherine Hume."

A Mesmerizing Memoir: ‘Menno-Morphosis’

  • Festival
  • Fringe
  • Kick & Push Festival
  • Kingston Theatre Alliance
  • Review
  • Theatre Kingston

So, you’re 50 years old and sobbing under a desk at work. Where do you go from here? If you’re Sandra Banman, you’ll crawl out and craft a beautiful memoir. Presented with gentle wit and a generous spirit, Menno-Morphosis is a one-woman show written and performed by Banman and directed by Catherine Hume. It takes a lot to grow up and out of a strict Mennonite family in Manitoba. Banman […]

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A large "k" appears on the left in green and purple. Next to it reads "Kingston Theatre Alliance"

Job Opening: Theatre Critic

  • Kingston Theatre Alliance

Job Description The Performance Blog is a primary resource for audience members, artistic collaboration, critical dialogue, and industry contacts. Our platform consolidates events, news, artists, and organizations in the Southeastern area in an accessible and accountable manner that the region has never seen before. Led by the Editor, the writing team is looking for passionate individuals who are committed to questioning who and what criticism is FOR. Responsibilities Requirements Eligibility […]

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Red curtain across a stage.

What is the Point of Theatre Criticism?

  • Kingston Theatre Alliance

What is the Critic Looking For? What a loaded question! Let me ask you one. What makes great theatre? I’ll even tell you the answer.  Artists.  You want artists to be there. Artists, technicians, administrators, engineers, carpenters, bartenders, ushers, whatever their job title, you want these masters of their craft there. You want them in there doing what they love to do; making theatre happen. Ideally, you’ll find artists who […]

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A shadow of a hand holding a small broom. Text reads: "Birdbone Theatre performs Broom Dance A shadow puppet show in concert with Chanter La Pomme Accordian and hurdy-gurdy ensemble performing Neo-trad and traditional European dance music Friday February 17 7-9pm 191 King St E Admission at door $20 - $40 & kids FREE"

A Sweeping Spectacle: Birdbone Theatre’s ‘Broom Dance’

  • Kingston Theatre Alliance
  • Review

A combination of shadow puppetry, singing, hurdy-gurdy drones, cackles, moans, and good old-fashioned solstice sorcery brings a crowded living room to near silence on a cold December night. This is Birdbone Theatre’s Broom Dance, a show that has enchanted me twice this winter. The first time was at the Department of Illumination’s Firelight Lantern Festival in November, followed by a house show in Kingston’s Skeleton Park neighbourhood just before the […]

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A large "k" appears on the left in green and purple. Next to it reads "Kingston Theatre Alliance"

We’re Hiring!

  • Kingston Theatre Alliance

Job Description The KTA is looking to hire a Theatre Critic for the Performance Blog. The Theatre Critic is responsible for attending and reviewing 1-2 shows in the Kingston area per week. They will work very closely with the Editor of the Performance Blog to discuss articles, edits, and timelines.  Responsibilities Requirements Pay As an independent contractor, pay will come as a stipend of $550 per month with the expectation […]

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An orange background with yellow leaves faintly appearing on the left side. Text readsn "PXR 2022," "Single Thread," "Electric Company Theatre," "November 12th - November 19th 2022," "Canada Council for the Arts," "Ontario Arts Council"

PXR Review Loading…

  • Kingston Theatre Alliance
  • Review
  • Single Thread Theatre Co

Like many, the idea of an online theatrical experience doesn’t excite me like it did pre-pandemic.  The anticipation of being involved with new technology has been dimmed by having to creatively engage with it out of necessity rather than curiosity for the last two years. This was the unfortunate attitude that I held when I went into the PXR (Performance and Augmented, Virtual and Mixed Reality) Conference. Immediately I felt […]

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A large "k" appears on the left in green and purple. Next to it reads "Kingston Theatre Alliance"

Open Letter

  • Kingston Theatre Alliance

The KTA would like to release an open letter to discuss our goals for the performance blog.  The blog is a space for reviews, interviews, and opinion pieces surrounding the arts that we hope will engage with the community of Kingston. We strive to spark dialogue that can enrich theatre and provoke valuable conversation. Theatre is—and should be— constantly growing. It is a passion of ours to communicate about the […]

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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
  • Kingston Theatre Alliance
  • 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 […]

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Kingston Meistersingers Usher in Long-Awaited Musical Comedy for Kingston

  • Kingston Theatre Alliance
  • 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, […]

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