News & Reviews Archive

Poster for Queen's Musical Theatre's production of 'The Prom'. The title, dates, and ticket information are in the poster with a red background and a disco ball.

Unruly Hearts Change Minds in ‘The Prom’

  • Queen's University
  • Review

If nobody has asked you to The Prom yet, take this as a sign to find a date. Mixing teen movie aesthetics, Broadway sensibilities, and contemporary social values, Queen’s Musical Theatre presents a high-energy production in the Rotunda Theatre this winter.  Directed by Noah Solomon, The Prom’s spotlight falls on Emma Nolan (Nicole Martin), a teenager in Edgewater, Indiana. Emma has been banned from bringing her girlfriend to the high […]

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A man in a tuxedo leans over a red table with his arms spread wide.

Putting You in the Christmas Spirit(s): John D. Huston’s ‘A Christmas Carol’

  • Review
  • Theatre Kingston
  • Uncategorized

A timeless story that captures the magic of Christmas in a captivating and uniquely compelling manner. On Sunday, December 17th, I had the pleasure of attending John D. Huston’s A Christmas Carol, presented by Theatre Kingston, to help me get into the Christmas season. Before arriving at the Tett Centre, I had a vague understanding of the classic story created by the brilliant Charles Dickens. I watched the movie as […]

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Performers in Domino Theatre's production of 'A Christmas Story'. Four children are seen standing watching an interaction where one child is pin to the ground and another child kneels overtop of them.

Unwrapping Warmth and Laughter, ‘A Christmas Story’

  • Domino Theatre
  • Review

Imagine going on a trip in the middle of the swamps and getting attacked by a giant snake. Now that would be the perfect time to have a Red Ryder BB gun. A Christmas Story began its run at Domino Theatre on Thursday, November 30th. Adapted by Philip Grecian and directed by Dale Jones, the play follows nine-year-old Ralphie (Blythe Hallford) who dreams about getting the treasured Red Ryder BB […]

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Wilding Amy and Tony Babcock each wear a vest and tie; one has a silver pot on their head and the other has spaghetti on theirs.

Laughing and Wanting More: ‘All-Inclusive Comedy’

  • All-Inclusive Comedy
  • Review

A show so hilarious and chaotic, my mouth was left sore from smiling too much. This past Friday night, I made my way over to catch All-Inclusive Comedy, an improv performance by Wilding and Tony Babcock. Wilding and Tony’s enthusiasm is infectious. From the moment they are onstage, they draw all attention. I am referring to them by their first names because as the show progressed, I saw them more […]

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Reviews of TK THEO Fringe posted on a wall. Each review is on a white cue card.

A Dead Tree and an Existential Lamp: Day Two of TK Theo Fringe

  • Fringe
  • Queen's University
  • Review

After brushing off the sawdust and rinsing milkshake residue out of their hair, students from the DAN School of Drama and Music returned to Theological Hall for a second night of TK Theo Fringe—a showcase of short, fringe-style solo performances presented at Theological Hall in partnership with Theatre Kingston. Following an intense evening of site-specific theatre on Wednesday, I returned, too, and experienced what the second (and last) day of […]

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Attendees of PXR Conference 2023 attending in Virtual Reality. There are multiple avatars looking at a screen that reads "PXR Conference 2023"

My PXR Experience Part Two: The Best VR has to Offer

  • PXR Conference
  • Review

Think of a world where anything is possible; where imagination comes to life. Welcome to Virtual Reality. Single Thread and Electric Company Theatre’s PXR Conference is full of exceptional talks and presentations about Virtual Reality (VR) and exploring the power of VR for immersive and interactive experiences. In my previous article, I discussed my findings attending these presentations and now will touch on some of the PXR experience events I […]

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Reviews for TK THEO Fringe Festival are posted on a blackboard that is on a red wall.

Bathroom Stalls and Blanket Forts: Day One of TK Theo Fringe

  • Queen's University
  • Review

I spent last evening exploring Theological Hall and finding theatre in unexpected places. In partnership with Theatre Kingston, Queen’s students in DRAM 339 present the inaugural TK Theo Fringe, a showcase of short solo works that celebrate the style and format of fringe theatre.  Over the course of the two-day mini fringe festival, I’ll be catching as many shows as I can and writing about them in the little pockets […]

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Virtual reality image of a cabin with a purple/pink/red sky behind it. The cabin is surrounded by snow.

Is Virtual Reality the Future? My PXR Experience

  • PXR Conference
  • Review

Virtual reality is a relatively unexplored area of technology that can take you to worlds beyond your imagination. This past week I have had the pleasure of attending the PXR Conference run by Single Thread Theatre Company and Electric Company Theatre. It is a ten-day hybrid conference that showcases the best of Virtual Reality (VR) and how it can be used as a tool for interactive experiences. The conference begins […]

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Performers on a stage singing into microphones. The costuming involves flapper dresses, corsets, and some people wearing boxer shorts.

Lavish Looks and Lots of Laughs: ‘Last Night at the Cabaret Solitaire’

  • Queen's University
  • Review

About last night…  The Last Night at the Cabaret Solitaire is a musical comedy revue directed by Grahame Renyk. As the DAN School of Drama and Music’s Fall 2023 Drama Major, this high-energy production is a collaboration between over a hundred Queen’s students—30 in the cast and band, and many more behind the scenes.  A show tailored to its ensemble, The Last Night at the Cabaret Solitaire fits these multi-talented […]

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Poster for Bread and Puppet Theater's 'Inflammatory Earthling Rants with Help from Kropotkin'. Poster notes the title, location, and date/time of the show. The upper half of the poster looks as if it was drawn by crayon and depicts two monsters.

Creative and Moving: ‘Inflammatory Earthling Rants with Help from Kropotkin’

  • Bread and Puppet Theater
  • Review

What happens when you put aflamed earthlings onstage? Well, they obviously need to perform inflammatory rants. Inflammatory Earthling Rants with Help from Kropotkin is a moving performance by Vermont-based Bread and Puppet Theater. The show is a commentary on the political landscape of today. It touches on broader topics of genocide, government, and the importance of speaking up on major issues while specifically delving into current events such as the […]

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A woman dressed in black clothing, a woman dressed in a white lab coat, and a man in a wheelchair are interacting.

‘Talking Matters’ and so does Listening: A Moving Discussion of Dementia

  • Review

Lizzy is a first-time volunteer at a long-term care home. Bea, the overworked nurse in charge, doesn’t hold much regard for the new technique that Lizzy wants to explore: talking to the residents with dementia, and, more specifically, asking questions to help them find their way back to themselves.  Talking Matters by Marina Engelking and Merrill Swain is a tender and informative exploration of dementia that urges viewers to think […]

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Poster for Theatre Kingston's production of 'Blood Rover'. A woman is standing at the end of a dock on the poster. The title, showtimes, cast, director, wardrobe, lighting, and design are listed on the poster.

Emotionally Riveting, ‘Blood River’

  • Review
  • Theatre Kingston

Having a choice is the basis of humanity, the purest expression of one’s free will. And what happens if this seemingly straightforward and essential expression is taken away from one’s self?  Blood River is a riveting play written by Kingston-based playwright Chloë Whitehorn and directed by Kingston-born Rosemary Doyle. I attended the world premiere of the show in the Baby Grand Theatre on Wednesday night. It is a play that […]

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