April-May 2001 
CALENDAR
Charly Chiarelli's long-awaited new play arrives!
Fresh
on the heels of his sold-out remount of Cu'Fu?
in February, Charly Chiarelli returns to Artword
Theatre with the world premiere of his new show,
Mangiacake!, running from April 5 to 29.
Mangiacake!
tells how an immigrant kid tries to shed his Sicilian
identity - only to discover that he wants it back again.
("Mangiacake" is what Italian immigrants call non-Italians,
who eat pasty white sliced bread that looks like cake).
Young Charly manoeuvers his way into a mangiacake school,
where he runs for president of the student council. (His
campaign slogan: "put a wop on top".) Returning to Racalmuto
after university with his new bride, he is confronted by a
strange woman who demands "Cu si tu?" ("Who are you?")
Mangiacake! is about his search for an answer to her
question.
Like
Charly's first play, Mangiacake! originates in
stories honed and polished in kitchens and at parties over
the years. Together with director Ronald Weihs,
Charly has pulled the stories into a compelling production
that moves with energy and inventiveness.
Some
of the Mangiacake! stories are hilarious. Others deal
with tough subjects with a clear and forthright honesty -
the brutal aspects of growing up as a newcomer to Canada,
and Charly's own fight with cancer. Amazingly, Charly shows
how both subjects have their funny side. And, as before, the
show is punctuated with Charly's own brand of Sicilian blues
and some very fine blues
harmonica.
What the critics said about CuFu? February 2001:
Call Sandra at the box office:
416-408-2783
"Riveting… a memorable evening…" John Coulbourn,
Toronto Sun
"Irrepressible storyteller… an engaging performer…
offers many delights" Kate Taylor, The Globe and
Mail
"A charming man with a wealth of stories … rich and
entertaining" Joanne Huffa, Eye Weekly
Nancy White CD Launch, April 11
At long last, a classic album by one of Artword's favorite performers, Nancy White, is being released as a CD (because who has a turntable that even works anymore?) It's called Unexpected, and it's unexpected because it has Nancy showing a more romantic and thoughtful side. Originally released by CBC Records and Mouton records, it has been digitally restored, re-sequenced, re-mastered and re-just-about-everything else on the Borealis label. (www.borealisrecords.com).
Come
and celebrate with Nancy on April 11 at 8 pm. Tickets
are $18 at the door. No reservations. Come on down! It will
be fun!
Eugene's
Sunday Series...April
1 Jason Hammer's Big Band Massacre Jason Hammer, bass,
Colin Fisher, guitar and sax, Mark Hundevad, drums, Geordie
McDonald, percussion, Rhonda Rindone, bass clarinet, Glen
Hall, saxes and flute, Eugene Martynec,
sampler/computer.April 8 Saxophone in Duo /Trio settings John Oswald and Nobuo Kabota: Saxophone and sound poetry by two masters of aural interplay. Sir Isaac's Revenge: synthetic sounds meet lyricism. Newton Garwood on synthesiser, Eugene Martynec on sampler/computer, Glen Hall on flute and saxophones.
April
22 Baker/Marshall Duo plus Two
Pianist/composer/conductor Tom Baker and cellist Kye
Marshall, joined by Glen Hall on saxophone and Tomasz
Krakowiak on percussion. [No
concerts on April 15 (Easter) and
April 29]
Bohemian Embassy Night Some of
Canada's most talented performers are joining in a
benefit for the Humanist Association of Toronto, on
Wednesday, April 18 at 8 pm. The lineup
includes comedian Dave Broadfoot, blues
artist Michael Hasek, classical
mezzo-soprano Barbara Sadegur, and folk
music legends Mary Jane and Winston
Young.
The
evening,. a tribute to the legendary Bohemian
Embassy, has been put together by our good friend
Don Cullen.
Dave
BroadfootDon
has had a long and distinguished career as a comedian and
writer, including
a stint in the Broadway production of Beyond The
Fringe and lots and lots of Wayne and Shuster television
shows. Probably Don's most enduring contribution, however,
has been his role in jump starting the careers of a great
many Canadian artists and
performers.
In
the early sixties, Don opened the Bohemian Embassy on
St. Nicolas Street, two flights up in a long, narrow loft.
(It was a matter of great pride that the club was listed in
the Yellow Pages under "Consulates and Embassies".) A lot of
people got their first gigs up those creaking stairs - Bill
Cosby, Gordon Lightfoot, Bob Dylan, Ian and Sylvia, Irving
Layton, Al Purdy, Margaret Atwood. Two of the most popular
performers were Mary Jane and Winston Young, who had a
regular weekly gig.
Serving
nothing stronger than coffee, the Bohemian Embassy
influenced a lot of people, instilling a love of art and a
vision of what life could be like - including me (Ron), as a
thirteen-year-old grade-niner. In many ways, Artword is our
2001 version of what the Bohemian Embassy was doing back
then.
Don
organized three more Bohemian Embassies over the years,
including a long stint at Harbourfront. The last incarnation
was on Queen Street, about when Judith and I were starting
up the first Artword at 81 Portland on the second floor.
When Don saw it, he declared us his successors, and
ceremonially gave us the music stand from which so many
poets had read their poetry, and the metal box containing
the Bohemian Embassy mailing list.
Ever
since, Don has offered his support and advice to Artword
Theatre. The very comfortable seats in the theatre were made
possible by his financial contribution.
If you
want a taste of what the Bohemian Embassy was all about,
come to Artword on April 18. Tickets are $20. Call Tanya
Long at 416-750-0648. They're going fast.
Paintings by Judith Sandiford
From April 4 to 29, Artword Gallery is showing several large-scale works from The Virtual Museum by Judith Sandiford. These multiple-panel paintings and drawings, done between 1988 and 1993, express Judith's interpretation of ideas in contemporary physics and cosmology, ideas about the origins of the universe, particle physics and cosmic evolution. Together, the works constitute The Virtual Museum, divided conceptually into "rooms".
Some of
this work was exhibited at Workscene Gallery where Judith
was an active member in the early 90s, but most of the
"rooms" have not been exhibited except in a studio.Vistors
to Artword may have noticed early single works of Judith's.
However, this is the first opportunity in about a decade to
come to terms with this multiple panel, large-scale
work.The
reception,Wednesday, April 11, 4 - 7 pm, is just
before the Nancy White CD release concert -- lots of
celebrating that night.
Contact 2001: Anonymous Photographs
Curators Jennifer Long and Catherine Lash set up a new show from their collection of anonymous snapshots from family albums. This year's show uses water as a theme, ranging from fire hydrants to Niagara Falls. The exhibition at Artword Gallery opens May 3 from 4-7 pm and continues to June 2, as part of Contact 2001, the Toronto Photography Festival.
Marivaux's back with a Triumph
After last year's success with the The Game of Love and Chance, John Van Burek brings his new translation of another classic French comedy by Marivaux. Written in 1732, The Triumph of Love deals with the foibles of human perception: even against our better judgement, we often see what we want to see, not what we truly see. It's about disguise, seduction and the battle between logic and love. As the title suggests, love wins the day, but at what cost?
At Artword May 4 to 27.