Artword Theatre Announces 2012-13 Season at the new Lyric Tbeatre
Artword Theatre is back in action in Hamilton, presenting a series of four productions at the new Lyric Theatre on King Street at Locke.
The Artword team, Ronald Weihs and Judith Sandiford, ran a successful theatre facility in Toronto for twelve years before coming to Hamilton in 2008. Artword Theatre produced four original plays at the Pearl Company in 2008-09. Then Ron and Judith bought a little sports bar on Colbourne Street, just off James North, and turned it into the popular Artword Artbar, featuring music of all varieties, theatre, poetry and spoken word four nights a week, Wednesday to Saturday. When Patrick Brennan announced plans for converting the Westside Concert Theatre into the new Lyric Theatre, he got in touch with Ron and Judith right away, offering to co-produce four shows with them. It was a delightful offer that Artword could not refuse.
#1: Artword’s season kicks off October 18 to 20, 2012 with 1812 – The Songbook, a rollicking sing-along in music hall style. Hamilton’s popular folk ensemble What the Folk (Terry Ball, Geoff Ball, Carolyn Reid, Caroline Olsen and drummer Eric Hanenberg) sing songs about the War of 1812, and the audience is invited to join in. Illustrated songbooks with the lyrics, and interesting anecdotes about the war, are passed out before every show. Judith Sandiford’s dedicated research unearthed a treasure-trove of rousing songs from the period, assembled and scripted by Sandiford and Ronald Weihs. Music arrangements are by What the Folk. The show is in cabaret format, with beverages available to loosen up the throat.
Thursday to Saturday at 8 pm, October 18 to 20, 2012
Thurs: $19 regular, $16 seniors and students
Fri & Sat: $25 regular, $16 students and seniors
Venue: The Lyric Theatre, 434 King W, near Locke Street, (905) 527-6135.
#2 From November 29 – December 8, Artword presents James Street, a light-hearted look at the history of Hamilton. Written and directed by Ronald Weihs, with music by Mark McNeil, James Street features Charly Chiarelli – whose stories about growing up Sicilian in Hamilton introduced the North End to the world. Charly plays a modern Hamiltonian who mysteriously encounters a legendary figure from Hamilton’s early days – Paoli Brown, town crier and one of the leaders of Hamilton’s African-Canadian community. Together they witness a headlong and hilarious dash through Hamilton’s history as sketched out by an ensemble of actors. Mark McNeil, a well-known journalist around town, is also a talented songwriter and master of multiple guitar styles. He plays an ever-present street musician, who is joined by other members of the company for different musical numbers. The design, by Judith Sandiford, features a street stretching the length of the theatre, and a tumultuous streetcar ride.
Thursday to Saturday, 8 pm, Nov 29, 30, Dec 1, 6, 7, 8, 2012
Venue: The Lyric Theatre, 434 King W, near Locke Street, (905) 527-6135.
Thurs: $19 regular, $16 seniors and students
Fri & Sat: $25 regular, $16 students and seniors
Preview: Wednesday, Nov 28 at 8 pm, all tickets $10
#3. January 30 to February 3, 2013. If Cows Could Fly, Allan Merovitz’s musical play about growing up Jewish in Smith’s Falls, is a perennial Artword favorite. Allan is known internationally as an interpreter of Klezmer and Yiddish songs, and If Cows Could Fly is full of that infectious music. Directed and developed by Ronald Weihs, Cows has seen several Toronto productions, at Artword Theatre and the Ashkenaz Festival at Harbourfront. The production features an live Klezmer Ensemble directed by Frank Rackow. An Artword production in 2008, originating in Hamilton, had a highly successful run in Ottawa, in the inaugural season of the Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre. Patrick Langston of the Ottawa Citizen said “don’t miss this show”, and Alvina Ruprecht of the CBC said “I laughed, I cried, I had a wonderful time”.
Wednesday to Saturday at 8 pm, Jan 30 – Feb 2, 2013, Sunday matinee Feb 3 at 2 pm, 2013.
Venue: The Lyric Theatre, 434 King W, near Locke Street, (905) 527-6135.
Wed, Thurs & Sun: $19 regular, $16 seniors and students
Fri & Sat: $25 regular, $16 students and seniors
#4. Artword’s spring offering is a revival of Tobacco Troubadour, May 2 – 11, a coming-of-age musical based on the songs of J.P. (Paul) Riemens, written and directed by Ronald Weihs. Paul grew up as a “bunkhouse brat” in the tobacco fields of Ontario. Shortly after Ron and Judith arrived in Hamilton, they heard J.P. Riemens and the Barflies play in concert. Struck by the rich storytelling quality of the songs, Ron approached Paul that very night, and Tobacco Troubadour was born. The play begins with J.P. and the Barflies playing a concert, when suddenly actors emerge and a tender love story starts to unfold, weaving in and out with the songs that inspired the play. The original production in April 2009 was called “truly great” by View Magazine, with “memorable songs, compelling performances and characters that we care about”. The production was taken to Delhi, in the heart of the Tobacco region, in July, 2009, to packed houses.
Thursday to Saturday at 8 pm, May 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 2013
Venue: The Lyric Theatre, 434 King W, near Locke Street, (905) 527-6135.
Thurs: $19 regular, $16 seniors and students
Fri & Sat: $25 regular, $16 students and seniors
Seasons tickets are available at $68 for all four plays, or $49 for any three plays. Call Artword Theatre at 905-543-8512 for details.
For more information, contact Judith Sandiford, artword@artword.net,
905-543-8512, cell: 905-912-9083
Artword Theatre
Artistic Director: Ronald Weihs
Managing Director: Judith Sandiford
artword@artword.net, www.artword.net, 905-543-8512, cell: 905-912-9083
Artword Theatre also runs Artword Artbar, 15 Colbourne Street Hamilton, www.artword.net/artbar.