Worth Every Penny: 2022 Stratford’s The Miser Review

After seeing the incredible production of Chicago at the Festival Theatre, another opportunity led us to fill the gas tank up and head right back to our beloved Stratford this week to be part of an exciting video taping of the hilariously- modernized stage show The Miser, staring Colm Feore and directed by Antoni Cimolino. Not only that but we had front-row tickets, something that was extra special and gave my husband and I the opportunity to get quite a view.

Before sitting, a quick photo before the show started.

Lots of cool props on stage to set the tone!

Molière's 1668 satire comedy is spun quite a bit differently with Ranjit Bolt’s new adaptation of The Miser, which doesn’t take itself too seriously and is riddled with pop culture references and plenty of millennial nods that explore the conflicts of greed, family legacy, love and who could forget, money.

Charlie (Qasim Khan) is head over heels for penniless Marianne (Beck Lloyd), and sister Eleanor (Alexandra Lainfiesta) is smitten by the butler, Victor (Jamie Mac), yet they are both consumed with fret over the notion to tell their wealthy, curmudgeon father, Harper (played by Colm Feore) who will gladly axe them entirely out his inheritance, if they don’t succumb to his demands.

Meanwhile, Harper is up to all sorts of trickery of his own, devising an arranged marriage for his daughter and planning to actually marry Marianne with a little help from matchmaker, Fay (Lucy Peacock).

Paranoid that everyone is out to steal his money, chaos erupts with poignant moments to reflect upon and scenes that leave you in pure full-bellied laughter.


Some highlights:

👉Taking things to another level, my husband told me that my eyes lit up when I first saw Colm Feore walk onto the stage. He shined as Harper, giving such a passionate performance and showing his tremendous skill of physical comedy.

👉Charlie, played by Qasim Khan. What a delight to watch perform. He had a sharp quick-witted tongue and commanding presence on stage that leaves the entire audience laughing whenever he flounced into the room.

👉Ron Kennell as Jack – a wearer of many hats (chef, chauffeur) and is down-right hilarious and cooks up quite a performance.

👉The set and costume design by Julie Fox was outstanding, especially the ridiculous pastel-like purple top hat and bell-bottomed ensemble that Harper (Feore) slipped into, which had discount Rocky Horror attendee meets Abba vibes!

We’re taken on a wild ride here with some surprising twists along the way that I’m not going to spoil for you. Fitted with yet another perfectly-crafted cast that brings loads of humour, talent, and laughter, The Miser is, as my title says, worth every penny!

Have you seen this one yet? If so, leave me a comment or send me a message via my webform! I always love to hear from my readers.

Visit the website to see what's currently playing.

*Tickets are available to see The Miser until Sat. Oct 29th, 2022.

💜https://www.stratfordfestival.ca/

They Had It Comin’: 2022 Stratford’s Chicago Review

Stratford's Festival Theatre

Directed and choreographed by Donna Feore, along with Music Director Franklin Brasz, Chicago is set in the Roaring Twenties era and checks off all the boxes of showcasing a crime-inspired musical that’s full of corruption, murder and chaos. So take your seat because you’re in for the time of your life here at the Stratford Festival Theatre, with the dazzling production of Chicago.

Many of the dance numbers were very catchy, almost to the point where you could sing along if you didn’t already know the tunes, and then combined with the dynamic choreography performed by many of the cast of talented Gangsters all the way to the Razzle Dazzle Dancers, it’s perfection. Songs like, Razzle Dazzle, All That Jazz and Cell Block Tango exploded on stage.

Let’s not forget the gorgeous costume designs as well by Dana Osborne, from well-crafted suits to sultry and sparkly vaudeville outfits. The set design by Michael Gianfrancesco oozed smokey jazz bar days, where prohibition went well with a cup of coffee and a bit of mayhem.

In this story, two of the lead prison inmates and fame-seekers, Chelsea Preston as Roxie Hart and Jennifer Rider-Shaw as Velma Kelly were deeply committed to their performances and engaging. Their characters were both trigger-happy (thus being jailed for crimes of passion), seemingly coming across as rivals, as one never likes to share the spotlight. However, by intermission, it’s a sure thing that the commonalities of bringing down their scuzzy lawyer, Billy Flynn, (played brilliantly by Dan Chameroy) is paramount to their freedom and success to overthrow the constraints of societal expectations.

With many surprises along the way that I won’t spoil, a few things really stood out:

👉The shocking and stunning operatic vocals of reporter, Mary Sunshine, played by Robert Markus.

👉Dan Chameroy ignited the stage as sleazy lawyer, Billy Flynn, with a sheer spectacular performance from start to finish in the song “All I Care About.” Commanding a stage is very hard to do, many try, few succeed, yet Dan succeeds every time I have seen him perform. The most recent one before the pandemic struck was in the cult-favourite, The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

👉Then we have Steve Ross (I loved him in HMS Pinafore). This role was made for him, as Steve gives one most touching performances as Amos Hart, Roxie’s rather clueless, gullible yet lonesome husband. Mr. Cellophane was clearly made for this man to perform. As we hear the entire audience let out an “awww” as he exits the stage, we need a minute to take in a breath to appreciate what we just experienced in our thoughts and collectively as audience members.

👉Again, all the dancers who complemented so many scenes. Incredible stamina, flexibility, precision and energy.

After 2 years of not being able to see any performances due to the pandemic, walking through the Festival Theatre doors again was an utter joy for myself and my husband. Seeing Chicago was a perfect way to not only celebrate our 14th anniversary together, but to enjoy world-class entertainment and you know... all that jazz. 

Check out the link below for current productions and what's happening for the exciting 2023 season!

💜Official website: https://www.stratfordfestival.ca/

Believe It Or Not: The Clairvoyants Bring Their Supernatural Abilities to Windsor

The Clairvoyants
Photo credit: Dan Savoie

You can also check out my review at 519 Magazine: 

https://yqgrocks.com/believe-it-or-not-the-clairvoyants-bring-their-show-to-windsor/

The Clairvoyants are an Austrian mentalist duo who arrived here at Caesars Windsor on Friday (May 24) to perform on stage for an all-ages show.  Thommy Ten and Amélie van Tass have impressed judges on America’s Got Talent, especially the hard to please critic, Simon Cowell and even spooked out comedian Howie Mandel. They are currently on a 2019 world-wide tour and will be jet-setting all the way back to Austria soon!

With a packed house, there was a lot going on in the show from a Jelly bean prediction that left you with a sweet-tooth to an intricate puzzle board trick done by Thommy with precision and skill.

In one of the acts, two audience members were chosen at random and made a rather psycho-kinetic connection which really left the crowd with their jaws dropped.

The audience interaction throughout the night was absolutely hilarious from an older lady commenting how she liked “balls” (she was holding a large blue beach ball on stage) to a feisty woman who was ready to shake her booty.  Thommy had a lot of subtle comedic elements that brought the show to another level and sporting to the crowd his cute doggy socks.  It’s always nice when performers don’t take themselves too seriously all the time.

I could also really appreciate that both Thommy and Amélie didn’t just utilize the crowd at the front either, they made the effort to climb the stairs and seek out other random participants scattered throughout the Caesars auditorium. A simple gesture, but one that didn’t get overlooked.

The real beauty about mentalism and performers like The Clairvoyants is that these acts don’t need extravagant props or even very many at all.  Anyone can learn the secrets, that’s just part of the fun, but in the performing realm, it’s not solely about “how did they do that?”  It goes way beyond that mentality.

It does require a high level of skill, patience, connection, and let’s be honest, the grand ability to make the impossible seem possible.

You Spin Me Right Round – SpinS Windsor Walkerville Fringe Festival Review

SpinS - featuring Janoah

You can also check out my review at 519 Magazine:

https://yqgrocks.com/you-spin-me-right-round-spins-windsor-walkerville-fringe-festival-review/

SpinS is a difficult show to describe. It’s part circus, part mime, part clown, part performance art and part chaos. Maybe that’s the point though – a little bit of mayhem.

Janoah Bailin starts out with a cool way to set the stage, by using his one-wheeled companion, the unicycle. While on the uni, he reaches into his bag and pulls random things out and places them all around the stage. Not everything the audience sees will make sense until the props are used later on in the show.

Be prepared for oodles of funny bits. Situational humour is at the forefront, like how to get from one spot on the stage to another without Janoah’s feet touching the stage (reminding me of the “floor is lava” game we played as kids). There is also plenty of interactive audience work, to groan-worthy puns.

Janoah shows some superb juggling skill using balls and rings. His diabolo work was pretty impressive too. Best though, was his work with clubs (which also has a nice tie-in with the name of the show, but no spoilers for you!)

I appreciated some of the interesting artistic explorations, like the eyeball coloured balls and some unusual feet and leg work (again, you’ll have to see the show to fully grasp what I’m talking about). I was slightly disappointed though that these segments were not expanded upon, as I was wanting more. Maybe in future performances he’ll do just that.

SpinS is not your usual flashy juggling show at all. There are no strict boundaries to adhere by, just an unrestricted flow of energy, story-telling and creativity for all.

You can catch more performances of SpinS at the Windsor Walkerville Fringe Festival. The festival runs until May 26. For prices, times and venues, visit the Fringe website.

Million Dollar Quartet at Caesars Windsor

Friday night, I took Bill's mom to see Million Dollar Quartet! We had a fun night out together, so thank you Caesars Windsor!

My thoughts on the show: Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash were top notch in my view. Carl Perkins was decent. Elvis though....while he had the moves, his voice was odd. Really high-pitched and not very "Elvisy" if you know what I mean. I realize this was back in the starting days of his career, but I didn't feel it at all. All I could keep thinking was "damn, my friend Norm Ackland Jr. (he is an ETA - Elvis Tribute Artist) should have been in this role!" Elvis' girlfriend Dyanne was quite the head-turner with her seductive charm and her sultry vocals during Fever was a nice touch, but I didn't particularly like her voice overall. Lastly, Sam Phillips (the man who initially discovered and launched the early careers of the guys, as well as the founder of Sun Records), he was alright. Definitely had that sleazy record producer vibe down. ;)

Anyhow, still entertaining performance to hear a lot of classic songs to bop along to like Walk The Line, Great Balls of Fire, That's Alright, Brown-Eyed Handsome Man, See You Later Alligator and more!

You can check out all the photos on the Caesars Windsor Facebook page, as there was absolutely no photography/videos allowed!

Blind-folded juggling with Bill Nuvo

I was playing around with PhotoFiltre and I really like the way this photo came out.  I added the cheesy caption because it was fitting. Anyhow, this is Bill Nuvo juggling torches with a blindfold in our townhouse complex.

Check out his website and book him for your next big event!

I should add: DO NOT try this at home. He's a professional.

Update 2021: Bill no longer juggles with fire, but he is juggling pro with other objects!

Magic Review: Penn & Teller at Caesars Windsor

We had a great time seeing Penn & Teller at Caesars Windsor! They put on a fantastic show, although I must admit some parts I had to look away because I'm squeamish, even if it's all magic.

Seeing the lineup after the performance, I thought that our chances of getting a picture would be minimal but I knew that Bill wanted to stay as long as possible because they are two top entertainers that have inspired his own career.

Surprisingly, the duo was more than happy to stay around for all of their fans; signing autographs, memorabilia and even someone's debit card!  Thanks to a really nice couple who were waiting in line, Bill and I got photos with both Penn and Teller, Penn signed Bill's copy of "How to Play With Your Food" and he even autographed the program booklet that Jay (Bill's cousin) bought! :)


Here is the review that Bill, from Nuvo Entertainment, wrote on the show:

On June 2, 2012, my girlfriend and I saw Penn and Teller perform at Caesar’s Windsor. As a magician and skeptic, I was very interested in seeing one of my favourite duo’s perform live. I have some of their books, and DVDs, and have watched countless Youtube videos, especially being a performer in the entertainment industry.

I am definitely familiar with a lot of what they do.  However, I wanted to actually see how they interacted with the audience and handled the unpredictable nature of volunteers that were randomly chosen from the audience. They did not disappoint!

Before the show started, there was some great soft jazz music playing with piano and bass. It set the mood that you were in for something cool and different. Unlike, as Penn can often be heard saying, other magic shows that use a lot of bad Motown music. This was a jiving and groovy show.

Penn and Teller made their entrance in a very simple way, nothing flashy at all. It was just the two of them coming on stage and saying their hellos (rather Penn saying hello as Teller talks very little in the show…plus his head was in a box).

So what happens next? They go right into their first trick. They get a volunteer with glasses, and bring her onstage. Expertly, her glasses disappear and reappear on Teller’s face once the box is ripped and broken apart off of his head. No they do not tell you how it was done.

Even though Penn and Teller have been known for some exposure of magic, they don’t show you how they do everything. They treat their audiences as intelligent and as equals, but at the same time they show that even though you may realize that the card is not really lost in the deck, they can still surprise you in a different way. They basically take your knowledge and assumptions and use that against you. I have to admit, there were two routines that I didn’t see coming as I was totally taken in by them. As a magician, using my knowledge against me is probably the best thing you can do. Penn and Teller won me over.

The duo display a unique sense of wit and humour in their acts. Penn is a master of witty verbiage, while Teller is a master of subtle body expression. The two really compliment each other and create some really dynamic fluctuations in the show with loud and quiet moments. When Teller breaks his silence and tells Penn to shut up, it only makes the moment even more gloriously hilarious as that is what a lot of people were thinking (the only other moment I can relate it to that was equally powerful and comical was in a Jay and Silent Bob movie where Silent Bob told Jay to shut up).

In a huge contrast, they ended the show on a quiet note. The whole theatre was darkened and only lit by a single candle. It was at this point that Penn and Teller truly made the audience feel as equals, as Penn stated that they could now see us exactly as how we were seeing them. It was truly a deep and beautiful moment. He explained quietly and with some added humour, but still with a humble seriousness, the peril of the bit he was about to do.

In the hands of some performers, fire eating might come off as a quick and mediocre stunt. Penn and Teller elevated it to something emotional and bigger than that moment on stage. Even though, a cross-wind on stage prevented the success of one of the transfers, it did little to diminish the point: Whether in success or failure, we are on the journey together. I, for one, am glad to take the journey with Penn and Teller.

After the show, Penn and Teller stayed out in the lobby to sign autographs, take pictures and meet their fans. Even though you could tell they were exhausted, they were still playful and genuinely appreciative of the support. They were playful and masters of the perfect photogenic poses (well they ought to be after so many years of this!) They signed everything from books, programs, to tickets and even the back of someone’s debit card!

While standing with your arms around Penn and Teller, you find that these “Bad Boys of Magic” are really a couple of down to earth, lovable guys. I guess that is their real magic. They make you smile.

Penn and Teller Performing At Caesars Windsor: Bill Nuvo's Birthday Gift

Bill's birthday is coming up on Sunday, so what better gift to get a magician than to see other magicians whom he highly respects!

Penn and Teller are coming to Caesars Windsor in June!

Happy birthday, I love you!

2009 Valentine's Day at The Capitol Theatre

Happy belated Valentine’s Day to all my online followers! 💕

Our first Valentine's Day together at The Capitol Theatre

February 14th is a day in which people seem to either loathe to the very core by proclaiming they are anti-valentine'ers or want to poke Cupid with his own arrows (sadly, this is how the Pillsbury Dough Boy must feel every day with constant poking in his tummy).  

On the other side of the coin, we have those cheerful folks who are dedicated to the holiday and cook heart-shaped pancakes for breakfast, and have surprises in-store for others that spread love like butter on toast.

Sure the occasion is commercial, I think it always has been, but people just take more notice of it now. The message that is clearly stated seems to be; If you don’t buy your partner expensive presents that day in which we are selling, don’t expect to get laid, let alone be loved. Harsh message to digest but in my opinion, should be taken with a grain of salt.

A good example is this: Let’s say you go and buy an extravagant bouquet of flowers for your partner (we'll go with the stereotype of all women love flowers) since this is obviously what the retailers are expecting of you. It’s a home run in your mind since this is what every person wants, right? 

Wrong… when you present the enormous bouquet  of flowers, she starts to cry, and tells you that you’re an insensitive jerk and never wants to see you again. 

As the door is slammed in your face, you walk away with the flowers you thought would guarantee that she'd tell all her friends what a wonderful man she had. So honestly, what the hell went wrong??! 

In this scenario, which would stress my point, your girlfriend is actually allergic to flowers and so instead of romancing her in a way that actually gave her an impression that you thought about her needs, you went and just took the easy way out.

I’m not saying flowers aren’t a good gift, it is certainly appropriate, same with traditional purchases of jewellery or lingerie, and anything else that is advertised in abundance. What I am saying is that don’t buy something for someone with the mind frame of "it’s what is expected of me." Know what they want, put meaning behind everything you do, and not just on Valentine’s Day but everyday. Then it will truly be the perfect gift for life.

So that’s my two cents for today.

💖Onto Valentine’s Day, which ended up being great for me - after so many years of horrible ones! I wasn’t sure I would be able to deliver goodies as I did last year, so Cindy was a doll and made a special delivery of her mouth-watering cherry chocolates for me! I don’t think I need to buy chocolate from the store anymore, I can order from her.

Bill asked me out for Valentine’s Day, so we had a fantastic Saturday night together seeing Paris Black’s Dirty Kisses show at the Capitol Theatre! Not a big turn-out, but Paris still put on a great show in Windsor. 

He was engaging the crowd by bringing people up on stage (Bill and I were two of those people!) to dance. In his performance, you could see how connected he felt with his music just by observing how he was grasping the microphone and his body movements with certain emotional and slower songs. 

After intermission, when Paris stepped out as Billy Idol, you could really see his comfort level entirely. He got everyone up out of their seats and dancing in the aisles! I also liked the moments when he posed as a statue on stage for just a minute or two. He reminded me of a mannequin, so since that is a huge fetish of mine, I was in my glory! Hehe…

Paris Black

I should mention that the opening musician Paul Beresford was unbelievably talented too especially when he performed Don’t Stop Believing and Lights by Journey, as well as 4 Non-Blondes hit What’s Up. I took tons of pictures with my camera!

We didn’t go to the after party that was going on at the Whiskey, so we stopped by Jade for some Chinese food to fill our rumbling stomachs, and had our own little remaining celebration.

I can definitely look back on this Valentine’s Day and smile! Billicious, you are “Amazing.”