March is flying by! I can’t believe we are more than halfway through and speeding towards the end. This means lots of spring events coming up in March and we need to pay attention to April events so we don’t miss out.
First up, do you have your tickets for two amazing theatrical productions, coming up fast? Of course, I am talking about Mariposa Arts Theatre’s production of A Streetcar Named Desire, running April 3-6 and April 10-13 at the Orillia Opera House. And St. Paul’s production of Anne of Green Gables, running April 3-6 at St. Paul’s Centre.
These will be top-quality, iconic productions performed and produced by extremely talented people in our community. And you really don’t want to miss them. Trust me. Get your tickets and go. Seats are going fast, and some performances are close to sold out.
You can get tickets for Anne at www.stpaulscentre.ca and tickets for Streetcar at www.orilliaoperahouse.ca. You can also get dinner with Anne; all details on the website.
April also means we are coming to the end of Mariposa Arts Theatre’s Film Nights, bringing TIFF films to our own Galaxy Theatre in Orillia. The last two films for this year are Small Things Like These, on April 2 at 4 and 7 p.m.; and Shepherds, April 16 at 4 and 7 p.m. Tickets are just $10 each and these are films well worth coming out for. It’s a fundraiser for MAT but also a chance to see incredible, high-quality, film festival films, right here in Orillia.
The other amazing coming soon event I want to bring to your attention is the Roots North Music Festival April 25-27, with headlining acts at St. Paul’s Centre, a fantastic art market downstairs there, and music all weekend long in venues in downtown Orillia and beyond.
Roots North is a truly homegrown music festival, brought to you by a volunteer group of music lovers as a wonderful shoulder season event for our area. It celebrated its 10th anniversary last year and has grown from humble beginnings at the 100-seat Orillia Community Church to the 400-seat St. Paul’s Centre.
This year, performers announced so far are Royal Wood and Nicolina on Friday night, and Jully Black and Gracie Ella on Saturday night. More to be announced soon, as well as all the music downtown. It really is a wonderful weekend of music and art and well worth the $65 ticket price. This festival usually does sell out, so get your tickets now, here.
Don’t forget In Spite of Ourselves, the Music of John Prine, at the Orillia Opera House March 20, with two-time Juno-nominee Johnny Max, Kirsten Jones, Bill Craig (The Irish Rovers) and Blair Packham (The Jitters). This will be excellent. Get your tickets at www.orilliaoperahouse.ca.
This Friday, St. Paul’s is hosting another wonderful Pub Night, with the band ALEX coming back for another fun evening of music and merriment. Cover is $10 cash at the door, and there is also a cash bar and pub food for sale, all cash as well. It’s a great night and a great fundraiser for St. Paul’s, starting at 6 p.m.
Don’t miss Bunny Did a Bad, Bad Thing, the latest event by the Old Dance Hall Players, an improv comedy group, at the Orillia Opera House this Friday, March 21. These guys are hilarious, their shows always sell out, so come out and enjoy ... we all need some humour these days. Tickets www.orilliaoperahouse.ca.
Quayle’s Brewery is having a stand-up comedy night, Friday night as well, if you prefer a brew with your comedy. Doors open at 5 p.m. and tickets $25 at the door.
Comedy is definitely in the air this weekend, as the Orillia Concert Association show on Sunday is Bridge and Wolak, a pair of musicians who mix classical music and improv comedy in their entertaining shows. This hilarious afternoon is happening Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. If you don’t have a season pass, you can get tickets by emailing [email protected].
This Saturday night, the Orillia Silver Band presents Road to NABBA at St. Paul’s Centre. What’s NABBA, you ask? It’s the North American Brass Band Championship contest, and the Orillia Silver Band is going this year!
This concert is a fundraiser for this big trip as well as a dress rehearsal. You can read more about the band, and the show here. Come on out, the show starts at 7 p.m. Ticket prices are $25 adults, $15 seniors and students, available at www.orilliasilverband.com or at the door.
Also Saturday at 6 p.m. in the downstairs Banquet Hall at St. Paul’s. it’s Fridge-a-Palooza, a benefit concert for the Orillia community fridge, featuring Tangents. You can read all about it and get tickets here.
Don't forget there's an Equinox Art Hop in the arts district on Peter Street South this Saturday, March 22 from 1 to 4 p.m. Come out and see all the wonderful local art, and check out the latest exhibits at OMAH!
Local author Dave Town hasn’t been sitting around, he has another new book out, The Principal and His Principles: Scandal Hits Orillia's High School in 1891. Join Dave as he discusses this book and others, at the Orillia Public Library next Wednesday, March 26, at 6:30 p.m. Register here.
Finally, the Orillia Museum of Art and History presents Art 101, five weeks of art classes every Tuesday evening in April. You will learn the basics of different mediums each week, thanks to five different artists who will guide you through. This is great for beginners, or as a refresher for those who have dabbled before. Classes run from 6 to 8 p.m. each Tuesday night in April, at OMAH, and price is $160 for the general public, or $140 for OMAH members.
You need to register by March 28 here.
One last April event, hot off the presses ... local woodturner Xavier Fernandes, who had his Downtown Orillia Legacy Bowl reception in December (you can read all about that highly successful project here), has another reception coming up, for a new downtown project.
Fernandes had a studio several years ago in the building at 5 Peter St. S., which was lost to a fire in January. So, when the tree beside that building, which was covered in ice after the fire, had to come down, Fernandes wanted it.
He has taken wood from that tree to turn another series of woodturned items, the Fire and Ice series. The opening reception for this series of artistic wooden vessels is happening Saturday, April 5 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Peter Street Fine Arts Gallery at 23 Peter St. S. Come out and see this incredible artistic series of woodturned items.
Phew! That’s a lot. Hopefully I haven’t forgotten anything. Have a wonderful week, and if you have arts news, send it to [email protected] by Tuesday at noon to be included.