A retired History and Politics high school teacher (1978-2008). Former Publisher/Managing Editor of The Beat Magazine (2009-2014). Freelance Writer. Proud Grandfather.
Mavis Productions returns with a bold, electrifying production of The Rocky Horror Show—and we’re looking for fearless performers ready to fully commit to the madness.
This production demands high energy, strong character work, and performers who aren’t afraid to take risks, break boundaries, and command the stage.
This form is your first step into the lab. Click the links below:
We are thrilled to announce the WORLD PREMIERE cast for THE FOREST BETWEEN TWO KINGDOMS.
👵 Harriet: Anna Lee-Diemert 🤴Obsidian: Skylar Shelley 🫅Sorrel: Matt Butler 🧚♂️Ezra: Greg George 👱♂️Simon: Coleton Denomme 👸Queen: Laura Williams 🌼Daisy: Nicole Surette-Bourque 👑King: Brent Smith
ℹ️ ABOUT THE SHOW: Prince Obsidian has come of age to take the same quest as every prince before him: to rescue a princess and take her for his bride. The issue? Obsidian isn’t sure if this will bring him his happy ending.
Will Obsidian find “happily ever after”, or stay trapped in a life he didn’t choose?
2026 Season sponsored by @siftonproperties
🎭 FOREST BETWEEN TWO KINGDOMS ✍️ Written & Directed by Jacob Wiley 🗓️ August 11-15, 2026 📍 Auburn Stage, Grand Theatre
The Grand Theatre is closing out its 2025/26 Season with a new London Made production of the beloved Canadian musical, Come From Away. Director Julie Tomaino returns to the Grand to lead a new vision and an all-star Canadian company.
“How do you re-imagine a show when the original is so well-known? What makes a non-replica production great? These were the questions that lived in my brain when I started dreaming about our production. What to do with this iconic, practically perfect, original production?” says Tomaino. “We are honouring what makes Come From Away special while also reimagining what that looks like.”
(Pictured: Come From Away Director, Julie Tomaino.)
At the heart of it, are the words inscribed on the wall at Gander International Airport, and a powerful visual to represent both individual identity and shared connection.
“You Are Here – a simple phrase that means so many things. You Are Here is Gander, You Are Here is symbolically every passenger forced into the present moment due to unimaginable tragedy, You Are Here is Canada. Iconic red chairs mark more than 100 locations throughout Canada’s national parks, marking You Are Here in this beautiful country,” shares Tomaino. “The Parks Canada red chairs originated in Newfoundland, where our story takes place. We ran with it – making chairs the centrepiece of our production, representing individuals from all over the world, representing countries, religious backgrounds, and communities.”
Come From Away at the Grand Theatre is London Made exclusively for this production by the Grand Theatre Scenic, Props, and Wardrobe Teams and is run by a talented London stage crew including audio, lighting, scenic automation, dressers, and stagehands.
(Pictured: Come From Away Set Designer, Scott Penner.)
Set Designer Scott Penner’s bold, expansive vision for the set called for more than 180 wooden chairs – all on stage at once, mounted on towering 23-foot walls. London and area answered this call, with community members rallying behind social media posts, quickly donating as many as were needed and some to spare!
“In programming this show, and in the incredible response I have had from Londoners in their excitement to come and see this brand-new London-made production, I can feel that sense of coming together,” shares Rachel Peake, Artistic Director of the Grand Theatre. “In addition to the impact of these incredible stories, tunes, and performances, I believe the sense of community it creates is this show’s greatest gift.”
(Pictured: Cast of Come From Away. Photo: Dahlia Katz.)
The Canadian cast of Come From Away at the Grand Theatre includes Darrin Baker as Claude, Divine Brown as Hannah, Sheldon Elter as Oz, Izad Etemadi as Kevin T, Joema Frith as Bob, Steven Gallagher as Nick, Andrew Hodwitz as Standby, Kelly Holiff as Janice, Lori Nancy Kalamanski as Diane, Heather McGuigan as Standby, Denise Oucharek as Bonnie, Darlene Spencer as Beulah, Cailin Stadnyk as Beverley, Alex Wierzbicki as Kevin J, and Travae Williams as Standby.
Each member of the cast will play additional roles beyond those named above – twelve performers on stage at a time, telling the stories of hundreds.
Working alongside Director Julie Tomaino, is a creative team recruited from across the country including Music Director Sarah Richardson, Choreographer Nicol Spinola, Set Designer Scott Penner, Costume Designer Ming Wong 黄慧明,Lighting Designer Jareth Li, Sound Designer Brian Kenny, Intimacy Director Dani Jazzar, and Stage Manager Erika Morey – and more including a quartet of Dialect Coaches.
Richardson will conduct the live orchestra performing on the stage, including herself on Keyboard and Accordion, Matt Ballagh on Mandolin, Dale-Anne Brendon on Drums, Jennifer Cahill on Whistles, Romano Di Nillo on Bodhrán, Stephen Ingram on Guitar, Erik Larson on Bass, and Devon Martene on Fiddle.
Creative Team
Julie Tomaino – Director
Sarah Richardson – Music Director
Nicol Spinola – Choreographer
Scott Penner – Set Designer
Ming Wong 黄慧明 – Costume Designer
Jareth Li – Lighting Designer
Brian Kenny – Sound Designer
Dani Jazzar – Intimacy Director
Hailey Hill – Assistant Director
Dariusz Korbiel – Associate Set Designer
Ziad Ek – Dialect Coach
Adam Henderson – Dialect Coach
Robin Hutton – Dialect Coach
Teo Owang – Dialect Coach
Erika Morey – Stage Manager
Suzanne McArthur – Assistant Stage Manager
Abby Stevenson – Apprentice Stage Manager
Cast
Darrin Baker – Claude and Others
Divine Brown – Hannah and Others
Sheldon Elter – Oz and Others
Izad Etemadi – Kevin T and Others
Joema Frith – Bob and Others
Steven Gallagher – Nick and Others
Andrew Hodwitz – Standby
Kelly Holiff – Janice and Others
Lori Nancy Kalamanski – Diane and Others
Heather McGuigan – Standby
Denise Oucharek – Bonnie and Others
Darlene Spencer – Beulah and Others
Cailin Stadnyk – Beverley and Others
Alex Wierzbicki – Kevin J and Others
Travae Williams – Standby
Orchestra
Sarah Richardson – Conductor / Keyboard / Accordion
Matt Ballagh – Mandolin
Dale-Anne Brendon – Drums
Jennifer Cahill – Whistles
Romano Di Nillo – Bodhrán
Stephen Ingram – Guitar
Erik Larson – Bass
Devon Martene – Fiddle
IF YOU GO:
Come From Away plays on the Spriet Stage at the Grand Theatre from April 28 to May 31. Single tickets are priced starting at $29.95 and are available in-person at the Box Office, by phone at 519.672.8800, and online at grandtheatre.com/event/come-from-away.
(Pictured: London Symphonia Guest Conductor Tania Miller.)
If you recall the disaster of that season – and were part of the London spirit that helped to rebuild – you really should join in celebrating the spirit of resistance and revival that has taken London Symphonia toward its 10th anniversary.
And the program of the final concert of the 9th season – as well as the musicians – of Beethoven, Shostakovich, and Marsh will be an evening of three survival strategies: a spinning cartwheel, a searing letter from a war‑torn city, and a symphony that refuses to stop dancing.
I was the Volunteer Committee Chair in 2015 when Orchestra London formally filed for bankruptcy, ending decades of orchestral history in the city. And I had the joy of seeing London Symphonia incorporated later that year, picking up the tradition that began back in 1937 and continuing as the only professional orchestra to offer a full season in the region. Many current players, including concertmaster Joe Lanza, bridge both eras, having performed with Orchestra London and now with London Symphonia. And the community helped with trust and creativity. The glorious concert space of “The Met” would not have happened without Londoners’ belief in all the gifts of the spirit.
This concert is music about resilience, played by an orchestra that had to prove its own.
(Pictured: LS Principal Flute Laura Chambers.)
And what a dazzling group of talents our London orchestra has brought together in these nine years. Laura Chambers is the LS Principal Flute. Her solo work, ensemble contributions, and innovations are renowned across Canada- but did you know …
She’s a lover of the outdoors. Her performance of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring for an audience of over 30,000 at sunset in the Nevada desert is her most memorable to date.
She’s a passionate educator. Laura’s studio of students spans in age from 5 to 85, and she is welcomed as a guest clinician at schools, music camps and festival workshops throughout Canada.
In addition to her performance and private teaching, Laura is a PhD candidate at York University, where her research is focused on the recontextualization and sustainability of classical music in today’s world.
She currently holds a sessional lecturer position at the University of Toronto and is a faculty member of the Royal Conservatory of Music’s Oscar Peterson’s School of Music.
And because you supported us for the last nine years, LYS has thrived. You can now be part of a world premiere- the flute concerto that Laura Chambers commissioned from Alexis Marsh just for Laura by London Symphonia.
(Pictured: Composer Alexis Marsh.)
Alexis Marsh, a Canadian composer from Winnipeg, built her career in Los Angeles, scoring films and series like TNT’s Animal Kingdom, animated feature Next Gen, and numerous indie projects. She’s used to writing music that lives inches away from the camera, following tiny facial expressions and shifts in mood. A concerto lets that language move into the open, onto a stage. You’ve heard Laura Chambers in countless moments this season—now imagine an entire work tailored to the way she phrases a single line. The concerto’s title, View of a Cartwheel from an Ascending Plane, sounds like a film shot: a spinning shape seen from above, slowly receding.
And Tania Miller is one of London Symphonia’s favourite guest conductors. Of course, the musicians like her; they know what it means to rebuild something, and so does she. In her writing on leadership, she talks about being “the fuel and the fire,” about creating a spark and then “sometimes letting them play and standing back to enjoy the performance. She sees orchestral work as a “collective search for the meaning in the music,” emphasizing fresh ideas and connection rather than top‑down control.
(Pictured: Tania Miller.)
She is a builder herself, renewing ensembles, most famously as music director of the Victoria Symphony for 14 years, where she developed a reputation as a visionary leader and innovator. She was the first woman to lead a major Canadian orchestra, appointed to Victoria at 33, and now directs the Brott Music Festival and its training programs, all of which underscore her comfort with change and institution‑building. She’s a creative risk-taker — leaving a secure position in Victoria to become, as one article suggested, a guest conductor for hire exploring ‘uncharted waters.
Beginning to sound like a feminist manifesto? No apologies from me- but even the Old White Dead Guy pieces chosen for this program are exciting expressions of resistance and revival.
Shostakovich’s Chamber Symphony Op. 110a came to life as a string quartet dashed off in three days in bombed‑out Dresden, dedicated ‘to the victims of fascism and war’ and packed with his own musical initials like a secret signature—a grief‑stricken protest from someone who knew all about other kinds of terror. It was a piece written amid literal rubble, carrying both an official dedication to war’s victims and a coded act of resistance from a composer who knew about other kinds of terror in his life under Stalin’s iron rule.
Ludwig Van’s Seventh? He composed it in 1811–12, and it was first heard in Vienna in 1813 at a benefit concert for soldiers wounded at the Battle of Hanau, one of the late‑war clashes that helped drive Napoleon’s army out of German territory. No wonder the symphony feels like resistance turned into rhythm—an entire orchestra insisting on life while a collapsing empire limps away in the background.
Its rhythms carry little melancholy. Wagner called it “the apotheosis of the dance” – and other musical worthies of the time said it was “exuberant,” “boisterous,” and “life-affirming”. Don’t we need something right now to remind us that we can choose to dance in the face of pointless war and the threat of domination?
Londoners … every ticket bought since 2015 has been a small act of faith, and on this night the orchestra pays that faith back in music about survival, defiance, and hard‑won joy. You helped the rebuilding – now come to the concert and celebrate this local source of pride.
IF YOU GO:
What: London Symphonia presents Beethoven, Shostakovich, and Marsh
When: Saturday, May 2, 2026, at 7:30pm.
Where: Metropolitan United Church, 468 Wellington Street, London, Ontario.
What follows is a Q&A Interview with Brian Speagle, Director of Memoir playing at the Manor Park Memorial Hall from April 29 to May 3. The Interview was conducted by The Beat Magazine’s Publisher & Content Manager, Richard Young.
(Pictured: Director Brian Speagle with Charlene McNabb and Dan Curtis.)
Q. Tell me about Memoir – backstory, author, performance history, etc.?
Memoir is set in the summer of 1922. It will prove to be Sarah Bernhardt’s last. The action of the play takes place at her island estate off the coast of Brittany, France. Sarah, with her secretary and assistant Georges Pitou, is doing her best to remember events from her life to be included in volume two of her memoirs. Sarah Bernhardt dominated the world of theatre for most of her life, in France, all of Europe, and North and South America. The Divine Sarah achieved worldwide fame in the 19th century, which was unprecedented. Sarah Bernhardt was known as much for her personal life, which today would have been tabloid and internet fodder, as for her multitude of on-stage personas.
Canadian playwright, the late John Murrell, premiered Memoir at the Guelph Spring Festival in 1977. It has since been presented in the UK, Ireland, Japan, and the U.S. It enjoyed a two-year run at the Theatre Edouard VII in Paris. The play has also been adapted for TV and film in Canada, Europe, and Asia.
Q. What prompted you to select Memoir for your 2026 season?
I first came in contact with this play in 1978, when I was in a scene study class at university. I played ‘Pitou’ in a few scenes! I also used Memoir in my teaching career with senior drama students. After forty-five years, I decided it was time to direct this show.
Q. Could you provide a brief Plot Synopsis
Sarah Bernhardt is trying to write volume two of her memoirs. She enlists Pitou to play characters from her past, to jog her memory. At first reluctant, Pitou eventually begins to revel in his roles. As the play proceeds, however, many of her memories become painful and traumatic for her. In the end, Sarah comes to accept her life decisions, and the play ends on an optimistic note.
(Pictured: Sarah Bernhardt.)
Q. It’s my understanding that Sarah Bernhardt performed in London. How, if at all, does this play into the show?
Sarah’s appearances at the Grand Opera House in London, Ontario, do not play directly into the show. However, she may have worked closely with a local stagehand or two! You’ll have to see the show to find out!
Q. Two-character plays can sometimes present significant challenges to the actors. Comment?
The text of Memoir presents a major challenge for actors. The ‘Sarah’ character is on stage for the entirety of the action. It is physically and emotionally demanding for both actors.
Q. Could you say a few words about your actors – Charlene McNabb and Dan Curtis?
I first presented Charlene and Dan with this script in 2019! We were hoping to produce it in 2020. Well, we know how that turned out! After seven years, we are all quite enthused to finally stage Memoir for London audiences. Throughout the rehearsal process, Charlene has been totally committed to faithfully developing ‘Sarah!’ She has done extensive research into the amazing life of her character, and that background dedication shows in her portrayal. Dan Curtis takes on the demanding role of ‘Pitou’ with aplomb, as he does with every character I’ve seen him portray. He plays several characters within the character of ‘Pitou,’ sometimes switching back and forth within the same sentence. Quite amazing to witness. Charlene and Dan are both experienced actors, and their professionalism is first-rate.
Q. Why did you choose Manor Park Memorial Hall for this run?
Manor Park Memorial Hall was, for me, the natural choice for this show. The set design invites the audience into an intimate environment with the actors. We are doing something different with the seating, which theatregoers will notice as soon as they enter the space.
Q. How would you describe the sets, props and costumes of the play?
The set is minimal, a few flats. Most of what the audience sees onstage is furniture and props. Tannis Daoust, our costume designer, has done her research for the historical era of the show, and the results are wonderful.
Q. What can audiences expect from Memoir?
The audience can expect some laughs and some tears. I hope they learn something about Sarah, the complexities of her life, and the contradictions. They will also notice the strong bond between Sarah and Pitou as the play unfolds.
Q. Is there anything else you think readers should know about Memoir?
Murrell does take some poetic license with Sarah’s life. For example, in reality, Pitou was not in Sarah’s service at the end of her life.
About Scooter Productions:
Scooter Productions was formed in 2017. Founding members are Phil Cal, Heather Rivet, Sherine Thomas-Holder, and Brian Speagle. Scooter Productions encourages and supports all of the arts in southwestern Ontario.
As excitement builds around the hit Percy Jackson series on Disney+, Misfits Theatre Collective is bringing the beloved demigod story to life on stage with The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, performing at the Old Town Hall Theatre in Aylmer, Ontario, from April 30 to May 3.
Based on the best-selling novel by Rick Riordan, this high-energy musical follows Percy Jackson, a teenager who discovers he is the half-blood son of a Greek god. With newly discovered powers he can’t control, a destiny he doesn’t want, and a mythology final exam he never studied for, Percy must embark on an epic quest to find Zeus’s stolen lightning bolt and prevent a war among the gods.
The production is presented by Misfits Theatre Collective, a company founded in 2025 under extraordinary circumstances. When a previous production was unexpectedly cancelled midway through rehearsals, the cast and creative team refused to let the story end there. Instead, they came together to form Misfits Theatre Collective, an artist-driven company built on resilience, collaboration, and a shared belief that the show must go on.
“This story of Percy discovering where he belongs really mirrors how our company began,” says Skylar Shelley, co-founder and producer. “We created Misfits out of a moment of uncertainty and built something bold and supportive out of it. That spirit is at the heart of this show, and in everything we do.”
Audiences can expect a dynamic, rock-infused score, imaginative staging, and a heartfelt story that celebrates identity, belonging, and the hero in all of us. Perfect for longtime fans of the Percy Jackson books and viewers discovering the story through the Disney+ series, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical is an unforgettable theatrical adventure.
Tickets are available now at misfits-lightning-thief.eventbrite.com. For more information, follow Misfits Theatre Collective on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok (@misfitstheatrecollective).
(Pictured: Cast & Crew of The Family Creetin. Photo by Ross Davidson)
Every so often, a local production comes along that makes you rethink your expectations entirely. The Family Creetin, presented by Banished by the King Productions, is one of them.
I’ll admit it, I went in cautiously. Locally written shows can be hit or miss, and sometimes the humour leans too heavily on inside jokes. Not here. Patrick Brennan has written something that feels bigger than that—and funnier, too.
The setup is classic: a group of siblings gathered in an English country house, all carrying a ton of baggage and very little patience for one another. From there, things unravel quickly (in the best way). The comedy comes from character, not gimmicks, and it lands because it feels familiar. If you’ve ever survived a tense family gathering, you are in on the joke.
It’s not without its bumps. A lot is going on, and at times the play can feel like a ping-pong match, your head constantly turning to keep up with the action. A bit of tightening would sharpen some of the bigger moments. That said, Brennan’s direction keeps things impressively controlled. The pacing is tight where it needs to be, and even when the script edges toward chaos (which it does – a lot!), the staging keeps it from tipping over. There’s a clear sense that this is a play that has evolved over time, and if this is the result of that evolution, it’s very much in the right direction.
(Photo by Ross Davidson)
The production makes smart use of the black box space in Procunier Hall at the Palace Theatre. The set is simple, tasteful, and exactly what it needs to be, no more, no less. It fits the space beautifully while leaving plenty of room for the performances to breathe. But if I’m to be honest, this is a show that feels ready for a larger stage; it has the legs for it.
And it’s the performances that really carry it. This is a strong cast across the board, and more importantly, they work as a true ensemble—feeding off each other, building momentum, and clearly enjoying the ride. That sense of connection translates directly to the audience.
A big part of what elevates the production is the physicality and facial work. Reactions are sharp, expressions are doing just as much work as the dialogue, and it adds an extra layer of comedy that keeps scenes lively even in quieter moments. The casting feels particularly well matched—these actors fit their roles in a way that makes the dynamics feel natural and fully lived-in.
(Photo by Ross Davidson.)
Dylan Rock as Frederic is a standout, with a strong physical presence and consistently engaging reactions. Ben Kennes’s Reginald is equally memorable, bringing excellent timing and expression that make every moment count. And Kevin Avram nearly walks away with the show as Bertrand. His portrayal of the perpetually drunk brother is fully committed and genuinely hilarious, especially with his repeated, perfectly timed “Oh mother” lines, which somehow get funnier every time. His final moment ties everything together beautifully.
The sisters—Sophie Thompson (Victoria) and Sue Harrington (Gloria)—land some big laughs with their sharp back-and-forth, while Jennifer Groulx’s Sybil provides a sweet, grounding counterbalance to the chaos. Rachel Sherret’s prim, all-knowing Mary (who has a quote for everything) is crisply timed and consistently funny, and Nicole McTeer nails the Hollywood starlet as Ginger.
(Photo by Ross Davidson.)
Luis Marin turns up the heat as Latin lover Raul, while Dustin Didham’s Nigel—a sooty, slightly suspect chimney sweep—adds another comic layer. Ryan Starkweather’s Roger, the curious banker, doubles as narrator, punctuating the action with a clicker that freezes the stage in well-executed tableaux—timing the cast delivers to hilarious effect. Rounding out the ensemble is Patrick Hoffer as Archibald, the family patriarch with a watchful eye.
Costumes by Tanis Daoust suit the period nicely, and the technical team—stage manager Jeremy Hewitson, assistant stage manager Eric Curtis, sound by Doug Deschenes, and lighting by Mark Mooney—keep everything running smoothly behind the scenes.
(Photo by Ross Davidson.)
What’s most impressive is how easily this play connects. It doesn’t feel small or niche. It feels like something with real staying power. You could see it on a bigger stage, in a longer run, or picked up by other companies around the globe—without missing a beat.
Bottom line:
A sharp, funny, and well-played ensemble comedy that proves local theatre can punch well above its weight. It is busy at times, but consistently entertaining, and the kind of show that makes you hope someone is already planning the encore.
IF YOU GO:
What: The Family Creetin, written by Patrick Brennan and presented by Banished by the King Productions
The Brahms Effect with Tom Allen, London Symphonia, Saturday, April 18, 2026, 7:30 PM
At a time when the world can feel heavy with noise, how comforting it is to gather for an evening devoted to listening — not only to music, but to the stories that live inside it. The Brahms Effect brings together two artists who understand that sound and story are human languages made from the same yearning: the desire to be understood.
Storyteller, broadcaster, and master communicator Tom Allen has long revealed the hidden pulse beneath great music, helping audiences hear composers not as distant figures but as people alive with wit, frailty, and imagination. Alongside Graham Lord, London Symphonia’s principal clarinetist, Allen explores the clarinet as perhaps the most human of instruments — an instrument that can sigh, laugh, ache, and console, often within a single breath.
(Pictured: Tom Allen.)
Tom Allen is well known to Canadians through his CBC story broadcasts – but did you know?
He planned to be a professional trombonist and worked hard at it into his late twenties
By around age 30, he realized that, in his own words, “storytelling and language were where my greatest strengths were,” so his career began to pivot toward radio and narration rather than full‑time performance.
A formative moment was a 1982 music history class at Boston University with John Daverio, whose vivid, funny stories about composers convinced Allen that classical music history could be anything but boring. That realization—that extraordinary music comes from very ordinary, messy human lives—became the core of his storytelling approach.
Tom and harpist Lori Gemmell are life partners (married), living in Toronto; their personal partnership is the foundation for the artistic one. Around 2010 they began creating staged shows together that mix storytelling, history, and chamber music, which they themselves started calling “chamber musicals.”
So, the honest answer is he didn’t so much abandon the trombone as discover that his strongest instrument was language. The trombone training, the practicing, and the orchestra life became the soil out of which the storyteller grew.
A native of the Vancouver area, clarinetist Graham Lord has made Southwestern Ontario his musical home as principal clarinetist of both London Symphonia and the Windsor Symphony Orchestra. A sought‑after guest principal with orchestras from Toronto and Vancouver to Winnipeg, Edmonton, Kitchener‑Waterloo, Nova Scotia, and Thunder Bay, he brings a national Canadian perspective to the clarinet’s most human voice.
(Pictured: Graham Lord.)
For The Brahms Effect, Graham Lord not only performs but also curates the program, guiding listeners through music that has shaped his own artistry — from the intimacy of Finzi and Mozart to the shimmering urban chorus of Steve Reich and the deep, autumnal glow of Brahms’s Clarinet Quintet.
And what an uncanny gift for curating- as well as performing- Graham Lord has. Tom Allen will involve you in the music before the clarinet begins, and I hope he tells you that Gerald Finzi’s Five Bagatelles for clarinet and piano were composed initially in 1941 as Finzi was drafted into war service. He added to the composition in 1943 and premiered it in London’s (the Big One) National Gallery during the Blitz. The clarinet is heard at its most versatile here – nostalgic, playful, and intimate.
Their program is as emotionally varied as any engrossing story. You’ll be delighted by the lyrical ease of Mozart and the big-city tension of Steve Reich’s New York Counterpoint. Graham’s choices are a musical trip through history, genius, and feeling. Samuel Coleridge‑Taylor’s Clarinet Quintet sets the stage for Brahms’s late‑life masterwork — the Clarinet Quintet in B Minor, Op. 115 — music born from an unexpected friendship with a clarinetist that rekindled Brahms’s creativity and deepened his faith in beauty.
Graham Lord, principal clarinetist and curator of The Brahms Effect with Tom Allen and Andrew Chung, Artistic Producer of London Symphonia discuss why the clarinet is such a magical pairing with the string quartet, the genius of Brahms’ Clarinet Quintet, how Graham chose the repertoire for the concert, and Steve Reich’s rarely performed New York Counterpoint, which creates the texture of a clarinet choir of 11 voices: https://youtu.be/rlJgMLWSFX0?si=YE-TRUe7BtISTgBv
Through Lord’s expressive artistry and Allen’s narrative insight, the concert invites listeners to rediscover what music can do when it’s shared in real time — the way it draws us closer, reminding us of our capacity for empathy, wonder, and joy. By Saturday, April 18th, who can predict the noises of aggression, resentment, and hatred that will be filling our social media and news reports? What lies will we have to decipher and expose?
But in our London, a city that values its creators, The Brahms Effect will offer exquisite music and enchanting stories — a concert that reminds us that art, at its best, recalls to us our most human selves.
IF YOU GO:
What: London Symphonia presents The Brahms Effect with Tom Allen.
When: Saturday, April 18, 2026, at 7:30pm.
Where: Metropolitan United Church, 458 Wellington Street, London, ON.
Why I should NOT be writing about Classical Music for The Beat:
Well, judge for yourself from the photo. I’m 80. I took Latin in high school instead of keyboarding. I am not a performer or a specialist in classical music (a few curling RCM diplomas for Grade 8 and 9 Piano notwithstanding). I played Highwaymen CDs for my kids when they were in the bathtub, and I love Linda Ronstadt songs. I asked for a ticket to the Elvis Presley concert in Maple Leaf Gardens for my 12th birthday, and attended in my choir accompanist uniform, clutching my leather satchel of sheet music. A nerd.
Why I want to Write for The Beat Magazine 2025:
I miss it since the print version retired. I admire its hard-working, eclectic editor, Rick Young, and its many volunteer writers for the kind, informative, and enthusiastic pieces they wrote about our London arts scene.
What I Think I Can Bring:
I taught high school English for thirty-three years- and have been retired for over twenty. Because I was grateful for the people who provided my children experiences and adventures in school music- and in the London Youth Symphony and Amabile – I started volunteering for these heroic people with talents I couldn’t match. I’m on the board for LYS and Magisterra Soloists, I was on the AHMAA board for saving the Aeolian Hall, I assemble newsletters for my union and for the classical music events in London, and I attend every concert I can manage.
But to my mental peril, I have been caught up in the political turmoil of our time. In just the last few months, I’ve read in horror about the denigration of DEI, the turning of the Kennedy Center into a “massage music” emporium, the selling off of public education and public journalism, the incitement of hatred for immigrants, and the finest relief for this anger I feel is in classical music.
What is the source of that solace? It’s a living genius in the musicians who play classical music for us in London, Ontario. Attending a pop music concert is certainly enjoyable, but attending a classical concert is intellectually stimulating and emotionally immersive. It requires sustained focus, careful listening for structure and nuance, and an openness to delayed gratification and complexity. Your emotional responses can be profound and spiritual. The concert offers a contemplative experience, with less overt physical movement and a stronger emphasis on collective listening and silent appreciation. Thank you, London musicians, for the courage you put into your work.
Sarah Cowling works in collage and in acrylic, and in some pieces, she combines the two.
Cowling describes the act of collage as “painting with paper”. It involves taking unrelated materials, usually paper-based, and combining them to create a new whole. Anything flat that can be glued down is fair game.
She uses premade Japanese and Thai papers, paper culled from old books and magazines, found paper, travel photos, and paper she herself has created.
She says inspiration often comes from a single piece of paper that has somehow caught her eye. Travel experiences often fuel her art as well.
Her self-created contributions are archival tissue papers or drawing papers that Cowling has painted using acrylics, brushes, and Gelli plates.
(Pictured: Sarah Cowling, “Behind St. Aidan’s”, collage with hand-painted papers, 12 by 12 inches.)
Much time is spent searching for or creating papers, often long before they are used. She describes the act of pulling together the pieces as meditative.
Cowling has an innate desire to create. She says, “It is something I need to do; a compulsion perhaps. I see a landscape or have a piece of paper that sparks an idea.”
She works both in-studio and on-location.
Cowling’s work ranges in size from 12-by-12 inches to 20-by-20 and up. While her collages offer bold chunks of colour that overlap and stack to create tactile line and form, her acrylic paintings combine bold brush strokes with intimate mark-making.
(Pictured: Sarah Cowling, “How Big is That Bull?”, collage with hand-painted papers, 8 by 10 inches.)
Cowling’s “Behind St. Aidan’s” shows the hard edges that appear on many of her collages. Yet another collage, “How Big is That Bull?” speaks to her love of storytelling. The latter is part of her ongoing exploration of family history in which she processes tales told by her mother and her aunt about family members.
In contrast, the acrylic on cradled board piece “Storm Coming” demonstrates her ability to suggest landforms and foliage as well as motion through bold brush work.
(Pictured: Sarah Cowling, “Storm Coming”, acrylic on cradled board, 20 by 20 inches.)
She credits this writer and artist, Jill Price, as being early providers of a gallery space for her (Axis Studios, Covent Garden Market). She thanks Al Stewart (Westland Gallery) for making space for local artists with the Miniature and Square Foot Shows. She is indebted to three local London art groups – the Brush and Palette Group, the Gallery Painting Group, and the Lambeth Art Association – for providing learning and exhibition opportunities as well as camaraderie and support. All of the aforementioned provided opportunities that are necessary for artists to succeed.
(Pictured: Sarah Cowling, “Utopia”, collage with hand-painted papers, 16 by 16 inches.)
Of late, Cowling has been involved in an ongoing project with the Kolaj Institute, creating collages based on folklore. To date, she has attended two folklore-focussed residencies with the Institute; one was in Scotland, and the other was in Knoxville, concentrating on this topic. She is grateful to Ric Kasini and others at the Kolaj Institute for their support.
(Pictured: Sarah Cowling, “Niagara Gorge”, collage with hand-painted papers, 40 by 60 inches.)
She currently has work in the Frankingstyle Gallery in St. Thomas and is looking forward to the 2026 London Artists’ Studio Tour, Friday, April 24 to Sunday, April 26. Cowling is #16 on the map at 180 Timber Drive. For more information, visit: https://londonstudiotour.ca/
2026 London Artists’ Studio Tour, Friday, April 24 to Sunday, April 26.
The St. Marys Community Players (SMCP) is thrilled to announce the vibrant cast and accomplished production team ready to bring Marc Camoletti’s classic French farce, BOEING BOEING, to life from April 23 to May 9.
Directed by Ralph Small from Stratford and proudly produced by St. Marys locals Stephen Brockwell and Read Paxton, this production promises a raucous evening of comedy and quick wit.
Taking on the role of the charming yet cunning Bernard, newcomer Rick Hastings embodies the ultimate Parisian playboy. Bernard functions as a kind of amorous air-traffic controller, skillfully juggling the timetables of the world’s airlines to ensure that only one of the three stewardesses he is engaged to will be present in his Paris digs at any one time. But chaos ensues when Boeing introduces a faster jet to its fleet, threatening his carefully orchestrated plans.
Joining him is fellow SMCP newcomer Alison Mullings, playing Gretchen, the strong-willed Lufthansa hostess whose presence commands attention both on the ground and in the air, raising the stakes with her passion and punctuality.
St. Marys local Sandy Stephens portrays the bewildered and naive Robert, Bernard’s friend, who unwittingly stumbles into a whirlwind of mistaken identities during his visit to Paris, resulting in comedic pandemonium.
Returning to the SMCP stage are two actresses, Alex Pedersen showcases her flair as Gloria, the effervescent TWA hostess whose undeniable allure could unravel Bernard’s meticulous scheduling in the blink of an eye and Jessica O’Connor who brings vivacity and verve in her portrayal of Gabriella, the spirited Alitalia stewardess whose passion and undeniable charisma add a vibrant layer to the intricate web of Bernard’s romantic escapades.
Completing the comedic ensemble, Ann Jackson returns to the St. Marys stage with the role of Berthe, the quick-witted, no-nonsense maid who sees through the chaos with a seasoned eye.
“Audiences can expect a fast-paced, door-slamming production of fun where timing is everything. I’ve loved working with and watching this cast embrace their inner farceurs. So, if you find our production funny… and we hope you do, it’s funny for a reason”, says Director Ralph Small.
IF YOU GO:
What: St. Marys Community Players presents BOEING BOEING.
When: April 23 to May 9, 2026.
Where: St. Marys Town Hall Theatre, 175 Queen St E, St. Marys, ON.
Tickets: Available at www.stmaryscommunityplayers.ca or locally at Troyer’s Spices in Downtown St. Marys, 110 Queen St. E. Phone: (226) 661-8777
The Beat Magazine 2025 