Producer Ceris Thomas explains the meaning of the title Urinetown in this exchange with Beat Magazine Publisher Richard Young. Urinetown: The Musical plays at the Palace Theatre from February 19 to March 1.
(Pictured: Ceris Thomas. Photo Credit: Ross Davidson.)
“Urinetown: The Musicalis notoriously hard to describe, which is probably why so many explanations feel incomplete or confusing. Honestly, if it had a different title, people might find it easier to just shrug and say, “Sure—let’s go see this thing.”
At its core, Urinetown is a dystopian satire that imagines a world so devastated by water shortages that bathrooms no longer exist in private homes. To manage the crisis, business and government join forces and arrive at a “solution”: the public must pay to pee. It’s an intentionally oversimplified take on a massive environmental issue, designed to get the audience quickly and clearly into the world of the show.
As with many well-meaning systems in a capitalist society, the opportunity to profit from an unavoidable human need quickly curdles into greed and manipulation. That’s where we meet the people of Urinetown—some desperate to survive, others perfectly comfortable in their assumed wealth and eager to raise the fees even higher.
The absurdity, poignancy, and laugh-out-loud comedy come from how the story is told. One of the creators’ most delightful choices is the musical’s constant tribute to classic Broadway shows. One song clearly channels Fiddler on the Roof; the next explodes with unmistakable West Side Story energy. The first time I heard it, I actually laughed out loud in my car.
If you’ve ever seen a musical—any musical—you’ll catch the references and giggle along. And if you’re someone who doesn’t usually like musicals? This show lovingly invites you to laugh at all the ones your mom dragged you to see.”
IF YOU GO:
What: London Community Players present Urinetown: The Musical
When: February 19 to March 1, 2026
Where: David Long Stage, Palace Theatre, 710 Dundas St., London, ON
London Community Players’ production of Urinetown: The Musical opens this week at the Palace Theatre. What follows is a Q&A Interview with the play’s producer, Ceris Thomas, conducted by Richard Young.
(Pictured: Laura Williams as Penelope Pennywise, Henry Truong as Bobby Strong, Jesslyn Hodgson as Hope Cladwell, and Allison Gold as Josephine “Ma” Strong. Photo Credit: Ross Davidson.)
Q. The description of Urinetown: The Musical found on the Palace Theatre website reads: “In a dystopia ruled by drought and corporate greed, public toilets are the law— and rebellion smells suspiciously like revolution. Equal parts absurd, poignant, and laugh-out-loud funny, Urinetown skewers capitalism, power, and musical theatre itself.” Could you break that down for our readers?
Urinetown: The Musicalis notoriously hard to describe, which is probably why so many explanations feel incomplete or confusing. Honestly, if it had a different title, people might find it easier to just shrug and say, “Sure—let’s go see this thing.”
At its core, Urinetown is a dystopian satire that imagines a world so devastated by water shortages that bathrooms no longer exist in private homes. To manage the crisis, business and government join forces and arrive at a “solution”: the public must pay to pee. It’s an intentionally oversimplified take on a massive environmental issue, designed to get the audience quickly and clearly into the world of the show.
As with many well-meaning systems in a capitalist society, the opportunity to profit from an unavoidable human need quickly curdles into greed and manipulation. That’s where we meet the people of Urinetown—some desperate to survive, others perfectly comfortable in their assumed wealth and eager to raise the fees even higher.
(Pictured: Kate Sepi as Officer Lockstock and Luke Bainbridge as Officer Barrel. Photo Credit: Ross Davidson.)
The absurdity, poignancy, and laugh-out-loud comedy come from how the story is told. One of the creators’ most delightful choices is the musical’s constant tribute to classic Broadway shows. One song clearly channels Fiddler on the Roof; the next explodes with unmistakable West Side Story energy. The first time I heard it, I actually laughed out loud in my car.
If you’ve ever seen a musical—any musical—you’ll catch the references and giggle along. And if you’re someone who doesn’t usually like musicals? This show lovingly invites you to laugh at all the ones your mom dragged you to see.
(Pictured: Ceris Thomas, Producer of Urinetown: The Musical.)
Q. It also reads: “No one is safe. Not even the audience. Bring your sense of humour — and your spare change,” implying audience members will be expected to participate in some way. Will they?
The fourth wall is very much broken in this production. Officer Lockstock serves as the show’s narrator, frequently conversing with Little Sally, a member of the “poor” who isn’t afraid to challenge Lockstock’s interpretation of events. Beyond that, the audience needs only to bring a sense of humour and a willingness to laugh out loud at the shenanigans of the players.
(Pictured: Ryan Starkweather as Senator Fipp, Jesslyn Hodgson as Hope Cladwell, and Sean Brennan as Caldwell B. Cladwell. Photo Credit: Ross Davidson.)
Q. Can you provide a brief Synopsis of the play?
Our parody poster series—riffing on Les Misérables, West Side Story, The Producers, Wicked, and more—wasn’t just a marketing gimmick. It was a visual clue to the DNA of Urinetown itself. The show gleefully borrows familiar musical theatre tropes and iconic structures, reshaping them to tell its own absurd and pointed story.
At its heart, Urinetown gives us all the classics: a villain who controls the money, the police, and the government; a hero who controls nothing but works hard and dreams of a better future; and a beautiful daughter of the villain who becomes the catalyst for change when our hero falls instantly in love. His life is upended, his resolve hardens, and he sets out to fix a broken world—for love, for justice, and for the people he cares about.
What follows are the choices made by the citizens of Urinetown, and the consequences that come with them. It’s familiar, it’s twisted, it’s self-aware—and all of it is driven by music that is relentlessly fun.
(Pictured: Urinetown Les Misérables parody poster.)
Q. Do any of the play’s satirical situations and themes have local relevance?
Yes—and the relevance is immediate and unavoidable. The neighbourhood surrounding our theatre is routinely ignored by municipal leadership. The parking lot outside our doors has no public bathroom, and as a result, it becomes the only option for people who have nowhere else to go. That reality mirrors Urinetown so closely that it feels less like satire and more like lived experience.
In Urinetown, the poor are criminalized for existing. They are punished for meeting basic human needs, while those in power remain insulated from the consequences of their decisions. That dynamic is playing out here as well. When audiences say they are “afraid” to come to this area, that fear reflects the same distance and neglect that allow these conditions to persist.
We believe that is exactly why it is important to come. Showing up matters. Being present in this neighbourhood matters. Urinetown asks us to look at who we ignore, who we punish, and who we choose to care about—and invites audiences to step into a space that deserves attention, investment, and humanity.
Coming to this neighbourhood—choosing to be present, to witness, to engage—is not something to be afraid of. It’s something that matters. Urinetown asks us who we ignore, who we punish, and who we decide is worth showing up for. In this case, the question doesn’t end when the curtain comes down.
Q. Will the audience recognize any of the play’s musical numbers?
Even if audiences don’t know the specific musical numbers themselves, they will absolutely recognize what those songs are paying homage to. Urinetown is filled with stylistic tributes to iconic musicals—there are clear nods to Fiddler on the Roof and West Side Story, as well as The Fantasticks, among others. The familiarity isn’t about recognizing a tune, but about recognizing the style, which makes the jokes land and the storytelling even richer for theatre-literate audiences—while still being fun and accessible for everyone else.
Q. What challenges have you encountered bringing this play to the Palace Theatre stage?
The journey to bringing Urinetown to the Palace Theatre has been both unexpected and incredibly rewarding. London Community Players originally had a different production planned for this slot, but when royalties became unavailable, we had to pivot quickly. That shift led me to reach out to a talented artist I knew from other shows, and I was thrilled when she agreed to join us on the David Long Stage.
Choosing Urinetown turned out to be an inspired fit. There is a deep pool of artists in London who have been eager for the chance to tackle this show, and the auditions reflected that excitement. We welcomed many new performers into the room, which always brings fresh energy to a production. Rehearsals have been collaborative, joyful, and full of discovery.
As with any show, the real problem-solving began once we moved onto the stage. Urinetown asks us to create several locations within a single city, and the David Long Stage offers limited wing space. Rather than seeing that as a limitation, our team embraced it as a creative opportunity—finding smart, imaginative ways to build a complete world that could live in one place. As a first-time set designer, after taking a course in Stratford last summer, I’ve been supported by an incredible crew. I’m learning that a set is never truly finished; it simply reaches the moment where it’s ready to welcome an audience.
(Pictured: Leah Exley, Christine Varga, Luba Skyba, Nicholas McConnell, Amelia Armstrong, Matt deKort – Urine Good Company Employees. Photo Credit: Ross Davidson.)
Q. Your marketing/social media campaign for Urinetown has been nothing short of brilliant. Could you give a shout-out to those individuals responsible for it?
Thank you! We really appreciate your kind words and that you’ve been following our campaign.
The “Pets of Urinetown” came about naturally because so many of our cast members have pets. Sharing stories and photos of their furry friends was a fun, comfortable way for the cast to connect—and I thought it would be a gentle, playful way to spark interest in the show.
(Pictured: Pets of Urinetown poster.)
The poster campaign, on the other hand, was entirely the brainchild of the brilliant Henry Truong, who also plays Bobby Strong, our hero. Henry came up with the imagery, collaborated with others to bring the visuals to life, and even wrote all the copy. It was a truly inspired creative effort.
Urinetown gives so many ways to engage with the material, from the music to the story to the little touches we’ve created for social media. I think that’s why people who love this show really, really love it—and our team’s creativity has made sharing that love so much fun.
Q. Is there anything else you think our readers should know about LCP’s production of Urinetown?
One thing to know: it’s not here long! Urinetown runs for just eight performances, from Thursday, February 19th through Sunday, March 1st. Both Sunday shows are matinees, and the second Saturday also offers a matinee to give those who might feel less comfortable in the area another chance to attend. That Saturday matinee will also be adjudicated for the WODL festival, with a public adjudication immediately following the performance for anyone who wants to stay and watch.
For peace of mind, LCP provides security at all of our productions, with patrolled entrances and monitored parking. And as a bonus, parking behind the theatre is now free at all times.
Don’t miss it—once it’s gone, it’s gone!
(Laura Williams as Penelope Pennywise and Matt deKort as Old Man Strong. Photo Credit: Ross Davidson.)
CREATIVE TEAM
Producer – Ceris Thomas
Director – Sydney Brockway
Stage Manager – Amanda Marshall
Musical Director – Steven Morley
Lighting Designer – Indrani Mahadeo
Sound Designer – Quinton Esquega
Costume Designer – Tannis Daoust
Costume Assistant – Chaaya Vy
Costume Assistant – Chloe Scripnick
Sound Operator – Doug Deschenes
Lighting Operator – Jenny Katkov
Assistant Stage Manager – Larissa Bartlett
Assistant Stage Manager – Jess Bohan
CAST
Kate Sepi – Officer Lockstock
Luke Bainbridge – Officer Barrel
Rae Ryder – Little Sally
Henry Truong – Bobby Strong
Jesslyn Hodgson – Hope
Laura Williams – Pennywise
Sean Brennan – Cladwell
Ryan Starkweather – Fipp
David Lu – McQueen
Cassandra “Cass” Allen – Mrs. M/Boy Cop #1
Skyler Gallagher – Dr. B/Cop
Jade Rogers – Secretary/Cop
Nicholas McConnell – Hotblades Harry/Boy Cop #3
Antonia Sidiropoulos – Little Becky Two Shoes/Cop
Matt deKort – Old Man Strong/Ensemble
Allison Gold – Josephine “Ma” Strong/Cop
Jennifer Groulx – Tiny Tom/Boy Cop #2
Christine Varga – Soupy Sue/Cop
Dustin Freeman – Robbie the Stockfish/Cop
Luba Skyba – Billy Boy Bill/Cop
Charlotte “Charlie” Camrass – Rebel Poor/Girl Cop #1
Amelia Armstrong – Ensemble
Leah Exley – Ensemble
IF YOU GO:
What: London Community Players present Urinetown: The Musical
When: February 19 to March 1, 2026
Where: David Long Stage, Palace Theatre, 710 Dundas St., London, ON
My first problem is the fabulous team that works for, loves, and supports London Symphonia. Look at their website – https://www.londonsymphonia.ca/event/love-and-romance-denise-pelley, where you’ll find everything you wanted to know – and more – about the creator of the program and the soloists.
And then it’s Black History Month, and here we are in Canada creating a musical program featuring two black soloists. Haven’t we heard that our more powerful neighbour has done away with DEI – and isn’t it embarrassing that we still toe the line for that acronym? And is it pointless virtue signalling that seems to praise London for being aware of our People of Colour?
(Pictured: London vocalist Denise Pelley.)
And, finally, am I being condescending to point out the achievements of our program originator and soloists as though Londoners needed educating about them? We know about Scott Good’s composing career, we know about Denise Pelley’s medals and her opening for Aretha Franklin, and her YM-YWCA Woman of Distinction award. If we’ve been to Stratford in the last 16 years, we know that Roy Lewis is a 16-year veteran of the Festival stage.
But here’s the thing, and it’s raw right now. I admit to everyone that I have too much time, doubt and fear on my hands right now to ignore the horrors of authoritarianism, ignorance, and greed that are happening in our neighbourhood. At 80, I’m not going to run for office, but I want to reveal that London’s live art music scene has been my harbour of hope.
Sitting in those Met pews – no cushion, I get the cheaper seats – and watching the faces of our Symphonia musicians and their featured guests renews hope. The evidence of their work and commitment, and the joy they show in bringing them to us in live performance, is something that no recording can do. I multiply the effect by chatting to strangers beside me, to students at the reception (who can attend for FREE, for God’s sake) and hugging the performers afterwards (very few have pushed me off). Those are gifts I never expected to receive in life.
Because we are in the presence of souls who have battled racism and every kind of insidious discrimination, have given up lucrative jobs for their art, and have honed their talents to the utmost just for US. Bearing witness to their courage as well as their art makes US better!
(Conductor Scott Good and guest artist Denise Pelley share their insights into the upcoming February 14th performance.)
Do you know that Denise Pelley has inspired young people in Junior Achievement for 19 years, has performed at the Grand in musicals, and has travelled to Sudan twelve times to establish a music and arts camp for 400 kids? Did you know that her son, Jason Edmonds, was killed in a road rage accident, and she created a Foundation to tell young people about that rage as one of the many dangers facing them?
Did you know that Roy Lewis is from the UK, came to Canada, and founded the Obsidian Theatre (focusing on Black Canadian stories) – as well as painting, sculpting, teaching Elizabethan Literature at several universities, and co-founding “Shakespeare in the Rough”? His poetry tackles the death of love, the struggle for understanding, and redemption in the face of grief.
(Pictured: Roy Lewis, Poet and Narrator)
Conductor Scott Good is not Black, but he’s a genius of music with a soul that encompasses the rhythms, aspirations, and hopes of all humanity. I can only hope that London hears more of his oratorios, symphonies, jazz masterpieces and chamber music. He is a creator of music and of bridges that support our shared humanity.
Being in the very presence of artists like this is a privilege and a healing.
(Pictured: London Symphonia Conductor, Scott Good.)
I can only ask you to read, before you attend the concert, the words of an American poet, Joseph Fasano, whose word-compositions are as powerful as the music of our London performers this weekend:
(Pictured: American poet and novelist, Joseph Fasano.)
“How does Authoritarianism happen? It starts slowly, in slogans and small acts. It starts in the eroding of decency and empathy.
It starts with a “Leader” undermining faith in any “Truth,” the deliberate disorientation of the citizen’s mind.
And then? It stirs in the heart of the common man, whose world has become too complex for him. He looks around and finds a world that is frightful, complicated, new. He sees his falling bank account. He loses his job. New media bombards him with changes he cannot understand. He despairs. He is filled with an unnameable terror.
When he can take the fear no longer, he abandons his reason. He hands his mind over to a Leader—a Fü*rer, a Chairman, a Figure He Never Had—who promises to simplify his thoughts, his feelings, his life; to tell him the one, concocted, state-sponsored Truth he wants to hear. And that Leader will do exactly that.
Authoritarianism, therefore, thrives on the one-sided mind: the individual, and ultimately the group, that has become alienated from, or has repressed, a part of itself, usually in an attempt to avoid feeling what it is terrified to feel. The one-sided person seeks to control the ways in which others express themselves, and he does so for precisely this reason: he unconsciously envies those who can feel what he cannot feel.
Authoritarianism always begins with a reductive philosophy that despises empathy, that views tenderness as a weakness, that seeks to police how others love. Dostoevsky once wrote that hell is nothing other than the state of being unable to love. Authoritarianism is nothing but the small mind’s fear of the myriad beauties of this world. Even as its rulers acquire material wealth, they wish to deprive the world of the spiritual riches they cannot have.
Thus, as a movement, the ultimate unconscious wish of Authoritarianism is always destruction, self-destruction, s*icide. It longs for stillness, not growth; its nationalistic fervor is a not-so-hidden desire to be alienated, to sever its bonds with other nations and peoples. It ends as H*tler did in Berlin: alone, isolated, taking everyone with it into the dark.
It is predicated, always, on a false nostalgia: a longing for an ideal, imagined past. Its slogans are vague enough to inflame the fantasies of the one-sided mind be great again, blame others, your life is hard because of Someone Else. Most catastrophically, then, the one-sided mind projects its repressed half (its shadow or its tenderness, its darkness or its heart) into this Other, and seeks to oppress it, then ultimately to destroy it. Genocide, tyranny, oppression: these are acts of the fractured, one-sided mind, afraid of encountering and experiencing the other side, the other opinion, the Great Other, in whose presence it would be challenged to face the whole of what it means to be human.
Art, mystery, poetry, education: these things reconnect us to our wholeness, to the varied voices within us. When we act from that grace, that state of openness, of listening, of synthesis and integration, we practice the lost arts, the arts that all power structures inherently desire to devalue and repress empathy, compassion, creativity, love.
Where is the wise way between societal extremes? Where is the movement that supports the worker, the common citizen, without stoking his deepest fears and using them to divide society and conquer it? Where is the form of government that wishes for its citizen to be whole?
A fractured, one-sided mind is a mind that can be controlled, sold reductive narratives, induced to want and to purchase any artificial fulfillment. A whole mind, even a mind that strives for impossible wholeness, is free. And that is why real, radical wholeness is a threat to the status quo, to tyranny, to propaganda.
As is art. As is grace. As is empathy. And that is why love, radical love, common love, even in the darkness between two bodies, is a revolution that can bring kings to their knees.”
— Joseph Fasano
IF YOU GO:
What: London Symphonia presents Love and Romance with Denise Pelley.
When: Saturday, February 14, at 7:30pm.
Where: Metropolitan United Church, 468 Wellington Street, London, ON.
Here’s a recent Facebook post about the concert by conductor Scott Good, shared with his permission:
“Dear friends,
On February 14 at 7:30 PM at Metropolitan United (London, ON), I’ll be joined by my colleagues at London Symphonia, R&B/Jazz vocalist Denise Pelley, and poet/actor Roy Lewis to present Love and Romance.
Yes — it’s Valentine’s Day, and we are going deep!
The seed for this concert was planted almost two years ago when I noticed Valentine’s Day landing on a Saturday evening. As a concert designer, I love an occasion — a focal point that shapes an evening’s arc. Valentine’s Day is ideal: music across all styles is saturated with romantic passion, longing, joy, and vulnerability. It’s an excuse for genres to mix and make sense together, and for audiences to encounter both the familiar and the unexpected. I like to think of occasion concerts as community-oriented — something many can enjoy.
I knew early on the program had to include Mahler’s Adagietto from his Fifth Symphony. I remember the first time I heard it; I’ve never known a piece of music to evoke the sensation of a loving, gentle touch quite like it. Later, I learned it was written as a love letter to his wife. It had to be here.
Around that time, I had recently worked with Denise at the Forest City London Music Awards, where we presented Stevie Wonder’s You and I. It went beautifully. Denise brings such generosity and depth to performance, and the song – with its tender, yet vulnerable lyric – aligns perfectly with this theme. The following year we returned with You Don’t Know Me, this time with horns, strings, and rhythm section. That collaboration allowed me to shape the orchestration around her expressive vocal language, and it became clear we had the beginnings of something larger.
Roy’s role in guiding the evening through poetry and poetic prose became unexpectedly profound. After a remarkable performance with Symphonia last year, he joined us with poems written specifically for Valentine’s Day — fourteen of them. As I read through his work, I realized something deeper was at play: these poems weren’t only about love found, but love lost. With great love comes great grief, and the concert gradually reshaped itself around that truth.
Nine of Roy’s poems ultimately frame the program, each leading into a song or instrumental work — the pain of Cupid’s arrows illustrated by Ellington’s Good Morning Heartache, a thrilling glance explored in Bacharach’s The Look of Love, the electricity of being with the one you adore caressed by Carmichael’s The Nearness of You. Instrumental moments include Ravel’s sensuously flirty “Pantomime” from Daphnis et Chloé, featuring Laura Chambers on flute, and the king of romance, Barry White’s orchestral hit Love’s Theme.
As the concert turns toward loss and reflection, we arrive at Autumn Leaves, performed without rhythm section, just orchestra and voice – followed by an up-tempo moment of melancholy in an orchestral rendering of Radiohead’s Weird Fishes I created for the concert, a song that aptly describes, through driving rhythm, evocative chords, and a spacious yet unrelenting melody, a feeling of loss and the difficulty of moving on.
We close with Here’s to Life, in the Shirley Horn arrangement — a true bucket-list piece for Denise, and the perfect sentiment to end the evening:
“May all your storms be weathered.
And all that’s good gets better.
Here’s to life, here’s to love, here’s to you.”
With solos from Nevin Campbell, Joe Phillips, Rob Stone, and Shawn Spicer, and an orchestra navigating classical lyricism, jazz harmony, and blues grit, + original arrangements alongside renditions made classic by Ella Fitzgerald, Dianna Krall, and Matt Monro, this promises to be a rich, emotionally charged night of music. Join us if you can!”
The Grand Theatre is thrilled to announce that School of Rock will be the 2026 Grand Theatre High School Project. In a company first, London and area’s most talented young artists will be rocking out on stage, playing live music – in addition to the familiar performance and production roles typically part of a Grand Theatre High School Project production. Applications to join the student company are now open and close on March 30, 2026.
Based on the 2003 hit movie starring Jack Black (Tenacious D, A Minecraft Movie) and written by Mike White (The White Lotus, School of Rock), the production features all of the movie’s contagious anthems as well as fourteen new original songs by none other than Andrew Lloyd Webber (Jesus Christ Superstar, Cats, The Phantom of the Opera).
“School of Rock is a fun, high-energy show and a chance for high school students to be playing instruments right on the stage, which is an exciting first for the Grand Theatre High School Project,” shares Rachel Peake, Grand Theatre Artistic Director. “It’s a show about the strength of young people and about how your individuality – your weirdness – is your strength.”
The Grand Theatre High School Project returns for its 28th year, providing London and area high school students with education and training in the working environment of a professional theatre, at no cost to the participants. From September 22 through October 3, 2026, the Spriet Stage will transform into the super rockin’ world of Dewey Finn – and London’s talented teens will be his star pupils playing music live on stage, creating and running various production elements that bring the show to life.
School of Rock tells the story of Dewey Finn, a wannabe rockstar with no band, no job, and if he can’t make rent, no place to live – and possibly no best friend. Ready to try anything, he poses as a substitute teacher and takes a gig teaching fifth grade at Horace Green Prep. Demerits and grades aren’t his thing, but the noble quest to win a local Battle of the Bands brings this unlikely band of students and teacher together for the sake of rock glory – and extra credit.
To helm this year’s High School Project, award-winning Director Lezlie Wade returns to the Grand Theatre to bring this league of would-be rock legends to greatness. Wade previously directed Dream a Little Dream at the Grand Theatre in 2014/15, and has directed at the Stratford Festival, Shaw Festival, Theatre Aquarius, Musical Stage Co., and beyond. Her production of Spamalot ranks as one of the longest-running shows in Stratford Festival history.
(Pictured: Lezlie Wade, Director, School of Rock.)
“With the help of a down-on-his-luck guitarist, School of Rock is the inspirational musical that transforms a class of straight-A students into a mind-blowing rock band, unlocking their inner rebels,” shares Wade.
Wade is joined by Matthew Atkins as Music Director, who audiences will recognize as the Artistic Director of the London Gospel Collective and as the Music Director of Disney’s Newsies at the Grand Theatre last year.
(Pictured: Matthew Atkins, Music Director, School of Rock.)
Choreographer Julius Sermonia (Broadway, Stratford, Shaw) also joins the production, in a much-anticipated return to the Grand Theatre (Beauty and the Beast, Pig, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and last season’s smash-hit Waitress).
(Pictured: Julius Sermonia, Choreographer, School of Rock.)
The Grand Theatre is looking for students to join the show’s company in acting, singing, music, and production roles. Students interested in production roles may apply to work in one of several areas, including stage management, props, wardrobe, scenic art, carpentry, sound, and marketing. The program has historically created opportunities for up to 80 student participants.
(Pictured: Lyla Worrall, Solarah Rose, and Hayden Baertsoen from Disney’s Newsies, September 2025. Photo Credit: Jordan Peter.)
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
The Grand Theatre invites London and area high school students to apply for the 2026 Grand Theatre High School Project. The project is open to any high school student from the London region who will be enrolled in high school in the fall of 2026 or participating in homeschooling.
Applications will close at 9 a.m. on March 30, 2026. Interested students are encouraged to apply now or register for a free information session to learn more.
On the eve of the 1980 referendum, (PET) Pierre Eliott Trudeau (not PP, that’s for sure) reminded Canadians that they were facing a tipping point: “We must now establish the basic principles, the basic values and beliefs which hold us together as Canadians so that beyond our regional loyalties there is a way of life and a system of values which make us proud of the country that has given us such freedom and such immeasurable joy.”
A quarter-century later, it’s not Quebec making secession noises- it’s Alberta. But if you seize the opportunity to be in the presence of some Alberta talent – certain to bring you immeasurable joy – maybe you can be part of some Canadian culture that keeps Canada together for another twenty-five years.
The Jeffery Concerts on Sunday, February 8, at the Wolf Performance Hall, at a comfortable 3:00 in the afternoon, features two icons of Canadian music – the young violinist Jacques Forestier and seasoned pianist Arthur Rowe. The CBC has already included Jacques in its “Top 30 Hot Canadian Classical Musicians under 30” – and Arthur is …uh …slightly older and already loved by London audiences.
So, who is this Forestier chap? I was about to credit his musical vibe to Montreal – but he’s an Alberta kid, born in Edmonton in 2004 and already starting to learn the violin at age TWO. By the age of 11, he made his debut with the Edmonton Symphony at the Winspear Centre – and remains one of their favourite soloists. I’ll place-name-drop a bit: He’s been at the Curtis Institute on full scholarship since 2022, picked up some pointers at the Mount Royal Conservatory, and been a student-artist at Juilliard.
(Pictured: Jacques Forestier with violinist Itzhak Perlman.)
His parents’ home in Edmonton must be bursting with prizes ~
From the “Olympics” of violinists, the 2018 Yehudi Menuhin International in Geneva (the only Canadian to qualify)
A multitude of medals from major competitions in Canada
Winner of the Joseph Joachim Violin Competition in Germany
And Arthur? He’s my age.
Just kidding. He’s also a world-class talent, Professor and Inspiration Manager at The University of Victoria. But BC is not seceding, so you can be nice to him after the concert- no need to go overboard.
(Pictured: Pianist Arthur Rowe.)
And if you’re new to this classical music thing – and you don’t want to appear like a thickie-thickie dumb-dumb in front of the mates on either side of you – here are a few elitist phrases you can share about the program.
When the Dvorak Sonata in G Major begins, you can ask, “That sounds familiar. Didn’t that performance win Jacques the Joachim competition?” or “I can hear the influence of Dvorak’s American sojourn, can’t you?” Or, “It’s all I can do to keep from humming along with those Bohemian folk melodies.” Don’t forget to mention it’s “intimate and dazzling – I’m going to hold my breath for all 18 minutes of it”
As for the Brahms Sonata in A Major, try this: “Isn’t it amazing- that young man received the Joachim prize – and Brahms actually wrote this sonata for his FRIEND, Joseph Joachim.” (Chuckle warmly at this point). Or involve your seatmate with “I can hardly wait for the Allegro Grazioso of the finale- those Hungarian dance rhythms make me want to kick my red leather boots while holding a perfect squat.”
If you’re not confident in the Strauss Sonata in E-flat Major, you can express relief that Strauss was in his post-Wagnerian phase. You can say, “This is going to be a thrilling capstone for this recital” and poke him or her in the ribs when you hear the “stormy passion” of the Allegro molto appassionato. Or you can just sigh deeply when the final Allegro begins, recognizing aloud the “dazzling runs and double-stops.” Don’t ask me what double-stops are. Google it.
Each of the sonatas Jacques and Arthur are performing is considered a gem of late nineteenth-century Romanticism. Perhaps you can only play them brilliantly when you are young and brilliant.
Don’t miss this opportunity to bear witness to the early career of a Canadian phenomenon. And tell him after the concert that you don’t want a Canada without Jacques Forestier – and Alberta- in it.
IF YOU GO:
What: The Jeffery Concerts presents violinist Jacques Forestier and pianist Arthur Rowe.
When: Sunday, February 8, 3:00pm.
Where: Wolf Performance Hall, 251 Dundas Street, London, ON.
Prepared with Files from the St. Marys Community Players.
St. Marys Community Players have announced their 2026 Season Lineup: Marc Camoletti’s BOEING BOEING and the beloved Peanuts Musical You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.
“Our 52nd season lineup of productions will offer a vibrant pairing of plays that celebrates the full spectrum of theatrical joy—combining the dizzying precision of a classic farce with the warmth, wit, and gentle introspection of a beloved musical,” says Greg George, the company’s Marketing and Communications coordinator.
BOEING BOEING: A High-Flying Comedy.
Opening the 2026 season in April, the St. Marys Community Players present the delightful farce that has captivated audiences worldwide. Written by Marc Camoletti and translated by Beverley Cross and Francis Evans, this fast-paced production chronicles the misadventures of Bernard, a swinging bachelor in 1960s Paris. Bernard’s elaborate scheme of juggling three fiancées – all airline hostesses with staggered layovers – takes a turbulent turn, threatening to send his plans crashing.
Directed by Ralph Small and produced by Stephen Brockwell and Read Paxton, BOEING BOEING features door-slamming, smart dialogue, and hilarious situations, guaranteeing nonstop laughter and entertainment.
Performance Dates:
April 24 to May 9, 2026, Town Hall Theatre, St. Marys, ON.
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown: A Musical for All Ages.
Happiness is great musical theatre. With charm, wit and heart, You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown explores life through the eyes of Charlie Brown and his friends in the Peanuts gang. This revue of songs and vignettes, based on the beloved Charles Schulz comic strip, captures childhood worries, quiet hopes, and the universal desire to belong and be understood. Musical numbers include “My Blanket and Me,” “The Kite,” “The Baseball Game,” “Little Known Facts,” “Suppertime” and “Happiness.” Guaranteed to please audiences of all ages.
Performance Dates:
October 22 to November 7, Town Hall Theatre, St. Marys, ON.
Tickets for the 2026 Season are available through the St. Marys Community Players website www.stmaryscommunityplayers.ca beginning in early March or locally at Troyer’s Spices in Downtown St. Marys, 110 Queen St. E. Phone: (226) 661-8777.
“Music doesn’t lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music.” – Jimi Hendrix
The concert I want to tell you about won’t involve rock, open rebellion, or active protest. It involves Lara St. John, a brilliant violinist, a Londoner, a personality who fills a concert hall, and a champion of honesty whose very presence is a gift to London this Saturday evening at Metropolitan United Church.
Sometimes we just NEED great music.
“Your brain responds to music like it’s a survival tool. When music plays, almost the entire brain ignites. The motor cortex drives your body to the beat. The hippocampus ties melodies to memories. The amygdala unleashes waves of feeling. And in the orbitofrontal cortex—the brain’s reward and decision hub—the same circuitry that flares in OCD lights up with music’s cycles of tension and release.” (Attributed to Harvard Medicine: The Magazine of the Harvard Medical School.)
Listen to Lara and Matt Herskowitz in this video from her Shiksaalbum. It’s not on Saturday night’s program- but her passion for truth and music will be.
Meanwhile, what has the London kid who picked up a violin and joined her older brother Scott in playing done with all of that talent?
As for most musicians’ bios, you’ll need an atlas and incredible patience to follow the list:
She debuted with an orchestra at age 4 – and with Lisbon’s Gulbenkian when she was 10.
AT 12, she toured Spain, Greece, Portugal, and Hungary
She’s studied at Curtis, the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory, the Guildhall, Mannes College, and the New England Conservatory
She has been a soloist with the major orchestras of every continent.
She created her own label – Ancalagon – in 1999
She received the Order of Canada in 2021 – for “service to society and innovations that ‘ignite our imaginations’.”
It was Sting who said, “The truth is like a sword. You have to hold it with an open hand.”
And Lara St. John’s devotion to truth has been as inspiring as her music. In 2019, she told a Philadelphia newspaper that she had been abused and raped as a student at Curtis Institute of Music in 1985. That distinguished school had covered up the crime when she reported it. She is currently finishing a documentary film about the abuse of young music students. Read about the documentary here: https://theviolinchannel.com/lara-st-john-to-release-documentary-about-sexual-abuse-in-classical-music-industry/
Her hope for the documentary, Dear Lara, is not a selfish one: “They need to admit to wrongdoing and take every possible precaution to never let these things happen again. Predator Whack-A-Mole (my term for allowing depraved men to quietly resign, enabling them to simply take their behavior elsewhere) must stop. It’s unconscionable, and it’s everywhere,” Lara appealed.
Saturday’s Program:
Lara’s chosen concerto to perform with London Symphonia is Avner Dorman’s Concerto No.2, which premiered in 2018 when it won the Azrieli Prize. The composer tells an intriguing tale about the piece. The 92nd Street Y (and Gil Shaham) approached him to write a piece for their Jewish Melodies program. He admits his research surprised him in finding common modes and melodies in Jewish music from various parts of the world. One of these, he said, is the Nigun – a melody that can be sung in Yiddish and understood by an Arabic speaker: “The Nigun has no beginning and no end and is eternal.”
Lara discusses Avner Dorman’s Violin Concerto No. 2, “Nigunim,” with Andrew Chung, Artistic Producer, London Symphonia, in this Behind The Music video clip: https://youtu.be/t6FuSbI_5fw
On Saturday night, London Symphonia will also perform Mendelssohn’s Midsummer Night’s Dream Suite and Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring.
It’s January – the month of miserable weather, broken resolutions, and depressing realizations. This year, the news from our neighboring country shatters our trust and brings even more dismay into our lives. And January 27th is the annual International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust. Each year, Canadians and individuals all over the world take this opportunity to remember the victims of the Holocaust and to reflect on the dangers of anti-Semitism.
Sometimes, just being in the presence of truth-tellers and creators of incredible beauty can remind us of our power to change the world. Lara St. John and London Symphonia will be at Metropolitan United on Saturday night to keep us from forgetting.
IF YOU GO:
What: London Symphonia presents Lara St. John: The Ancient Flame.
When: Saturday, January 17, at 7:30pm.
Where: Metropolitan United Church, 468 Wellington Street, London, ON.
The Voices of Broadway Show Choir has been entertaining London area audiences since 2013. The Beat Magazine conducted the following Q&A Session with Artistic/Musical Director Julie Pietrangelo in advance of the choir’s Show Stoppers concert on January 17 at the Joanne and Peter Kenny Theatre at King’s College. The Interview has been edited for clarity.
(Pictured: The Voices of Broadway Show Choir Artistic/Musical Director Julie Pietrangelo.)
Q. When was the choir founded? By whom, and why? How did the name The Voices of Broadway Show Choir come about?
We were founded in 2013. I wanted to start a show choir and talked to several people whom I led as singers before, and they were with me. So, we got together and figured out how to make it work. We brainstormed names, put them on a board, and voted. By process of elimination, we decided upon the name The Voices of Broadway Show Choir.
Q. What sets your group apart from the other London area choirs?
I think the fact that we’re a show choir. I don’t think there’s any other show choir in London, per se. We don’t just stand on risers and sing holding music. Our shows include acting and dancing. It’s just bigger.
Q. Who are the facilitators/administrators of the choir? Backgrounds? Does the choir have a Board of Directors?
We do not have a board of directors. We have what we call the lead team of four people who are elected by the membership. They look after all the administration and running of the choir and so on. I’m heavily involved and sit on the lead team as well.
Q. Does the choir have a Mission or Statement of Purpose?
We are a non-professional show choir with high standards and high entertainment value. Our mission is to present a well-balanced program of traditional choral singing, along with choreography, staging, costumes, special effects, and props.
Q. How many members does the choir have at this time? Can you give me some details about the range of experience, backgrounds, and ages of choir members?
Right now, we have twenty-four members, but we have had as many as forty. We take people from all walks of life. We have people who have music degrees and have taken voice lessons. We also have people who have never sung in a choir before. Choir members must be eighteen years of age. We have had members in their eighties.
Q. How does one become a member of The Voices of Broadway Show Choir?
We have an audition process. Candidates are asked to bring a prepared song and do a vocal audition. I test the range and their sight-reading ability and decide from that. They also go through an interview process. We do a dance assessment, although candidates aren’t rejected if they have zero dance experience or limited abilities.
Q. Could you give me an idea of the choir’s repertoire?
Our repertoire is all drawn from Broadway musicals.
Q. Does the choir perform in one venue or move around?
We do two shows a year. In January, we perform at the Joanna and Peter Kenny Theatre at Western’s King’s College. And in the spring, in either May or June, depending on available dates, we hold our year-end show at Wolf Performance Hall.
Q. Can you give our readers an idea of what to expect if they attend your January 17th Show Stoppers concert?
Show Stoppers presents many of Broadway’s most famous songs. Audience members will know a lot of the music and the shows that they come from. The concert is highly entertaining, and it just has that whole element of familiarity.
Q. Is there anything else you think readers should know about The Voices of Broadway Show Choir?
We’re always looking for new members. In fact, we have auditions on January 21st. People can register for those at any time now. And, of course, we’re always available for hire. We have a public website where people can find out more information about the choir and look at some of our past performances. We’re always looking for sponsors, too. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, we offer several benefits. Information about how to become a sponsor can be found on our website.
Magisterra Soloists are honoured to begin 2026 with their annual Holocaust remembrance concert, dedicated to commemorating the victims of the Holocaust and honouring the survivors on Sunday, January 11, at Museum London.
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Nine years ago, I picked up the phone. When the call comes from a former student (and former member of the London Youth Symphony), I’m curious to see where innate talent and hard work have taken a person like this. It was a request: “Daina, my Western professor is starting up something unique. She’s brilliant, and the idea is great. Can you help?”
An irresistible request. Through months of meetings with Annette-Barbara Vogel and some of the most brilliant young people in London, Magisterra Soloists International acquired the documentation to become a non-profit charitable organization, with the mission of playing a significant role in invigorating and enriching the local artistic experience.
And what has happened in the last ten years?
Magisterra at the Museum: An annual series of accessible, educational chamber music experiences that strengthen community ties in London.
Sensory Concerts: Inclusive shows for those with sensory sensitivities, led by emerging Magisterra Fellows to promote disability awareness in the arts.
Magisterra in Schools: Outreach reaching thousands of youth, especially in underprivileged and rural areas, with live classical music exposure.
Fellows Mentorship: Trains nearly two dozen young artists in performance and operations for professional careers.
Young Performer’s Award: Annual auditions for local string players, offering stipends and solo spots at events like the Christmas Baroque concert.
What makes a Magisterra chamber concert unique? I’d have to credit that to Annette-Barbara Vogel’s amazing vision and circle of friends in the varied professions of music. Each program is assembled from a trove of world literature, and the performers are assembled for intense days of rehearsal before the concert. The result is a freshness, energy, and connectedness that is breathtaking.
This year’s program for the annual Holocaust Remembrance Concert brings together some chamber musicians you will long remember.
Joining Magisterra’s Artistic Director Annette-Barbar Vogel will be:
Brett Kingsbury: Dr. Kingsbury is a Canadian classical pianist and educator known for his work as a soloist, chamber musician, and professor. He serves as pianist for the Madawaska Chamber Ensemble and holds the position of assistant professor at Western University’s Don Wright Faculty of Music, teaching studio piano, Performance Research, and Piano Literature
Vera Sherwood: Vera is a Russian-Canadian violinist and educator active in the classical music scene, particularly in Ontario. She began her violin studies at the Perm Music School in Russia, continued at Moscow Gnessin High College, and completed her education at the M. Glinka Nizhny Novgorod Conservatory. Her work includes recitals and concerts in Canada, reflecting her transition from Russian training to a prominent role in North American classical music circles.
Jutta Puchhammer: Let me try to condense her bio! Jutta Puchhammer-Sédillot is a Viennese-born violist renowned for her exceptional performances and dedication to the viola repertoire, now residing in Canada. She has served as a full professor of viola and chamber music at the Université de Montréal since 2002, with prior teaching at institutions like Juilliard, Curtis Institute, and international festivals including Orford Music and Sarasota. Puchhammer-Sédillot has also led masterclasses worldwide and held leadership roles such as president of the Canadian Viola Society (2006-2014) and the International Viola Society since 2020.She earned the International Viola Society’s Silver Alto Clef Award (2019), the highest honor from IVS, where she has served as president since 2020, plus the Maurice Riley Prize (2006) and Canadian Life Achievement Award (2022).
Miriam Stewart-Kroeker: The versatile Canadian cellist from Hamilton, Ontario, is known for her work with regional orchestras and chamber ensembles. A graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University (Honours BMus in Cello Performance and Chamber Music Diploma) and McGill University (MMus with Matt Haimovitz), she studied under Paul Pulford and the Penderecki String Quartet. Founding cellist of the Andromeda Piano Trio and Kestrel String Quartet, she performs regularly in prominent Southern Ontario series, including Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Society, Guelph Connections, and Toronto Chamber Players. Her Banff Centre residencies, chamber awards, and innovative events like “Yoga with Cello in the Park” highlight her engaging, community-focused artistry that resonates locally.
THE PROGRAM:
Blues for piano by Simon Laks
Simon Laks (1901–1983), known for surviving Auschwitz as conductor of the prisoners’ orchestra, composed this likely in the interwar period amid his Parisian output of chamber works and songs. The “Blues” evokes a moody, syncopated idiom fitting his blend of Polish lyricism and French elegance.
Sinfonia Concertante op.68 by Walter Braunfels
The piece spotlights virtuosic interplay among the soloists against a string backdrop, evoking a “curmudgeon grotesquery” alongside hearty peasant vigor and high emotional torque. Its edginess and folk-lyric passages reflect Braunfels’ influences from Berlioz, Mahler, and Schoenberg, while rooted in his conservative tonal world.
Quintet No. 1 by Ernest Bloch
The opening Agitato surges with a gruff motto theme amid whirling rhythms and anxious microtonal shadings, cycling Brahmsian motifs into thorny, powerful exchanges. A haunting Andante mistico offers lyrical respite with long-breathed lines, flowing into the Allegro energico finale’s rippling currents and consoling C-major close. Extended techniques like harmonics, sul ponticello, and col legno amplify its raw, visceral string writing.
Every time I attend a Magisterra concert myself, I thank the fates for that phone call nine years ago.
What Magisterra has developed in our relatively small “City of Music” is a testament to the incredible powers of music. I was going to quote Martin Luther about those powers, but Billy Joel fits the bill about Magisterra: “I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity. It’s something we are all touched by.”
It’s December in Canada, and Mother Nature has already announced in no uncertain terms that she intends for this one to be a white Christmas. This also means the ubiquitous Christmas albums will be hitting shelves and streaming platforms with more of the same old carols that you’ve been hearing since you were a little kid, without much variation in the sound. London, Ontario’s Maggie’s Wake have made a statement of their own with the release of Close to Home, a seven-song holiday-themed EP, with three never-before-heard, original Christmas tunes.
Maggie’s Wake is a bit of a super group, (forgive me if you’ve read me saying that once or twice before), including two of Canada’s finest fiddle players in Tara Dunphy (The Rizdales and solo) and Lindsay Schindler (Rant Maggie Rant and Trent Severn) rounded out by the rhythm section of Andrew Kosty on upright bass and Kenneth Palmer on guitar. Kenneth was also the EP’s engineer/mixer with production by Tara and Lindsay.
(Pictured: Maggie’s Wake.)
The seven songs include a gorgeous cover of Gordon Lightfoot’s “Song For A Winter’s Night”, a handful of traditional/original Christmas/winter songs arranged for fiddles, guitar, and bass, as well as flute and tin whistle by Tara, plus three original Christmas songs written by Tara Dunphy. If you have not been exposed to the music of Maggie’s Wake thus far, you should know that these are four serious players! Their chemistry as a band is highly evident within the first notes of the warmly endearing “Ontario”. It’s a song that describes some of the best parts of being an Ontarian, like making snow angels and coming in to hot chocolate and maybe a “mini sticks” game in the basement or maybe a proper game of shinny when dad gets the frozen pond lit up.
“It’s dark before dinner but now we can play, I’m Wendell Clark and you’re Gilmour today!” – from “Ontario” by Tara Dunphy.
The beauty of Maggie’s Wake is their ability to jump around genres from traditional Celtic sounds to country, folk, and jazz. The latter is evident in the second Tara penned piece, “It ain’t Christmas without You” which sounds like it would be right at home on a Stéphane Grapelli album with its bouncy blend of Hot Club Jazz and Western swing vibes. The Line “they can deck the halls and trim the tree, but I’ll tell Santa when I’m on his knee, that it ain’t Christmas without you” is typical of the playful and clever lyricism that a veteran songwriter like Dunphy is capable of, as evident in the darkly romantic pieces she has written for her Honky Tonk band, The Rizdales.
(Pictured: The Rizdales. Photo by Paul Latorre.)
Interwoven throughout the EP are traditional song sets expertly arranged by Lindsay Schindler and the fellas, and they have that same sort of playful feel as opposed to old recordings of pieces like “God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman”, “The First Noel”, or “Oh Holy Night” that can often come off as staid and stuffy. The quality of the musicianship within this ensemble cannot be overstated! Two of the instrumental pieces were written by Lindsay Schindler, “Into the Shadows”
which is part of the “God Rest Ye…” set, and the beautiful title piece, “Close to Home”.
Rounding out the seven-song effort is another Tara Dunphy original, “Christmas is Coming (for you!)” which is probably one of the sweetest, yet cheerfully cynical new Christmas songs I’ve heard in many decades. It describes the stresses of the holiday season as being a holiday hyped by marketing execs and gives a nod to Christmas Music and decorations coming out before Hallowe’en has even passed. Like all the classic stories of the “bah humbug” attitudes of the protagonist, this song resolves into the realization that what it’s all really for is that moment when you get to step back and see that it was all about your love of family and friends and community.
Throughout the album, Tara sings naturally and almost effortlessly with a very controlled and clear voice. I’d hate to embarrass her by stating this, but she almost reminds me of Anne Murray in that she can take a song in any genre and make it her own, just from the distinctiveness of her voice. Don’t get me wrong on that; she sounds 100% like Tara Dunphy, and when blended with Lindsay’s rock-solid harmonies, this album has some of the finest singing this country has ever produced. There is a pretty good reason why they were bestowed with the Canadian Folk Music Award for Best New/Emerging artists in 2025.
This is my first real exposure to Maggie’s Wake, other than some YouTube videos and such that I have seen posted online. To say I am in awe of their talents is a huge understatement. Everything about this group and this release is very refreshing and somewhat wholesome, and is music you can share amongst friends and family, and also music that I hope reaches the ears of folks right across this vast country of ours. These pieces have what it takes to stand the test of time, so I encourage you to follow the links and check it out for yourself.
Please check out their Patreon-style page, where they are trying to raise funds for a trip to Ireland for the whole group, for a showcase in Belfast in the Spring of 2026. This is a chance for this hidden Canadian gem to gain exposure throughout the world!
The Beat Magazine 2025 