september 2015 odeum magazine
DESCRIPTION
ÂTRANSCRIPT
A multi-dimensionAl tAlent who never
fAils to delight
The Magazine of The Rose TheaTRe BRaMpTon
sep
tem
be
r 2
015
THEATRECOMEDY
DANCEMUSIC
eXpeRienCe iT LiVe!
Where arguments are won with funny and with fact!
The DebaTers...
owns thAt plAce where country, southern rock And hip hop come together
big smo
the Rose Theatre App!
Check out events at a glance.
Find local restaurants for a preshow bite to eat.
Watch videos for upcoming shows.
Share your comments and connect with fellow patrons on the fan wall.
Just search Rose Theatre
Brampton in your App
Store or scan the QR code.
3BOX OFFICE 905.874.2800 rosetheatre.ca
contents sepTeMBeR
10 big smo
The self-proclaimed Boss of the stix
12 The DebaTers
hit CBC Radio show
14 ClassiC albums live
supertramp: Crime of the Century
16 Jann arDen
eight-time Juno award winner
18 CraCk me up ComeDy
Local comedians with one thing in common: they're hilarious!
5 serviCes & poliCies
8 sCene @ The rose
22 sponsor & Donor reCogniTion
FEATURES
EvERY MONTH
With gratitude for the purchase of specialized equipment
201510
14
16
18
4 odeum september 2015
Telephone Brampton City Hall at:
3-1-1 • TTY 905.874.2130
The Mayor and members of City Council invite your comments.
Wards 1 and 5
Regional Councillor Grant Gibson
Wards 3 and 4
Regional Councillor Martin Medeiros
Wards 2 and 6
Regional Councillor Michael Palleschi
Wards 9 and 10
Regional Councillor John Sprovieri
Wards 1 and 5
Regional Councillor Elaine Moore
Wards 7 and 8
Regional Councillor Gael Miles
regional CounCillors
CiTY CounCillorsWards 2 and 6
City Councillor Doug Whillans
Wards 9 and 10
City Councillor Gurpreet Dhillon
Wards 3 and 4
City Councillor Jeff Bowman
Wards 7 and 8
City Councillor Pat Fortini
City CouncilBrampTon
maYor linda JeffreY
5BOX OFFICE 905.874.2800 rosetheatre.ca
serviCes poliCies
our serviCe CommiTmenT If there is anything we can do to make your experience
more enjoyable, please do not hesitate to ask one of our volunteer ushers or staff
members for assistance.
bar serviCeMost events at The Rose will include bar service.
When this is the case, the bar will be open one hour before showtime and during intermission.
preorDer serviCe Avoid long lineups at the bar by taking
advantage of our preorder drink service. Purchase drinks before the show.
hearing assisTanCeDevices may be obtained from the Box Office, free of charge.
CoaT CheCk There is a complimentary
coat check located next to the entrance for Studio Two.
Free parkingParking in the Market Square
parking garage beneath the theatre is always free for all evening and weekend
events at the Rose Theatre Brampton.
Cellphones/pagers Please keep electronic devices turned off during the performance. The light from texting is distracting for other patrons and performers.
FragranCesDue to allergies and sensitivities, please refrain from wearing perfumes, colognes or other scented products.
Cameras/reCorDingCameras and recording devices are not allowed in the theatre unless otherwise specified in the preshow announcement.
FooD & DrinkOnly cold drinks are permitted inside the theatre. Try to unwrap candies or lozenges prior to the performance as the crinkling paper can be distracting.
arriving laTeLatecomers will be seated at the discretion of Front of House during an appropriate break in the performance.
babes in armsAre not permitted in the theatre, except for certain age-appropriate shows indicated. However, each person – including children – requires a ticket.
For the Benefit of All Patrons, Please Take Note ...
&
6 odeum september 2015
It was another summer of new possibilities and new experiences in downtown Brampton, especially with the reopening of Garden Square in mid-June. We do hope you were able to sample some of the City’s family-friendly Arts and Culture programming! There certainly was increased interest in movie nights with upwards of 700 patrons at many of the screenings. In case you were wondering, programming in the square will continue into October so watch for our lineup on the big screen and at www.brampton.ca/gardensquare.
To spread the movie experience offered in the downtown, City staff worked with Councillor Doug Whillans to open movie nights in the Mount Pleasant community. The response has been overwhelmingly positive with up to 500 residents enjoying time with family and friends on a given evening. Other locations include Chinguacousy Park and Gore Meadows Community Centre.
Rose Theatre’s 10th Season! Turning to the Rose Theatre, soon it will be time to take advantage of opportunities to try new forms of performing arts and entertainment being offered in this, the theatre’s tenth season, which will be sure to extend the summer buzz.
True, as you leaf through the 2015/2016 brochure, you might think we’ve gone out on a limb by offering entertainment that some might consider “off the beaten track.” To kick things off, we booked Big Smo from Tennessee. You might well ask who the heck is Big Smo and what does he do. Big Smo has found a unique way of blending country, southern rock and hip hop. He has over 30 million views on YouTube, selling almost 300,000 digital tracks to date, and even has his own A&E network original series. His is the story of a country boy catching fire in a digital age, where musical cross-pollination is everywhere. You’ve absolutely got to see that unique show!
Next up is a live performance of the hit CBC Radio show The Debaters. The Debaters features Canada’s hottest comedians going toe to toe, debating topics on the minds of Canadians. Part comedy competition, part quiz show and part stand-up performance, The Debaters is a clever combination of sharply crafted comedic rants and hilarious ad libs. The audience picks the winners based on who delivered the best logic and laughs, the best rhetoric and rant. Facts and force of argument can earn points but, in the end, jokes will likely win the match. Comedy trumps all and nothing is to be taken too seriously.
You also get a chance to experience Rahis Bharti and the Bollywood Masala Orchestra and Dancers of India. You will be taken on a lively musical journey from Rajasthan to Mumbai. Spirit of India is a bold new vision in Indian live music and dance. Audiences will experience a veritable feast of sounds featuring a mix of Indian and western instruments, such as bass drums, side drums, trombone, tabla, dholak, harmonium and clarinet, among many others. Another show not to be missed!
Warning! A number of shows have already sold out, including Jann Arden on October 2. Yes, Jann Arden! Oh my gosh, it’s great to welcome Ms. Arden back to Brampton.
Back by popular demand, you can attend tried-and-true shows including Classic Albums Live and The Next Generation Leahy with younger members of the Leahy family – sweet, delightful and totally entertaining.
What else is in store for the 10th Season? Since this is our 10th season, we’re working on some additional world-class programming that we expect to cause a bit of commotion and buzz, making Brampton the place to be! These plans will be unveiled soon. Although this is the beginning of our 10th Rose Theatre Presents season, our tenth year of operation of the Rose Theatre is actually 2016. We’re making special plans to celebrate this major milestone and you’ll be hearing more about that in the coming months.
We’ve had a great time serving you this summer and especially enjoyed seeing children delight as they experienced the City’s new big screen. We are looking forward to seeing you again at The Rose and know you’ll enjoy the live performing arts we have in store for you in our 2015/2016 season!
Best regards,
Bernice Morrison Manager of Arts and Culture On behalf of the Arts and Culture Team
For voting
us your
Favourite
Live theatre!
MANAGER'S NOTES
7BOX OFFICE 905.874.2800 rosetheatre.ca
For more information about volunteering your time with the Brampton theatres, email [email protected]
Today is the day! Rose Theatre Garden Stage in Brampton! Hitting the Stage at 8:00 pm with the band! See you there:)
LET'S TALk...While you’re online, sign up to receive our e-newsletter or subscribe to our blog (find it on the home page).
A Round of Applause for
Our Fabulous Volunteers!
Caught #JammersWaffleHouse and @BallRoomBabies at #GardenSquare tonight with The Kidlets. Love live music on warm #summer evenings. #living
Just saw a preview of The Vaudevillians, get your tix @RoseTheatreBram fast. This show is worth seeing!
Enjoying an outdoor movie at Garden Square on a gorgeous summer night! #brampton #community
Great night for Space Jam in the @GardenSQLive with our AIM kids & families. So nice to see everyone! #AIMReunion
Thanks again for having me Rose Theatre Brampton! Had an amazing weekend and hope to be back soon! Cheers!
A great show! Everyone should go!
FINALLY saw Confessions of @Redheaded_CSG tonight at the @RoseTheatreBram and it was great! Thank you for the fabulous entertainment Joanie!
@Kristaearle
@geekeryinvogue
@BallroomBabies
@ishtaWrites
@Marinteriors
BECOME A FAN facebook.com/RoseTheatreBrampton
FOLLOw uS ON TwiTTER @RoseTheatreBram #RTP1516
ViSiT www.rosetheatre.ca
upLOAd A piC@RoseTheatreBram
dOwNLOAd THE AppSearch Rose Theatre Brampton in your App Store.
Unreal show tonight in Brampton at @RoseTheatreBram Thanks to everyone who made it out, you were amazing!! #rockandroll #livemusic #bestfans
@veggieMamaCa
@roMsaiM
@rebecca Perry (Confessions of a Redheaded Coffeeshop Girl)
@todd Jenney (Shakespeare in the Square)
It was a fun summer in downtown Brampton! From the launch of the big screen to the three fantastic
in-house productions at The Rose to the free programming all summer long in Garden Square
and Ken Whillans Square, a good time was had by all.
scene the rose
905.874.2800www.rosetheatre.ca
Rose Theatre Box Office1 Theatre Lane, Brampton
Mon to Sat: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm Sun: Closed if no event
Lester B. Pearson Theatre Box Office
Main Floor, Civic Centre,150 Central Park Drive, Brampton Fri and Sat: 12:00 pm to 6:00pm
Sun to Thu: Closed if no event
Hours are subject to change.Please call ahead
or check the times online.
Odeum is the monthly magazine of the Rose Theatre Brampton
Managing EditorBernice Morrison
EditorTerry Bachtis
Associate EditorKurtis Wells
Art Direction & DesignVanessa Dhanbeer
ContributorsNick Krewen
David PatersonLachman Balani
Ashley Goodfellow
To advertisewith The Rose contact:Advertising and Sponsorship
o·De·um 1. A small building of ancient Greece
and Rome used for public performances of music and poetry.
2. A contemporary theatre or concert hall.
Photo credits: Custodio’s studio
10 odeum september 2015
on
The M
ain
sTa
ge I SEP 10
big smo: BiRTh of a JuggeRnauT?
by niCk kReWen
If he can help it, soon there will be no business like Smo business.
Big Smo, the strikingly tall Unionville, Tennessee, country rapper, Warner Nashville recording artist and star of his self-titled A&E reality show, now in its second season, says his juggernaut is just getting started.
Intending to ply the public with as many ventures as they will allow him, Big Smo, a.k.a. John Lee Smith, is already on the market with a barbecue sauce that will be familiar to viewers of his TV show (available in the lobby during his Rose Theatre appearance): Meat Mud.
“If you ask what Meat Mud tastes like, you might as well ask what heaven tastes like,” says the San Diego-born Smo. “It’s a perfect blend of sweet, savory and spice. It enters the mouth in a sweet, smooth texture and then it leaves with a kick in the a**!”
Smo says it’s taken him ten years to “mix and perfect” the condiment concoction, and it’s been 18 months since he’s begun getting it “professionally manufactured.”
“We were in the kitchen mixing it in five-gallon buckets for quite awhile,” he notes.
But that isn’t the only culinary item with which the former chef’s assistant and concrete construction worker is whetting everyone’s appetite.
11BOX OFFICE 905.874.2800 rosetheatre.ca
“ I’m not afraid to call it country rap. I’m not fond
of the term ‘hick hop.’ But good music for good people is what we like to
call it.”
“We’ve got our whole food development line – we’ve got Meat Mud, we’ve got Sweet Cheek sauce, Backwood Butt rub, country caramel, country gravy. I got a couple of jellies.
“I love to cook and before it’s all said and done I’m sure you’re going to see something with my name on it.”
And then there are the non-edible enterprises.“I’ve actually got a couple of movies I’ve been writing,” Smo
continues. “I’ve got a music-based TV show that I’ve been working on for the past couple of years, trying to work out all the kinks.
“Then we’ve got a True Mud clothing line, which is a mud camouflage item we’ve developed.
“Everything is a launching pad for the next great idea. Anything that we can jump at, you’ll see us jump.”
After toiling as an independent artist for 14 years, Smo tries to make the best of every opportunity, but says it all stems from the music: five albums of country/hip hop hybrid that has previously been tackled by the likes of Bubba Sparxx and Ridley Bent.
But Smo insists his approach is organic.“I never really picked the music that I make,” says Smo. “It
picked me. I was raised on outlaw country and hip hop in the mid-’80s and through the ’90s. I picked up on hip hop when I was just a kid and my dad listened to outlaw country every day, so I just became a product of what I absorbed: I became a Smo sponge.
“When you absorb those two genres and you wring them out in a bucket, that’s what you got – southern, good-time country rap.
“I’m not afraid to call it country rap. I’m not fond of the term ‘hick hop.’ But good music for good people is what we like to call it.”
Although he’s signed to a major record company, Smo says it was because they sought him out, not vice versa.
“I wasn’t necessarily looking for a deal. I had been an independent artist for the greater part of a decade. I was very comfortable in doing my own production and engineering my own records from the booth. I mixed and mastered my own records and got them pressed up myself. I booked my own shows, shot my own videos and did my own everything.
“I was in the construction business and did concrete: I just loved building from a job site with finished product, and I carried that same mentality with me over into the music.
“I started writing poetry when I was in high school. It was an easy way for me in the country to pick up the ladies, because they didn’t know what a poet was. I was pretty crafty in my words and then that poetry turned into lyrics.”
Big Smo eventually got the attention of the Sony Music and Warner Music publishing companies, and a Nashville talent agency that drew the record companies to his door.
“Warner saw the video Kickin’ It In Tennessee and I told them, ‘Listen, all you got to do is let me do what I do, and you help push it.’ They agreed to that, that’s what we’ve been doing ever since, and it seems to be working out just fine.”
Ditto with the A&E TV show that also stars his two daughters and his girlfriend, although he admits he worked a bit harder to pitch that one.
“We were filming ourselves on the road and at the farm and the antics we got into, the adventures we embarked on and the kinfolk and friendships we built along the way: behind-the-scenes episodes every week called Kuntry Living, which you can still see on YouTube,” Smo explains.
“We put it out for free because all this is, is a big commercial to help sell the music. And I had an attempt with VH1 and CMT and they had a horrible time trying to create a drama within our camp, because we’re a very loving and caring group of people that live much like a big family, so that didn’t work.
“When A&E came knocking on our door, we said, ‘Let us be in control.’ And here we are.”
12 odeum september 2015
on
The M
ain
sTa
ge I SEP 29
by DaViD paTeRson
Witty ripostes are in order as CBC’s The Debaters comes to the rose theatre.
With a federal election looming, it’s time for Canadians to confront the serious issues that face our country. No, not the state of the economy or health care. We need answers to the really crucial questions, like, “Which is better, cake or pie?”
Happily for Rose Theatre audiences, CBC Radio comedy show The Debaters is headed to Brampton to tackle such weighty matters. The popular show is about staging titanic struggles of wit and wisdom between some of the country’s finest comedic minds.
Over the last decade, The Debaters has built a loyal following among CBC Radio One listeners who like their comedy to be sharp and delivered with a hefty dose of reasoned argument – however bizarre the underlying logic of that may be. Located in the same region of the comedy continuum as the likes of Jon Stewart and John Oliver, each 30-minute episode sees two debates in which a pair of guest comedians go head-to-
head on issues that matter to Canadians.In recent episodes, The Debaters has mulled whether golf
is a waste of time, argued beavers versus polar bears and the merits of Vancouver men, and discussed whether all towns should have a roadside attraction. Issues of the day indeed.
Steve Patterson, who has hosted the show and moderated the debates since its third season, calls it an evolution of stand-up.
“Some stand-up doesn’t have a point or an argument to it,” he says. “It’s funny, and that’s great, but all the stuff that happens at a Debaters live taping has an argument to it, has a logic to it. Even if it is about ridiculous topics, the logic is still there and that’s what people like about the show.”
Watching The Debaters live will be a treat for any fan of the show. Over three hours, the CBC records enough material for three episodes on the radio – meaning the audience gets to see 12 different comedians spar in six different debates over the course of the evening.
the debAters: BriNgiNg doWN the house
13BOX OFFICE 905.874.2800 rosetheatre.ca
t: 905.793.7073 e: [email protected]
For Group Discounts Contact Our Group Sales Programmer:
t: 647.438.5559 toll Free: 1.866.447.7849
Whatever way you look at it, visiting us as a group
will put a smile on your face!
Groups HaveMORE Fun!Groups Save
MORE Money!
Celebrate with your family, friends, colleagues or customers and we’ll offer personal group service when you book for 15 or more guests.
Discounted group tickets are available for all Rose Theatre Presents performances!
GROUPS
SAVE
UP TO 25%
orGROUPSA L E S
R O S E T H E A T R E
GROUPSA L E S
R O S E T H E A T R E
Each of the debates lasts just under 15 minutes on air but they can run to twice that length live, later being edited down for transmission. The first parts to hit the cutting room floor are those that feature subject matter a little too edgy for broadcast, but in the live recording there are no such restraints – though it is still quite family friendly.
Aside from seeing parts of the comedians’ arguments that don’t make it to radio, Patterson believes attending a live taping offers audiences the chance to sample something that is rarer in comedy than many people imagine: a stand-up really thinking on his or her feet.
After the opening arguments, which the comedians begin writing about a month in advance, the subsequent quick-fire rounds are completely spontaneous.
“Stand-ups will often write their show and what they have is what they’ve done for a thousand audiences before,” says Patterson. “This is not like that.”
As Odeum went to press, CBC had not confirmed the lineup of comedians or the debate topics for the show. But, with a dozen performers onstage in what Patterson likens to a mini-comedy festival, audiences are sure to find comedians who will send them into fits of laughter. Of that, there really is no debate.
“ …all the stuff that happens at a
Debaters live taping has an argument to it, has a logic to it. Even if it is about
ridiculous topics, the logic is still there and
that’s what people like about the show.”
14 odeum september 2015
LIVECLASSIC ALBUMS
on
The M
ain
sTa
ge I O
CT 1
the Classic albums Live (CaL) band of musicians needs no introduction.
a perennial rose theatre favourite, CaL is known to superlatively
perform note for note, cut for cut, all the classic rock albums they cover.
“We are Canada’s best musicians,” says guitarist Rob Phillips unabashedly and I could
almost see the glint in his eyes through his voice over the phone. “Many of us have been
playing for years. I, myself, have been playing for 30 years, so we know what we are
doing. We can recreate just about anything as we have developed the skills necessary in
listening and reproducing the sounds just like they are on the album.”
by LaChMan BaLanicrime of the century!
15BOX OFFICE 905.874.2800 rosetheatre.ca
LIVECLASSIC ALBUMS
CAL’s group of musicians is hand-picked by founder Craig Martin and, as Phillips remarks, “We are great musicians, each having attained a certain level of expertise, and over the years we have developed chemistry through familiarity and we gel so well. We just sorta go in and hammer and bend the notes together and make a beautiful whole out of it that mirrors the original.
“We just know where and how to accentuate the notes. All of us have either imitated voices or picked up musical notes ever since we were kids. We play all over the country and in the US as well, and have gained quite a following. People just love us!
“We’ve done a lot of shows together and a lot of different albums, from Pink Floyd to The Beatles to The Who as well as Supertramp, and we are experts at our craft!”
Crime of the Century, was English rock group Supertramp’s third album and was recorded by the new lineup that co-founders Roger Hodgson and Rick Davies recruited, after the failure of their first two albums. Along with defining members Hodgson and Davies, this new group comprised Bob C. Benberg, John Helliwell and Dougie Thomson. Together they made magic and the album achieved gold status, being particularly well-received here in Canada, staying on the charts for two years and selling over a million copies.
The album was named after the last and strongest track, and is about the confusion, alienation, loneliness, rebellion and mental instability that youth felt at that time. It was the first commercial breakthrough for the band with two groundbreaking songs, “Dreamer” and “Bloody Well Right,” gaining amazing popularity. I remember school and university hallways reverberating with juxtaposed lyrics from the latter: “So you think your schooling’s phony … well you’re bloody well right … you’re bloody well right …!”
It was an out and out rejection of the schooling system in the ’70s, a very poignant topic of discussion in those hirsute and heady days.
The album also has another well-known song, “Rudy,”
“We can recreate just about anything as we
have developed the skills necessary in listening and reproducing the
sounds just like they are on the album.”
considered at the time to be an autobiography of Davies. Of course, the other songs are also extremely well known, including “School,” “Asylum,” “If Everyone Was Listening” (inspired by Shakespeare’s As You Like It) and “Hide In Your Shell” (about the loneliness Hodgson was feeling at that time)
Little wonder CAL has chosen this mind-challenging album with which to delight fans.
As usual, CAL will have a second set where they perform many of Supertramp’s other hits. Who knows, if you ”Give A Little Bit” of encouragement, you might just see yourselves having “Breakfast in America” right in the comfort of the Rose Theatre!
16 odeum september 2015
this year, Christmas has come too early for Jann arden: way too early.
It’s understandable, though, considering that the eight-time Juno Award winner and Canada’s Walk of Fame inductee, renowned for such hits as “Insensitive,” “Could I Be Your Girl,” “Good Mother” and “The Sound Of,” among others, has been spending a good portion of 2015 in the recording studio working on a Christmas album.
“It’s really bizarre,” Arden, 53, acknowledged recently from Vancouver, where she was putting finishing touches on the Bob Rock-produced project, untitled at press time, but out later this month.
“We started doing the demos for it first thing in February, so now I’m ‘Christmased’ right out.”
Although Arden didn’t write a new original song for the upcoming Christmas record, she is touring on behalf of her tenth and most recent album, Everything Almost.
Produced by Grammy winner Rock, Everything Almost tackles a number of topics, including mortality and everyday living.
“The song ‘Hard To Be Alive’ was difficult to write,” Arden admits. “I was listening to a lot of The Pogues’ music and Irish stuff, as well as Kirsty MacColl for months on end.
“I wanted to write something in that style, and it was challenging to sing, but I like the sentiment of it: what happens to a person’s life when things go sideways and go wrong.”
The Calgary native, who has dabbled in broadcasting as a radio host and written a few books, including her 2011 autobiography Falling Backwards, says her approach to songwriting has changed night and day compared to her younger years.
“These days when I write, I absolutely write for a record,” Arden states. “I don’t know how that happened. That’s just changed so much from when I was younger. I used to write all the time as a teenager and when I was in my 20s, but once you
by niCk kReWen
JAnn Arden: the soNg doesN't remaiN the same
on
The M
ain
sTa
ge I O
CT 2
17BOX OFFICE 905.874.2800 rosetheatre.ca
98 Queen Street W. Brampton, ONT: (905)457-4445 | www.sterlingdentistry.ca
Visit us on
“...for a lifetime of smiles”
2014P R E F E R R E DP R O V I D E R
OrthodonticsImplantsOral SurgeryDentures
●●●●
get involved with the business, it just changes.“Your career kind of forces you to have to time things
out better, because there are so many demands on where you’re going to be and when. So when I know I’m going to start recording ten months from this time, I really sit myself down and go, Okay, I need to get some songs written.”
Arden says she gets a lot of help from producer Rock, who challenges her and is apt to reject a song if he doesn’t think it meets her standards.
“I’m not used to that,” Arden admits. “I wasn’t censored that much when I was younger. He challenges me all the time.”
She also likes to write to a deadline because “it keeps me motivated.”
“When I’m at home, life takes over,” she explains. “You don’t necessarily sit down at the piano or grab your guitar and it gets away from you. But when you have a task, you have to get 15 songs on the table by a certain time. For me, it’s been really helpful because I’m really lazy.”
As to whether she misses the old days of being able to spend endless hours of churning out songs, Arden says … not really.
“As you get older your priorities change,” she says. “You’re simply not the same person. So I can’t miss who I’m not anymore.
“I cherish that time in my life a lot and it was really organic and chaotic. I was so broke and so determined. That’s what I did 20 hours a day: I drank coffee and puffed on menthol cigarettes and sat at the desk and had a cassette deck I recorded everything on. I became obsessed about it, and I don’t know if I miss that or not.
“It was a really odd time in my life, but an important time. I wrote hundreds of songs and I learned how to be an artist and to be a writer.
“God, I’m still learning how to be a writer – we never really figure that out, do we? But I think back to that time and I’m unrecognizable to myself. I think, Who was that?”
These days, Arden is in the midst of finishing off a novel she calls “a coming of age fantasy” that she hopes will be out on Random House in the near future.
Arden and her four-piece band will be touring intermittently for the rest of the year. When she has time off, she prefers to spend it indulging in her two favourite pastimes.
“Reading and cooking,” she enthuses. “They’re two of my favourite things. If I can do them at the same time, I’m really happy.
“Some of my books are a little worse for wear because of it,” she jokes.
18 odeum september 2015
sTu
Dio
TWo
I SEP 24, Jan
7, Ma
r 31
“Comedy is just funnier live,” says every comedian, always.
Actually, comedian Ryan Long said that specifically to this writer, who has taken some liberties in attributing the quote.
But, it’s true.Think of the energy that comes from the collective
laughter of 100 people in an intimate venue versus the laughter of just yourself, all alone, in your living room.
Long, who is a stand-up comic, comedic actor, director and musician, is featured as a host in The Rose’s Crack Me Up Comedy series.
It’s the second round for the series, which debuted in the 2014/2015 Rose
Theatre Presents season and featured sell-out performances with high-profile headliners, including Marc Trinidad and
Jay Martin among others.This year, series producer and Brampton-
based comic Neil Griffin returns to the series with a carefully curated show guaranteed to crack us up.
It features three segments – September 24, January 7 and March 31 – and brings
headliners Precious Chong, Marc Trinidad and Big Norm to the stage. All three shows feature a host as well as one or two opening comics (to be announced closer to the show date).
“I wanted to have a theme for each show,” explains Griffin, who has been producing local comedy gigs featuring both professional and amateur comics in Brampton and the GTA for the last several years.
The first show’s theme is “wacky” as Chong brings her hilarious rants about
motherhood, dating and growing up as the daughter of Tommy Chong. Opening for her
is Brampton’s Terry Clement, who has branded his very own style of “psychedelic” comedy.“I’m very happy and very humbled that she would
do the show,” said Griffin of Chong.As for Clement, he says fans know what to expect with
him – and those who haven’t seen him perform are in for a few surprises.
by ashLey gooDfeLLoW
comedy series continues to ‘crAck us up’
19BOX OFFICE 905.874.2800 rosetheatre.ca
SW15-010-Rebrand-RoseTheatre_F.pdf 1 2015-02-25 11:21 AM
“It will be the same old freaky-freaky with me,” jokes Clement, who merges comedy with performance art to high acclaim. And, although his material is well-rehearsed onstage, much of it will be debuting in Brampton for the first time.
“I’m a lifelong Brampton resident [yet] it’s completely rare for me to play in my hometown,” he said.
The second instalment of the series will be a sellout, says Griffin, based on the success of last year’s show.
Marc Trinidad will bring his uproarious comedy to the stage with the help of host Paul McCallum – and both comics just happen to be bald, which is the theme for this show. The theme itself will be its own joke.
“It’s really funny,” said Griffin. “They are both bald, so all the comics that night will be bald.”
The final show will see Big Norm taking the stage as headliner with Long as the host.
The theme for that show is “young comics,” said Griffin.Long, performing at The Rose for the first time, said the
audience can expect a “fun, high energy show” and joked that guests might see him “breaking down crying at least once.”
Though Long created and stars in his own TV show – Bite TV’s original show Ryan Long is Challenged – he has spent a great deal of time onstage doing stand-up and performing music. He
understands that the vibe of live comedy is something that can’t be replicated on a screen.
“When you watch a DVD, everything the comedian does is to suit the energy of that particular crowd,” he says. “Every crowd has an energy and a vibe the same way that a person does so, if you are watching a DVD, unless you are
in the exact same mood and frame of mind as the people at the show, you will like it more in person.”
“Laughter is contagious,” agrees Griffin.
“ Comedy is just funnier live”
Proud Supporter of Arts and Culture in Brampton
We take care of all your home comfort needs fast.
Call 905.454.4949 today.
P Furnaces
P Air Conditioners
P Water Heaters
P 24/7/365 Service
TM “ Reliance”, “Reliance Home Comfort” and the Reliance Home Comfort logo are trademarks of Reliance Comfort Limited Partnership.
Rely on us for your house, so you can enjoy your home.
sponsoRs & DonoRs
friends of the roseEva Andrews • Tamara Brickman • Nancy Coste • Barbara East
Harry Mays & Carole Edgar • Gail Fielder • Karin A. Henderson • William & Margaret Johnston Martin & Sally-Ann Kerman • Bill & Jean Lawrence • Elizabeth & Douglas Potts
Rick & Eileen Soo • Henry & Lucy Verschuren • Don & Heidi Wilker • Florence Wilkinson • Jim & Beverly Wilkinson
officiAl vehicle sponsorPolicaro Automotive Family
officiAl design sponsordr. C. sterling-Case, sterling dentistry
sponsorsBrampton downtown development Corporation
Brampton Cosmetic surgery & medical spa Brampton Guardian • Curves Brampton • Jazz FM 91
Langlois Financial Services Inc. • Prouse Dash & Crouch LLP Reliance Home Comfort • The Dusk Team – Richard Dusk & Bonnie Neely
The WORKS Gourmet Burger Bistro Brampton The New AM 740 & The New Classical 96.3
dress circle donorsLois Rice • Gottfried & Brigitte Schwarzer • TransCanada Corporation
AffiliAte donorsCharles & Lenore Armstrong
Justice Nancy Kastner & Bob Pesant • anelio & antonietta sincovich
AssociAte donorsGerry & Anne Bell • Paul & Dale Caverly • Jan De Grijs • Gordon Edgar • Chris & Michelle Hatch
Barb & Bryan Held • Courtyard by Marriott Brampton • George Elmer Henry Jim & Joanne Horne • Ursula Hopkins • Grete McQuaid • Klaus & Ingrid Sander
The Stephens Family • Francis Sim & Family • Ward Funeral Home
supporting level donorsNoel & Pamela Folkard • Jim & Sandy Henderson • Anne & Don Marion
Ruth Murray & Rollie Phillips • Louise Swinton & Richard Moreal
ROSe TheaTRe aPPlauDS OuR8th anniversary
SPOnSORS & DOnORS
RoseTheatre
22 OdEuM sepTeMBeR 2015
Rose Theatre’s presentations and programs provide a great opportunity for sponsorships that contain strong value-added benefits for corporate partners of various levels.
The greatest value of the arts is the ability to build bridges across generations and cultures. You have the opportunity to enrich your life, both personally and professionally, by contributing to the impact of arts in your community.
There is no Business like Show Business for Your Business‘‘
‘‘
Help Us Keep Raising The Curtain. Call us today to discuss your
Sponsorship or Donation Opportunities.
Advertising and [email protected]
905.874.2957
The Rose is pleased to welcome our Official Vehicle Sponsor Policaro Automotive Family
Francesco Policaro and Anthony Poole
sponsoRship
RoseTheatre
rose theatre
DonationsPlease consider making a tax-deductible gift
to the Rose Theatre Brampton. Your donation brings world-class entertainment to our stage
and it also enriches the whole community. We need your support to remain the vibrant community resource so many
have come to depend on.
When you give to We give BaCK!The Rose,
*Call for more information on the benefits of gifts above $1000.
Official tax receipt for the maximum allowable amount
under Canada Revenue Agency guidelines
Home delivery or Emailing of Odeum
Magazine
Name recognition in Odeum magazine
Advanced ticket purchase opportunity for the Rose Theatre
Presents Season
Commemorative pin
Permanent recognition on a Sponsor/Donor Anniversary Plaque
Invitation for two to attend our Sponsor/Donor Appreciation
Reception
Rose Donor$50-$99
Benefits of Donating to the Rose Theatre
Friends ofThe Rose
$100-$249
SupportingLevel
$250-$499
AssociateLevel
$500-$999*
A contribution that will honour the theatre lover in your life for years to come.
reserve your seat noW.
Premium Seats: $1000Orchestra & Mezzanine Seats: $800
Balcony Seats: $500
Every seat dedication includes a tax receipt, commemorative pin, and brass plaque
on the seat of your choice.
CaLL the BoX oFFiCe anytiMeto MaKe your Donation:
905.874.2800
save a seatFor soMeone you Love.
Complete Lexus Price $44,126 *Taxes and licensing extra.
Call 1-877-331-1089 today or visit northwestlexus.com
*Complete Lexus price for a 2015 NX is $44,126. Complete Lexus price includes freight and PDI of $2,045, EHF (tires) of $27, A/C tax of $100, OMVIC fee of $5 and Documentation fee of $499. Taxes, licence, registration (if applicable) and insurance are extra. Factory order may be required. Offers are subject to change without notice. See Northwest Lexus for full details or visit www.northwestlexus.com.
Northwest Lexus is the official vehicle provider of the Rose Theatre and proud supporter of the William Osler Health System Foundation.
2280 Queen Street East, BramptonMinutes from the 407 and Airport Road
northwestlexus.com
Standard features now include: • 2.0L Inline 4 Turbocharged engine• Backup camera • LED Headlamps • Drive Mode Select
• 235HP
UNSPOKEN STYLE
Introducing the all-new
2015 NX 200t
FSPORT Model Shown