If you missed Mariposa Arts Theatre’s Try to Remember show last weekend, you should kick yourself.
It was fantastic, as I promised you it would be. It had all the greatest hits of the past 50 years, some laughter, some tears. A perfect show. Listen to me next time.
And now, we go on to a myriad of other amazing shows and events coming up fast. So, listen up.
This Thursday, Chris Murphy from Sloan is playing at St. Paul’s Centre. Do you have your tickets yet? This will be yet another great show from Inside the Music. Get your tickets here and enjoy.
This Friday evening, there are Christmas markets aplenty, at Creative Nomad Studios and the Orillia Farmers’ Market night market. Just move from one to another and, on the way, enjoy the Christmas tree lighting at the Orillia Opera House, too. Markets are happening from 5 to 9 p.m. There will be lots of great vendors as well as entertainment and fun things to do with the kiddos.
Also on Friday evening, St. Paul’s Pub Night featuring banjo, guitar, vocals, and tiny bagpipes will be happening. All the fun starts at 6 p.m. It’s a cash-only event. There is a $10 cover, with cash bar and pub food, so bring your cash and come out for a lot of fun, featuring Sean Patrick, Michael Martyn and John MacDonald.
Also on Friday is the Decades of Bond show at the Orillia Opera House. Remember how good all that Bond music is? Come see it live. Tickets are available here.
Saturday, the Christmas market continues at Creative Nomad Studios from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Come out and support your local artisans for this Christmas season. Artisans, fun activities for the kids, Santa — this market has it all, so come check it out.
The Orillia Santa Claus Parade is starting at 5 p.m. that day, so you can go right from the market to the parade — a perfect pre-Christmas Saturday.
Saturday night, Mariposa in Concert presents 60 in 60, the fantastic Lance Anderson Mariposa show from the 60th anniversary, showcasing talented musicians and iconic music. Come and relive those glorious Mariposa days and the best music from the past 60 years. Tickets are available here.
Sunday at 8 p.m., Tim Hicks presents Campfire Troubadour at the Orillia Opera House. Get your tickets here.
Coming up: The fifth annual Orillia Regional Arts and Heritage Awards are happening Wednesday, Nov. 22 at 6 p.m. at Creative Nomad Studios. Come and celebrate the best and brightest in arts and heritage; they deserve it. Nominees are being announced daily through the Orillia Museum of Art and History (OMAH) social media, so go see who is up for these prestigious awards. And, come see who wins. Cash bar, nibblies, a chance to chat and mingle, too. See you there.
Saturday, Nov. 25, OMAH is hosting a theatre workshop, with James Fairbairn leading. Fairbairn says, “Acting takes training. It requires skill. You cannot just wake up one day and be a great actor. It takes time to train your eye and brain to look for action in lines, to figure out where and when to make bold choices and when to keep them subtle. Actors are instruments and their work is as complex as other crafts you often associate with trained skills like ballerinas, opera singers, and classical pianists.”
So, if you are 14 or older, come and be trained. Sign up here.
Also next Saturday, starting at 8 p.m., the Old Dance Hall Players will bring their unique style of improvisation comedy to OMAH. In the spirit of the TV show Whose Line is it Anyway? audience members will experience a series of comedy scenes and games, made up in real time, based on audience suggestions. From razor sharp to ridiculous and outrageous, this show will have it all. Tickets are available here.
Also at OMAH, on Nov. 30 at 5 p.m., there will be an artists talk with three artists whose work is in the Tradition Transformed exhibition there: Peter Fyfe, John Notten and Luci Dilkus. To find out lots more and get your free tickets, go here.
And, also on Nov. 30 at 5 p.m. at OMAH, join local hockey historian and retired museum curator Fred Addis as he takes you inside hockey’s worst gambling scandal. His book, Gallinger: A Life Suspended, is available at OMAH and on the online shop. The presentation and book signing will be on the second floor in the Upper Gallery, so come out and say congratulations and buy the book.
Finally, a quick plug for The Big Event’s second Back to the ’90s Video Dance Party. Raising money for local Christmas toy drives, this is going to be the most fun ever. It’s coming up fast, Dec. 2, so grab your tickets at thebigevent.ca today.
Live music this weekend at Couchiching Craft Brewing Co.: Cam Galloway on Friday and the Boathouse Blues Project on Saturday.
Have a great week, and if you have arts news, send it to [email protected] by Tuesday at noon to be included.
