'Sensational' Twelfth Night coming to idyllic Leacock Home grounds

Welcome to August and the start of our last summer month full of art, music, events, and adventure!

Of course, See You on the Patio continues every Friday and Saturday night with lots of art, entertainment, and music to keep you entertained, along with the yummy food.

The Art Walks continue every Friday in the Peter Street Arts District, from 6 p.m. to dusk; and the Orillia Museum of Art and History continues to offer drop-in art activities, historical walks, and more during these times.

Hibernation Arts on Peter St. S. has MJ Pollak as guest artist for the month of August, and you can attend a COVID-cautious opening on Saturday, Aug. 7 from noon to 3 p.m. there.

Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. the Orillia Opera House (OOH) box office will be open for ticket sales, and information on all things Orillia. You can also drop in to see the latest Orillia Fine Arts Association exhibit in this lovely historic building.

Speaking of the OOH, you can get tickets there for Mariposa Arts Theatre’s Bard in the Yard, the outdoor production of Twelfth Night that is happening at the Leacock Museum, from Aug. 25 to Sept. 5.

I recently spoke to the director of Twelfth Night, Canadian-born, American-based Randy White, about the show, what the audience can expect, and more. Here is the interview, condensed for space.

OM: From working in America to directing community theatre in Orillia is an interesting journey…can you tell us about your career and what brought you to the Sunshine City and how are you enjoying it? How did you find Mariposa Arts Theatre (MAT)?

RW: Well, I’m Canadian-born and raised in the Maritimes. I’ve been living in the States for 20 years, but our family spends a lot of time in Orillia because my in-laws are here. My work as artistic director in Chicago is on hiatus through September, so I had some time my hands!

My kids were already set for a number of local summer camps and so it seemed a good time to get to know the local theatre scene. A friend of the family sent me a notification that MAT was looking for a director and I applied. Everybody associated with this production is so dedicated, amicable, and talented that I am, in all honesty, having a blast!

OM: How did the outdoor production of Twelfth Night come about?

RW: When I interviewed with MAT, there was an idea for doing summer Shakespeare at the Leacock Museum, but no specific title. I proposed a number of plays that I felt would appeal to the MAT audience and work well on the grounds of the Leacock Museum. I was most excited about Twelfth Night — I had an idea for when to set the show and how to integrate the house itself into the production — and I was delighted when the MAT board came back and said they’d like to have a go with Twelfth Night.

OM: What can the audience expect from the production?

RW: I think the first thing that will appeal is the setting. We make use of the Brewery Bay environs to recreate the majesty and mystery of Shakespeare’s Illyria. I feel so lucky to get to rehearse in the gardens, in the lake, and all over the restored Leacock home — it's really like nowhere I've worked — and I think the audience will just find the surroundings delightful!

For those who don’t know Twelfth Night, I think it will be a treat to experience this most approachable and funniest of Shakespeare's plays. Twelfth Night also features lots of music and our band leader is the amazing Neil Barlow, the music director of the Orillia Silver Band. We've actually set the show in the 1930s, in the early years of the Leacock House itself, and integrated music of the period alongside Shakespeare’s own songs.

The production has also been edited to a tighter run time!

Finally, I think the biggest take-away from the experience will be the level of talent on display. Actors and musicians have come from all over this area, and they are sensational. I am loving working with the entire group!

OM: Future plans for you, MAT? You and MAT?

RW: I’m actually directing another production for MAT. It’s Nora and Delia Ephron’s Love, Loss, and What I Wore. It was originally supposed to go up in the spring, but due to COVID times has been moved to a late October opening at the Opera House. I’m terribly excited about this show; it’s just so bloody funny!

I’m grateful to be part of the group and excited to make my Orillia directing debut!

You can get tickets for Twelfth Night through the OOH box office, here, or by calling 705-326-8011.

Live music is happening, and after such a long hiatus, the musicians are loving it! Local troubadour Michael Martyn is performing at the Grape and Olive Patio on Friday, Aug. 6 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., so book a table and come enjoy the music and the smokehouse food!

And local band Reay Music has just announced its first live show in 16 months, on Aug. 27 at the Bracebridge Hall. For tickets, go to www.bbhall.ca.

That’s all the room I have for this week! Send me your arts news at [email protected] by Tuesday at noon to be included.