july 2009 fix magazine

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J uly , 2009 • V olume 1.4 C omplimentary Jean-Yves Hudon sharing the beauty of the Sarnia-Lambton area SARNIA-LAMBTON ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

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Sarnia-Lambton's only source for arts and entertainment.

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July, 2009 • Volume 1.4 Complimentary

Jean-Yves Hudonsharing the beauty of the Sarnia-Lambton area

SARNIA-LAMBTON ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

And have you thought that one smile could help them, could save their life or make someone realize that everything is going to be okay. There IS light at the end of the tunnel, their exit IS coming up and traffic is moving just fine beyond the construction zone. This stranger’s life, this perfect thing, this dark thing, flies by you, stops beside you and might never pass you again but at least for that one second, that one glance, you are both connected. You both understand each other, you are both experiencing the same thing: traffic on the road and traffic on the road of life. For that single moment, you silently wonder “what’s his problem?” “What’s he looking at?” “Where is she going and where has she been?” For one moment, you are one with the stranger in the car beside you who also looks away the instant you make eye contact and realize “uh-oh, they just saw me looking at them.” The moment passes, and you move on to experience the same thing with a new stranger; a new life. If you ever have the chance, when you’re stopped in that construction zone or at a red light, when you’re stuck in bridge traffic staring straight ahead like a programmed machine, thinking over and over in your head, “when will I get to start moving again?,” turn and say “hello” to the person next to you. Have the guts to smile at someone you don’t know and take that chance to appreciate them. You could make a friend. Your life might be changed forever in a wonderful way during that normally wasted time. You might move forward on your road of life more than you ever could if your car was in drive going 120 clicks down the highway. Maybe it wouldn’t. But there’s always that small chance that maybe, just maybe, a word as simple as ‘hello’ and a smile could be the beginning of something beautiful.Stranger things have happened.

Graphic Designand LayoutCCI Studios

Darryl GrahamKevin Murphy

Bryan ReidPhotographyIan Alexander

K.C. ArmstrongMargaret BirdTiffany Freitas

Annette HoveyJean-Yves Hudon

Laurie JanuskaAllan KirklandJustine LaceyGuy Lalonde

Hailey McHargDennis Mitchell

Clouse Photography PetroliaBarry Prophet

Kristin Ray

400-series highways. There, we all see and experience traffic, traffic jams, accidents, angry commuters. But have you ever thought to look in the window of a neighbouring car and think ‘what would it be like to be them?’ What might have happened to this stranger beside me if there hadn’t been traffic, if there hadn’t been traffic jams, if there were no accidents this morning? This unknown’s life could have been altered, saved or ended had the traffic flow been different or if they had left the house one minute earlier or later than they did and if so, who would I be looking at right now?Every day we drive by stories, life experiences, possible friends, potential enemies, the loves of our lives, heroes, criminals, survivors and deep, dark secrets. And we don’t even give these people a second thought. How would our lives be changed if we rolled down our windows when we were stopped in traffic or at a stop light and said one word, ‘hello,’ to the picture of that life next to us? It could be life altering. It could end our lives in 30 seconds or complete our lives in 30 years. A story told by a stranger could impact you forever. It could effect every decision you ever make from that point on. And what do you think when that shiny new Beamer drives by? That perfectly groomed driver with the sparkling, expensive car could be the victim of domestic violence who has just days earlier attempted suicide only to be saved by the person three cars up. This person’s story could prompt you to change the world; to help. And what about that lady in the beat up old station wagon with three car seats in the back? She makes minimum wage but loves her job, is about to find out that she has won the lottery and is on her way to bring her cherished husband the lunch he accidentally left sitting on the kitchen counter. Who do you feel sorry for based on a single glance? What conclusion do you draw from a three second look into someone’s life? Things are not always as they seem. You could be driving by someone who just lost a job, lost a love, got engaged, had a baby; had that one day that they will never forget or will always remember and long to forget.

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Our Contributors:Writers

Ian AlexanderPatricia BarbetMargaret Bird

Lisa DanielsE. Ebbs

Kevin ForbesSteven Karcher

Allan KirklandAdam Miner

Dennis MitchellPeter Noble

Pat OvensJessica Pedlar

Trent RogersMaria Rondon

Craig StratychukAl Weiss

Paul WitherageCover art

Jean-Yves Hudon

Fix Magazine265 Front Street N.

Unit 411, Suite MSarnia, Ontario N7T 5S6

www.fixmagazine.ca

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photo fix

in the gallery

write fix

fix ate

music fix

reel fix

calendar of events

theatre fixation

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15-16

17-22

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26-29

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PHOTOPhoto review of the latest and greatest events found in and around Lambton County.

Submit photos to [email protected]

Sexy Laundry at the VPP

Parker Weiss of The Dominant Seven

Justin Gray at Artwalk

Stilt Walkers at Artwalk

MC Huey and the Collection of Cups

The Macho Tutu Orchestra

Chris Reid of Sticks and Clones

Gen-X With A Vision art show fundraiser

Korie Sheffer of Morbid Theory

Sunday Warfare

Jen Brace Adam Miner’s Cradle of Fire CD Release Party

at DNA Music The Joys at Norm’s Pub & GrillCauldron atThe Sarnia Scene show

Dennis Mitchell

Hailey McHarg

Hailey McHargIan Alexander

Ian Alexander

Ian Alexander

Ian Alexander

Justine Lacey

Tiffany Freitas

Ian Alexander

Justine Lacey

Ian Alexander

Kristin Ray

Clouse Photography Petrolia

RRAAW (Random Acts of Art Workshops) is a summer studio project for youth presented by Gallery Lambton. Working with local and visiting contemporary artists, youth will be given their own studio space in downtown Sarnia to explore, experiment create and collaborate. No experience necessary.

Contemporary art has an intimate relationship with the products and practices of popular culture: and who understands, investigates and embodies popular culture more intensely and authentically than youth? RAAW connects youth to creative urban action and expression. RAAW provides youth an opportunity to create, to explore and to be heard.

Inspired by the TaBoo festival held at Gallery Lambton during ArtWalk, RAAW will provide youth (ages 14 to 18) with a positive and creative means to make themselves visible in the community. An off-site, street level space is being transformed into the studio space: a space for young artists to collaborate, share and experience the creative process alongside other young local artists. Intensive workshops in everything from graffiti

“Sound art is essentially the practice of using the sounds around us as if they were musical instruments. We can create melodies, rhythms and atmospheres with anything from machine sounds to dog barks.” Having taught at Toronto’s Urban Studies Centre, the Algoma Traditional Dance & Music Camp and the Joey and Toby Tanenbaum Opera Centre, Barry Prophet is bringing his expertise to the Lawrence House Centre for the Arts. As August’s Artist in Residence, he will be conducting workshops on MAC computers. Titled Sound Creation, participants are invited to “learn to take everyday sounds and create ‘soundscapes’ which begin the week of August 10th and continue for two weeks. Classes for children and adults are available.

He says, “The goal of the residency is to make sound art. I’ve made a sound library for workshop participants that they can use as source for making multi-track compositions in Audacity, an open source free audio software. Of course people are welcome to bring their own sounds if they have them. If we have time we may go out and do some field recording.”

Barry Prophet is an artist whose career includes writing musical scores for theatrical productions throughout North America including the National Ballet and Canadian Opera Company and creating unique musical art installations such as The Glass Box Show which toured for 15 years. This featured 52 glass notes inside a glass cube and was first exhibited at the Ontario Science Centre.

Another of Prophet’s unique exhibits is a bicycle powered electro-acoustic sculpture titled Synthecycletron which was shown on the Toronto Islands as part of a ‘sound sculpture walk’ exhibit.

Titled Dwellings and Incursions: Natural Selection & Community, Barry Prophet’s multi-media integrated arts installation will be exhibited at The Lawrence House Centre for the Arts beginning on First Friday, July 7 and will feature a live performance by the artist at 7:00pm. A preview of his work can currently be seen at the Lawrence House in the main foyer.

In addition to his work in audio/musical art, Barry Prophet works in photography which he integrates into his art. In his travels he has photographed many places and explains he is “very fond of Cobalt, heritage home of Canadian Silver mining.” Locally, he found the Fitzgerald Rig in Petrolia “a great source for

sounds and images.” Barry finds inspiration in “everything. I’m constantly watching

and listening. I rarely go any where without a camera or recording device, and often backtrack when I encounter a sound or image that attracts me.” He says, “it helps to have interesting material to photograph, especially when you are trying to tell a story, which I’m usually doing but once I’m looking through the lens, everything is interesting. I don’t think it’s so much about what you’re looking at or listening to but how you see and hear.”

to comic strip imagery, from parkour training to urban sound sculpture, from video art to wearable art and zine production will be explored.

Last year, the TaBoo festival brought an unprecedented 3000 visitors into Gallery Lambton over the course of the weekend to see, hear and experience the creative urban expressions of youth. The gallery space was buzzing with graffiti and stencil artists, skateboarders, rappers, break dancers and crafters. This year, in addition to graffiti and stenciling, TaBoo added a parkour team that performed with our local Sticks and Clones ensemble. Parkour (the art of movement) is an activity that moves the body through urban spaces as smoothly, efficiently and beautifully as possible. TaBoo also introduced shadow casting, another form of street art that encourages the viewer to experience the urban environment from a new perspective.

RAAW studio will offer a series of three day studio intensives: Tuesday to Thursday from 1:00 to 9:00pm each week and an open creative drop-in space on Friday afternoons from 1:00 to 5:00pm. Youth will be immersed in the creative process led by individuals who are young contemporary practicing artists (local and visiting) focused on collaborative art based projects and the creative process rather than on the end product. The intensives will be collaborative, project driven activities that provide a vehicle for creative thinking and problem solving. A number of visiting artists are lining up to enhance the studio experience.

RAAW will offer a space where young voices can be heard, ideas accepted and skills and talents discovered. It will offer a forum for youth to experience meaningful public affirmation while developing a sense of pride and belonging in their community. Opportunities to engage the broader community through exhibitions at Gallery Lambton, art based projects and business partnerships are planned.

Sign up now as spaces in the studio are limited. Call the Gallery at (519) 336-8127 for details, find us on FaceBook or call and join our e-blast list.

Lisa Daniels

Dennis Mitchellpublic spaces and hidden places:wows the Lawrence House

RAAW Barry ProphetRandom Acts of Art Workshops

To register for Barry Prophet’s workshops, contactThe Lawrence House Centre for the Artsat 519-337-0507

art is everywhereBarry Prophet

Guy Lalonde

T The passion of red, the calming effect of blues and greens. Colour generates a response. A friend of mine painted her bathroom a bright, pulsing lime green to help her wake up in the morning. I think I popped a blood vessel in my eye the first time she flicked the switch on to show me. Alternately, the absence of colour can also be impacting. Ansel Adams’ work in black and white is incredible. Architecture seems more impressive without colour. It’s simply about the effect you want your image to have. Photoshop offers unlimited ways of adjusting your photo’s colour properties. The old photos and tintypes in the early days of photography had a sepia look to them as a result of the processing and it’s a simple matter to create that look and feel with just a few steps in Photoshop. Again, its important to match the effect to the image but you’re never limited by strict rules when you create something new from a photo. If you missed last month’s article, track down a copy of Fix in print or online, as we discussed the power of layers to adjust your photo without editing the original. That’s a crucial step for ultimate control of your editing process. When it comes to colour and image tones, it’s pretty subjective. Today’s modern digital cameras tend to pump a lot of saturation into photos. We are going to look at the Hue/Saturation pallet quite a bit in this tutorial and its a very powerful way to correct a poorly saturated photo or add that extra effect to it. Fire up Photoshop and open up your favorite colour image. Now, whenever I would follow along on tutorials when I was learning Photoshop, I would be confused and disappointed when my effect didn’t come out exactly the way the tutorial

image did. Even if I followed the steps to the letter, I couldn’t get exactly the same effect on my image. Then I realized that the author had selected a particular image that was best suited to the effect he or she was trying to demonstrate and mine may not have been the best to use. So if your image looks different, or not quite what you’re looking for, try tweaking the effect sliders a bit. I’ll show you what I mean by that. Got your image open? Good. Now make a copy of the image in the layers pallet by clicking on the thumbnail of the image beside the Background layer and dragging it to the little box to the left of the garbage can on the right, as shown in Figure A. You should see a new layer called Background Copy. Now you have a safe way to edit your photo without messing anything up if you want to start over. Now look at the adjustment layer, and click the icon for Hue/Saturation (The second icon in the middle row). Figure B. Don’t see the adjustment layer as a pallet? No worries, go up to the Title Bar and select Window and make sure Adjustments is selected. Bingo. A really neat option in the layers pallet is the ability to adjust the opacity of each layer. In other words, it’s strength or how much of it seeps into your image. Many times I will make a black and white layer above a colour one, apply my effects to it and then slide the opacity of that layer down to about 70% to weaken it a tad and let a bit of the colour seep through from underneath it. This is very handy when you want to vary the strength of any effect. I use it all the time. Let’s try it now with you image. You should have the new layer and the Hue/Saturation layer in your layers pallet. Make sure the Hue/Saturation layer you created is selected and move the hue slider over in the workbox above it (or if you have an earlier version of Photoshop, it may open a new slider box for you) until you have a ghastly green colour. If it’s a shot of a person, go for that Incredible Hulk green. Now toward the top right of the layers pallet you see a box that says opacity. Click it and drag the opacity down with the slider to, oh I dunno, 40% or so. Presto. The Matrix Effect. Now remember that your image may need a different amount on the slider, it’s all relative to your picture and your taste. This is the same idea for how to add a cool sepia effect to your image like the tree shot. Reset your Hue/Saturation layer’s opacity back to 100% (full strength) and select the little checkbox in the layers pallet called Colorize. Well that’s weird, it kind of does the opposite of colouring and makes it all one shade of colour. What you have done is actually colour the hue you selected in your slider bar over the whole image in various levels of light and dark shades. Now slide the hue slider over to the left between the orange and yellow portion and you’ve got yourself a sepia image. Slide it around till you get a hue that you like and you’re looking good. But you can add a bit more to the authenticity of your image by doing one more step. Take that copied layer you have thats sitting above the background layer and drag it to the new layer icon again. You should have another layer right above it now. Two copies and a background in total. Click on the adjustment layer icon again

and you will have two adjustment layers. It should look like Figure C. Select the adjustment layer right above your newest copy layer of the image (it probably says Hue/Saturation 2) and slide the saturation all the way to 0% to give you a black and white image. Now click on the other saturation layer and making sure that Colorize is still selected. Slowly slide the opacity down (top right of the pallet) and watch the effect on the image. You are weakening the sepia tone layer a bit, and allowing the black and white layer underneath to show through. It adds a more authentic feel to the image by introducing some black into the shadows and a bit of white in the highlights. You’ve now mixed the black and white with the sepia and have an awesome effect. Why the extra photo layers? As a general rule and workflow, I always make a copy of the background layer right away and promptly ignore the original. That’s why you have three photo layers in this tutorial: one for colour, one black and white and the original. That way you could, if you wanted, reduce the opacity of your black and white layer to let a little colour seep through.You will never go wrong by having an original layer unedited for future experimenting as a starting point. It’s also handy to rename them. If you click twice, a bit slower than a normal double click, on the layer name, it will highlight and you can rename it anything you like to organize your work. So far, we have looked at globally adjusting the image with effects and colouring but next month we will look at effecting a portion or section of a photograph. Specifically with adjusting portions of highlights and shadows to correct areas of a photo that need work or perhaps a different exposure. Some very powerful tools and selection options are available that are easy

to use to adjust any portion of your image, big or small. Have fun editing, and try some of those other icons in the adjustment layer. Just don’t forget to keep your original safe, save your work often and if you don’t like what a specific layer or effect did, just drag it to the trash can and be done with it. Pretty soon it will hit you like a lime green bathroom just how fun and easy it is to use this program and get the effects you want.

a photo becomes art witha change of light

9

Have you ever considered the effect ofcolour on your images?

Due to all the positive feedback surrounding the photoshop tutorials, we will be extending this three-part series.

Figure A

Figure B Figure C

Allan Kirkland

Next Time - How to control light with photoshopafter you take the picture.

Office: 519•336•EXIT Direct: 519•381•3937

www.exitsarnia.com

Sales Representative

*Certain conditions apply. Call for details.

or I’ll sell it for *

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Shana Fellows

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ofpostscript

Why take the time to publish a photography book when one has a full-time career, a family to take care of and many other things on his mind? Well, it is quite simple for Jean-Yves Hudon, self-taught photographer. He fell in love with beautiful Lambton County as soon as he settled here nine years ago and since then, he has explored every inch of it. “I see the beauty of our region every day and wanted to share it with everyone” says Jean-Yves. His book, titled Postscript of Lambton County, portrays breathtaking landscapes found in Lambton County. A tribute to nature, Jean-Yves’ book truly celebrates the beauty of the area. “All I want is for people to see that Lambton is filled with life and beauty.” Here is a glimpse.

Sarnia poet, author, teacher, actor - Norma West-Linder’s contributions to the literary world are extensively acclaimed. Painfully shy as a child, Norma says: “The best part about advancing years is finding that past embarrassing experiences now serve only to amuse me.” These days, Norma writes “whenever the spirit moves her” – always with her small white Shi-Poo ‘Rocky’ by her side. Norma’s work has been published overseas, in Chatelaine and other magazines, and broadcast on CBC. Her poetry has been published in Fiddlehead, White Wall Review, Room of One’s Own, Quills, Toward the Light, Prairie Journal, FreeFall Magazine, R & M Journal, Mobius, and other periodicals. Norma’s greatest pleasure lies in writing poetry. “As someone once said, ‘There’s no money in poetry; on the other hand, there’s no poetry in money either’”. Norma is a member of The Writers’ Union of Canada, PEN International; The Ontario Poetry Society; The Canadian Federation of Poets; W.I.T. (Writers in Transition), and Past President of the Sarnia Branch of the Canadian Authors Association. “Freelance writing is frustrating. We do it because we can’t not do it’. Unlike athletes, writers can write for years. I hope my muse stays with me for a long time to come.”

NOVELS: • The Lemon Tree, Robert Hale & Co. England & Nelson, Foster & Scott, Toronto, 1973• Tangled Butterflies – as above – 1974• Woman in a Blue Hat, Simon & Schuster, 1977• Nahanni (co-author with Hope Morritt, Robert Hales & Co., England, Nelson, Foster & Scott, Toronto, 1975• The Savage Blood, River City Press, Sarnia, 1987CHILDREN’S BOOKS:• Corey, Vesta Publications, Cornall, Ontario, 1978MEMOIR:• Morels and Maple Syrup, Vesta Publications, Cornwall, Ontario, 1977BIOGRAPHY:• Pauline: A Warm Look at Ontario Lt. Gov. Pauline McGibbon (co-author), River City PressPOETRY BOOKS and CHAPBOOKS:• On the Side of the Angels (Fiddlehead)• Ring Around the Sun• Matter of Life and Death• Morning Child• River of Lethe• Editor & Compiler of anthology ‘Enchanted Crossroads’ (2006)• Pyramid (co-author)• The Age of Reason• The Rooming House• Jazz in the Old Orange Hall• Magical Manitoulin

WJean-Yves Hudon

Margaret Bird

writer profileNorma West-LinderJean-Yves Hudon award-winning poet and fiction novelistLambton-County

A man once challenged Ernest Hemingway to write a story that would say it all. In only six words. He wrote: “For Sale: Baby shoes, never worn.”Last month, we invited readers to submit their own six word novels. If you missed our original story, we want you to capture the essence of a feeling or experience in a distilled form. Take a story that you would like someone to know. Compact it and share your story with six powerful words. When you’re done, you can submit your six word novel to Fix Magazine to be considered for printing in an upcoming issue. We hope you will give it a shot and submit something great.

A

S

6the six word novelPaul Witheridge

Two US ElectionsHow I “Won”

Paul Witherage-- Then Swine Flu...When Pigs Fly

Kevin Forbeshe still lost.After the recount,

Computer down againPatricia Barbet

Mouse chokes cat.

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Submit your novel [email protected]

Norma West-Linder

Jean-Yves Hudon's book is available at Petrolia Mercantile and Tea and Stardust Book Lounge, Sarnia.

Publications by Norma West-Linder

U

D

E. Ebbs • Books generously provided by The Book Keeper

Damian Tarnopolsky is an accomplished and celebrated young writer. His short stories have won him considerable praise and create high expectations for Goya’s Dog, his first novel. Tarnopolsky does not disappoint.

It is 1939 and the unsuccessful modern artist Edward Dacres is feeling aimless and depressed. He receives an invitation intended for another artist and takes advantage of the error to leave London and head for Canada. Under his assumed name he is part of a cultural exchange of some sort with ‘The Colonies’, but he isn’t paying much

attention. Dacres is more interested in escaping his dismal economic circumstances and desultory state of mind. His escape to Canada turns out to be not at all what he imagined. His subterfuge has unforeseen consequences and Dacres finds himself forced to cope with various unfortunate and sometimes bizarre situations.

Tarnopolsky’s prose is intelligent and fluid and his dialogue is flawless. He has created a subtle character in Edward Dacres, a character entirely believable. Dacres is rather careless, more self-absorbed than self-aware, but maybe not quite as shallow as he seems. The supporting cast are an amusing mix of the pretentious, the petty and the sublime.

Goya’s Dog is a novel worth reading. It is smart, witty, fun and tragic.

Under This Unbroken Sky is brilliant. The book is about Theo Mykolyshen and his family, Ukrainian immigrants to Canada in the late 1930s. Theo is a hard man, inured to common difficulties by a life that has witnessed war and revolution. With his wife and children he is making a home on the Canadian prairies. He is hard working, perhaps even driven, and will not be stopped. The weather is harsh, there is too much rain or not enough, there are endless blackflies and backbreaking toil but Theo is implacable. Through every misfortune he works and he makes the land work too.

But there are other difficulties which can not be overcome with labour and perseverance. Theoís sister is farming close by, and they help one another. Her husband is another matter entirely. His arrogance and greed gradually drive a wedge between the families. An atmosphere of impending violence grows and the unrelenting narrative marches to inevitable tragedy .

As befits a novel concerned with simple lives and crude hardships, Mitchellís writing is clean and unadorned. It is not flat and colourless, but elegant, purposeful and moving. She creates a tale that is dark, perhaps even brutal, but inspiring as well.

An uncompromising story told in the most powerful, beautiful prose, Under This Unbroken Sky is a masterpiece.

book reviewsGoya’s Dog

Under This Unbroken Sky

Damian Tarnopolsky

Shandi Mitchell

Penguin

Penguin

II know it’s supposed to be Sweet Sixteen but that was last year and these are some sweet picks. In celebration of Future Pastimes 17th anniversary on July 2, I’ve put together a list of seventeen in-print graphic novel recommendations, each followed by a brief description of the plot.

100 Bullets: You are given a briefcase containing a gun, 100 untraceable bullets and a photograph of someone who has done you wrong. What would you do?

Acme Novelty Library: Each issue of Chris Ware’s brilliant alternative opus seems to be a different size or format. Makes for difficult storage but it’s easy to enjoy Ware’s detailed artwork, impressive design work and quirky characters.

Astro City: Set in the fictional city of the same name, this is the best example of stories about average people’s reactions to super heroes in their daily lives.

Batman: Dark Knight Returns: In this dark DC Universe alternate future, Bruce Wayne returns from retirement to clean up Gotham.

Battle Royale: This manga, based on the novel, puts 50 high school students on an isolated island to compete in a fight to the death.

Bone: This tale of the 3 Bone cousins and their adventures after being run out of their hometown, effortlessly appeals to readers of all ages.

Cages: This Dave McKean masterpiece has a story but the Sandman cover artist’s magnificent artwork almost makes it redundant.

Cerebus the Aardvark: Self-published by Kitchener, ON native Dave Sim, this 300 issue narrative details the life of the title character from introduction to death.

Daredevil by Frank Miller: Early in his career, Miller helped reinvigorate this flagging Marvel character. I think it was the ninjas.

Fables: All your favourite fairy tale characters have left their Homelands and set up their own community in a New York neighbourhood.

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: More fictional characters, this time from classic literature, banding together to oppose enemies of the British Empire.

The Spirit Archives: DC’s collections of Will Eisner’s classic newspaper comic strip featuring death cheating crime fighter Denny Colt.

Strangers in Paradise: A light-hearted but complex relationship story about two girls and their small group of friends with dark criminal sub-plots.

Vogelein: Michigan native Jane Irwin’s tale of the adventures of a clockwork fairy following the death of her maker.

The Walking Dead: A small group bands together to survive an unexplained zombie infestation. Some do, many do not.

WE3: If you’re an animal lover at all, this story of 3 lab animals escaping captivity after having been implanted inside weaponized cybernetic armor, should bring you to tears.

Y: the Last Man: An unexplained plague wipes out all the world’s male mammals except Yorick Brown and his pet monkey Ampersand.

sweetseventeenTrent Rogers

Image copyright Warner Bros. and DC comics

2009

living the dream

F“I aint afraid of no ghosts!” Those attending this summer’s

Paracon 2009 conference would welcome a ghostly encounter! Sarnia-Lambton’s first paranormal ‘con’ has been organized by psychic medium, filmmaker and author Robbie Thomas. He says, “I wanted to bring to my hometown the experience from those who diligently work within the paranormal realm and offer a chance for everyone to share their own encounters as well.”

Paracon, to be held August 6th and 7th at the Holiday Inn, will feature many speakers including Patrick Burns from Haunting Evidence, Shannon Sylvia from Ghost Hunters International, and Tim and Trish Yancy who host the radio show, ‘Encounters’.

Robbie Thomas will be holding a special ‘ghost hunting event’ at the Lawrence House during the event. He explains “Sarnian’s who pass by this different style structure now reflect back to years of wonder and desire to know if the hallowed halls are truly haunted.”

With his years of experience Robbie has some advice for

At the age of 14, Kira-Jade started pursuing her dreams of a career in entertainment. At 17, she landed her first big television role on Disney’s “Latest Buzz.” Kira-Jade had a chance to fill a modeling contract in Tokyo, Japan. She recently got the lead role as Sharpay Evans in Disney’s High School Musical 2 in Toronto. Since then, the local actress, singer and model has been called Sarnia’s best-kept secret.

While she loves to act and model, Kira-Jade’s heart and true passion are in her music. The young singer recalls playing little country music festivals for 10 people and after those shows, her mom would always tell her “don’t worry, Kira. Someday this will all pay off and you’ll be on stage with Tim McGraw.” This summer, that dream will become a reality when Kira-Jade opens for McGraw at Bayfest – quite an accomplishment for a 20-year old with dreams of having a successful country music career.

“I love all aspects of the entertainment industry,” said Kira-Jade. “It never hurts a singing career to be seen on television doing other things. I am just very careful as to what shows

aspiring ghost hunters. “First and foremost use your senses, go always with your gut instinct, one of the most profound tools we carry. Record your encounters with a digital or analog micro cassette recorder and always keep a log book handy to make notes.” Check out a review of Robbie’s film Dead Whisper on page 26.

or movies I choose to be a part of. I always want to be a good example to younger girls and boys that look up to me. I would never want to jeopardize my singing career because I

compromised my beliefs for a part in a show. I am very passionate about my acting but I would never let it get in the way of my music.”

The Bayfest crowd will be the biggest she’s every played for but Kira-Jade is confident that the show will be a success. She’s trying to enjoy the days leading up to one of the biggest points in her career. “I’m just trying to soak up this entire experience.”

Kira-Jade hopes to put together a full album soon with her producer in Nashville and says her

ultimate goal would be to sign with a label. “We are actually talking about starting to shop labels at the end of the summer.”

For more information about Kira-Jade, to hear her songs and to get updates on her coming appearance on CMT’s Karaoke Star show, to air around Sept. 30, visit her MySpace page at www.myspace.com/kirajade1.

For those of you who haven’t heard of Harmony, you are in for a treat. Harmony is was founded in 1995 and has since been dedicated to serving the youth of our community and helping them build self-esteem through the vehicle of the arts ever since.

The great thing about Harmony is that there are no waiting lists, no pre-requisites, no fees for lessons and all students are accepted. All that is asked of the students is that they simply “pay it forward,” an action where they pay back what they have been taught to the community through acts of kindness.

Harmony offers guitar lessons, junior and advanced choir, drums, concert & jazz bands, theatre, cooking lessons, art lessons, dance, stomp, keyboarding and tutoring and mentoring programs.

Now on to the exciting stuff!Starting this July, Harmony will be hosting a series of two

week sessions of Art Explosion Camps at The Dow People Place. Sessions run from July 6-17 and July 20 -31. Both will run Monday through Thursday from 9:00am to 3:00pm. Art Explosion combines many different areas of the arts including

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MUSIC

stomp, theatre and visual arts. Over the course of two weeks, the campers will write scripts, build sets and choreograph dances in preparation to put on a final performance for their parents. Registration for these camps will be through the City Of Sarnia.

Harmony will also be hosting a second month of day camps in August that will be held at the Harmony Centre. They will run from Monday to Friday from August 3 to 14 and August 17 to 28. Registration for these camps will be taking place at the Harmony Centre and the cost is $100 per student.

Harmony is also hosting its first annual Kite Festival on August 8. For more information on this and other Harmony programs and events, visit www.harmonyforyouth.org or contact them by phone at (519) 336-0344.

Harmony creating an inner peace or calm

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It is meant to be a sassy song about indifference’ says Alvernia. Now having finished their tour, these guys are ready to hit the stage with KISS as their excitement grows bigger and bigger each day approaching to this summer’s Bayfest. For further information, make sure to tune in and check them out on their MySpace page at www.myspace.com/deanlickyer.

This four piece rock ‘n’ roll band from Hamilton, Ontario has something new to bring to the music of today’s generation. A year and a half ago, fresh out of high school, Joshua Alvernia, Eric Martin, Justin Bosso and Sean Royle decided to pursue their dreams and hit hard at the studio in order to form their now new band Dean Lickyer. Having influences such as The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Who, and Led Zeppelin these rockers have put their best foot forward in order to make music for a wide range of rock listeners. ‘[Our influences] are all classic bands with legendary musicians and time tested compositions’ says lead vocalist Alvernia ‘We like a lot of recent artists as well, I implore everyone who reads this to listen to a band called the Avett Brothers’. As for their song lyrics, they’re very intriguing and not only do they pertain to their own experiences and thoughts but they could also be interpreted in various ways for all listeners out there. ‘Get your own’ is their top played song on their MySpace page which is largely influenced by The Stones and speaks of the indifference of a break up. ’I wrote this song about my indifference to a break up but it kind of translates to all things.

Eleven years ago, the Industry Theatre’s sound company’s crew from Windsor, ON sat in Stokes By The Bay and asked Michele and the late Jim Stokely about what types of events happened in Centennial Park, Sarnia. When the couple told them that the big event at the park every year was the Highland Games, talk came up about hosting a concert there. The Stokely’s decided to give it a shot and Bayfest was born. In its first year, just over 7000 people attended (this writer still has her ticket stub) but that number has grown tremendously with attendance last year topping 77,000 and concert-goers travelling from as far as Egypt, Spain, Wales and Germany to see the shows. What started as an idea in a restaurant grew to be a business that employs four full-time staff year-round, each working between 40 and 60 hours a week, 150 security guards a night and about 350 volunteers and organizers per show. Lots of work? We sure think so. Not only has Bayfest grown in number of attendees and employees, it has also adopted several new initiatives this year to help our environment and our community. Now, not-for-profit, Rogers Bayfest is introducing its Green Initiative. All cups used at the concert-series are recyclable and can be tossed in a number of receptacles including large fenced-in areas.

“People are going to throw their cups anyways so we might as well make it fun!” says organizer Michele Stokely of the fenced in recycle spots. Guests can also purchase refillable souvenier cups that can be brought back to each show. Attendees who purchase a cup are able to go in a separate line for beverages (and will hopefully enjoy a shorter wait time for drinks). This year, Bayfest has teamed up with a new sponsor, Johnsonville Brats, to raise money for a youth scholarship program. $1.00 from every sausage sale at Bayfest will be donated to the program. Michele Stokely was quick to point out that one of they key factors to making Bayfest successful is “fair prices. We’re trying to keep ticket prices at a reasonable rate.” Bayfest organizers even do all their own ticket sales in order to keep service charges down. Last year, Bayfest brought over nine million tourism dollars into our community. From Toby Keith eating fish and chips at Purdy’s to Nickleback, Sum-41, Blink 182 and Collective Soul enjoying a meal at Stokes By The Bay to Fergie having John’s Famous Breakfast, Bayfest certainly does put Sarnia on the map. Packages are currently being put together in co-operation with the Duc D’Orleans, area golf courses and spas so that out-of-towners have lots of things to do before concert time. More details on these packages will be available soon. Campsites, run by Bluewater Boxing, are available again this year for $30 a night and are a less-expensive alternative to staying in a hotel. This year’s Bayfest line-up includes Counting Crows with The Trews and Running Red Lights, KISS (who organizers have been trying to get at Bayfest for the past four years) with Dean Lickyer and Bobnoxious, Stone Temple Pilots with Our Lady Peace, Tim McGraw with Jason Blaine and Shelly Rastin and Brad Paisley with Doc Walker and Deric Ruttan. All shows are rain or shine. In the past, Centennial Park has flooded and a mini-tornado has ripped through the concert area but the show has and will always go on even if organizers have to pump out the park or retrieve vendor tents from down the street! The next time you’re in Stokes By The Bay and you see Michele Stokely, we hope that you remember reading about all the hard work and long hours she puts in to organizing amazing concerts and we hope you simply say “thank-you.” When you are at Bayfest, remember the late Jim Stokely as a generous man who worked tirelessly to give back to our community, contributed to our economy in the most positive of ways and brought opportunities here that we might otherwise never have had and as someone who will continue to impact Sarnia-Lambton in years to come. Fix Magazine thanks the Stokely’s and Bayfest staff and volunteers for all their hard work and congratulates them on more than a decade of successful shows! For more information visit www.sarniabayfest.com.

rock ‘n’ rollE

Thankfully a few businessmen who had heard the band came forward with donations: Dr. Erin White, Assante (Mick Jackson), RBC (Todd Youmans, Andy MacLaren), Sarnia Kinsmen, Bluewater Optimist, Point Edward Optimist and MIG. Overwhelming support for an Arts event!

• April -Fix Magazine launch.• May – Gold at The Nationals (Musicfest) in Toronto.

Adrien Potvin won an honour award for outstanding achievement.

• 90- minute concert at Musicfest’s Annual Jazz Dinner. Audience consisted of jazz musicians and their teachers from across the country.

The talent of these musicians is a reflection of their dedication and a testament to the efforts of their respective music teachers in Sarnia/Lambton.

The Trews

Ribfest 2009watch for the Dominant Seven at

Kim Mitchell has been to my studio. It wasn’t my studio then - it was my grandparents north-end house and I imagine Kim was there for one of the parties my mothers’ older siblings was throwing. It’s not my studio now either; having moved onto my downtown location over a year ago. I miss the little basement. A lot of fun records were made there.

You can almost hear a chorus of audio animatronic children sing as I approach the central theme for this month’s article. It is a small world after all. This axiom couldn’t be anymore accurate when applied to the local music industry. It isn’t merely narcissistic posturing when I say I have friends who have worked with Lou Reed, The MC5 and Hawksley Workman; friends who have penned hit singles or become members of the Grand Ole Oprey.

One can unlock the secret to success by watching how they approach living day to day life. They found a way to live their dream through the tenacity of their passion and their ability to network. Not the self-ingratiating networking that countless managerial guides encourage disingenuous MBA’s to undertake, but the kind of networking that artists undertake day in and day out in this community. I’ve noticed that the people who have the most success doing what they love to do are also the ones who keep showing up. They’re at shows, CD release parties and are more than involved: they’re super involved. If I came home from an extensive world-tour and hadn’t been home in months, the last thing I would do is hit the local pub for open-mic night. But there’s Mike Stevens. Harp in hand or not: The man’s presence is proof of an absolute commitment to music.

Above all else I have been a fan. What little success I have experienced has a lot to do with the fact that I am an enormous fan of those around me. The people I look up to are usually in the room with me: I play poker with my favourite songwriters. One of the most compelling singers in the country performs

The Trews will be opening for The Counting Crows at Bayfest on July 9. They were kind enough to answer a few questions for Fix.

Fix: What is the story behind the name of the band?Colin: Trews is a Scottish word that means tight fitting tartan

pants.F: How did you meet and how long have you been together?C: I’ve known my brother (guitar) since he he was born, I

met Jack (bass) when I was about 4, met my second cousin Sean (drummer) around the same time. JA, Jack and myself formed a cover band in high school and really liked it so we’ve been playing together ever since, Sean joined the group in 2001 and that’s when the Trews came to be.

F: Your latest album is full of tracks that are a lot heavier than ones you have created in the past. How would you best describe the evolution of your music? Why did you decide to take this route?

C: We just wanted to make a straight ahead rock album, it’s the kind of music we like the best. We’re always trying to make good rock n roll that’s what drives us.

F: What is the craziest thing a fan has ever done at a show?C: A couple of young girls had signs at a gig that read “Colin

let’s go splits on a baby”, they were really young, it was weird.F: What has been your most memorable rockstar moment?

The Dominant Seven Jazz Band From the Basement to National Gold in 10 months. By Al Weiss

The Dominant Seven are NCIVS’s Parker Weiss-Trumpet, Sarah Robertson-Alto Sax, Erica Gagne-Piano/Flute, LCCVI’s Cory Sitek-Tenor Sax, from St. Pat’s, Miles Potvin-Drums, Adrien Potvin-Basses and from St. Clair, Gerrit van Klaveren -Baritone sax.

Last July, my son Parker and I decided to see if we could get some kids to ‘jam’ in the basement playing jazz/blues. Here’s some of what followed:

• Blackwater Café - First Fridays in August and September performing to a full house.

• October - Graig Earle and band from Europe - ‘GOO!’. Sold Out!

• November/December/February - Ups N’ Downs dinner jazz

• December - Lawrence House – no conductor!• March - ‘Gold’ at the GTA Regionals. Arggh! Fundraising!

C: We played a Molson Canadian secret show in Timmins, Ontario back in 2005. Rumor amongst the locals at the time was that the surprise act was the Black Eyed Peas. When we stepped out on the stage there was an awkward moment were the crowd seemed surprised and a little disappointed. After our opening song we had them in the palms of our hands and it was a great night. Take that Black Eyed Peas. I guess the other would have to be when we met and opened for the Rolling Stones. The other would have to be when we sang both national anthems at the blue jays home opener in front of 60,000 people.

F: Rogers Bayfest in Sarnia draws not only a Canadian crowd but fans who come from other areas of the world. What is it like to know that people are travelling from Europe to hear you play at Bayfest?

C: Awesome, the more people we can turn on to the trews the better....come one come all from far and wide!

F: You’ve played other shows in Sarnia. What is your favourite thing about our city and why? Is there somewhere in town that you return to every time you’re here?

C: The industry theater is one of the best clubs in Canada, we’ve never had a bad show at the industry. Sarnia rules!!

F: Thank-you so much for your time. We can’t wait to see your show at Bayfest!

soak up the experiences from your

The Dominant Seven Jazz Band

around the corner from my apartment. When I lived in that north-end house I derived a lot of satisfaction that one of the coolest indie-rock records ever was written by a guy living one street over and that the next street beyond housed the closet-like home studio where an amazing prog-rock opus was recorded. Cool neighbourhood: within walking distance to the LCBO to boot.

Recently I got on a rant about a local show’s dismal attendance that mostly included a lot of familiar faces. These are the people you see out at every event without fail. I kept saying we need to reach out beyond just the die-hards. For anything to grow one needs to move beyond preaching exclusively to the converted. But I have a feeling these younger and less acknowledged friends who keep on showing up have a very bright future. The anticipation of seeing how they will grow, influence and contribute to our culture is killing me. No matter whom you are, if you live to soak up the experiences from your life in art you will be rewarded with more frequent and even deeper experiences as you go along. You have my word.

life in art

from the basement to national gold in 10 months

Adam Miner of DNA Music

Jessica Pedlar K.C. Armstrong

Al Weiss

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T

helpingThis spring, a group of local teens came together to form the

Youth Council for St. Clair Child and Youth Services (YC). The YC hopes to better the programming that the St. Clair Child and Youth Services have for youth and to aid in breaking down stigmas about mental health.

The YC’s first undertaking is Band Stand, a battle of the bands happening on August 17. It promises to be a major fundraising initiative and a memorable event for all involved. The YC is currently looking for bands and solo acts of all varieties to participate in Band Stand.

“Band Stand will be an event for youth, by youth,” says Holly McEwan, Social Director for the Youth Council. “We want lots of local teens bands, but we are also hoping for youth volunteers to help run the event. We are doing everything we can to make this the concert of the summer for local artists. So grab your

youth youthfriends and come out!”

If you are or know a musical talent and want the opportunity to be heard, Band Stand is a great opportunity to get your name out in the local music scene and offers great prizes for winning bands. If you are interested in performing or volunteering for this project, please contact Volunteer Coordinator Jen Bida at [email protected] or become a Facebook fan of the Youth Council for St. Clair Child and Youth Services for updates. High school students can get volunteer hours for assisting the YC.

The Youth Council currently consists of seventeen members, with eleven executive directors planning events.

Approximately one in five youth suffer from mental disorders, including depression and anxiety. Visit the Youth Council’s Facebook page for more details on the group’s mission to raise awareness of youth mental health.

Craig Stratychuk

T

Win tickets to Bayfest courtesy of Rogers Bayfestby emailing [email protected]

I

T

JREVIEWS

Justin Gray’s new album (released in May via www.amokrecordings.com) begins with a bass laden hook and rapid-fire percussion on “The Fade.” There is distortion on the vocals which make it more of a supplemental instrument than a lead voice. The speed of “The Fade” segues to a plodding bass and drum, brooding guitar and chirping synths on “The Tower,” which is one of this album’s highlights. It reminds the listener of Nine Inch Nails, with layered instrumentation that still manages a minimalist feel. There are also more delicate touches, like the piano on “The Memory,” along with its gentle percussion and whispered vocals. “The Center,” with its quiet intro and fragile verses, builds to a progressive thump as Gray calls out to “Send A Light!” Though the urgency of that line is not quite felt, some mixing could fix that. The layered instrumentation continues on “The Belief,” which also sneaks in what sounds like trumpets. “The Dryout” has a repeated riff and vocal and a wandering guitar that effectively prevents this from becoming a dirge. There are good meanderings through this album, but the songs here could use a few more hooks which is particularly noticeable in a song like “The Last Stone.” There are some beautiful keyboards but the phrasing just doesn’t quite grab.

The opening track on this album, “All I Ever Needed” begins with a sunny style and this is a feel that permeates the remainder of the album. Von Waldow’s saxophone, the brushing drums from Matt Giresi and the “whoa-oh-oh” chorus from Laurie Taylor and Adam Miner of the opening track set the direction of this album as an ode to spring. It reinforces the renewal of the season. The vocal style of von Waldow reminds me of Lloyd Cole and the song styles would not be out of place with The Jazz Butcher (minus the latter’s sarcasm). Songs like “All I Need Is Someone” highlight simple but effective solos, upbeat acoustic arrangements and major key harmonies. It feels at times that a Bob Dylan storytelling style is being sought but the grittiness isn’t quite there. A song like “Higher Ground” still sounds optimistic as it’s difficult to “beat the system down” with the backing chorus of “oh oh oh.” The treats of this album are the horns. The saxophone playing is very strong and is the album’s strength, particularly as played with the staccato horns combined with the syncopated beat on “I Am The Night.”

Sarnian Emm Gryner’s Justin Gray& The USB Orchestra

Wulf von Waldow

Slaves

We Are All Family

In a band? If you want to see yourCD reviewed in send it to:

Fix Magazine265 Front Street NorthUnit 411 - Suite MSarnia, Ontario N7T 5S6

Peter Noble

Peter Noble

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If you’re going to listen to an album, and I mean really listen to that album, not just hear a list of tracks on a disc or record, you should probably let that album be everything it needs to be. Don’t get inside it and let it wrap around you, let it inside you, make it a part of you for that half hour or so and then it will mean something. If you’ve come that far, you should probably listen to Goddess as well. Also, listen to more Emm Gryner after that. I will admit to not exposing myself to Gryner enough, to call myself a proud Sarnian. Did. Now I’m hooked. And I needed to make sure I didn’t just throw this review away on whether I liked it or not after one listen. I would feel awkward if I didn’t become obsessed with this beautifully brilliant lady, expose myself to as many of her previous 10 albums and study her eleventh to every note, beat, lyric and instrumental extent before writing about it. Did. Without comparison to previous albums, listening to Goddess makes me feel like I’m being tricked. It starts off with three very accessible songs; Let It Snow, a song setting the interesting, subtly reoccurring album’s theme of jumping back and forth from winter and summer; Goddess, an unflinching inquiry from the female perspective of a male who doesn’t know what he’s leaving behind; and Young As The Night, a song possibly about a sense of freedom while time seems to slip away. The songs are structured as your standard easy-listening girl rock songs are, re-crafted into something, well, earthy and more cultured, separating them from most soft-rock, verse-verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus simple tunes; most notably the wide variety of percussion used. But then, the fourth song, Empty Hole reaches your ears and you realize you’re dealing with something special. Something important. The catchy acoustic strum, light percussion and Gryner’s self-harmonies are gone and we are left with, well, an empty hole imagery where Emm’s harrowing vocals and lonely piano seem to haunt you. After a few stanzas of cold lyrics, Emm holds a hopeful note on the piano for 7seven slow beats. On the eighth, you can hear her foot release the pedal. Then the song EXPLODES with

crashing percussion and a mean, almost scary guitar riff. After a bar of this, Emm begins to belt louder than any Emm fan is used to and it is probably the coolest thing ever. The song dies off with the harrowing piano and vocals. After this song, the album seems different. The songs still bounce back and forth from happy tones and sad tones. Until we reach a song called Killing Spree near the end of the album that I’ve rode my bike listening to on repeat about 1400 times, only feeling more and more overwhelmed every time I hear it. The emotions in all the songs up to this point have kept each other separate in what the overall feeling is. Unlike Empty Hole, where we’re taken, very quickly from harrowing and cold to rockin’ out, in Killing Spree, we are kind of tricked into an emotion we didn’t know we were going to feel as it slips in slowly and unnoticed until we realize we’re already feeling it. The song starts with a simple acoustic strum over and over, with soft lyrics that aren’t quite happy but, with the gradual ascent of the song, slowly sneaking in harmonies and additional instruments, it almost feels like it’s building towards triumph. But before you know it, without an explosion of percussion, Emm’s voice gets louder and the lyrics become angry as the music still feels uplifting. I can only feel like weeping while being built up to “...your gun’s cockin’ louder and your heart skips a beat and no one’s listening. No one that matters any more...” being belted out with unmistakeable anger and love. What’s truly triumphant about the song is its contrast from it’s former explosion, Empty Hole using loud percussion and guitar; Killing Spree manages to sneak up on you and feel angry and hurt and full of love and life with only an acoustic guitar, a keyboard and her unbelievable wailin’ pipes. This album is absolutely successful in achieving pure, unmistakeable MUSIC with very minimal resources but with extreme, maximum girl power. Only from Sarnia, kids. Next month, read Fix’s interview with Emm. Catch her live on July 4 at The Shores Recreation Complex in Forest.

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• Canada Day Celebrations at Canatara Park (12:00-6:00pm, 7:00-10:00pm)• Canada Day Parade on Lakeshore from Colborne Rd to Canatara Park (11:30am) • Canada celebrations, Petrolia• David Cavan Fraser at Stokes by the Bay (9:30pm) • Lambton MainStreet Players at Forest Ampitheatre• I’ll Be Back Before Midnight at Victoria Playhouse, Petrolia • Sarnia Newcomers Club at The Lawrence House, Sarnia

• Acoustic Night at Paddy Flaherty’s, Sarnia • Rogers Bayfest features Brad Paisley with Doc Walker and Deric Ruttan at Centennial Park, Sarnia

• You’ve Got A Friend at Imperial Theatre Starbright Summer Festival, Sarnia (2:00pm) • Acoustic Night - Paddy Flaherty’s

• Harvest at the Victoria Playhouse Petrolia (8:00pm)

• You’ve Got A Friend at Imperial Theatre Starbright Summer Festival (2:00pm)• Karaoke Guy Guitar Hero Night at Two Amigo’s• Open Mic Night at Puck Around

• Guitar Hero Night at Puck Around, Sarnia

• Open Mic Night with Rick Steeves at Ups N’ Downs• First Friday Cultural Walkabout in downtown Sarnia • I’ll Be Back Before Midnight at Victoria Playhouse, Petrolia (8:00pm)

• I’ll Be Back Before Midnight at Victoria Playhouse, Petrolia (2:00pm and 8:00pm)• George Siteks at The Dow People Place, Centennial Park, Sarnia (7:30pm)

• CD DC at Stokes by the Bay (9:30pm) • Murray Andrews at The Colonial Hotel, Grand Bend• Karaoke Guy at Two Amigo’s • Mike Blackmore, Psykick at The Dow People Place, Centennial Park, Sarnia (6:00pm)

• Miles Fault at Stokes by the Bay (9:30pm)• Karaoke Guy at Two Amigo’s, Sarnia

• I’ll Be Back Before Midnight at Victoria Playhouse, Petrolia (2:00pm and 8:00pm)

• Ollie Case at Dow People Place, Centennial Park, Sarnia (7:30pm) • Karaoke Guy Guitar Hero Night at Two Amigo’s

• Tuesdays With Morrie at Imperial Theatre Starbright Summer Festival (2:00)

• The Heart of Broadway at Imperial Theatre Starbright Summer Festival (8:00pm)

• L.A.B.E. Cruise on the Duc D’Orleans Boat Cruise, Sarnia (7:00-10:00pm)

• Tuesday Night Jammers at Dow People Place, Centennial Park, Sarnia (7:30pm)

• Guitar Hero at Puck Around• Harmony “Art Explosion” daycamp

at Dow People Place, Sarnia (July 6-9)(Registration required; 9:00am-3:00pm)

• Harvest at the Victoria Playhouse Petrolia (8:00pm)

• Harvest at the Victoria Playhouse Petrolia (2:00pm and 8:00pm)

• 54•40 and Hydrosmith at Sarnia Ribfest, Centennial Park, Sarnia (8:00 - free concert)

• Sarnia Kinsmen presents 11th Annual Sarnia Ribfest at Centennial Park (featuring talent shows)

• Sarnia Kinsmen presents 11th Annual Sarnia Ribfest at Centennial Park (12:00pm rib vendors open)

• You’ve Got a Friend at Imperial Theatre Starbright Summer Festival (8:00pm)

• Cynthia Dale in concert at Imperial Theatre Starbright Summer Festival, Sarnia (8:00pm)

• Amanda Wilkinson, The Barnburners and Shelly Rastin at Sarnia Ribfest, Centennial Park, Sarnia (8:00 - free concert)• Rogers Bayfest features Counting Crows with Running Red Lights and The Trews at Centennial Park, Sarnia

• Rogers Bayfest features KISS with Dean Lickyer and Bobnoxious at Centennial Park, Sarnia

• Karaoke at Two Amigo’s, Sarnia and Puck Around, Sarnia • Hard Oil Festival in Petrolia - sidewalk sales and chainsaw carvings

• The Heart of Broadway at Starbright Summer Festival, Imperial Theatre, Sarnia (8:00pm) • Art in the Park, Petrolia

• You’ve Got A Friend at Starbright Summer Festival, Imperial Theatre, Sarnia (2:00pm)

• Alzheimer Society’s Memory Golf Tournament at Bonnie Doon Golf & Country Club in Camlachie

• Live Racing at Hiawatha Horse Park • I’ll Be Back Before Midnight at Victoria Playhouse, Petrolia (2:00pm and 8:00pm)

• Ontario Truck Driving Championships at Hiawatha Horse Park, Sarnia • Karaoke Guy at Two Amigo’s, Sarnia

• Sarnia Kinsmen presents 11th Annual Sarnia Ribfest at Centennial Park (featuring live music and wakeboarding)

• Guitar Hero at Puck Around

• Point Edward Optimist Festival under the bridges in Point Edward (details to come)

• Tuesdays with Morrie at Starbright Summer Festival, Imperial Theatre, Sarnia (2:00pm)• Karaoke Guy Guitar Hero Night at Two Amigo’s, Sarnia • Open Mic at Puck Around, Sarnia and Ups N’ Downs, Sarnia• Hard Oil Festival in Petrolia features racing and a free concert

• Greyis the Sky at Stokes by the Bay (9:30pm)• Sarnia Sailfest Canadian Yachting Championship at Sarnia Yacht Club

• Homemade Jam at The Shores Recreation Complex, Forest with special guest star Emm Gryner and more (6:00pm)

• I’ll Be Back Before Midnight at Victoria Playhouse, Petrolia (2:00pm and 8:00pm)• Murray Andrews at The Colonial Hotel, Grand Bend• Filipino-Canadian Community Dance Presentation at The Dow People Place, Centennial Park, Sarnia (7:30pm)

• Come Play with M.E. Karaoke at Picadilly’s • Lambton MainStreet Players at Forest Farmers Market (11:00am)• Harvest at the Victoria Playhouse Petrolia (2:00pm and 8:00pm)• The Heart of Broadway at Imperial Theatre Starbright Summer Festival, Sarnia (2:00pm)• Rum Runnerz Dinner Cruise on the Duc D’Orleans Boat Cruise, Sarnia • Acoustic Night at Paddy Flaherty’s

• Tuesdays with Morrie at Starbright Summer Festival, Imperial Theatre, Sarnia (2:00pm) • Shrine Circus at the Sarnia Arena

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• Karaoke Guy Guitar Hero Night at Two Amigo’s, Sarnia• Name That Tune at Puck Around, Sarnia • Christine & Larry at Dow People Place, Centennial Park, Sarnia (7:30pm)• I’ll Be Back Before Midnight at Victoria Playhouse, Petrolia (2:00pm)

• Tuesdays With Morrie at Imperial Theatre Starbright Summer Festival, Sarnia (2:00pm)

• Murray Andrews at The Colonial Hotel, Grand Bend

• Paul Clarke at Dow People Place, Centennial Park, Sarnia (7:30pm)

• St. Clair River Classic Offshore Power Racing, Port Huron, Michigan

• Guitar Hero at Puck Around• Until July 16, Harmony “Art Explosion” daycamp at Dow People Place, Sarnia (Registration required; 9:00am-3:00pm)• Keith Murray at Dow People Place, Centennial Park, Sarnia (7:30pm)

• Harvest at the Victoria Playhouse Petrolia (2:00pm and 8:00pm) • Karaoke with Kip at Puck Around, Sarnia• You’ve Got A Friend at Imperial Theatre Starbright Summer Festival, Sarnia (2:00pm)

• You’ve Got A Friend at Starbright Summer Festival, Imperial Theatre, Sarnia (2:00pm)• Acoustic Night at Paddy Flaherty’s, Sarnia • Band night at Puck Around, Sarnia• I’ll Be Back Before Midnight at Victoria Playhouse, Petrolia (2:00pm and 8:00pm)• Wayne Hayward at Dow People Place, Centennial Park, Sarnia (7:30pm) • Karaoke Guy, Guitar Hero at Two Amigo’s, Sarnia

• Kylie’s Kause Walk, Run & Silent Auction at Wyoming Fairgrounds (1:00pm)• Sarnia Sailfest Canadian Yachting Championship at Sarnia Yacht Club

• Open Mic at Puck Around • Open Mic with Rick Steeves at Ups N’ Downs• Karaoke Guy/Guitar Hero Night at Two Amigo’s

• Harvest at the Victoria Playhouse Petrolia (2:00pm and 8:00pm)• You’ve Got A Friend at Imperial Theatre Starbright Summer Festival (2:00pm)• Sarnia Kinsmen presents 11th Annual Sarnia Ribfest at Centennial Park (12:00pm rib vendors open)• The 88’s, Painkiller Jane and Citizen Erased at Sarnia Ribfest, Centennial Park, Sarnia (8:00 - free concert)

• You’ve Got A Friend at Starbright Summer Festival, Imperial Theatre, Sarnia (2:00pm)

• Band Night at Puck Around, Sarnia • Hydrosmith at Dow People Place, Centennial Park, Sarnia (7:30pm)• Acoustic Night at Paddy Flaherty’s, Sarnia • I’ll Be Back Before Midnight at Victoria Playhouse, Petrolia (2:00pm and 8:00pm)

• Karaoke Guy/Guitar Hero Night at Two Amigo’s, Sarnia

• HobbyFest 2009 at Sarnia Ribfest, Dow People Place, Centennial Park, Sarnia (10:00am - 4:00pm)

• Tuesdays With Morrie at Imperial Theatre Starbright Summer Festival, Sarnia (2:00pm)

• Rogers Bayfest features Stone Temple Pilots with Our Lady Peace at Centennial Park, Sarnia• The Heart of Broadway at Starbright Summer Festival, Imperial Theatre, Sarnia (8:00pm)• Bluewater Anglers Family Fun Fishing Day, Sarnia • I’ll Be Back Before Midnight at VPP (2:00pm and 8:00pm)• Lambton MainStreet Players at The Music House of Petrolia for Art in the Park (3:45pm)

• Tuesdays with Morrie at Starbright Summer Festival, Imperial Theatre, Sarnia (2:00pm)

• Name That Tune at Puck Around, Sarnia • Bluewater Cloggers at Dow People Place, Centennial Park, Sarnia (7:30pm)• I’ll Be Back Before Midnight at Victoria Playhouse, Petrolia (2:00pm)

• St. Clair River Classic Offshore Power Racing, Port Huron, Michigan • Karaoke Guy at Two Amigo’s, Sarnia• Borderline at Dow People Place, Centennial Park, Sarnia (7:30pm) • Live Racing at Hiawatha Horse Park, Sarnia

• I’ll Be Back Before Midnight at Victoria Playhouse, Petrolia (2:00pm and 8:00pm)

• Rogers Bayfest features Tim McGraw with Jason Blaine, Shelly Rastin Band and Kira-Jade at Centennial Park, Sarnia

• Tim Lucas at Stokes By The Bay• The Heart of Broadway at Imperial Theatre Starbright Summer Festival (2:00pm)

• I’ll Be Back Before Midnight at Victoria Playhouse, Petrolia (8:00pm)

• David Cavan Fraser at Stokes by the Bay (9:30pm)August 1stSkate Jam ‘09Tecumseh ParkSarnia, ON

23

August

SARNIA-LAMBTON ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

24

Details may change.

Before you travel, please

check with venues to

confirm events are still

taking place.

To submit a listing, email [email protected] event details and updates, visit www.fixmagazine.ca

and

• Karaoke with Kip at Puck Around, Sarnia• Live Racing at Hiawatha Horse Park, Sarnia

• River Crab Dinner Cruise on the Duc D’Orleans Boat Cruise, Sarnia (6:00-10:00pm)

• You’ve Got A Friend at Imperial Theatre Starbright Summer Festival (8:00pm)

• Rob Dickson & Friends at Dow People Place, Centennial Park, Sarnia (7:30pm)

• Grand Bend 10th Annual Mopar Canadian Nationals • Live entertainment at The Colonial Hotel, Grand Bend

• The Wade Sisters at Dow People Place, Centennial Park, Sarnia (7:00pm) • Band Night at Puck Around

• Harvest at the Victoria Playhouse Petrolia (2:00pm and 8:00pm) • Band Night at Puck Around• Karaoke Guy Guitar Hero Night at Two Amigo’s • Name That Tune at Puck Around, Sarnia

• Lambton MainStreet Players at Forest Farmer’s Market

• MacDonald Hill on the Duc D’Orleans Boat Cruise, Sarnia (6:00-9:00pm)

• Karaoke Guy Guitar Hero Night at Two Amigo’s, Sarnia

• Lambton MainStreet Players at Lambton Shores Downtown Days (11:00am) • Borderline at Two Amigo’s, Sarnia

• Harvest at the Victoria Playhouse Petrolia (2:00pm)

• The Heart of Broadway at Imperial Theatre Starbright Summer Festival, Sarnia (8:00pm)

• Lambton MainStreet Players at Canadian Idol on the Hill, Forest Ampitheatre

T

production diary part two

live at the Industry Theatre

REELThe Comic Book Store

April 2, 2009, 3:00pm – Actors and crew are arriving and the store is slowly transforming into a sound stage. It really is amazing what a camera, and a mess of lights, sound and video equipment to do. Cords snake across the floor in every direction like jungle vines. I told Mark Tetrault in advance that I want us to do everything in our power to make sure that during regular business hours the store remain accessible to customers. It’s not the lost revenue that bothers me as much as turning people away. With the downtown street construction gearing up it’s going to be hard enough to get here without having to waste a trip.

We have scheduled our shoot on slower days so it hopefully won’t be much of a problem. It turns out things go quite smoothly and actually work to our advantage. Some of my regulars end up in the background as extras and a few even manage to land small roles. Those that don’t end up joining in, are happy to stand back and observe. Sarnians aren’t nearly as jaded toward film and television production crews as big city folk, so there’s still a level of fascination with the process. It’s also very gratifying to see some early excitement for the show.

The difficult thing about releasing a documentary-style ghost hunter feature is that audiences are given more to be skeptical about. No longer do the filmmakers have to be worried about the obvious “Do you believe or not?” factor, but also whether or not the film is actually worth seeing, based on its entertainment value, regardless of paranormal skepticism. Let alone, defining it as a documentary film or a feature length episode of a spirit-chaser reality television series.

Fortunately, not only does Dead Whisper prove skeptics wrong about thinking it’s not worth seeing, it is quite possibly one of the most successful forms of media in convincing non-believers that this humble (non-skeptic, mind you) reviewer has ever seen. For realz, yo.

Sarnia boy, Robbie Thomas, a well-established psychic medium and radio/TV personality teams up with the Indiana Ghost Trackers and hits up The Manteno Insane Asylum and Rico D’s in Chicago Illinois. The film is set up much like your typical paranormal reality television show, with the your host setting up the location, telling us who everybody is and why we should think what we’re about to is scary, etc. But the enjoyable thing about Whisper is they actually don’t spend too much time building us up. They get right to it and just show us, without being too pretentious or trying so hard to prove that EVERYTHING IS REAL.

The team enters Rico D’s, where Robbie begins to ask the owner, Don Kress, about what is happening in his establishment. A very forward Kress immediately challenges Thomas to tell him. Thomas unflinchingly feels out the situation, commenting on negative energy in certain areas and a connection with a deceased little boy. The owner offers his hand for Thomas to shake it and says “You’re right. You’re absolutely right.”

The larger chunk of the movie seems to take place in the Manteno Asylum, where, for quite a duration, there is little to no narration or cheesy music or effects, and just harrowing, near-Blair-Witch style camera shots of empty, dark rooms while Robbie and the team wander through recording Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP). This (intentional or not) creates an extremely uneasy feeling more so than creating boredom or uninteresting things happening.

As a viewer, letting yourself become immersed in this, finally allows the film to break away from being your typical quick-cut, make-room-for-the-good-stuff ghost shows and almost becomes artistic; unintentionally using a form of dogme filmmaking. This, in turn, creates an extremely subtle, almost non-existent technique for building suspense without using

other factors that aren’t relevant to what’s truly happening in this dark, empty, too quiet asylum.

Then, the movie hits you. Right at the end after visiting the supposed haunted locations, and after studying the footage and EVP recordings, there is an overload of recordings, footage and evidence that are played one after another, over and over for your eyes and ears that almost get unbearable. The PERFECT amount of unbearable. It’s saving all of this for the end without spreading it too thin throughout the film that leaves the lasting impression on its viewer. The evidence, my friends is quite chilling.

Dead Whisper and Robbie Thomas’ other film The Sallie House are available at www.robbiethomas.net.

More information on these films and other work by Robbie Thomas is also available on www.robbiethomas.net.

Quite a few of the characters in “The Comic Book Store” share their names with the people portraying them, myself included. At first I thought that Mark Tetrault had created these characters

with certain people in mind and that some of them so fully embodied these individuals that they were absorbed by the roles, name and all. Or perhaps it was simple laziness. I believe I have since arrived at the real reason.

April 2, 2009, 3:30pm – Idle talent can be a dangerous thing. As the crew sets up for the first shots of the day Doug Murphy (Doug) and

Vanessa Shuttleworth (Jodie) have decided at the last minute that Doug’s character should be renamed Hal – a nod to Stanley Kubrick’s film “2001: a Space Odyssey”. I love the homage to one of my favourite films, but there are some concerns about making such changes so late in the game. At Doug’s insistence, the plan is accepted.

April 2, 2009, 5:00pm – For the 20th time (so far), another take is required as Seth Preston has referred to Doug’s character as “Doug”. A chorus of “Hal!” fills the room. We break for a quick discussion of what Doug’s tombstone should read...

Next installment – W.C. Fields had it right – never work with children or animals.

If you haven’t met them, The Fidgets are a local improvisational comedy trio. They had a live show at the Industry Theatre in downtown Sarnia. And they were nice enough to capture it for us and toss it on a DVD. I was nice enough to watch it and write a review for it. This is that review. The three goofballs that make up the Fidgetrio are: Sarnia This Week’s humour columnist John Hollingsworth, who (secretly, tell no one) writes under the pen name Mark Thrice, Temple Baptist Church Youth Pastor, Dave Lane, and Brandon Talbot, a RE/MAX real estate agent who calls himself the “NGOSHE8R” while making YouTube videos out of his office.

99.9 The Fox’s George Hayes hosts their live show at the Industry, a very well-picked venue and asks the audience if anyone’s seen the show Whose Line Is It Anyway? After the audience cheers, he tells them the show was cancelled. Appropriately, The Fidgets give them a performance of much Whose Line calibre. The guys do know comedy, they do know showmanship and they do know the meaning of local. Improv is difficult, especially when dealing with trying to make a show family-appropriate and also dealing with an audience that isn’t exposed to shows like this one. But with most of the skits and

sketches heavily dependent on direct audience participation and volunteers, some being friends of the guys and making references that only Sarnians would truly chuckle at, the show proves successful in ways other attempted shows have not. This, in turn, gives The Fidgets their own unique way of putting on an improv comedy show in a small town with big talent.

Having said that, the quality of The Fidgets show can only get bigger and better. The intent of the show was not only to be live, but also to be released on DVD. There is some room for improvement as far as the video production goes: live taping, floor directing, camera cutting and editing. If a show is going to be put on so professionally and successfully, it deserves an equal production value in video distribution.

With the all-in-good-fun feeling, the zany volunteers and audience participants we can only recognize as goofball Sarnians, the familiar stage and John Hollingsworth’s half-accents that sound like an Ontarian with a hernia and a lisp, the show (even on DVD) is hilarious and appropriate for all. This DVD is available at the Book Keeper. Contact The Fidgets at www.fidgetcomedy.com.

Trent Rogers

Ian Alexander

Ian Alexander

the series

meet the dgetsfi

dead whisperA

I

To win tickets to the Victoria Playhouse Petrolia production of I’ll Be Back Before Midnight email

[email protected]

T

G

Tia grew up dancing at the Shirley Schram School of Dance here in Sarnia, ON. As a young girl she competed all over North America winning many awards with the local dance company, the Bluewater Dance Troupe. She also received scholarships to study at both the Joffery Ballet School and Steps On Broadway.

At the age of 18 Tia was accepted into the musical theatre training program at Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts, where she studied dancing, singing and acting. Almost immediately after graduating Tia was cast in the productions on the Disney Cruise Lines’ ship the “Magic”. After completing a six month contract Tia returned to Toronto. She began dancing with the jazz dance company Jackson Dance Network. The company performed around Canada. Some of her most memorable performances were for the Canadian Dance Festival in Ottawa and Dancing On The Edge festival in Vancouver.

Her choreography has won awards at dance competitions across Ontario. Her choreography for ‘‘Big’ The Musical’ at Georgetown Globe Productions was nominated for an “ACTCO” award. In 2006 she choreographed the Canadian premier of “Reefer Madness” The Musical for Hart House Theatre in Toronto.

Since returning to Sarnia in 2007, Tia has been involved with the arts community, teaching dance, working with the Bluewater Dance Troupe and the St Clair Youth Ballet and now choreographing the Lambton Mainstreet Players.

Growing up in Saskatoon, SK Andrew got a taste of the stage from very early on. The local high school where his father taught English and drama often needed small children for various roles in the musicals, so at the young age of 8 Andrew made his stage debut as one of the “Kings” many children in The King and I. That was all he needed to get the ball rolling and by the time he hit high school he was already a veteran on that stage.

High school was where he discovered his other loves, opera and punk rock! It wasn’t until he heard about the musical theatre program at Sheridan College did he know where he needed to be. So after a trip to Oakville, ON and an audition he was accepted and moved out that September to start school.

Sheridan College was where he learned two things, how to Tap dance and how much energy it takes to actually put on a performance. In 2004, he got a call from a friend in Toronto, who was involved with a charity production of “West Side Story” put on by Fallen Rock Productions and they needed a “Tony”, he auditioned and got the part. One year later he did “Grease” as “Kenickie” also with Fallen Rock Productions.

Upon arrival in Sarnia in 2007 Andrew was exited to find a diverse and thriving arts community. He made his Sarnia debut in the play “Stepping Out” as awkward, introverted and very amateur tap dancer “Geoffrey”. Most recently he was the musical director for the 2009 cast of the Lambton MainStreet Players and in the fall of 2009 is thrilled to be paired up with his wife Tia as “Billy Lawlor” and “Peggy Sawyer” in the production of “42nd Street”. Andrew is also sharing his love and knowledge of music by teaching and coaching voice students.

July 8 – July 25Directed by Richard OuzounianFrom the celebrated team that created My Fair Lady comes a

fateful story of the inspired birth and bitter end of the legendary Knights of the Round Table.

The idyllic kingdom of Camelot is thrown into chaos when a love triangle emerges between the beautiful Queen Guenevere, gentle King Arthur, and dashing French knight Lancelot. As the production builds, the King enters a moral dilemma that will require him to sacrifice his true love or his prized honour.

Like the time period it evokes, Camelot is a colourful, magical and powerful piece of musical theatre.

June 30 - July 18, 2009By Peter ColleyJen has had a nervous breakdown and her husband Greg

has brought her to an old farmhouse in the country to recover. George, their neighbour is hilarious. He’s also kind of strange and he tells them of a terrible murder and of a ghost that now stalks the night. With its surprise twists and “spookalicious” atmosphere, I’ll Be Back Before Midnight will have you right on the edge of your seats.

July 29 – August 8Directed by Marcia KashThe idyllic village of Merton-cum-Middlewick becomes a

centre of chaos and confusion when the nosy resident spinster, Miss Skillon, becomes convinced that her beloved vicar’s actress wife is having a scandalous affair.

Desperate to expose the salacious relations, a tangled web of deception and deceit is spun as an escaped prisoner of war, visiting bishop, rotund locum priest, and devilishly handsome American actor all get caught in the race to reveal – or conceal – their outrageous indiscretions.

introducing

Huron Country Playhouse

Victoria Playhouse PetroliaLambton MainStreet Playersthe2009

presents

presents

27

Annette Hovey

Steven KarcherCamelot

I’ll Be Back Before Midnight

Harvest

Tia Colborne

Andrew Colborne

See How They Run

a medieval musical masterpiece

a marathon of laughs

•••

•••

July 21 - August 8, 2009By Ken CameronAllan and Charlotte, after many years of farming, decide to

retire to the big city. They rent their farm to a “nice young man” and all is well...at first. But soon they discover that their farm isn’t being used for quite the legal “harvest” they had in mind. Richly portrayed characters, inventive theatrically and a truly funny script make “Harvest” one of the most endearing comedies in recent years.

CYNTHIA DALE is thrilled to be sharing the stage at the Imperial Theatre in Sarnia this summer with the Starbright Summer Festival. “I’m thrilled to be part of something so new and exciting!”

Cynthia is coming to Sarnia to perform her signature songs from the Stratford Festival Stage, songs from My Fair Lady, The Sound of Music, South Pacific, Anything Goes and more.

Cynthia Dale began her career at the age of five in Finian’s Rainbow at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto. Since then, she has worked extensively on stage from New York to Stratford. Three times nominated for a “Gemini” award for her unforgettable six-year role as Olivia Novak on CBS’s “Street Legal”, Ms. Dale also has a long list of movie credits to her name. Her countless roles at Stratford have given her the distinction of being one of Stratford’s leading ladies. Cynthia’s Stratford credits include Nellie Forbush (South Pacific), Maggie (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof), Sarah Brown (Guys & Dolls), Reno Sweeney (Anything Goes), Eliza (My Fair Lady), Maria (The Sound of Music), Aldonza (Man of LaMancha), Annie Sullivan (The Miracle Worker), Bianca (The Taming of the Shrew),

Guinevere (Camelot), The Mikado and the Gondoliers.Cynthia has three albums of well-loved show tunes under

her belt which she has produced in partnership with David Hogan, Producer of this summer’s Starbright Festival. “My three CD’s were the brainchild of Hogie (David Hogan).

We produced them together and had a blast putting them together and spending such quality time in the studios.” When D2 Entertainment (David Hogan & David Rogers) proposed the idea of the Starbright Summer Festival, Cynthia was one of the first to jump on board and want to be part of it. She wants to see her friends succeed and her message to Sarnia is “…this summer festival is not to be missed. You will thoroughly enjoy yourselves…beautiful music

and wonderful talent in a very special theatre. I’m looking forward to my nights in Sarnia!”

The Starbright Summer Festival is being presented at the Imperial Theatre from July 7th through August 16th, 2009. Shows will run Tuesday through Sunday with matinees on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, and evening shows on Friday and Saturday. More information can be found on the website at www.starbright.ca.

Wendy Cornelis

C

a leading ladyvisits Sarnia

To win tickets to an opening night performance at the Starbright Summer

Festival [email protected]