Shaw Festival 2023

Shaw Festival 2023

Backstage Pass - February

Exclusive friends edition. THAT’S SHOWBIZ! “You are a star! And I made you one!” - gypsy. Mother-daughter relationships always make for inspirational stories. One of the most famous, and fraught is certainly the one between Gypsy Rose Lee and her Mama. Julie Lumsden takes on the role of the famous American burlesque entertainer and Kate Hennig plays the ambitious and domineering stage mother. Last season Julie portrayed the tormented wife in Gaslight and this season she gets to shed her constraints … and her clothes. Julie chatted with us about her season at The Shaw and how one gets ready to play such a famous character. How did your interest in acting come about?
I have always loved performing and expressing myself (loudly) through song. I started in church plays and choirs. I was always in the front row, as I was such an expressive (loud) singer, they wanted to make sure I was seen (they wanted to make sure I didn’t cause permanent hearing loss to any of my peers by standing behind them). Playing pretend was always a favourite around my house, too. My older brother James would write plays for myself and my two sisters to star in. His most critically (Grandma and Grandpa Lumsden) acclaimed piece starred he and I in: Batman & Robina. A tale of two superheroes, taking down the bad guys. James was really the first one to see my potential, and for that I will always be eternally grateful to him. Momma Rose is the ultimate “Stage Mother”. How have your parents supported your dreams of a career in the arts? Lucky for me, my parents are the complete opposite of our lovely Momma Rose. My parents raised all of us to find what we are passionate about and seek it in our daily lives. My parents and my extended family have always had a love of music and art, so when I wanted to pursue a degree in Classical Voice Performance at the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Music, they were pleased, albeit a bit surprised! It’s been a joy of mine to see how my parents have learned and grown alongside me, most notably, learning when to clap in a classical music concert. Their love and support of the arts has grown even beyond my career! I am so proud of them; they have even opened our home and billeted Winnipeg Fringe Fest performers. I could not be where I am without their unwavering support, love and big laughs from the audiences! Love you J & T! Can you tell our readers a bit about Gypsy Rose Lee and how you are preparing for the role?
What I love most about this musical is that it is based around the true lives of these human, beautiful, flawed and intelligent women. There’s so much to say about Gypsy Rose Lee, our Louise. She was a revolutionary. She completely reinvented and reinvigorated the art of burlesque. She had a fierce sense of humour, wit and smarts that launched her as one of the biggest stars of Minksy’s Burlesque. In addition to that, she was an author, a mother, a playwright and an actress. To learn more about our star of stars, I’ve been reading. A lot. The source material for the musical is Gypsy: A Memoir, an autobiography by Lee, so this has been my main insight. Of course, Gypsy’s own recounting of her life is somewhat of a dramatization, so I am balancing that out with Karen Abbott’s biography called American Rose: A Nation Laid Bare and the biography written by her son My G-String Mother: At Home and Backstage with Gypsy Rose Lee. What else can we see you in this season at The Shaw? Although I haven’t seen costume designer Cory Sincennes’ designs yet, I’m sure you’ll be seeing a whole lot of me in Gypsy: A Musical Fable! ;) But if you’re looking for more – head over to the Royal George and look for me in Craig Hall’s take on On the Razzle, a Tom Stoppard farce! It’s sure to be a hoot! Gypsy hits the stage May 10 and runs until October 7. Directed by Jay Turvey and with choreography by Genny Sermonia, this is going to be an unforgettable theatre experience.

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Production sponsor Mary E. Hill

DO YOU HAVE TICKETS TO MAHABHARATA? Don't miss out on your chance to experience this exciting story of philosophy, spirituality and history. The cast has been hard at work rehearsing. For the full experience of this epic story, we recommend seeing both Parts 1 and 2. Khana Community Meal. Mahabharata is a story that one learns over a lifetime; it needs to be absorbed and digested.

To delve deeper into the philosophical riddles of the Pandava family's thirteen years of exile, the audience gathers to share a traditional Indian meal hosted by a charming storyteller. You can see both parts of Mahabharata in one day with the Khana community meal interlude.

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Mahabharata: Conversations. February 22, March 8, March 22 Online Enjoy interesting educational and entertaining online conversations about Mahabharata with university professors, journalists and artists from around the world. Call 1-800-511-7429 to book your spot.

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HAPPY HOUR. February 23 at 5pm. What is theatre and why is it important? Join us as we chat with actor, director, playwright, and arts educator Warren Bain, who has played an integral role in shaping The Shaw’s entertaining and informative Beyond the Stage programming

2023 sees a welcome return of several familiar faces and many talented newcomers! 2023 will feature an always brilliant Ensemble and memorable performances from Kate Hennig as Momma Rose to Deborah Hay as Madame Arcati in Noël Coward’s Blithe Spirit. Actors returning to our stages include Tara Rosling, Sanjay Talwar, Andrew Lawrie, Mike Nadajewski, Monica Parks and Tom Rooney. See who else is in The Shaw’s 2023 Season!

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The amen corner. In the long history of The Shaw, a James Baldwin play has never been performed on any of our main stages. In 2021 our Outdoors @ The Shaw series produced Gatsby’s Jazz, Sonny’s Blues which included excerpts from James Baldwin's story. This season that omission will be remedied. Baldwin’s The Amen Corner, his searing drama of love and hate played out against the backdrop of an evangelical church in Harlem will take to the Festival Theatre stage starting this summer. As a passionate writer, activist and as a black gay man, James Baldwin was an influential figure during the Civil Rights Movement during the late 1950s and early 1960s. He gave voice to the deep-rooted problems associated with racial, sexual, and religious discrimination occurring at the time. How do you choose between your father’s dream and your mother’s faith? The Amen Corner seeks to answer that question. Directed by Kimberley Rampersad and with a gospel choir led by Shaw Ensemble actor Jeremiah Sparks, The Amen Corner is going to be a must-see show this year.

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Share the love. Who needs more candy, flowers or jewellery?! This Valentine’s Day share the love of theatre with your friends, family or your favourite person. Buy a gift certificate to The Shaw and surprise your valentine with an original gift. Tickets to any one of our 2023 shows would be exciting to receive as well. If you’re looking for love on our stages, look no further than Village Wooing, The Game of Love and Chance or for some comedic romantic entanglements On the Razzle is perfect.

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Well-deserved honours. Congratulations to Jackie Maxwell, The Shaw’s Artistic Director Emerita, on her appointment to the Order of Canada in recognition for her contributions to Canadian theatre as an artistic director, director, dramaturge and teacher, and for her advocacy of women in the field.” Additional congratulations go out to photographer David Cooper for his investiture as a Member of the Order of Canada. He is celebrated for his contribution to performance photography, especially his work with major Canadian theatre companies, notably the Shaw Festival.

February in NOTL. Black History Speaker Series. Discover this three-part speaker series exploring perspectives on Black history and culture in Canada, delivered by prominent historians, community leaders and commentators. These thought-provoking in-person events will be held on the last Sunday of the month in February and March, inside the Queenston Chapel at the Laura Secord Homestead in Queenston. Tickets are $15 per event or gain access to the entire series for $35.

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Fireside Fridays in February: Fort George Speaker Series. 2023 marks the 210th anniversary of the Battle of Fort George and to kick things off, Parks Canada and the Friends of Fort George are hosting a Speaker Series Fridays in February at Navy Hall in Niagara-on-the-Lake. These hour-long presentations will feature original artifacts from the War of 1812 plus other interesting topics like military uniforms, music and the role of women in the war.

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Join us for The Shaw's Annual Meeting. Friday March 10 at 2pm in the Festival Theatre lobby and virtually. We invite you to join us as we look back on our 60th Season – 2022 was our largest season ever! We look forward to you joining us in person or online.

© 2023 Shaw Festival Theatre

10 Queen's Parade, Box 774, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, L0S 1J0 Canada 1-800-511-7429

Kate Hennig (Gypsy). Miriam Fernandes (Mahabharata). Alana Randall backstage (Damn Yankees, 2022). Festival Theatre interior. Photos by Peter Andrew Lusztyk. Julie Lumsden. Kimberly Rampersad. Jeremiah Sparks. Jackie Maxwell. Photos by David Cooper.