Profile: Catherine O’Brien
by Jane Ledwell
Catherine O'Brien (photo: Alanna Jankov)
It seems the things I fear the most, I have to do,” says Catherine O’Brien, gamely. A nationally successful musical theatre performer, she is “absolutely apoplectic at auditions”—a fact that has not prevented her gaining roles in prestigious festivals across Canada, including the Charlottetown Festival, which brought her to PEI. Catherine arrived here in 2000 for roles in Anne of Green Gables and Emily of New Moon on the Confederation Centre mainstage, and, she says, “I not only fell in love with the Island, I fell in love with an Islander.”
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Pygmalion will share theatre with Johnny Belinda
The classic comedy about Eliza Doolittle, a flower seller who is turned into a princess by the devilishly attractive Professor Henry Higgins, will entertain audiences at the Montgomery Theatre starting July 14, 2010. George Bernard Shaw’s comedy was the basis for the musical My Fair Lady. Set in London at about the time of the Anne of Green Gables’ publication, Pygmalion contains some of the most memorable characters and funniest dialogue ever to appear on the stage, according to Montgomery Theatre’s Artistic Director, Duncan McIntosh.
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Rex Harrison and Audrey Hepburn
The My Fair Lady Ball is being described by organizers as an elegant evening of dinner and dancing in support of the Montgomery Theatre. It takes place at The Georgian Room of The Rodd Charlottetown Hotel on April 16, beginning at 7:30 pm.
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Havana-based dance troupe brings show to Confed Centre
Dance Cuba
Cuba’s most popular dance company, Havana-based Dance Cuba brings its elaborate show Fuerza y Compás to the Homburg Theatre March 8. Fuerza y Compás features 17 female dancers and six musicians on stage under the creative direction of dancer-choreographer Lizt Alfonso.
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Ms. Trina Lowry
The Centre for Performing ARTS welcomes Ms. Trina Lowry who will be teaching several levels of belly dancing including beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels of the Egyptian art form of dance, as well as specialty courses utilizing veils, swords, cymbals, and a class dedicated to learning the art of creating your own belly dancing costumes.
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Professional wrestling in Stratford
KMH promotions returns to Stratford Town Hall Gymnasium with Red Rock Wrestling on April 30 at 7 pm.
The Red Rock Rumble will once again showcase pro-wrestling. The Rumble will have a double main event on April 30. The first will see Stratford’s own Kowboy Mike Hughes defend his Canadian Heavyweight title against former tag team partner Brody Steele. Once inseparable brothers of the ring and co-stars of Rush HD television series “Kardinal Sinners,” they will now battle for Canada’s most prestigious title. “We have taken a page from the past with Red Rock Wrestling. We want to have shows families can come watch together and create memories that will last forever,” says Kowboy Mike Hughes.
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| To join in the observation of UNESCO’s World Theatre Day, the PEI Community Theatre Festival will take place on March 27 at Victoria Playhouse.
The Festival is an evening of short plays or excerpts presented by Island amateur theatre groups. This is a showcase for true community theatre—a time when for-the-fun-of-it actors and back-stage production crew get to perform beyond their usual home audience, to rub shoulders and learn from one another and get constructive feedback.
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| Franklin is coming to the Confederation Centre of the Arts. Franklin and the Adventures of the Noble Knights is a new live musical theatre production that will lead audiences through the most heroic expedition that Franklin and his friends, Bear, Snail, Beaver, Fox, and Rabbit have ever embarked on.
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Ballet Jörgen comes to Harbourfront Theatre in April
The Harbourfront Theatre will present Ballet Jörgen’s production of the classic tale Cinderella on April 3, when the Toronto based ballet company stops in Summerside on their 2010 tour.
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Vagabond Productions presents free show at UPEI
The cast of “The Path of True Love” (left to right): Brian Ansems, Devin MacKinnon, Andrea Avery, Morgan Varis, Ben Hartley, Nick Luecke.
Vagabond Productions is back in action, and it is offering a Valentine’s Day gift to its audience: a free show. Yes, you read it correctly—admission will not be charged for Vagabond’s production of The Path of True Love, February 10 to 13.
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