2017/18 CentreStage Issue 2

centrestage H O T T I C K E T S - W I N T E R 2 0 1 7/ 1 8

1 december

CHOIR! CHOIR! CHOIR!

Join the PAC!

Benefits of a HOT TICKET membership

BOX OFFICE ORDER YOUR TICKETS

Hello! I'm Bonnie Pacard, and I'm a HOT TICKET member!

Check out just a few of my favourite member benefits!

Complimentary

wine tasting with cheese sample for two

DANCING QUEENS! 10% discount at a local record store

Online 24/7 - FirstOntarioPAC.ca In Person FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre Box Office

By Email BoxOffice@FirstOntarioPAC.ca

By Phone 905-688-0722

BOX OFFICE COORDINATES

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FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre 250 St. Paul Street, Downtown St. Catharines

#FirstOntPAC

BOX OFFICE HOURS Monday to Friday, 10AM to 6PM Saturday, 10AM to 2PM Summer and holiday hours may vary.

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a hw We recommend the multiHig Bus Terminal Westc hester level covered Garden Park / Crescen t Carlisle Street Garage with McGuire Street L - LOT / G - GARAGE 595 spaces and 26 accessible spaces. Please visit StCatharines.ca/Parking for a complete list of parking locations. A drop-off point is available in front of the closest doors to Partridge Hall along Carlisle Street.

We are also conveniently located kitty-corner from St. Catharines’ main bus terminal making us very accessible via public transit. Special event parking is $5 when events are happening at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre or Meridian Centre. Payment is by cash only and is paid on entrance to the garage / parking lots.

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Visit FirstOntarioPAC.ca for a full list of member benefits!

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TOTALLY FEELING THE BENEFITS It's not too late to join! Become a member today for only $100.

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SUSHI NIGHT!

HOT TICKET member discounts on food for the whole family

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Shane Koyczan, Sea Sick, Emilie-Claire Barlow and The Music of a Charlie Brown Christmas

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I get to go with Bonnie to all these shows for FREE!

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On-site parking is not available at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre; however, there are more than 1,000 spots available in nearby parking garages, surface lots and on city streets within a five-minute walk to the FirstOntario PAC.

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THE ORIGINAL

HIGHSCHOOL MUSICAL IS BACK!

the

underwater bubble show WED 27 DEC @ 2PM | ALL TICKETS: $35 SPONSORED BY

THUrsday 28 DECember @ 7PM all tickets: $20

LADY MACBETH

LOVE FILM – Become a Member of

UK 2016. Directed by William Oldroyd. 89 min. 18A

Set in 19th century rural England, a young bride who has been sold into marriage to a middle-aged man discovers an unstoppable desire within herself as she enters into an affair with a worker on her estate.

THE FILM HOUSE When you become a Film House Member you’re doing more than saving a couple of dollars on every film you see. As a member you become an ambassador for great cinema with complimentary passes you can use to introduce friends and family to exciting new features, incredible classics, and probing documentaries. Your membership also gets you on the inside track with the Film & Dining Guide, a pocket-sized publication with write-ups of all the films, a calendar to keep them straight and special deals to make dinner and a movie more affordable than ever. Most importantly, membership is a commitment to helping support cinema culture in Niagara. Sign on, it’s your pass to explore the world of cinema.

Stephen Remus Film Programming Group Member Niagara Artists Centre

The Film Programming Group is: Barry K. Grant, Joan Nicks, Sara Palmieri, Natasha Pedros, Stephen Remus, Kasia Smuga, and Annie Wilson

MEMBERSHIP

Fri11Sept Sept6:30pm, 6:30pm,Sat Sat22Sept Sept6:30pm, 6:30pm,Sun Sun33Sept Sept4pm, 4pm, Fri Tues55Sept Sept7pm, 7pm,Thurs Thurs77Sept Sept7pm, 7pm,Tues Tues12 12Sept Sept7pm 7pm Tues

Spain 2016. Directed by Fernando Trueba. 128 min. NR

Famous movie star Macarena Granada (Penelope Cruz) flees the glitz and glamour of 1950s Hollywood to return to her roots in Spain, where she has signed on to star in an epic film as Queen Isabella.

Written and directed by Fernando Trueba and starring Penélope Cruz, the movie is a sequel to Trueba’s 1998 drama The Girl of Your Dreams, also starring Cruz and set during the Spanish Civil War.

France 2014. Directed by Alexandre Heboyan, Benoît Philippo. 100 min. PG

Receive 15% discount of concession products, excluding alcohol.

FREE TICKETS!

Each month, the programming committee invites Film House members to vote on a title for a special one-time only screening. All are welcome to join us.

THE FILM HOUSE

FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre 250 St. Paul Street Downtown St. Catharines Box Office: 905-688-0722 / firstontariopac.ca

Thurs 14 Sept 7pm, Sat 16 Sept 6:30pm, Tues 19 Sept 7pm, Thurs 21 Sept 7pm, Fri 22 Sept 7pm, Sun 24 Sept 4pm

MUNE: The Guardian of the Moon

DISCOUNT AT CONCESSIONS!

MEMBERS CHOICE

- Gury Lodge, Variety

THE QUEEN OF SPAIN

> A Film House Membership is only $25+HST > Receive $7+HST entry to all films (2 ticket limit/screening) > Valid one year from date of purchase

Attend the premiere screening of any feature film (a film screened three or more times) and you qualify for a buy-one-get-one free discount PLUS receive a voucher to pass along to a friend for a future screening!

“William Oldroyd’s pristine debut feature slowly reveals a violent moral ambiguity that needles the mind far longer than its polite period-piece trappings suggest.”

Sat 16 Sept 4pm, Sat 23 Sept 4pm, Sat 30 Sept 4pm

Set it an imaginary world, this poetic tale tells the adventure of a faun who must recover the sun that was stolen by a corrupt titan named Necross who wants it for himself. The balance of night and day is in peril. With the help of a wax-child named Glim and the warrior Sohone they go on a journey to get the sun back and restore the moon to its rightful place in the sky.

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD

US 1968. Directed by George A. Romero. 96 min. R

Join us for a special screening of horror classic Night of the Living Dead in honour of celebrated director George A. Romero on Saturday 16 September at 9pm.

There is panic throughout the nation as the dead suddenly come back to life. The film follows a group of characters who barricade themselves in an old farmhouse in an attempt to remain safe from these flesh eating monsters.

Sat 16 Sept 9pm

WINTER events Niagara Symphony Orchestra

POPS! 2 All Through The House - A Holiday Wassail!

SAT 9 DEC 2:30PM + 7:30PM SUN 10 DEC 2:30PM

JESSE COOK Beyond Borders Tour FRI 17 NOV 7:30PM Shantero Productions

Gallery Players

Close Encounters in Salzburg with Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra SUN 28 JAN 2PM

TD Niagara Jazz Festival

THE MUSIC OF A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS WED 20 DEC 7PM

Susan Aglukark and Les Stroud THU 30 NOV 7:30PM

THE NEXT GENERATION LEAHY THU 14 DEC 7:30PM Yellow Door Theatre Project

Paquette Productions

FRI 15 - SAT 16 DEC 7:30PM SUN 17 DEC 2PM

SAT 2 DEC 7PM

SUN 19 NOV 11AM SOLDOUT MON 20 NOV 11:30AM

Brock University

THE UNDERWATER BUBBLE SHOW

SING-A-LONG GREASE

Brock University

THU 28 DEC 7PM

The University Wind Ensemble

2018

MARY WALSH + CATHY JONES

TUE 21 NOV 7:30PM Niagara Symphony Orchestra

SUN 17 DEC 4PM

Masterworks 3: Con Danza

THE SPIRIT OF HARRIET TUBMAN

FIXT Point

SAT 16 DEC 7:30PM

TUE 5 DEC 7:30PM

THE TALE OF A TOWN CANADA THU 25 - SAT 27 JAN 7PM

MON 8 JAN 1:30PM

MEN OF THE DEEPS

THU 1 FEB 7:30PM Gillian’s Place

The Vagina Monologues SAT 3 FEB 7:30PM SUN 4 FEB 2:30PM

A NIGHT AT THE OPERA THU 25 JAN 7:30PM Brock University Encore!

WED 6 DEC 7:30PM

Jump FRI 26 JAN 7:30PM

EMILIE-CLAIRE BARLOW Lumières d’hiver MON 18 DEC 7:30PM

Hear! Here! Niagara Music Series

MARK LALAMA TRIO

The University String Orchestra WED 29 NOV 7:30PM

Niagara Symphony Orchestra

Classical Family 2: Fun with Fables SUN 4 FEB 2:30PM Brock University Encore!

Cuban Rhapsody FRI 9 FEB 7:30PM

Hear! Here! Niagara Music Series

MARK LALAMA TRIO

with Danny Michel & Aaron Berger SUN 26 NOV 4PM SOLDOUT Brock University

Classic Albums Live

QUEEN - A NIGHT AT THE OPERA

Goodman Brock Innovation Group

Monster Pitch

SUN 26 NOV 2:30PM

Leslie McCurdy

THU 1 FEB 7PM

Big Band Christmas

SAT 2 DEC 7:30PM

SHANE KOYCZAN

SAT 20 JAN 7:30PM SUN 21 JAN 2:30PM

The Wind In The Willows

Chorus Niagara

Viva Voce! Choral Series

SUN 28 JAN 7:30PM

Masterworks 4: Honey and Rue

WED 27 DEC 2PM

FRI 1 DEC 8PM

OLD MAN AND THE RIVER

GORD BAMFORD

Niagara Symphony Orchestra

SAT 18 NOV 7:30PM

ELVIS: Christmas Special

FRI 19 JAN 8PM SAT 20 JAN 2PM + 8PM

SAT 20 JAN 7:30PM

Murray Mclauchlan

Theatre Direct

STEER

Abbamania and the British Legends

ARCTIC CROSSING

CHOIR! CHOIR! CHOIR

Zata Omm

with Tom Wilson, Lisa Winn & Andrew Aldridge SUN 14 JAN 4PM Suitcase in Point

HOLIDAY CABARET THU 7 - SAT 9 DEC 8PM

JOHN MCDERMOTT Family Christmas TUE 19 DEC 7:30PM

SL Concerts

Jeremy Hotz THU 18 JAN 7:30PM

Erth’s

DINOSAUR ZOO LIVE! SAT 27 JAN 2PM

Carousel Players

THIS WILL BE EXCELLENT SAT 10 FEB 11AM + 2PM

Susan Aglukark & SURVIVORMAN Les Stroud

ARCTIC CROSSING A Musical and Visual Celebration of the Earth Through the Story of the Inuit PEOPLE

Celebration of Nations / Célébration des nations featured programming

ESCARPMENT SERIES You wouldn’t be wrong to call Susan Aglukark a singer and songwriter.

After all, it’s how the Juno awardwinning Inuk artist has made a name for herself in Canada and beyond.

But the job title almost seems to minimize the work Aglukark does.

She’s also an educator, a role whose gravity she’s acutely aware of in a time of reconciliation.

“We have an opportunity,” Aglukark said in a recent recording session. “I hope as people and all levels of government — we have this incredible opportunity and we have to get it right.”

Aglukark will continue doing her part when she takes the stage with SURVIVORMAN Les Stroud for a music, film and concert experience called Arctic Crossing.

The show is a celebration of the North that highlights the story of the Inuit people’s survival through the millennia. Aglukark’s performance will focus mainly on her new album, which tells “as much of the story I have gathered from my ancestors about crossing the Bering Strait and moving across the North,” she said.

The experiences of Aglukark’s ancestors over thousands of years of migration north and east through present-day Canada were about more than staying alive in a harsh environment.

Featured programming sponsored by

SPONSORED BY

Aglukark recalled a time as child in Arviat, Nunavut, when she came inland for the summer, and learned about mushrooms that could cauterize wounds. The time spent on the Bering Land Bridge provided such knowledge and ultimately made the Inuit people, she said.

“The more we understood about the knowledge they gathered over thousands of years, they weren’t surviving,” Aglukark said. “They were actualized people. There’s lots of traditional knowledge alive in traditional Inuit that was gathered over thousands of years from crossing the Bering Land Bridge.”

The singer’s research about Inuit migration, history and traditions couldn’t be more vital. Her parents were the last to have lived their formative years traditionally, putting that knowledge at risk of disappearing without someone like Aglukark to seek it out and pass it on in her music and storytelling.

While Aglukark can shoot a shotgun, and feed and clothe her family, she falls into “a whole other category of Inuit who were educated. I only have a Grade 12 education but I can live in this new world we have now.”

And share her people’s stories in it, all the while reaffirming her own identity as a singer, songwriter, educator and something more.

“They are the last to be traditional Inuit. They birthed a generation caught between two worlds,” she said about her parents. “When I go on stage and talk about Inuit culture, I am (Inuit). When I speak of it, I know what it is. I am it.”

- Tiffany Mayer TimeForGrub.com PARTRIDGE HALL REGULAR: $49 MEMBER: $42 COLLEGE/UNI: $25 Thurs 30 Nov 7:30PM

FRi 1 DEC + 16 feb 8PM

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CHOIR! CHOIR! Holiday CHOIR! CABARET SPONSORED BY

ALL TICKETS

$

A master of the playful pastiche…. his work is giddy humour and warmth of spirit, which bathes the audience and turns the cabaret into one big Highway love-in.”

- The Globe and Mail

A master of the playful pastiche….his work is giddy humour and warmth of spirit, which bathes the audin.”

- The Globe and Mail

20

Comedy best described as SNL meets HBO Thurs 7 - Sat 9 Dec 8PM | ROBERSTON THEATRE | $25 TICKETS ***MATURE CONTENT***

St. Catharines’ award-winning Suitcase in Point is back with their hilarious made-for-Niagara tradition. For 16 seasons, these popular, original comedy shows have been busting at the seams with good times. Original, clever and way too much fun, the Suitcase in Point company and collaborators

book your holiday party today!

TABLE OF 4: $125 (includes 1 bottle of wine & light snacks)

TABLE OF 6: $200 (includes 2 bottles of wine & light snacks)

Celebrating

Rounding out the trio of shows is an annual tradition for the holiday season, a Family Christmas special from Canada’s most cherished tenor, John McDermott. He’ll be performing seasonal favourites, alongside hits from his illustrious career. John will be joined on stage by Mark Lalama on keys, Jason Fowler on guitar and Charles James on bass, along with added special guests Dala.

CHRISTMAS CELTIC STYLE

CELTIC MUSIC SERIES It will be easy to get into the Christmas spirit this season thanks to a trio of Celtic-inspired Christmas shows set to take the stage in Partridge Hall.

The Men of the Deeps choir, comprised of working and retired Cape Breton coal miners, start things off on Dec. 6 with their first-ever solo Christmas tour, Christmas in the Mine. Filled with emotion and good will, this special holiday show will add some festive surprises to the choir’s traditional repertoire of coal mining songs and stories and songs from their beloved Cape Breton.

Originally formed 50 years ago as part of Cape Breton’s contribution to Canada’s Centennial Year in 1967, the group’s inception was an effort to preserve in song some of the rich folklore of the Nova Scotia’s coal mining communities. The choir’s songs are culled from coal mining communities around the world, with many “homegrown” numbers composed by contemporary Cape Breton bards, interspersed with traditional songs tracing their roots to Celtic fore bearers in the old country.

PARTRIDGE HALL REGULAR: $55 MEMBER: $46 COLLEGE/UNI: $25 Wed 6 Dec 7:30PM A week later, members of the infamous Leahy family will bring its high-energy, infectious Celtic-based show to Partridge Hall on Dec. 14.

For more than three decades, the Leahy family has been touring Canada and the world performing their own brand of Celtic-inspired Canadian folk music.

Now, the Next Generation Leahy builds on that musicianship for a new era as Doug Leahy, together with his wife Jennifer and their children, keep the family tradition alive. While the children may all still be in elementary school, each is an accomplished multiinstrumentalist and it’s clear they’ve learned the joy and exhilaration provided by music from their parents.

Fiddle, cello, French accordion, singing, piano, and French-Canadian step-dancing all find a voice on stage to celebrate the season.

PARTRIDGE HALL REGULAR: $49 MEMBER: $42 COLLEGE/UNI: $25 Thurs 14 Dec 7:30PM

Since the beginning of his musical career, McDermott has recorded more than 25 albums, three of which have gone platinum while another has reached double platinum status and yet another achieved a triple platinum ranking. He formed a strong link with the holiday season through the release of several popular holiday albums, including Christmas Memories, Home for Christmas, A Traditional Christmas and Sharing Christmas. For many Canadians, it’s not really Christmas until John McDermott sings and Niagara will once again have the chance to hear him do just that on Dec. 19 in Partridge Hall.

PARTRIDGE HALL REGULAR: $52 MEMBER: $44 Tues 19 Dec 7:30PM All three performances are part of the Critelli’s Celtic Series.

Critelli’s Furniture will be collecting donations for the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre during the holiday season and offering $200 off any Stressless chair for any arts donation of $50.

- Melinda Cheevers NiagaraThisWeek.com SPONSORED BY

Emilie-Claire Barlow LUMIÈRES D’HIVER

MUSIC One of the great Nina Simone’s most powerful songs was the unforgettable “Four Women.”

Along with her version of Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit” (which Nina Simone also recorded), it is one of the strongest musical antiracist statements of all time.

Her daughter Lisa unashamedly counts herself as one of Nina Simone’s biggest fans. Lisa’s 2008 top-charting release Simone on Simone was a big band tribute to her mother.

The four women of Nina Simone’s classic song have all been marginalized by society, which is to say they have had no voice. But as an actress, singer, and songwriter Lisa Simone is clearly her own woman with a voice distinctively her own – even when singing “Four Women” (see the knockout performance on Youtube with Diane Reeves, Lizz Wright and Angélique Kidjo). Her singing combines a tremulous tone along with funky flashes of passion.

The multi-talented Lisa was in the original touring company of Jesus Christ Superstar and the original cast of the award-winning Broadway musical Rent. She also originated the role of Nala in The

Lion King. She garnered a Grammy Award nomination and a National Broadway Theatre Award for Best Actress in a Musical in the lead role of Aida while heading up its First National Tour. What Happened, Miss Simone?, the 2015 award-winning Netflix documentary on the life of her mother for which she was coexecutive producer, was nominated for an Oscar.

As a vocalist Lisa has performed at top venues from New York’s Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center to the Sydney Opera House in Australia and at jazz festivals everywhere in between.

She says her influences include Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin, and The Walter Hawkins Family.

(Walter’s brother Edwin had a top-10 hit with his gospel song “Oh Happy Day” in 1968.) One hears this gospel-tinged soul influence in Lisa Simone’s music, featuring infectious rhythmic grooves that draw you in and make you part of it. Listen, for example, to how the music lifts the poignant “Tragic Beauty,” about her mother’s passing, to a celebratory experience.

Lisa Simone conveys her communal spirit in praisin g her “bandmates” Reggie

Washington from New York City on bass and contrabass, Sonny Troupé from Guadeloupe on drums, and Hervé Samb from Senegal on guitar, with whom she also collaborates on song writing.

When asked what she wants to convey to her audience, it is not surprising that Lisa Simone replies, “We are all in this life together.”

Far from the bitter quartet of “Four Women,” her music is warm and welcoming, exactly the way she feptatioritam conse siti to exceria quatecab imus, cum, conse cum, commo vendis ex experes toriame sed expe coreriorume venditem nis in nimpos eos magnihitatur a cone nimi, corere voluptas exerum fuga. Uda nectate exercimus iliqui atest, volorro blabor aciis evel invendamet qui omnimus mollique volo corerspisi ut am si core nesto in parumqui voloreprae qui omnimus magnihi llaces moluptate ips a disciis totati arum quis enihict o volecepuda quist et laborest ata vel eni bearum aut odicto omnihicil maxima solestis mi, idit doluptatiae ad eum reris ea cora numquibus, corpores voloruptaquo est eos a volendus doloritis quodit officim perovidus ant lautemporem alignit reprorumque diatur susa m qui offic tem et fugit vent ipiducia id est aliquia denihil icimi, quidition

PARTRIDGE HALL REGULAR: $45 MEMBER: $38 COLLEGE/UNI: $25 Mon 18 Dec 7:30PM

Night at the Opera A

MUSIC

the music of

Julie Nesrallah, popular host of CBC Radio 2’s Tempo, joins three of Canada’s finest singers, soprano Lauren Margison, tenor Richard Margison and bass-baritone Gary Relyea, along with pianist Robert Kortgaard, in an evening of arias and ensembles from the world’s most popular operas. The second half will be dedicated to selections from Carmen, Ms. Nesrallah’s signature role.

PARTRIDGE HALL REGULAR: $59 MEMBER: $50 COLLEGE/UNI: $25

Thurs 25 Jan 7:30PM

Co-produced with TD Niagara Jazz Festival PARTRIDGE HALL ALL TICKETS: $25 Wed 20 Dec 7PM

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DANCE SERIES In the brave new world of emerging technologies, it may be intimate knowledge of the body machine that sheds the most light on where humanity is going. And who has a better understanding of human function in movement than a dancer?

Enter Hong Kong-born, Londoneducated William Yong, veteran choreographer and mover in the Toronto contemporary dance scene.

current work. As a child he sang with the Hong Kong Children’s Choir and in his teen years Yong’s pop band, Fundamental, won several prestigious music contests, eventually signing and recording with BMG Records. Yong left his songwriting and music career behind when he moved to London, England to pursue an MFA and dance training at the London Contemporary Dance School.

Yong’s STEER is a poetic exploration of technology’s impact on society, on how humans might move with bionic enhancements, using them to influence the immediate environment.

Yong moved to Canada in 1999, and has been an innovator in the contemporary dance community ever since. “Those early experiences really helped me a lot,” he says. “I understand many different ways of producing work. It’s made me become a more ambitious artist.”

In STEER, Yong performs while “conducting” a team of designers who use computer software to mix inputs from motion capture cameras, infrared light, motion sensors embedded in Yong’s costume and piezo sensors in the dance floor itself. In real time.

Essentially, Yong’s movement triggers an array of visual and sonic effects. He is quite literally using dance to generate a post-human world of wonder for the audience.

“I have long been into exploring technology,” Yong admits, “especially as a guy from Hong Kong – we love gadgets and stuff – but I’m working this way because I feel that technology has become such a fundamental and integral part of our society. I’m recognizing the importance of that technology, and trying to use it to broaden the potential of dance.”

SPONSORED BY

Though his chiseled good looks are seemingly ageless, Yong actually brings several careers-worth of arts and entertainment savvy to his

Yong and his main collaborators, interactive designers Jérôme Delapierre and Navid Navab, have been working on STEER for almost five years, fine-tuning, de-bugging and, at times, re-calibrating tech that is constantly changing. Nonetheless, Yong wants to ensure that the work is still at heart a dance – physical, organic, at times tender.

“My big challenge with STEER,” he says, “is to not let the technology take over the movement – the dance needs to speak for itself.”

- Kathleen Smith Holr Magazine ROBERTSON THEATRE REGULAR: $39 MEMBER: $33 COLLEGE/UNI: $25 Fri 19 + Sat 20 Jan 8PM Sat 20 Jan 2PM

THEATRE In 2014, FIXT POINT set out to tour the country with The Tale of a Town.

Their aim: to capture the collective community memory of our Canada’s beloved main streets.

Since then, Lisa Marie DiLiberto and Charles Ketchabaw, the husband and wife duo, has toured all 10 provinces and 3 territories, gathering stories through interviews in their storymobile (a.k.a. recording studio on wheels) - with the exception of Nunavut, where they toured by ship.

INTERESTING FACT: of the thousands of interviews, hundreds of performances and installations and communities visited, St. Catharines was the first community partner outside their home in Toronto.

These recorded stories inspired the the creation of dozens of performances developed in collaboration with local artists, and presented in storefronts across the country.

Oh, and also along the way, their two sons were born, and joined the ride!

OVER 3000 interviews conducted in over 200 communities across the country.

Now, FIXT POINT will present the culminating piece that will feature some of the thousands of voices they have recorded from coast to coast to coast during this 3 year trek across the country in this epic family adventure.

The FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre is proud to welcome FIXT POINT back with The Tale of a Town Canada, the culminating celebration of Canadian main streets and gathering places.

ROBERTSON THEATRE ALL TICKETS: $25 Thurs 25 Jan 7PM Fri 26 Jan 7PM Sat 27 Jan 7PM

GORD BAMFORD Bringing It All Back Home GENESIS NIAGARA SERIES “We moved back from Nashville.

We spent a couple years there and enjoyed it and I’ve been going there for many years, but we’re back in Canada where we should be,” says Gord Bamford, kicking off the conversation with CentreStage as he watches the foundation being dug on his family’s new home near Stettler, Alberta. He wears his patriotism on his sleeve and in his songs, and it is not hard to understand why. Canada has been very, very good to this homegrown country star.

“I think you’re always trying to break into different markets and obviously I’ve enjoyed great success in Canada and now Australia and a bit into Europe,” says Bamford, who is the only two-time winner of the Country Music Association’s prestigious Jeff Walker Global Artist Award outstanding achievements by a country artists originally signed outside of the United States. “You just want to give it a swing, right, to go down and try to get things happening. But it’s really, I don’t know, I’m a little jaded towards the market down there to be honest with you. It’s a little cutthroat and very political. If you’re not an American, it’s tough to break into and it’s a little sad or kind of a shame to have experienced that

part of it, for sure, because we have such a great industry here in Canada and so many great artists that deserve to be on the radio down there and unfortunately it’s just not happening.”

That is not to say Bamford regrets moving to Nashville, or that he won’t still be there regularly to write songs and record. It’s more that it’s given him new perspective on what he appreciates about his home country. That appreciation is evident on “Ain’t It Grand,” one of his latest singles, which will be included on his eight studio album that is slated for release sometime in 2018. Featuring Blue Rodeo’s Jim Cuddy, “Ain’t It Grand” is a bombastic love letter to Canada, referencing Hockey Night in Canada, the Blue Jays, Tim Hortons, the Calgary Stampede, and more. The song was inspired by the unabashed patriotism he witnessed in Nashville. “Us as Canadians, we’re, I think, very humble people and obviously we love our country, but I think we can talk about it more and that’s the whole idea behind this song and to have Jim on it was amazing. It’s was kind of an anthem for Canada, that’s what I’m hoping it ends up being and hoping that song is around here for many, many years.”

With a discography that now dates back 20 years and has earned him 16 Canadian Country Music Association Awards and four JUNO Award nominations, “Ain’t It Grand”

has a lot of competition to make it into Bamford’s setlists. But when the Neon Smoke tour arrives at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre on Jan. 28th, Bamford is determined to give fans what they want.

“It’s going to be a pretty cool show and we’re going to play all the songs that you’ve heard on the radio and make sure that all our past hits get into the show,” says Bamford, noting he’ll definitely be pulling out some older hits like “All About Her,” “Disappearing Taillights,” and “Drinking Buddy.” “We did an arena tour last time with Joe Nichols, but I really enjoy the smaller rooms.

I love to be able to know that everybody in the room feels like they have my attention.”

- Michael Raine CanadianMusicianRadio.com SPONSORED BY

PARTRIDGE HALL REGULAR: $55 MEMBER: $45 COLLEGE/UNI: $25 Sun 28 Jan 7:30PM

THEATRE This 2017/18 season marks Carousel Players 46th year of creating live theatre for young audiences in Niagara. At Carousel Players we firmly believe that children’s voices matter; that issues facing children today exist and deserve to be discussed.

CAROUSEL PLAYERS

VIRGINIA WOLF

Carousel Players productions reflect the ways in which students matter as individuals, learners and member of the community and highlight themes of sibling relationships, feelings, friendship, leadership, perseverance, and creativity.

We are so thrilled to be presenting This Will Be Excellent by Jordi Mand at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre. Mand’s play, supported by the Ontario Arts Council, is the story of Daniel and Izzy who are struggling to complete grade six. Determined to ignore their situation, they daydream of meeting their favorite rapper, Arrow. After Daniel’s mother and their principal deliver ultimatums, the pair decide to hatch a plan to make their dream become a reality. They encounter hard realities in carving out their independence in the face of expected responsibilities as they tackle adolescence.

Based on Mand’s real-life observations of grade 6 students, this play asks what happens when a young person starts feeling like they can’t keep up with their work?

This Will Be Excellent is a unique and relatable story that explores the difference between two dreamers, the inequality that exists for young girls, social politics of platonic, adolescent

SAT 7

APR

Adapted for the stage by Cole Lewis & Clelia Scala

male-female relationships, and the world of rap music; how it inspires and teaches compassion, and the struggle to convince adults of its worthiness.

- Jessica Carmichael, Artistic Director CarouselPlayers.ca

Carousel Players is an award-winning professional theatre company presenting inspiring and creative plays and programs for young audiences in schools and in theatres for more than 45 years.

ROBERTSON THEATRE ALL TICKETS: $25 Sat 11 Feb 11AM + 2PM Recommended for ages 9+. *Sensory Friendly

ULTIMATE PLAYDATE 65 MILLIO N

THE

IN THE MA

YEARS

KING!

the

Spirit of

Harriet Tubman

by Leslie Mccurdy Leslie McCurdy’s

AWARD-WINNING solo performance is at once

EDUCATIONAL and INSPIRATIONAL, leaving a lasting impression on all who experience them!

PARTRIDGE HALL ALL TICKETS: $25

ROBERTSON THEATRE ALL TICKETS: $25

Sat 27 Jan 2PM

Thurs 1 Feb 7PM

l e a h c i M ammer h s e a

K

BOOGIE WOOGIE LOVERS MUSIC Eleven albums. Two JUNOs and seven nominations. The “Jazz Artist of the Year” Award at the 2017 Western Canadian Music Awards.

Seven tours of China and legions of fans around the world. Of all the things pianist Michael Kaeshammer has earned over his illustrious career, the one presently giving him the most joy is his creative freedom.

“I’ve consciously taken that path in my career,” said Kaeshammer, a renowned jazz & boogie-woogie pianist, vocalist, songwriter, arranger and producer. “It is why I enjoy playing more than ever and why I like to write every day, because I don’t have a single person telling me what to do. I’m at the point now that I’m recording music or doing a new project that interests me rather than just to do a new record. In order for me to keep enjoying this fully like I do I just have to keep pleasing myself with the music I enjoy and hope people gravitate to it.”

PARTRIDGE HALL REGULAR: $49 MEMBER: $42 COLLEGE/UNI: $25 Wed 14 Feb 7:30PM

Fans have been gravitating toward Kaeshammer’s music since the classically-trained German-born pianist first discovered the boogiewoogie and stride piano stylings of Albert Ammons, Meade Lux Lewis and Pete Johnson. After immigrating to Western Canada as a teen, Kaeshammer was lucky enough to discover an equally influential

boogie-woogie mentor named Long John Baldrey bouncing around Vancouver’s local blues clubs.

Watching him play helped galvanize Kaeshammer’s resolve to follow a similar career path.

“I remember playing with Long John before he passed when I lived in Vancouver,” said Kaeshammer, who will be showcasing new music from his upcoming 12th album during a Valentine’s Day concert at FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre. “I was pretty young to be part of the blues scene in Vancouver. Everyone kept telling me about this ‘Don’t Try To Lay No Boogie-Woogie on The King of Rock & Roll’ song. So I went to see him and I wound up playing a few times with him. That’s exactly what got me into playing that kind of music.

It is still why I play it, because it’s so joyous. I can’t even tell you how much fun it is to play that thing on the piano.”

Kaeshammer’s current tour had its genesis on CBC’s Q Radio program, which asked him to put together a Valentine’s Day show that he’s since decided to take on the road.

For an artist who is thoroughly in love with performing, February 14th marks the perfect opportunity to showcase a variety of styles according to Kaeshammer.

“It’s kind of a mix. I’ll be catering to the theme as well as performing some of my other stuff. Because it’s Valentine’s Day and I am so connected to making an audience feel at home it’s going to be a great show for couples. There might be a love song or two.”

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Walk for miles along the Merritt Trail right in your backyard. Enjoy world-class entertainment Walk for miles along the Merritt Trail right in your backyard. Enjoy world-class entertainment at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre and the Meridian Centre. Shop 3 days a week at at the Performing Arts Centre andatthe Meridian Centre. days a distance. week at theFirstOntario St. Catharines Market. Wine and dine numerous venues all Shop within3walking the Spoil St. Catharines Market.

Wine and dine at numerous venues all within walking distance. yourself and enjoy the good life!

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Book to see the exciting Scale Model and oor plans at the Yates Presentation Centre Book to seeat the exciting Realty Scale plaza, Modeldowntown and oorSt. plans at the Yates Presentation Centre located the McGarr Catharines. located at the McGarr Realty plaza, downtown St. Catharines.

Reservations are well underway, and activity has started on the site.

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Louie Anderson Louie Anderson is a threetime Emmy Award® winning comedian and one of the country’s most recognized and adored comics. He recently joined the hit FX comedy series Baskets as Zach Galifianakis’ mom and, when not in production, Anderson hits the road to charm audiences with his inimitable style of humour and warmth.

PARTRIDGE HALL REGULAR: $55 MEMBER: $46 COLLEGE/UNI: $25

Sat 17 Feb 7:30PM

The Peking Acrobats CIRQUE & SPECTACLE SERIES For the last 30 years this worldrenowned acrobatic troupe has been defying gravity with daring displays of contortion, flexibility, and control.

They push the envelope of human possibility with astonishing dexterity and incredible feats, showcasing tremendous skill and ability.

PARTRIDGE HALL REGULAR: $55 MEMBER: $46 COLLEGE/UNI/CHILD: $25

Thurs 22 Feb 7:30PM SPONSORED BY

Le Ballet Jazz de Montréal

DANCE SERIES For more than 45 years, this internationally renowned contemporary dance company has been creating a hybrid form that combines classical ballet with other styles. BJM has presented more than 2,000 performances in 65 countries to more than two million spectators.

The company will perform Casualties of Memories, Mono Lisa, Projection and Balcao.

SPONSORED BY

PARTRIDGE HALL REGULAR: $45 MEMBER: $38 COLLEGE/UNI/CHILD: $25 Tues 27 Feb 7:30PM

SPONSORED BY

ESSENTIAL COLLECTIVE THEATRE

Our Lady of Delicias

by David Fancy

Rangel is a migrant worker from Mexico who is back in Niagara for the sixth year to work in the region’s vineyards. Lonely for the family he left at home, Rangel calls on the patron saint of their village Delicias for strength. But Rangel’s divided world is more than it seems.

SPONSORED BY

GREAT LAKE SWIMMERS AND SPECIAL GUESTS ESCARPMENT SERIES Surging rhythm section, razorsharp violin, and flourishing banjo and guitar. Niagara’s own Tony Dekker and his bandmates create lush, dynamic songs with thematic threads of beauty in the natural world and explores close personal ties that hold us together.

ROBERTSON THEATRE ALL TICKETS: $30 COLLEGE/UNI: $25 Fri 23 + Sat 24 Feb 7PM Sat 24 + Sun 25* Feb 2PM Wed 28 Feb - Sat 3 Mar 7PM Sun 4 Mar 2PM * (PWYC)

ROSANNE CASH

PARTRIDGE HALL ALL TICKETS: $35 COLLEGE/UNI: $25 Thurs 1 Mar 7:30PM

Machine de CirqUE

with John Leventhal

CIRQUE & SPECTACLE SERIES A stunning, spectacle-driven show that will amaze in ways you’ve never quite experienced before.

This is a total re-imagining of a circus show filled with comedy, charisma, music and postapocalyptic humour. Courageous, touching and funny, these five crazy characters are full of contagious spirit to bring a highenergy show for all filled with poetry and humour.

Singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash and collaborator, musical director, guitarist and husband John Leventhal present an acoustic evening celebrating her prolific, deeply rooted catalog of music.

Her collection of American roots songs encompasses the blues, gospel, folk, country and rock, and takes audiences on a rich journey that is both classic and completely contemporary.

PARTRIDGE HALL REGULAR: $75 MEMBER: $60 Wed 28 Feb 7:30PM

The Canadians’ sixth set tweaks their established formula with splendid results…gorgeous and rewarding…” -BBC

SPONSORED BY

PARTRIDGE HALL REGULAR: $39 MEMBER: $33 COLLEGE/UNI/CHILD: $25 Wed 21 Mar 7:30PM

SPONSORED BY

SPONSORED BY

Celtica - Pipes RocK! CRITELLI’S CELTIC SERIES What happens when Scottish bagpipes crash into the world of steampunk, symphonic rock and Victorian elegance?

Celtica, of course! This hard rock hybrid six-piece quickly became a favourite at Celtic and Scottish festivals all over Europe.

SPONSORED BY

Experience the new sound that breaks the traditional limits of the great Highland bagpipe.

PARTRIDGE HALL REGULAR: $39 MEMBER: $33 COLLEGE/UNI: $25 Thurs 22 Mar 7:30PM

MOonhORsE Dance Theatre

Celebrating 50 years, Tower of Power has been creating their own kind of funky soul music, appearing before sold-out crowds as they tour the world each year.

Still is the tightest horn section you’ve ever thought about.” -NEW ORLEANS TIMES PARTRIDGE HALL REGULAR: $75 MEMBER: $60 Sun 25 Mar 7:30PM

Tom Cochrane + Red Rider

OLDer + RECKLESS DANCE SERIES Older & Reckless is an intimate performance featuring work from older artists who have grown more reckless as time goes by. Audiences will experience a mixed repertoire of short works by some of Canada’s most celebrated choreographers, performed by seasoned dance artists.

ROBERTSON THEATRE REGULAR: $35 MEMBER: $30 COLLEGE/UNI: $25 Fri 23 March 7PM

tower of power

Legendary Canadian rocker Tom Cochrane is a member of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, on the Walk of Fame, a prestigious Officer of the Order of Canada, Order of Manitoba and of course the writer of the international hit “Life is A Highway.” Cochrane will hit the highway with his band Red Rider.

SPONSORED BY

PARTRIDGE HALL REGULAR: $75 MEMBER: $60 Sat 31 Mar 7:30PM

SPONSORED BY

CAROUSEL PLAYERS

VIRGINIA WOLF

adapted for the stage by Cole Lewis & Clelia Scala from the book by Kyo Maclear & Isabelle Arsenault (Kids Can Press) One day, Virginia wakes up in an inexplicably “wolfish” mood.

Everything light is turning dark.

Can her sister Vanessa draw Virginia out of bed and help her to dispel her gloom?

Recommended for ages 5+ ROBERTSON THEATRE ALL TICKETS: $15 Sat 7 Apr 11AM* + 2PM *sensory friendly

JAMIE ADKINS

A FOOL’S ERRAND CIRQUE & SPECTACLE SERIES This clown has written his show!

But what happens when people have left the theatre and he’s all alone on stage? Looks like he’s gotta hit the road! When making his latest solo clown show, Atkins recalls Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” But in the case of this clown, the first step is onto a banana peel and, 60 minutes later, he still hasn’t reached the door!

Recommended for ages 5+ PARTRIDGE HALL ALL TICKETS: $25 Thurs 12 Apr 7PM

SPONSORED BY

LOVEFEST THE JUST FOR LAUGHS ROAD SHOW Each Spring, JFL assembles a crack team of up-and-coming comics and pairs them with an established host to deliver a night of side-splitting comedy in downtown St. Catharines.

PARTRIDGE HALL REGULAR: $49 MEMBER: $42 COLLEGE/UNI: $25 Tues 10 Apr 7:30PM

GIRLS NIGHT OUT SERIES A musical response to hate crimes

by Kiran Ahluwalia and friends that creates positive curiosity and appreciation of Sikh and Islamic life. The program features artforms that use age-old symbols of love and features Temple music of Sikh India, modern Indo-Canadian music fused with desert blues, Arab music intersecting with Western sounds, and the mesmerizing whirling dervishes of Egypt.

PARTRIDGE HALL REGULAR: $49 MEMBER: $42 COLLEGE/UNI: $25 Fri 13 Apr 7:30PM

SPONSORED BY

AN EVENING WITH

Kaha:wi Dance Theatre

Molly RingwALD

Blood TiDES

Long before Molly Ringwald became a teen icon and famous Brat Pack actress, she was singing. Her two albums, Except Sometimes and Going Home Alone blur the lines of modern and vocal jazz and draw inspiration from Ella Fitzgerald, Helen Kane and Bessie Smith.

Celebration of Nations / Célébration des nations featured programming

DANCE SERIES A world premiere of an intergenerational, inter-cultural and interdisciplinary performance work led by a powerhouse team of international Indigenous female collaborators from Canada, United States and New Zealand. A re-matriation to the house of humanity, the womb, this performance opens a sacred space to power up feminine voice, body and spirit.

PARTRIDGE HALL REGULAR: $52 MEMBERS: $45 COLLEGE/UNI: $25 Wed 18 Apr 7:30PM

ROBERTSON THEATRE REGULAR: $39 MEMBER: $33 COLLEGE/UNI: $25 Thurs 3 - Sat 5 May 8PM Sat 5 May 2PM

ROSEANNE BARR GIRLS NIGHT OUT SERIES Comedy superstar, award-winning actress, best-selling author, 2012 presidential candidate and the original domestic goddess, Roseanne Barr continues to amaze. A titan in the world of stand-up comedy, Roseanne has returned to her love for live performance.

PARTRIDGE HALL REGULAR: $65 MEMBER: $60 Mon 23 Apr 7:30PM

Featured programming sponsored by

SPONSORED BY

SPONSORED BY

NIAGARA MUSIC SERIES

IMPACT EDUCATION SERIES Setting the stage for young minds

SERIES SPONSORED BY

TOM WILSON + LISA WINN + ANDREW ALDRIDGE SUN 1 4 JA N | 4 P M

KEVIN BREIT + THUNDERCLAP SUN 25 MA R | 4 P M

JOHN MCDERMOTT + VOX VIOLINS SUN 1 5 A P R | 4 P M

We are proud to offer opportunities for Niagara schools to make the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre their classroom.

Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia Guess How Much I Love you

Essential Collective Theatre Our Lady of Delicias

Kaha:wi Dance Theatre Blood Tides

WED 22 NOV | 10AM + 12:30PM

WED 28 FEB + FRI 2 MAR | 11AM

FRI 4 MAY | 12:15PM

Recommended for Grades K-3

Recommended for Grades 9-12

Recommended for Grades 9-12

Leslie McCurdy The Spirit of Harriet Tubman

Unicorn Theatre Polar Bears Goes Up

Niagara Symphony Orchestra Playtime

FRI 2 FEB | 10AM + 12:15PM

Recommended for Grades K-3

Tall Stories The Gruffalo

Jamie Adkins A Fool’s Errand

THU 8 FEB | 10AM + 12:30PM Recommended for Grades K-3

Peking Acrobats THU 22 FEB | 12:30PM Recommended for Grades 3-12

PASSION, TALENT AND CREATIVE ENERGY BLEND IN THIS AFTERNOON SERIES IN ROBERTSON THEATRE. ENJOY SONGS, STORIES AND SPONTANEITY WITH OUR INCREDIBLE HOUSE BAND AND FEATURED GUESTS.

THU 5 APR | 10AM + 12:30PM

Recommended for Grades 4-12

Compose Yourself by James Stephenson Toy Symphony by Leopold Mozart

MON 7 MAY | 10:30AM Recommended for Grades 3-8

THU 12 APR | 12:30PM Recommended for Grades 3-12

Green Thumb Theatre Land of Trash FRI 20 APR 10AM + 12:30PM Recommended for Grades 3-8

ALL TICKETS $35 BUNDLE FOR 3 SHOWS FOR $90

FOR MORE INFO Stéphanie Filippi Audience Development Coordinator

sfilippi@stcatharines.ca | 905-688-5601 x 3617

AUDIENCE POLICIES • • • •

Every person, regardless of age, must hold a valid ticket.

Unauthorized photography or any recordings of sound or video are prohibited.

Please remember to turn off cellphones and digital devices.

Fragrance-Free Zone – Please help us accommodate those who are chemically sensitive to fragrances and other scented products. Thank you for not wearing perfume, aftershave or any scented hand/hair/body products.

• The Algoma Central Lobby and bar open one hour before show time. Arrive early to get the best parking spots, avoid lineups and enjoy a pre-show beverage in the lobby. At most performances, beverages are permitted inside the theatre. Drink transfer stations (disposable cups) are set up outside the theatre entrance. We do not allow glass into the theatres.

ACCESSIBILITY NOTES • Drop-off points are available in front of the Box Office Entrance on St. Paul Street as well as the front doors closest to Partridge Hall along Carlisle Street.

• We recommend the multi-level covered Garden Park / Carlisle Street Garage with 595 spaces and 26 accessible spaces.

• All theatres are accessible for seating – please notify the Box Office when you book your tickets. We will have the seats removed to make room for your wheelchair.

• All washrooms are accessible and located near each of the four theatres.

• We have two elevators with access to all levels of the building. Handrails in the theatres are there to assist patrons with navigating the aisles and steps.

• We have a wheelchair on site and Front of House Staff are available to assist our guests. Booster seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The new Listen Technologies hearing-assistance system is available in all theatres. Please reserve any of these in advance via the Box Office or ask the Front of House Staff when you arrive.

LISTENING ASSISTING DEVICES

Are available upon request

ART GIVING OF

THE

CAPITAL DONORS FirstOntario Credit Union

Peter and Janet Partridge

The Cairns Family

Joe and Anita Robertson

FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre

Partridge Hall

Cairns Recital Hall

Robertson Theatre

Algoma Central Corporation Algoma Central Lobby

John and Harriet Lehnen

Joy Williams

Steinway Piano

Joy Wiliams Lobby

RBC Foundation

Christopher J. Slater

RBC Innovation Studio

In memory of Mr. and Mrs. J.L. Slater Lobby Elevator

Linda and Tom Goldspink Donor Wall

John and June Mann Mann Raceway Plaza

Marian Gordon-Kendall Marian Gordon-Kendall Recital Lobby

COGECO COGECO Lobby

John Muratori Family John Muratori Family Box Office

Virgina Atkin and Keith Ambachtsheer

Ineke Brinkman

Art and Val Fleming

Wynne Nicholson

Virgina Atkin and Keith Ambachtsheer Green Room

The Brinkman Boardroam

Art and Val Fleming Staircase

Nicholson Dressing Room

The FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre is very grateful to our COMMUNITY CAMPAIGN DONORS for making us a philanthropic priority with gifts of $10,000 and above.

We would like to acknowledge The City of St. Catharines Mayor, City Council and staff (past and present); Brock University President, faculty and staff; Infrastructure Canada and the Province of Ontario for project funding support; The Department of Canadian Heritage (Canada Arts Presentation Fund); the Ontario Arts Council (Ontario Dances Program & Theatre Connects Program); Niagara Region (Niagara Investment in Culture) for their support of our season programming; the Niagara Centre for the Arts Task Force, PAC User Group and the citizens of St. Catharines-Niagara.

Like a great performance, wise investing is built on experience and talent.

Make this holiday season For any donation of $50 to the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre save $200 off of any Stressless chair at Critelli’s.

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Our commitment to investing in our local communities demonstrates our belief that investing in people brings the highest returns.

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Plus attend any of these Critelli’s Celtic Series concerts for your chance to

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Find out more about the Brock experience at brocku.ca/miwsfpa