The Pearl Company

Democracy is Dead: Subtitled “What are we going to do about it?” Preview: Oct 14. Runs: Oct 15 – 18. 8:00 pm. Tickets: $15.00/ Students/Artists/Seniors $10.00 or Pay What You Can. Democracy is Dead is a new multi-disciplinary, multi- media theatrical work written and directed by Gary Santucci. It is a wake-up call to the generations of the 60’s and 70’s to join the young people of today to begin to repair the damage that we all have caused and allowed to be inflicted on our environment, our institutions and our societies. The work was inspired through and by the cathartic exercise of creating the Pearl Company Arts Centre in Hamilton’s sacrifice zone. We have made this show affordable for all because we want to see you and hear from you! Info & tickets 905 524 0606

CAST: Gary Santucci – Alpha; Rod Mctaggart – Beta; JonGordon Odegaard – Gamma; Greek Chorus: Francis X. Rocchi – Jason; Val Kay – Helen; Robert Inness – Homer; Jolanta Bace – Aphrodite; David Minnick – Euclid; Steve Wilson – Orpheus.

Tickets available online at: http://www.ticketscene.ca/ (At The door subject to availability) Or from the Ticket Tab at www.thepearlcompany.ca

Learie McNicolls: RESURRECTION – May 22 (PWYC Preview), 23 & 24. 8:00PM. $20 Admission. Classical Dancer Learie McNicolls performs his magnum opus about Redemption and the Resurrection of one’s Soul.  The evidence is in the body.  The body never forgets.  God bless. “For 40 years I walked in anger, slept in anger, spoke in anger, danced in anger and no one noticed….not even me. We speak of the roots of a Culture….a Tradition….Source of a river. This then is my Source.  Where Anger hibernated for decades and caused untold grief and suffering.  So I beat myself up. This Dancer became internalized like a crazed Demon and pummeled me like a Boxer, who I recognized as The Trickster in us all. The voices in my head deserve a response.  I answer back.  They are silent.”  Written, Directed, Choreographed and Performed by: Learie McNicolls
Co-Director: Gary Santucci
Original Score: Learie McNicolls
Image: MaxxProducers: Myth Productions
Sponsor: The Pearl Company Arts Centre

40 Tiny Performances at the Pearl Company: Saturday, June 1. Doors: 7:30. Show: 8:00. $15/$12 Students/Seniors/Artists. Bringing together 40 of Hamilton’s finest performers from the world of theatre, dance, spoken word, comedy and music for a night of art, creativity and fun!  40 performers have 90 seconds to sing, dance, emote, rant, juggle, joke, or do whatever they please.  Curated by multidisciplinary artist Lisa Pijuan-Nomura.  “40 Tiny” is a night not to be missed. Where else would you find such an amazing cross-section of talent from across the Toronto/Hamilton corridor!  And who is this Lisa Pijuan-Nomura? She’s a multidisciplinary tornado who is using all her connections to pull together a night of creativity that can never be duplicated.  Talent displaying talent displaying talent. You must be a witness.  Web: www.girlcancreate.com  Blog;  www.girlcancreate.blogspot.com

Alignment: Saturday, May 12, 7:00pm start! $15 at the door: A multi-disciplinary event brought to you by PENTA (People Engaging and Networking Through the Arts), Nationless Minds, and the Burlington Slam Project: Hosted by the dynamic Greg “Ritallin” Frankson, Alignment  converges on 2 floors of The Pearl Company and brings you a stellar line-up of performers and artists exploring where various artistic expressions intersect and align with spoken word.  Spoken word is getting more attention all the time. Performers like Ian Keteku are at the forefront of this movement and PENTA is happy to have him join their first installation piece “Alignment”. The night will be filled with inspiring talents like Truth Is…, Prufrock, Shadowrunner, Hyf, Brad Morden, Electric Jon, The Burlington 2011 Slam Team, and Komi Olafimihan.  Being a PENTA show, these poets will be surrounded by photography, music, film, movement… What better way to experience a painting than to see it made from beginning to end while hearing the influences around it?  PENTA fills beautiful spaces with all the senses. Tickets: Available in advance at various spoken word events throughout April in southern Ontario, or contact PENTA at: we.are.PENTA@gmail.com for online purchase. http://www.wearepenta.com

Shane Koyczan with His Band, The Short Story Long: SPOKEN WORD FESTIVAL: AN OPERA OF SOULS: Friday April 6: 8PM – $20 at the door; Shane Koyczan is one of the world’s premier spoken word performers.  Known for his rhythmic verse in high gear, his performance at the 2010 Olympic Opening Ceremonies brought the 55,000 seat house to their feet with his tear-jerking homage to Canada “We Are More”. Now the multi award-winning spoken word performer breathes life into the new genre of talk rock with his band, The Short Story Long: a group whose musical range stretches from folk to funk, from ambient to rock.  Their sound showcases a blend of original music and Shane Koyczan’s remarkable performance poetry.  Along with Koyczan, the group has created a whole new style of song/verse. This is Talk-Rock.  This is something new. This is worth checking out. Their new album ‘Remembrance Year,’ has already garnered acclaim from music reviewers and fans alike. A writer and spoken word virtuoso, Shane Koyczan navigates through social and political territory with a furious honesty and a tender humanity that has brought audiences to their feet everywhere. Winner of the US Slam Poetry Championship and the Canadian Spoken Word Olympics, Koyczan is truly an extraordinary talent. www.shanekoyczan.com (more…)

Dwayne Morgan: SPOKEN WORD FESTIVAL: AN OPERA OF SOULS: Saturday April 7: 8PM – $20 advance/$25 at the door; With Dan (aka Dan Murray [AKA DAN]), Yogi, Kay’la Fraser, Tomy Bewick. Dwayne Morgan has won three Canadian Urban Music Awards for Best Spoken Word Recording, for his three albums. His Spoken Word performance style is straightforward, dynamic, thought provoking and layered with a heavy hip-hop culture influence. On the 7^th he will perform GRADE 8 which received raves when performed at Hamilton’s Fringe.  “Dwayne Morgan’s one man show is an impressive soul barring confession about the trials  of raising a daughter alone. Morgan’s flow is tight and solid, and when his monologue transforms into rap, the mercury rises; his powerful energy shines huge. This piece is intelligent, funny, and honestly performed. Highly recommended  .”  -View Magazine
In 1994, Dwayne founded Up From The Roots entertainment, to promote the positive artistic contributions of African Canadian and urban influenced artists. Dwayne’s work ethic has taken him across Canada, the United States, Jamaica, Barbados, England, Belgium, Germany, France, and Holland. His emphasis on quality has driven his success, and has made him a well respected member of the Toronto area’s urban music community, as well as the North American, and Global, spoken word scenes. www.dwaynemorgan.ca

Kate Reid and evalyn parry: Friday, May 6. 8:00pm. $15 / $10 artists/students. Are teaming up and hitting the road together to wow audiences with their dynamic and innovative approach to writing. With a penchant for penning quick-witted and entertaining pieces from song to spoken word, Parry and Reid are a pair not to be missed.
evalyn parry, an award-winning songwriter, poet and ironic social commentator, is gifted with a sharp pen, a quirky musical sensibility and a wicked sense of humour. Parry shoots from the hip and aims for the heart. “Fierce, funny, poignant and provocative.” www.evalynparry.com
Kate Reid is one of Canada’s funniest, sharpest new talents – a whipsmart wordsmith with a stage presence cited for her originality, topical songwriting and laugh-aloud humour. Her socio-political musings about identity, love and queer life are matched with an irreverent, often self-deprecating sense of humour Season these songs with one of Kate’s warm, disarming laughs and you’ll understand why listeners of all persuasions have taken such a shine to her. “One woman. One guitar. Lots of attitude”. “Edgy, fun and brilliant” www.katereid.net

May 7: The Art Bus will start at the Lincoln Alexander Centre, head off to Gallery on the Bay, then a Locke Street Stroll including the transit gallery, Textures and more, and off to Dundas for the Carnegie Gallery, the Dundas Valley School of Art and the Oddfellows Hall of Galleries and Studios.  Finishing back at The Pearl Co.

May 14: This second Friday we will be experimenting with an Ottawa Street Ramble (Earls Court Gallery, Under the Moon and more…) and the James North Crawl, finishing up with the Tiger Group Studio Gallery.

Starting at 6:30 from The Pearl Company at 16 Steven Street and King William.
Please reserve a spot beforehand via email or phone, and purchase your trip ($15.00) when you arrive.
Finishing up at The Pearl for an après-tour wind-down which includes a tour of the building often with music whether from Gary Santucci or whatever event is happening on the theatre floor.

Festitalia@La Perla (The Pearl Company)
Tuesday September 29, Italian Authors Night at 7:00 pm.
Poet Alvaro Tortora (Paradise Marshes), Novelist Lina Medaglia (Demons of Aquilonia), Novelist Michelle Alfano (Made Up Arias). Organized by Bryan Prince Bookseller.
16 Steven Street & King William Hamilton, ON  Info & Tickets 905 524 0606

Festitalia event sponsors:
    

Link:  http://www.upperjamestoyota.ca/

A reading of Inna di Wardrobe, a new play by playwright Deirdre  (D-lishus) Walton. Fri June 19 at 8 pm, at The Pearl, 16 Steven Street, part of Pride Week. “An entertaining seriocomic treatment of a universal message regarding family, loyalty and same-sex love.” Walton finds that “queer stories within Jamaican culture can provide a powerful theatrical experience for anyone caught in the space between the culture they left behind and the one they have joined.”

Proud Voices: A Queer Poetry Slam. Thursday, June 18th 7:00 pm at The Pearl Company, 16 Steven Street
Bryan Prince Bookseller teams up with the Women & Liminal Committee of Hamilton to celebrate Pride Week in Hamilton. You are invited to write and recite an original poem which contains the words “proud voices”. All poems will be judged by our guest judges and the winner will receive $100 cash prize donated by Bryan Prince. Sitting on the judge’s panel are: Sky Gilbert, Deidre (D-lishus) Walton, Richard Douglass-Chin, Linda Frank and Marcus McCann. This is a free event, but participants are asked to register at staff@princebooks.net or wlchamilton@gmail.com

Artword Theatre presents “Theatre +”, a theatrical double-bill based on two fascinating texts. Saturday May 23 at 8:00 pm $10 at the door.
at The Pearl Company, 16 Steven Street.
#1: “One Night, the Rain”, a theatrical adaptation created and performed by actress Aktina Stathaki and pianist Jerome Simeon based on a short story “Maria dos Prazeres”  by G.G. Marquez. Maria, a 70-year-old prostitute, is haunted by a dream that she is going to die soon, until one night…  Chorus: Paula Grove, Valeri Kay, Tanis MacArthur.
#2: “Langston Hughes vs Joe McCarthy”. Is poetry subversive? In 1953 U.S. Senator Joe McCarthy thought so. Directed by Ronald Weihs, this reading is based on testimony from the US Committee hearing and the poems of renowned Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes. Performed by the Artword Theatre Ensemble. A remount of Artword’s  Black History month presentation.
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Wolsak & Wynn publishers present a launch of three new works April 29th at the Pearl Company, 16 Steven St, Hamilton. Doors open 7 pm, readings begin 7:30pm. Author readings, book signings and refreshments.
Chris Pannell: Drive
Jeanette Lynes: The New Blue Distance
Robert Moore: Figuring Ground

Gary Smith in the Hamilton Spectator, Wednesday, October 22:

There’s a smart little show at The Pearl these days. It’s filled with sometimes joyous, sometimes sad reflections about how people absorb the identity of their work

It’s beautifully written and directed by Ronald Weihs with an ensemble cast that quiver with earnest emotion.

Set against an evocative steel and wood landscape designed by Judith Sandiford, with projections that comment on the action onstage, it is a visually arresting experience.

It’s well worth your time. You Are What You Do continues Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 and Sunday at 2 p.m. Artword at The Pearl, 16 Steven St.

Sunday, October 5: 2:00 – 5:00 pm in The Pearl Company Gallery, 16 Steven Street

Seraphim Editions Book Launch celebrating four of this year’s new publications. Readings and refreshments, meet and chat with the authors and the publisher. Admission: Free.

Crossing Lines: Poets Who Came to Canada in the Vietnam War Era. Allan Briesmaster and Steven Mickael Berzensky, Editors. The first major anthology of poetry by men and women who grew up in the U.S. and then emigrated to Canada during the 1960s and ‘70s. It offers surprising insights into that watershed period. (more…)