The Pearl Company

Shari Vandermolen with QUARTER TO NINE: Saturday, February 14: 8:00pm. $20 /$18 students/arts workers/seniors. A sexy, sassy, jazz-soaked treat for the Valentine’s Day! Quarter to Nine is a jazzy musical act with the remarkable Shari Vandermolen on vocals.  The name comes from the song “About a Quarter to Nine” from the musical 42nd Street.  Incorporating the sweet soft jazz feel of days gone by, or the burlesque feel of risqué blues, Q2Nine influences include Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Etta James, Billie Holiday and the “big-band sound”. They’ll be bringing you Jazz Standards, naughty blues and torch songs peppered with just the right amount of show tunes for good measure. “Shari’s training as an actor imbues her music with an emotional edge that takes us places we have never been with these songs. Quarter to Nine is an experience as much as a concert.” http://www.q29.ca   Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyDlzfMzUkI

Love Letters Cabaret: SMOKE: Friday, February 13. 8:00pm (Doors 7:30pm) Admission: $25 Advance/ $30 @ Door.  Smoke is a romantic and seductive show; perfect for a couple on Valentines weekend! SMOKE is a glimpse into the fantasies of a woman… Toronto’s edgiest, most sexually charged dance theatre company infiltrates the passionate minds of cigar factory workers in the 50s. Take a peek as each member takes a private moment from their mundane task to daydream about love affairs, secrets and desires.
This innovative and interactive company is the creation of Artistic Director and Choreographer Pastel Supernova (dubbed by Flare magazine as “One of Canada’s most influential women”). She is a former international dancer for Nelly Furtado with appearances on the David Letterman Show and more. Pastel packs the stage with beauty and talent, using elements of vaudeville, contemporary dance, and burlesque to tell stories, explore primal instincts. Witness a cast whose collective credits include: the National Ballet, the Canadian Opera Company, Mirvish Productions and Second City Productions just to name a few. You’ve never seen them? Here’s a peek: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yV3nObw-7wk    www.loveletterscabaret.com

Big Johnny Blue & Strange Cargo w Special Guest Richard Thornton of The Jack De Keyzer Band: Saturday, February 7, 8:00pm, $15 / $10 students/seniors/wage-challenged….  Like the blues?  You’ll love them John Crawford style.  Big Johnny Blue is John M. Crawford, Hamilton guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter and founding member of The Hamilton Blues Society. He has written hundreds of songs, and played with countless local musicians over the years. He is committed to supporting local music and musicians, especially by supporting efforts to tell the story of Hamilton’s blues history, and the power of music to improve the life of every man. These guys rock;  Code Red Blues! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XE8p_zRZeIs&index=1&list=PLB3320D903F7A1FCE  https://www.facebook.com/bigjohnnyblueandstrangecargo/

Jesse Macrae & Company: Friday, February 6. 8:00 pm. $15 / $10 students/seniors/wage-challenged… Greg Moverly opens. This will be Jesse’s first time showcasing at The Pearl. He is delighted to be joined by Andrew Aldridge, Michael Hickey and Nick Burson as a unit. This is sure to be an evening packed with inspiring originals, organic first time performances, with plenty of smiles along the way. Jesse’s taking this show as an opportunity to show his gratitude and appreciation for all the support and encouragement he’s been receiving from the Hamilton art community. A MUST SEE! https://www.facebook.com/jesse.macrae.96?fref=nf  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2OBS_Mq2rw

Jesters Incognito: Shows: Jan 9, 17, 23. Times vary. Tickets: $15.00. Jesters Incognito is an exciting and life-affirming one-man show that tells two unique stories.  For over 20 years, Harrison fills sketchbooks in order to cope with his Bipolar condition.  In it he writes the story of Mr. Meister, a taxi driver who starts an undergournd group of artists and entertainers in a dystopian world where live entertainment is outlawed.
With a creative mash up of cartooning, music, and comedy, you are taken into the imagination of both Harrison and Mr. Meister, wherein they reveal the key to mental wellness, and the cure to the dreaded Doldrums.  Audiences are raving about this underground renaissance of otherworldly jesters; the value of their seemingly silly shenanigans runs deep and leaves most blinded by glee!  Celebrate human resilience and the power of art!
“The Jesters Incognito are kicking off the new year with three performances at Hamilton’s awesome Arts Centre, The PEARL COMPANY!  This space is uniquely jesterly ~ eclectic, indie, and full of surprises.  I’m looking forward to bringing the nincompoops to the Pearl, to continue my support of creativity and mental health. :)”

Best of Erin & Nara: Shows: Jan 10, 15,16, 22, 30, 31. Times vary. Tickets: $15.00. MF Arts Productions presents… Partner’s in love and laughter, Erin and Nara are pleased to announce their BEST OF THE SO FARS, Show! This couple is known for their original song “Sexy Cuz We’re Lesbians” and for being the over-the-top hysterical hosts of Shelley Marshall’s The Full Bawdy Comedy Show. This FuNNy SHoW will be comprised of some of their favourite Comedy Skits, Songs, and Dance and will have you lol-ing and possibly even rofl-ing in the aisles! Erin & Nara are both hilarious (without ever ‘reaching’) and totally adorable! Their comedy is never cruel; raunchy sometimes….but never cruel.

Democracy is Dead: Subtitled “What are we going to do about it?” Runs: Jan 15-17; 22-23; 29-31. Times vary. Tickets: $15.00. Democracy is Dead is a 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. CAST: Gary Santucci – Alpha; Jeremy Shand – 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.

A Wake For Lost Time: Starts at 1pm on the 24th/finishes 1pm on 25th… Tickets: $20.00 (Gives you the right to come and go…or stay all night!) The Elephants Collective is a Toronto-based collective born out of the Theatre Passe Muraille emerging artist collective program! “A Wake For Lost Time.” captures what it is to be human and the effects time has on us all. What starts out as a look at existence within time from that of an outside observer, quickly becomes the story of everyone’s experience in the moment they find within themselves, audience and performers alike. The emotion and struggle of the cast become absolutely heart­wrenching as time progresses. “I can’t imagine a script that captures the nature of this performance, nor can I picture an actor alive that could replicate what Elephants in the Room have accomplished with this powerful show.” Everything on stage is real in the truest sense of the word. An amazing achievement; half theatre, half experiment. While the individual scenes and pieces that made up a full performance cycle are moving, challenging, and entertaining, it is a thrill to watch the performers engage with this material over 24 hours, to see them fight their own exhaustion, to watch the pieces evolve and change, and discover new meaning and life with each repetition.

An Evening with Ryan Van Sickle: Saturday, January 3; 8:00pm. $20 at the door: Born and raised in Dundas, and having travelled the USA, Ryan Van Sickle rocks The Pearl with his 4^th annual “Let’s Welcome the New Year!” show! The man is an excellent singer/songwriter whose yearly visit we enjoy enormously.  Writing songs of character and integrity that resound with the timeless and universal, Ryan Van Sickle uniquely translates the themes of love, war, life and death and the epic and mundane struggles within. Following in the steps of the masters from his native Canada, Ryan draws on the influences of Neil Young, Daniel Lanois, and Leonard Cohen alongside American greats Bruce Springsteen, Emmylou Harris, Johnny Cash, and Lucinda Williams. With the release of his latest album Ghosts Of The Brokenhearted, Ryan emerges as a powerful songwriter; asserting his prowess in building a lyrical highway with a strong voice to carry listeners on the journey. http://ryanvansicklemusic.com/  Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmBiU67-2q8

Come Fill Your Soul with Jazz & Dance Your Heart Into The New Year @ The Pearl!

Wednesday, December 31, 8:00 ‘til ?  $60 per person.  Fab entertainment and a great buffet. The entertainment will be a brilliant collection of super-gifted jazz musicians. We promise fun people, great conversations, musical magic, and lots of dancing before, between, and after the jazz sets!

To welcome in the New Year:

• Chef Gary Santucci will outdo himself (as always) with a pan-global buffet; new dishes will arrive throughout the night.
• There will be two sets from the incredible collection of jazz artists assembled for the evening and
• Dancing between sets. (Musical requests?)
• We need you to RSVP: Buy tickets online, via email, or phone.  We sold out last year so let us know as soon as you do!

In our warm, welcoming ‘lofty’ atmosphere!

Featuring: The Spanjazz ensemble! Check out the all-star line-up! The Spanjazz Quintet includes Jay Burr – trombone, James Gannet – bass, Bruce Tournay – keyboards, Sal Roselli – reeds, Gary Santucci on guitar, and Steve Wilson on drums.  Wow is the word.  Dancing between sets and lots of food and interesting beverages will round out the evening.

Santa’s Big Sleep:  Sunday, December 21. Matinee, 1 pm. Tickets – $10 Adults, $8 children, $32 Family. This is the 12th Anniversary of SBS presented by Northern Lights Theatre. Start your Christmas season with this magical story about children’s love for Santa and the true spirit of Christmas!
There is a worldwide mail strike and no letters are coming to the North Pole. Santa falls into a deep sleep and we discover that it is the children’s love contained in the letters that keeps Santa alive. Can the Elves solve the problem and wake Santa before Christmas Eve, or will the Spirit of Christmas be lost forever? They will need your help!  Written by Lee William Fairbanks. Directed by Luis Arrojo. Starring Alyssa Nedich, Liz Buchanan, Sean Emberley, Tyler Brent, Ella Burns, Rachel Sheridan, Kamryn Wood and Savannah Bourque. nltc@bell.net  or www.thepearlcompany.ca
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Santas-Big-Sleep/214424055300155?ref=br_tf

The Koren Family Christmas! Saturday, December 20 at 7:00pm: $10 / $5 Students/Seniors/ Everyone with a Food Donation. The Koren Family with The Pearl Company will be hosting an evening of music and much, much, more that evening. All proceeds will be forwarded to Hamilton Food Banks (non-perishable donations will be received at the door). Kim, Frank, Marrakech and Jordan Koren will be your musical hosts!!  The musical line-up to date is amazing: Duane Rutter, Hachey the MouthPEACE, Fred Magie, Good Anya, new comers Katie Harbour and Jocelyn Fairman, Liam McGlashon, Quails in the Nest and Josh Lamothe. And, just added, Harrison Kennedy! A few more may be announced in the next couple of weeks….  Don’t miss out on your chance to be charmed and delighted by this beautiful family event while helping those in need! https://www.facebook.com/events/1505450543062890/?ref=br_tf 

AWAKE: The Life of  Yogananda: Thursday, December 18 @ 7:00pm (doors: 6:30) Friday, December 19 @ 8:00pm (doors 7:30). $15/$10 students/seniors/wage-challenged.  Paramahansa Yogananda is the Author of the famous book ‘Autobiography of a Yogi’ Selected as “One of the 100 Best Spiritual Books of the Twentieth Century”. ‘Autobiography of a Yogi’ is regarded worldwide as a classic of religious literature and it continues to appear on best-seller lists after more than sixty consecutive years in print! The world premiere of AWAKE opened in New York City on October 10. Here’s what is being said about the film…
“The inspirational journey of AWAKE is bound to awaken your own path; don’t miss the opportunity to see this epic and timeless film on the big screen.” —-L.A. Yoga Magazine
“Yogananda was truly one of the great spiritual masters. He shone a light that continues to bless millions of us living on the earth today.” —-Marianne Williamson
“The film tapped into Yogananda’s humanity in a way that was profoundly moving and inspiring to me.” —-Ram Dass
“A beautifully crafted film and a powerful story about a spiritual genius.” —-Russell Simmons
www.awaketheyoganandamovie.com See the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oORHVf3cu8M

THE HOLIDAY CONCERT: A Festive Evening of Christmas, Jazz, & Brazilian Music: Wednesday, December 17. doors at 7:00.  Concert 7:30 – 9:30pm. $15/$10 students/seniors/under-waged.  This group; Bob Shields, Mike Malone, Clark Johnston, Carolyn Credico, & Anthony Michelli has played together in various formats for many years. The band consists of some of Canada’s finest jazz musicians and jazz educators and one rising star. All the musicians have roots locally and have been good friends for most of their careers. They all have a passion for good music and wanted to do something special locally for this holiday season. They have chosen Christmas music (of course) as the focus for this concert. However, as all these musicians share a love for both jazz and Brazilian music, they are infusing the concert with these influences. This will be a beautiful evening of festive music!
Carolyn Credico is a ‘not to be missed’ rising talent. Her voice is soulful as well as technically masterful. Bob Shields: Jazz, contemporary, and Brazilian guitar styles with decades of performing and recording experience nationally and internationally with some of Canada’s finest musicians. Mike Malone: Since the nineteen seventies Mike has been one of the country’s leading trumpet and Flugel horn players and arrangers. Anthony Michelli: Anthony is one of our country’s finest jazz drummers. with countless recordings under his belt. Clark Johnston: Clark is one of the most ‘in demand bassists’ around. Performing currently with the finest musicians in Canada such as Don Thompson, Reg Schwager and Terry Clark.  Longer Performer Bios:

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THE NAUGHTY NUTCRACKER! Presented by Love Letters Cabaret: Sunday, December 14. 8:00pm – 9:30pm (Doors 7:30pm) Admission: $20 Advance/ $25 @ Door.  Ever wonder what happened to all the toys too naughty to make it into Santa’s bag? Immerse yourself in Pastel Supernova’s fantasy world, as she invites you into Santa’s naughty toyshop. Witness how unruly toys behave when left to play unattended. Enjoy Burlesque from Toronto’s most edgy, exciting and sexually charged theater dance company! This innovative and interactive company is the creation of Artistic Director and Choreographer Pastel Supernova (dubbed by Flare magazine as “One of Canada’s most influential women”). She is a former international dancer for Nelly Furtado with appearances on the David Letterman Show and more. Pastel packs the stage with beauty and talent using elements of vaudeville, contemporary dance and burlesque to tell stories, explore decadence & primal instincts. Witness a cast whose collective credits include: the National Ballet, the Canadian Opera Company, Mirvish Productions and Second City Productions just to name a few. You’ve never seen them? Here’s a peek: http://youtu.be/1MvSqS1uscY  www.loveletterscabaret.com

Robin Benedict & Sam Klass Live at The Pearl! Saturday, December 13. $15 / $10 students/seniors/under-waged.  Where else can you hear Hamilton’s own Robin in such an acoustically perfect and intimate situation? First there was the Video that went viral with 4½ million views. Then there was CH Morning Live!! But, we were just along for the ride, while the world was discovering what we already knew; Robin Benedict is a STAR! And the pairing with Sam Klass, couldn’t be a better fit! Her expansive repertoire of everything from rock, reggae and funk, country, folk and blues and her unique, powerful voice has drawn international attention, and regular trips to Nashville to record. She is known for her relaxed and humorous stage presence and ability to move a crowd of any size and demographic to their feet. Sam Klass spent 2 years developing his own looping techniques before taking them across Canada. He has added digital beats and instruments to his act, and has stood up from a formerly seated performance to become  a full on singing, dancing puppet of existential forces! Come on out and see this talented pair of singer/songwriters/musicians in concert. Here’s the viral video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVjCZ0IoKUE  and here’s Robin singing “What’s Up”: http://youtu.be/kFCCe0hleRA  http://www.robinbenedict.ca/

Ron Hynes: Friday, December 12. Doors 7:30 / Concert 8:00pm. $20 advance / $25 at the door. Living legend, musical icon, throat cancer survivor… just a few of his tags…. Hynes’ songs are woven into the fabric of Atlantic Canada, he’s won countless awards, and some of the biggest names in music have covered his work (Emmylou Harris, Murray McLauchlan, Valdy, John McDermott).  For Ron Hynes, it’s all about the songs-and the soul-baring stories… and he has a few left to tell. With a songwriting career that spans more than 30 years, Ron is a six-time East Coast Music Award winner, a Genie Award winner and a past Juno, CCMA and Canadian Folk Music Awards nominee. Frequently referred to as the “man of a thousand songs”, his song “Sonny’s Dream” has become a folk classic, performed and recorded by artists all over the world.  He’s an actor, a songwriter/composer.  The feature film about Ron’s life “The Man of a Thousand Songs” debuted at TIFFestival to sold-out audiences and critical praise.  “He touches people… it’s a rare gift for songwriters to be able to distill a song until only its essence remains. He’s a treasure.” Fan.   For more, visit: www.hynesite.org  Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lV6QlEL46Bs

YOU CAN DO THAT! Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of A HARD DAY’S NIGHT and BEATLES FOR SALE: December 5 & December 6 at 8:00pm. $20/night/ $30 for 2 nights. 2014 marks the 50th anniversary of two albums released by the Beatles, “A Hard Day’s Night” and “Beatles For Sale”. To mark this anniversary, two fundraising shows are being held at The Pearl. Hosted by Christopher Clause, the shows will feature the best local talent performing in the heart of the city. The monies raised from the show will go to FERMATA HAMILTON, specifically the Debbie Clause Recording Fund, which will assist local musicians in making new, recorded music for the world to experience. There will be merchandise from the musicians on sale (which will make excellent Christmas gifts) as well as fine pop art designed by Kryder (Kristie Costello) who designed the image used on the poster for the shows.
The lineup (as of October 30) is as follows and is subject to change at any moment! Andrew Aldridge, The Barr Band, Jennifer Beehler, Robin Benedict, Bob Bryden, Jen Budd, Katie Bulley, Shawn Brush, Parag Chakravarti, Jeff Chase, Christopher Clause, Matthew de Zoete, Robyn Dell’Unto, Nathan Fleet, Andy Griffiths, Bec Jamieson, Chris Jamieson, AaLia Kesari, Frank Koren, Kim Koren, Marra Theresa Koren, Josh Lamothe, Tor Lukasik-Foss, Fred Magie, Melissa Marchese, Lena Montecalvo, Steve Parton, Michael Scott, Slow Burn Jury, Peter Taplay. Here’s a taste!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAnHQ5AIeAI  https://www.facebook.com/events/1471811463084668/?source=1