The Pearl Company

Allen Swerling’s Farewell Party: Wednesday, September 30. 5:00pm – 8:00pm. Come join Connie and Allen’s family and friends as we celebrate Allen’s life and work. Allen has been so much a part of The Pearl since we started this adventure in 2006.  If he wasn’t helping me stuff ARTBus bags, he was behind the coffee bar or showing his work – he has had a permanent display table at The Pearl for his unique paintings and “cartoons” (which is hardly a word big enough to describe his work!) This will be a pot luck event so if you are able, please bring something. Pass this on to those who knew Allen.

TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE: By Jeffrey Hatcher and Mitch Albom based on the book by Mitch Albom. September 24 – 26, Oct 1 – 3 @ 8:00. Oct 3 also @ 2:00 Tickets: $20/$15 students/seniors/artists. Classical Theatre Presents: A Dramedy About Life’s Greatest Lesson. Directed by Tyler Brent. Starring Steve O’Brien and Peter Anderson. “Take in as much joy as you can.” Tuesdays with Morrie is a play so touching, powerful and celebratory it may change your outlook on life. In this humorous and heartbreaking piece, career-obsessed journalist Mitch reunites with his past-teacher Morrie, who is battling Lou Gherig’s Disease (ALS). This reconnection soon becomes both a weekly pilgrimage and a life-affirming ritual that enables Morrie to teach his final and most important lesson – how to live. This hit story about friendship and the necessity of mentors is a rare gem that is both moving and entertaining.  “A touching, life-affirming, deeply emotional drama with a generous dose of humor.”  – New York Daily News  “Unforgettable! No matter how well you tell the story, the play makes it more vivid, more shattering, more humorous.” – New York Magazine

Bill Powell’s Goodbye Party and Wake! : 1:00pm – 4:00pm Per his wishes, in lieu of a funeral, we are having a celebration of his life. He said, “Throw me a party!” and that’s what we are doing. Please feel free to pass the word out to Bill’s friends. Bill was a great friend and supporter of The Pearl. It is a very mixed pleasure to have Bill’s final goodbye here. You have done so much for Hamilton, Bill.  Hamilton is already missing you.

Les Chiclettes & The Harlequin Singers. Monday, September 21, 7:30pm. $40.  Award Winning Toronto based vocal trio Les Chiclettes (reminiscent of the Andrews Sisters with a French twist) joins forces with acclaimed Hamilton choir, The Harlequin Singers, to present an evening of music and fundraising.
Meet these adventurous and fiercely determined Franco-Ontarian women, with a thirst for novelty and a desire to experience life differently. Les Chiclettes: comprised of Nathalie Nadon, Julie Kim Beaudry and Geneviève Cholette will be presenting their second album entitled, “Voyage à Trois”.  For the occasion, they have joined up with acclaimed community choir The Harlequin Singers to help raise funds for their 2015-2016 season. “Everytime we perform in Hamilton, our show is sold out! … So when the opportunity presented itself to raise funds for The Harlequin Singers upcoming season, we said YES immediately” explains the trio. Michael Barber, Harlequin’s choir director and Les Chiclettes musical director is the common thread between the two groups.  “The Harlequin Singers have been performing for over 45 years in and around Hamilton and the idea of sharing the bill with a professional French vocal trio can only mean two things for us and our audience: fun and more fun!” www.leschiclettes.com   http://www.harlequinsingers.com/  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2lhgd4DljQ

Dala: Saturday, September 19. 8:00pm. Tickets: $30 / $25 Students/Seniors. Juno nominees and winners of the 2010 Canadian Folk Music Award for Vocal Group of the Year, Amanda Walther and Sheila Carabine of Dala write and sing in harmony best described as angelic. Darlings of the Canadian music scene, Dala are poised to bring their fresh brand of acoustic pop music to the world. Drawing upon influences like The Beatles, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and Bob Dylan, Dala write songs that are both catchy and insightful. Amanda’s ethereal soprano voice blends seamlessly with Sheila’s velvety alto, creating the lush harmonies that have become their trademark. The sheer joy with which they perform is infectious; they are equally entertaining between songs, telling funny and down to earth stories that make every show unique. Dala have opened for artists such as Tom Cochrane, Richie Havens, Arlo Guthrie, and joined Stuart McLean on the CBC’s Vinyl Café. They have performed at The New Orleans Jazz Festival, The Edmonton Folk Festival, California’s Strawberry Festival and Mariposa. In 2009, they were the only Canadian act invited to play at the 50th Anniversary of the Newport Folk Festival. www.dalagirls.com (more…)

Welcome to Our Season!  Friday, September 18: 8:00pm start. $20/$15. We have an exciting season of theatre and music in store for you in 2015- 
16! The Season Preview Gala, giving you a taste of our truly exciting season of theatre and music in 2015-16. What a show it will be!

Here’s the lineup!
Everybody’s favourite comical MCs, Erin & Nara will guide us through the evening (and we will need lots of guiding!)
Previews of upcoming theatre:
Tuesdays with Morrie
Dr. Faustus
Spirit of the Narrows
Music from some Pearl Company favourites:
Leonard, Burns & Dell
Duane Rutter
Rae Billing
Big Johnny Blue
Performances from:
Hammer Hoppers (Dance Nights)
Brenda Lennie (Wam Bam Comedy Workshops)

A new offering  this September is a Season Ticket Package for our Fall 2015 Theatrical Season.  The Season Ticket Package will cost $65 for all three shows — that’s a 15% savings over buying tickets separately!  As an extra benefit, Season Ticket subscribers will receive a pair of 10% discount coupons, which can be used at selected musical performances in the 2015-16 season!
As above, the three theatrical performances we will be presenting this fall are:
Tuesdays with Morrie  (Classical Theatre Company) with Peter Anderson
& Steve O’Brien
Dr. Faustus (Make Art Theatre) with Ryan Sero, Jay Shand, Sean Emberley
and more!
Spirit of the Narrows with Anne Lederman (Internationally respected fiddler with
a story to tell)
Season Ticket Packages will be available for purchase on TicketScene or at our box office from September 1, 2015 to October 2, 2015.
If you buy a Season Ticket Package before or on September 18th, for this jam-packed evening of theatre and music you’ll get in for a mere $10!

Tablao Flamenco Toronto: Thursday, September 17. Doors 7:30/Show 8:pm. $20/ $15 stds/srs.  On the heels of their sold-out show in Toronto, Tablao Flamenco Toronto brings  these vibrant flamenco artists to Hamilton in this tablao style show. Tablao is a colloquial Spanish term for the “floorboard” that represented the local establishments where flamenco artists performed their shows throughout Spain dating back to the 1960’s. The artists featured during this one-night-only Hamilton show are Ana Lia Arias Garrido (song), Nazanin Meshkat (dance), Dino Toledo (guitar), and Zingari Alejandra Garcia (dance). You are guaranteed a true flamenco experience here at The Pearl Company! Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9QC0_lTlWM&feature=youtu.be

CANCELLED! 123 DANCE! September 10, 11 & 12. 8:00pm. Doors 7:30 $15/$10Srs/Stdnts/Artists.  A Call for Dance Artists of all Disciplines and Audiences of all kinds! 123 Dance is a dance festival that offers a platform for choreographers, dancers, and dance companies of all disciplines to perform their work, new ideas, research, and movement explorations. 123 Dance comes from the need to encourage and foster the development of dance in our community, Gary Santucci, Artistic Director of The Pearl in collaboration with John Gerena (Dance Artist, Choreographer, and dancer), Artistic Director of the festival and of his own company – “Grado Cero”, are opening the doors of The Pearl Company for this innovative dance event.  The Festival invites its participants to explore dance and its limits, and to try out new ideas in public.
Ballerina Sarah Murphy-Dyson will be performing as one of our guest artists as will John Gerena.
We are pleased to announce that 123 Dance is introducing a fundraising component to the festival. We couldn’t have found a better fit than the charitable organization DANCING WITH PARKINSON’S.
Why 123? All proposals are: maximum of 3 minutes performance time; Up to 3 elements of props; Up to 3 participants on stage. All proposals must involve the body as a main element of the piece.  https://www.facebook.com/events/972950422726007/

Shari Vandermolen & David Brideau: Saturday May 5.  Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. Tickets: $20. Shari Vandermolen is a renowned vocalist and award-winning performer in Hamilton and the Greater Toronto Area who has been entertaining audiences for 15 years with her Quartet, Trio or 5-piece band Quarter to Nine.  She is also the lead vocalist for the 10-piece jazz combo SwingLine.  On May 5th Shari brings her powerful and impressive vocal stylings back to the Pearl Company for a more intimate evening of song with jazz guitarist David Brideau, James Gannett on bass and Vince Waters on drums.  “…hear Vandermolen make jelly of your emotions with her voice and her art… one example is Stormy Weather… I barely weathered that storm intact.”  – View Magazine
David Brideau is a Canadian jazz guitarist, composer, and teacher who has been an active musician for over 15 years. A Hamilton native, and honours graduate from the Mohawk Jazz program, David has played all around the GTA with his own group, the David Brideau Trio and Quartet, as well as being prominently featured in groups with Michael Morobito, Amber-Leigh Palka, and Lauren Perreira among others. He studied under jazz greats Bob Shields, Pat Collins, Kim Ratcliffe, and Mark Ucci and is currently continuing his studies at McMaster University. David often composes his own standards, and released the sold-out EP “Addicted To You” in 2016. He is a recipient of the Dave McMurdo Music Bursary, the Antony Roberts Music Bursary, and the Richard Newell Memorial Scholarship.
Ticets: https://www.ticketscene.ca/events/21098/