The Pearl Company

Hamlet: August 1 – 3, 8 – 10. Doors: 7:00pm. Show: 7:30. Tickets: $20. Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, was written between 1599 and 1602. Set in Denmark, the play depicts Prince Hamlet and his revenge against his uncle, Claudius, who has murdered his father in order to seize his throne and marry his mother. Hamlet is Shakespeare’s longest play, his most popular work during his lifetime, and still his most performed.   
This version is based on the Laurence Olivier adaptation and runs 2 1/2 hours with intermission (not 4 1/2 hrs!)
Cast: Peter Anderson – Hamlet; Victoria Elysse – Ophelia and Player Queen; Valerie Harrison – Queen Gertrude; Andrew Rodwell – King Claudius; Ray Rivers – Horatio; Matt Dafoe – Laertes; Aha Blume – Osiric and Second Player; Bob De Haan – Marcellus, Priest and Captain; Nick Ruddick – Ghost, First Player, and Grave Digger; John Hewson – Polonius; Justine Dennis – Bernarda and Sailor; directed by Gary Santucci.
http://www.classicaltheatre.ca/

Fin de Fiesta Flamenco presents: SEMPITERNO: Friday, July 26. Doors: 6:30pm. CHANGE OF TIME! From 8:00pm to 7:00pm. Tickets: $22 advance; $25 at the door. International flamenco music and dance ensemble Fin de Fiesta Flamenco presents their new production, “Sempiterno”. Though its members hail from Canada, France and Cuba, Fin de Fiesta Flamenco comes together in Spain every year and creates inspired new work to tour in North America and Europe. Immersed in the flamenco way of life, they create the vibrant and impassioned music and dance that has been dazzling audiences for the past seven years. “Sempiterno” tells the story of the magnetic pull of the flamenco art form, a pull that has drawn Fin de Fiesta’s members away from the countries where they were born, to Spain, the cradle of flamenco.
The searing vocals of Alejandro Mendia (Noces Gitanes, France) are accompanied by the intricate guitar arpeggios of Dennis Duffin (Ventanas, Seville) and the haunting flute melodies of Lara Wong (Madrid). Dancer Lia Grainger (2017 Certamen New York International Flamenco Competition finalist, (Madrid) brings the stage to life with fierce and sensual choreographies and improvisations and Hanser Gomez (Cuba) holds down the rhythm on cajon. Stunning dancer Deborah “La Caramelita” (Noces Gitanes, France) joins the ensemble for her second year on tour.
To the south of Spain and back again, Fin de Fiesta will leave you breathless, with the pulsing rhythms of flamenco beating in your heart.
“A rowdy and intense troupe that radiates flamenco passion.” – The Vancouver Sun WWW.FINDEFIESTAFLAMENCO.COM
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqI0LwyahbY 

Gary Santucci’s SPANJAZZ! A World Beat Jazz Project: Saturday, July 13. Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. Tickets: $20 / $15 students/seniors / un(der)waged.  A collection of musical compositions inspired by world music rhythms, performed in a jazz context by the 6-piece world-beat jazz ensemble, SPANJAZZ! Featuring: Jordan Abraham – keyboard, Jeff Plumbley – trumpet, Aidan Sibley – trombone, James Gannett – bass, Rob Santos – drums and Gary Santucci – guitar. All musicians are highly respected performers in their own fields; the juxtaposition of their different styles and approaches creates the unique sound and experience that is SPANJAZZ!

The Passion of Flamenco! ADALANTE: Makeda Benitez with Dennis Duffin & Tamar Ilana: Saturday, July 6. Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. Tickets: $20. “Adelante” or “Onwards” is a passionate night of Flamenco straight from Seville, Spain — full of emotional bursts of expression to dramatic flurries of technical prowess. Toronto’s talented young dancer Makeda Benítez returns from studying and performing in Seville, Spain, to present a traditional Flamenco show “Adelante” in Toronto. She is accompanied by Flamenco guitarist Dennis Duffin (also based in Seville) and singer/dancer Tamar Ilana (of Ventanas fame). www.tamarilana.com
The show will transport you to the tablaos in the small streets of Seville. Featuring solos of guitar, singing and dance.
Makeda Benitez with “Persamenco” in Toronto: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afLvPt6Idqo
https://www.facebook.com/mak.ben.77

FRIDAY VARIETY SHOW! Larry Smith’s Hi-Larry-Us! Comedy, with Renee Christiansen, Gus Apostolos, & El Santucci: Friday, June 21: Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. Tickets: $20/ $15 students/ seniors/ un(der)waged. The perpetrators of this Comedy Variety Show decided to give this night a touch of diversity…. Join the irrepressible Cartoonist/ Stand-Up Comedian Larry Smith and musicians Renee Christiansen (powerful, sultry, bluesy voice), Costas Gus Apostolos (finger-style guitar from rock to flamenco) and Gary Santucci (flamenco, classical & jazz guitar).

The Kerr St Big Band: Friday, June 14. Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. Tickets: $20. “The Kerr St Big Band is excited to be bringing our swinging style for our first engagement at the Pearl Company! Playing the music of the big band era and beyond, we are an 18-piece band under the direction of trumpeter Ray Chantler. The evening will feature Basie classics, along with some contemporary Gordon Goodwin arrangements. We are pleased to showcase the passionate and polished Claire Rodger on vocals, singing such favourites as “A Foggy Day” and “Sweet Georgia Brown”. Join us for an evening of toe-tapping fun!”
“Rodger has an interesting and unpredictable voice steering boldly between brassy bravado and the trite and lite…a sunny and appealing sound” Geoff Chapman, Toronto Star.

Colour Film: New Songs. Special guest HarpAcash. Saturday, June 15. Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. Tickets: $20 / $15 students/ seniors/ un(der)waged.
Music for your mind’s eye. With songs that play like home movies rich in imagery and characters, Colour Film is the stage name of Hamilton’s Matthew de Zoete.  Mixing a storyteller’s eye for detail with melodic pop hooks, he takes snapshots of everyday life to illuminate the threads beneath the surface. Imagine Nick Drake cheering up a bit and meeting Beck. For this concert, Colour Film will play new and unreleased songs with a small ensemble.  www.colourfilm.ca
Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_judrBFsfiE
HarpAcash is a duo from Barrie who blend R&B-infused pop songs with jazz and soul elements, incredible vocal range, and unique scat-like rhythms.  www.harpacash.com

My Father’s House: May 29 – June 2/ June 4 – 9.  Doors: 7:30pm. Evening Shows: 8:00pm. Sun. Matinees: 2:00pm. Tickets: $20 / $15 students/ seniors/ un(der)waged. This new production of Brian Morton’s stage adaptation of My Father’s House, stars Lisa Langlois, and features Claire Shingleton-Smith, Keegan Chambers, and Joshua Perry Fleming.The play is produced and directed, by Gary Santucci.
Somewhere before the age of seven, Sylvia Fraser created a “twin” who shared her body while living a life apart from hers, with separate memories and experiences. For forty years, the existence of that twin and of the secret life she led while growing up in her father’s house was unknown to the author. How Fraser broke through the amnesia to discover and embrace the tortured self she left behind is the story of this astonishing stage play.
The memoir My Father’s House (1987) startled both critics and the public with its honesty, clarity of style and emotional force.  The book not only helped “heal” its author, but ignited public debate on a hidden social problem. More than thirty years, after publication, the book is more relevant than ever, in this the era of #metoo, as a moving example of how one survives trauma.
Lisa Langlois has chosen, to return to her stage career in playing the role of Sylvia. She is also developing My Father’s House for the screen, along with its prequel, Pandora.
Warning:  MY FATHER’S HOUSE contains mature content, adult themes, and simulated sexual assault. Viewer discretion is advised.
For show information please visit  www.theatre-erebus.ca
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The Jazz Connection Big Band: Saturday, May 25. Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. Tickets: $20. They’re back!!! Catch the powerful sound of this fabulous big band in our relaxed, atmospheric venue. The JCBB is a well-established 17-piece jazz ensemble comprised of professional and semi-professional musicians, performing only the best modern big band charts from the books of Goodwin, Martin, Menza, Rich, Basie, and many other great contemporary composers. Jazz Connection delivers high energy, uncompromising, straight ahead jazz, funk, and Latin, combining the highest level of musicianship and great charts in an entertaining show that engages both the jazz enthusiast and the casual listener. The excellent acoustics at The Pearl easily accommodate their very cool (& hot!) surround-sound. “This is one of the most exciting, entertaining and musically interesting jazz ensembles to come along in many years – the musicianship, the repertoire and the energy are all of the highest level!” Nick Deutsch – Mohawk College, Faculty of Music.  www.jazzconnection.ca  Listen: http://epresskitz.com/index.php?u=2691

The HI-LARRY-US! Show: Friday May 24.  Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. Tickets: $20/$15 students/seniors/un(der)waged. Last Friday of Every Month! Join the irrepressible Larry Smith, the world’s only LIVE! CARTOONIST/COMEDIAN, and his guests for a COMEDY VARIETY SHOW! Featuring STAND-UP, LIVE CARTOONING, GAMES and PRIZES, MUSIC, SKETCHES, IMPROV, PUPPETS and MORE!  Featuring Hamilton’s long-standing humour meister Larry Smith, a natural born performer who started his show business career at the age of 4, on Romper Room no less. He’s been a headliner and part of a comedy duo, for more the 16 years. He’s made numerous radio and television appearances including Comedy at Club 54, Cooking with Comics, and the Comedy Network. Larry has toured extensively across North America, sharing the stage with the like of Sam Kinison, Gilbert Gottfreid, Blue Rodeo, Northern Pikes, and more.  This is one funny man with one funny show pulled together specially for The Pearl!   https://www.ticketscene.ca/events/

Visiting Mr. Green: A play by Jeff Baron: May 2 to 5 and 9 to 11. Evenings: Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. Matinees: May 5 and 11: Doors: 1:30pm. Show: 2:00 pm. Tickets: $20.
Mr. Green, an elderly, retired dry cleaner, wanders into New York traffic and is almost run down by a car driven by Ross Gardiner, a 29-year-old corporate executive. The young man is given community service helping the recent widower once a week for six months. What starts as a comedy about two men who do not want to be in the same room together becomes a gripping and moving drama as they get to know each other. Howard Jerome is Mr. Green and Daniel Schneiderman is Ross Gardiner. Presented by Snapping Turtle Productions & The Pearl Company. Directed by Sandi Katz, Produced by Enid Aaron & Dan Penrose Translated into 22 languages, with over 200 productions in large and small venues, Mr. Green has won numerous best play and best actor awards throughout the world.
“Baron tells his tale with discerning freshness and originality. One of the best shows around” – Chicago Daily Herald

Big Johnny Blue: Friday, May 17. 8:00pm, $20 / $15 students/seniors/wage-challenged…. The show will not be a CD Release because of technical details… Johnny will explain.
Like the blues? You’ll love them Big Johnny Blue style!  Big Johnny’s a Hamilton guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter and founding member of The Hamilton Blues Society. No matter the venue, Big Johnny captivates his audience with the winning sounds of what he has coined “Hammer Blues”. His brand new CD showcases the evolution of Big Johnny Blue’s original music. Guitar: Robert Tyler, Bassist: Brad Hill, Blues Harmonica: Charly Chiarelli, Drummer: Steve Ruddick, Back up vocals: Luanne Carrier. Come, revive your soul with great new music! With special guest opening act, Thom Adkins.

Leanne Hoffman with Kim Harris: Saturday, May 18. Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. Tickets: $20 / $15 students/ seniors/ un(der)waged.  Those east coast female voices! Leanne Hoffman’s work is a tribute to the magic of songwriting. The Halifax based singer-songwriter can lift words off a page and hearts out of their chests. It is the pursuit of that magical pairing of lyrics and melody that lead her to create unique songs that are impossible to ignore. Her debut solo-album, “What Remains” produced by Erin Costelo feels equally indebted to contemporary pop acts like Metric as it does to songwriting greats like Randy Newman and Paul Simon. Hoffman’s lyrics and resonant voice are front and centre: she’s singing about subjects from romance to family and aging to gender equality, sharing her soul as she chases that magical musical synergy.
Kim Harris’ emotionally driven alternative pop is rich, deep and moving. Her sophomore LP, Heirloom, produced by Daniel Ledwell, will be released in January 2020 with its first release and title track coming this spring

Valdy: Sunday, May 5. 7:30pm. $25: Valdy has been part of the fabric of Canadian pop and folk music for over 36 years. A man with a thousand friends, from Newfoundland to Vancouver Island to Texas to New Zealand, he’s a singer, guitarist, storyteller, and songwriter who catches the small but telling moments that make up life. Thirteen albums, 2 major Juno Awards (Folk Singer of the Year and Folk Entertainer of the Year), a 7 Juno nominations, and 4 Gold albums to his credit, has made Valdy a true folk icon. He has taken his music to a dozen different countries, from Denmark to Australia and been an often-invited performer at Texas’ prestigious Kerrville Festival. Today, he is based on Salt Spring Island, where he lives with his wife Kathleen, three dogs and a large cat.
Anyone who has seen Valdy perform knows his shows are energetic, engaging, and a ton of fun. We are delighted to have him back at The Pearl!
www.valdy.com   Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v

“The EX-Files” ALL NEW MOTIVATIONAL COMEDY SHOW: Saturday April 27th Doors: 8:00pm. Show: 8:30. Tickets: $25. Featuring the Relentless Melanie Crawford and her ExHusband / Co-Parent Warren! They’re teaming up (and taking all that they’ve learned through their Co-Parenting experience) to hit the Comedy Stage to share their antics and hilarious daily struggles as they try to raise a family AFTER separation and BOTH as survivors of Traumatic Brain Injury! Beware. Melanie is a Motivational Comedy Specialist, Serial Entrepreneur, Big Picture Visionary, Transformational Educator, Master Paradigm Shifter, Relentlessly Awesome Mom of 4, Comedienne and Author … in no particular order.
“My ex husband and I successfully continue to share the family home in a unique and sophisticated co-parenting arrangement….”
“I’m bringing a wealth of “Personal Development” knowledge to the stage and delivering an alarmingly consistent message at a whole new level of transparency.” www.relentlessandcompany.com
Tickets available at: http://www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-ex-files-motivational-comedy-show-tickets-56219967436?aff=efbeventtix