We chatted with Ralph about his biggest challenge with the role of Shaver in Come Down From Up River, what will surprise people about this show, and how he spends free time during rehearsals.

Q: What’s the biggest challenge about taking on this role?

A: The personal challenge is to find the essence of the man, the soul of the character – in order to play him truthfully, not stereotypically. So I’m always looking for the parts of myself that best align with the part I’m playing. And then to creatively imagine the rest. The other challenge of course is to find the balance between the playwright’s intentions, the director’s vision and your own personal creativity. And to make sure that we’re having some serious fun, especially during rehearsals.

Q: What’s going to surprise people about this show?

A: What’s NOT going to surprise people is how genuinely funny this play is, because Norm is always striving to find new ways to make his audience laugh. Norm’s humour is built in. It comes from the circumstances and the characters, so it always feels truthful. There are certainly one or two significant surprises, by way of plot twists and delicate subject matter, but the real surprise comes from how deft Norm is in exploring serious topics in a humourous way. This play, for me, harkens back to one of his first plays, The Melville Boys. Yes, his prime motivation is to entertain, but he doesn’t shy away from offering up a few life lessons while he’s at it.

• Q: When you have a five minute break during rehearsals, what do you spend your time doing?

A: You mean besides going to the bathroom? It depends really. Sometimes I just need to release some ‘actor’ tension with a few choice relaxation exercises or I’ll do a quick review of the preceding’s which usually has me sitting in a corner rehashing stuff. Other times I’ll just be contemplating the existential dread I feel for the world right now, which usually takes a lot longer than 5 minutes. I’ve also been known to leave the rehearsal hall and go for a short walk, especially if it’s a nice day.

Q: Besides this one, what’s your favourite stage show? 

A: Not Cats!

Q: What sort of person is going to love this show?  

A: Well, who doesn’t love Norm Foster? But this is a play for people who are not afraid to laugh and to laugh at themselves.

Canadian stage and screen legend Sheila McCarthy makes her Lighthouse directorial debut this May

Lighthouse Festival is pleased to welcome Canadian stage and screen legend, Sheila McCarthy, as the Director for our season premiere, Come Down From Up River by Norm Foster. McCarthy’s list of credits is vast and she is one of Canada’s most honoured artists, having won two Genie Awards, two Gemini Awards, an ACTRA Award, and two Dora Awards, along with numerous nominations. Her credits include Sarah Polley’s Oscar®-winning movie Woman Talking [MGM], Umbrella Academy [Netflix], Little Mosque on the Prairie [CBC], Stratford and Shaw festivals, I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing, Die Hard 2, Being Julia, and The Day After Tomorrow.

We spoke with McCarthy on a range of topics including what drew her to Come Down From Up River, what she thinks audiences will take away from the play, and what being a part of the Oscar®-winning filmWomen Talking was like.

Q: What drew you to this production as a director?

A: I was drawn to this play because I love delving into Norm Fosters work as a playwright. He writes more complicated stories than people think and I love discovering all the many layers of his words. Plus I love the idea of this incredible cast and working in beautiful Port Dover. 

Q: What will the audience be thinking about in the car as they drive home after seeing this show?

A: I think audiences will delve into stories about their own families as they drive home. The secrets and unsolved questions, the skeletons rattling in their own closets about misinterpreted moments and generational misunderstanding. I hope they also drive home with smiles on their faces about a great night in the theatre!

Q: When you have a five minute break during rehearsals, what do you spend your time doing?

A: During my five minute breaks I like to walk and stretch and drink more coffee and have a few laughs with the team in rehearsal!

Q: What’s going to surprise people about this show?

A: I think audiences will be surprised by how moved they are as they get to really know and love our three flawed characters in Come Down from Up River. I think they might also be surprised by recognizing themselves in this piece and wondering if they also need to mend a few family fences.

Q: What was it like to be a part of the Oscar-winning production of Women Talking and to be part of strong female-led cast and crew?

A: Being a part of Women Talking, the movie I did with Sarah Polley that went all the way to the Oscars, nominated fro Best Film and winning for best adapted screenplay was an incredible ride for me. I am so proud of the work in it and having had the opportunity to work with such a star studded stellar cast not to mention the wonderful crew. Having the ‘Queen’, Claire Foy, washing my feet on the first day of shooting is a memory I will not soon forget! Spending the last six months travelling with the cast on the press junkets was so much fun. And the response people have to the movie is very moving to me. Being in such a female driven project and having it so widely recognized and appreciated makes me feel very lucky indeed. 

Hear ye, hear ye! Auditions for the Lighthouse Young Company’s production of Robin Hood are nigh! Convey thyselves to the theatre on the 24th of May but prithee contact the box office first to book thy time! May you find success in your thespian quest! Call 519-583-2221 or by electronic post at portdover@lighthousetheatre.com!

New Play to be Featured this Summer!

 February 14, 2023. Port Dover, ON: There is an old saying in the theatre world about how the show must go on despite any possible hindrances. If a cast member is ill, you call in the understudy. If a sound system malfunctions, the actors just talk louder. If the theatre catches fire, the production is moved to the front lawn and continues… You catch our drift. 

The same cannot be said for replacing irreplaceable actors in order to stay true to the very personal and local story of Port Dover resident Kobi Kobayashi for our 2023 season production of Sakura: The Last Cherry Blossom Festival. Despite valiant efforts, we could not acquire cast members of Japanese descent needed to authentically tell this tale because of the depth and breadth of roles available for these actors right now; it’s a great problem to have if you’re an actor! We are, however, pleased to announce that this production will move to our 2024 Main Season in order to ensure our casting, and the story we’re telling, receive the attention they deserve. 

At the same time, we’re very pleased to announce that Bed & Breakfast, a comedic play about two men whose failure to buy a house in Toronto leads them to inherit a bed and breakfast in a small town which, of course, results in all sorts of hilarity in a touching story about fitting in. Written by accomplished playwright and actor Mark Crawford, who wrote Stag and Doe and Birds and The Bees, which were both hits with Lighthouse audiences, and who currently appears in the Toronto production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Bed & Breakfast will run on the same dates and times that Sakura was schedule for. 

MORE ABOUT BED & BREAKFAST

Brett and Drew want to move out of their tiny downtown condo and into a house, but they just lost their seventh bidding war in Toronto. When Brett’s beloved Aunt Maggie dies, he unexpectedly inherits the historic family home in a quiet little tourist town. Unhappy with their careers and frustrated by life in the fast-paced city, the couple decides to make the move and start up a B&B. But when the guys face friction in their new community, they discover the simple life is more complicated than they thought… 

With more than a few unexpected and hilarious plot-twists, we follow Brett and Drew over the course of one year— through the real estate rat race, renovation hell, a farcical opening weekend at their B&B, and encounters with small-town prejudice—all the way to their big decision: do they stay here, or do they pack it all in? 

With dozens of characters—male and female, young and old—all portrayed by two men, Bed and Breakfast is a theatrical tour de force. As riotously funny as it is deeply moving, this is a heartfelt comedy about “being out” in small town Canada, skeletons in the closet, and finding a place to call home. 

DESTINATION FOR LAUGHTER

Lighthouse Festival regularly welcomes upwards of 60,000 people through our doors each summer season with 52% of our attendees travelling more than 40km to come to our theatre. As a charitable organization, we recognize the value of strong community partnerships and local support. We encourage anyone planning a visit to Port Dover to utilize the “visit” section on Lighthousetheatre.com and add some local attractions, restaurants, accommodations, and more to your itinerary. 

ABOUT LIGHTHOUSE FESTIVAL 

Lighthouse Festival is a charitable organization devoted to the development and production of new and existing Canadian plays. Lighthouse Festival strives to be artistically excellent, support and encourage local and regional artists, and be a source of enjoyment and pride in local communities while promoting local tourism. Operating in two towns on Lake Erie, our theatres operate on a central policy of hospitality, accessibility, and affordability for all. 

For more information or to arrange an interview with Artistic Director Derek Ristschel, please contact: Don Kearney-Bourque, Marketing and Communications Officer at 519-583-1031 x 225 | 289-541-7410 or don@lighthousetheatre.com. 

Dufflebag Theatre to perform Peter Pan & Snow White

 January 28, 2023. Port Dover, ON: Lighthouse Festival is pleased to be offering two March Break shows from DuffleBag Theatre: Peter Pan & Snow White. These amazing shows for the whole family create theatrical magic by inviting up audience members as the stars of the show! The result is an exciting, interactive, and unique experience for all. Tickets are available at www.lighthousetheatre.com.

DESTINATION FOR LAUGHTER 

Lighthouse Festival regularly welcomes upwards of 60,000 people through our doors each summer season with 52% of our attendees travelling more than 40km to come to our theatre. As a charitable organization, we recognize the value of strong community partnerships and local support. We encourage anyone planning a visit to Port Dover to utilize the “visit” section on Lighthousetheatre.com and add some local attractions, restaurants, accommodations, and more to your itinerary. 

ABOUT LIGHTHOUSE FESTIVAL 

Lighthouse Festival is a charitable organization devoted to the development and production of new and existing Canadian plays. Lighthouse Festival strives to be artistically excellent, support and encourage local and regional artists, and be a source of enjoyment and pride in local communities while promoting local tourism. Operating in two towns on Lake Erie, our theatres operate on a central policy of hospitality, accessibility, and affordability for all. 

For more information or to arrange an interview with Artistic Director Derek Ristschel, please contact: Don Kearney-Bourque, Marketing and Communications Officer at 519-583-1031 x 225 | 289-541-7410 or don@thousetheatre.com.

 March & April laughs are here! 

 January 27, 2023. Port Dover, ON: After an absence of numerous years due to a pandemic that prevented in-person laughs, our community show is back with a vengeance and ready to wow audiences in Port Dover. Based on the entertaining and addictive board game of the same name, Clue the Musical will rely heavily on audience participation and quick thinking from the talented cast. The play is directed by Lighthouse Festival’s Artistic Director Derek Ritschel. 

“Both the cast and crew are very excited to be back in rehearsals after a long time away from the stage,” said Ritschel. “The interactive element in this production mixed with the musical and comedic talents of our cast will add a new dimension to our community theatre that we haven’t done in past productions.” 

The massively popular board game comes to life as a hilarious & fun-filled musical that brings the world’s best-known suspects to the stage and invites the audience to help solve the mystery: who did it, in what room and with what weapon. With 216 possible solutions, audience members must hone their sleuthing skills while enjoying a beguiling score, witty lyrics, and comedic antics. In the end, only one hard-nosed detective is qualified to unravel the mayhem and help solve whodunnit! On stage from April 6th to April 21st, 2023 with tickets on sale now at lighthousetheatre.com. 

DESTINATION FOR LAUGHTER 

Lighthouse Festival regularly welcomes upwards of 60,000 people through our doors each summer season with 52% of our attendees travelling more than 40km to come to our theatre. As a charitable organization, we recognize the value of strong community partnerships and local support. We encourage anyone planning a visit to Port Dover to utilize the “visit” section on Lighthousetheatre.com and add some local attractions, restaurants, accommodations, and more to your itinerary. 

ABOUT LIGHTHOUSE FESTIVAL 

Lighthouse Festival is a charitable organization devoted to the development and production of new and existing Canadian plays. Lighthouse Festival strives to be artistically excellent, support and encourage local and regional artists, and be a source of enjoyment and pride in local communities while promoting local tourism. Operating in two towns on Lake Erie, our theatres operate on a central policy of hospitality, accessibility, and affordability for all. 

For more information or to arrange an interview with Artistic Director Derek Ristschel, please contact: Don Kearney-Bourque, Marketing and Communications Officer  at 519-583-1031 x 225 | 289-541-7410 or don@lighthousetheatre.com.

Tickets are on sale now for the new season of summer comedies.  Written by Canadians, about Canadians, and for Canadians. 

PORT DOVER & PORT COLBORNE, ON (Nov24,2022) – During a visit to Lighthouse Festival in the summer of 2022, veteran theatre critic Gary Smith described Lighthouse as, “the home of Canadian theatre comedies.” A badge the Festival wears proudly.

“To all comedy and theatre lovers across Ontario and beyond, we can’t wait to welcome you back home,” shares Lighthouse Festival Artistic Director Derek Ritschel. “Lighthouse Festival has put together an exhilarating and diverse lineup of comedies for the summer of 2023. Written by Canadians, about Canadians, and for Canadians.”

Tickets are now on sale for a new season of laughter that truly sets itself apart from other summer theatre festivals for one simple fact: most of the shows, you can’t see anywhere else. As part of their Play Development Program, Lighthouse Festival has commissioned and developed three world premieres for this season that Lighthouse patrons will be able to see before other theatres even have an opportunity to stage them. The opportunity to bring new works to the stage is a point of pride for Ritschel, who shares, “part of our commitment to supporting Canadian theatre is to give Canadians a chance to share their stories and ideas. A lot of work goes into writing a good comedy with heart. It doesn’t matter if it’s a seasoned writer or an aspiring playwright with an interesting idea; we’re here to use our resources and virtuosity in theatre to take their creativity from the page to stage.”

The Season:

Come Down From Up River by Norm Foster (May 17 – June 18)

Norm Foster’s signature writing brings us a hilarious yet poignant tale of a woodsman from Northern New Brunswick trying to reconnect with his estranged niece and her wife in the big city.

On The Air by Ephraim Ellis (June 7 – June 28):

World Premiere – Lighthouse favourite Jane Spence directs this world premiere that sees a rag- tag group of amateur radio broadcasters use diversity to their strength and embrace chaos to save their small-town radio station on Lake Kashagakaganee.

Sakura: The Last Cherry Blossom Festival by Terry Watada (June 28^th – July 30^th)

World Premiere – A charming and humorous true story of Japanese Immigrant Kobi Kobayashi, who settles in Port Dover in the 1930s and inspires us all to be good members of our community. This uplifting story is not one to be missed.

For Immediate Release

Where YouAre by Kristen Da Silva (July 19 – August 20)

Lighthouse staple Kristen Da Silva brings us a story of quiet retirement turned hectic family reunion in this story filled with family, humour, and heart.

A Pack Of Thieves by Norm Foster (August 16^th – September 17^th)

World Premiere –This is an unrelenting comedy, get ready for some big laughs. Don’t miss out on being the first to see a new Norm Foster production.

The season wraps up in September with a concert in the form of Opry Gold with The Wayward Wind Band. This musical blockbuster, created by Leisa Way, showcases former and current kings and queens of country music while celebrating the history of Nashville’s iconic Grand Ol’ Opry.

Tickets for performances start at $42 with savings available in the form of a Lighthouse Festival subscription, allowing patrons to see each production this season with up to 15% in discounts. Full ticket information can be found at lighthousetheatre.com.

Destination For Laughter:

Lighthouse Festival is a charitable organization that has been a top tourist destination in Norfolk County for almost half a century, regularly welcoming over 60,000 patrons from all over Ontario through their doors each summer. Now, with a location in Port Colborne at the Roselawn Theatre, Lighthouse laughter spreads along the shores of Lake Erie boosting local tourism, community spirit, and Canadian arts in two beautiful lakeside towns. Our theatres operate on a central hospitality, accessibility, and affordability policy for all. With over 50% of patrons travelling 40km or more to get to their theatres, theatregoers are encouraged to utilize the “Visit” section at Lighthousetheatre.com to explore the amazing restaurants, shops and more in our wonderful communities.

To arrange an interview with Artistic Director Derek Ritschel, or for more information please contact: Ryan Daly, Marketing & Communications Officer. ryan@lighthousetheatre.com | 226-922-7905