Tag: simcoe

News

Simcoe Little Theatre presents Art as the second production of the 2024/25 Season

Posted on January 7, 2025

Tony-Award Winning Play, written by Yasmina Reza & directed by Courtney Deelen, will be on stage at Simcoe Little Theatre from March sixth through 16th and features a cast of local acting luminaries.

Simcoe, ON – January 7, 2025 – Simcoe Little Theatre is thrilled to announce that Yasmina Reza’s celebrated play, Art, will grace the stage from March sixth to 16th, 2025. This razor-sharp comedy, directed by Courtney Deelen, explores the complexities of friendship through wit, humour, and thought-provoking dialogue.

Winner of the 1998 Tony Award for Best Play, Art is a timeless exploration of how personal taste and perspective can challenge the bonds we hold most dear. The story begins with Serge, played by Matt McGregor, purchasing an expensive piece of modern art: an all-white painting. This decision sparks an uproar among his closest friends, Marc (played by Dave Deelen) and Yvan (played by Randy McGivern), leading to hilarious yet poignant confrontations that test their decades-long friendship. As tensions rise, the trio must grapple with questions of loyalty, honesty, and what it truly means to be a friend.

Director Courtney Deelen, known for her dynamic approach to theatrical productions, shares her thoughts about bringing Art to Norfolk County audiences: “Do their reactions to this provocative canvas mirror more dangerous perceptions of their longtime friendship? The matter of personal relationships, outlooks of life, loved ones and family also strategically weave throughout this play. Art is a look at how vastly different perspectives and opinions can challenge even the closest of friendships.”

Deelen further explains the play’s enduring appeal: “It all begins with a piece of art. Or “art” according to at least one of our heroes. This play is a quirky, fun, feel-good play with substance. It follows 3 friends, played by Matt McGregor (Serge), Dave Deelen (Marc), and Randy McGivern (Yvan) and the question; is it really art or is it not?”

Featuring a stellar cast, Art promises to be an unmissable theatrical event. Matt McGregor’s portrayal of Serge promises depth and charm to the art enthusiast whose purchase sets the story in motion. Dave Deelen’s Marc will deliver sharp wit and a commanding presence, while Randy McGivern’s Yvan will add a dose of comedic brilliance with his chaotic and endearing personality.

Performances will run at Simcoe Little Theatre from March sixth to 16th, 2025, with evening and matinee shows available. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at simcoelittletheatre.org or by calling the box office at (519) 583-0505.

Join us for an unforgettable exploration of friendship, art, and the ties that bind us. Secure your tickets early – this is one production you won’t want to miss!

Randy McGivern as Yvan
Dave Deelen as Marc
Matt McGregor as Serge














About Simcoe Little Theatre

Simcoe Little Theatre is a non-profit community theater located in Simcoe, Ontario in beautiful Norfolk County. For over 60 years, Simcoe Little Theatre has been dedicated to providing quality theatrical productions and fostering a love for the performing arts in the local community. With a talented team of actors, directors, and volunteers, Simcoe Little Theatre continues to entertain and inspire audiences of all ages. For more information, visit www.simcoelittletheatre.org. Where Community Stars Shine!

Simcoe Little Theatre
33 Talbot Street North
Simcoe, ON   N3Y 4L2
519-583-0505

For media inquiries, cast & creative interviews, and further information, please contact:

Don Kearney-Bourque,
Marketing & Communications Manager
Lighthouse Festival & Simcoe Little Theatre
don@lighthousetheatre.com
Direct: (226) 290-0070
Cell: (289) 541-7410

News

SLT presents “The Wolves” as final production of season

Posted on April 12, 2024

The Haldimand Press

April 11, 2024

SIMCOE, ON – Simcoe Little Theatre is thrilled to announce the staging of Sarah DeLappe’s Pulitzer Prize-nominated play, “The Wolves,” from May 2-12, 2024. This captivating production, under the direction of Jason Mayo, promises an unforgettable exploration of adolescence, teamwork, and the journey to self-discovery through the lens of a teenage girls’ soccer team.

Director Jason Mayo brings a unique perspective to the play, emphasizing its raw energy and the authentic voices of its characters. 

Jason Mayo, Director of The Wolves (Photo Credit: Don Kearney-Bourque, Lighthouse Festival)

“The Wolves is more than just a story about soccer; it’s a deep dive into the complexities of growing up, the battles fought on and off the field, and the unbreakable bonds of team spirit,” says Mayo. His aim is to highlight the dynamic interactions and the personal growth experienced by each character against the backdrop of competitive sports.

Performances take place at the Simcoe Little Theatre, located at 33 Talbot Street North, Simcoe. Showtimes are scheduled for 2 or 7:30 p.m., varying by date, allowing audience flexibility in experiencing this powerful narrative.

Mayo further adds, “We’ve worked diligently to ensure that every moment on stage is charged with authenticity and emotion. Our talented cast promises to bring the compelling stories of these young athletes to life.”

Tickets start at $24, available for purchase at simcoelittletheatre.org or by contacting the box office at 51G-583-0505. Don’t miss this extraordinary blend of heartfelt drama and spirited competition that will leave audiences both moved and inspired.

For more information visit 

simcoelittletheatre.org/the-wolves.

News

Review: Love Letters at Simcoe Little Theatre

Posted on March 9, 2023
Love Letters Poster
Love Letters by A.R. Gurney

“A unique, thought-provoking journey”

By Mike Renzella

The Haldimand Press

SIMCOE—Love Letters, the latest show to grace the stage at Simcoe’s iconic Little Theatre, is thought-provoking, occasionally very funny, and occasionally enough to make you squirm in your seat as the complicated relationship of the play’s only characters, Andrew and Melissa, plays out before you.

The show has a unique format focused solely on the two main characters – played by Chris Verge and Gloria Mitchell for the show’s initial week of performances – sitting at a pair of desks, facing forward, and never once getting up. 

The two recite various letters they wrote to each other over the course of a life-long friendship, delving into their innermost feelings.

The show admittedly takes a few minutes to find its footing, as the audience adjusts to the unique style of storytelling, but the deeper we get into these two characters’ letters and lives, the more the story gets its hooks into you.

Directed by Melissa Collver, Love Letters features bursts of unexpected humour as Andy and Melissa express their frustrations and emotions over a series of meet-ups, will-they-won’t-they scenarios, and the pangs of seeing the other move forward in life on their own path. 

The show has some strong language, and discussions on sexuality that may not be fully appreciated by a younger crowd attending with their families, but the complicated relationship between the two characters takes several surprising turns, at times joyful and exuberant and others sorrowful and mixed with a longing for the past, ultimately ending in a place that leaves the audience with a lot to think about on the drive home.

Verge and Mitchell each brought a distinct, lived-in feel to their characters, especially given the constraints of the show’s narrative structure. By the end, I felt as though I had known the pair almost as deeply as they knew each other. The play will bring in a second set of actors for its second week, with Andy Blackwood and Cara Blackwood taking the stage.

While perhaps not for everybody, for those yearning for an old-fashioned story of friendship, love, family, and loss, with thought-provoking themes and a unique style, Love Letters has what you’re looking for. 

If you’re interested, you better act quickly! Love Letters’ final performances take place March 9-12 at the Simcoe Little Theatre, with performances at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. 

Visit SimcoeLittleTheatre.org for more information.

News

Simcoe Little Theatre Presents Love Letters by A.R. Gurney

Posted on January 30, 2023
About Love Letters
About Love Letters at Simcoe Little Theatre

Second Production for the 2022/23 Season Now Rehearsing for Early March Performances in the 76th Season of Simcoe’s First-Rate Community Theatre

 On Stage March 2 –12, 2023 at Simcoe Little Theatre

Local cast & crew highlighted

Tickets are on sale now with a subscription upgrade available

 Simcoe, ON (Jan 30,2023) – A lifelong correspondence between childhood friends. Differing educational paths with highs and lows. A growing emotional distance exposes a deep history of giving and love. This is Love Letters by A.R. Gurney.

After a successful run with the heartwarming comedy Pumpernickel Junction, Simcoe Little Theatre is pivoting with an emotional journey in A.R. Gurney’s Love Letters. This acclaimed Broadway classic was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and has received countless play and television adaptations since the show’s debut in 1988. The play tells the story of Andrew and Melissa, who are childhood friends whose lifelong correspondence begins with a birthday party thank-you note. They continue to exchange letters through their college years, where Andy goes on to excel at Yale, and Melissa flunks out of a series of “good schools.” As they slowly grow apart, it becomes clear how much they really meant and gave to one another.

Directed by Melissa Collver, Love Letters’ focus rests on the correspondence itself and the emotion it stirs within the characters and the audience. “In an age of instant messaging and social media, a lifetime of letter writing is a rare and powerful form of communication,” says Collver. “I am very pleased to be back at Simcoe Little Theatre directing this unique theatre experience.” 

Subscriptions and Ticket Pricing:

Tickets are on sale now at simcoelittletheatre.org or by contacting the box office at 519-583-0505. For patrons who saw Pumpernickel Junction, a limited-time offer to upgrade your single ticket to a season subscription makes your ticket to Love Letters and May’s production of Race Day only $19 each. Contact the Lighthouse Festival Box Office directly in person or by phone for further details. The following prices for single tickets include all taxes and charges with no hidden fees:

  • Single ticket: $22
  • Student ticket: $10
  • Opening night ticket: $25 (Opening night celebrations let patrons mingle with the cast and crew after the show while enjoying complimentary eats from local restaurants)

Where Community Stars Shine:

Since the 1940s, Simcoe Little Theatre has been a beacon of the arts in Norfolk County that provides a safe space for the community to develop their talents, passion and find a sense of belonging. All while producing quality amateur entertainment for the Norfolk County area. Simcoe Little Theatre operates by the motto: “Where community stars shine”. Now, following a partnership with Lighthouse Festival in the summer of 2021 that allows Lighthouse Festival to handle administration, facility upkeep, marketing, and publicity duties; Simcoe Little Theatre has the security to be viable for generations to come and embrace that motto. Local community artists and volunteers can continue to dream and inspire on the Simcoe Little Theatre stage and focus on what really matters, producing great community theatre!
Simcoe Little Theatre has maintained a proud tradition of community theatre run by the community for the community for over 75 years. Lighthouse Festival could not be prouder to support and empower all of the local artists who will continue to entertain the next generation of theatre lovers in Norfolk
County.

Cast & crew are available for interviews:

Contact Don Kearney-Bourque, Marketing & Communications Officer, at 289-541-7410 or 519-583-1031 x 225 and via e-mail at don@lighthousetheatre.com.