Uxbridge Unplugged - yes another new event

As I have been sharing with you, all of you wonderful people of the world, and my very dedicated 5 followers, Uxbridge Celebration of the Arts, 25th Anniversary, has been coming up with some of the most exciting, exhilarating, entertaining and, well just darn fabulous new events. Another is Uxbridge Unplugged.

On Friday, September 24th at 8:30 pm at the Uxbridge Music Hall, 4 very accomplished singers from the area - four very different style- will share their passion of music in one evening.

Not only are you going to hear their beautiful voices and haunting melodies, but you will hear from each of them the "Why" and "Where".

Tamara Williamson has toured and recorded in Canada and Europe and has been dubbed the "Godmother of Indie" for her very independent sound within her 5 albums. Having shared the stage with artists such as Feist, Oasis and Rheostatics, she will fill the stage on her own.

Carlie Laidlaw, who is an established Uxbridge vocalist, lead in a number of bands and heard at events such as the Royal Winter Fair. You can hear her on the recently released "Hummingbird" project, a CD of local original music.

Bringing along her country/rock attitude and voice, is Leah Daniels. Born and raised in Uxbridge, she has very recently spread her wings to Vancouver, opening for Johnny Reid at the 2010 Olympics, as well as a writing trip to Nashville.

Whitney Ross-Barris is an emerging solo artist on the Toronto Jazz scene, as well as a professional actor for over 11 years. Her performances have taken her all over Canada, the US and to Europe. We are thrilled that she will stop and be with us.

TO TOP IT ALL OFF - the evening will be hosted by Neil Crone and with that will come its own form of entertainment and excitement.

Doors will open at 8pm and the tickets are $15. Cash Bar. Tickets can be found at Presents, Presents; Blue Heron Books or at the door if available.

25 on 25 Uxbridge Street Party - Wild day of fun in Uxbridge

It is absolutley crazy the number of NEW ideas that we are introducing during the upcoming Celebration of the Arts 25th Anniversary year - and here is another one.

How about "25 on 25"? I know what you are saying - you are saying "Huh" or "What" or even "Whaaa" but I do promise you, it will be a fun filled family day right in Uxbridge town on Saturday, September 25th. So it is "25 on 25 Uxbridge Street Party".

Let me tell you more about it - Working together, the Celebration of the Arts, the shops of Uxbridge, and the Uxbridge Studio Tour Artists are organising an amazing Street Party to celebrate 25 years of absurdly rich cultural life in Uxbridge.

The theme is The Senses: and we are inviting everyone to come and see, hear, smell, touch, taste and explore that elusive sixth sense.

Experience the knitted tree cosies… Eat crazy Ted Reader's world famous sliders…put your sense of smell to the test… and watch as a team of creative Uxbridge folk rehab one of the downtown buildings!

Interactive events, competitions and a parade will bring everybody a myriad of sensory experiences: tasting delicious local foods cooked by local chefs; music and poetry performed on the street; incredible art installations by our fine local artists; sensational smells; the sixth sense – a lot of us think we have one, but what is it and can we access it on demand? And everyone is invited to explore the sense of touch with hands-on events – drawings and making many interesting fun things.

Some of the things that we can potentially expect to see - Speakers Corner, Performance Art, Storytelling, Noise Maker Parade, Chefs, Painting River, Singers, Sounds Experiment and so much more. BUT we do want more ideas to consider. If you have an idea, or wish to perhaps participate during the day - please contact flyfree@sympatico.ca or submit in paper to Blue Heron Books. But hurray, this needs to be confirmed very quickly.

See I told you it was going to be so exciting and new.

Motley Theater is ready to go to dinner

As many people know, there is no better way to start something, than to kick it right in the butt with a winner - right off!!! That is what the Uxbridge Celebration of the Arts 25th Anniversary this year will be doing. Our very first event is the always popular "Motley Play Reading". This event comes from a long standing group called Motley Theatre where Anna MacKay-Smith and Kenneth Welsh would bring in special guests, actors who are Canadian up-and-commers and seasoned well-knowns, and they would do a play reading.

Yes that is different from a theatre show, and I know that I am stating the obvious. It is a play reading, as the performers sit, but sometimes not, with script in hand, reading through the play. It is in NO WAY boring, or predictable, it is so amazing that within 5 minutes, you are so wrapped up in the performance, that you don't even see the book in their hands. Minimal props and staging and it is brilliant.

WELLLL - again the Motley Play Reading with start the Celebration with the play reading of a piece that received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2000, "Dinner with Friends" by Donald Margulies. Anna MacKay-Smith will again grace us with her skill and experience on stage, however as of todays date, no other performers have been announced.

It will be on Thursday September 16th at 8pm at the Uxbridge Music Hall. The tickets are $20 at the door, or can be purchased at Blue Heron Books OR Presents Presents, both located on Brock St., Uxbridge.

SO come out to the first of the events for the Uxbridge Celebration of the Arts - heck, come out to all of them. Can I hear an audible "Wow".

Highlands of Durham Games in Uxbridge Elgin Park

Oh you loyal readers of mine and Celebrating Arts in Uxbridge for 25 years, I have let you down. The problem is life got in the way and I apologize for the length of time between blog posts. It is NOT that there was nothing going on - as you can see from the rest of the blog, there is SOOO MUCH going on.

For those who have been around Uxbridge for the last 16 years, has had the pleasure of walking through Elgin Park Uxbridge and have been transported into Old Scotland through Highland of Durham Games. The event will be happening on July 24th and 25th, 2010 and all activities will be held on the park grounds. There is plenty of parking off Elgin Park Drive, and so there is NO NEED to be parking on the streets. (as a resident not far from the park, I am imploring you to pay the extra and keep our streets safe).

I am wondering if anyone can truly see everything that is offered during these two days because the Highland Games is packed with things to see, competitions, vendors, entertainment, food and so much more. Here are just a few things to consider:

- entertainment goes from 11am - 11pm on Saturday and 12 noon - 5pm on Sunday

- there will be vendors selling food, clothing, costume, treasures and you can even find out what Clan you belong to

- bands, bands, bands

- dancing, dancing, dancing (there is nothing more graceful than watching all ages doing highland dancing)

- heavy games that include stone throw, hammer throw, sheaf, and more

- you can even watch the amazing art of Dry Stone building - a form of building dating back 4,000 years

Needless to say - you really need to see this. Take a look at the information on how to buy tickets - Purchase Tickets and the cost is $19.99 for a day pass and anyone under 16 years old is FREE.

"Ceud Mile Failte!" is the Scottish Gaelic for 100,000 Welcomes.

25 Hour Masterpiece - closer than you think

Uxbridge Celebration of the Arts 25^th Anniversary is thrilled to announce that we have selected the participants for the 25 Hour masterpiece. THRILLED I tell you. And I hope that the participants that we selected are also THRILLED.

As you may be aware and those wonderful 5 people who are my blog followers – I love you guys – will know, Uxbridge Celebration of the Arts executive committee for this coming September, decided to try something new this year and implemented as part of their Gala Event on September 25th, something we call our 25 Hour masterpiece.

Okay for those who don’t know, this is how it works – selected participants in the performing arts categories of poetry, short story writing, videography, playwriting and performing, improv, dance and musical composition will be given a word, phrase, line, theme and/or prop at 6pm on September 24^th and will have 25 hours, until 7pm on September 25^th, to create a piece that they will perform during the Gala Night event. The only exception to this is the Improv group, who will be given 25 seconds to prepare for their performance.

The invitation for submissions was sent out at the end of May/beginning of June and we had 15 people submit for the committee to consider. It was a very difficult process, but we finally did do it.

There will be performers from Uxbridge town to our neighbouring communities of Port Perry and Ajax. The performers range from age 13 to, well, WAY beyond 13. We have published writers, award winning writers and performers, and some that are just starting out. All in All – the Gala night event, starting at 7:30 on Saturday, September 25^th at the Uxbridge Music Hall will be a night to remember.

Please consider this one of your many events of the Celebration that you can come and support.

AND did I mention that Neil Crone will be our MC for the night. YUP and audible WOW – another blog about that later.

Summertime Rehearsing

You know, it is interesting that many people feel that when summer comes, all activity stops. That everything goes on holiday to laze around the pool, drink in hand and enjoy the sunshine. NOT!!!! Though that sounds like an amazing way to enjoy the summer, there are many groups that are still planning, organizing, rehearsing and foreseeing a wondrous array of art activities for Uxbridge and community.

I know that I have been going on and on and on about the Uxbridge Celebration of the Arts 25^th Anniversary that will be happening in September, BUT as every year, they still organize and meet during the summer to get this going. We are offering you this huge entertaining opportunity to the community and beyond to enjoy art like you have never enjoyed it before. There are so many talented and diverse artists in the community, that it is hard not to get excited about this 2 ½ weeks. AND I don’t want to hear any excuses that you could not find something that you were interested in going to – with art exhibits, studio tours, music nights, author readings, play readings, dance events, all day “buskers”, concerts, plays and so much more – there is NO EXCUSE, so don’t even try to give me one (you may not notice that my head is turned away from your excuses AND my hand is held up to your mouth – funny sight).

There are also rehearsals going on for a play that OnStage Uxbridge will be performing called “Into the Woods”. This is a Stephen Sondhiem at his best play, and with Ruth Smith and David Geene involved in the directing, it will be wonderful to see. Keep on working actors and try to enjoy your summer.

Recently, there were auditions for another OnStage Uxbridge show – “Noises Off” – that will be performed in November but the rehearsals for that will also be happening in the summer. This is directed by Cathy Cristoff which I feel guarantees one of the best comedy farces that will hit the Uxbridge Music Hall stage.

What else is happening – well the Uxbridge Youth Theater recently had their auditions for their new play, and roles have been cast. I am sure that scripts have been handed out and music will be practiced.

What else is happening? Mmmmm – help me to know and I will be happy to blog about it and twitter about it. I sometimes know but I may not know it all (though I sometimes say I do know it all).

Help me by telling me.

More Studio Tour artists for Uxbridge Studio Tour

Hello and I am so sorry that I have been much too long between blogs. All for a very good reason, but I am back.

I realized that with all the information that will be coming out about the Uxbridge Celebration of the Arts 25th Anniversary from September17 - October 9, the largest bit of information are the wildly talented artists on the 25th Annual Uxbridge Studio Tour, September 18 & 19. I talked about the first 5 listed on the tour pamphlet and some of their guest artists in a previous blog, and thought teasing you with more information on some of the others might be just the right thing on this Sunday night. I hope it will whet your appetites for more.

Listed on the brochure:

6 - Lynn Bishop is not only an artist on the Studio tour, she is also the lead in putting it all together. Thank you Lynn. Her eclectic mixed media works will grab you from the moment you see them. She will have guests at her studio of Tom Loach (Multi Media Artist) and Dennis Jenings (Stained Glass Artist).

7 - Linda Lee Purvis is a very well known artist in the Uxbridge area, and her Multi Media work with use of nature, will touch your heart.

8 - A name that you must have heard of before when looking at the beauty of a Ceramic Artist, would be Cynthia Cupples. She has won many fans and awards in her years as an artist. She will be welcoming a guest artist of Kim Robertson (Painter) to show along with her.

9 - There are only a few potters on the Studio Tour, and Della Cavanagh is one of them. Not only are her pieces aspects of lovely art, but they are functional too. Joining her for the two days of the tour, is another Potter, Sherry Rossi.

10 - Using the thrown away, and what others would think of as useless, is the Multi Media Artist of Jean Pierre Schoss. Animals often are the subject of his art, but you are also surprised at the delightful and whimsical way that he makes you smile with his art imagination.

There are many studio tours around, and many communities have them. As we have been doing them for 25 years, I think the Uxbridge Celebration of the Arts is so pleased to have as part of our offerings the - 25th Annual Uxbridge Studio Tour.

Come on - you know you wanna come!!!!!