Main photo: The cast of Dot the T Productions’ FUNeral for a FriEND (from left) Michele Ineson, Jodie Auckland, Jayne Drinkwater, and (in front) Shayne LeBrun (Jan Jacklin)
Submitted by Dot the T Productions
In anticipation of Ontario returning to safe gatherings for outdoor performances, Dot The T Productions has once again put together a two-week, outdoor live theatre and music series in a picturesque Muskoka setting on their nine-acre property on Limberlost Road in Lake of Bays.
Audiences bring their own chairs, beverages and snacks and set up where they feel most comfortable. With a large open area, there is ample room for 60 to 70 people to spaciously gather for some amazing toe-tapping musical entertainment and wonderful live theatre.
For three Sundays in August, starting at 4 p.m., audiences can enjoy the music talents of local artists Sean Cotton and The New Locals (Aug. 15), Tex-Styles (Aug. 22), and The Mighty Lopez (Aug 29). Admission is $25 cash at the gate. The downfall of an open-air concert: no show if it is raining.
On August 14 and 15 at 1 p.m. and August 16 at 4 p.m., Dot The T Productions is proud to present Muskoka Players’ world premiere of SHAKESPEARE: A Most Rare Vision OR How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love The Bard, written by William Shakespeare with additional dialogue by William Colgate. “We presented the one-act version of this amazing piece last summer and over the isolating winter, Mr. Colgate developed his script further into an extraordinary and highly entertaining full-length play. So even if you saw it last summer, you haven’t!” says artistic director/producer of Dot The T, Jan Jacklin.
“Offering this level of theatrical excellence is what Dot The T has been working on since its inception in 2017. Promoting local talent is their number one focus. Audiences will be familiar with Lake of Bays resident Bill Colgate’s work as he performed the incredible role of Billy Bishop in our 2017 production of Billy Bishop Goes To War,’’ adds Jacklin.
Directed by his wife, Joan Bendon, the exclusive three-show event will be performed in a covered screen-in porch offering the limited 12-seat audience a rain or shine, amazing and intimate theatrical experience. Due to the seating limitations, tickets for this event must be purchased in advance. Visit dotthetpro.ca/current-tour-info
Wednesdays to Saturdays, Aug. 18-21 and 25-28, at 4 p.m., audiences can enjoy Jacklin’s newest play, FUNeral for a FriEND. “It is a huge advantage to write a script and then gather a quartet of actor friends to help flush it out, work out the kinks, edit, revise, and just plain bring the script to life,” she says. “It’s an opportunity that helps enormously in preparing a final script ready for other production companies to perform in the future.”
Although the play takes place at an outdoor funeral, the characters and story are sure to have audiences rolling with laughter from start to finish. “My friends, Jodie Auckland, Jayne Drinkwater, and Michele Ineson were keen to help me.
And we have had a blast from our very first rehearsal,” says Jacklin. “Adding Shayne LeBrun to perform the role of a hapless yet arrogant funeral officiant was just plain luck as his availability was open and he is absolutely hilarious in the role.”
Admission for FUNeral for a FriEND is $25 cash at the gate. As with the music concerts, there is no performance if it rains.
All event details can be found at dotthetpro.ca/current-tour-info.
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