Carousel Players is known for bringing thought-provoking theatre to a younger crowd as they tour their inventive creations to school gyms across Southern Ontario. Their latest play Whole World explores themes of communication and understanding through the story of Omar, a young refugee who has newly arrived in Canada.…
The DARTcritics class of 2017-18 took on the challenge of reviewing theatre for young people, catching Carousel Player’s production of Jordi Mand’s new play The Will Be Excellent at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, where it performed two public matinees before resuming its tour of elementary schools in Southern…
Emma McCormick and Kristina Ojaperv write, At last, the day for excellence arrives – the first performance of This Will Be Excellent. Arriving at Oakridge Public School early on February 5th, we are excited to see the culmination of the many rehearsals that came before. The show is set up in the gymnasium, with the fin…
Emma McCormick and Kristina Ojaperv write, A technical rehearsal for a show with no lighting design is definitely not your typical tech. Our next rehearsal visit is during the series of technical and dress rehearsals, in the final days before This Will Be Excellent’s first performance. These rehearsals, however, operat…
Emma McCormick and Kristina Ojaperv write… While a vision may look good in theory, it is how the cast and creative team build a show in rehearsal which gives that vision substance. On January 25th and 31st, we attended rehearsals of This Will be Excellent after meeting with director Erin Brubacher. Rehearsals take plac…
Emma McCormick and Kristina Ojaperv write, As our journey into the evolving form of embedded criticism begins, we feel the title of Jordi Mand’s new work sums up our first impressions – This Will Be Excellent. Embedded criticism provides an inside look at the process of a show’s creation, through discussing the initial…
Elena Belyea as Tick. Photo by Lauren Garbut. If you had to choose between watching a solar eclipse or rebelling against a higher power, which would you opt for? For the intelligent and free-spirited characters in Matt Mackenzie’s Tick the decision isn’t an easy one. On Tuesday February 21st in E.I McCulley Elementary…
Simon (Devin Mackinnon) and Jake (Edmund Stapleton). Photos by Barsin Aghajan. Hannah Anderson writes: Laughing and learning – what more could you want from a children’s show? These are just two things that you will do while watching Carousel Players’ Spelling 2-5-5, directed by Jessica Carmichael, which played in Robe…
The DARTCritics recently saw The Incredible Speediness of Jamie Cavanaugh produced by Carousel Players at the Sullivan Mahoney Courthouse Theatre. Taking on the interesting challenge of reviewing YA (young adult) theatre, here’s what two critics thought of the production: Actors Amelia Sargisson and Sean Baek. Photo: B…
Set designer Nigel Scott with DARTcritics Natalie Allaire (left), Cole Larson, and Trella Noctor at Carousel Players’ offices in St. Catharines. Photos by Jane Gardner. Natalie Allaire, Cole Larson, and Trella Noctor write: Picture three buildings. The buildings to the left and right are houses, and the center building…
