The theme of next summer’s Highlands Summer Festival is ‘made in Canada’, artistic producer, Douglas Walker, announced Nov. 24.
“All of our shows next year are either Canadian plays or Canadian shows, bringing some of the best Canada has to offer,” Walker said.
He said the first is the musical Anne of Green Gables. “What would be more Canadian than bringing you the amazing musical Anne of Green Gables – the story of plucky Anne, winning hearts and taking names? It’s a classic Canadian story. I don’t think there is a person in Canada who has not heard of Anne of Green Gables and it’s going to be a fantastic show.” Walker said it also offers a great opportunity for Haliburton youth to audition and contribute to the festival.
The second offering is Norm Foster’s Doris and Ivy in the Home. Walker said it is Foster at his comedic best. “This is a hilarious story about Doris Mooney, a retired prison guard, and Ivy Hoffbauer, a former world champion skier, in Paradise Village retirement home. Dapper Arthur Beech, who has designs on Ivy, completes the trio. Love, gossip, and sex behind the compost heap. It’s going to be an absolutely heart-warming, hilarious play.”
The third show features Fabian Arciniegas, whom Walker describes as an “amazing” Columbian-Canadian singer. The show is Yo and My Shadow. Walker said Arciniegas “takes you on a life-changing journey of words and song that will leave you with awe for the resilience of the human spirit.
It’s going to be beautiful, a celebration of music, movement, wit.”
Fourth up is the “hilarious” Too Many Cooks, “an amazing farce” set during Prohibition with rum-running in full swing. Irving Bubbalowe and his daughter, Honey, have risked everything to open a gourmet restaurant in Niagara Falls. But their renowned singing chef fails to appear, and a Chicago gangster comes looking for illegal booze, trailed by a hot-blooded immigration officer and a suspicious teetotaling Mountie. Walker said it is going to be “absolutely crazy.”
The season will end with the return of Leisa Way and the Wayward Wind Band, which Walker said are Summer Festival favourites. “Leisa tells fascinating stories with warmth and humour, while celebrating the music of legendary artists.” He said crowds will be stamping their feet and singing along.
“We are super excited to bring (the lineup) to you; now we just have to get to work and bring it on its feet.” Walker said they would be holding auditions in the new year. Season tickets and passes are at HighlandsSummerFestival.on.ca
