2023 Arts & Entertainment: Volume 1

Piaf! The Show

Conceived and directed by the Nice-based theatrical maverick Gil Marsalla, PIAF! THE SHOW has sold over a million tickets in more than 50 countries . The show narrates the rags-to-riches story of the Parisian singer’s career through her timeless and unforgettable songs, paying homage France’s musical heritage and spearheading the renewal of French cabaret by bringing it to audiences all over the globe .

Dramatic, witty, warm, authentic and utterly fantastic.”

– DIGITAL JOURNAL

Gil Marsalla has been studying music since the age of 14 and had a rewarding career as a musician, music director, conductor, and artistic director . He has been successfully producing musical and theatrical shows for the past 20 years, most recently with his own production company Directo Productions, which he founded in 2001 with the goal of supporting and presenting emerging French artists . Since 2007, he has been touring his productions worldwide and successfully presented his shows to sold-out houses in New York, Los Angeles, Washington, Tokyo, Moscow, and many other international locations on four continents .

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ANDREW PHUNG, AWARD-WINNING ACTOR AND STAR OF RUN THE BURBS AND KIM’S CONVENIENCE

Ali Hassan is well known for his laugh-out-loud work as a stand-up comic, actor, author, and radio and television personality Born in New Brunswick, Ali grew up in Montreal and now resides in Toronto . Before comedy became his signature dish, he initially ran his own catering business with aspirations of hosting a cooking show . His time as a professional chef surely led to a feast of food-related material, now featured in his latest oneman show Does This Taste Funny? Here the acclaimed comedian will take the audience on a laugh-filled journey exploring his decade in and out of the culinary world, as well as

recently released comedic memoir Is There Bacon in Heaven?

He has toured his solo show Muslim Interrupted around Canada with great acclaim and has even taken the show to Scotland to perform at the world’s largest comedy festival, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival From his time hosting the CBC hit show Laugh Out Loud and the annual battle of the books Canada Reads, to performances with Just for Laughs, Comedy Night with Ricker Mercer, and everything in between, Ali will have you roaring in your seat .

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stories from his

Laugh-outloud funny and filled with so much heart.

Ali Hassan hooked me in with his honest and charming approach to all of life’s ups and downs.”

–

.

At the height of the pandemic, Arden and her musical cohort Russell Broom wrote her fifteenth studio album under wraps in Calgary and fans now have a chance to hear it live . Unafraid to tell her story, Descendent signifies a return to form for the multifaceted artist, offering deep reflections of who she is and where she came from

Born and raised in Alberta, Arden catapulted onto the Canadian music scene in 1993 with her debut album Time for Mercy, featuring the hit single, I Would Die for You A year later, with the follow-up album Living Under June, she would have her career breakout hit Insensitive, which solidified her position in the music scene across Canada and beyond .

With accolades that include 19 top 10 singles, eight JUNO Awards, 10 SOCAN Awards, four Western Canadian Music Awards and an entry into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2021, Arden is a beloved Canadian musical artist and personality . Arden has also been inducted into the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame, has a Star on Canada’s Walk of Fame and has been awarded the Order of Canada An acclaimed singer, songwriter, actress, broadcaster, podcast host and author of five books, she taken the world by storm and shows no sign

.

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The bold, beautiful, empowering sound of Jann Arden has been captivating listeners for decades

of slowing down

Leave it to Jann to remind us how to be grateful for all life has to throw at you and leave us with an ethereal experience.”

At the forefront of Indigenous performance art in Canada and worldwide since its founding in 2000, Red Sky Performance delivers explosive original work that expands and elevates contemporary Indigenous arts and culture . Conceived and directed by Red Sky executive and artistic director Sandra Laronde and choreographed by Jera Wolfe, Miigis: Underwater Panther is based on a symbol of Anishnaabe culture – the miigis shell, representing the “the perfect breath of life” and informing this First Nations’ origin story from the Atlantic Coast to the Great Lakes . Red Sky is about much more than performance; it is about story, identity, meaning, knowledge, history, prayer, medicine, energy, and inspiration –and it is intensely physical . Whether the performers are moving as a single entity, lurching from side to side as if plying choppy waters, or trudging forward in unison as if facing a storm, their movements are highly athletic Within so much power is serenity, all set to original music with stirring vocal harmonies that drive straight to the heart

– NOW MAGAZINE the ONLY ticket you’ll ever need

You cannot do better than Red Sky Performance... exemplary and magical.”

– ONSTAGE

Described as a “stunning and poignant celebration of Black music” by Broadway World Toronto, Freedom! is a story about the spirit and legacy of Black people Featuring an all-Black cast, the show premiered in 2021 at the Stratford Festival and offers an emotional exploration of music from the moment Black people landed on North American soil to the present day, celebrating Black culture from church hymnals to the blues, from jazz to rock ‘n’ roll, and from R&B to rap .

Created by and starring Peterborough musician Beau Dixon, Freedom! is rounded out with ten other superb performers and musicians . “This is a deeply personal project for me,” Dixon says . “It’s going to be an intense 90-minute show that will educate, entertain, and inform audience members . Our cabaret show celebrates the unsung heroes who paved the way for Black music today .” Narrated through song and text, the audience will hear the works of musicians, poets, and activists such as Martin Luther King Jr ., Stevie Wonder, James Baldwin, Harry Belafonte, Langston Hughes, Duke Ellington, Maya Angelou, and many others .

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Deep, rich, and very closely connected to freedom in all its forms. The entertainment was elevating!”

Matt Dusk Sings Sinatra

Matt

– BILLBOARD

Multi-award-winning,

platinum-selling artist Matt Dusk has been enthralling audiences around the world for years, leaving in his wake a series of radio hits, acclaimed albums, and a loyal fan base that continues to grow with every passing year . After several successful jazz and pop albums, Dusk returns to his roots with Sinatra, an up-tempo tribute to the Chairman of the Board himself, the man who sang some of the most beloved songs of all time .

An energetic show with all the production value of a Broadway musical, Sinatra takes the audience on a musical journey through Frank’s incredible career, including its ups and downs, hilarity, and heartbreak . Through Dusk, we re-visit Ol’ Blue Eyes from his days with the Rat Pack, cracking jokes and singing tunes before heading out to hit the blackjack tables . A career that spanned decades is carved into one spectacular night of music and fun .

“It’s like Sinatra at the Sands,” Dusk explains, “a night of crooning and cocktails . I’ve been singing these songs since I could rent a tuxedo, and there is nothing more swingin’ than stepping on stage with a smokin’ band performing timeless hits that everyone knows . This show is about the music, the musicians, and the memories from that era ”

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Dusk impressively brings Las Vegas back to the glory days as the standardssinger sounds remarkably like Rat Packer Frank Sinatra.”

– STARDEM

In 1974 when Bob Marley went solo, on the brink of international stardom, he surprised the music community by choosing as his lead guitarist the Americanborn Al Anderson . It was Anderson’s stunning lead work on such classics as No Woman, No Cry, and Three O’Clock Roadblock that first alerted rock fans to The Wailers music . Andersons’ musical achievements with Bob Marley & The Wailers include the platinumaward-winning albums Live at the Lyceum, Babylon by Bus and ten times platinum album Legend. The Original Wailers received their own Grammy Nomination in 2013 for their album Miracle making it Andersons’ second Grammy nomination . Al Anderson is the sole member of the Bob Marley & The Wailers mid-1970s line-up in today’s Wailers .

Formed in 2008, The Original Wailers also include Chet Samuel (Lead Vocals/Guitar), Omar Lopez (Bass Guitar), Howard Smith (Drums) and Noel Aiken (Keyboards/Organ) who continue the legacy of Bob Marley & The Wailers music .

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Lead singer and guitarist Wendel “Junior Jazz” Ferraro put on quite a performance, channeling the spirit of love as he poured his everything into his playing as he looked to the heavens seeking the approval of Marley himself.”

SHOWS AT A GLANCE | 23

Mardi Gras Mambo: Featuring The Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Nathan & The Zydeco Cha Chas Friday, March 3 8pm

Nikki Yanofsky Saturday, March 4 8pm

No Woman’s Land Wednesday, March 8 8pm

Jason Bishop Saturday, March 11 2pm & 7pm

John Pizzarelli Thursday, April 6 8pm

Friday, April 21 8pm

Jesse Cook: The Libre Tour Thursday, April 20 8pm

Dan Hill & Myles Goodwyn Saturday, April 22 8pm

Supported by:

Ray on My Mind Friday, May 12 8pm

2022 Flato Markham Theatre Advisory Board