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As the curtains close on The Grand Theatre’s 2022-2023 season, theatre enthusiasts in London, Ontario, are in for a lively treat with Neptune Theater’s production of The East Coast Kitchen Party. The show promises to celebrate East Coast music, replete with energetic performances and non-stop fun. With a bar on center stage, the audience can dive headfirst into the festive atmosphere from the get-go. This production is not to be missed by anyone looking for an exciting and memorable theatrical experience.
performance and at intermission
East Coast Kitchen Party
“I can think of no better production to end our first full season back – LIVE! And in Person – than East Coast Kitchen Party. Filled with glorious and uplifting music from the Maritimes, paired with performances by some of London’s most talented musicians, this is a true celebration of Canadian talent, tradition, and togetherness.”
Dennis Garnhum, Grand Theatre Artistic Director
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Andrew Cull, the stage designer, has genuinely succeeded with his warm and welcoming kitchen set design. With a checkered patterned floor, charming trinkets, cooking utensils hanging on clapboards, comfortable sit-up bars, and a perfectly designed table for dancing, the stage is set for an immersive kitchen party. Ten audience members are invited to sit on stage and sip drinks casually to make it a proper kitchen party!
Nova Scotia-based actor, educator, and director, Samantha Wilson does a great job filling the stage with just four key players providing space for them to walk about and easily access their multiple musical instruments. A quirky design touch is the lighting: colourful buoys hanging like lanterns in the wind.
Each talented Maritime-based musician plays enough instruments to fill the stage with music and song. Karen Lizotte, Celia Owen, Malia Rogers and Ian Sherwood lead the audience in what becomes a sing-along as they play both original songs and East Coast classics by Stan Rogers, The Rankin Family, Great Big Sea and more.
Fiddle player and clogger Celia Owen stands out with a soulful ballad from fellow PEI singer-songwriter Lenni Gallant. Her energetic fiddling and dance on the kitchen table added to the production; our only lament is there was not more of it.
Malia Rogers’s beautiful voice carries every tune from a sea shanty to a soulful ballad. She quickly moved all over the stage, drumming either a hand or box drum.
Although there is limited dialogue in the production, piano player Karen Lizotte guided the audience through the 20+ songs, including Farewell to Nova Scotia, Northwest Passage, and Ordinary Day. There were quite a few I was not familiar with but the Nova Scotian sitting in front of us knew them all (and gleefully sang along).
Co-creator and lead guitarist Ian Sherwood wrote a few of the songs included in the production (which I just loved). He co-created the East Coast Kitchen Party (also known as The Argyle Street Kitchen Party) with longtime friend and Neptune Theater Artistic Director Jeremy Webb.
Running from April 18 – May 7 at the Grand Theatre, each performance will be unique as The Grand Theatre welcomes 23 local musicians from or connected to London, Ontario.
This celebrates local talent and heavily embraces London’s UNESCO City of Music designation. Added in 2021, London is the only Canadian city on this list of 59 cities around the world, placing “creativity and cultural industries at the heart of development plans at the local level.”
Partnering with the London Music Office, Tourism London, and the City of London, the East Coast Kitchen Party production invites your friends and family to enjoy a festive evening with them at the Grand Theatre.
Celebrations on the opening night also included a formal farewell to Artistic Director Dennis Garnhum, who leaves the Grand Theatre after seven successful years. Bringing nine world premieres, original productions and popular musicals, he will be missed. Alas, he will return, briefly, next season to direct Clue. In his departing speech, he introduced the 2023/24 season, including Kim’s Convenience, Million Dollar Quartet, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Overall the evening was filled with great music and an enthusiastic audience readily willing to sing and toast these talented musicians. Be prepared for a participatory experience. Grab a drink, kick back and enjoy this great big East Coast Kitchen Party. Trust me; you will want to return at least once more to hear the musical guests.
Side note: each performance will include a 15-minute in-show and a 30-minute post-session. Enjoy these local musicians at the after-party in the Drewlo Lounge. We thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful harmonies of The Pairs. We will be seeking them out again in our local music venues.
This is a 5 out of 5 Stars – l highly recommend East Coast Kitchen Party at the Grand Theatre in London.
Just Go. Now. Hurry.
THE GUEST ARTISTS
- The Sheridan Band – Tue., April 18 | 7:30 PM
- Bernie Gilmore – Wed., April 19 | 7:30 PM
- Emily Jean Flack – Thurs., April 20 | 7:30 PM
- The Pairs – Fri., April 21 | 8:00 PM
- The Marrieds – Sat., April 22 | 2:00 PM
- Jesse, Leah, and Alex – Sat., April 22 | 8:00 PM
- Richard Gracious – Sun., April 23 | 2:00 PM
- Stephen Ingram – Tue., April 25 | 7:30 PM
- Alexandra Kane – Wed., April 26 | 11:00 AM
- The Light of East Ensemble – Wed., April 26 | 7:30 PM
- Paul Mills – Thurs., April 27 | 7:30 PM
- Asante – Fri., April 28 | 8:00 PM
- Sarah MacDougall – Sat., April 29 | 2:00 PM
- Maggie’s Wake – Sat., April 29 | 8:00 PM
- Charlie Weber – Sun., April 30 | 2:00 PM
- Jordan McDonald of Texas King – Tue., May 2 | 7:30 PM
- The Roxy Paradox – Wed., May 3 | 1:00 PM
- Dayna Manning – Wed., May 3 | 7:30 PM
- Leanne Mayer – Thurs., May 4 | 7:30 PM
- Twin-Fin – Fri., May 5 | 8:00 PM
- Magenta – Sat., May 6 | 2:00 PM
- Paris Monroe (Tyrone Traher) – Sat., May 6 | 8:00 PM
- Justin Maki Band – Sun., May 7 | 2:00 PM
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