BY GEORGE KAGAME
Stage Centre is currently searching for talent to audition for performers to participate in its 2009-10 season. Auditions for new actors and others people involved in theatre begins on 28th March at 1.00p.m. at the Fairview Library theatre.
A press release from Fairview Library theatre states that everyone interested in acting “must present two monologues of contrasting nature, and prepare a short song selection in the style of their own choice.” The theatre offers training for the actors who are required to bring their own music for the musical selection. It further appeals to support from a wider public “in all areas of production and company development, stage management, props design and costume and set construction.”
Stage Centre started performing 21 year ago and has deciated itself to presenting a wide cross section of classics of theatre history. They have been resident at Fairview Library theatre all this time, the current seaon started in September 2008 and has staged such plays as Carlifornia Suite, Hedda Gabler, The School of Wives, The Seagull, which is currently showing and Wait Untill Dark.
According to Garth Allen the Artistic Director of Stage Centre Theatre, his company is renown for its “compelling to the hilarious, the suspenseful to the shocking. All through from the annals of theatre history (seventeenth century France to twentieth century North America), these great plays are all wonderfully meaningful in the contemporary world.”
He adds that it is the greatest theatre bargain in Toronto — and with free parking, access to the Don Mills subway station, and countless dining places in the area.
Friday 20 February 2009
Grace Church members to continue plant delivery tradition in 45 anniversary celebrations
subhead
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Grace Presbyterian Church located in West Hill is set to commemorate its 45th anniversary in May by organizing a range of activities that are already underway, a press statement form the church stated.
The church which was formed in 1964 developed a community programme from its sunday school whereby parents and school teachers would coordinate the sale and delivery of garden plants. The plants are pre-ordered by homes by filling out forms given out at the church, or downloaded on the internet, church members also volunteer to deliver the forms to homes in the West Hill and Pickering neighbourhoods. The actual sale takes place every saturday preceding Victoria Day weekend.
The church has set April 13 as the final day of deliveries of plants and the sale date is May 9th where as the church tradition dictates trucks loaded with the plants will drop off orders at the homes of church members and other customers in the areas.
Grace church members and residents in Pickering and West Hill can download plant order forms from www.garcewesthill.ca and mail their filled forms to the church or contact by email plants@gracewesthill.ca.
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Grace Presbyterian Church located in West Hill is set to commemorate its 45th anniversary in May by organizing a range of activities that are already underway, a press statement form the church stated.
The church which was formed in 1964 developed a community programme from its sunday school whereby parents and school teachers would coordinate the sale and delivery of garden plants. The plants are pre-ordered by homes by filling out forms given out at the church, or downloaded on the internet, church members also volunteer to deliver the forms to homes in the West Hill and Pickering neighbourhoods. The actual sale takes place every saturday preceding Victoria Day weekend.
The church has set April 13 as the final day of deliveries of plants and the sale date is May 9th where as the church tradition dictates trucks loaded with the plants will drop off orders at the homes of church members and other customers in the areas.
Grace church members and residents in Pickering and West Hill can download plant order forms from www.garcewesthill.ca and mail their filled forms to the church or contact by email plants@gracewesthill.ca.
Mirvish theatre group opens 2009/10 with full house subscribers
Mirvish theatre group opens 2009/10 with full house subscribers
By GEORGE KAGAME
February 19, 2009 10:58 AM
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The Mirvish theatre group today treated its subscription clients to a sneak preview of its superbly assembled stage performances for their 2009/10 season dubbed 'The Season with Character'.
The ceremony to introduce the shows and some of the people involved in the performances was organized at the Princess of Wales theatre on Yonge Street to a fully packed house of press members and season ticket subscribers.
The performances have been billed as the seven smash shows, and according to David Mirvish this season will be known as a season of character because of the nature and ideas the seven shows will depict. The shows are, in their order of staging; The Harder They Come based on the rise of Jamaican reggae into mainstream music, the show is based on a movie released in the 1970s and is credited with having started off the career of Jimmy Cliff. It starts showing in July this year.
Cliff, who was at the theatre and did a live but brief performance of some of his greatest songs, is best known for his song to 'The Harder They Come'. That song is credited with popularizing reggae music across the world.
The second show beginning in the fall of 2009 will be David Hare's Stuff Happens, which gives a dramatic account of the key events and remarks that defined actions and policies of the past U.S. government. The entire script is based on quotes from the five major figures in George W. Bush's administration.
Among other shows of the season are Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Fiddler on the Roof, Priscilla Queen of the Desert: the musical, Young Frankenstein, Little House on the Prairie: the musical, August: Osage County and Cloud 9.
By GEORGE KAGAME
February 19, 2009 10:58 AM
Print E-mail Text
The Mirvish theatre group today treated its subscription clients to a sneak preview of its superbly assembled stage performances for their 2009/10 season dubbed 'The Season with Character'.
The ceremony to introduce the shows and some of the people involved in the performances was organized at the Princess of Wales theatre on Yonge Street to a fully packed house of press members and season ticket subscribers.
The performances have been billed as the seven smash shows, and according to David Mirvish this season will be known as a season of character because of the nature and ideas the seven shows will depict. The shows are, in their order of staging; The Harder They Come based on the rise of Jamaican reggae into mainstream music, the show is based on a movie released in the 1970s and is credited with having started off the career of Jimmy Cliff. It starts showing in July this year.
Cliff, who was at the theatre and did a live but brief performance of some of his greatest songs, is best known for his song to 'The Harder They Come'. That song is credited with popularizing reggae music across the world.
The second show beginning in the fall of 2009 will be David Hare's Stuff Happens, which gives a dramatic account of the key events and remarks that defined actions and policies of the past U.S. government. The entire script is based on quotes from the five major figures in George W. Bush's administration.
Among other shows of the season are Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Fiddler on the Roof, Priscilla Queen of the Desert: the musical, Young Frankenstein, Little House on the Prairie: the musical, August: Osage County and Cloud 9.
Binti's Journey looks at the impact of HIV/Aids on African children
Binti's Journey looks at the impact of HIV/Aids on African children
By GEORGE KAGAME
February 19, 2009 1:16 PM
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Binti's Journey, a play that explores the impact of the HIV/AIDS crisis on an orphaned family in Africa, is being presented again by Theatre Direct at their new studio space located in the heart of midâÂ?Âtown Toronto in the St. Clair West Village and housed in the new Artscape Wychwood Barns,
It runs throughout February with performances for both schools and the general public.
Last year's premier garnered a couple of local theatre award nominations (Dora awards) for both outstanding production and outstanding performance in the youth theatre category.
High Park playwright Marcia Johnson adapted the play from a popular novel for youth, The Heaven Shop, by noted Canadian author Deborah Ellis, a Governor General of Canada award winner.
Johnson said Theatre Direct approached her to adapt the book into a play.
She said the author did a beautiful job in informing the world about AIDS and making a personal story out of it. "My job has been simply (distilling) down the book into a beautiful 45-minute play that appeals to different generations."
Johnson said she hopes the play "will add to the influence of the book on the necessity to educate and protect young children, adults and preteens."
The compelling and uplifting story puts a human face on the African AIDS pandemic which has orphaned an estimated 11 million African children. It follows three siblings, including Binti, a former youth radio star performer, who lose both parents to AIDS and are forced to live with relatives who barely tolerate their presence.
Binti's Journey runs February 18 to March 1, including gala performances Feb. 28 that will be attended by the author, Deborah Ellis. Tickets (excluding the gala) are $12-$15 for students, $15-$25 for adults (teachers free). Call the box office, 416-504-7529 or online at the Arts Box Office, www.artsboxoffice.ca
By GEORGE KAGAME
February 19, 2009 1:16 PM
Print E-mail Text
Binti's Journey, a play that explores the impact of the HIV/AIDS crisis on an orphaned family in Africa, is being presented again by Theatre Direct at their new studio space located in the heart of midâÂ?Âtown Toronto in the St. Clair West Village and housed in the new Artscape Wychwood Barns,
It runs throughout February with performances for both schools and the general public.
Last year's premier garnered a couple of local theatre award nominations (Dora awards) for both outstanding production and outstanding performance in the youth theatre category.
High Park playwright Marcia Johnson adapted the play from a popular novel for youth, The Heaven Shop, by noted Canadian author Deborah Ellis, a Governor General of Canada award winner.
Johnson said Theatre Direct approached her to adapt the book into a play.
She said the author did a beautiful job in informing the world about AIDS and making a personal story out of it. "My job has been simply (distilling) down the book into a beautiful 45-minute play that appeals to different generations."
Johnson said she hopes the play "will add to the influence of the book on the necessity to educate and protect young children, adults and preteens."
The compelling and uplifting story puts a human face on the African AIDS pandemic which has orphaned an estimated 11 million African children. It follows three siblings, including Binti, a former youth radio star performer, who lose both parents to AIDS and are forced to live with relatives who barely tolerate their presence.
Binti's Journey runs February 18 to March 1, including gala performances Feb. 28 that will be attended by the author, Deborah Ellis. Tickets (excluding the gala) are $12-$15 for students, $15-$25 for adults (teachers free). Call the box office, 416-504-7529 or online at the Arts Box Office, www.artsboxoffice.ca
Monday 16 February 2009
Toronto Notes 5
University of Toronto
A jungle of concrete
Great food
Students are the only truly global citizens
Lucky to have toilet paper but its thrown about on the floor of the toilets-which also have a cleaner by the clock
Water is very sufficient but students here are not like the ones bacck home where you find shit on top of the toilet bowls or even in some cases splashed about on the walls like someone goes to the toilet to play with his feaces
Meetings in the hall
Sleep over and long movies so we spend more time inside the halls of the girls
There's little noise in the dining hall like its not a student fraternity place
Canada is about space and more space
A jungle of concrete
Great food
Students are the only truly global citizens
Lucky to have toilet paper but its thrown about on the floor of the toilets-which also have a cleaner by the clock
Water is very sufficient but students here are not like the ones bacck home where you find shit on top of the toilet bowls or even in some cases splashed about on the walls like someone goes to the toilet to play with his feaces
Meetings in the hall
Sleep over and long movies so we spend more time inside the halls of the girls
There's little noise in the dining hall like its not a student fraternity place
Canada is about space and more space
RVHS celebrates love and heart disease awareness in February
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Rouge Valley Hospital in Scarborough is appealing to its target residents' sense of generosity and romance in a very unique way. Celebrating the month of love and heart disease the entire month.
Beginning this past Valentines day on saturday the community kicked off a month long campaign to increase awareness of heart disease complications in the community and of the necessity to care for their health. This according to Gr. Paul Galiwango a cardiologist with the hospital includes watching their habits that can cause heart disease and then asking them to donate to what the hospital has dubbed "Gift from the heart" campaign that kicked off at both Pickering and Scarborough town centres last saturday.
During the campaign which will end on 28th February residents can purchase a heart at any of the shopping malls located in Scarborough and Pickering for only two dollars, the funds raised will be used to support Rouge Valley Cardiac Care Program. The hospital is renown for its advanced cardiac program and is considered one of the best community hospitals in Ontario.
Speaking about the campaign Dr. Paul Galiwango a cardiologist with the hospital said the hospital is embarking on the drive as its it tries to "underscore the importance of a health lifestyle of its residents", he said that a healthy lifestyle necessary to reduce the risk of heart disease involves walking 30 minutes for five days and avoiding risky habits like smoking. Galiwango further added that the residents also need to increase their intake of health basic foodstuffs like whole grain and diary products, fresh fruit, lean meat and vegetables.
He said heart related complications the hospital receives are representative of the general situation across the country; "a large number of patients we receive here have heart related problems. The most common problem we deal with here is heart failure especially coronary artery symptoms." The hospital is seeking funds to help in maintaining and expanding its nine bed unit and 10 fully monitored inpatient beds
For their part the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation have called on provincial to create a leveled field in regard to food prices such that many more Canadians can have access to health basic foodstuffs as they are crucial in reducing the incidence of heart disease. The foundation noted that provincial governments have policies regulating alcohol prices but the prices of health foodstuffs are left to be determined by market forces and as a result there is increasing number of people that cannot afford them which in turn is increasing heart related health complications in the country.
RVHS doctor seeks to encourage more minority students in medicine profession
BY GEORGE KAGAME
As a student at University of Toronto at the beginning of the 2000s Paul Galiwango was concerned that were very few visibly minority students pursuing a career in medicine; "in my own class of 200 or so students there were only three black students and for the whole University of Toronto faculty of medicine totaling 800 there were only 11."
Upon graduating and subsequent employment with Rouge Valley Hospital as a cardiologist, Dr. Galiwango is now busy encouraging students from low income backgrounds in Toronto to embark on careers in the field of medicine such that they can benefit from the many opportunities that exist in Canada for graduates in sciences. For such intentions Dr. Galiwango has been invited to speak to students in the Toronto area including Central Technical Institute and Mandela Elementary school. He says alot of kids in low income neighbourhoods don't have much attention and motivation to be in school; 'i try to show them that indeed there opportunities out there to look out for." Galiwango adds that together with U OF T's Black Medical Students Association they have set initiatives during the Black History month to reach out for more students in lower grades to join science disciplines. He says the association is one of several mentor groups that deals with issues that affect the black community.
It is about this time that Galiwango who was born and brought up in Windsor Ontario decided to dedicate his free time to helping visibly minority students by mentoring them into a career not only in medicine but other science disciplines. Today he is employed at Rough Valley Hospital and he is happy with his efforts in helping high school students. "i have been invited by my friends working as teachers to address their students interested in medicine. I think it helps them in mentoring because the students can identify and interact with. Personally i benefitted from having a mentor in my father who was a pediatrician, he had a huge impact in my choosing to be a cardiologist."
Galiwango says his efforts are slowly registering results because today different universities have started noticing the limited number of minority students pursuing science disciplines, "it is simple what these students need to get admitted into medical schools and what i have done is help them with strategies on how to approach interviews and answering crucial questions and concepts they need to be admitted in the schools, reference letters and other preparations." Galiwango further adds that some students are already benefiting from such simple approaches. And Galiwango knows that this works. Having graduated from the University of Toronto with a bachelor of science, doctor of medicine and adult cardiology he trained with Toronto General Hospital where his interaction with one of his patients had an influence in the patient advising her son. The son is now admitted at one of the medical schools in the country.
Sonia Peczeniuk, Vice President of medical affairs and clinical support at Rouge Valley Hospital says that Galiwango's work is part of RVHS's effort in 'leadership and high level service', she adds that the hospital is known for its history of leadership in cardiology and ethnically diverse patient population. RVHS is an excellent acute care community hospital and is known as one of the best in regard to cardiac computed tomography (CT0 and a strong interventional cardiology and electrophysiology, it has a team of 225 general practitioners, 325 specialists and 1000 nurses.
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