Think theatre, music when you buy local

When it comes to performance, there are live shows and little else. Sure, you can get a DVD or a soundtrack to help represent what you may not have wanted to buy when it came to town, but it doesn’t really do justice to the artists or the production itself.

Think of Elton John in his prime (or now!) and the extravagance of his live shows. He sported outrageous costumes, mile-high platform heels, spectacular glasses and a light show that was years ahead of anyone else out there.

Oh, yeah. He could sing like a canary, had a phenomenal list of hits and cultivated the kind of persona that could pack a house. His albums were wonderful, but if you didn’t catch the stage show you really didn’t get a sense of the man or his music.

Indeed, Reggie Dwight was born to be an entertainer and he used his live performances not only to sell the music, but carve a niche in rock and roll history. As much as anyone in his era, Elton John understood the value of the carnival and our willingness to fork it over for anything that would entertain us.

Indeed, entertainment is a real growth industry around here these days. The music scene is vibrant and varied, with rockers, hip hop artists, crooners and jazz singers all part of the mix. We have myriad venues that offer live music and you should check out Wendy Elliott’s twice-weekly Arts Scene in this newspaper and the Kings County Register to stay abreast of what’s what.

Live theatre is also a huge draw and includes outfits such as Two Planks and a Passion Theatre Company (which is showcasing The Odyssey July 26 to Aug. 12 – don’t miss it! See www.artscentre.ca); CentreStage Theatre in Kentville, currently offering Waiting for the Parade through July and August – check out www.centrestagetheatre.ca for more); and the revitalized Atlantic Theatre Festival, which kicks off its new season Tuesday, July 17 with its highly successful Pay What You Can night for Shirley Valentine.

It’s a great opportunity for people to get involved in local theatre and you must admit; you can’t beat the price. It affords those who might be uncertain about live theatre the chance to experience it, with the key word here being ‘experience’.

Whether it’s Two Planks, CentreStage or the ATF, the quickest and surest way to get in touch with what’s happening in local live theatre is to get up off your duff and take in a show. You need to see it to feel its power and have it change your world view.

The event this evening guarantees a good price and veteran actress Niki Lipmann is Shirley Valentine, a woman caught in a rut who one day gets a chance to jet to Greece, just for the hell of it. And the play takes off from there.

Who hasn’t wanted to do that? Just drop what you were doing and take off somewhere? It sounds like a hoot, but maybe it’s not all it’s cracked up to be either.

Shirley Valentine explores these themes and much more and it’d be a shame if you missed it. Like The Odyssey and the various CentreStage productions, the Atlantic Theatre Festival’s shows draw people to this region and all of us are the beneficiaries.

Problem is, if the local folks don’t show an interest, we’ll be back to square one as far as the Theatre Festival is concerned and nobody wants that.

They had a decent season last year and hope to build on that success, and it’s incumbent on all of us to continue to ‘buy local’. Go to atf@atf.ns.ca and get involved. There’s nothing like live theatre if you crave quality entertainment and it’s as certain a win-win as anything out there. Capture the moment, seize the day! This wonderful season of showtime will be gone before you know it.