Kreskin is Sold Out

The Amazing Kreskin's show at Horizon Stage on Sunday, February 11, 2007 is now Sold Out. There are currently no plans to add a second performance.

Montreal Guitar Trio Master Class

Saturday, March 3
2:30 - 4 p.m.

Meet the members of Montreal Guitar Trio and receive one-on-one instruction and feedback from these incredibly- talented professional musicians.

Cost: $30 per person - includes one FREE ticket to Montreal Guitar Trio’s concert with opening act Rosette Guitar Duo at Horizon Stage on Saturday, March 3 at 7:30 p.m.

Call 962-8995 to register or to purchase concert tickets.

6 slots available - individuals, duos or trios - so sign up early!

www.trioguitarsmontreal.com

Audience Feedback: A George Fox Christmas

Did you see A George Fox Christmas with Marlee Scott on December 15 or 16? We want to hear what you though about the concert & our venue. Please let us know!
Note: Comments with offensive language will not be posted.

George Fox Tickets Released

A few tickets have been released for the 7:30 p.m. performance of A George Fox Christmas with Marlee Scott on Saturday, November 16th.
There are also still some tickets left for the 2 p.m. matinee.
Call 962-8995 to order yours today!

Audience Feedback: Gary Fjellgaard & Valdy

Did you attend Gary Fjellgaard & Valdy's concert

at Horizon Stage on November 24 or 25?
If you did, please leave a comment telling us what you thought of the show, the stage, or anything else that made an impression on you.

Good or bad.
Please Note: Comments with offensive language will not be posted.

Audience Feedback - HOJA

Did you see a cappella group HOJA at Horizon Stage on Thursday, November 23?
What did you think of the group? Did you like our venue? Tell us what you thought!
Please Note: Comments with offensive language will not be posted.

Country Music Star George Fox will perform a third concert at Horizon Stage

With evening performances on Dec 15 & 16 already sold out Fox adds a matinee on the 16th.

If you’re a fan of Canadian country music star George Fox and you don’t already have tickets to one of his sold-out evening performances at Horizon Stage, never fear. George has added a 2 p.m. concert on Saturday, December 16. Because of the high demand for tickets A George Fox Christmas with Marlee Scott will now run once on December 15 and twice on December 16.
More than a dozen years after he left his family’s cattle ranch in Cochrane, Alberta George Fox is returning to his home province for a classic country Christmas. With numerous country music and Juno awards on his mantle, eight albums under his belt and a string of number-one hits, George has certainly made it to “the big time”. Still a down to earth kind of guy, George will ring in the holidays with classic carols and festive original pieces. Audiences can look forward to hearing such favourites as Silent Night, Six White Boomers and Three Little Pennies.
Joining George Fox on stage will be relative newcomer Marlee Scott. Born in Ontario, raised on Prince Edward Island and barely out of her teens, Marlee has already performed at the Big Valley Jamboree and the Merrit Mountain Music Festival. One of Global Country’s rising stars, her first single I Fall In Love Too Fast has received air-play across Canada.
Great seats are still available for the George Fox Christmas matinee at Horizon Stage on Saturday, December 16th. Tickets are just $20.00 for adults and $15.00 for students and seniors. Call the Horizon Stage Box Office at 962-8995 for more information or to purchase your tickets before this show sells out too!


Be sure to visit: www.georgefox.com, www.marleescott.com & www.horizonstage.com

Special thanks to the sponsors of this event: The Alberta Foundation For The Arts, Canadian Heritage, The Edmonton Journal, CFCW, Royal Inn Express and Birdsell Grant Gardner Morck Barristers & Solicitors

Audience Feedback: The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

Did you see the Horizon Players production of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie on November 16, 17 or 18? Do you have any comments about the show that you would like us to pass on to the Players?
Please Note: Comments with offensive language will not be posted.

See HOJA Video

To preview a cappella sensations HOJA on You Tube HERE
HOJA is performing at Horizon Stage on Thursday, November 23rd at 7:30 p.m.

Ian Tyson & Gary Fjellgaard & Valdy

All 5 of Ian Tyson's concerts in Jaunary are now sold out.
Both of Gary Fjellgaard & Valdy's concerts at the end of November are sold out.

High Energy A Cappella will Charm, Amuse and Amaze Audiences

HOJA scheduled to perform at Horizon Stage on November 23rd

Formed in the summer of 1998, high energy a cappella group HOJA (hoe-jah) originally hail from Saskatchewan. Brought together by a love of singing and performance, their passion can be easily seen the first second they step on stage. Favourites on the Edmonton Fringe and St Albert Children’s Festival outdoor stages, audiences of all ages will enjoy HOJA Up Close & Personal at Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove on Thursday, November 23rd.

All of the sounds in HOJA’s live show and on their recordings are created using only their voices. Each of the group’s members sing a variety of different parts, including bass, lead vocals, tenor and baritone, vocal percussion, instrumental sounds such as guitars and trumpets, and assorted sound effects. Great harmonies, energetic choreography, and a diverse selection of repertoire are presented in a uniquely entertaining performance style.

HOJA’s songs span every style of music, from doo-wop to rock and from country to disco, nothing escapes the transition to a cappella music. Audiences will cheer when they hear Brown Eyed Girl (Van Morrison), Cecilia (Simon & Garfunkel), 500 Miles (The Proclaimers), Friends in Low Places (Garth Brooks), I’m a Believer (The Monkees), Sweet Dreams (The Eurythmics), Stayin’ Alive (The Bee Gees), Video Killed The Radio Star (The Buggles) and numerous other well know tunes. Peppering their sets with humour and wit, HOJA are guaranteed to charm and amuse music lovers with a wide variety of tastes.

HOJA has wasted no time in establishing itself as one of Canada’s hardest working bands. Currently in their ninth year of nation-wide touring, they have already recorded four full length CD’s, with sales totaling over 20,000 copies. Over 2,500 audiences from BC to Ontario have experienced HOJA. Group members may have changed throughout the years but the ensemble’s spirit and zest have stayed the same. Last seen at Horizon Stage in 2002, HOJA has since performed at schools in Spruce Grove, Stony Plain and all around the Edmonton area.

Horizon Stage is thrilled to present this talented and totally hip ‘boy band’. Don’t miss HOJA at Horizon Stage on Thursday, November 23rd at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are just $15.00 for adults and $10.00 for students and seniors. Call the Horizon Stage Box Office at 962-8995 for more information or to purchase your tickets today!

Be sure to visit: www.horizonstage.com & www.fatcatuniverse.com

Special thanks to the sponsors of this event: The Alberta Foundation For The Arts, Canadian Heritage, The Edmonton Journal and Birdsell, Grant, Gardner, Morck Barristers & Solicitors.

Audience Feedback: Denise Djokic & David Jalbert

Did you see Denise Djokic (cello) and David Jalbert (piano) at Horizon Stage on Saturday, November 4th?
Did you enjoy the show?
What did you think of our venue?
Please Note: Comments with offensive language will not be posted.

Sponsor Name Change & Thank-you

Capital City Savings, sponsor of Horizon Stage's CKUA, "Live on Alberta Stage's" concert series, have officially changed their name to Servus Credit Union.
Servus will be Alberta's largest credit union with branches throughout Alberta, including Spruce Grove and Stony Plain."
We would like to thank all of our wonderful sponsors, especially local businesses like Servus Credit Union, Birdsell Grant Gardner Morck and Grove Pontiac!
Support the arts supporters - they are making a valuable contribution to their community!

Ian Tyson Ticket Update

A few tickets have just been released for Ian's Friday, January 12 performance.
His Thursday, January 11 show now has only single tickets available.

Audience Feedback: Lester Quitzau & Mae Moore

Did you see Lester Quitzau & Mae Moore at Horizon Stage on Friday, October 27th? We would like to hear what you thought of their show and our cabaret venue that night.
Please note: Comments with inappropriate language will not be posted.

Photos Taken At Family Portrait

Before every Family Matinee Horizon Stage offers FREE pre show activities for the kids in the lobby (sponsored by Grove Pontiac GMC). One of the activities we offered before Family Portrait on October 21 was actual digital Family Portraits that we later e-mailed. Below are just a few of the wonderful photos we took.

FREE tickets to classical music concert!!

Be one of the first 5 people to email hstage@sprucegrove.org with your contact information (name and phone number) and you will receive TWO free tickets to see Denise Djokic & David Jalbert at Horizon Stage on Saturday, November 4th!!!

George Fox Matinee Added

Due to popular demand, Horizon Stage has added a third George Fox Christmas with Marlee Scott concert at 2 p.m. on Satuday, December 16.
George's 7:30 performances are both sold out.
Tickets to the matinee are now on sale.
Call 962-8995 to order yours today!!

Denise Djokic & Davil Jalbert Programme

Saturday, November 4th – Horizon Stage

J.S. Bach: Sonata for viola da gamba
(1685 – 1750) & keyboard No. 2 in D major, BWV 1028
I. Adagio-Allegro
II. Andante
III. Allegro

D. Shostakovich: Prelude and Fugue Opus 87 #24 (for solo piano) (1906 – 1975)
G. Cassado: Suite for Solo Cello(1897 – 1966)
I. Preludio-Fantasia
II. Sardana (Danza)
III. Intermezzo e Danza Finale

Intermission

Alexina Louie: Bringing the Tiger Down from the Mountain II
(b 1949)

F. Chopin: Cello Sonata in G Minor Op.65(1810 – 1849)
I. Allegro moderato
II. Scherzo (Allegro con brio) III. Largo
IV. Finale (Allegro)

(The artists reserves the right to alter the programme)

Juno nominated classical duo will electrify audience in Spruce Grove

Denise Djokic (cello) and David Jalbert (piano) perform at Horizon Stage on November 4

One of the most captivating young artists of her generation, cellist, Denise Djokic, has thrilled audiences and critics worldwide with the passion, vigor, and sensitivity of her playing. Pianist, David Jalbert, is also a fiery young talent. With his dazzling stage presence, refined ear for music, exuberance and finesse, he, too, is an impressive performer. Touring as a part of Prairie Debut’s 2006/2007 roster of artists, Denise and David will grace Horizon Stage with their glowing warm tones and honest musical interpretations on Saturday, November 4th at 7:30 p.m.

Already the winners of two East Coast Music Awards, Denise and David’s CD Folklore was nominated for a Juno award in 2006. Released by the American label Allegro/Endeavour, the recording debuted in the number 15 slot on American Billboard Magazine’s classical chart. Denise and David have also each released solo CD’s and prior to Folklore they collaborated on a classical duet album for Sony Records.

As a recitalist and chamber musician, Denise Djokic has performed throughout North America and Europe. Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, into a large musical family, Denise is a graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Music's "Young Artist Program". She has been a recipient of several grants and prizes from the Canada Council for the Arts, was named by Maclean's magazine as one of "25 Young Canadians who are changing our World", and one of "Canada's 30 most Powerful Women" by ELLE magazine.

David Jalbert has artist diplomas from the Julliard School in New York and The Glen Gould Professional School in Toronto. He received his Masters Degree from the Université de Montréal when he was 21 and has performed in Canada, the United States, Mexico and Europe. His fluid fingers make the piano ‘sing’ and his mastery of the keyboard has garnered accolades from critics and audiences alike.

Horizon Stage is thrilled to present these two outstanding young artists. Their program will include music by Bach, Chopin, Shostakovich and Cassado. Enjoy two classical sonatas, a prelude, a suite and Bringing the Tiger Down from the Mountain II by contemporary composer Alexina Louie, Up Close and Personal at 7:30 pm on Saturday, November 4. Tickets to Denise Djokic and David Jalbert are $20.00 for adults and $15.00 for students and seniors. Call the Horizon Stage Box Office at 962-8995 for more information or to purchase your tickets today!

“(Djokic is) considered to be the best up-and-coming cellist in the world.”
Salina Journal

“Jalbert dazzles with skill, style and taste…. with all the exuberance a listener could want ”
Toronto Star

Be sure to visit www.denisedjokic.com, www.davidjalbert.com, www.prairiedebut.com & www.horizonstage.com

Special thanks to the sponsors of this event: The Alberta Foundation For The Arts, Canadian Heritage, Canada Council, The Edmonton Journal, CKUA Radio , Royal Inn Express, Birdsell, Grant, Gardner, Morck Barristers & Solicitors, Meyers Norris Penny and Capital City Savings Community Council of Spruce Grove and Stony Plain.

Audience Feedback: John Reischman & The Jaybirds

Did you see John Reischman & The Jaybirds with Restless Lester on Saturday, October 21st? We would like to hear what you thought of their show and our venue that night.
Please note: Comments with inappropriate language will not be posted.

Audience Feedback: Family Portrait

Did you see Sursaut Dance Company's Family Matinee - Family Portrait on Saturday, October 21st? We would like to hear what you thought of the show, the pre-show activities and our venue that afternoon.
Please note: Comments with inappropriate language will not be posted.

Breast Show raises money for CBCF - Thank-you donors!!

The Silent Auction at The Breast Show on November 4th raised $2023 for The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation!! More money from this wonderful Horizon Stagelighters event will also be donated once expenses are calculated.

Many, many thanks to the following individuals and businesses who donated silent auction items, door prizes and catering to this incredible evening...
AMA Insurance
Spruce Grove Saints
Wabamun Credit Union
City of Spruce Grove
Shelly Tunny
Creations by Gail
Laberge Engraving
Scrapbook Oasis
A Scrappers Delight
Royal Inn Express Hotel
Carrie-Lynn’s Esthetics
Alta-Fab Structures LTD
Kiwi Landscaping
ABC Country –Stony
Story Teller Bookstore
PH Safety – Pat Maloney
Mary Kay – Amber Gagnon
Home & Gifts – Rose Horan
Tim Hortons – Corporate
Tim Hortons – Spruce Grove
Creative Memories – Kristal Saunders
Chatters – Westland Market Mall
Pampered Chief – Corrie Priebe
Spa Sensations – Tricia Haryett
Shoppers Drugmart – Stony Plain
Westland Market Mall Merchants: Athlete’s Word, Bags & Luggage, Cleo & Bootlegger
Arbonne International – Pat Anderson
Stained Glass Workshop - Villeneuve
McDonalds – Stony/Spruce
Kathy Meaney
Ledcor
East Side Marios
Salon Montage
Panda Flowers
Expocrete
Zender Ford
Curves
Gifts & Gadgets
IGA – Spruce Grove
Donna Haryett
K-ROCK
The Big Earl
P & K Catering
Sharleen Horchuk
Liquor on Macleod
Kari-Lynn’s Boutique
Romantic Notions
Sign Cellar
Horizon Stage

Audience Feedback: The Breast Show

Did you see The Breast Show on Thursday, October 19th? We would like to hear what you thought of their show and our venue that night.
Please note: Comments with inappropriate language will not be posted.

Upcoming shows filling up quickly

Are you waiting to purchase tickets to your favourite artist? Some shows have only limited seats remaining...
The Breast Show (Oct 19) - only singles left
Lester Quitzau & Mae Moore (Oct 27) - SOLD OUT
George Fox (Dec 15 & 16) - only singles left
Ian Tyson
Jan 10 - seats available
Jan 11 - seats available
Jan 12 - only singles left
Jan 13 - only singles left
Jan 14 - only singles left

Audience Feedback: Sons of Maxwell

Did you see Sons of Maxwell's concert on Friday, October 6th? We would like to hear what you thought of their show and our venue that night.
Please note: Comments with inappropriate language will not be posted.

Toe-tapping, knee-slapping, foot-stomping bluegrass

Restless Lester opens for John Reischman and The Jaybirds on Saturday, October 21st

Four years of touring across North America and Europe, three critically-acclaimed albums and a Canadian Juno nomination have established John Reischman and the Jaybirds as one of the top bands in bluegrass music. With a style that is at once old and new, they combine vintage gems, original songs and trademark original instrumentals for a dynamic and refreshing sound. Performing around a single microphone, their musical talent, inspiring material and heartfelt vocals, will generate a concert on Saturday, October 21st, that is not to be missed!

As one of music world’s top-ranked mandolin players and composers, veteran artist John Reischman is renowned for his exquisite taste, tone and impeccable musicianship. The rest of the Jaybirds are veterans as well and include Jim Nunally on guitar and vocals, Trisha Gagnon on bass and vocals, Nick Hornbuckle on 5-string banjo and Greg Spatz on fiddle. Based out of Vancouver, BC the band are regulars at bluegrass and folk festivals across North America. They were last seen here at the Edmonton Folk Fest in 2004 and at Horizon Stage in 2003.

Opening this spectacular evening of bluegrass will be Edmonton-based favourites, Restless Lester. Bass player Keith Burgess of Jerusalem Ridge, Bruce Blair (fiddle), Steve Fischer (guitar) and Brad Lindberg (banjo) travel the musical gamut from the Stanley Brothers to Elvis to Bob Wills to Louden Wainwright III. Formed in 2002, Restless Lester just released their first CD, Endless Skies.

Horizon Stage is excited to present what is sure to be a rip-roaring evening of down-home bluegrass fun! See John Reischman and The Jaybirds with Restless Lester at 7:30 pm on Saturday, October 21. Tickets are $20.00 for adults and $15.00 for students and seniors. Call the Horizon Stage Box Office at 962-8995 for more information or to purchase your tickets today!

“Though Reischman is the leader and front man, he gives (everyone) plenty of room to shine, and together they produce music that is seamlessly excellent and rewarding. ”
Sing Out! Magazine

“Top-notch musicians and singers deliver an unusual repertoire of originals,
bluegrass classics, and old-time music.”
Acoustic Guitar Magazine

Be sure to visit http://susancrowe.com/johnr/jrjaybirds.htm & www.stevefishermusic.ca/restless_lester.html

Special thanks to the sponsors of this event: The Alberta Foundation For The Arts, Canadian Heritage, The Edmonton Journal, CKUA Radio, Royal Inn Express and Birdsell, Grant, Gardner, Morck Barristers & Solicitors

Explore a family’s dreams and desires through theatrical dance.

Sursaut Dance Company presents Family Portrait at Horizon Stage on October 21

How would the hopes and dreams of your family look if you expressed them through dancing? Take a glimpse inside an apparently ordinary family’s imaginations and memories with the dance-theatre production Family Portrait Up Close and Personal at Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove on Saturday, October 21.

Family Portrait presents a picture of an average family; but behind appearances are their dreams, thoughts, desires and memories. Performed by Sursaut Dance Company from Sherbrooke, Quebec, Family Portrait is a dance-theatre production in which poetry and humour go hand in hand and where realism and fantasy overlap. Images of great beauty, spellbinding choreographies and unusual and engaging characters make it a magical show that will amaze children and adults alike.

Founded in 1985, Sursaut is a contemporary dance company devoted to the creation and production of shows for young and family audiences. Artistic director and choreographer, Francine Châteauvert, collaborates closely with dancer and general manager, Adam Dymburt, forming the heart of the company. Their pieces have been presented from coast to coast in Canada and outside the country. Last seen in Spruce Grove in 2002 when they performed the charming Les Excentriques, Sursaut's joyful and touching creations thrill spectators young and old alike, everywhere they go.

The second presentation in Horizon Stage’s 2006/2007 Family Matinee Series, Family Portrait is whimsical and fun. Let your children experience the wonder and beauty in the art of dance at 2:00 pm on Saturday, October 21. Free pre-show activities start in the theatre lobby at 1:00 p.m. Tickets are just $10.00 for all ages. Call the Horizon Stage Box Office at 962-8995 for more information or to purchase your tickets today!

“… luminous scenes, swathed in the most beautiful music, in a simple and appealing set,
without being flashy - just like a child's poem.”La Tribune (Sherbrooke)


Be sure to visit http://www.sursaut.ca

Special Thanks to the sponsors for this event: The Alberta Foundation For The Arts, Canadian Heritage, Home Town Living, Big Earl & Grove Pontiac GMC

Note: Family Portrait is also running at The Arden Theatre on Sunday, October 22 at 1 & 3:30 p.m.

FREE Tickets to Sons of Maxwell

Be one of the first 5 people to email hstage@sprucegrove.org with your contact information (name and phone number) and you will receive TWO free tickets to Sons of Maxwell at Horizon Stage on Friday, October 6th!!!

Audience Feedback: The Checkerboard Guy

Did you see The Checkerboard Guy's Family Matinee on Saturday, September 30? We would like to hear what you thought of his show and our venue and pre-show activities that afternoon.
Please note: Comments with inappropriate language will not be posted.

Sons of Maxwell bring their Celtic/Country Sound to Spruce Grove

East Coast siblings return to Horizon Stage on Friday, October 6th

Last seen at Horizon Stage in February of 2003, Halifax-based brothers Dave and Don Carroll, aka Sons of Maxwell, have certainly kept themselves busy over the past three and a half years! With a new CD under their belts (Sunday Morning) and a second East Coast Music Award (2006 Country Recording of the Year) they reached #83 on CMT’s top 100 fan favourites of 2005. Their tours have taken them from Germany to China to the Dominican Republic, around Eastern Canada and now back to the west where they will perform at Horizon Stage on Friday, October 6.
Called “a cross between Great Big Sea, the Barenaked Ladies and The Everly Brothers”, Sons of Maxwell have been stretching their country roots. Their sound, in fact, has been described as a Celtic/Country cross with a little bit of pop and folk tossed in. Performing together for over 13 years, Dave and Don’s on-stage sibling interplay is warm, charming and often downright hilarious. Their unique vocal styles and harmonies mix with rich guitar textures, bodhran drumbeats and a stellar back-up band to energize and entertain. At each concert they thrill established fans and impress new admirers alike.
Winners of 2000’s Nova Scotia Group of The Year and 2002’s East Coast Music Award in the Roots/Traditional category, the brothers grew up in Northern Ontario, but have made their adult homes in the Maritimes. Dave writes most of their music and his thought provoking, original lyrics have brought both laughter and tears to listeners. Sunday Morning is their eighth full-length music release with their new single ‘Uphill Battle’ recently hitting the airwaves last January.
The first presentation in Horizon Stage’s 2006/2007’s regular concert series, Sons of Maxwell will “do it all’ by entertaining audience members of all ages and musical tastes. Don’t miss their eagerly anticipated return to Horizon Stage at 7:30 pm on Friday, October 6. Tickets are $20.00 for adults and $15.00 for students and seniors. Call the Horizon Stage Box Office at 962-8995 for more information or to purchase your tickets today!

"A duo of brothers from the Maritimes is proving to be the pair to watch on the horizon of success in Canada"
Raymond Arsenault, The Journal-Pioneer (Summerside, PEI)

" ... great energy, impeccable musicianship, intelligent and tightly crafted lyrics
... this band's headed for The Bigtime!”
Tom Wilson (Calgary's AM 1060 CKMX)

Be sure to visit www.horizonstage.com & www.sonsofmaxwell.com

Special thanks to the sponsors of this event: The Alberta Foundation For The Arts, Canadian Heritage, The Edmonton Journal, Royal Inn Express and Birdsell, Grant, Gardner, Morck Barristers and Solicitors

The Checkerboard Guy brings his outdoor show indoors

Comic daredevil will amaze and entertain the young and young at heart on Saturday, September 30.

He was a hit at this summer’s Spruce Grove Street Performers Festival. He’s been wowing audiences at the Edmonton International Street Performers Festival for many years. He was a staple on the outdoor stages at Edmonton Fringe in the 1990’s. If you haven’t caught The Checkerboard Guy’s show yet, what are you waiting for? If you have been entertained by his outdoor antics, then now’s your chance to see him shine on an indoor stage. That’s right, The Checkerboard Guy, aka David Aiken, will be Up Close and Personal at Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove on Saturday, September 30.
With hilarious twists built into such stunts as The Six-Foot Unicycle of Death, The Tight Rope of Death and his signature piece, The Flaming Leap of Death, The Checkerboard Guy is known around the globe as a Comic Daredevil! Over two decades worth of experience manipulating everything from flaming torches to thirteenth-century battle axes to stinky shoes -- often while balancing on top of unicycles, tight ropes or unsupported eight-foot tall aluminum ladders -- has made this Vancouver native one of the best street performers in the country.
Crediting his success with the fact that he loves what he does, David Aiken’s joy for making people laugh transcends culture and language. The fact that he can do his show entirely in English, French and Japanese and dabbles in Spanish and Korean also helps. In the past twenty years he has performed at World Expos in Osaka, Japan in Seville, Spain and in Tae Jon, Korea. He represented North America on the inaugural World Street Festival tour in Australia and performed for the Prime Minister of Canada.
The first presentation in Horizon Stage’s 2006/2007 Family Matinee Series, The Checkerboard Guy is whimsical and fun. Like a live action Simpson’s episode, his show will appeal to children of all ages! Get ready to gaze in amazement, gasp in awe, and giggle until your sides hurt at 2:00 pm on Saturday, September 30. Free pre-show activities for kids start in the theatre lobby at 1:00 p.m. Tickets are just $10.00 for all ages. Call the Horizon Stage Box Office at 962-8995 for more information or to purchase your tickets today!

"The strength of the man is his genuinely witty sense of humour "
Craig Spencer - The Sunshine Press (Sechelt, BC)

"This Guy walks a fine line between alternative theatre and sickly-sweet Disney material
somehow managing to appeal to both little Joey and the jaded Gen Xer”
Tom Zillich - The Westender (Vancouver, BC)

Be sure to visit http://www.horizonstage.com/ & www.thecheckerboardguy.com

Special Thanks to the sponsors for this event: The Alberta Foundation For The Arts, Canadian Heritage, Home Town Living & Grove Pontiac GMC

We Love CKUA

CKUA will be sponsoring and recording five Horizon Stage artists in 2006/2007 Season for their Live On Alberta Stage's concert series.
The performances that they will be taping for future broadcast are...

John Reischman & The Jaybirds w/Reastless Lester - October 21
Lester Quitzau & Mae Moore - October 27
Denise Djokic & David Jalbert - November 4
Gary Fjellgaard & Valdy - November 25 & 26
Ian Tyson - January 10-14

Get Involved at Horizon Stage!

Are you interested in learning more about music and theatre? Would you like to work backstage, usher or act? Are you interested in finding out just how an arts facility is run? Join one of Horizon Stage’s Volunteer Programs and you can do just that! New volunteers are always welcome with the Horizon Players, Horizon Stagelighters, Horizon Stage Tech Team and Theatre Advisory Board.
As a Horizon Stage Volunteer you will develop new skills, see your favorite shows for FREE or at discount prices, receive regular newsletters, attend fun and fabulous events and work with other interesting members of your community. There are opportunities available for anyone aged 12 and up. Call the Box Office 962-8995 today and ask how you can get involved!

CD Winner!

Congratulations Yvonne J. winner of Horizon Stage's 2005/2006 e-mail list draw!
Yvonne is now the proud ower of 5 new CD's from selected past Horizon Stage artists.

New Show - The Checkerboard Guy

Saturday, September 30 - 2 p.m.
Family Matinee – Comic Daredevil
Get ready to gaze in amazement, gasp in awe, and giggle until your sides hurt!
David Aiken, aka ‘The Checkerboard Guy’, is an outdoor Fringe and Street Performers Festival favourite. Performing around the world for over two decades, this ‘comic daredevil’ manipulates everything from flaming torches and thirteenth-century battle-axes to stinky shoes, all while balancing on top of unicycles, stilts, tight-ropes or unsupported eight-foot tall aluminum ladders. Like a live-action Simpsons episode, Checkerboard Guy’s show will appeal to children of all ages!
http://www.checkerhead.com/

$30 Family Matinee Package (4 shows) & $10 Single Tickets
Call 962-8995

Popular kids entertainers cancel their show

Children’s entertainers Sharon & Bram have cancelled their September 30th performances at Horizon Stage for ‘personal’ reasons. Also canceling shows in two nearby communities, the artists had scheduling conflicts.
Horizon Stage has been working hard to fill the gap that has been left in their 4 show Family Matinee Series. Hopes of Fred Penner have fallen through as he is now booked at another Edmonton area theatre.

Audience Feedback: Canada Day/Street Fest

Did you attend Spruce Grove's Canada Day & Street Performers Festival on July 1 & 2 at The Spruce Grove Composite High School Sports Field?
What did you think of the event as a whole?
Did you enjoy the artists who performed?
What did you think of the vendors who were on site?
Let us know what you liked and disliked.
We're already starting to work on 2007's festival...

2006/2007 Stagelighter Sponsored Shows

Each year The Horizon Stagelighters sponsor 3 shows in Horizon Stage's season.
This year they have decided to sponsor 4!

The Breast Show - October 19 (a fundraiser for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation)
John Reischman & The Jaybirds - October 21
Gary Fjellgaard & Valdy - November 24 & 25
The Amazing Kreskin - February 11

Thank-you Horizon Stagelighters!

Happy first day of summer everyone!!

2006/2007 Season On Sale

Horizon Stage's 2006/2007 Season goes on sale Tuesday, June 20 at 10 a.m.

The Checkerboard Guy: Sat. Sept. 30 , 2 pm
Sons of Maxwell: Fri. Oct. 6, 7:30 pm
The Breast Show: Thurs. Oct. 19, 7:30 pm
Sursaut - Family Portrait: Sat. Oct. 21, 2 pm
John Reischman & The Jaybirds & Restless Lester: Sat. Oct. 21, 7:30 pm
Lester Quitzau & Mae Moore: Fri. Oct 27, 7:30 pm
Denise Djokic & David Jalbert: Sat. Nov. 4, 7:30 pm
HOJA: Thurs, Nov 23, 7 :30 pm
Gary Fjellgaard & Valdy: Fri. & Sat., Nov. 24 & 25, 7:30 pm
A George Fox Christmas: Fri. & Sat., Dec 15 & 16, 7:30 pm
Ian Tyson: January 10 -13, 7:30 pm & January 14, 2 pm
Daniel Packard: Sat. Jan. 20, 7:30 pm
The Frog Prince: Sat. Feb 10, 2 pm
The Amazing Kreskin: Sun. Feb. 11, 7 :30 pm
Vinok - Romany Blues: Sat. Feb. 17, 7: 30 pm
Montreal Guitar Trio & The Rosette Guitar Duo: Sat. March 3, 7:30 pm
Tomas Kubinek: Sun. March 4, 2 pm

For bios and more informations visit www.horizonstage.com
Call the Horizon Stage Box Office at 962-8995.

Sing, pray and worship together

Join your fellow citizens at an outdoor Ecumenical Church Service on Sunday, July 2 at 11 a.m.
Led by Reverend Cameron Burns, and featuring a community choir conducted by Vern Roth, it will be a service of prayer, hymn and thanksgiving for the country we live in.
Location: Spruce Grove Composite High School Sports Field, 1000 Calahoo Road.

Stay and watch Family Entertainer Norman Foote’s FREE concert at noon & The Street Performers Festival at 1 p.m.

Bring a blanket or lawn chair to sit on.

AUDITIONS!

The Horizon Players announce auditions for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and A Few Good Men.

Looking for twelve to fifteen girls ages 12 – 20.

You will be asked to read from a provided script. You may also perform a short monologue if you have one prepared.

Audition Dates: Wednesday, June 7, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.
& Sunday, June 11, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Audition Location: Horizon Stage

To guarantee an audition please call 962-8995 to register.

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie will run at Horizon Stage November 16, 17 & 18, 2006.

No experience necessary!


Adults and young men over the age of 16 may also audition for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and A Few Good Men.

Adult Audition Dates: Sunday, June 11, 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
& Monday, June 12, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Audition Location: Horizon Stage

To guarantee an audition please call 962-8995 to register.

A Few Good Men will run at Horizon Stage March 22-31, 2007.

If you have any questions please call Horizon Player’s Artistic Director, Richard Winnick at 432-9278.
www.horizonplayers.com

Volunteers Needed July 1 & 2

Are you looking for something interesting to do on the Canada Day long weekend?
Do you want to support your community and have fun at the same time?
Are you an fan of jugglers, clowns, sword swallowers, daredevils, a cappella singers, blues harmonica players, country music star Patricia Conroy or children's entertainer Norman Foote?
If you answered 'yes' to any of these questions then you should volunteer for the 6th annual Spruce Grove Street performers Festival and Canada Day Weekend on July 1 & 2.
The shifts are short (nothing longer than 4 hours), the benefits are good (snacks and beverages, a free gift, and our eternal gratitude) and best of all you will get to be an important part of an extremely fun event.
Currently we are looking to fill positions on our Information Tent, Environmental Crew and Parking Attendant teams.
Call Kerri at 962-7634 ext 170 for more information.

Drama Program Update

Rhyme, Sing, Act & Play and Readin' Ritin' & Rockin' are now sold out.

2006 Summer Drama Programs

The Wizard’s Apprentice Puppet Workshop
Dates: July 4 & 6
Location: Horizon Stage
Ages: 6 - 9
Time: 1 – 4 pm
Cost: $60
Program #: 15015
Put on a puppet play in just two days. Learn about various types of puppets and make some that you can take home too! Children will work together, using puppets to create a variety of characters, make props and costumes and rehearse 'The Wizard's Apprentice'. The show will be presented at 3:30 p.m. on July 6 for parents and friends to see and enjoy!
Instructors: Lynette Maurice & Cindi Zuby

Rhyme, Sing, Act & Play
Dates: July 10-13
Location: Horizon Stage
Time: 1 – 3 pm
Ages: 5 – 8
Cost : $60
Program #: 15021
Learn new rhymes, sing your favourite movement-based songs, play simple drama games, learn the basics of role-playing and have lots of fun!
Instructors: Gaia Willis Owen & Kerri Gibson Loranger

Readin’ Ritin’ & Rockin’
Dates: July 3 - 7 & 10 - 14
Location: Horizon Stage
Time: 9:30 am - 12:30 pm (note: July 14 will be 9:30 am - 3:30 pm)
Ages: 9 - 13
Cost: $185
Program #: 15022
If you love to act, sing and dance in front of an audience then this is the camp for you!
In two weeks students will rehearse the light musical production Readin’ Ritin & Rockin, ending with a presentation for their family and friends in the afternoon of the Friday, July 14.
Instructors: Kelly Hymanyk & Maureen Melnyk

Improv for Teens & Adults
Date: Saturday, July 8
Location: Horizon Stage
Time: 10 am – 1 pm
Ages: 13 & up
Cost: $25
Program #: 15016
This 3 hour intense workshop covers all the basics and some intermediate skills including characters, listening, offers, blocking and choices. Players will play through well-known game exercises with a stop and go format, in a group and/or one-on-one, to present the behind the scenes breakdown of successful Improv performing.
Instructor: Paul Wallace www.paulwallace.com

Registration Starts on Monday, May 15th
Call The Horizon Stage Box Office at 962-8995 or visit us in City Hall.
Horizon Stage is located at 1001 Calahoo Road, attached to Spruce Grove Composite High School.

Spirit of The People: Audience Feedback

Did you attend
Spirit of The People - A Celebration of Aboriginal Talent
on Sunday, April 23?
If you did we would like to know what you though of the displays, the show and the night as a whole. Please leave a comment.

Note: Comments will be moderated, inappropriate language will not be allowed.

2nd Show Added

Allberta Country Music Legends
Sunday, April 30th
- 2pm show SOLD OUT
- 7pm show added GREAT SEATS AVAILABLE!
Call 962-8995

Alberta Country Music Legends

The Association of Canadian Country Music Legends is dedicated to presenting, preserving, promoting and protecting traditional country music. They are excited to be bringing their traditional Alberta Country Music Legends show back to Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove on Sunday, April 30th at 2:00 p.m. This year’s show will feature Bev Munro, Joyce Smith, Randy Hollar, Alfie Myhre, Rodeo Wind and special guest Pete Hicks.

Bev Munro has written and recorded several singles, cassettes, and CD’s. He was a fixture at CFCW radio for 30 years. His knee-slappers have made him a hit everywhere. In 1959 Bev was named Mr. DJ U.S.A. In September 2002 he was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in the DJ category, at the CCMA Awards, and in 2005, Bev received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Alberta Men of Country Music.

International touring and recording artist Joyce Smith has released 6 albums, several singles, cassettes and CD’s. She has performed at the Grand Old Opry in Nashville, Tenn., throughout Canada, the United States, Germany, Denmark and Austria. She was inducted into the Alberta Country Music Hall of Fame in 1991. In 2000 she won the prestigious ‘Bev Munro Award of Dedication’, and in 2004 was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Alberta Women of Country Music.

Randy Hollar is a good ol’ country boy and a fan of Wilf Carter, paying a marvellous tribute by singing his songs as Wilf did. Randy owns a pair of Wilf’s chaps, a pair of spurs, and all of Wilf’s records.

Fiddler supreme Alfie Myhre has won the Grand North American Championship twice, as well as dozens of other championships. He has toured in Europe, Asia and the USA and has several records and cassettes out. No matter what type of fiddle tune you want to hear, or dance to, you will find it in Alfie’s collection.

Alberta’s Encyclopaedia of Country Music Pete Hicks has forgotten more than most of us ever knew about Country Music. Born in the Peace River country Pete is just starting his 25th year at CFCW and heading into the 12 season of his popular ‘Classic Country’ show. He has also put his dulcet tones to work writing and recording songs, recently releasing a brand new CD, titled ‘Stories’. Pete’s ever-ready smile and warm handshake are in evidence wherever he goes. His popularity and ability were honored in 2003, when he won the coveted ‘Bev Munro Award’.

Alberta’s finest traditional country music band, Rodeo Wind, will be the backing everyone up on April 30th. The band’s members are George Myren on bass, Richard Chernesky on lead guitar, Darryl Campbell on Steel Guitar and vocals and Hal Todd on drums and vocals.

See the Alberta Country Music Legends at Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove at 2:00 pm on Sunday, April 30th. Tickets for the show are $25.00 for all ages. Call the Horizon Stage Box Office at 962-8995 for more information or to purchase your tickets soon!

Special Thanks to CFCW for sponsoring this event.

Audience Feedback: Seesaw

Did you see Green Thumb Theatre's play Seesaw at Horizon Stage on March 25? If you did we would really like to know what you thought of it. Leave a comment telling us what you liked or disliked.
Please Note: Comments will be moderated. Inappropriate language will not be tolerated.

The HORIZON PLAYERS Present:

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS

Book and Lyrics by Howard Ashman
Music by Alan Menken
Based on the film by Roger Corman, Screenplay by Charles Griffith
Originally Produced by the WPA Theatre (Kyle Renick, Producing Director)
Originally Produced at the Orpheum Theatre, New York City by the WPA Theatre, David Geffen, Cameron Macintosh and the Shubert Organization

Directed by Richard Winnick
Musical Direction by Sally Hunt
Musical Staging by Joshua Semchuk

March 30-31 & April 1, 6, 7, 8, 2006
Horizon Stage, Spruce Grove
1001 Calahoo Road

“You’ll shriek with laughter as people get gobbled up!” -The Edmonton Journal

“Little Shop of Horrors is as good as it gets.” -The Edmonton Sun

Spruce Grove- Horizon Players is pleased to present the classical campy Broadway smash, Little Shop of Horrors, from the people that brought you the hit Horizon Players production, Jesus Christ Superstar. This show promises to be a fun, high-energy production accompanied by a live band blasting catchy, recognizable tunes.

Little Shop of Horrors is the lovable loser-who-gets-the-girl-in-the-end story, but with a really, big twist, and a talking, singing plant. That eats people. The musical is famous for its hilarious and catchy tunes supported by a greek-chorus-like trio of street urchins.

Seymour Krelborn has worked all his life at Mushnik’s Flower Shop on Skid Row. He’s a dead-end guy in a dead-end job in the dead-end part of town. (more)

One day he happens along a strange and wonderful plant and everything in his life starts to get better; the shop thrives, the girl he loves starts loving him back and he becomes world-famous! Nothing could ever be bad again! That is, until he learns what it will take to keep the plant alive…

Little Shop of Horrors features an amazing, talented cast and artistic team of dedicated community theatre enthusiasts and volunteers. John Evans (previously seen at Horizon Stage in Jesus Christ Superstar) stars as Seymour along with Carolyn Zahovkis (Jesus Christ Superstar) as his love, Audrey. The cast also features Ross Crocket as Orin Scrivelo, D.D.S.; Andrea Graham as Chiffon; Richard Green as Wino/Snip; Kat Hanington as Audrey II (Body); Kristin Johnston as Crystal; Curtis Knecht as Mushnik; Kara Little as Ronnette; Dean McQuay as Wino/ Luce/Customer; Daren Park as Audrey II (Voice); Evan Westfal as Wino/Bernstein.

Horizon Players Artistic Director and Director of the show, Richard Winnick (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?) is joined on the artistic team by Musical Director/Conductor/Piano Sally Hunt (Jesus Christ Superstar); Musical Stager Joshua Semchuk (Jesus Christ Superstar); Lighting Designer/Design Consultant Kat Hannington (Jesus Christ Superstar); Costumer Jody Boylan (Horizon Players debut); Assistant Musical Director Curtis Knecht (Jesus Christ Superstar); Stage Manager Megan Lindmark (The Melville Boys).

The Little Shop Band brings together the talents of Marc Andy (Bass); Dan Clark (Trumpet); Lorne Dmitruk (Trombone); Gary Gilham (Keyboard/Rehearsal Pianist); Tim Maskell (Guitar); Scott McDonald (Drums); Dan McNeill (Trumpet).

Composer Alan Menkin and Librettist Howard Ashman decided to musicalize the film Little Shop of Horrors, starring Jack Nicholson, after their stage adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut’s novel God Bless You. They used the pop-music sound of the early 60’s ‘all-girl groups’ such as the Shirelles as the inspiration for the score, not the Supremes as many people think.

Little Shop of Horrors opened July 27, 1982 at the Off-Off-Broadway WPA Theatre, causing over thirty producers to bid for the rights for an extended Off-Broadway run. The show received seven Drama Desk Awards and ran for 2,209 performances. The show is the fifth-longest run among Off-Broadway musicals.

Little Shop of Horrors runs March 30-31 and again on April 1, 6, 7 and 8, 2006 at the Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove, 1001 Calahoo Road, only 20 minutes from Edmonton. Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. nightly. For tickets please call the Horizon Stage Box Office at 962.8995

Little Shop of Horrors was originally Directed by Howard Ashman with Musical Staging by Edie Cowan. Little Shop of Horrors is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized performance materials are supplied by Music Theatre International, 421 West 54th Street, New York, NY, 10019.

-30-

For more information please contact:

Joshua Semchuk
780.480.6697
Joshua_semchuk@hotmail.com

HORIZON PLAYERS
Box 3345, Stn Main, Spruce Grove. Alberta. T7X 3A6
www.horizonplayers.com

Audience Feedback: Kleztory

Did you see Kleztory at Horizon Stage on Saturday, March 11th?
If you did we would love to receive your feedback.
What did you like, love or hate about their show?
Please Note: All comments will be moderated. Foul language or offensive material will not be tolerated.

Watch the play, stay for the pizza party

Seesaw teaches kids about self-esteem and standing up for themselves.

Meet four ordinary kids coping with the ups and downs of their lives; Paige, a popular yet insecure girl, Adam, the tough bully and budding artist, shy Josh who learns magic tricks in order to become invisible, and Charla, the new girl who wants to be everybody's friend.

The “bonus” production in Horizon Stage’s 2005/2006 Family Matinee Series, Seesaw by Dennis Foon is all about self-esteem, fitting in, and "doing the right thing". Produced and performed by Vancouver’s Green Thumb Theatre the play is aimed primarily at 8-12 year olds.

Seesaw helps young people examine the influences they see in pop culture (violence, body image, materialism) and how those things affect the way they interact with their schoolmates and parents. It also examines the various types of bullying behavior – from the physical to the emotional. Using actors and an array of puppets it is a fast paced play that explores the shifting nature of relationships and the value and importance of friendships. It focuses on the creative mind and imagination as crucial parts of learning and growing.
Founded in 1975, Green Thumb Theatre produces plays of high artistic quality that explore social issues relevant to the lives of children, youth and young adults. They aim to provide theatre that celebrates the language and stories of today’s generation and culture in order to encourage tolerance, debate and critical thinking. In their 30 seasons of touring and main-stage shows, Green Thumb Theatre has performed over 15,000 times to 4,000,000 people in every Canadian province and 2 territories, in 36 American states, Ireland, England, Scotland, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and Mexico.

See Seesaw Up Close and Personal at Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove at 2:00 pm on Saturday, March 25. Tickets for the play are $8.00 for all ages. And, kids aged 9-12 can also take part in the Seesaw Pizza Party for just $12.00 (price includes their ticket to the play). At the Pizza Party children will see the show, participate in a talkback with the cast, eat pizza, play games and do crafts from 1:30 – 5:00 pm. Call the Horizon Stage Box Office at 962-8995 for more information on Seesaw and the Seesaw Pizza Party. Purchase your tickets soon!

“We really liked (Seesaw). We all had a good time. Many parts were funny.”Mrs. Gironda’s Class, St. Gabriel The Archangel School

“My favorite part was when Paige's little brother turned into a devil.”
Tianna, Grade 3, Ridgeway Elementary School

Be sure to visit www.horizonstage.com & www.greenthumb.bc.ca

Special Thanks to the sponsors for this event: The Alberta Foundation For The Arts, Canadian Heritage, Royal Inn Express, Home Town Living & Grove Pontiac

Audience Feedback: Fubuki Daiko

Did you see Japanese drummers Fubuki Daiko at Horizon Stage on Saturday, March 4 or at one of their school shows the week before? If you did we'd love to receive your feedback!
Enter a comment about what you liked, loved, or hated about their concert.
Note: Comments will be moderated, please refrain from using inappropriate language.

Montreal Klezmer Ensemble Plays Up-Beat Jewish Music
Kleztory performs at Horizon Stage on March 11

Similar to the music they perform, Montreal klezmer ensemble Kleztory is a rich mosaic of cultures (Russian, Canadian, Quebecois and French), musical training (academic and self taught) and musical tastes (classical, contemporary, jazz, blues, country and folk). With roots that go back to 1997, the band has performed in a wide variety of venues in Quebec but credit their cohesion, spirit and signature sound to their street busking experiences. Now in tour across the country, Kleztory will visit Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove on Saturday, March 11.

The traditional music of nomadic Jewish musicians who traveled throughout Eastern Europe in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, klezmer takes its inspiration from the music of the time and a rich, but too often tragic history. Some of its style has come from surrounding cultures, including Russian, Ukrainian, Bessarabaian, Romanian, German and Western. All of these influences are then pooled with a Middle-Eastern sensibility, derived partially from the Ottoman Empire, and an unbroken stream of liturgical music stretching back to biblical times in the land of Israel.

Kleztory founders Alain Legault (guitar) and Mark Peetsma (base) performed more than two hundred concerts together before being joined by the classically-trained Airat Ichmouratov (clarinet). In early 2002 the group added Elvira Misbakhova (violin) and Henri Oppenheim (accordian), and Kleztory was born. Combining their talents, these five musicians play with an emotion and a virtuosity that is the true spirit of klezmer. Their use of innovative arrangements respects the original traditional compositions, but their sound is fresh and unique.

Quickly becoming one of Canada’s most dynamic klezmer ensembles, Kleztory will be Up Close and Personal at Horizon Stage on Saturday, March 11 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are just $20 for adults and $15 for students and seniors. Call the Horizon Stage Box Office at 962-8995 for more information or to purchase your tickets today!

“ … Sweet nostalgia mixed with wild harmonies … The sound of Kleztory expresses their unique sensitivity combined with a true authenticity of interpretation …”

Marie-Hélène Proulx, Voo.ca, le média de la relève culturelle, Montreal

The band plays in a tight, charismatic manner that makes their professionalism shine … A mix of upbeat, fast-paced music that you couldn’t help but dance to, and a tragic, chamberesque sounding drone that makes you feel as if you were a peasant on the streets of Russia at the turn of the 1900’s”

Sydney Smith, The Link, Concordia University, Montreal.


Be sure to visit http://www.horizonstage.com/ & http://www.kleztory.com/

Special Thanks to the sponsors for this event: The Alberta Foundation For The Arts, Canadian Heritage, Royal Inn Express, CBC Radio, CBC Television, The Edmonton Journal and Birdsell, Grant, Gardner, Morck Barristers and Solicitors

Audience Feedback: Mike McDonald

Did you see comedian Mike McDonald on Sunday, February 12? If you did we'd love to receive your feedback!
Enter a comment about what you liked, loved, or hated about his show.
Note: Comments will be moderated, please refrain from using inappropriate language.

Audience Feedback: The Plaid Tongued Devils

Did you see The Plaid Tongued Devils
on Saturday, February 11th?
If you did we'd love to receive your feedback!
Enter a comment about what you liked, loved, or hated about their show.

Note: Comments will be moderated, please refrain from using inappropriate language.

Food & Craft Vendors Wanted!

The Spruce Grove Street Performers & Canada Festival on July 1 & 2 is seeking food & craft vendors. Vendors must own or be willing to purchase a Spruce Grove hawker/peddler license.
The festival does not require a registration fee up-front but does ask for 15% of sales made on site.
Contact Kerri at 962-7634 ext 170 for more information or to submit your name/business for consideration.

Audience Feedback: The Arrogant Worms

Did you see The Arrogant Worms concert on Thursday, February 2nd?

If you did, what did you like about the show. Was there anything you didn't like. How did you feel about our venue, our staff, our volunteers. If you've got anything to say about your experience at our stage, good or bad (but preferably good) we want to know.

Please note: Comments will be moderated. Inappropriate language will not be tolerated or posted.

Belly Dancers to perform with The Plaid Tongued Devils

Local belly dancers from Harmony Health in Stony Plain are now scheduled to perform on stage with The Plaid Tongued Devils at Horizon Stage on Saturday, February 11th.
The ladies will be lending their talented tummies to the show and performing their exotic moves to the band’s song ‘Miserlou’. They are thrilled to be a part this exciting event!

Japanese Blizzard Drums Beat in Spruce Grove
Fubuki Daiko performs at Horizon Stage on March 4

Merge the art of traditional Japanese drumming into the 21st century with influences from Arlo Guthrie and Led Zeplin: add rigorous choreography and a flair for performance and you’ve got Fubuki Daiko. Canada’s hottest emissaries of Japan’s most renowned performing art form might make their home in Winnipeg but they have performed across our country and the United States. Experience their blizzard drums Up Close and Personal at Horizon Stage on Saturday, March 4 at 7:30 p.m. Fubuki Daiko will ignite the stage, creating a stunning experience that is part martial art, part dance and all rhythm.

For group members Hiroshi Kishiyama, Naomi Guilbert and Bruce Robertson, taiko is not just a performance art but a way of life. All three perform, train and teach year round, and have over ten years of experience, including four years of traditional Japanese apprenticeship under Grandmaster Seiichi Tanaka in San Francisco. The trio performed at Carnegie Hall in 1995 and then relocated to Winnipeg from California, officially forming Fubuki Daiko at that time. The ensemble is rounded out by Kimi Guilbert who has been with the group since their arrival in Manitoba.

Fubuki Daiko has electrified audiences at festivals, bars, hockey arenas, theatres, temples, land fills, legions, weddings and bar mitzvahs. Their debut CD, Fubuki, was voted ‘Outstanding Instrumental Recording’ at the 2001 Prairie Music Awards. The company has taught numerous workshops for students and will be touring Spruce Grove, Stony Plain and Parkland County schools before their public performance at Horizon Stage.

Called “ground breaking”, “breathtaking” and “an enchanting tidal wave of sound ” Fubuki Daiko transplants Japanese drums and music onto the prairies. Their repertoire of hard driving rhythms mixed with soft and subtle musical pieces will transcend musical boundaries and appeal to people of all ages, backgrounds and tastes. Tickets to their March 4 concert are just $20 for adults and $15 for students and seniors. Call the Horizon Stage Box Office at 962-8995 for more information or to purchase yours today!

“Some of the most overwhelmingly visceral and hypnotic music on the scene today”
Rachel Stone – Stylus Magazine (Winnipeg)

“Spectacle galore… technical proficiency, athleticism, and tight ensemble work”
Andrew Thompson – Winnipeg Free Press

“Dazzling stage energy.”
Uptown Magazine (Winnipeg)

Be sure to visit www.horizonstage.com & www.fubuki.ca

Special Thanks to the sponsors for this event: The Alberta Foundation For The Arts, Canadian Heritage, Royal Inn Express, The Edmonton Journal, CBC Television , CBC Radio and Birdsell, Grant, Gardner, Morck Barristers and Solicitors

Audience Feedback: April Verch

Did you see April Verch's concert on Sunday, January 29th?
We would like to hear what you thought of her show and our venue that night.

Please note: Comments with inappropriate language will not be posted.

Audience Feedback: The Happy Prince

Did you see our Family Matinee The Happy Prince on Saturday, January 21st?
If you did we would love to receive your feedback!
Enter a comment about what you liked, loved, or hated about the show.

Note: Comments will be moderated, please refrain from using inappropriate language.

Tell Us YOUR Story

Do you have a personal story about Horizon Stage? The first show you ever saw there and how it affected you. The first time you performed at the theatre. How you met a best friend or spouse there. How volunteering has given you a new outlook on life. Something else equally wonderful and uplifting. Our staff and board are collecting stories to be featured somehow in our 25th anniversary celebrations. Please post a comment or e-mail kgibson at sprucegrove dot org.

Audience Feedback: Jake & Samantha

Did you see Jake Mathews and Samantha King on Saturday, January 14th?
If you did we'd love to receive your feedback!
Enter a comment about what you liked, loved, or hated about their show.

Note: Comments will be moderated, please refrain from using inappropriate language.

Audience Feedback:
What was the best performance that you EVER saw at Horizon Stage? Why was it your favourite?

A Devil of a Good Time in Spruce Grove
The Plaid Tongued Devils perform at Horizon Stage on February 11

One of Canada’s most popular touring acts; The Plaid Tongued Devils have been performing together for over 14 years. With a sound that is influenced by Gypsy, Klezmer (traditional Jewish), Middle Eastern, Rock, Punk, Pop and Classical music The Devils are a high impact package that must been seen to be believed! Experience them for yourself, Up Close and Personal at Horizon Stage on Saturday, February 11 at 7:30 p.m. Their live show is full of drama, music, and a good dose of fun.

Based out of Calgary, The Plaid Tongued Devils have just released their 5th album and 1st DVD entitled Monsteroma. Together they have toured Europe four times where they were invited by the Canadian Embassy in Holland to headline the Queen’s Day celebration and the 60th Annual Liberation Day Festival in 2005. The Devils enjoy generous airplay on CBC, on community and college radio across Canada, parts of the U.S., Europe, and on dozens of internet radio stations. They were christened Canada's Loudest Folk Band, by CBC’s nationally broadcast pop-culture radio program, Definitely Not the Opera (DNTO) and their song Have an Ice Age was recently chosen by The Current’s listeners who were asked: What song we should send George W. Bush to add to his iPod?

As a band, The Devils have also made a few forays into the world of theatre, winning Calgary’s 2005 Betty Mitchell Award for Outstanding Composition for In Klezskavania with One Yellow Rabbit Theatre. In 1999 they co-wrote and performed in I Think I'm a Wolf with the Berzerkrgang Collective. All of the band’s members have varying degrees of theatre experience and they even made it onto the television game show Jeopardy on February 11, 2004, in the form of a question.

Called “Fiddler on the Roof on steroids” The Plaid Tongued Devil’s music is enjoyable, danceable and 100% entertaining. Tickets to their February 11 concert are just $20 for adults and $15 for students and seniors. Call the Horizon Stage Box Office at 962-8995 for more information or to purchase yours today!

“The PTD has a refreshing, engaging sound that puts most of today’s stage fiddle funk yahoos to shame”
Darren Zenko – SEE Magazine

“One of only a few ‘original’ bands in the country”
Shannon Martin – CJSW Radio, Calgary

“The coolest klezmer band in the world!”
Matthew Kroesser – RadioFreeKlezmer

Be sure to visit www.horizonstage.com & www.thedevils.com

Special Thanks to the sponsors for this event: The Alberta Foundation For The Arts, Canadian Heritage, Royal Inn Express, CKUA Radio, The Edmonton Journal, and Birdsell, Grant, Gardner, Morck Barristers and Solicitors

Audience Feedback: The Kubasonics

Did you see The Kubasonics on Saturday, January 5th?
If you did we'd love to receive your feedback! Enter a comment about what you liked, loved, or hated about their show.

Note: Comments will be moderated, please refrain from using inappropriate language.

Gregory Hoskins' concert has been cancelled

Yes, Gregory Hoskins' show at Horizon Stage on Saturday, February 25 has been cancelled. Please call 962-8995 if you have any questions or concerns or if you have purchased tickets and are in need of a refund or exchange.

Canadian Fiddle Champion Is
Coming to Horizon Stage Early
April Verch changes her concert date from February 4 to January 29

Two time Canadian Fiddling Champion April Verch has had to move her February 4 concert in Spruce Grove ahead by 7 days to Sunday, January 29. All tickets that have been purchased to her original date will be valid for the 29th and anyone unable to attend the new night will have their money refunded.

When you see twenty-seven year old April Verch perform, the first thing that strikes you is the pure energy that infuses her fiddle playing. What draws you in, though, are more subtle things—her confident, winsome singing, the finely detailed elegance of her fiddle phrasing and the depth of her repertoire. This incredible young woman’s music will invigorate, calm, and charm you all at the same time.

With musical roots that lie deep in her native Ottawa Valley, April’s repertoire features traditional and contemporary tunes ranging in source and inspiration from Quebecois to the Appalachians, from Bluegrass to Brazilian. Born, raised, and now living in Pembroke, Ontario, where her family has lived for generations, April is also renowned for her mastery of the region’s high-energy stepdancing style. Her dazzling dancing, driving fiddle playing and sweet soprano vocals never fail to bring down the house.

Last seen at Horizon Stage in October of 2001, April Verch wowed local audiences and won everyone’s hearts. Now she’s back with some new songs and a new CD; so don’t miss your chance to see her Up Close & Personal at Horizon Stage on her NEW date - Sunday, January 29, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are just $20 for adults and $15 for students and seniors. Call the Horizon Stage Box Office at 962-8995 for more information or to purchase your tickets today!

“April’s fiddling just shines like the sun.”
Celtic Beat

“A marvel to behold!”
Sing Out! Magazine

“Playful and flirtatious, whimsical and wry… a transcendent level of musicianship
where hard earned technique can be safely abandoned.”
Toronto Star

Be sure to visit www.horizonstage.com & www.aprilverch.com

Special Thanks to the sponsors for this event: The Alberta Foundation For The Arts, Royal Inn Express, Canadian Heritage, Home Town Living, CBC Radio and Television, Vue Weekly, and Birdsell, Grant, Gardner, Morck Barristers and Solicitors

Oscar Wilde’s children’s classic comes to Horizon Stage
Scottish theatre troupe will perform The Happy Prince on Jan. 21

One storyteller flies in on a scooter, another appears on top of a fountain clad in a cape made of candy-bar wrappers. Together they will scour an enchanted park, searching for clues to the story of a once-happy, but now tearful, princely statue. Two actors, puppets, and a host of colourful props and costumes portray a whole town-full of people in Oscar Wilde’s classic children’s fable The Happy Prince at Horizon Stage on Saturday, January 21.

The third in Horizon Stage’s 2005/2006 Family Matinee Series, The Happy Prince is a story about loyalty, friendship, charity and kindness in a harsh world. Written by Wilde in 1888, it is still relevant and timely in today’s society as the sad statue and a little sparrow work together to distribute jewels and gold to the Prince’s needy subjects.

Performed by Macrobert Productions, who are based out of the University of Stirling in Scotland, The Happy Prince brings an international flavour to the Stage this season. Touring the United States and Canada since January 2004, the company originally staged this play at their own theatre space in 1999. Macrobert’s mandate includes an emphasis on creating high quality theatre and art for young people. The Happy Prince is aimed at 4 - 9 year olds, but is sure to enchant both the young and young at heart.

So, get ready to soar with your children and the little sparrow, high above a city where sheer imagination weaves a touching and delightful tale. See The Happy Prince Up Close and Personal in Spruce Grove at 2:00 pm on Saturday, January 21. Free pre-show activities for kids start in the theatre lobby at 1:00 p.m. Tickets are just $8.00 for all ages. Call the Horizon Stage Box Office at 962-8995 for more information or to purchase your tickets today!

“This classic tale is retold with beauty and insight, containing powerful morals…
under fives will enjoy the songs, humour and enthusiastic performances.”
Kim Bradie, EdinburghGuide.com

“It’s a lovely little show”
Anita Gates, The New York Times

“The children were spell bound.”
Head Teacher, St. Fillans Primary, Perthshire

"The show was very good and the actors had great imaginations,
the scenery was great and the gold was magic."
Stuart, aged 10


Be sure to visit http://www.horizonstage.com/ & http://www.macrobert.stir.ac.uk/

Special Thanks to the sponsors for this event: The Alberta Foundation For The Arts, Canadian Heritage, Home Town Living & Grove Pontiac

Happy New Year

Looking ahead at Horizon Stage's upcoming shows in 2006, there are a whole bunch of styles and genres. A little something for everyone's preference and taste.
The Kubasonic's next Saturday, Jan 5 are already sold out. The we've got the country double-bill Jake Mathews & Samantha King on Jan 14.
Our third family matinee this season is The Happy Prince on Jan 21 should be lots of fun for the kids and then fabulous fiddle player will grace our stage on Sunday, Jan 29.
Comedy singing super group The Arrogant Worms are also sold out on Feb 2 and So is Mike McDonald on Feb 12.
Calgary's rocking klezmer band The Plaid tongued Devils will wow our audiences on Feb 11 and Gregory Hoskins will "take them for a swim in emotional waters" on Feb 25.
Don't miss Japanese Drummers Fubuki Diako (Blizzard Drums) on March 4 and then get ready for more klezmer with Kleztory on March 11.
Finally, Green Thumb Theatre's See Saw will entertain children aged 8-12 on March 25.
And that's all... for now...