VINYL CAFE WAS GREAT - STUART MCLEAN THE PERFECT HOST - AND THE OPERA HOUSE MOOD….."IT WAS JOYOUS."
THANKS CBC FOR DROPPING BY…..AND BREATHING SOME LIFE INTO OUR MAIN STREET THEATRE
JUST TO KEEP YOU UPDATED, SUZANNE AND HER TICKET BENEFACTOR-FRIEND, BOTH HAD A GREAT TIME AT THE FIRST SHOW OF THE CHRISTMAS EDITION, OF THE CBC'S "VINYL CAFE," WITH HOST STUART MCLEAN. WHILE THE WEATHER OUTSIDE WAS A LITTLE FRIGHTFUL, ESPECIALLY FOR THE CROWD ATTENDING THE CEREMONIAL TREE LIGHTING, BY THE LOCAL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, INSIDE THE GRAND OLD BUILDING, IT WAS TOASTY AND "JOYOUS." WHEN SUZANNE WAS ASKED TODAY, BY ONE OF THE CBC CREW, HOW SHE FELT ABOUT THE MOOD OF THE AUDIENCE, DURING THE SHOW, HER QUOTE WAS A SIMPLE, BUT RESOUNDING, "IT WAS JOYOUS!" BUT AS SHE EXPLAINS, IT WAS A PACKAGE DEAL. THE VINYL CAFE AND STUART MCLEAN BROUGHT THE ELECTRICITY TO THE EVENING'S PERFORMANCE, BUT IT WAS THE GATHERING OF OLD FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS, COUSINS, AUNTS, UNCLES, AND THOSE FOLKS FROM OUT OF THE AREA, WHO FOUND ACQUAINTANCES FROM MUSKOKA, THEY HADN'T SEEN "IN AGES," THAT REALLY BROUGHT THE "JOYOUS" FACTOR INTO PLAY. I'M NOT MAKING FUN OF MY WIFE FOR USING "JOYOUS" TO DESCRIBE THE SHOW. I KNOW WHAT SHE MEANS. IT WAS A HAPPY, PLEASING, COMFORTABLE BUT CELEBRATORY EVENT, WITH A FESTIVE CHRISTMAS THEME, THAT BROUGHT THE LOVERS OF THE VINYL CAFE, INTO ONE BIG HISTORY-ADORNED ROOM, OF A VINTAGE THEATRE THAT HONESTLY, HAS BEEN A LITTLE DOWN ON ITS LUCK RECENTLY. IT HAS A PARTLY FINISHED ROOF, DUE TO MANY PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED DURING A RE-ROOFING PROJECT. SO FOR MONTHS IT HAS BEEN TEMPORARILY COVERED-OVER WITH PLYWOOD AND TARPAPER, WITH FULL TO OVERFLOWING REFUSE BUCKETS, BORDERING IT ON BOTH THE NORTH AND SOUTH SIDES. NOT A PRETTY PICTURE, UNLESS IT WAS A FRONT PAGE COMPANION PIC, FOR A COPY OF "CONSTRUCTION IILUSTRATED.
THANKFULLY, ON THURSDAY, A LARGE SCALE CLEAN-UP OF THE MAIN STREET PROPERTY WAS UNDERTAKEN, AND THE BINS AND FRONT SCAFFOLDING REMOVED, IN ORDER TO BE A LITTLE MORE CROWD-PLEASING FOR THE TWO SOLD-OUT SHOWS, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. WHAT SUZANNE WAS MOST IMPRESSED BY, AND EVEN PARTICIPATED IN, WAS THE GOODWILL BETWEEN PATRONS IN THIS JAM-PACKED THEATRE. "PEOPLE AT THE FRONT WERE WAVING TO THOSE IN THE BACK, AND THOSE COMING UP FROM THE ELEVATOR, WERE BEING GREETED BY THEIR FRIENDS, ALL OVER THE THEATRE….AND IT JUST SEEMED THE WHOLE PLACE WAS BUZZING WITH GENUINE AFFECTION…..AND OF COURSE ANTICIPATION. PEOPLE WERE HAVING FUN, AND THEY REALLY ENJOYED THE SHOW. MANY PEOPLE WERE REMARKING, ABOUT HOW GREAT IT WAS TO HAVE A FULL THEATRE AGAIN AT THE OPERA HOUSE. HONESTLY, 'JOYOUS' COVERS THE GENERAL VIBES IN THE HOUSE. I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY, EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE, FELT THEY HAD BEEN THOROUGHLY ENTERTAINED. SOME OF THEM WOULD HAVE SAT THROUGH THE SHOW AGAIN…..AND MAYBE THERE ARE SOME REPEATS IN THE AUDIENCE FOR TONIGHT'S (SATURDAY SHOW) PERFORMANCE." SUZANNE WANTED ME TO THANK OUR FAMILY FRIEND FOR OFFERING HER A TICKET TO SEE THE SHOW, AFTER I HAD MANAGED TO BLUNDER THE ORIGINAL TICKET PURCHASE, BY WAITING JUST A LITTLE TO LONG TO WALK THE FIFTY YARDS FROM THE SHOP TO THE OPERA HOUSE TICKET OFFICE. AS GOD IS MY WITNESS, I THOUGHT THE SHOW WOULDN'T SELL OUT IN JUST A FEW DAYS.
IT WAS GOOD TO HAVE THE CBC CREW IN TOWN
We both want to heartily thank the CBC and Stuart McLean for bringing us this great opportunity to see the first of the Christmas Shows, that on Sunday, head-off to Victoria, B.C. I believe, and then north and east, right up to Christmas Eve. There aren't many down days for the crew and host of the show. But like Santa himself, this well respected radio show, is most definitely an imbedded Christmas tradition. A Canadian tradition. And we know how to jump aboard a good thing, and this was shown by two sell-outs at the Opera House. So it can be said we were the first Canadian audience to see the Christmas edition of the Vinyl Cafe. It's an honor. And I just want to thank those businesses and individuals in Gravenhurst, who showed the CBC crew such wonderful hospitality while they were here, and I've heard about the kindnesses extended…….and it just makes you proud to call this little burg home. Suzanne ran out of her special edition "Vinyl Cafe" cookies, and we hope the crew liked them, and that Stuart McClean may have found them a small but heartfelt thank you, for all the years he has brought pleasure to the listeners of this great CBC Radio show…….because it has certainly been an important part of our family's tradition. Listened to the regular show this morning, on CBC 2, as Suzanne and I once again went off, down the road, deep into the Muskoka countryside on our regular Saturday morning antique hunt. It just wouldn't be the same without the show, as a companion piece we've become quite used to…….over so many, many years. I guess that dates all of us.
I had hoped to meet up with Mr. McLean during his trip to Gravenhurst, but alas, we both had busy schedules. But the review of the show, provided by son Andrew, part of the Opera House technical crew, and Suzanne, was enough to put me in a seat beside them…..in spirit, but just a little after the fact.
What was even more pleasing, was the fact the beleaguered Opera House, even with its portal to the universe (the hole covered by plywood), once again played the perfect host venue. It was elegant, with a patina of….. oh so many fabulous performances from the past, and its history reminded guests, that tradition does make a difference……and not a subtle one. Despite some wounds, and a half-finished roof above, it was a perfect place for a national Christmas performance. Stuart McLean and the Vinyl Cafe, without knowing the significance of the building's recent hard times, have imbedded a goodwill and sense of accomplishment again, that might well stir the administration of our town, to bring back the good old days of regular entertainment. In recent years, the building has become more of a meeting hall, than an entertainment venue. We like it better when we're part of the audience, of something exciting on stage. This is what the Vinyl Cafe gave us this Christmas.
Sons Andrew and Robert, both Opera House staff, are working the sold out show this evening. What a great honor it is for them, to work so close with a Canadian legend. Today they had many of the CBC crew drop into their music shop, in the old Muskoka Theatre, for a pre-show visit. As voyeurs, from the antique wing of the shop, Suzanne and I are constantly in awe, of the many talented musicians, performers, sound and light technicians, of international acclaim, who drop in to say hello. I just want to sit there and get their autographs, but that's kid of tacky, right? The boys are always making new friends in the music business, and it fascinates mom and pop, who up until they turned pro, and opened their own shop, thought our relationship would always be as audience members only. Geez, has that ever changed, and we really like it. Suzanne of course, hopes that one day, the Irish Rovers will drop by…..and so they might, if they happen to be performing in the area. I've got my own fantasy about entertainers dropping by……
So here's a small concluding point about all this verbiage above. Having a busy Opera House is a good….I mean great thing for business in this town. We really need to know this, and understand just how dynamic and profitable it could become, with some future changes. Changes that will make this restoration project a sparking-point, to get the place humming again. It's time the citizens made some demands on town hall, to improve the entertainment protocol, and draw on history……and there's a book written on the subject for easy reference, to see how it was done then, and how it can be done again. Does a big mouth like me have a solution. Yes I do. I've been bouncing ideas off those I trust in the entertainment business, for about five years, and there is a solution if the town is interested. I won't lay it out in this blog, because it is not my place to broker a deal. I am an enthusiastic audience member, but I am not familiar with the nuances of being an entertainment promoter. So I will leave it to those who can champion the cause. What we had with the Vinyl Cafe, in terms of excitement, we can build-on, at our soon-to-be re-roofed Opera House. If entertainment confusion and shortfalls of expectation, have confounded the town in the past…..well, possibly,….. there is a solution. When there is something new to report, on this topic, with permission of course, I will gladly offer an insightful overview. This is still very much wishful thinking on my part, but I'm sure enough of those involved, to be able to suggest it would change our entertainment profile dramatically…..and on a budget. Can't beat that, can you?
Once again, Suzanne and I want to thank the kind benefactor for offering the ticket to the Vinyl Cafe on opening night. We also want to thank everyone with the CBC crew for showing confidence in our town, and our Opera House, to stage this nationally significant event. Thanks as well, for eating all of Suzanne's cookies…….leaving none for me…….which for my waistline is a good thing. Also thanks to readers, for once again joining me for today's blog. Thanks to you kind folks, I'm now within a hair's breadth of 30,000 hits, since last November, which was my original target. It's not a huge number, compared to celebrity bloggers, but in the past two months, my readership has more than doubled. I owe it all to you. I'm working hard on my Christmas Sketches of Gravenhurst, beginning the last day of November, and continuing until New Year's Day. This will be my long overdue tribute, to this fine town in which we live and work. I hope you will take a few minutes daily, to join me, to re-discover the community, many of us have neglected a tad. It has stuck with us, and we're sticking with it! For better or worse. Let's revisit our hometown in time for Christmas
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