Stargazer heads-up

You already know celebrity-to-the-stars Joan Rivers (Spaceballs, Shrek 2) is performing here at the NAC Sept 12, but there are a few other film stars landing in Ottawa in the near future.

The 2nd Annual Capital Hoedown at LeBreton Flats Park features singers-seen-on-screen Kenny Chesney (The Color Orange: The Condredge Holloway Story, Kenny Chesney: Summer in 3D) on Aug 11, and Carrie Underwood (Soul Surfer) on Aug 12.

capitalhoedown.net/en

In the same vein, Scotiabank Place brings The Who front man Roger Daltrey (Tommy, The Legacy) to the capital on Sept 28, and guitar legend Jeff Beck (The Pope Must Die, Rock Prophecies) on Oct 16.

Elsewhere in town, Centrepointe Theatre spotlights funnymen Greg Proops (The Nightmare Before Christmas, West Is West) and Ryan Stiles (Hot Shots!, Hot Shots! Part Deux) on Sept 23, and comedy legend Andrea Martin (How to Eat Fried Worms, Wag the Dog) on Oct 14.

centrepointetheatre.com

Thanks for checking in.

Springtime for Frankenstein

It's early to be talking about spring 2012, unless you're a Mel Brooks fan here in Ottawa and love those early bird ticket sales. Scrolling down to the bottom of the list below will make your day, unless you're not a Mel Brooks fan.

Also on the shiny big sky horizon of early bird ticket sales is Joan Rivers' NAC stage show this fall - unless you really are only a Mel Brooks fan...

So, for shiny big screen and stage fans alike - and everyone else - here's the short list of additional worthwhile stuff on the moviequips.ca radar for this month so far:

SCREEN: Ottawa Turkish Festival film screenings, July 16, 18, 19, 2011, 6pm
Ottawa Public Library, Auditorium, 120 Metcalfe St., Ottawa
The film Beyaz Melek (White Angel) July 16, the documentary Seb-i Arus (Whirling Dervishes Ceremony) July 18 and the feature Babam ve Oğlum (My Father and My Son) July 19.

http://www.ottawaturkishfestival.com/events_2011.html


STAGE: Othello, July 16 - 30, 2011
Salamander Shakespeare Co., Various locations
"Othello, a black man in a white world, finesses a grand slam. He has won power, might, and now a beauty as his stolen bride. Othello soars until a jealous subordinate threatens his gains. Iago plots an intricate vengeance."

http://salamandertheatre.ca/shakespeare-co/index.htm#Othello


SCREEN: Centretown Movies, July 22 - August 13, 2011, 9pm
Dundonald Park, Somerset St. W at Lyon St., Ottawa
"We screen outdoor films in downtown Ottawa. The 2011 season of Centretown Movies Outdoor Film Festival is scheduled for July 22nd to August 13th. Our event brings hundreds of viewers to Dundonald Park in downtown Ottawa, providing a family-friendly environment and pleasant Friday/Saturday night experience for many people in our community."


http://www.csit.carleton.ca/~arya/cm/schedule.html


SCREEN: 93.9 BOB FM Movies on the Beach, July 22, 2011
Petrie Island, Trim Rd., Ottawa
"It's a family event so pack up the kids, lawn chairs, blankets and snacks and make your way to Walter Baker Park to see a movie under the stars. It's a drive-in...without the cars. Limited parking on site so get there early. Movie starts at dusk."

http://www.939bobfm.com/


SCREEN: One Lucky Elephant screening/fundraiser, July 23, 2011, 11:45am and 2:30pm
Ottawa Public Library, Auditorium, 120 Metcalfe St., Ottawa
"A story that will change hearts and minds regarding elephants in captivity and will, through public awareness and education, help bring an end to the use of animals in entertainment." Featured Guest Speaker: Rob Laidlaw, founder of Zoocheck Canada.

http://calendar.rcen.ca/events.php?id=14660

http://www.facebook.com/OneLuckyElephant?sk=wall


SCREEN: Blood and Beasts: DIY Horror Filmmaking, July 23 - 24, 10am-5pm
SAW Video, 67 Nicholas St., Ottawa
"This interactive workshop will give you a solid foundation into the fast-paced, high-risk and high-reward world of making independent horror movies. Reflecting on 15 years of personal experience and using references from the best and worst of independent horror, instructor and filmmaker, Brian Singleton, will explore the complete process of true independent do-it-yourself (DIY) low-budget filmmaking in the horror genre (...) Deadline to register: July 18, 2011"

http://www.sawvideo.com/workshops/workshop-horror.php


STAGE: Joan Rivers, Sept 12, 2011, 7:30 pm
NAC, 53 Elgin St., Ottawa
"Joan Rivers, the world-renowned comedian, TV host, bestselling author, Emmy Award-winning talk show host, Tony-nominated actress, CEO and savvy business woman who reinvents herself and her career time and time again, will launch the Jewish Federation of Ottawa 2012 Annual Fundraising Campaign on September 12, 2011 at the National Arts Centre. Tickets are $36"

http://www.nac-cna.ca/en/whatson/event.cfm?ID=6687


STAGE: Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein, May 25 and 26, 2012
Centrepointe Theatre, 101 Centrepointe Dr., Ottawa
"Don't miss the sensational cast delivering all your favorite moments from the classic film, plus brand-new show-stopping numbers for the stage, including 'Transylvania Mania,' 'He Vas My Boyfriend' and 'Puttin' on the Ritz.'"

http://centrepointetheatre.ca/events_tickets/details_theatre/may/frankenstein_en.html


Thanks for checking in.

Stage hands local kudos

It was a fun time checking out the 4th Annual Prix Rideau Awards recently. This uniquely bilingual celebration of stage actors, directors, plays and production crew on both sides of the Ottawa River was hosted a block away from the Museum of Civilization at Gatineau's impressive City Hall this year. A big congrats to all the talented nominees and winners.

Find the complete list of nominees and winners at www.prixrideauawards.ca and check out the moviequips.ca photo gallery for a glimpse of the ceremony, presenters and award-winners.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/moviequips/sets/72157626359478541/

You can also see or revisit the 4th Prix Rideau Awards presentation by watching the videos at the Ottawa Tonight website. There's additional footage shot at the nominations party held earlier this year.

http://www.ottawatonite.com/2011/04/les-prix-rideau-awards-featuring-the-awards-ceremony/


Hashtag Rosencrantz+Guildenstern

It's rumoured that live theatre has been suffering a slow death since the birth of Talkies on the big screen. I don't know if that's arguable or not, but here's your chance to catch a sneek peek of one of the most famous slow deaths, in the latest version of the Shakespeare's Hamlet - on the stage - that's inspired such film studs as Ethan Hawke (in 2000), Kenneth Branagh (in 1996), and Mel Gibson (in 1990) to play the starring role... some might still be playing it, off-screen...

HAMLET2011 April 26 - 30, May 3-7, Centrepointe Studio Theatre
"The newly-launched Ottawa Shakespeare Company (OSC) brings its 'Shakespeare re:mixed' Hamlet2011 as the first-ever production 'previewing' the brand-new Centrepointe Studio Theatre from April 26 to May 7, 2011, before the venue’s official opening in the fall of 2011."

http://www.ottawashakespeare.ca/


Screen envy?
Slightly related, it was surprising to discover the huge number of stage adaptations of movies being trotted out on Broadway this season. Movies adapted for live theatre. Eat your heart out, IMAX 3D...

http://www.broadway.com/shows/tickets/category/celebs-stage/


There's no place like this
If you're a local Ottawa filmmaker wondering if the Ontario government funds film production this far outside the GTA, you've got until April 29 to find out.

"The OMDC Film Fund has been developed to increase the level of indigenous film production in Ontario. It will provide support to Ontario producers for feature film projects in the final stages of development and production financing. The OMDC Film Fund consists of two components: 1) Development - Provides funding in the form of an interest-free loan of up to $25,000 for the final development stage. 2) Production - Provides funding in the form of a repayable advance of up to $400,000 on a last-in basis to complete the financing of a feature film."

http://www.omdc.on.ca/Page3209.aspx


Thanks for checking in.

Looking back, moving forward

This one starts off inspired by Turner Classic Movies' currently airing new series A History of Hollywood: Moguls & Movie Stars... here's the link:

 

http://www.tcm.com/moguls/

I figured I'd mention 1155 Broadway in New York in slightly more detail than the above program had. On April 4, 1894, Ottawa brothers Andrew M. Holland and George C. Holland opened the first Kinetoscope parlour (aka Peepshow) at 1155 Broadway in New York. Here are a couple links to check out. The first, from The Photographic Historical Society of Canada, features a bit about the Holland Brothers cited in author Robert Gutteridge's book Magic Moments; the second link features a New York Times article about the history of 1155 Broadway - and its demise as a possible cinephile mecca:

http://www.phsc.ca/holland-bros.html

http://www.nytimes.com/1992/02/09/realestate/streetscapes-1155-broadway-the-birthplace-of-the-movies.html

Speaking of film history, this Playback article appeared in the mailbox this week, citing this year's summer hit Resident Evil: Afterlife 3D now being the highest grossing Canadian movie in worldwide box office sales. You'll need to subscribe to Playback to read the entire article, but here's the link:

http://playbackonline.ca/2010/11/08/resident-evil-afterlife-surpasses-porkys/

The piece says Resident Evil: Afterlife 3D has surpassed the 1981 teen farce Porky's as the most financially successful Canadian flick, but I was under the impression that the 2006 bilingual buddy cop flick Bon Cop, Bad Cop had beaten the former champ a couple of years ago. Not true, according to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bon_cop,_bad_cop). 

Back in Ottawa, the Orpheus Musical Theatre Society brings the stage version of Annie to the Centrepointe Theatre Nov. 12-21.

 

http://www.centrepointetheatre.com/events_tickets/details_theatre/november/annie_en.html

Also, check out the Orpheus season schedule listed on their website - looks like an adaptation of the 1988 big screen comedy classic Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is in the works for June 2011.

http://orpheus-theatre.ca/the-shows.html

Lastly, check out the new moviequips YouTube page shown below. Having a favourites list of movie trailers, legitimately collected on Youtube from the studio and distributor pages there, will (hopefully) help speed up my weekly hunting around for them to link to the moviequips.ca pages. It could also save you some time hunting around for movie trailers. We'll see how it goes.

http://www.youtube.com/user/moviequips

Thanks for checking in.