Category Archives: Theatre

NEW CANADIAN MUSICAL LAUNCHES IN TORONTO MARCH 17- “KATHRYN: A LIFE ALMOSTING”

I was thrilled when playwright/lyricist Andrew Faiz reached out and asked me to help promote his new musical play, KATHRYN: A LIFE ALMOSTING that runs March 17 to April 5 at Toronto’s Red Sandcastle Theatre, 922 Queen St East. It tells the real-life story of Canadian-born 50’s/60’s Broadway star Kathryn Albertson, from the bright lights of the great NYC theatres and jazz salons through her struggles with alcoholism and her fragile relationship with daughter Kathleen. It’s a story of reinvention and endurance told through an original score by brilliant young composer Zahra Faiz, Andrew’s own daughter. It’s a love letter to songs and the singer, as well as the enduring bond between a mother and daughter. Sadly there is little info or even photos of Kathryn on the web…she’s practically disappeared from showbiz history books – but this play should certainly re-establish her in her rightful spotlight.

I spoke with Andrew, Zahra, renowned chanteuse Tanya Wills who portrays Kathryn and Kylee Martinez who plays daughter Kathleen (and also accompanies Tanya/Kathryn on piano throughout the show) and celebrated director Joanne Latimer. Let’s start with Andrew’s (pictured below) thoughts on Kathryn….You have such a varied background in theatre, news media, hospitality…quite the entrepreneur. What attracts you to Toronto’s theatre scene?  It was once said that Toronto had the third largest theatre community behind New York and London. I don’t know if that is true, but today’s Toronto’s theatre scene is very very vibrant. There are so many stories being told by so many different people.

I recently saw a fantastic version of Tracy Lett’s Bug done by a collective of 20-something actors, in a walk-up theatre space across from a dentist’s office. Theatre makers in this city are telling unique, original, re-interpreted, dynamic stories in whatever space they can find.
The Red Sandcastle is in a retail storefront space. I did a play there more than a decade ago. It’s an intimate space for 50 people.I try to get out to as many shows as I can. I think there’s a real renaissance of collective storytelling happening in my hometown. It’s very exciting.

 What first inspired you to create the musical play on Kathryn Albertson? What were your first impressions when you first met her.  Two decades ago, when I did Kathryn As Herself, At Last, with Kathryn Albertson I had written a song to close the show. She refused to sing it. She had been sober about thirty years by then, but for her singing was associated with drinking. If she couldn’t do one, she couldn’t do the other.I talked to her about making a musical of the play, inserting tunes from the Great Songbook into her story. We discussed what actresses might be perfect. That was in 2005 or so. Kathryn died in 2010.  In 2023, when I finally sat down to write it, I couldn’t find the perfect songs to insert into the script. So, I started writing them. I asked Kathryn once what it was like to be in New York in the late-1950s. She replied, “Oh, Andrew, it was great. I was young, I was beautiful, I was on Broadway.” That was the first song I wrote.

What makes this show relevant to today’s audiences?  The play I did with Kathryn two decades ago was a telling of her life. This musical is about her relationship with her daughter.  I don’t want to give too much away, but Kathryn’s sickness, her alcoholism, nearly destroyed her daughter.  While this is a one-woman play, the daughter is present on the stage. She is the piano accompanist, and also a character interacting with Kathryn.  The play works on two levels: You see the perspective of an older woman telling her life story; at the same time, you see the perspective of a woman in her mid-20s looking at an older woman telling her life story.  It all comes together emotionally and spiritually in the second act. The catharsis is powerful.  It is a mother-daughter play. It provides a view forward for young people. And a view backwards for older people.  Just a look between Tanya Wills and Kylee Martinez is a powerful moment.

I then asked Tanya Wills about her portrayal of Kathryn…..

Did you do any research into Kathryn’s life and career in preparation?  Yes, I did. This has been a show in development for roughly a year, so we have had many discussions with stories shared about Kathryn, and details that have never been published. Andrew is a wonderful resource, of course, because of his friendship with her. Sadly, there is not that much information available about her private life.Tanya, I’m such a fan…you perform in clubs around Toronto and southern Ontario singing jazz, torch songs, the classic big band songs…what attracted you to this Broadway themed musical play?  Thank you, Glenda. I am theatre trained, having graduated from Sheridan College with a Music Theatre Diploma. I started with musicals, so this is a place where I am very at home and I love it. Andrew approached me with the script and I just knew that it was project I was excited to be a part of.

Zahra Faiz (below) composed the music for the play and is also the musical director…How many songs did you write for the show? And you collaborated with your father on the lyrics, yes?  There are 22 original songs in Kathryn. At the beginning of the process, my dad gave me all the lyrics completely written. As I composed the music, I definitely changed some of the lyrics.  We worked together to make changes to certain lyrics if they didn’t work with the beats of the songs. In some songs, we cut entire verses if they didn’t make sense with the music. Or, we’d rearrange the ordering of verses so that they’d make more sense with the musical flow of the song.  The songs tell so much of the story of Kathryn, and it was a joy to work with my dad on the creation of the project.

I gather you also love comedy; you founded a comedy troupe in Montreal while you were at McGill Uni. – what other comedy endeavours have you enjoyed?  Yes, apart from my music, I also did a lot of comedy stuff in university.  That really solidified my view that comedy is the vitality of storytelling. Even in darker material, I think that the lightness that comedy brings to a story is incredibly important. In our real lives, we tend to connect with people we can laugh with, and I think the same is true in storytelling. Compelling characters are ones who we can relate to through humour.  Creating laughter is important to me. The ability to look at a situation, particularly a bad one, and find humour in it, helps us find reprieve and community.

I’m now working on my own musical for which I’ve composed the song, as well as written the libretto, and it’s a comedy. I hope that when people see it, I can make them laugh. Even in serious work, finding humour is something I’m hopeful I’ll always be able to do.

Kylee Martinez (pictured below) plays a very important dual role as both pianist for the entire play but also portrays daughter Kathleen…whew, sounds exhausting.Is this your first stage musical performance?  This is not my first my first stage musical performance! While I grew up playing piano, I found my way to the musical theatre in middle school and was hooked. I went on to attend Toronto’s Randolph College for the Performing Arts to study musical theatre and have been in shows around Toronto since then.

This must be an exciting opportunity for you to play & perform – did you ever imagine such a role when you were a little girl practising your scales?  I never could have imagined this! It really is the perfect role for me. When I chose to study theatre instead of music I thought that would be the end of my piano career and it was a decision I really struggled with. Getting to utilize both of my passions in one role has been very exciting. I hope to do much more of this in the future.

And now to director Joanne Latimer who helms this musical play

What first spoke to you about the subject of this musical play?  Andrew and Zahra had been working on some of the songs for awhile with Tanya, and I was invited to a “reading” of an early part of the show. I loved the music I heard, and was drawn to this story of a talented woman who was getting all the breaks but kept sabotaging herself. I have known a number of artists- actors, dancers, musicians – with such talent who have been sidelined by addictions, anxiety, or other mental health issues. If it’s not alcohol, or even if it’s not an artist, it’s something that comes between a person and the life they’re aspiring to. Also, the idea of what a career looked like for a woman at that time in history was so intriguing. It felt like a universal story, as well as a glimpse behind the bright lights of a seemingly successful career.You’ve directed Shakespeare and contemporary works – how does this 1-woman musical differ with your directing approach or method?  Great question. For one thing, I haven’t done much musical theatre, so it’s been a learning curve in terms of structuring rehearsals, even. It’s been nice to have Zahra to collaborate with  there. I have both performed and directed solo work, so I have learned some things about how to deliver a show all alone, rather than as a member of a team. Also, music is a huge part of my life, and whenever I direct, music is a big part of the storytelling. I very carefully select the music that frames scenes or marks transitions. No matter the size of the show, I always focus on the story and the relationships within it. It’s a solo show but there are lots of other characters in it, so we’ve worked through Kathryn’s relationship with all of those people. Structurally, it seems that the internal story comes through the music, kind of like soliloquies in Shakespeare, and Kathryn shares the more external narrative details through the dialogue. It’s been fun finding where the tension between the two occurs. When we found Kylee, our accompanist, who represents Kathryn’s daughter, we were able to focus on that relationship and how that also shapes Kathryn’s arc.  In terms of performance, Tanya and I have worked on techniques to sustain the energy throughout the story, and on ways to pull the audience into the more intimate moments. That said, Zahra’s music beautifully supports it all, as it does a lot of the work for us, and we have been taking a lot of cues from the score, when it comes to pacing and where the key moments happen.

What a great team! Kathryn’s story is in the perfect hands…I hope you’ll come out and see/hear this new original musical play.

Dates, times & tickets available from https://kathrynthemusical.com/ 
Follow on IG or Fcbk: @kathrynthemusical

WOMEN AT PLAY(S) OPENS MARCH 6TH, 2026, WITH A LINE-UP OF EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN WRITERS, DIRECTORS & ACTORS

Am thrilled to be promoting the 8th edition of the Canadian theatre festival – Women at Play(s) which is a series of short one-act plays of original works to create opportunities for women. It’s meant to inspire artistic achievements in theatrical production for people who identify as women of varied ages, abilities, racial and cultural backgrounds, appearances, sexualities, and life experiences for an audience of all. It’s a grass roots group and it is a Canadian Actors’ Equity Association approved festival under the Festival Policy.  This year, the Fest is hosted at VideoCabaret, 10 Busy Street (Logan & Queen E) in downtown Toronto…and yes, it’s Wheelchair accessible. Dates, times and ticketing info at end of this story.

I spoke with Festival Founder Marianne Sawchuk (pictured below) earlier this week, who shared her thoughts on the Festival and its history…Marianne, you founded WAP(s) in Vancouver in 2005…what inspired this theatre initiative – especially the concept of presenting multiple short 1-act plays in one 2hr show?  I founded Women At Play(s) in 2005 with the goal of addressing the under-representation of women in theatre. I recognized the gap in the professional careers between men and women at the time, a fact clearly enumerated in the 2006 report by the Rebecca Burton for the Equity in Canadian Theatre Women’s Initiative. But I also experienced this personally. My husband and I had just moved to Vancouver from LA and he was constantly getting auditions and work while I waited for the phone to ring for parts like Bimbo #2. I decided to take matters into my own hands to take control over the kind of parts I wanted to play and not be one of only 4 women characters on a film call sheet out of 57 characters or be the only woman in a play written and directed by men. The only way to make a change you want to see in the world is to do something about it – it just takes a bit of work.

The concept of presenting multiple short one-act plays in a single show came from doing Casting Director’s showcases in Los Angeles. These showcases had actors present brief excerpts from plays to Casting Directors so they got to know their work. There were minimal sets and props, it was all about the words and the acting. I thought that was a perfect way to provide opportunities for women to practice their craft by doing what they were trained to do. How were the first festivals received by theatre-goers? Did the Fest attract media attention as well as audiences?  Three successful iterations of WaP(s) took place at Vancouver’s Jericho Arts Centre where we broke the house record on closing night of WaPs3. The first Women At Play(s) was performed at Vancouver’s Carousel Theatre’s rehearsal space on Granville Island. This all-women theatre production drew enough audience to be self–sustaining without any grants (we’re still self-sustaining, but still trying to get a grant!). The Festival was well-received by audience members who all said they couldn’t wait for the next one. We even had a large audience show up in a snow storm in Vancouver on a Wednesday evening for WaP(s)2! We were reviewed by all the top theatre critics there and were able to be spotlighted in newspapers and entertainment magazines. WaP(s) would have continued there but my husband, our 1 year old daughter and I moved back to Los Angeles in 2008 for work after WaP(s)3. I tried to do WaP(s) 4 from LA but it proved too difficult.

You and your family moved to Toronto in 2020, bringing the WomenAtPlay(s) concept to Ontario, presenting the first Fest just as Covid shut down the world. The 2023 & 2024 shows were completely sold-out, people wanted entertainment after Covid restrictions lifted, and last year’s Fest was held at the prestigious Alumnae Theatre. Tell us about this year’s new venue.  We are moving back to Leslieville where we had our first 3 shows in Toronto at the Red Sandcastle Theatre and selling out our last 2 shows there. We loved the Alumnae Studio Theatre space but the stairs kept some of our audience members away so we had to find an accessible space. VideoCabaret came to my attention and it’s perfect – a fantastic space with loads of Toronto theatre history behind it. VideoCabaret has welcomed us with a subsidized rental rate. Without that support, we would not have been able to make the move back to the beautiful and eclectic neighbourhood of Leslieville.WAP(s) has developed a great “repertoire company” of actors and directors, and has given a platform for women playwrights. Is this a good opportunity for both established and emerging writers?  Women At Play(s) is a great opportunity for both established and emerging writers. Established writers are able to have their original short plays fully produced. Emerging playwrights have an opportunity to see their work performed on stage. One extra bonus for emerging playwrights is that since the plays are selected by a jury and produced, they qualify to become a member of the Playwrights Guild of Canada. I love having established playwrights’ work return to our stages. Providing opportunities boosts their visibility and increases their chances of their work being produced on larger stages.

Does WAP(s) present strictly dramatic plays or do you include comedic works as well?  Women At Play(s) has a mix of dramatic and comedic plays. I have an anonymous jury that selects the plays every year. All the plays are original; I look forward to see what Canadian women playwrights are writing about year to year. Some years have been lighter than others. It’s interesting to see what bubbles to the surface of women’s stories. This year we have some very dark content but it’s balanced with some light comedies. Women at Play(s) 2026 will take you on a journey from a young woman’s life-changing discovery in New York in 1901 (“Daddy’s Girl” by Emma Donoghue) to tough life decisions for contemporary seniors in Vancouver (“Aging in Place” by Barbara Ellison) to a forest where nature and religion collide (“The Mary Tree” by Brenda Kamino). Seven new plays ponder beginnings (“Waiting for Love” by Lindsay Ellis), celebrate achievements (“And the Oscar goes to…” by Colleen Curran and “The Circle” by Rebecca Singh) and remembers survivors (“A Violation of Violets” by Marni Walsh). Surprises, secrets and lies abound in stories that will make you laugh, cry, dream and think.And you’re directing this year, yes? What play(s) are you helming this year?   This will be the first year I will not be acting. I started in the theatre as an actor, then producer, then playwright, and now director. It is wonderful to have seen most aspects of the stage. My favourite roles are directing and acting: I love delving into the characters and the themes of plays, relating the words to bigger aspects of the world around us and sharing that story with the audience. I was humbled to have been requested by playwright, director, producer, and actor Marni Walsh to direct her play. It’s called A Violation of Violets. I was lucky enough to be able to cast veteran actor, Louisa Martin in the role of She. With Marni Walsh’s words and Louisa Martin’s performance, I’m looking forward to presenting the play and seeing how audiences experience it. Because ultimately that is what it is all about, getting together in a communal setting and experiencing these stories together.Venue: VideoCabaret 10 Busy Street, (Logan & Queen E) – Wheelchair accessible
Dates: Mar 6-8, 11-15 at 7pm week nights (Sat. & Sun. 2:30pm + 7pm)
Tickets: Regular: $28 Students, $22 Seniors + art & frontline workers
Available from: www.womenatplays.ca or at the door (CASH ONLY)
Reservations: womenatplaysinfo@yahoo.com

Follow along on socials: www.facebook.com/womenatplays    www.instagram.com/women_at_plays   and
linktr.ee/womenatplays

I can’t wait to see these plays by extraordinary women writers, actors and directors next month. I hope to see you all there.

 

INNOVATIVE & EXCITING A.I. THEMED PLAY BY TORONTO-BASED THEATRE CO. HITS THE FRINGE CIRCUIT

I was thrilled to meet actors/creators Yana Menov and Yuriy Popov of Toronto’s indie theatre group Studio Reflection Theater and was even more excited when they asked me to help promote their current Fringe Festival performances of The Turing Test in Kingston and (next week) London, Ontario. Summer is not the ideal time to present stage festivals – let’s face it, everyone is either up at the cottage or enjoying family BBQs in the back garden and is definitely a challenge to get bums in seats. But these two talented actors have been working hard promoting their shows in person: handing out flyers, putting up posters and burning up social media with photos, videos and promos. Whew, it’s hard out there for an actor!

The Turing Test is a sharp, emotionally resonant, and genre-blending theatrical piece that invites audiences to reflect on what it truly means to be human through a sharp, witty and visually rich exploration of relationships, technology, and identity.

Yana and Yuriy successfully wrapped up their shows at Windsor Fringe Fest about 10 days ago, and are currently mid-run at The Grand Theatre at this year’s Kingston Fringe. Then next week, they’ll be hitting the stage at the Palace Theatre in London. In between performances, I got a chance to ask Yana and Yuriy a few questions about The Turing Test, a look at how Artificial Intelligence could impact our personal lives and how human emotions can impact the inter-species(?) relationship.

Yuriy and Yana, congratulations on mounting the play The Turing Test at the various Fringe Festivals across Ontario. What first inspired you to present the play and who wrote it? 
Yuriy (Y): Thank you! I first read The Turing Test and thought, “This is either a comedy, a tragedy… or both — which means it’s perfect.” It’s by Russian playwright Igor Yakimov, and it’s got that rare mix of wit, philosophy, and emotional gut punches. I was hooked because it’s about so much more than AI — it’s about human connection, which, ironically, is the thing we humans most often struggle with.
Yana (Ya): When Yuriy showed me the script, I was laughing one moment and tearing up the next. The dialogue felt alive, like it was speaking directly to me. And under the humor, there was this tenderness and truth about loneliness, love, and the strange ways we find each other. I couldn’t resist it.You’ve performed The Turing Test in Russian and now have translated the play into English for Canadian audiences with subtitles shown on the screen behind the action on stage. How do you enjoy performing in English…do you ever slip in Russian?
Yuriy (Y): Performing in English is like wearing a suit tailored by a very talented but slightly unpredictable tailor — it fits, but sometimes you discover an extra pocket you didn’t expect. We rehearsed so much that the language stopped being a barrier and became part of the character’s voice. Yes, on rare occasions a Russian word will try to sneak in — they’re stubborn like that. And I’m sure there’s still a Russian accent, but audiences tell us it disappears from their mind after the first ten minutes.
Yana (Ya): The rehearsals made the English feel completely natural – at this point it’s not about “translating” anymore, it’s about living inside the lines. The text is so layered that once you’re in the emotion, the English flows without thinking. We might still have a hint of an accent, but once the audience is drawn in, it’s just part of the rhythm of the play.With so many people concerned about the use of Artificial Intelligence in everyday life, how does the play’s subject affect audiences? Have you received comments from people about their fears of AI?
Yuriy (Y): We’ve had people come up after the show and say, “This is exactly why I don’t trust my smart toaster.” But seriously — the AI element gets people thinking, not so much about robots taking over, but about what makes us… us. Are we really so different from the algorithms we create? Think of it as dessert for your brain — sweet, a little strange, and maybe a bit dangerous.
Yana (Ya): Some arrive expecting a “tech” story, but what stays with them is the emotional side — how easy it is to open your heart to something (or someone) you don’t fully understand. It makes them think about their own relationships. AI just happens to be the mirror we’re holding up.

Where did you both train for acting? Did you meet in acting school or on the stage?
Yuriy (Y): We’ve both been fortunate to train with highly skilled professionals in the drama world – people who really pushed us to grow and challenged us to think differently about performance. We actually met while working on another production, which is the actor’s equivalent of meeting in a foxhole: you learn a lot about someone when you’re both trying to remember your lines and not fall off the set.
Yana (Ya): Yes, our first meeting was in a production where we barely had time to say “hi” before being thrown into intense rehearsals. It felt like being tossed into the deep end — only the water was pure emotion, and you just had to learn to swim together. After the current run at the Kingston Fringe Festival, you head off to London, Ontario, next week to their Festival. Any expectations of a new audience? Is the London Fringe already promoting ticket sales?
Yuriy (Y): In Kingston, the best “marketing advice” I got from a professional artistic producer was: “If you want more people at your show, go to a pub, have a beer, talk to people, and cry that you came for the Fringe but nobody showed up. People here have big hearts — they’ll feel sorry for you, and the whole pub will follow you to your venue. Just make sure you negotiate with the management so they can bring their beer along.”
For London, we’re hoping we won’t need to consume quite that much alcohol to fill the seats. We trust people will see the audience feedback on our Instagram and be curious enough to check it out. And yes – tickets for London are already on sale. But if all else fails… we know which pub to start with.
Yana (Ya): Kingston showed us how open-hearted Fringe audiences are — sometimes all it takes is an honest conversation to make a real connection. For London, I hope curiosity will come from the buzz, from friends telling friends, and from those little glimpses we’ve been sharing online. There’s something magical about walking into a theatre expecting an unusual story.

You have a special one-night-only performance of The Turing Test in Toronto happening in September. I gather it will be staged in an intimate studio space north of the downtown – do you anticipate a longer run closer to downtown Toronto sometime during the winter months?
Yuriy (Y): That’s the plan. The September show is a “stress test” for the play – small space, close audience, nowhere to hide. If it goes as I expect, a downtown winter run will be the logical next step.
Yana (Ya): I love intimate spaces because you can feel the audience breathing with you. It’s electric. And yes, I’d love to bring it downtown — the more chances to share it, the better.

Any other projects in the works?
Yuriy (Y): Plenty. After seeing other Fringe shows, we’ve been buzzing with ideas. You see another actor do something brilliant and think, “Yep, I’m stealing that… respectfully.” Between that and our own original concepts, our plate is full. Plus, we’re part of other theatres’ productions, so sometimes we’re not just cooking the meal – we’re also the surprise ingredient.
Yana (Ya): And in the middle of all that, we’re rehearsing two completely different children’s plays – one a traditional piece, the other a fully interactive show where the audience becomes part of the story. It’s like switching between a classic novel and a choose-your-own-adventure book. Keeps us on our toes… and slightly sleep-deprived.

How can people follow you – do you have a website or social media?
Yuriy (Y): We’re easy to find — search studio.reflection.theater on Instagram or Facebook. You’ll see our adventures, behind-the-scenes moments, and the occasional teaser that makes you go, “Wait… what on earth are they doing on stage?”
Yana (Ya): Social media is the best way to follow us — see show clips, join the conversation, and occasionally catch a late-night philosophical musing about theatre. We promise, it’s more entertaining than your average bedtime scroll.

Thanks Y & Y – so if you live in the Kingston, ON area, you only have a couple more performances, but if you’re a Londoner, you can catch several performances at The Palace Theatre – see details below. Tkts avail. here: https://palacetheatre.ca/london-fringe/ 

“GROWN ASS’D BROADS TALKIN’ DIRTY” TO OPEN IN TORONTO FRINGE FEST JULY ’25

Well, it’s that time of year again when Toronto’s actors, writers and directors take over every available theatre space to present their latest works and entertain us. And I’m proud to announce that my talented friend Tricia Williams and her castmates will be presenting their fabulous and funny Grown Ass’d Broads Talkin’ Dirty to audiences in the Crest Theatre Green Room at the Performing Arts Lodge (PAL) 110 The Esplanade starting July 2.The play tells of five bawdy and fierce broads who meet monthly to enjoy theme parties at each
others’ houses – friends since they belonged to the same volley ball team as teenagers. We catch up with them several decades later; they are not so much friends as sisters…sometimes rivaling sisters. There will be booze, food, bitching, arguing, laughing and cussing. It’s like an episode of the Golden Girls but funnier…and dirtier!Grown Ass*d Broads Broads Talkin’ Dirty was written by the incomparable Valerie Boyle (pictured below). At 75 years old, this is her first Toronto Fringe Festival! She was most recently seen on Canada’s Got Talent and wowed the judges with her sense of humour and her poignant rendition of Send in the Clowns. Valerie starred for several years on Broadway as Mrs. Brill in Mary Poppins. She was Shirley in Shirley Valentine for a Canadian Tour and Mother Superior in Nunsense for twelve productions – a role she is resurrecting in July at the Victoria Playhouse Petrolia for Nunsense’s 40th Anniversary.Director Christel Bartelse has wowed Fringe audiences and beyond, with her one-woman shows and has been nominated twice for a Canadian Comedy Award and has earned rave reviews. She has toured every major Canadian fringe festival, as well as several in the U.S. and has performed twice at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The cast includes Andrea Davis (Intimate Apparel, Hamlet), Jorie Morrow (Disarming Venus, Checkpoint 300), Linda Joyce Nourse (Transplant and the Women at Play Festival), Morrie Sinkins (Disarming Venus, Shaw Festival) and Tricia Williams (The Sorauren Book Club, Hymns and Hearse).

Get your tickets now at: www.fringetoronto.com 

Join Women at Play(s) 7 opening in Toronto Mar.28, taking us on comedic & dramatic journeys in seven short plays

Women at Play(s) 7 is a festival of original short one-act plays written, directed and performed by Canadian women-identifying playwrights, directors, and actors. This seventh edition features seven short plays for a dramatic, comedic, unexpected rollercoaster of a show. From Boomers to babies, from China to the Cheakamus, from literature to larceny, these plays take viewers on a journey through the lives of a truly diverse group of characters.
Runs Mar 28-30 and Apr 2-6 at the Alumnae Studio Theatre (70 Berkeley Street) Toronto (upstairs – sorry, no elevator)
Dates: Mar 28-30, Apr 2-9 7pm – Saturday and Sunday Matinees 2:30pm & 7pm
Tickets: Regular: $28 and students/seniors/art workers: $22
https://www.ticketscene.ca/events/50820/  or at the door (cash only)
Reservations: womenatplays2023@gmail.com  To accommodate those with mobility issues, a shortened PWYC version has been added at an accessible venue: the Performing Arts Lodge  – 4 of the 7 plays will be presented. PAL is located at 110 The Esplanade, Toronto on April 10 at 7pm
Email reservations to: womenatplays2023@gmail.comWomen at Play(s) was created in 2005 by Artistic Director Marianne Sawchuk (pictured below) to provide a creative outlet for women playwrights, directors and actors. It was conceived to inspire artistic achievements in theatrical performance for women. WaP is a grassroots artist profit shared organization that showcases women of all diversities, 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusive, from Gen Z to Silver Foxes for an audience of those who want to experience a variety of great theatre.For the seventh Women at Play(s) 7, non-binary actors have also been welcomed into the collective. Women at Play(s) had 3 successful shows in Vancouver where WaP 3 broke the Jericho Arts Centre’s house record on closing night and had, so far, 3 successful shows in Toronto where it has managed to survive the pandemic. In 2023, Marianne Sawchuk was honored with a Playwrights Guild of Canada Tom Hendry “Bra D’Or” nomination for her ongoing support of women playwrights in Canada.

For more info, you can follow Women at Play via social media:
https://www.facebook.com/womenatplays/
https://www.instagram.com/women_at_plays/
https://linktr.ee/womenatplays

GREAT NIGHT OF THEATRE TO RAISE FUNDS FOR THIS YEAR’S FRINGE FESTIVAL

Thrilled to see friend and theatre buddy TRICIA WILLIAMS promoting a fundraiser performance for the Fringe-bound Grown Ass*d Broads Talkin’ Dirty that features legendary Canadian stage & screen actor VALERIE BOYLE. Tricia passed along all the details and, if you’re in Toronto this Friday night, I encourage you to head down to the Performing Arts Lodge to enjoy a night of theatrical hijinks.  Here’s what it’s all about….On Friday March 14th, there will be a fundraiser for the upcoming 2025 Toronto Fringe Festival comedic play, Grown Ass*d Broads Talkin’ Dirty. This night of music and comedy promises to be fun and full of hilarity, and features renowned singer/actor who also wrote the play, the indomitable Valerie Boyle (pictured below)Valerie starred, wrote and produced her own one-woman show,Sophie Tucker,which toured Canada, as well as workshopped in London, UK, and she was also Shirley in Shirley Valentinewhen the play toured Canada. She also starred as Mother Superior in Nunsense for twelve productions – a role she is going to resurrect again in 2025 at the Victoria Playhouse, Petrolia, for the Nunsense 40th Anniversary. Valerie also has numerous big & small screen roles to her credit including a turn on Murdoch Mysteries. She is a Canadian treasure.

Another featured performer will be Curtis Sullivan (pictured below) whose time at the Stratford Festival includes the roles of Admiral von Schreiber in The Sound of Music, Captain Watson in Carousel, Tony (cover) in The Boyfriend and Giuseppe Palmieri in The Gondoliers. Rounding out this night of show-stopping musical performances will be Tiffany Deriveau (below) who has performed in Soul Sistas as Tina Turner, Wanda in Beehive: the 60s Musical, Mama Morton in Chicago and Crystal in Little Shop of Horrors, in various theatres across the country.Bringing the comedy will be Christel Bartelse (below). As a solo artist, Christel has wowed Fringe audiences and beyond with her one-woman shows including CHAOTICA, ONEymoon, Significant Me, All KIDding Aside, The Surprise and Encore. She has been nominated twice for a Canadian Comedy Award and has toured every major Canadian fringe festival, as well as several in the U.S. and has performed twice at the original Edinburgh Fringe Festival.The emcee for the evening will be Tricia Williams who has graced the Toronto Fringe Festival stage for the past three years in hit shows such as the Sorauren Book Club, Hymns and Hearse and Disarming Venus. She is also a cast member of Grown Ass*d Broads Talkin’ Dirty along with Jorie Morrow, Andrea Davis, Morrie Sinkins and Julie Burris.The fundraiser will take place at the Performing Arts Lodge (PAL), 110 The Esplanade in the Crest Green Room Theatre. Tickets are $20 cash at the door and $10 cash for residents of PAL. Doors will open at 7:00 pm and show time is 7:30 pm.

So come on down to PAL, just around the corner from the St. Lawrence Market and have a great night of fun and laughs with a cast of great Canadian actors…including my friend, Tricia. Tell her I sent you!

REBEL BUBBIE BRINGS DOWN THE HOUSE AT OPENING NIGHT OF TORONTO FRINGE FESTIVAL

Congratulations to Bruria Cooperman and her director Eva Almos on last night’s opening of Rebel Bubbie, Inc. at the Alumnae Theatre as part of this year’s annual Toronto Fringe Festival. The theatre was mostly populated by friends and family (and Bruria has a big family) who laughed throughout her 60-minute show recounting stories of her life and what it means to now be a “bubbie” (Jewish grandmother). Even as a first-timer at the Fringe, Bruria owned the stage and seemed very comfortable sharing her thoughts and experiences, never shying away from recounting some of the naughtier moments in her life.So here’s a little background on the show, the stories and the bubbie….  Hot off her scene-stealing appearance in the Adam Sandler film, You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, Bruria Cooperman is a semi-reformed, self-confessed renegade who wrote and stars in an unfiltered one-woman comedy, co-written with Almos.  As we learn, she was always in search of adventure, discovering that marriage won’t stop you from being arrested, banned from a casino, being taken into police custody in Yugoslavia for nudging a mule (!) or getting kicked-out of a bagel joint. From performing improv in NYC in the 60s & 70s, being at Woodstock, to drag racing, floating in a weightless space tube, authoring books – Rebel Bubbie has done it all…and only arrested twice (she holds up 3 fingers in a sly aside from the stage!) Cooperman has led a life of trail-blazing: she was part of the first generation of children born in Israel, post-Holocaust. From an early age, she exhibited an attitude of “Hey, look at me!” This adventurous child got into all manner of scrapes with her playmates and on her own. Always finding humour in the darkness, she wrote a book about children born to Holocaust survivors titled For This I Survived? Children of Survivors Beyond the Trauma (avail. on Amazon). When the curtain came down on last night’s show, Bruria was surrounded by well-wishers who embraced her and offered kudos and encouragement for the rest of the run.

And head of ACTRA Toronto, David Gale (pictured below L) also dropped in to congratulate Bruria on her show Emmy-nominated creator Eva also had friends come out to support the show (pictured below, R) and she was pleased to sit and relax after the show…The Toronto Fringe Festival runs over the next 10 days at various locations with numerous plays, musicals, puppetry and dance so check out their website for details Rebel Bubbie, Inc. show is 60-min. and all shows are staged at the Alumnae Theatre, 70 Berkley Street, Toronto.
Info & Tickets: www.FringeToronto.com
Here are the dates and times:
Thursday, July 4th   6:00 pm  $10.00     Thurs July 11th   8:15 pm $15.00
Saturday, July 6th   12:30 pm $15.00      Friday July 12th  6:00 pm $15.00
Sunday July 7th      2:15 pm   $15.00       Sat. July 13th  3:15 pm $15.00
Wed. July 10th  6:00 pm   $15.00

Again, congrats to the one and only REBEL BUBBIE!

SEPTUAGENARIAN BRURIA COOPERMAN DEBUTS HER 1-WOMAN SHOW AT TORONTO FRINGE FESTIVAL: REBEL BUBBIE, INC.

Just 6-weeks until Toronto welcomes the annual theatrical Fringe Festival, offering a multitude of comedy and drama presentations by hundreds of actors, writers, directors and hard-working crews. Hot off her scene-stealing appearance in the Adam Sandler film, You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, 75yr old Bruria Cooperman, a.k.a. Rebel Bubbie, a semi-reformed, self-confessed renegade, stars in an unfiltered one-woman comedy at this year’s Toronto Fringe Festival. Always in search of adventure, Rebel Bubbie has discovered that marriage won’t stop you from being arrested, banned from a casino, or getting kicked-out of a bagel joint. From performing improv in NYC in the 60s & 70s, to directing and producing theatre, to drag racing (the 4-wheeled kind), floating in a weightless space tube, writing books – Rebel Bubbie has done it all! And only arrested twice! Cooperman has led a life of trail-blazing: she was part of the first generation of children born in Israel, post-Holocaust. From an early age, she exhibited an attitude of “Hey, look at me!” This adventurous child got into all manner of scrapes with her playmates and on her own. Always finding humour in the darkness, she wrote a book about children born to Holocaust survivors titled For This I Survived? Children of Survivors Beyond the Trauma (avail. on Amazon).Rebel Bubbie posts fun videos sharing her “Yiddish Word of the Day” on her YouTube channel – subscribe to: @RebelBubbie. Follow on Facebook & Instagram.

Definition: Traditionally, a bubbie (the Yiddish word for grandmother) wore floral housecoats, made chicken soup and gave you the biggest hug. Today’s bubbie still loves you, but wears designers suits, plays tennis and orders in.  Bruria’s co-writer, executive producer and director is Eva Almos (pictured below) who has found success as a writer/executive producer on both the East and West coast. A graduate of the Warner Bros. Television Writers’ Workshop, Eva began her career as staff writer of multiple episodes of Duckman.  She won a CableACE Award and was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program for the episode “Noir Gang.”  She has worked on numerous live action and animated series including The Wild Thornberrys, Pinky and the Brain and Invader Zim.Eva went on to develop and executive produce the animated series Carl Squared for Teletoon, developed Dave Darling-Head Case for Starburns Industries, and developed/wrote the popular TVO/PBS series Wild Kratts where she also plays fashion-designing villain Donita Donata.  I remember Eva as the voice of so many brilliant radio commercials in the 80s/90s – so good was she, that Eva became the go-to voice actor for every advertiser, but bigger things beckoned her in Hollywood…and the rest is tv history!I’m thrilled to be publicizing Rebel Bubbie, Inc. throughout the Toronto Fringe Fest period so watch for news on my social media throughout the next 6 weeks.

All 60-min. shows take place at the Alumnae Theatre, 70 Berkley Street, Toronto
Thursday, July 4th   6:00 pm  $10.00
Saturday, July 6th   12:30 pm $15.00
Sunday July 7th       2:15 pm   $15.00
Wed. July 10th         6:00 pm  $15.00
Thurs July 11th        8:15 pm   $15.00
Friday July 12th      6:00 pm  $15.00
Sat. July 13th           3:15 pm   $15.00
Tickets: www.FringeToronto.com

TORONTO’S PROARTEDANZA PRESENTS ITS 2022 FALL SEASON PERFORMANCE Nov.2-5

With thanks to my friends at B.Rebel Communications…..

Featuring an expressive mixed program of contemporary dance works, with choreography by ROBERTO CAMPANELLA, CHANTELLE GOOD, SYREETA HECTOR and LESLEY TELFORD plus a cast of stellar performers – NOVEMBER 2 – 5, 2022 at Fleck Dance Theatre, Toronto

Following a 3-year hiatus, ProArteDanza presents its fall 2022 season performance featuring a quadruple-bill mixed program of unique, innovative and expressive choreographic voices. With works created by Roberto Campanella, Chantelle Good, Syreeta Hector and Lesley Telford, these four pieces seek to reconnect audiences and explore the complexity of the human condition through concepts surrounding internal conflict, change and memory. “After being absent on stage for 3 years and with an increased sense of loneliness experienced by many, we are all trying to reconnect, one way or another.”  – Roberto Campanella, ProArteDanza Co-Founder and Artistic Director

To kick-off their exciting repertoire of performances, ProArteDanza presents BEAST A LA MODE. Choreographed by Syreeta Hector, BEAST A LA MODE examines the powerful influence that environment has over one’s identity. This 30 minute performance explores aspects of ourselves that are both revealed and concealed, investigating the uneasy contradictions of character we develop in order to survive everyday life, and highlighting our essential need to compete with our collective identities.

To follow is Roberto Campanella’s emotionally resonant FEARFUL SYMMETRIES (2016) – pictured below, with the movement motif of running, which poses the question: is the ensemble on stage actually getting anywhere or merely struggling to keep up with an ever-changing world? Campanella’s choreography is accompanied by Fearful Symmetries, an orchestral work by composer John Adams. TETHERED TO YOUR PALMS, with choreography by Chantelle Good, explores the act of preserving memories both within ourselves and with others. Whether it be a scent, an image or a sensation, how can we take care of the sacred moments that stay with us, while honouring the truth of the initial experience? How can we hold someone’s memory of a shared encounter, even when it is different from our own? TETHERED TO YOUR PALMS’ music is complete with Nils Frahm’s Said and Done. 

Concluding the evening is a contemporary work choreographed by Lesley Telford. ONLY WHO IS LEFT is inspired by a quote by Bertrand Russell: “War does not determine who is right – only who is left.” Set to music by Michael Gordon, Beethoven, and Mozart, the piece explores the heroism and beauty of carrying on, the futile sensation of the fight and the acceptance of where we end up.

Dances are performed by Joey Arrigo, Sasha Ludavicius, Connor Mitton, Jake Poloz, Kelly Shaw, Eleanor van Veen, Evan Webb, Carleen Zouboules, and ProArteDanza apprentice, Giulia Petti.

ABOUT PROARTEDANZA: ProArteDanza is a repertory contemporary dance company which challenges and inspires our artists and our audience through bold new work and invests in the future of the art form through educational programs. Committed to “passion in performance”, ProArteDanza strives to reach the widest possible audience through an open, equitable and inclusive culture which fosters artistic risk-taking, innovation and collaboration.

DETAILS
When: November 2 – November 5, 2022 at 8pm
Where: Fleck Dance Theatre (Harbourfront Centre), 207 Queens Quay W, Toronto
Length: Approximately 1.5 hours with an intermission
Price: Tickets range from $25 – $45, with senior, student, and arts industry discounts available. To purchase tickets, please visit https://proartedanza.com/ or call the Fleck Dance Theatre Box Office at 416 973 4000.

MEET CONNIE BOYD, THE MAGICAL WOMAN WHO CASTS A SPELL OVER HER AUDIENCES!

CONNIE BOYD is a Canadian magician, inventor, producer and director, with a background in dance, theatre and circus. She is known for physically demanding, artistic magic such as the “solo” guitar suspension (the World Magic Awards 1999) and an up-side-down straight jacket escape over a bed of nails (Shanghai Magic Festival 2012). Connie has appeared on television shows such as “Masters of Illusion,” “the Best Magic of Las Vegas” and the “World Magic Awards”. She launched her magic career in Las Vegas in 1987, eventually starring & headlining in production shows such as the Folies Bergère at the Tropicana Hotel, Jubilee at Bally’s and opening for celebrity headliners such as the recently departed comedian and TV star Louie Anderson. Connie was named Best Cabaret Magician in 1999 at the World Magic Awards in Los Angeles and the “Prix du Public” at the Grand Prix du Magique in Monte Carlo in 1996.In 2006, Connie was asked to consult on talent with a cruise company in Europe which led to a new career producing, mentoring and directing multiple shows on cruise lines internationally, casting female magicians as the lead performers. In June 2020, she created Magical Women, a YouTube channel dedicated to documenting some of the best women in magic in the world in all facets of magic. She writes a monthly Magical Women series for Vanish Magic magazine and has recently been featured in Genii magazine and MagicSeen in the UK.  She also created a conference on Digital Transformation for Magic in 2020 for “United Magicians for the World”. More recently, she launched a new series on the YouTube channel called Blast from the Past which features vintage videos of female magicians from the past.

Being such a busy lady, I was thrilled to get a chance to chat with Connie and ask her about her amazing career and all the women in magic she has worked with or met. What a great conversation we had!

Connie, you’ve created a wonderful web portal showcasing women in magic from around the world and their incredible talents. What inspired you to generate this platform?  Pre-pandemic, I was extremely busy and happy producing, directing and mentoring magic shows and talent.  I was in Italy when the lockdown started there in March 2020.  I had magicians on cruise ships returning to Italy from winter seasons in the Caribbean and South America.  Contracts were cancelled and my talent were repatriated to their home countries on three different continents.  My own magic shows were literally “frozen in time”, indefinitely on “ghost” cruise ships at sea in the Mediterranean.

For the first time in thirty plus years, I didn’t have any magic obligations or projects to complete.  After much reflection, I realized that there wasn’t a source or resource anywhere in the world, dedicated to documenting and supporting women in magic.  I decided to create the Magical Women project and the “Magical Women with Connie Boyd” YouTube Channel, dedicated to represent female magicians past and present. I started by reaching out to female magicians I knew and everyone was enthusiastic about the project and willing to participate.  Being a credible woman with success in magic helped; I understood the challenges many of the world-class magicians encountered as women in unconventional careers and in under-represented groups.  Thanks to the pandemic I had a rare opportunity to record talent that would not normally be readily available.

Tina Lenert, a fabulous magician and one of the first magicians I interviewed, provided an apt quote that summed up how I felt at the start: “life begins at the end of your comfort zone” (Neale Donald Walsch).

Most of us know all the famous men in magic from David Copperfield to Penn & Teller, Doug Henning, Siegfried & Roy, way back to Houdini, Blackstone and of course, The Amazing Randi – why don’t we hear more about the women? There must have been some great female artists over the past century?  One of the accomplishments I’m most proud of is participating and collaborating on the VANISH International Magic Magazine’s special edition “Female Magicians through the Centuries” that was published in February 2021 as a FREE publication.  The essay and photos were provided by Sébastien Bazou, the publisher of “ArteFake” an entertainment e-publication in France.  VANISH’s publisher and editor is a great advocate of diversity and generously created the graphics, layout and free Special Edition. You can view it here: https://bit.ly/3BrqWQx As you will note from the VANISH Special Edition women in magic have existed through time.  It’s true that female magicians are still less than 6% of the magic community, but it’s important to note that the women who have committed to careers in magic are making a huge impact and statements that cannot be denied.

One of the wonderful elements I’ve discovered through the Magical Women project is the increasing number of female contemporary magicians.  French magician Léa Kyle was the first female magician to place in the finals on “America’s Got Talent” last season and she’s currently headlining in Las Vegas.  Venezuelan magician Dania Diaz was a finalist on “Spain’s got Talent” and was the first Latina female to reach the finals on “America’s Got Talent: the Champions” in 2019.  Amanda Nepo is the youngest female magician at sixteen years old to fool Penn & Teller with magic that she invented. Australia’s Helen Coghlan is a six-time “Penn & Teller Fool Us, FOOLER”.  The list goes on and on and it’s a truly exciting time for women in magic.

You have over 30years experience performing illusions and entertaining audiences with your prestidigitational skills – when did you first realize this was the career for you?  I discovered magic in Las Vegas.  In fact, I debuted my first magic act there in the late ‘80’s.  My magic story is unorthodox.  My professional background pre-magic was theatre and classical ballet, with aerial and juggling circus skills in the mix.  I was performing in Las Vegas at the Riviera hotel in “SPLASH” with a juggling act when I discovered magic.  I fell in love with the levitation magic of the headlining magician and puppeteer, Barclay Shaw.  I studied and watched his mesmerizing performances nightly.  Barclay was the catalyst for my magic career and it was he who suggested that I become a magician.Starting magic from zero wasn’t easy, but I discovered magic uses every skill I have and I’ve learned more.  Good magic is a complete, theatrical artform, it taps into my creativity, physicality and artistic vision.  I have been fortunate, able to invent magic and create magic effects that are specific to me and my skill sets.  It’s challenging, it’s frustrating, but it’s also been a perfect fit.  I was determined to succeed and it helped that I had exposure and access to some of the very best magicians and entertainers in the world.

You’ve interviewed and reviewed so many ladies of magic for your YouTube channel, magazines and blogs. Who are the outstanding magicians we should watch for now that theatres, casinos and clubs are opening up after Covid?  There are SO many, I am pleased to report.  Here’s the list that pops into my head:  Léa Kyle, Daniz Diaz, Billy Kidd, Carisa Hendrix, Laura London, Alana, Helen Coghlan, Josephine Lee, Alexandra Duvivier, Amanda Nepo, LeRoya Sanford, Kayla Drescher, Krystyn Lambert, Tessa Evason, Katherine Mills, Anchal, Jen Kramer, Ekaterina and many, many more.Veteran magicians are also making a difference magically on and off stage with performances, philanthropic charities, mentoring and writing.  This includes magicians such as Juliana Chen, Tina Lenert, Fay Presto, Julie Eng, Diana Zimmerman and Lisa Menna,

Magic overcomes all language barriers and appeals to all ages – what is your favourite audience composed of…families, grown ups, corporate shows?  Since 2000, my magic shows have been on tour internationally on cruise ships, on television and in theatres.  My favourite audience is a theatre full of a mix of families and adults; theatre and magic savvy and first timers.  It’s a mix of people who wish to suspend disbelief and believe in magic for that moment in time and even those who wish to discredit it.  The biggest reward is hearing the audible gasp when they react to your magic and performance. They can’t help themselves and respond with surprise, and that’s my favourite moment, always.Who has been your role model or favourite magician (male or female) over the years?  First would be Barclay Shaw for helping me to discover magic, for never considering a woman couldn’t be a magician and for encouraging me to pursue magic.  David Copperfield for his inspiring work and performances which encouraged me to work harder.  Don Wayne, inspired me to create and to understand how to use magic techniques and the psychology behind the magic.  Joanie Spina was brilliant on and off stage, she was instrumental to discovering who I was on stage and for staging many of my best acts.  Recently, it’s Diana Zimmerman for her tireless support, encouragement and wisdom.

Without giving away any secrets, Connie, what has been your most astounding, amazing stunt…and, conversely, have you ever had anything go wrong?  The number I most known for, that’s a signature piece, is a number I created called “Floating & Flying”.  The magic is powerful as I am costumed in a simple leotard.  In the midst of a classic floating ball magic act, I fly into the air to retrieve a floating ball over my head.  This is a moment in my show that I receive the “magic gasp” I mention earlier.Has anything gone wrong? There have been many things, I have fallen into a band pit, been trapped in a trunk due to a missing key, forgotten my lines, forgotten which show I am performing, vaulted from a suspension on a rocking ship, spun like a top when a technician plugged a 110 volt prop into 220 volts, I’ve had the audience in hysterics with a urinating bunny and I’ve almost been snapped in half by a drunk volunteer.

What upcoming shows, videos, live tours do you have coming up for yourself? As the theatres and tours re-start there is great interest in a touring, all female magician magic show, I am very excited about that.  At the moment there is a shortage of North American female illusionist performers.  With my shows en route from Europe, I’m on the lookout for new up and coming talent to develop, cast and mentor. I’m currently working on a Magical Women coffee table book about contemporary Magical Women performing today.  This is in conjunction to the research and monthly Magical Women articles I’ve created for VANISH International Magazine since August 2020.  Lastly, I’ve created and am developing several magic routines to compliment my motivational speech about “finding the positives within negatives to reinvent yourself.”

And finally, is there a magic school you would recommend for ladies who would love to pursue magic as a career?  In Canada there’s the Canadian Association of Magicians (CAM) is a good start to find magic clubs near you:  https://www.cammagic.org

We have a Magical Women Facebook group for women in magic: https://www.facebook.com/groups/268813231889920

From Las Vegas:  Luna Shimada a magician and the daughter of legendary Japanese magician Shimada.  Luna created “the Shimada Legacy School of Magic” with virtual and local magic classes school: https://www.facebook.com/The-Shimada-Legacy-School-of-Magic-2145275525505784/

Jeff McBride has the “McBride Magic and Mystery School”.  Jeff’s wife Abigail is very hands on with the program and Jeff has mentored several female magicians. https://www.magicalwisdom.com

Any other news or information you’d like to share, Connie? Next month is Women’s History Month.  If you have sources to post the link for the free VANISH Special Edition, “Female Magicians through the Centuries” that would be great to share.  Also, the “Blast from the Past” playlist from our YouTube channel pays tribute to many vintage female performances.

I invite you all to visit my websites: www.theMagicalWomen.com  &  www.connieboydmagic.com
VANISH International Magic Magazine:  http://www.vanishmagic.com
VANISH Special Edition: “Female Magicians through the Centuries”:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/kmj5t47yszslfc6/VanishSpecialEditionJan2021.pdf?dl=0
YOUTUBE:  www.youtube.com/c/MagicalWomenWithConnieBoyd
FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM
Facebook Magical Women Group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/268813231889920
Facebook Magical Women Page:  https://www.facebook.com/magicalwomen1
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/themagicalwomen/
LINKEDIN https://www.linkedin.com/company/magical-women

Wow…I had no idea there was such a community out there for female illusionists. It was such a pleasure speaking with Connie and now I can’t wait to see one of her shows and experience the mystical world of magical women.
Connie is busy packing her bags and gathering her fellow magical ladies together and taking to the road for more shows, post-Covid.