The post Join Friends Of The Huntsville Library For A Special Evening With Terry Fallis appeared first on Muskoka411.

Based on the true story of a group of extraordinary women who pose nude for a fundraising
calendar after losing a loved one to leukemia, Calendar Girls is a hilarious and deeply moving celebration of friendship, resilience, and community spirit.

Theatre Muskoka is proud to announce Enliven Cancer Care and Hospice Muskoka/Andy’s
House as the production’s Opening Night Honoured Guests. Enliven, a dedicated local
non-profit providing support, programs, and community for individuals and families navigating a cancer diagnosis in Muskoka, and Hospice Muskoka, a registered non-profit providing compassionate palliative, end-of-life, and bereavement care at no cost to families across the region, will be celebrated throughout the run for their vital work.

“At its core, Calendar Girls is about how love and community can transform grief into something powerful and beautiful,” says Michelle Emson, Executive Director of Theatre Muskoka.

“Partnering with Enliven Cancer Care and Hospice Muskoka/Andy’s House allows us to lift up organizations that put that exact spirit into action every day right here in Muskoka. We are privileged to share our stage and our spotlight with them.”
Director Joanne Kmiec captures the production’s unique balance of laughter and heart.
“Bringing this remarkable story to life has been a testament to the power of laughter, resilience, and standing by your friends when it matters most. You’ll laugh, you’ll be moved, and you’ll leave the theatre entirely inspired by these unforgettable women.”

Calendar Girls runs at the Rene M. Caisse Memorial Theatre in Bracebridge. Tickets are
available online or by phone, with special 10% discounts available for group bookings. This
production will star Beth Busotti, Glad Bryce, Rachel Walker-Brown, Karen Thorn, Sherrie
Gordon, Paige Ballard, Nancy Jamieson, Jean-Guy Lafleur, Aussa Penniall, Nickolas Kulchar,
Fritz Ruttan, Katie Cooper, Steve Salt, and Kimberly Kane and is directed by Joanne Kmiec.

For more information, ticket reservations, or group sales, contact Theatre Muskoka at
705-999-3361 or visit theatremuskoka.ca

The post Theatre Muskoka Brings Heart, Humour, And Hope To Bracebridge With Calendar Girls appeared first on Muskoka411.

Wassailing is an old traditional custom where groups sing, typically around a bowl of warm spiced drink, during midwinter. Songs touch upon the Christmas story, and often bless the orchards for a healthy apple harvest. Led by local professional musician, Hannah Shira Naiman, participants will learn simple harmonies to a variety of seasonal, joyful, and occasionally boisterous songs, stemming from the old tradition.

Muskoka Community Sing is a relatively new program in the area, running since February 2026. The group’s mandate is to facilitate communities singing together in harmony, simply for the joy it brings. Song leader Hannah Shira Naiman is known for her warm, inclusive and enthusiastic community approach to singing. She creates a low-pressure environment for singers to learn by ear and experience the pleasure of singing with others without the pressure of performance. Repertoire is drawn from a variety of folk traditions.

Songs will be learned by ear and broken down into simple harmony parts, with written music provided for those who prefer to read along. No previous choral experience is necessary. Just bring yourself, your voice, and your willingness to connect with their community.

Past participants describe their experience as both accessible and transformative:

“Hannah teaches a fun, low-pressure class where you just listen and sing and enjoy your voice”, “I’ve never sung in public before… I was intimidated, but I signed up regardless. Hannah made all of us comfortable. Singing with others has been a joyous addition to my life.”

This unique session culminates in a festive wassail celebration at Canvas Brewing on December 14th at 6pm. Participants will sing the songs they have learned around a warm wassail bowl, and potluck treats! Community members are welcome to attend, free of charge.

Dates: Mondays, November 9 – December 14, 2026 (6 weeks)
Time: 5 – 7pm
Place: Muskoka Music Centre
Cost: Sliding Scale $105-$135
Registration: by etransfer hannahshiranaiman@gmail.com
More information: hannahshiranaiman.com/community-sing

Note: This program is intended for adults, however if your child wishes to join, they are welcome with a registered adult. Children may also attend if childcare is an issue

Spaces are limited, and early registration is encouraged.

The post Muskoka Community Sing Announces “Winter Wassail”: Six Weeks Of Midwinter Singing, Tradition And Community appeared first on Muskoka411.

Auditions will take place at the Algonquin Theatre on:

●       Sunday, November 8th from 10:00am–6:00 pm

●       Monday, November 9th from 5:00-9:00 pm

Call Backs are on Tuesday,November 10th from 5:00–9:00 pm

An information session about the auditions and production will be held on Thursday, November 5, 2026 from 6:00–7:00 pm at the HfA Studio.

Rehearsals begin Sunday, January 3, 2027 and will be held on Wednesdays (5:00–8:00 pm) and Sundays (12:00–4:00 pm). Performances run for seven shows at the Algonquin Theatre from April 9-18, 2027.

Audition Requirements

Auditions are open to actors ages 8 and up. Featured roles available include Annie, Oliver Warbucks, Miss Hannigan, Grace Farrell, along with supporting roles such as Tessie, Rooster and more. There are also numerous ensemble opportunities including a cast of energetic orphans of all genders and up to and including teenagers.

Registration for Auditions will open up online October 1^st at 10am and close on November 5^th at 12:00pm. Spots are first come, first served. Walk-ins will be accepted on audition days as time permits. Please note that all roles are non-paying.

About the Show

Leapin’ Lizards! 2027 marks the 50th anniversary of the first Broadway production of Annie!

Based on the popular comic strip by Harold Gray, Annie has become a worldwide phenomenon and was the winner of seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and the 1982 film adaption was nominated for multiple Oscars. The beloved book and score by Tony Award winners, Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin, features some of the greatest musical theatre hits ever written, including “Tomorrow.”

With equal measures of pluck and positivity, little orphan Annie charms everyone’s hearts despite a next-to-nothing start in 1930s New York City. She is determined to find the parents who abandoned her years ago on the doorstep of a New York City Orphanage that is run by the cruel, embittered Miss Hannigan. With the help of the other girls in the Orphanage, Annie escapes to the wondrous world of NYC. In adventure after fun-filled adventure, Annie foils Miss Hannigan’s evil machinations… and even befriends President Franklin Delano Roosevelt! She finds a new home and family in billionaire, Oliver Warbucks, his personal secretary, Grace Farrell, and a lovable mutt named Sandy.

This exciting new community theatre production will be directed by Jocelyn Bell-Summersby, a local theatre artist who has over 30 years of teaching and directing experience, and who is currently directing the production of Come From Away coming to the Algonquin Theatre this December.

“Annie is a classic musical with such a big heart,” says director Jocelyn Bell-Summersby. “It offers so many great performance opportunities for kids and adults alike, and a story filled with positivity and determination: something that is so important to bring into the world these days.”

Now in its 16th year, this annual spring musical production is a collaboration between the Huntsville Festival of the Arts and the Rotary Club of Huntsville, celebrating the power of the arts to bring the community together.

The post Attention Actors: Open Audition For Annie: The Musical appeared first on Muskoka411.

Born and raised in Orillia, Gordon Lightfoot remained closely connected to the City throughout his celebrated international career, often returning to his roots to perform at one of his favourite places, the historic Orillia Opera House.

“Gordon Lightfoot never forgot where he came from,” said Orillia Mayor Don McIsaac. “He took every opportunity to return home and share his talent with the community that he loved. We are grateful to the Estate for entrusting these items of personal and historical significance so that his enduring contributions and impact can continue to be celebrated for future generations.”

In 2023 the City established the Lightfoot Working Group to explore opportunities to preserve, celebrate and share the history of Gordon Lightfoot and to submit a proposal to the Lightfoot Estate outlining the City’s desire to receive memorabilia to recognize his legendary accomplishments and his lifelong ties to the City. Donations from the Estate include a portion of Lightfoot’s record collection, awards, furniture, photographs and other items from his childhood that help tell the story of his life, career and deep roots in Canada and Orillia.

“The Lightfoot Estate is pleased to facilitate this gift to the City of Orillia to further the ability of Gordon’s home community to preserve not only Gordon’s musical legacy but to highlight Gordon’s personal contributions to both his hometown and the wider Canadian community.” -The Gordon Lightfoot Estate Trustee.

The City will assess opportunities to preserve and showcase the collection through public displays, partnerships, educational programming and community engagement. Together these efforts will celebrate the life and achievements of Gordon Lightfoot, his remarkable contributions to music, and his everlasting connection to the community he proudly called home.

The post City Of Orillia Receives Donations From Gordon Lightfoot Estate Preserving His Local Music Legacy appeared first on Muskoka411.

For most new residents, moving to Muskoka in August means settling in just in time to catch the tail end of the summer season. But for Kent and Kim Robinson, their move north came right in the middle of orchestrating Canada’s largest celebration of books and reading.

As the Co-Executive Directors of The Word On The Street (WOTS) Toronto, the husband-and-wife duo spends their days programming a massive footprint of Canadian and Indigenous authors for a festival that draws thousands to the downtown core. Now, they are bringing their deep literary passion to their new home in Muskoka.

“We moved to Muskoka in August, but our connection to the area goes back much further,” the Robinsons shared. “Our family has had a presence here for more than 20 years, so making Muskoka our home feels like a very natural next chapter for us.”

The couple brings a powerhouse combination of cultural programming and event production to the region. Kent has been a driving force behind WOTS’s evolution for more than 13 years. A lifelong science fiction and fantasy reader, he parlayed an early love of graphic art into a dynamic career spanning branding and media production as the Founder of Propagation Media.

Working alongside him, Kim brings over 20 years of heavyweight event experience, having previously shaped initiatives for Women in Film & Television Toronto and the Toronto Screenwriting Conference. A devoted horror fan who loves a book that keeps her up at night, Kim has spent the last decade helping expand the festival’s accessibility and national footprint. Together, their shared mission is clear: celebrating and amplifying Canadian and Indigenous storytellers, who they firmly believe are among the best in the world.

Despite the fast-paced demands of producing a massive Toronto-based festival, the couple has already begun embedding themselves in Muskoka’s vibrant arts scene.

“We already love the area and have been thrilled to discover just how strong and vibrant the literary community is across Muskoka,” they noted. They have spent their rare downtime exploring the region’s independent hubs, specifically highlighting Second Story Books and CornerHouse Books in Rosseau, Cedar Canoe Books in Bracebridge and Huntsville, and The Shipyards in Gravenhurst. “It has been exciting to see the enthusiasm for books, authors and local literary culture throughout the region. There is a real sense of community around these bookstores, and we look forward to becoming more connected to it.”

With the Word On The Street festival taking over Toronto’s David Pecaut Square this weekend, the Robinsons are looking forward to a well-deserved reset once the stages are finally packed away.

“After the festival wraps, we hope to take a little vacation time and enjoy more of what Muskoka has to offer,” they said. “The timing could not be better. We are especially looking forward to experiencing Muskoka in the fall, when the area is at its most beautiful with the fall colours, and having a bit of time to explore, read and discover even more of the literary community that we are now lucky to call our own.”

The Word On The Street Toronto runs this weekend, September 26 and 27, at David Pecaut Square. To view the full schedule of free events and author appearances, visit toronto.thewordonthestreet.ca.

The post A New Chapter: Meet The Local Couple Running Canada’s Largest Literary Festival appeared first on Muskoka411.

The post Sully Burrows Of Parry Sound Recognized As Breakthrough Artist Or Group Of The Year At CCMA’s appeared first on Muskoka411.

Written by acclaimed playwright Sara Moyle, with musical direction by two time Juno
nominee Jason Wilson, Heroes on the Air brings to life the stories of Royal Canadian Air
Force personnel through scripted storytelling, live Foley sound effects, and music.
Performed by five actors, the production offers audiences a unique and immersive tribute to Canada’s air force heritage. Heroes on the Air honours the courage, sacrifice, and humanity of the men and women who have served in the RCAF over the past century. Through storytelling and live theatre, it creates a powerful connection between generations and helps preserve these important Canadian stories.

“As a playwright, telling the true stories of heroes in the RCAF, I wanted to create a time
capsule experience for the audience, bringing them back to the golden age of radio,” said
playwright Sara Moyle. “You are no longer reading about someone; instead, their story is
animated in your ear. It’s live with sound. You’re in the moment, you’re experiencing it, you’re feeling it. It brings a different sensitivity to the listener and humanizes the experience of the heroes.”

The event is open to the public, and tickets are available for purchase.
https://www.huntsvillefestival.ca/heroes-on-the-air

Event Details
What: Heroes on the Air — Live Radio Style Theatre Production
When: Thursday, October 29, 2026 at 7:00 PM
Where: The Algonquin Theatre – 37 Main Street E

The post Heroes On The Air Brings RCAF Stories To The Stage In Huntsville appeared first on Muskoka411.

The post Award-Winning Million Dollar Quartet Comes To The Orillia Opera House appeared first on Muskoka411.

Working with longtime producer Chad Irschick, Aglukark brought “For You” to life alongside the Inuksuk Drum Dancers from Nunavut, Sweleyén, also known as Julianne Peters, of the Tsq’éscen’ First Nation in Secwepemcúl’ecw, and received special choral guidance from Deantha Edmunds, an Inuk classical singer and composer from Newfoundland and Labrador. The result is a song built from voices across several Indigenous nations, brought together around a single, simple idea, one Aglukark first put into words as a private poem before it became something meant to be shared.

Aglukark credits the Ontario Arts Council for making the project possible, along with Mary Piercey-Lewis, whose commitment to the recording spanned sessions in both Toronto and Iqaluit, Nunavut. In keeping with the values that have long defined her work, a portion of the proceeds from “For You” will go toward The Orange Shirt Society and Aglukark’s own Arctic Rose Foundation, which supports Northern Inuit, First Nations, and Metis youth through Indigenous led arts programming.

“For You” arrives at a landmark moment in Aglukark’s career. Born in Churchill, Manitoba and raised in Arviat, she became the first Inuk artist to land a Top 40 hit in Canada with “O Siem,” the breakout single from her triple platinum 1995 album ‘This Child.’ Over more than three decades, she has released a string of acclaimed albums including ‘Arctic Rose,’ ‘Unsung Heroes,’ ‘Big Feeling,’ ‘Blood Red Earth’ and 2022’s ‘The Crossing,’ earning three Juno Awards along the way, an Officer of the Order of Canada distinction in 2005, and the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement in 2016.

On the road, Aglukark performs with a live band featuring Mark Lalama on piano, keys and accordion, Shawn Sasynuik on drums and percussion, Stephan Berand on bass, and either Eric Treleavan or Jeff Smallwood on guitars, with the full band contributing vocals throughout the set. That band brings her indigenous folk and easy listening sound across a packed run of upcoming dates, including her 30th anniversary tour marking ‘This Child,’ the Together for Nature tour alongside Terra Lightfoot, and her holiday production, Upinnaq: A Beautiful Christmas.

With “For You,” Aglukark adds another chapter to a catalogue built on honesty, heritage, and connection, turning a private poem into a song made in community, for community.

Tour Dates:

September 15, 2026, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Ottawa, ON, Together for Nature Tour with Terra Lightfoot

September 16, 2026, Knox Presbyterian Church, Toronto, ON, Together for Nature Tour

September 17, 2026, St. Matthews Lutheran Church, Kitchener, ON, Together for Nature Tour

September 18, 2026, Metropolitan United Church, London, ON, Together for Nature Tour

October 17, 2026, The Pavilion at The Water Tower Inn, Sault Ste. Marie, ON, Algoma Fall Festival

October 23, 2026, Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport Hotel and Marina, Richmond, BC, Crosscurrents 2026 keynote

November 19, 2026, Capitol Centre, North Bay, ON, Upinnaq: A Beautiful Christmas

November 20, 2026, Orillia Opera House, Orillia, ON, Upinnaq: A Beautiful Christmas

November 21, 2026, Shenkman Arts Centre, Ottawa, ON, Upinnaq: A Beautiful Christmas

November 22, 2026, Brockville Arts Centre, Brockville, ON, Upinnaq: A Beautiful Christmas

November 26, 2026, The Rose Brampton, Brampton, ON, Upinnaq: A Beautiful Christmas

November 27, 2026, Chatham Capitol Theatre, Chatham, ON, Upinnaq: A Beautiful Christmas

December 2, 2026, River Run Centre, Guelph, ON, Upinnaq: A Beautiful Christmas

December 3, 2026, Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts, Brantford, ON, Upinnaq: A Beautiful Christmas

December 4, 2026, Flato Markham Theatre, Markham, ON, Upinnaq: A Beautiful Christmas

The post Officer Of The Order Of Canada Susan Aglukark Turns A Poem Into New Single “For You” And Announces Christmas Concerts appeared first on Muskoka411.