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36 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday April 16, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com Sheridan brings to life American classics By Mark Andrew Lawrence SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER The timeless melodies of Jerome Kern (1885-1945) are the core of Theatre Sheridan's original revue, All The Things You Are. The trouble with Kern is that most of his shows are no longer part of the active repertoire. The immortal Show Boat is still frequently staged, but what about Roberta? Music in the Air? The Cat and the Fiddle? Sadly, these shows pre-dated the era of original cast recordings and authentic film adaptations, but those glorious songs are as fresh and original as when they were first heard. Marc Richard and Christopher Mounteer have created a show that surveys the composer's prolific output, weaving in some brief biographical background. It sounds like it will be pleasant overview of the work of a composer, who left us more than 60 years ago, but nothing can quite prepare you for the rich emotional journey this show takes you on. Part of that comes from the melodies themselves, so simple yet so rich. Somehow, the stu- LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER TIMELESS MELODIES: Theatre students performing in All The Things You Are include (l-r) Erika Santillana (narrator) Andrew Broderick, Leah Cogan and Andrew MacIsaac. dents at Sheridan have caught the fever and communicate a genuine affection for this material. When Erika Santillana, acting as our key narrator, tells of Kern's untimely death at the age of 60 the sense of loss is palpable. Before we reach that emotional peak we get to hear 30 of the songwriter's greatest hits including The Way You Look Tonight, The Last Time I Saw Paris and, concluding the first half, a sequence of five songs from the score of Show Boat. It is in this segment that Allison Edwards dazzles with a powerful and passionate rendition of Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man and Andrew Broderick leads a sensitively understated Ol' Man River. The second half begins with a rather curious staging of The Song is You danced by the full company using an improvisational technique called Viewpoints which didn't add anything of import to the song. Later Jennifer Smardenkas sang a smoky version of Yesterdays while Joey De Carle, Johnny Simeonakas and Andrew Broderick danced a homoerotic pas de trio. A great routine, but married to the wrong number. It in no way impairs this entertaining and informative look at one of America's pre-eminent songwriters. Jerome Kern: All The Things You Are continues at Theatre Sheridan, 1430 Trafalgar Road until April 19. Performances are Tuesday through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., with a 2:30 p.m. performance on Saturday. For tickets, call the box office at (905) 815-4049. Art show raises funds for charity Continued from page 35 Walker will be president of the May Court Club of Oakville in 2008/09. The Club provides financial assistance to a number of different groups within Halton. Funds donated next weekend will be given to Halton Women's Place and the Halton Emergency Family Shelter Program. Walker met the others "in the art world." "Good artists are a very small group," is the sentiment they share, which is why the circle has stayed so small. Forming the group was as simple as "getting everyone to say yes," says Walker. There are usually between nine and 12 people present on Tuesdays, from Oakville or neighbouring communities. Three other well-known local artists, who frequently join the rest on Tuesdays, are also participating in the upcoming show -- Rena Savva, Sharon Labbett and Nancy Cuttle. The event will also play host to a bake sale, a tea room with refreshments, and a raffle, which includes prizes such as spa certificates, a gourmet cook basket, a laptop travel tote and a mini digital photo album. "We're thrilled to have such recognized artists participating this year," said Sandra Cross, May Court's spokesperson. Each artist brings two pieces of artwork that pay tribute to her personal vision. The artists are still pursuing more and more non-objectivity and abstraction in their work. For the show, though, it's all about fun and being able to give back to the community, and these artists are all about putting "utility" into an art form. RBG CENTRE, ROYAL BOTANICAL GARDENS 680 Plains Road West, Burlington Thurs. & Fri. 10 - 7 pm · Sat. 9 - 7 pm · Sun. 9 - 6 pm General admission $8 · RBG members $4 Children under 12 free · Senior days, Thurs. & Fri. $4 Free parking & shuttle APRIL 17-20, 2008 A RTISTS' RT TS RTISTS' Reduce Reuse Recycle PAINTING PA PAINTING 905.634.8003 x 321 GET-AWAYS GET-AWAYS ET AWAY T-AWA T-AWAYS WAY TUSCANY www.ontariogardenshow.com SPONSORED BY M A G A Z I N E TWO ADULT GET-AWAYS: June 21 ­ July 4 & Sept. 7 - 20 FAMILY GET-AWAY: August 16 - 29 (art for kids & adults) OPEN HOUSE presentations: Oakville, Toronto, Mississauga RESERVE APPOINTMENT: artist@dawnangela.com, 416.917.2772, www.dawnangela.com