Entertainment Beat

Dale K. Jones is pleased to invite everyone out to her first gig in awhile. It will be at The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 1/42, Baron Byng, 243 Coxwell Ave., on Sept. 29, starting at 8:30 p.m. Joining Jones will be Steve Didunyk on keyboards and Geoff Hlibka on guitar.
After several years building a successful reflexology business in Toronto, Jones is happy to be getting back on stage with her crowd-pleasing mix of R&B and 60s pop. She’s using this gig to rehearse the band for an upcoming recording project. For more information visit dalekjones.com.
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The Scarborough Players present Norm Foster’s Bedtime Stories, Oct. 4-6, 11-13 and 18-20, at the Scarborough Village Theatre, 3600 Kingston Rd. at Markham. Bedtime Stories tells the hilarious story of radio personality Eddie ‘Nighthawk’ Nichols who, in an attempt to boost his sagging ratings, manages to persuade a couple to have sex in a hotel while he broadcasts their lovemaking to his listening audience. Betsy and Lou Ballantyne agree to be that couple for $5,000. In the six scenes the characters explore the theme of what it means to be in love. Mature adult content is suggestive, but not explicit.
Bedtime Stories stars Cary West as Eddie, and Deborah Ann Jarvis and John Pirker as the Ballantynes. It is directed by Greg Nolan. Tickets for Bedtime Stories are $18 for adults, $15 for seniors and students, and are available through the box office at 416-267-9292, or online at theatrescarborough.com.
There will also be a matinée Oct. 14 at 2 p.m., and an audience talk-back session Oct. 18 following the performance. Audience members are invited to meet the cast and crew, and ask questions.
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ProArteDanze presents Season 2012, a special four-day-only performance as part of Harbourfront Centre’s NextStep Series, October 3 to 6, at 8 p.m., at the Fleck Dance Theatre, 207 Queen’s Quay W. Season 2012 features an ensemble of Toronto’s best contemporary dancers including Johanna Bergfelt, Kirsten Dennis and Tyler Gledhill, under the direction of Artistic Director – and Beach resident – Roberto Campanella.
The evening’s program will include the world premiere of Breath, an ensemble piece choreographed by Campanella and Robert Glumbek; Decorum, a passionate duet set to music by Arvo Pärt; We Will, a duet by Kevin O’Day; and Beethoven’s 9th – 1st Movement, also choreographed by Campanella and Glumbek.
ProArteDanza was established as a collaborative artistic venture between Campanella and Glumbek in 2004 with the guiding principle “passion in performance.”
Both men won the 2011 Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Choreography.
Campanella was born and raised in Rome, and trained at the Scuola Italiana di Danza Contemporanea. He joined the National Ballet of Canada in 1993 as a dancer/performer. After his retirement in 1996, he trained to become a dance teacher through the National Ballet, and was a sought-after teacher/choreographer before founding ProArteDanza.
Tickets for Season 2012 range from $22 to $39 and are available through the Harbourfront Box Office at 416-973-4000, or online at proartedanza.com.
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The popular Beach Jazz & Reflection series, sponsored by Beach United Church and hosted by St. Aidan’s Anglican Church (while Beach United is under renovations), is proud to start its fall series of concerts.
Oct. 6 sees popular Latino Jazz vocalist and radio host Laura Fernandez grace the stage. Accompanied by pianist Don Naduriak, Fernandez will be singing material with the theme of A Single Kiss.
Fernandez was born in Madrid, lived for a time in Switzerland, and came to Canada to live in Calgary. She graduated from the Alberta College of Art, and worked as a commercial illustrator and children’s book illustrator for many years. She also studied piano at the Royal Conservatory of Music, and made the transition to music with her debut CD, The Other Side, in 2003. In 2010 Fernandez released Un Solo Beso, a collection of music reflecting her Spanish background. This eclectic mix of merengue, bolero and salsa has earned her numerous critical praises. Fernandez is also the host of the popular Saturday afternoon Café Latino on Jazz FM 91.1. For more information visit laurafernandezmusic.com.
The Beach Jazz & Reflection series (formerly Jazz Vespers) is held the first Saturday of each month at St. Aidan’s Anglican Church, 70 Silver Birch Ave., at Queen. Admission is free, but a goodwill offering will be collected. For more information visit beachunitedchurch.com.
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Davaar is a collaborative music project featuring Sara Marlowe and Dave McMillan, founded to explore the “intersection of acoustic and electronic music in composition and live performance.”
Marlowe plays percussion and flute, and sings, while McMillan plays guitar, as well as providing electronic effects through an iPod. Their repertoire includes original songs, as well as songs by such artists as Natalie Merchant, Sinead O’Connor and O Susanna.
Davaar will be performing Oct. 6, from 10 a.m. until noon, at the Mako Café, 2249 Gerrard St. E.; and Oct. 14, from 1 to 3 p.m., at The Grinder, 126 Main St. For more information visit davaarmusic.com, or saramarlowe.com.
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Beach creative director Brian Coughlin, of Corktown Productions, is running a special comedy workshop for children age 8 to 14, beginning Oct. 13 and running for eight weeks. Called Corktown for Kids, Brian says that the workshops are designed to “promote creativity, confidence, and unleash the funny that exists in all of us.”
Coughlin has lined up special guests Kyle Dooley (Picnicface) to handle the improv sessions; Anto Chan (motivational speaker) to run the stand-up sessions; and Dave Brennan (The Imponderables) to teach the sketch comedy workshops.
The workshops run Saturdays from 2 to 4 p.m.; the cost is $249 for the entire series. Register your budding Robin Williams by calling 416-988-CORK (2675), or visit corktowncomedy.com.
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The Toronto Vocal Arts Festival presents SING! Celebration, Oct. 15, at 8 p.m., at Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. W. There will be great performances by internationally renowned, award-winning artists including: Michael Burgess, Countermeasure, FreePlay Duo, Aaron Jensen, Patti Jannetta, Bill King, Robert Missen, Retrocity, Cadence and more, plus a silent auction, in support of SING! The Toronto Vocal Arts Festival.
Tickets are $20 in advance, and $25 at the door. Reservations can be made by calling Lula Lounge at  416-588-0307, or visit lula.ca.

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