BURLINGTON CELEBRATES THE ARTS
CENTRE’S 2017/2018 LINEUP HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE A&E
BURLINGTON — Buffy Sainte-Marie, Gordon Lightfoot, Roseanne Barr, Roseanne Cash, Graham Nash and Jann Arden are among the acts slated for the 2017/18 Burlington Performing Arts Centre season.
BPAC Interim executive director Brian McCurdy unveiled the season lineup during a gala reception Wednesday night held at the theatre.
The almost 60 acts booked for the season in the downtown theatre span a wide-range of interests and genres including jazz, folk, rock, country, comedy, theatre and children’s entertainment.
The season opens Sept. 30 with the return of Cape Breton fiddlers Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy.
The season then continues Oct. 4 with a night of songs and storytelling by Graham Nash of The Hollies and Crosby, Stills and Nash.
The main theatre lineup closes April 17 with American comedian Roseanne Barr of the popular Roseanne TV series, which is returning next year to ABC.
Other highlights of the season include Canadian songwriting icon Gordon Lightfoot (Nov. 11), “This Hour Has 22 Minutes” comedians Cathy Jones and Mary Walsh (Oct. 20), spoken word artist Shane Koyczan (Nov. 25), legendary folksinger Buffy Sainte-Marie (Nov. 17), American country singer Rosanne Cash (Feb. 23), Canadian country star Gord Bamford (Feb. 1), American funk band Tower of Power (March 22) and “Life is a Highway” rocker Tom Cochrane with Red Rider (March 28).
McCurdy was initially hired in August 2013, to run the theatre but left for family reasons two years later, being replaced by Suzanne Haines.
McCurdy was called back last October on an interim basis to program the season following the surprise resignation of Haines who left after just one year on the job “to pursue other opportunities.”
Earlier this month, the theatre’s 12-member board announced the hiring of executive director Tammy Fox who will take over for McCurdy on July 4. Fox, who will be the fourth head of the theatre in its first five years, previously held the position of general manager of Peterborough’s Showplace Performance Centre. “We acknowledge the tremendous contribution by Brian McCurdy who joined us last fall to work with the team on our current season and program the upcoming 2017-18 presenting season,” said BPAC board chair Ilene Elkaim.
Tickets for the season go on sale May 24 at 11 a.m. online at burlingtonpac.ca and at noon in person at the box office or by phone 905-6816000.