Creekside Theatre preview
Special to The Daily Courier
Ryan Donn got his 2019 season at Creekside Theatre off to a great start with the sold-out Winter Blues Festival last weekend.
The Lake Country theatre manager has even more treats in store this year. Three major concerts — Matthew Good, Steven Page and Adam Fitzpatrick — are already sold out.
The Winter Blues Festival attracted 400 fans who enjoyed five acts on three stages: Jim Byrnes, Rick ‘Poppa Dawg’ Halisheff, Brandon Schmor, Harpdog Brown and Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne.
“Essentially, I just get the acts that people are asking about,” said Donn as the festival wound down.
Halisheff helped Donn launch the festival in 2017 so “I basically gave him a guaranteed gig every time we’re doing this festival. So that’s always in.
“A lot of people ask me about Jim Byrnes. I wanted a new act so I went with Harpdog Brown.”
Tickets for the fourth annual Winter Blues Festival on Jan. 25, 2020, are already on sale through Kelowna Tickets.
As for the rest of the season, “What we are trying to do is go with as much variety as possible, do that mix of what works and also pushing the audience a little bit,” said Donn.
“So we have our very first classical show. We have our very first Celtic theme show. We’ve got kids theatre, which I always wanted to bring back.”
The 2019 schedule includes Juno award winner Danny Michel.
Getting acts like that, plus Page and Good, means booking further and further in advance, said Donn.
“I do find that I’m planning further and further ahead. That’s kind of my world. I’m now booking into 2020. I put in an offer for June 2020 last week. I could tell you almost every show for the next season but I won’t. The whole point is a surprise,” he said with a grin.
Here is the schedule for the next five months:
Feb. 10: Matthew Good solo, 7:30 p.m., sold out.
Feb. 15: Danny Michel, 7:30 p.m., nominated for three Junos, the Polaris Prize and the CBC Heart Of Gold, a pile of albums under his belt, one of Canada’s finest songwriters.
Feb. 23: Global Music Fest, 6:30 p.m., featuring Cristian De La Luna, originally from Colombia, playing Latin rhythms; upbeat heavy neo-soul singer/songwriter Leila Neverland Trio; globalminded activities and food.
March 3: Luke McMaster and Andrew Allen - Icons of Soul, 7:30 p.m., two celebrated Canadian songwriters.
March 14: Celtic Festival, 6:30 p.m., three stages, five acts, including Cod Gone Wild, Malarkeys, Derina Harvey Band (Celtic rock) and COIG, Atlantic Canada’s premiere traditional group.
March 30: The Lynns, 7:30 p.m., Canadian heartbreak poets Lynn Miles and Lynne Hanson have toured and written songs off and on over the past 10 years. The Lynns’ debut album is Heartbreak Song For The Radio. Miles has released 14 albums, won four Canadian Folk Music awards and a 2003 Juno award for Roots and Traditional Solo Album of the Year. Hanson has released six albums, won the Colleen Peterson Award for songwriting and been nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award.
May 19: Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch, 3 p.m., tickets are free but registration is required (maximum four per order — email rdonn@lakecountry.bc.ca to request more per order). Set in a friendly and quaint town in the 1940s, Mr. Hatch is a tall, thin, lonely man who works a simple but important job. One day, his life turns around when he receives a package on Valentine’s Day with a pink bow that has a message that reads, “Somebody loves you.” Mr. Hatch’s world is turned upside down and he begins to make friends, and enjoy all sorts of nice foods and the fun parts of life that he once ignored. After receiving the letter, Mr. Hatch goes on a hunt to find out who sent him the mysterious package.
May 24: Chitarra da Camera Ensemble, Chamber Music Kelowna, 7:30 p.m., newly formed ensemble featuring accomplished local performers Martin Kratky on cello, Sandra Wilmot on violin, Ashley Kroecher on violin and Alan Rinehart on guitar.
May 28: Juno Award-winner Steven Page, formerly with Barenaked Ladies, sold out. The album is included in the ticket price.