An evening at the Tony’s at Grove Hall

Fans of Broadway’s biggest hits get ready. A production of Light the Lights: An Evening at the Tony’s, which opened at the historic Centaur Theatre in Old Montreal on April 26, is coming to Grove Hall in Huntingdon for two shows only on Saturday, May 5. A Full Circle Production, Light the Lights features a cast of 21 volunteers, mainly from the West Island or off island, who have been rehearsing since October to bring many of the most loved Broadway classics to life with exceptional accuracy. From the power of Rent to the theatrics of the Phantom of the Opera to the rawness of Les Miserables, the singers are always on key and the show moves at a jaunty pace in celebrating Tony Award nominees and winners from the 1950s to today. Co-produced and directed by Tracy Braunstein, with musical direction by co-producer Sheila Engel Katz, the production will make its way to Huntingdon following its run at the Centaur where it charmed audiences of all ages. Building Bridges For Mark Bye, the co-owner of Grove Hall, the opportunity to bring such a production to Huntingdon represents the building of bridges between Anglophone communities and English arts groups. Bye has known Engel Katz for years and has collaborated in the past with Full Circle Productions. In fact, he is behind the lighting design for the Centaur production of Light the Lights. He sees several parallels between the production company and the community theatre produced locally out of Grove Hall by the Rural Arts Project. “I am interested because it is community driven theatre, which is my main interest,” says Bye in bringing this type of performance to Grove Hall. The hope is that it will spark some interest locally as well in this type of acting and singing. Sheila Engel Katz will also be participating as music director for this summer’s production of the Anne of Green Gables musical, which is set to travel throughout the Haut-Saint-Laurent with five locations already confirmed. Tickets for Light the Lights can be purchased online through the Grove Hall website at www.grovehall.ca, or by calling 514-791-5100. There will be a matinee performance at 2 pm as well as an evening show at 7:30 pm.