Sunday, September 02, 2012

Love and Music Always in Season

Tonight the curtain falls on "Newfoundland Vinyl", Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador's 21-song salute to the popular music of Canada's Atlantic island province. As the Gros Morne Theatre Festival itself winds down from another great year, cast and crew give it their all, as they have each public performance since mid-July - and during the months of auditions and rehearsals bringing them and the shows together.

Written and directed by TNL's Artistic Director, Jeff Pitcher, Allison Crowe has richly enjoyed serving the production as Music Director. She loves being part of the musical theatre family who've shared this Summer. Allison describes the "super-talented" troupe as her "dream big band".

In this early morning recording four of the GMTF actors/musicians show how, even as all things must pass, love and music endure.

Written by Charlie MacKinnon, singer-songwriter and steel-man, born in Little Bras d'Or, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia (1919 - 1987), "Between Two Trees" was popularized by "His Nibs" Harry Hibbs, who carried his accordion and songs from Bell Island, Newfoundland (1942 - 1989) to tremendous success across Canada and the British Isles.



Today's generation of islanders now hold the torch, and this song, in an arrangement by Allison, is delivered by the soulful voices and harmonies of, (clockwise from front left): Jessy Rose Matthews, Miranda Power, Leah Pritchard and Stephanie Stella Payne (also on guitar).

Slainte mhaith!!

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