by Dean Hollin
Take a moment to consider not only what will be on stage this season, but the stages themselves. As one who’s had the pleasure of treading the boards on a great many on this continent and abroad, I can tell you each one is entirely and wonderfully unique. As much as I love traditional spaces with their graded seating, balconies, curtaining, thrusts and ornate proscenium arches, I also adore unconventional ones—venues created in the unlikeliest of locales. We are blessed here in SGB to have a pretty nice spattering of both. Here are some I highly recommend.
Meaford Hall Arts & Cultural Centre
Without a doubt one of the performance-venue jewels of SGB. Built between 1908 and 1909, one can hardly begin to calculate the number of entertainers who have graced its stage in the past century. Kudos to the municipality and area residents who have regularly upgraded the facility, creating a solid mix of historic charm and state-of-the-art. Upcoming highlights include:
Big Canoe Project: An Evening with Adam Shoalts—Apr 28
Lighthouse—May 6
meaford.ca/MeafordHall
Simcoe Street Theatre
A “black box” of sorts, but not entirely, the SST is a retrofitted performance space with about 100 seats, created by Rick and Anke Lex and operated very nicely by the Town of Collingwood. Ideal for smaller acts, offering a wonderfully intimate, up-close-and-personal experience. SST will be host to a number of Theatre Collingwood’s 2023 season performances.
theatrecollingwood.ca
creativesimcoestreet.ca/simcoe-street-theatre
Symphony in the Barn
Since 1995 farmer/conductor Michael Schmidt has presented—on his fully operational 200-acre biodynamic dairy farm in Durham, Glencolton Farms—some of the finest classical music and musicians the world has to offer. A typical concert includes birds in the rafters, stars above, barnyard animals and farm-baked goodies. “Where Culture Meets Agriculture” is how they’ve long thought of it! This season presents Beethoven Evolution—Preparing the Ground.
symphonyinthebarn.com
The Collingwood Brewery
First off, I’ll come right out and say that I’m a craft beer lover. SGB has been the place to be for some time now when it comes to the artistry of brewing, and while many of the area’s brew, wine and cider-masters have locations that offer appreciated shots of entertainment, The Collingwood Brewery has something that is especially unique. Their off-the-beaten-path location with its beer garden is a truly “industrial chic” experience complete with trees, driftwood fencing, food trucks and towering concrete silos. Their ongoing lineup of monthly entertainment includes not only local and imported music, but open mic nights, film screenings and beer yoga.
thecollingwoodbrewery.com
Blue Mountain Village
Rest assured that as soon as the ski season comes to a close for another year, the focus will shift to the steady stream of entertainment hitting the Village’s Main Stage. Stroll around and enjoy the shows or grab yourself one of the many Adirondack chairs that typically grace the Village Square.
bluemountainvillage.ca
