Huron Country Playhouse

There’s something special about summer theatre in a rural setting near a resort beach town that is unlike any other. Waiting outside the barn on a warm summer night at the Huron Country Playhouse for a show to go in, or looking out across the fields while eating an ice cream at intermission is a great way to make memories with friends and family. 

 

Drayton Entertainment which operates the theatre is renowned for big musicals on the Mainstage and delightful comedies in the smaller South Huron Stage (formerly Playhouse II), and this year is no exception.

 

The arts were forced into a two year hiatus by the pandemic and audiences can’t wait for live theatre to return. The 2022 season has been planned with safety in mind. All tickets this year come with a Worry Free Guarantee which means that if your performance is cancelled or you are required to stay home due to COVID-19 symptoms, you may opt for a flexible ticket exchange, a credit on your account (which never expires) or a full refund.

 

In addition, the show schedules have performances with varying capacities that you can choose from based on your level of comfort. There are three performance options from May through July: 100% capacity with no proof of vaccination required, limited capacity (33% reduced) with no proof of vaccination required or limited capacity (33% reduced) with proof of vaccination required. From August through December, there are two performance options: 100% capacity with no proof of vaccination required or limited capacity (33% reduced) with no proof of vaccination required. Please see the website under “Duty of Care” for the full list of COVID-19 mitigation protocols that are in place.

The season is slightly curtailed with the first mainstage show opening on June 23. Fiddler on the Loose is anchored by the extraordinary talents of fiddler and showman Jesse Grandmont. The show was conceived and created by David Rogers and directed and choreographed by David Hogan both legendary musical theatre veterans.

With its stirring blend of music, dancing, comedy, and of course, fantastic fiddling, this lively revue features over 60 songs running the gamut of genres from country and bluegrass to Celtic, classical, pop, and more. The eclectic song list moves seamlessly through memorable tunes like "Dust in the Wind," "Devil Went Down to Georgia," "Snowbird," "Misty," "Take Me Home, Country Roads," "Orange Blossom Special," "King of the Road," and many, many more. The show runs until July 9.

 

From July 20 to August 6, it’s non-stop laughter with the wild and wacky farce It Runs in the Family. A renowned neurologist’s indiscreet past, in the form of a son from a secret fling, catches up with him as he prepares to deliver a career-boosting speech. Little white lies turn into whoppers as the doctor embarks on an uproarious journey filled with twists and turns in order to save his precious reputation. Watch with glee as an assortment of bizarre characters transform the sedate St. Andrews Hospital into a madhouse of lunacy! Frantic, funny and completely outrageous, this rib-tickling farce proves once and for all that laughter truly is the best medicine.

 

 

 

 

The mainstage comes alive with the timeless classic, The Sound of Music, to close out the season August 17 to September 4. In this epic love story, aspiring nun Maria leaves the convent to govern the seven mischievous children of Captain von Trapp. Through her youthful vitality and purity of heart, she brings a fleeting moment of happiness to their lives as the shadows of tyranny spread over Europe. Touching the hearts of all ages, the iconic score by Rodgers & Hammerstein brims with  Fall in love with the story in a whole new way when you see some of the most memorable songs ever performed live on stage including "My Favourite Things," "Do Re Mi," "Edelweiss," "Climb Ev'ry Mountain," "Sixteen Going on Seventeen," "The Lonely Goatherd" and, of course, the glorious title song.

 

 

 

 

 

The more intimate space of the South Huron Stage is the perfect setting for Good Ol’ Country Gospel running July 20 to August 6. Let your spirit soar as some of the most memorable melodies ever written come alive on stage in this inspirational musical tribute to the best of Gospel … with a country twist. Featuring glorious arrangements and heavenly voices, this uplifting celebration shines a new light on all your sacred favourites including "Amazing Grace," "I’ll Fly Away," "Peace in the Valley," "How Great Thou Art," "When The Saints Go Marching In," "Will the Circle Be Unbroken," "I Saw the Light," and many more. From soul-stirring ballads to high-energy songs of praise, you won't want to miss this heartfelt tribute to the beloved canon of Gospel hits.

 

 

Huron Country Playhouse is famous for its heart-warming comedies, and The Sweet Delilah Swim Club is sure to become your next favourite play. Five Southern women who met years ago on their college swim team set aside a long weekend every summer to reminisce and reconnect. Free from husbands, kids, and jobs, they meet at the same beach cottage on North Carolina's Outer Banks to catch up, laugh, and meddle in each other's lives. Over the years, the five feisty ladies increasingly rely on one another, through advice and boisterous banter, to get through the challenges that life flings at them – including men, sex, marriage, parenting, divorce, and aging – with some hilarious and unexpected twists and turns. Part Steel Magnolias, part Designing Women ... with just a hint of Golden Girls, southern-fried humour abounds in this rollicking comedy about the enduring power of friendship.

www.draytonentertainment.com 70689 B Line, Grand Bend.