Bouquets from Flower Communications Agency

2011-10-14T19:54:00.000-07:00

Column in October issue of

John Stark Productions presents

Johnny Canuck

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cluggzrSARs&feature=player_embedded

By Carolyn Flower, October issue of The Montrealer

Johnny Canuck: A musical odyssey across Canada

JohnnyCanuck is by truedefinition, a labor of love and a tribute from a husband to his late wife. Industry veteran director/producer John Stark, only recentlydiscovered this manuscript written by his wife, the award-winning Jovanka Bach, and has brought her work to life in thismusical story that begins its storytelling journey through song and imageryfrom coast to coast of the Canadian landscape. A veteran actor, writer, producer and director, Stark beganhis career in Vancouver in the mid sixties. As adirector, he has staged over 40 productions internationally. He founded his own company, theCanadian Art Theatre, and his first production was The Iceman Cometh by Eugene O’Neill which garnered him nationalrecognition. As an actor, his first major success was An Evening with Stephen Leacock, a one-man-show which he performedin Canada, England and the U.S., including Carnegie Recital Hall and theNational Arts Center in Ottawa, where it was recorded by RCA. A television version followed, and it has beenaired on CBC, Channel 4 London, and other major international networks. It iscurrently airing on PBS. Stark firstbegan portraying the great Canadian humorist back in 1972, before a freshmanEnglish class at Simon Fraser University, in Vancouver. Response was sopositive that he took the show on the road and was soon asked to perform atMcGill University in Montreal, where Leacock himself lectured for overtwenty-five years. A successful tour ofEurope followed with performances at the Oxford University and the EdinburghFestival, where the show was named "critic's choice." "…a stunning portrayal of Canada'smaster humorist"...Montreal Star.

JohnnyCanuck by JovankaBach stars John DeYoung as a wandering troubadour who returns home froma nightclub engagement to find that his wife Beth has run off with another mannamed Bert. In Beth’s farewell letter toJohnny, she asks him not to follow her, but Johnny is determined to win hiswife back, so he leaves his dear daughter Lilly Sue with their Aunt Marie andbegins a trek across Canada, in search of his wife. The tale is told through song and story byJohnny Canuck. It is a one hour one-man-show,with a series of backdrop projections showing all the clubs and locations thatJohnny travels to in search of Beth. Many of the musical compositions areoriginal pieces by DeYoung, while others are timeless folksongs that reflect variouscultures and eras. Bach skillfully researched and found old folk songs torepresent specific Canadian regions and wove them into the play with details ofvisual images to be projected. She wrote her own lyrics for songs to enhancethe wandering troubadour’s story. She again merges real-life aspects into herplay, as her husband’s Croatian immigrant father, Ivan Starcevich, actuallylived the harsh life of the hard-rock miners in Canada’s British Columbia.

John DeYoung, making his Montréal stage début, has beenwriting, recording and performing music nearly all of his life. In the 1970’s John began playingprofessionally and spent many years making his living in the club circuit fromSan Diego to Santa Barbara. John has opened concerts and shared stages with thelikes of Missing Persons, John Hiatt, Marc Cohn, Maria McKee, Debra Davis, ArloGuthrie, David Lindley, Jesse Colin Young, Albert Lee, and many others. After completing his first solo album in 1997“Envisage”, he formed the musical group “Naked Hearts” in 1999, and they haverecorded two albums together. Johncomposed and recorded music for the play TheGreat Election, as well as other John Stark Productions including the soundtrackalbum for Johnny Canuck. In an interview with DeYoung from his homein New Mexico, he recalled: “When John asked if I would take the stage on thisproject, I thought of course he was asking me as a musician. I quickly realized he was asking me to BEJohnny Canuck. It was a new theatrical experience for me and haveloved the journey every step of the way”. And by accounts, it is clearly the music and the man singing and tellingthe tale that have made this musical such a hit.

Jovanka Bach (1936-2006)began her award-winning accomplishments as a playwright in 1974, aftergraduating from UCLA medical school as a doctor in the field of dermatology.Bach’s first script, The Matter of theHeart, about heart surgeons, was acknowledged at the National PlaywrightsConference. In the years to follow, she blended the two productive careers, aswell as managing a family. She wrote 15plays, two health books and three novels, in addition to teaching and doingresearch and diagnostic work at UCLA. In her 3-year battle with ovarian cancer,Jovanka continued working on her plays and John Stark, her husband of 28 years,was very moved by her ongoing creative spirit. Stark continues to bring his late wife’s plays to life in her memory. His most recent success, a memorial tribute, was theoff-Broadway staging of Chekhov & Maria,written by Bach, which is now a major motion picture, directed by Eric Till. This story about Chekhov’s last yearbattling tuberculosis has received various awards, including Best Drama at theNY Film and Video Festival. Itis currently airing on Super Channel Canada and coming up soon on Russian TV,BBC TV and PBS. Othersuccessfully staged plays by Jovanka Bach include Sylvie, Mercy Warren’s Tea and the BalkanTrilogy (1998-2002) is a series of three plays about the impactof ethnic strife in which Bach (Bachevich originally) takes her own Montenegrinheritage and experiences in an immigrant family and blends it with Serbianmythical poetry and historical events. This has garnered positive reviews in the NewYork Times.

Johnny Canuck is on tour and playing a limited engagement at the Crowley Arts Centre(5325 avenue Crowley www.crowleyartscentre.org)October 22 & 23 at 8:00 p.m. BoxOffice: 514-656-5672. General Admission: $20.00;Students & Seniors: $15.00. www.johnstarkproductions.com.

BOX OFFICE

514-656-5672

Limited Engagement

Crowley Arts Centre

5325, ave. Crowley, Montreal

www.crowleyartscentre.org

October 22nd and October 23rd 2011

8:00 p.m.

(a one-hour show)

Tickets: $20.00

$15.00 (students & seniors)

2011-10-11T13:14:00.001-07:00

Spotlight on "Upstairs Jazz Bar & Grill"

in my column Behind the Menu from the September issue of

The Montrealer July 2011 "Behind the Menu" spotlight on The Rib 'N Reef Steakhouse

2011-08-13T07:50:00.000-07:00

The Montrealer June 2011 "Behind the Menu" spotlight on Chez les de Villemure Restaurant

2011-08-13T07:47:00.000-07:00

Charming location in the off-island village of Coteau du Lac

The Montrealer June 2011

2011-08-13T07:44:00.001-07:00

The Montrealer, May 2011

2011-08-13T07:41:00.000-07:00

Mahalia Jackson Biography - Biography.com

2011-07-04T13:46:00.000-07:00

Mahalia Jackson Biography - Biography.com

THE CHARLEBOIS POST: Ford's Focus: Bob Bachelor

2011-05-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

THE CHARLEBOIS POST: Ford's Focus: Bob Bachelor: "One Lucky Lyrical Music Man If you have seen Montreal musical theatre, you have seen Bob Bachelor at work by Barbara Ford Bob Bachelor i..."

THE CHARLEBOIS POST: Ford's Focus: Ezio Carosielli

2011-05-06T10:30:00.000-07:00

THE CHARLEBOIS POST: Ford's Focus: Ezio Carosielli: "The stained-glass ceiling of the renovated Rialto Ezio's in the House! by Barbara Ford What do passion, business acumen, patience, v..."

THE CHARLEBOIS POST: EVENT: John, Paul, George, Ringo

2011-04-27T12:15:00.000-07:00

THE CHARLEBOIS POST: EVENT: John, Paul, George, Ringo

THE CHARLEBOIS POST: CharPo Celebrates World Theatre Day, 2011

2011-03-26T22:03:00.000-07:00

THE CHARLEBOIS POST: CharPo Celebrates World Theatre Day, 2011: "Among other events today is CharPo's second outing of Twee-atre, tonight at 7 p.m. You can follow the play, created on the spot by Jonathan..."

The Hudson Music Club's production of The Drowsy Chaperone

2011-03-25T11:05:00.000-07:00

a glimpse of hudson music club s the drowsy chaperone

2011-03-25T11:03:00.000-07:00

a glimpse of hudson music club s the drowsy chaperone

Cold Feet

2011-03-24T06:01:00.001-07:00

Ending of Toledo Surprise

2011-03-24T06:01:00.000-07:00

As We Stumble Along

2011-03-24T05:59:00.000-07:00

the drowsy chaperone in vaudreuil dorion a spring tonic

2011-03-19T14:46:00.000-07:00

the drowsy chaperone in vaudreuil dorion a spring tonic

Drowsy Chaperone a toe-tapping good time - English - L'Étoile

2011-03-18T06:23:00.000-07:00

Drowsy Chaperone a toe-tapping good time - English - L'Étoile

quebec drama federation spring luanch at rialto a hit

2011-03-10T07:32:00.000-08:00

quebec drama federation spring luanch at rialto a hit

THE CHARLEBOIS POST: Charpo's Picture of the Week, March 3, 2011

2011-03-10T07:30:00.000-08:00

THE CHARLEBOIS POST: Charpo's Picture of the Week, March 3, 2011: "Sophie Protopoulos in The Drowsy Chaperone for Hudson Music Club(photo: Mike Melino)"

THE CHARLEBOIS POST: News: CharPo launches it first Twee-atre season Ma...

2011-03-10T07:29:00.000-08:00

THE CHARLEBOIS POST: News: CharPo launches it first Twee-atre season Ma...: "CharPo plays - reserve your Tweets. CharPo will be launching its first season of short Twee-atre works, March 15, 7 p.m. (to 7:15 p.m.), o..."

quebec drama federation spring luanch at rialto a hit

2011-03-08T09:52:00.000-08:00

quebec drama federation spring luanch at rialto a hit

The Drowsy Chaperone at the Hudson Music Club - Local - News - The Chronicle

2011-03-08T08:55:00.000-08:00

The Drowsy Chaperone at the Hudson Music Club - Local - News - The Chronicle

THE CHARLEBOIS POST: Video: First Coverage of QDF Spring Launch

2011-03-07T21:49:00.001-08:00

THE CHARLEBOIS POST: Video: First Coverage of QDF Spring Launch: "Selections from the QDF spring launch (full coverage to follow)"

l'Agence Flower Communications Agency is MOVING to serve you better

2011-02-28T06:25:00.000-08:00

L’Agence Flower Communications Agency is
MOVING
As of March 1, 2011, we are pleased to be moving our office to the address below. This move allows us work more closely with our production department, be more centrally located in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges business district, and enjoy the advantage of conference room facilities to better serve our clients.
1000 St. Charles Avenue

Suite 806

Vaudreuil-Dorion, QC J7V 8P5

BB Mobile: Tel/SMS: 514-979-3570
Daytime fax: 450-424-7121
Evening fax: 450-451-5900

Call for your free consultation

carolyn@carolynflower.com

Why not add RADIO to market your business. YES it is affordable! Call and I will show you how!
Want to reach the very lucrative Montreal market? Call and I will show you how!

Carolyn
and the team at FCOMM

WHAT'S ON AT FCOMM? Bouquets from Flower Communications Agency

carolynflower.blogspot.com

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Read Ford's Focus in The Charlebois Post today: Spotlight on Randy Davies,

2011-02-26T08:36:00.001-08:00

charpo.blogspot.com

HMF 1 minute

2011-02-14T14:49:00.000-08:00

Welcome!

2011-02-14T11:58:00.001-08:00

WHAT'S ON AT FCOMM?

Welcome to the Flower Communications Agency. Today's WHAT'S ON AT FCOMM post is dedicated to one of my clients, The Hudson Music Club. I plan to use this space to boost the visibility of clientele, and hope it is a friendly place to visit and find out "What's on at FCOMM". Any questions, drop a line, anytime.

Today, my thanks goes to Pat Donnelly at the Montreal Gazette's Stage and Page for including client, Hudson Music Club's upcoming full stage musical production of The Drowsy Chaperone, opening March 11th and running through March 26th.

Reserve your tickets now!

http://hudson-music-club.thisticket.com/

or call Doris at: 514-830-2131

The Drowsy Chaperone marks the Hudson Music Club's 50th (yes 50th!) musical production! For information about Hudson Music Club the organization and their past productions, visit them at:

www.hudsonstlazare.com/hudsonmusic

Stay tuned. Sending bouquets every day.

Carolyn

Article by Carolyn Flower in the February edition of
The Montrealer newspaper on news stands now.