(St. Catharines, ON) – After a successful first year of concerts which included 54-40, The Trews, Alex Cuba, Chantal Kreviazuk, Bruce Cockburn, Darlene Love, Downchild, Ron Sexsmith and more, the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre has announced the line-up for its 2016/17 Hot Ticket season.
Last season more than 75,000 people attended the Centre for performances and events. This year the second Hot Ticket season will include a stellar line-up of over 100 performances, including local, national and international dance, theatre, music and comedy acts.
The 2016/17 season will feature Hot Ticket presentations and co-productions with the very best of Niagara’s professional theatre and music organizations, including: Carousel Players, Essential Collective Theatre, Niagara Artists Centre, Suitcase in Point, TD Niagara Jazz Festival and Twitches and Itches Theatre, along with The Niagara Symphony Orchestra who are performing as part of the imPACt Education Series for Niagara’s students.
The Centre will also continue to be the home of performances by Chorus Niagara, Gallery Players, The Niagara Symphony, The Foster Festival, Yellow Door Theatre Projects, Brock’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts ENCORE Music Series, NIFF (Niagara Integrated Film Festival) and many more.
The season kicks off October 6 with renowned Mediterranean guitarist Pavlo and The Tenors’ world famous Remigio Pereira, touring together for the first time as Pavlo and Remigio.
Other music acts coming to the PAC include Toronto’s iconic Cowboy Junkies; funk’s living legend Maceo Parker; GRAMMY-winning Tex-Mex band Los Lobos; the inspirational African a capella group Ladysmith Black Mambazo and the only Canadian woman to be an official member the Grand Ole Opry, country superstar, Terri Clark.
Returning favourites include Classic Albums Live, who perform the greatest rock albums, note for note. They’re set to play three shows including The Band’s The Last Waltz, Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours and Jimi Hendrix’s debut Are You Experienced. Other favourites include: the East Coast fiddling family of Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy; one of Canada’s best known Tenors, John McDermott; Celtic music, dance and theatre troupe, Tartan Terrors and The Just For Laughs Road Show.
The Hear! Here! Niagara Music Series, hosted by the Mark Lalama Trio returns with seven shows this season in Robertson Theatre. The Series begins on Sunday 18 September with guests Gregory Hoskins and Ariana Gillis, and continues on Sunday 2 October with the return of Welland’s Daniel Romano and special guest Guido Basso.
Canadian artists will also be featured with concerts of all genres and styles. Theory of A Deadman will perform an acoustic show on Friday November 25. Quebec’s master impersonator André-Phillipe Gagnon comes to Partridge Hall for two shows (one English, one French). Peabody Award-winning broadcaster Jowi Taylor brings the community together with The Six String Nation Guitar; Polaris Music Prize shortlisted artist Basia Bulat is guaranteed to wow with her delicate pop-folk sounds; while alternative rockers The Tea Party will weave ‘esoteric spells.’ Other acts include the duo of Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland, better known as Whitehorse; a double bill of gifted singer-songwriters featuring Terra Lightfoot and Donovan Woods; and an evening with Canadian ‘90s rockers Berg, Murphy, Northey and Page featuring members of The Pursuit of Happiness, Sloan, Odds and ex-Barenaked Ladies frontman Steven Page. The 16/17 HOT TICKET season concludes with 2014 Polaris Music Prize-winner Tanya Tagaq with her indigenous and electronic reclamation of the controversial 1922 silent film Nanook of the North on Thur 4 May.
The PAC will host a variety of professional theatre and dance shows from both Canadian and international companies. This includes: Ballet Jörgen’s performance of the classic Swan Lake; ProArteDanza presents an evening of visionary repertoire in November; Why Not Theatre return with their award-winning play Iceland, while Volcano Theatre make their downtown debut with Hannah Moscovitch’s critically-acclaimed play Infinity; Kaha:wi Dance Theatre bring history to life with The Honouring, a performance that fuses Indigenous and contemporary dance with a compelling choreographic vision.
Tickets will go ON SALE as follows:
Donors and Seat Owners on Friday June 3 at 10am
Renewing 15/16 HOT TICKET Members – Friday June 17 at 10am
New 16/17 HOT TICKET Members – Monday June 27 at 10am
General Public – Wednesday August 17 at 10am
For more information on becoming a member or seat owner and the upcoming 16/17 HOT TICKET Season, visit our website at www.FirstOntarioPAC.ca or contact the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre Box Office by phone 905-688-0722, email BoxOffice@FirstOntarioPAC.ca, or in person at 250 St. Paul Street, St. Catharines. Box Office hours: Monday-Friday 10am-6pm; Saturday 10am-2pm.
The FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre gratefully acknowledges the support of the Department of Canadian Heritage’s Canada Arts Presentation Fund.
For FULL lineup and dates click here.
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