Now & Then Episode 20 – July 2024

Welcome to the July 2024 episode!

Auditions recently took place for The Wizard of Oz, and I got to attend the first night. For the first part of this episode, you get to hear some footage from then. Some includes my granddaughter who’s been accepted as a Munchkin! And this was her first audition! I’m so proud of her!

We also have our historian Ian McKechnie, back after a little while, discussing how he’s now a published author, and talking about his book, “Reflections on Old Victoria County: In Tribute to R. B. Fleming”. Dr. Ray Fleming was a well-known historian and author, who also did some documentation about the Academy Theatre. Not long before he died, he compiled articles about our local history to put into a book. He passed before he could finish it, but Ian and another historian got a green light from Ray’s family to keep going where he left off. And this is the result!!

We also hear stories from the amazing Andy McNeilly, what it was like living in Bali, Indonesia, right after the pandemic. Some examples include how some people came permanently and all over the world to live in Bali during some rough times, such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. There was a surplus of tourism and some people weren’t treating Hinduism right, and Andy felt responsibility and was a bit of a speaker. Who had millions and millions of views!!!

Press play to Learn More!

Now & Then Episode 18 – May 2024

Episode 18 is out!

In this one we have some very talented guests – Rob Barg, a talented musician, a board member of the theatre, and the chairman of the Program Committee, of which I am a member too. We talk about what the primary function of the committee is – to advise the management and the board of the shows we arrange ourselves and the ones we rent to, and how the theatre industry is leaning more and more towards tribute shows of old bands that might not be around anymore and dipping into the nostalgia. And more!

We also have Freddy Kwon. He’s the guitarist of my dear friend Warren Frank’s band The Kents. Their band is still working songs and doing tours. Freddy and Warren started working together in high school. Freddy currently works at an artist agency as a coordinator, and we talk about what it’s like there; having a day to day roster of artists they represent, finalizing tours, working with the writers and promoters, etc.

Also, continuing our amazing story with Andy McNeilly, he talks about not just going viral for being a Caucasian immigrant in Bali, Indonesia, but ending up as a result on talk shows and television programs as a cultural observer.

Finally, we get some exciting show announcements from Craig Metcalf for the remainder of the month!

00:00 – Intro

1:34 – Rob Barg

9:49 – Fred Kwon

18:05 – Andy McNeely

39:18 – Craig Metcalfe

43:06 – Outro

Now & Then Podcast Episode 17 – April 2024

For the past few episodes, we have discussed our special guest Andy McNeilly’s journey from here in Kawartha Lakes to Bali, Indonesia. We learned he moved there, learned a new way of music, fell in love, and built a family for himself. What you might not know is he so quickly learned Balinese, and was so fluent in it, there was a special festival he spoke at in Bali that went viral!

We also hear about what is happening this month in April at the Academy Theatre, from tributes to Led Zeppelin and The Eagles, and two special ones are I.E. Weldon’s Antics are coming back for their second year, and The Stampeders are coming, who recently lost Ronnie King. This will be a sort of tribute.

We lastly hear from a boatload of Odyssey Project alumni. This episode was kind of a reunion between two teachers (me and David Morrison) and the students, all of which have changed so much on the outside but are still their goofy selves on the inside. And David and me? Haven’t aged a bit!

0:00 – Intro

2:33 – Andy McNeilly

15:42 – Craig Metcalfe

19:10 – Odyssey Intro

22:13 – Caelin Morrison

23:49 – Caroline Allen

26:18 – Shelby Clarke

28:32 – Matty Robbins

30:03 – Max Keir

33:04 – Jasmine Plumley

35:07 – David Morrison

37:06 – Outro