"Doubt" not Winnipeg; MTC Delivers

The Manitoba Theatre Centre has seriously delivered in "Doubt: A Parable." With only this week remaining, I urge anyone who enjoys the arts to see this play. The performance by all cast members was extraordinary; however the lead character - Sister Aloysius- played by Nancy Palk (the same role Meryl Streep received an Oscar nomination for) was shattering. It makes me think Mrs. Streep may have taken some pointers from Mrs. Palk's performance.

Set in the Bronx in early 60's, the play is about a nun - Sister Aloysius - who is the principle of a Catholic school, and who grows suspicious of a young priest and his relationship with the school's only black, male student. Determined by her suspicions, Sister Aloysius attacks the priest with her unproven allegations, risking the destruction of her own career as well as his.

The title of the play is exactly how the play leaves the audience - in a state of wonderment, left with questions as to what actually happened between the priest and the male student. A true showing of how tight dialogue and strong delivery can take a viewer through a multitude of emotions, with no clear conclusion other than the satisfaction of a night well entertained.

MTC - well done!

Winnipeggers Get Ready to Rock on the Range

Winnipeggers get ready to kick off the summer with American's premiere destination rock festival - Rock on The Range. On June 27th, some of rock's biggest names will gather at Canad Inn Stadium for the Canadian debut of this head-banging day of rock. And Winnipeggers, we are the only city in Canada to host the festival.

The 2009 lineup for the nationally renowned festival will be highlighted by performances from some of rock's biggest artists around the world, including BILLY TALENT, RISE AGAINST, RANCID, THEORY OF A DEADMAN and SHINEDOWN. Being presented by Right Arm Entertainment and True North, the one-day, two stage music event will feature more than a dozen bands. On top of those already mentioned, expect to see other major rock acts like THORNLEY, BLUE OCTOBER, INWARD EYE and the all-female band from Minneapolis SICK OF SARAH.

Del Williams of Right Arm Entertainment is the executive producer of the travelling rock show, and he's pumped to introduce the venue for the first time in Canada. "We are excited to bring the successful brand Rock On The Range into Canada. ROTR USA has quickly become the American festival destination for the true rock fan and we want ROTR Canada to be the same for not only Manitoba Province but for the entire country. A priority for us is to provide the best possible line up at an affordable price. ROTR Canada will be a festival the real rock music fan can count on year after year."

To give you an idea of the size of this event, last year over 50,000 rockers attended the Columbus, Ohio show, and they expect the same turnout again this year. 50,000 in Canad Inn Stadium?....no problem. Just make sure there's room for the beer tents.

Tickets for ROTR, as well as VIP packages, go on sale Saturday, March 28 at 11:00 a.m. (Central Time) via www.rockontherangecanada.com and Ticketmaster.ca, and all local Ticketmaster outlets. Ticket prices start as low as $29.50.

There you have it Winnipeggers - entertainment the way we like it - cheap and all day long.

Winnipeg does exist, but are we cool or cheap?

It was announced today that Destination Winnipeg - the organization responsible for economic development in Winnipeg - is targeting skilled labourers in the cities of Southern Ontario hardest hit by the economic downturn.

Says President Stu Duncan, "This is an awareness campaign, of raising awareness of Winnipeg and the opportunities here, to cities where people don't know much about Winnipeg." The campaign will focus on the strengths of our economy and affordable cost of living. The idea is to spin Winnipeg as "a cool place to relocate," and they attempt this through their website incrediblycool.ca. The site was launched in late December of last year, as a cost-efficient approach to marketing Winnipeg.

My question... does this website really portray us as cool or cheap?

Because I care so much about this city, and believe so much in the opportunity we have as a city and a province, I've spoken with a lot of business people in Winnipeg and many friends and family about their thoughts on the website. The first reaction is that most haven't heard of it; the second is their dislike of the design. One person I spoke with even suggested that the company that designed the incrediblycool website simply used the template from their own website to build it. I have my own opinion of the design, but I'm more interested in the opinion of others.

The idea of creating YouTube videos that highlight Winnipeg's mention in various movies and tv programs has potential. My fear, however, is that the way they title the videos play into an inferiority complex as a city, and may position us in a negative light. Though the videos are very well produced, will people be convinced were a cool place to relocate just because Warren Beatty mentioned our name once, or because cartoon characters have visited us? I realize this isn't the only information the site provides, and that its a bit of a novel ploy to get people reading further on Winnipeg, but at the same time, it sends a message on how we perceive ourselves.

The other concern is an all-to-familiar bargain attitude to the approach. The people at Destination Winnipeg have done a phenomenal job in identifying workers in cities in Southern Ontario as targets for relocation, but will the message be heard? Why does Saskatchewan spend several hundred thousand dollars to attract commerce and we try and find a cheap alternative? Most times in life you get what you pay for.

I am encouraged that Stu Duncan has placed such value in the internet for promoting Winnipeg to the world, with an important mix of traditional media. I only hope that our bargain approach won't lead to a cheapened perception of Winnipeg as a place to live and do business.