New West Theatre is always up for  giving audiences  a much needed shot of optimism. This summer’s  music revue show Wonderstruck, running Aug. 9-26 in the Yates Theatre is designed to do that through the music of the ’70s and ’80s.

“We didn't originally decide to focus on an era, but we wanted to have a theme of dreaming and imagination. And music from the ’70s and ’80s just fit. There’s less focus on ’50s and ’60s music,” said artistic Director Kelly Reay, who  is excited to work with familiar faces musical director Kelly Zaborsky, Erica Hunt, Scott Carpenter and Kyle Gruninger plus relative newcomers like Alinafe Lupiway and Katie Fellger and newcomers MadisanCowan and  Ethan  Bintu-Watt, who are excited to spread their creative wings  for  Wonderstruck. Not to mention the talented band, drummer Keenan Pezderic, Guitarist Scott Mezei and bassist  Greg Paskuski.

“The past few years have been a little rocky, so we’re just excited to be able to dream again and be optimistic about the future,” Reay enthused, adding the set is designed to look like a starry night sky, to reinforce the optimistic feel.

He noted it is exciting to be getting back to normal after the pandemic.

“People were apprehensive abut getting together in large groups,” he observed, adding it has been a few years since the  had two music comedy revues in the summer.

“We’ve juggled the schedule a little bit. There will be another music comedy revue in February this year, “ The Legends of Rock and Country”

For now New West is focusing on Wonderstruck, which followed the tried and true formula of mixing comedy, dance and music.

“It‘s a mix of music, comedy and dance. It‘s a formula that works, but we don’t want to do the same thing every year,” he said, noting most of the show is completely new, so though the title “Wonderstruck”  may lead to memories of the TV show “ the Wonder Years,” there will be no “With A Little Help From my Friends.”

“We did that a couple years ago,” he continued.

Reay is excited to work with the cast, especially newer faces Madisan Cowan and Ethan Bintu-Watt, who get to take a more prominent role in this show.

“They were a really pleasant discoveries. They  are really capable, so they get to take somel features roles, so we’re excited about that,” he continued.

Exhibition Park CEO Mike Warkentin is helping to pin down some new fans of Whoop up Days by adding Pure Power Wrestling to the card for this year’s free family festival.  He hopes wrestling fans will flip over having  wrestling on the grounds  for Whoop Up Days this year.

“We couldn’t be more proud  to welcome Pure Power Wrestling,” said Exhibition park CEO Mike Warkentin.

“ Wrestling  has been a tradition since Stampede Wrestling,” Warkentin continued, adding Whoop Up Days welcomed wrestling years ago, though he couldn’t remember exactly when.

“That was before my time,” he said.

 Pure Power Wrestling will bring Hot Summer Night to the Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre on Friday, Aug. 25 for a one night only,  ticketed performance beginning at 7 p.m.,  that Friday night.

“ We were looking for ways to diversify our entertainment program,” he continued adding The First Nations Warrior competition is also on Friday night.

“ We‘re hoping to get attract a new crowd to Whoop up Days,” he said.

In an evening that won’t be forgotten, the card will be headlined by a PPW Heavyweight Title defense as reigning champion “Cougar Meat” Kyle Sebastian defends his title against his friend and mentor “Mr. Beefy Goodness” Vance Nevada, who is winding down his 30-year career this year. It’s a clash of generations in Southern Alberta’s home for professional wrestling. 

The Lethbridge Shakespeare Performance Society premiered their summer production of Shakespeare’s comedy Taming of the Shrew, Thursday, July 6.

Their production of Taming of the Shrew, directed by Jesse Thibert, whom played Hamlet last summer, puts a slightly modern twist on the theme of gaslighting to control one’s wife.

They set it amid the countercultural turmoil of the free love ’60s.

It is supposed to be a contrast between the counter-culture  of youth and the more conservative adults but even Father  Baptista, played by Ginny  Little-Bergsma, is dressed like Sonny Bono in this show.

The story is about Father Baptista, who refuses to let his popular youngest daughter Bianca (Mataya Britton) be wooed until his eldest  daughter, the shrewish, headstrong, violent and angry Kate (Maddie McKee) be wed.

So the youth of Nanaimo (rather than Padua) convince Petruccio ( played by Shakespeare Performance Society veteran Ben McCluskey) to take Kate off their hands, so they are free to woo Bianca, posing as tutors.

 There is a lot of colour, some fun physical comedy and some intriguing choices made. Petruccio’s horse is a rail scooter and they have some fun switching out Italian cities with Canadian cities. It is hilarious that Winnipeg is at odds with  Nanaimo in this show, though it is only mentioned in passing.

Ben McCluskey and Maddie McKee have excellent chemistry together especially during the wooing scene. Maddie McKee projects well, shouting most of her lines and playing an excellent shrewish Kate.

Like in previous productions, the minor characters steal the show.

 It is always a joy to see Trevor Loman show his comedic side as he does as Hortensio.

 Emily Laidlaw, who played a more serious role of Hamlet’s mother in last year’s  production of Hamlet shows her comedic side as  Biondello in Taming of 

the Shrew.

 Jess Nguyen has a fun smaller role as Petruccio’s tailor, and Jeff Graham is entertaining in everything he does, this time as one of Bianca’s suitor Gremio.

 Lucas  Kramps  excels as comic relief as Tranio, one of Biancas other suitors.

Taming of the Shrew is at the Empress theatre is at Legacy park , July 13 at 7 p.m. and in Fort Macleod on July 14  so they aren’t competing with Street Machine weekend, but they will be back in Galt Gardens, July 20 and July 27 and  Aug. 3,10, 17 and 18.

They will also be performing at Nikka Yuko Japanese Gardens, July 21, Aug 4 and 11 and at the Coutts arts Centre outsside of Nanton, July 16 at 2 p.m.

—  By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat editor