Smile Theatre is proud to present “A Light in the Kitchen” where voice and fiddle share the stage in a delightful show exploring the music of eastern Canada and its powerful connection to Ireland and the British Isles. Join Abby and Rose for an afternoon in the kitchen and a celebration of the jigs, reels, songs and stories that carried the generations across the Atlantic but kept them always close to home.
The Artists
Abby Zotz, vocals, guitar, bodhran
Abby’s career is an ongoing love affair between music and acting. She began both in her early teens, performing in community theatre in Oshawa and Whitby, Ontario, and studying voice with the Royal Conservatory of Music. She has since performed across Canada and in Germany. Acclaimed German Director Uta Birnbaum called hers “the voice of a nightingale” when they worked together in the Bertolt Brecht collective, The Language of Love. Abby was a back-up vocalist for Paul Humphreys (former lead singer of Toronto-based Blue Peter) in the Factory Theatre Toronto production of Savage Heat. Her own two-person show, A Night on the Roof fused pop, musical theatre and original compositions ran at the Pforzheimer City Theatre in Pforzheim, Germany. She is also the founder of the acclaimed Renaissance a cappella trio, The MadriGALS, whose CD Alchemy was nominated for two Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARA’s). Abby was last seen by Smile audiences as Edna Sharpe in Good Morning Cottage Country.
Rose Bolton, fiddle, vocals
Rose grew up in Toronto, where she began her musical training on classical violin and piano. Her synthesis of Irish fiddling and other styles has given her a unique fiddle sound. Rose is active as a fiddle teacher, both as a private instructor and often teaches the Toronto Board of Education night time fiddle classes. Rose plays regularly with singers Mark Stairs and October Browne, as well as with traditional players Debbie Quigley, Ena O’Brien and Kevin Finnigan. She is a member of The Puffins, a four piece group led by fiddler Jamie Snider which performs Canadian tunes in the style of the old time Don Messer radio shows, and The Kensington Hillbillys, a rowdy roots-country band who will be releasing their second CD in the spring. Rose is also active on the new music scene as an experimental violin improviser and composer.
For more information about Smile Theatre and about booking this show please contact Kevin Etherington, by phone: 416-599-8440 or by email: kevin@smiletheatre.com