New season, new Hall of Fame inductees at Burlington Performing Arts Centre

Music, comedy, dance, interactive shows – and more – are all on the programme for the Burlington Performing Arts Centre’s (BPAC) 2023-24 season.

The audience got a peek behind the red velvet curtain at a special season launch at the Locust Street venue on May 31. Comedian Elvira Kurt was host for the evening, and kept the crowd in stitches with riffs on the COVID years and the ever-widening gaps between the generations. Special performances by Montreal R&B singer Clerel and jazzy duo Dizzy &  Fay – two acts booked for this year – and a Burlington Student Theatre-led singalong added some spice to the presentation.

But the star of the show was the lineup itself, which BPAC chair Nancy Brewer pointed out includes more than 50 performances that span multiple disciplines and aims for diversity and inclusion, with something for all audiences.

The musical offerings include Canadian rock and pop acts like April Wine, Andy Kim and Crash Test Dummies, along with seasonal favourites Men of the Deeps, Glenn Miller Orchestra and Christmas with the Ennis Sisters.

The State Ballet Theatre of Ukraine will be in town to perform Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and The Nutcracker in December, and New Year’s Eve promises to be a rollicking time with Sing-A-Long Grease.

Comedy performances include The Debaters, Cliff Cardinal’s edgy show, The Land Acknowledgement, and Girls Nite Out, featuring Kurt.

The schedule gets even more eclectic: Candace Bushnell’s Is There Still Sex in the City? has been booked, as has the Popovitch Pet Comedy Theatre.

The full schedule is posted on the BPAC website.

This year, BPAC is also introducing tiered pricing, said Brewer. “You’ve had it good for 12 years, Burlington,” she joked.

Amid the launch night festivities, there were some poignant moments on stage, as two people were recognized for their contributions to the Burlington performing arts community.

Composer, arranger, conductor and pianist Charles T. Cozens was inducted to the BPAC Hall of Fame. In accepting the honour, he thanked his wife, Janet, for her support.

BPAC Executive Director Tammy Fox paid a heartfelt tribute to Burlington Footnotes founder Kate Lowe, whose sudden passing in January was felt throughout the Canadian dance world. Lowe was this year’s 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, for lifelong dedication to advancing dance through the Halton Dance Network, the Footnotes and other projects.

Fox related the story of Lowe’s response when asked why she loved dance. “She told me, ‘When I dance, I’m the person I most want to be,’” Fox said.

Tickets for the 2023-24 season shows are now on sale for BPAC members, and will be available for non-members starting June 14.