Grinder's Grumblings

 Next up in our artist spotlight is Ashley Stewart. Here she is, in her own words: A Life Written in Music: Finding Strength Beyond Disability Music has been more than a talent or profession; it has been my refuge, my voice, and a constant source of comfort throughout a life shaped by disability, resilience, and creativity. My name is Ashley Stewart-Alpe and this is my story. My musical journey began at four years old, when my mother enrolled me in piano lessons so I could eventually play for our small local church. As a high-functioning autistic child, I found comfort in the familiarity and routine of practising. By age five, I was competing locally and beyond, earning numerous awards and bursaries that helped fund my musical education despite my family's financial limitations. At fourteen, I was diagnosed with SLE lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and lung complications. Later, a seizure disorder brought additional challenges. As chronic illness took me away from sports and other acti...

 The first artist in our Shining Stars Spotlight is Kara Shaw. Here she is, in her own words: I was born on August 18th, 1989 in Hamilton Ontario in the neonatal unit of Chedoke McMaster Hospital. I was born at 23 weeks gestation and weighed 1 lb. 4 oz. As a result of life saving intervention, I am totally blind and I am on the Autism spectrum. I was adopted at the age of 10 months and became the youngest of five children. I have three older brothers and an older sister. My oldest sister sadly passed away from Cystic Fibrosis in August of 2021. I grew up on a farm near Arthur Ontario. My mother is a music teacher and she began to teach me to play the piano when I was 2 ½ years old. I attended Arthur Public School. My first public performance occurred when I played “Pomp and Circumstance” at my own kindergarten graduation. The following year, I played for my kindergarten teacher’s wedding. I have played for many graduations and weddings since that time. After graduating from Arthur ...

It is my great pleasure to announce that Grinder Productions, in association with Creative Connector and Réseau SPARC Network, is presenting this free concert featuring Kara Shaw and other artists with disabilities at the Fergus Grand Theatre on Sunday, November 15th at 2pm. The concert is taking place thanks to Creative Connector. In 2024 the organization launched a program called The Access Playbook, a Deaf and Disability-led learning program for arts presenters and organizations. I was lucky enough to participate in the pilot cohort, helping to test out and refine the playbook’s delivery. As a result of that participation I was given the opportunity to program an event featuring artists with disabilities in my community. And here we are! One of the first things I learned in the Access Playbook project was that the words "Deaf" and "Disabled" are not derogatory terms. They are words that have been reclaimed by the Deaf and Disability community, and are more approp...

I knew a man once who said "I start things." He started theatre companies, newsletters, conspiracy theories, and lots of other things. He was the stereotypical "ideas man" - always keen to start something fresh and new, clearing away, tossing out, or simply ignoring who or what had gone before him.  Years later I met a woman who went shopping for seasonal décor for events like Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas every year. She always bought items new, always at stores that sold only mid-range home décor products. Things like ceramic squirrels peaking out of pumpkins, plush bunnies in flimsy baskets sitting on plastic eggs, Santa Claus decorating a tree in the forest surrounded by frolicking woodland creatures. A because most of the items were rather delicate and flimsy they didn't last long, but even if they did make it through a festive season she threw out most of the items every year to make room for her new purchases. The sum result was a house that stayed ...

The Unseen Host, 2023 Are you looking for something to do next summer? Grinder Productions is currently accepting expressions of interest from directors who would like to direct a play in our 2027 season at the Ennotville Historical Library. Every year we produce two weekends of shows. One weekend has already been chosen, but we are looking for another show for the other week. In future years we may expand this call for submissions to include other venues and more open-ended production ideas, but we’re starting small for 2027. Here’s what we’re looking for: Plays for a small space: our default stage size is 12 feet wide by 10 feet deep. Small cast: 1 to 4 actors Simple set, lighting, sound, etc - we have the space two days before performances Low-royalty or no royalty scripts preferred Marketing - who do you foresee wanting to come to this show, and why? How might they hear about it? Do you have people that want to do a play in the summertime? It’s typically harder to find cast and cre...

Last week Grinder Productions did something amazing. We brought not one but two shows to the Grand River Arts Festivals' 10-minute Play Competition. This was our third year participating, but the first time we've had two shows in competition at the same time, only minutes apart. It was a day filled with laughs, surprises, and friendship, reminding us all of just how much fun a community of theatre people can be when they get a chance to get together and be their weird and whacky selves.  I'd like to thank the casts of both shows for their time and exuberance, and to Mya, our director for Hellward Bound, cheering her cast on from afar. Special shout out to Cassandra Hunt, who won an adjudicator's award for acting. And of course to the world's greatest wife, making her playwrighting debut with A Husband's Secrets, playing the role of Gail with no more than a cane, a prop gun, and sheer willpower to get her through.  And of course, there's always talk of next y...