Box Office: 902-354-5250 Tue-Sat 11am-4pm

Events



May
29
Sat
**CANCELLED** – The DEVI School – The Great Divorce (C.S. Lewis) @ The Astor Theatre
May 29 @ 7:00 pm
**CANCELLED** - The DEVI School - The Great Divorce (C.S. Lewis) @ The Astor Theatre
Our annual performance by our friends at the DEVI School is always one we look forward to, and they never fail to impress us with their performances on stage, their technical know how and their thought-provoking choices.
The DEVI School welcomes you to come and see its rendition of The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis.
Written in 1946, the storyline follows a narrator on his bus ride from ‘The Grey Town’ to Heaven where he meets a series of interesting characters and personalities on his journey who are muddling their way through the difficulties and challenges of human nature.
Riddled with allusions and references, C.S. Lewis’ novel takes us on a journey of collective discovery of shared human nature, which, from paper to stage, is amplified tremendously.
The play itself is a celebration of overcoming difficulty which we send as a very small but nonetheless tremendously important message of hope during these difficult and fear-filled times.
Mark your calendars for 29th May at 7pm at the Astor Theatre.
We will also be having a bake sale in the concessions area of the theatre lobby, with proceeds going to the DEVI School
Stay safe and well and we hope to see you there! Entrance is by donation at the door.
May
30
Sun
**RESCHEDULED** New Date Pending – Springtime Notes – An Astor Theatre Fundraiser @ Astor Theatre
May 30 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Join Ashley & Lauren at The Astor Theatre as they take you on a musical adventure
featuring trombone, vocal & piano music. Lauren will accompany Ashley on the piano as she
sings repertoire such as “Ave Maria”, “Mio Babbino Caro”, and “ White Cliffs of Dover”.
Ashley will accompany Lauren on the trombone, performing pieces such as “Romance” and “
Six Sonatas for Trombone”. They will also have some Broadway surprises in store for you!
Come to The Astor and embrace the wonder of this dynamic duo as they take the stage in
May!

Lauren Inglis is a grade 12 student at Liverpool Regional High School. At a young age,
Lauren discovered a love for music. She took off on a journey of studying piano, trombone
and singing! Lauren realized her deep passion for trombone/piano playing and began
developing extraordinary skills through The Royal Conservatory of Canada. From 2017-2019
she was the piano accompanist for Queens County Vocal Troupe, where she spent hours in
the theatre preparing kids for musical theatre productions. She accompanied an entire MTI
Broadway Production with this troupe, mastering the piano accompaniment of Stephen
Sondheim’s “Into The Woods Jr”. She was accepted and is an active trombone player in The
Nova Scotia Youth Wind Ensemble in 2017 and The Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra in 2019!
Lauren is pursuing a career in Music Education at Acadia University this coming fall! She
loves drawing and writing in her spare time.

Ashley-Rose Goodwin spends her days balancing the life of motherhood alongside her deep
passions for music and theatre. She began performing theatrically and studying piano in the
early 90s. Theatre has always been a second home to Ashley, so she decided to pursue a
Theatre Studies Degree shortly after completing high school. Motherhood stepped in and
took over in 2006, so Ashley dedicated her life to raising her boys, working on exams for
piano through The Royal Conservatory of Canada and diving heavily into community theatre.
She opened a private studio focusing on piano training and theatrical performance for youth
in 2010. In 2017 she established Queens County Vocal Troupe, a musical theatre group for
youth focused on building self-confidence, vocal skills and performance training. 2019 rolled
around, and Ashley felt ready to return to Dalhousie and complete her Theatre Studies
Program. Since returning, she has been placed on The Dean’s List and has successfully
entered the Music Department, where she has trained vocally for the past year. You will find
Ashley enjoying nature in her spare time, reading, playing outside with her kids or writing.
Ashley is excited to share her vocal repertoire that she has studied this past year & is thrilled
to share the stage once again with Laure n!

Sep
2
Thu
Art exhibition: Janet Stewart – a retrospective @ Town Hall Arts & Cultural Centre
Sep 2 – Sep 16 all-day

Janet Stewart has been a key figure in our local arts scene for decades, and this is our chance to celebrate her and see a large collection of her work from over 40 years displayed in one place.

Please join us for a special viewing on the evening of Thursday September 2nd (6-8pm, with Janet in attendance), or Tuesday to Friday between 11 and 4 to see this incredible collection.

Art Exhibition: Fran Ornstein – Beloved Gloves @ Town Hall Arts & Cultural Centre
Sep 2 @ 11:00 am – Sep 30 @ 4:00 pm

This charming show will be on display in our upstairs gallery for the whole month of September and is well worth a visit. Fran is a regular at the THACC, and we are so pleased to be able to share some of her work with our community. Before coming here, this show was on display in Halifax. Read on to learn more about this collection and the artist.

Artist’s statement:

For the series “Beloved Gloves,” I collected gloves of friends – artists, economists, scientists, carpenters, cyclists, mothers, doctors and others. There’s a story behind each pair, often touching, and that’s part of the show, too. Gloves are like a second skin and sometimes hold the residual shape of the hand. Painting them augmented my practice of drawing from life, and also allowed me to connect with the owner as I worked. Through this series I managed a rhythm of painting, thus honing layout, colour harmony and painterly brushstrokes.

I’m a retired Creative Director. My commercial work is prominent in visual applications across Nova Scotia and beyond. Now I
am returning to my artist’s roots. I received degrees in Fine Arts from the State University of New York at Buffalo and Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. I studied illustration at School of Visual Art and drawing at the Art Students League in New York. Today, along with painting, I maintain a weekly practice of drawing from live models in Liverpool and Mahone Bay.

Sep
10
Fri
Nick Halley – Glenn Patscha – Patrick Reid trio performance @ Astor Theatre
Sep 10 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm

These three jazz-steeped musicians have led three very different musical lives. Now they’re seeing what happens when their disparate experiences and distinct personalities are brought together in the traditional piano trio setting to explore the boundaries of their native tongue.

Nick Halley (James Taylor, Oscar Castro-Neves, Dinuk Wijeratne)

Glenn Patscha (Bonnie Raitt, Ry Cooder, Brian Blade)

Patrick Reid (Christine and Ingrid Jensen, Ben Monder, Chet Doxas

 


We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada.

Sep
16
Thu
Old Man Luedecke @ Astor Theatre
Sep 16 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm

Old Man Luedecke has been delighting audiences around the world for two decades, picking up JUNOs, East Cost Music Awards, and numerous other accolades along the way. Now he is returning to The Astor, just down the road from his home in Chester, to tell us stories, play songs from his many albums, and maybe treat us to some new ones undoubtedly inspired by his time in lockdown.

Join us on September 16th for an unforgettable evening with this extraordinary musician. As the Vancouver Folk Festival says, “He is a musical singularity to be savoured and shared.” They are not wrong!

Sep
24
Fri
Journey to Sable Island @ Astor Theatre
Sep 24 @ 7:00 pm

Take a theatrical journey to the shores of Sable Island through the eyes of Marcia Pierce Harding’s novel, Secrets of Sable Island. You will travel to the author’s magical world through theatrical performances woven together through narration, dance, lighting and music. Directed and performed by Dalhousie Student Ashley-Rose Goodwin and her specially selected cast, you will find yourself amongst breathtaking visuals of wild horses, where secrets are held tightly to the heart, journeys abound, and dreams come true.

Oct
16
Sat
Charlie A’Court & Witchitaw – When Country Gets The Blues @ Astor Theatre
Oct 16 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm

Two beloved and distinct styles of musical expression. Country music with its story telling and hook-laden melodies; and Blues, with all its emotional intensity and unmistakable rhythms. When Country Gets The Blues celebrates the legends of these genres and blurs the lines between country and blues.

When Country Gets The Blues is the brand new performance concept designed by country-rock ensemble Witchitaw, and blues recording artist Charlie A’Court. Often stylistically compared to Otis Redding and Eric Clapton, A’Court is largely recognized as the proverbial force to be reckoned with. Planted at the crossroads of roots and soul, his mighty voice, fierce guitar work and contemporary songwriting place A’Court firmly on the world stage. His album, Come On Over, won the 2015 Blues Recording of The Year at both the East Coast Music Awards and Nova Scotia Music Awards.

Witchitaw is a full flavoured, four-piece southern country rock band from the heart of Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia. Their latest album, “The Ride” garnered a 2018 Country Recording of the Year nomination from Music Nova Scotia for their original writing. Singles, “Posse” and “When Opportunity Knocks” are receiving praise from Sirius XM Canada and Canadian country music radio with more than 30 country stations adding Witchitaw to heavy rotation.

 

Oct
23
Sat
Halifax ComedyFest presents Best of the Fest @ Astor Theatre
Oct 23 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

The ComedyFest has been bringing laughter to the stages of Halifax for over 25 years, and now they’re bringing some of Canada’s best comedic talent to your hometown.

 

With performances from award-winning comedians Pete Zedlacher, Leonard Chan, and Travis Lindsay this show will provide much-needed laughter … and you might even pee your pants a little…

 

Laughter makes for a perfect night out. Come and enjoy the best comedy has to offer.

Oct
26
Tue
**NEW DATE** – Lunch at Allen’s – October 26th, 2021 @ Astor Theatre
Oct 26 @ 7:30 pm

RESCHEDULED  October 26, 2021

Lunch at Allen’s is Murray McLauchlan, Cindy Church, Marc Jordan and Ian Thomas. As individuals, they have written for or sung on over 25,000,000 cd’s, penning hits for Chicago, Josh Groban, Bonnie Raitt, America, Santana, Cher, and Rod Stewart, as well as Murray’s “Farmers Song”, Marc’s “Marina Del Rey” and Ian’s “Painted Ladies” just to name a few. These artist have come together adding the incredible voice of Cindy Church (Quartette, Great Western Orchestra ) to form Lunch At Allen’s. They are Canadian song writing royalty who will take you on a journey with humour and stories playing their familiar hits and new songs as well to create an evening of music for the heart and music for your soul.

Nov
6
Sat
Atlantic String Machine @ Astor Theatre
Nov 6 @ 7:30 pm

Atlantic String Machine is a dynamic ensemble of string players who perform as many styles of music as they can fit into their portfolios. Based on Prince Edward Island, they have established themselves at the forefront of new and exciting arts groups throughout the region. Their unique approach comes from a desire to keep live music relevant, transformative, and above all entertaining. In their efforts to keep themselves and their audiences engaged, they seek out interesting collaborations with other artists, unexpected venues for concerts, and write their own arrangements and compositions, keeping their repertoire fresh and alive.

The group has received multiple awards from Music PEI (Achievement in Classical Music – 2016, 2017, 2019 & 2020) and nominations from the East Coast Music Awards. Their debut album, Lost Time, received two ECMA nominations (Classical Recording of the Year and Classical Composition of the Year – 2017), and their second album, The Bayfield Sessions, was nominated for Classical Recording of the Year at the 2020 ECMAs. The band has also been featured at festivals across the country, including the Stan Rogers Folk Festival, the Vancouver Island Music Festival, Summerfolk, and the PEI Festival of Small Halls.

Over the past few years, String Machine has performed with a long list of exceptional artists, including Sarah Slean, Duane Andrews, Paper Lions, The Once, James Keelaghan, Meghan Blanchard, Rachel Beck, and Adrienne Gallant. They have also appeared on recordings by Lennie Gallant, Irish Mythen, and Dave Gunning. Their newest album, The Bayfield Sessions, builds on that spirit of collaboration by featuring guest performances of original songs by Ian Sherwood, Catherine MacLellan, Nathan Wiley, Matthew Byrne, and Alicia Toner.

Atlantic String Machine is:

Sean Kemp (violin)
Karen Graves (violin)
Jeffrey Bazett-Jones (viola)
Natalie Williams Calhoun (cello)
Adam Hill (bass)

Nov
20
Sat
**NEW DATE** Thane Dunn and The Cadillac Kings – Elvis Greatest Hits, with The Rhinestone Cowgirl Melly Dunn – TWO SHOWS IN ONE! @ Astor Theatre
Nov 20 @ 7:30 pm

Liverpool’s favourite, Thane Dunn is returning to The Astor stage with his Cadillac Kings and the Rhinestone Cowgirl, Melly Dunn! This time with his show Elvis Greatest Hits.

There’s one man who can transport you back in time to when Elvis Presley was the undisputed King of Rock and Roll and to re-live the magic of a live Elvis concert before your very eyes.

Two Time World Champion Thane Dunn and his Cadillac Kings will be performing all your Presley favourites from Blue Suede Shoes, Burning Love, Suspicious Minds, How Great Thou Art, and many more hits from the ’50s, ’60s and 70’s that you know and love.

You’ll laugh, cry and cheer in amazement and have an Elvis experience you’ll never forget.

Nov
25
Thu
Tom, Dick and Harry – a Farce by Ray Cooney and Michael Cooney @ Astor Theatre
Nov 25 @ 7:30 pm

TOM, DICK AND HARRY

by Ray Cooney and Michael Cooney

The Astor Theatre Society is excited to be producing the farce, “Tom, Dick and Harry”, by Ray and Michael Cooney.

In this hilarious story of three brothers, Tom and his wife are about to adopt a baby. His brothers are anxious to help make a good impression on the woman from the agency who has arrived to check on the home and lifestyle of the prospective parents. Unfortunately Dick, who has stashed boxes of smuggled brandy and cigarettes in the house, and Harry, who is in possession of a cadaver he is planning to sell illegally to a medical school, fail miserably. The adoption agency representative is aghast – and the illegal Kosovan aliens who do not speak English are no help at all!

 

 


Tom, Dick and Harry” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc.

www.concordtheatricals.com

Nov
26
Fri
Tom, Dick and Harry – a Farce by Ray Cooney and Michael Cooney @ Astor Theatre
Nov 26 @ 7:30 pm

TOM, DICK AND HARRY

by Ray Cooney and Michael Cooney

The Astor Theatre Society is excited to be producing the farce, “Tom, Dick and Harry”, by Ray and Michael Cooney.

In this hilarious story of three brothers, Tom and his wife are about to adopt a baby. His brothers are anxious to help make a good impression on the woman from the agency who has arrived to check on the home and lifestyle of the prospective parents. Unfortunately Dick, who has stashed boxes of smuggled brandy and cigarettes in the house, and Harry, who is in possession of a cadaver he is planning to sell illegally to a medical school, fail miserably. The adoption agency representative is aghast – and the illegal Kosovan aliens who do not speak English are no help at all!

 

 


Tom, Dick and Harry” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc.

www.concordtheatricals.com

Nov
27
Sat
Tom, Dick and Harry – a Farce by Ray Cooney and Michael Cooney @ Astor Theatre
Nov 27 @ 7:30 pm

TOM, DICK AND HARRY

by Ray Cooney and Michael Cooney

The Astor Theatre Society is excited to be producing the farce, “Tom, Dick and Harry”, by Ray and Michael Cooney.

In this hilarious story of three brothers, Tom and his wife are about to adopt a baby. His brothers are anxious to help make a good impression on the woman from the agency who has arrived to check on the home and lifestyle of the prospective parents. Unfortunately Dick, who has stashed boxes of smuggled brandy and cigarettes in the house, and Harry, who is in possession of a cadaver he is planning to sell illegally to a medical school, fail miserably. The adoption agency representative is aghast – and the illegal Kosovan aliens who do not speak English are no help at all!

 

 


Tom, Dick and Harry” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc.

www.concordtheatricals.com

Nov
28
Sun
Tom, Dick and Harry – a Farce by Ray Cooney and Michael Cooney @ Astor Theatre
Nov 28 @ 7:30 pm

TOM, DICK AND HARRY

by Ray Cooney and Michael Cooney

The Astor Theatre Society is excited to be producing the farce, “Tom, Dick and Harry”, by Ray and Michael Cooney.

In this hilarious story of three brothers, Tom and his wife are about to adopt a baby. His brothers are anxious to help make a good impression on the woman from the agency who has arrived to check on the home and lifestyle of the prospective parents. Unfortunately Dick, who has stashed boxes of smuggled brandy and cigarettes in the house, and Harry, who is in possession of a cadaver he is planning to sell illegally to a medical school, fail miserably. The adoption agency representative is aghast – and the illegal Kosovan aliens who do not speak English are no help at all!

 

 


Tom, Dick and Harry” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc.

www.concordtheatricals.com

Dec
5
Sun
90th Anniversary Kiwanis Community Christmas Concert @ Astor Theatre
Dec 5 @ 7:00 pm
To get the holiday season underway, we are hosting the traditional Kiwanis Community Christmas Concert – this year reaching its 90th Anniversary!
Join us for an evening of festive fare on Sunday 5th December, and bring a donation of a non-perishable food item for the food bank if you can.
Tickets are $15 for adults and $8 for students (including all fees).
Dec
8
Wed
Lennie Gallant – The Innkeeper’s Christmas @ Astor Theatre
Dec 8 @ 7:30 pm
Come and join Lennie Gallant and his band for a celebration of the season with the 4th annual Innkeeper’s Christmas show.
Lennie Gallant’s Christmas concert is named after the artist’s much loved Christmas song, “The Innkeeper’’. The song is a redemption story told from the point of view of the innkeeper who turns the anointed couple away in their hour of need in the original nativity tale.
This year, the highly popular multimedia show will feature songs from his new Christmas record as well as favourites from his 14 album catalogue. His past Innkeeper’s Christmas concerts have all sold out, so book your tickets early!
Dec
12
Sun
Dramatic Reading of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol @ Astor Theatre
Dec 12 @ 1:30 pm

Join LITF for a reading of this classic story. Presented by local readers, the story is interspersed with traditional carols, sung by local musicians. The reading is followed by a reception of sweet treats and cider.

 

The Snowman’s Ball: Christmas with Matt Andersen & Friends @ The Astor Theatre
Dec 12 @ 7:30 pm

Singer, songwriter, and guitarist Matt Andersen is taking the holiday party on the road! Performing holiday favourites with his small band, the show will feature special guests Fortunate Ones and Reeny Smith. The Snowman’s Ball is becoming a can’t-miss tradition, so gather friends and family to celebrate the season with Matt. It’s never too early to get in the spirit!

A powerhouse performer with a giant, soul-filled voice and commanding stage presence, Matt Andersen has built a formidable following the old-fashioned way: touring worldwide and letting his stunned audiences and new devotees spread the good word of his righteous tunes all over. He’s headlined gigs throughout North America, Europe and Australia, shared stages with Bo Diddley, Buddy Guy, Greg Allman, and Tedeschi Trucks, to name a few, amassed over 18 million YouTube views, and been honoured with multiple awards, including six Maple Blues Awards.