If Cows Could Fly 2008 tour: Hamilton and Ottawa
If Cows Could Fly is a musical play about growing up Jewish in
Smiths Falls, written and performed by Allan Merovitz
with an onstage Klezmer band (Henri Oppenheim, accordion, Frank
Rackow, clarinet, Ronald Weihs fiddle)
The show is directed by Ronald Weihs, designed by Judith Sandiford,
produced by Barry Karp and Artword Theatre
Running time: just over 2 hours, including intermission
Ottawa:
at the new Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre,
1233 Wellington St. West, at Holland Ave, Ottawa
Box office 613-236-5196
Previews Wed Feb 20, opens Thurs Feb 21, 2008, runs to Sunday March 9
Show times: Tues to Fri at 8 pm, Sat at 8:30 pm, Sun at 2 pm
Adults $36, Seniors/Students/Sun mats $26, Children age 8-12 $10 (plus a $2 surcharge to the theatre)
Hamilton:
at the DAC Downtown Arts Centre, 28 Rebecca Street, Hamilton,
Two nights only: February 15 and 16 at 8 pm,
Tickets $15 and $10. Call 905-543-8512 for ticket information.
Allan Merovitz, a widely-known actor, singer and Klezmer musician, grew up in a
Jewish family in Smiths Falls in the Ottawa Valley. If Cows Could Fly traces the story
of both sides of Merovitz’s family – Waxman and Merovitz – from Poland, Lithuania
and Kishinev to the tiny rural Ontario community. Allan has reconstructed the
fragmented memories of his family in diaspora, and interspersed them with a wide
range of musical styles – Yiddish songs, country-and-western ballads, as well as
Klezmer and Ottawa Valley fiddle tunes. In addition to chronicling his family history,
Merovitz portrays his own struggle in coming to terms with a dual identity: heir to a
tradition that spans millennia and being just a modern Canadian kid.
If Cows Could Fly, an Artword Theatre production, is coming to Ottawa for the first time. Just before the
Ottawa run, the show is playing in Hamilton, where Artword Theatre is now based. Artword Theatre
created and ran an important theatre facility in downtown Toronto from 1993 to 2006. In 2007 the theatre
company (Ronald Weihs, playwright, director, and Judith Sandiford, visual artist, theatre designer) moved
to Hamilton.
Artword Theatre produced Merovitz’s If Cows Could Fly in Toronto in 2000 and again in 2001, when it
also toured Winnipeg. Reviewer Avril Benoit, Metro Morning, CBC Radio said, “The stories are great ... a
lovely heartwarming evening for the whole family,” while Paula Citron of Classical 98 called Merovitz
“a gamin-like, energetic, charming performer.”
Who’s who:
Allan Merovitz (writer / performer), a two-time Dora-award winner, has ranged from coast to coast in his
musical and acting career, including several stints at the Caravan Stage in Armstrong BC. He has played
roles in two musical plays by Ronald Weihs, Hands Up! The Bill Miner Story and Highball! a play about
logging. Allan was lead singer with the Juno-nominated Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band. Allan currently leads
his own band in Calgary, KlezMerovitz, with a recent self-titled CD.
Henri Oppenheim (accordion, Music Director), a Klezmer accordionist from Montreal, part of the wellknown band Kleztory and the Montreal Klezmer Trio.
Frank Rackow (clarinet), originally from Ottawa, now lives in Calgary, where he plays with KlezMerovitz
and a number of jazz ensembles.
Ronald Weihs (fiddle and Director) once was Ron the Fiddler at the Caravan Stage Company and with a
western swing band Kickin’ Horse in British Columbia. More recently he has been busy co-founding and
operating Artword Theatre, and writing and directing its productions.
Find out more about the show
Visit the show’s website www.ifcowscouldfly.com.
Artword Theatre’s website: artword dot net and www.artwordlist.net and click on Hamilton listings.
Call Artword Theatre 905-543-8512 or on its toll-free line 1-866 529-8313.