TP Entertainment & Productions

2012-02-22T02:02:00.003-05:00

Rockin Deli Night Sat Feb 25

Building towards two events at once can be a bit of a juggling act, especially if you are by nature a bit of a perfectionist. Right now among some projects, we are a little behind in launching our "screener" for a documentary for which I hate missing deadlines, even if they are my own self imposed ones. I'm behind because I put off firming up the host band for our "Open Stage" portion of Rockin' Deli Night which concludes with a DJ and the latest in dance. But I'd had some discussions with Newmarket 's THE JAMSPOT owner and operator Max - and wanting to keep things local as I know there is a ton of talent here - had confidence Max would turn me on to the right hosts given time. Gulp..but I was running out!

Max is a consummate pro too, not wanting to recommend just anyone, and taking the time to understand what I was looking for. But I think he also realizes that we can work together here and create a cooperative atmosphere with enough rooms for everyone to play in whether they are jamming or putting on live shows. THE JAMSPOT can also hold smaller shows as well and is ideal for CD Release parties too, but THE JAMSPOT's big feature is the custom built sound proofing built in. Bands love it for good reason. And they are going to love playing at Deli house Caterings Rockin' Deli Night location at 1220 Stellar Dr in Newmarket as well, as it renowned for its good sound as it's original build use was for a concert hall for big name acts way back in the 50's and 60's. Later on it was also a succession of night clubs including " Club Spotlight" which featured the latest in lights and booming city-like sound for the time. Rockin' Deli Night takes a walk back into that era and even offers prime rib as dinner - optional of course!

Funny story. I was writing a column, " At The Clubs", for CoverStory Newspaper in York Region back in the day and one night while covering a band at none other than the Rockin' Deli located on Yonge St in Newmarket, I was attacked by about 4 or 5 guys outside. They jumped me in the parking lot for, as far as I could tell, wearing leather pants! That's just a theory mind you as I was new to living here then having spent the previous 10 years or so living in cities, so pleated leather pants may not have resonated with some locals - a fact that was pointed out to me by none other than a local! ha! I'd never have thunk it. I still have the pants somewhere, scrapes and all! Ha! Anyway these guys were so drunk they couldn't sustain any damage, as whenever they went to kick me I'd roll their friend who was now lying on the ground with me (from tackling me) in front of the kick! Ha..I got hit a few times though and the doorman watched the whole thing from inside not bothering to do or say anything. Afterwards they let me in to recoup and several years later I dated the bartender who had been working that night as she remembered the incident when I relayed it to her...I should have known better when she did nothing as these guys attacked me that night, that she'd be, er ah ...interesting. She went on to have a Glass Tiger member's kid..oh well..that one's another story for another day. Ha! Now who I should have gone after was my flaxen haired co-worker Mcgurksky or something like that who had showed sympathy for me and who also was a single parent at the time like me. Her and two other girls were like the Charlies Angels sales force on the CoverStory YR team, and likely sold the jaw-dropping men ads before uttering a word. Mgoo was beautiful and hard working, but one of those women who leave you tongue tied whenever you tried to say anything to her, let alone make a play. Man, what an idiot I was. Why did I pick her to be the "nice guy" to! Ha!

At any rate Max came through with some outstanding musicians to host the first Rockin' Deli Night on Sat Feb 25 called Sean Bourke Band! The trio's members have played with a number of bands over the years - some having played alongside The Good brothers or The Goods as once known - ironically through a time period when I interviewed the band for a TV show I produced and Co-hosted called "Out and About" - and Teenage Head to name a couple so the array of tunes they can play will be phenomenal, and any vocalists or accompanying "Jammers" can get in on the action! Everyone knows I like a good show and this one is a shaping up!

Speaking of shaping up, the 8th Annual Friendly Neighbourhood Youth Road Hockey Challenge is shaping up with the new addition of Newmarket Mitsubishi as tournament sponsor! The now longest running street hockey tournament in Ontario features live entertainment, music, comedy play-by-play with TP's own "Gripes" as featured in the poster campaign.

This year's TP imposed theme slogan for the road hockey event is

WE WANT YOU! BACK ON THE STREETS!

And uses a Don Cherryesque character dressed in Canadian red and white stripes and mirrors the US army recruitment poster for "Uncle Sam".

The 2012 event will be held again in the downtown Newmarket area including spots around the Newmarket Community Centre and the new Riverwalk Commons. With public skating already an attraction there we expect the road hockey activities to take off in a big way for 2012 and plan to utilize the outdoor stage for live entertainment for a "halftime show' and for the end of the event shows, including a variety of talent. We may maintain an open stage during the event combined with our canned music, but either way it'll be a fun event!
This year youths can sign up for the free event online as well in advance @ www.tpeproductions.com

Pick up games and an Opening Face-off Party for us Oldtimers too T.B.A.!

Car!

2012-02-07T00:40:00.004-05:00

Inside Deli House Catering's banquet and events facility with natural lighting

Promotion and branding of course go hand in hand and sometimes you can add sales to that mix when all three merge at times such as the case when I attended a 'Bridal Show" recently representing Deli House Catering's interests. I like to think I know a little about branding having worked on projects as an Associate Producer with a Co-Executive Producer named Lou Pearlman (Supercross The Movie, Timothy Dolan's scripted Red Riding Hood musical version) who wrote " Bands, Brands and Billions and is considered the inventor of "Boy Bands". Of course that was all before he was jailed for tax evasion or something!

Deli House Catering's Rockin Deli Nights starts Feb 25! See link provided for details!
The Timpano formals run wedding show was held at the beautiful Roman Palace banquet hall in Newmarket and featured the usual gamut of caterers, decorators, cake makers, photographers and the like but this one also had a couple questionable booths such as an exercise machine booth??? It seems insurance companies have also managed to squeeze into the mix somehow. The only other experience I've had at wedding shows really - other than perhaps when I got married (& later divorced) so many years ago it seems...sigh..was putting together a same sex wedding show which is a whole blog in itself!

Anyway my bridal show partner Nick and I managed to get set up in anticipation of the rush that never really materialized and ended up instead chatting a fair bit with the other neighbouring businesses mostly and giving out free food samples to anyone who did happen our way.

Deli House's Nick at Timpano's Bridal show at the Roman Palace in Newmarket

I mozied on down at one point to see what the "other Nick" had going on food-wise, as in Nick Co-owner Chef of the Roman Palace banquet hall as many moons ago I used to do gigs for his father and Nick Sabino was the DJ...now he's the Chef and I must admit his pasta dish was pretty good. Zesty sauce..noodles el dente. the old man must have taught him a few secrets before he was so cruelly taken away from this life by a drunk driver some years back.I hadn't seen Nick or his sister in a few years so it was good to see them again.Salute.

I also ran into lovely Rita a long time Newmarket area resident and business owner and friends with a buddy of mine who isn't speaking with me right now.. for why I know not ha..but Rita's a Decorator and Events Planner with Abovo and we happened to need one for a Deli House event so we connected at least and maybe they can each help each other out.I also connected with Russo Photography for some possible video work..but where were the brides!? So a tad networking went on.

In the interim I got into a bit of a "discussion" with the lady from Wayne Jones DJ services, as I told her I thought that Jack & Jills were something that women invented to eliminate the stag (they also specialized in Jack & Jill packages). I told her stags originally were money makers for the couple not Jack & Jills as there was no such thing, while she insisted that stags were only for "strippers etc. I repeated that they outdated the creation of Jack & Jills and were always as money makers for the man... then pulled out quietly and left. Ha!

Anyway the show itself as a marketing tool was a disappointment as the turnout was low, although the fashion show was well done it seemed. At one point I heard this song with lyrics like, " I'm sexy, whose sexy, I'm sexy etc and turned around expecting women - but it was the guys! Ha! Egads!

After we did our thing and handled the half dozen perhaps real prospects that came our way, the candy lady behind me from Old Time Confections ( they provided mints and candies located in Georgian Mall Barrie) mentioned perhaps I should ask about a list of all the attendees which is standard procedure I'm told at most of these, and so I did, but was told they didn't do that for their shows. He went on to explain that they would be sending all attendees an email on our behalf etc and I stopped him and said,

'You know I did a google search of this show and it didn't even come up, but Barrie's Timpano show did."

He said it would take awhile that they had not been in Newmarket for some time but would again catch on in time...blah blah blah...

In time? Whose money is he spending whilst he waits? Get an SEO on it buddy so the show comes up immediately! It doesn't take time it takes a little effort, and yes spending a few bucks! That's why all these people paid for booths for your show!

As We used to say in grade school...Duh!!!

Tom out!

Same Sex Wedding Show Originators To Make Doc

2012-01-13T01:03:00.000-05:00

Tom Pearson asks people on the streets of Toronto what they think of same sex marriage for the doc Thin Pink Line

Sometimes during the course of producing a live show you begin to feel as if you should be documenting it and to that end, after being hired to produce " The Same Sex Show", I found the elements were very powerful and knew that this being a time in history that will be examined and an issue with a long shelf life - same sex marriage that is - that this was worth capturing and I did, putting together a documentary crew from graduating film students resulting in 22 powerful hours of goods sitting on my shelf unedited as yet!!

During the height of the same sex marriage controversy, as it made it's way through the courtrooms to finally be made officially legal nationally, TP was there on several fronts....firstly in 2005
TP produced the worlds 1st ever Same Sex & Wedding Show - the 1st of its kind anywhere in the world at Canada's largest Metro Convention Centre!

During the process of putting the consumer show together TP recognized the controversy involved, indeed including some in the wedding industry as well as the media and thus rounded up a documentary crew to capture as much as possible. As a result TP has recorded 22hours of raw documentary footage from the period including protests at queens park, religious protesters, and people on the street as well as interviewed members of the gay community and wedding/same sex industry people dying to get made into a feature and held a show with that featured entertainment and speakers from the who's who of gay, lesbian, and cross gender communities.

Rocker Carol Pope 'blesses" Ian Taylor & George Olds' wedding certificate for the Same Sex Wedding Show

Timing for this documentary movie to be produced is fantastic now since the HARPER government has recently tried to have same sex weddings from those from other countries called not legal - meaning the contest we ran that brought couples to Canada from other countries to marry at our show....MAY NOT BE LEGAL!? Wow...only adds to the value of our future film but can we be held liable for these couples' distress should the feds' position prevail? And what of those couples? How must they feel perhaps being gyped of their marriages? Meantime TP will be releasing a Short - Thin Pink Line - a 10 minutes snapshot of the 22 hours of footage we have.... coming up in Feb for a Valentines Day release! Stay tuned!

This is a project that begs to be completed and help show Harper he's got a tough road to hoe!

Deli House Catering in Newmarket now has banquet facilities

Meantime back in Heteroville I did manage to meet up with my buddy Johnny Cutrone who owns Deli House Catering in Newmarket and who now has moved ( the family run business) into a new facility with a banquet room and dining/meeting rooms in it, as I'd been looking for a suitable location / venue to hold an alternative night out spot for older locals in the York Region because right now all they really have for dancing in the over 30 age group is Greystones which many people would like an alternative to - Like me!!!Ha! That's why I started one last time! Boredom! Ha. We plan to have some live bells and whistles and have an exciting DJ who will offer you everything but the same old, same old which the groundhogdaylike Greystones seems to be! Save me please! Things are looking good to be a go at this location which is ideal, being close to highway 404 with hotels only a stone's throw away.

Later..Tom

Live Acts, Singles Dances, DJ Services Ideas for New Year

2011-12-30T16:04:00.003-05:00

For TP Entertainment or any live acts, this time of year can be good or bad for those in the entertainment industry. On one hand the hospitality industry typically does well through New Years thus they can afford performers when they may not normally whether that be a DJ or band or even a comedy or dinner show, but if you didn't get lucky yet and are not working New Years Eve many of you could be S.O.L. for a spell as January-March are the slowest times in their yearly calendar statistically.

Don Cherry is a popular spoof character great for B-days.. have him bring hubby a case of Canadian and rant!

What I've done over the years is to try and find niches to supplement my income. My first paid job as a performer I was actually hired by my mom who was Promotions Coordinator for the Aurora Shopping Centre at the time who hired me as Santa Claus only to fire me the next day! Apparently the owner of the Metropolitan department store didn't think I was hohohoing enough. Ha. At any rate, a friend of mine who had actually hit puberty by then did the job instead. Recently, in the past several years, I've been putting myself out (tramp!) as the Grinch! Which is way cooler than Santa any day! Ha! And allows for more diversity of choices for marketing - as even an adult party wanting to stand out can use a Grinch - who has a change of heart of course and dishes out good cheer and presents if available! Bring along a partner/dog Max too, and act / sing the book out for full effect (and an excuse to have someone helping)! Play to the audience and pick out a "Cindy Loo Who" to pat on the head. Of course, get too big and Dr Seuss may want a cut..but so long as you are not charging a cover for such events or showing the movie for a charge there should be little worries of that.

TP Entertainment & Productions is no Grinch to local industry suppliers

Myers Costumes On Main St Newmarket has all the fixings for Celeb Makeovers like the Don Cherry apparel above!

Once I created an interactive show called "Wackyoke" which incorporated humour into karaoke basically by introducing props, impersonating singers, acting wacky, some stand-up, and allowed people to come up and sing their choice of karoke song. Should they be bad singers was my thinking, I'd ham it up a bit and do background vocals, air guitar, whatever it took to get a laugh. Hey it worked pretty well except one time way up north in Ontario, near Orillia, where they take their Elvis seriously. Serious Elvii fans don't take too much to mocking him, but luckily I can croon Elvis passably so they let me live. Ha.

The idea for Wackyoke actually came to me from having seen a group of 2 guys called Krazy Karaoke several years prior at a Fox and Fiddle in Mississauga and later in Richmond Hill, which I'd thought was brilliantly innovative at the time, and the fact that the local Karaoke guy was like a bump on a log as a host. I figured anyone putting any effort at all could compete with that and I was right. I got quite a few compliments and laughs with that show and actually started a promotion for Easter Seals called 'Sing a Tune for a Twoney" wherein by paying a twoney every time you got up to sing you'd be judged and get a chance to make the finals whilst raising funds for the cause. I incorporated several bars into the mix and tied it in with the Great York Region Restaurant Race (raised $100,000) at the time. TP Entertainment had prizes like cash, recording time, and a Flare Modelling School scholarship.This was in 1994. I wide-eyed envisioned it working Canada-wide, but at that time didn't have the wear-with-all. Some Years later Canadian Idol came out....Just saying! Also a guy that rents karaoke and games for stags etc in Toronto whom I gave the Sing-a-tune- for- a- twoney idea to while attending a friends Jack & Jill, still uses it in his rental package today as a way to raise funds for the groom etc at stag and J&J parties..Thank-you!! Thank-you very much!

TP Entertainment handled Good Times Grand Opening having packed the place, provided the 1st band(s) and was 1st to bring karaoke , Elvis, and live entertainment nights. Live nights and karaoke remain their bread and butter in 2012.We also advised them to drop the donuts...they did. Thank -you, Thank-you very much

Elvis- o- grams or fave performer-a-grams can work too...I once did a job where i went in and sang two Elvis songs to a lady at a table - all getupped up of course - and walked out with $300. Took all of 15 minutes.Thank-you..Thank-you Vera much!

The idea came to me when I got bored after being single a number of years. Who'd want me?!Ha.. and noticing the limited options for entertainment or nightclubs for patrons over 30 in the York Region area let alone singles, except the local Aurora's Greystones has anything close to catering to an older crowd in the area, but they are only open Saturday nights, usually for dancing only, and after awhile it becomes a little like the movie, "Groundhog Day' - although I must admit some pretty nice ladies can be found there on occasion dancing up a storm and there is/was a particular bartender I'm sweet on.

D.J. Hungarian Pepper sets up before bringing the house down with her latest dance mixes!

But to me, I like a little more variety..for entertainment that is! Get your mind out of the gutter! Perhaps a step back into memory lane via old TV show intros etc on the screens instead of always sports and with a table of munchies as well like wings and finger foods with some 60's,70's, 80's tunes going at a level you can talk...then have it morph into a 45 minute set of live entertainment (duo / trio musical / standup / dinner theatre) which all spans 7-9 PM and finally a DJ/dance at 9:30 with the latest and some classic rock and pop tunes mixed in to try to appease the masses..Well that's exactly what I did, and it was fun for a time as I put them on once a month for a year with a regular group of about 120 people attending. The biggest problem was location / dates followed by it was hard to make any money - which in all fairness I never expected to get rich - but I did come close to losing a few nights in the beginning and you always feel like you need to add prizes and such. I actually had a live The Dating Game show complete with theme music and chose 3 bachelors and a lucky bachelorette to play and I'd do my worst Gary Newbanks impersonation!! Prizes like 2 steaks, salad fixin's, and a bottle of wine or dinners out for two etc were given out and people loved it, but was always a slight gamble and a lot of work for little return and you still had the whiners to deal with. However I did get to have some awesome entertainment and really made it an atmosphere I liked and enjoyed - and hoped the majority would too. Which they did.

I stopped doing them after some owners left a sour taste in my mouth such as ironically a Fox location who's upstairs hall room we rented who tried to continue the event like it was theirs when I packed it up and took it to another location, when he began to get too greedy, to the Upstairs at the White Rabbit on Main St. where another guy promised me the upstairs to do with whatever I wished only to renege and try to also continue it without me essentially.He still owes me $800. Both places are closed down in 2011. That's what happens when you fuck people my friends..eventually you pay the price and fucking over a guy like me (and others I'm sure) who can bring you lots of business, isn't wise. Ha! That was the sound of someone getting the last laugh.

People start arriving and enjoying refreshments, music, and nostalgic videos onscreen at a TPE 30Plus singles night

Anyhow, I raise this last point because recently someone who I gave their start into paid DJ gighood, a lady DJ called Hungarian Pepper, who doubles as a special effects make-up artist, and knows all the latest dance tunes but is old enough to know the classics too, has been asking me if I'd thought about doing parties again..And then I remembered my buddy Johnny Cutrone at Deli House Catering in Newmarket, for whom I've done many a "gig" going back some years now, has a new banquet hall facility in a location which years ago was the local nightclub called Club Spotlight was - and before that even used to house live bands in then 50's and 60's - so it has some cool history and is the perfect size and set up for one of TP events - with one side great for entertainment and a 3/4 wall separating another area with smaller tables good to talk in or eat at away from the action. Next I met another buddy of a mutual acquaintance, Gary Cocking, who has played the El Mocambo recently in Toronto and is an awesome guitar player, lives locally, and might be available to be our house musician for in between times, so, hey! Maybe I'll get one going again! I am getting bored after all and 30PLUS Night aged patrons will go out in these cold months if we give them a reason too! Hell, couples would too if its done well enough! And besides...Johnny likes the idea! He also likes the idea of an party for single parents / kids next year xmas eve..a Sunday..and throw in the place to help out! What a guy!

Until Next Time!

Happy New Year from TP!

Tom Pearson
President, TPE & Productions
www.tpeproductions.com

Canadian Labour Congress Video Contest

2011-12-16T21:04:00.000-05:00

Canadian Labour Congress Video Contest

TP Entertainment & Productions is happy to announce the TP written & produced one minute video contest production - "One Paycheck Away" the adspotlike short with the documentary feel has been chosen as ONE of Only FIVE FINALISTS from entries from across Canada. The assignment was to show the growing gap between the rich and everyone else in 60 seconds. Congratulations to the TP Production team!

Now it's up to the public to decide.Check out our entry video One Paycheck Away - then vote for it here! In fact keep voting for it right up until up until the deadline on Jan 20 2011. The contest is being run by the Canadian Labour Congress. 5 finalist were chosen on Dec 16 and now it's up to you to vote for TP everyday until dead-line date on January 20 4pm!

Tom Pearson himself narrates this no bells and whistles production done with still photographs and voice-over ...some good imagery and messages which are supposed to depict the growing gap between the rich and everyone else in 60 seconds!

This video never made the final five but some liked it better than the entry that did. Spoof of 60 minutes in 60 seconds!

Tom Out!

Lone Star Texas Grill Opening

2011-12-13T03:11:00.000-05:00

I got an opportunity to check out the grand opening, well preopening anyway, of the newest hospitality player in town (of Newmarket) Lone Star Texas Grill located on Yonge St.'s North East corner across the lotway from Lowes.

Newmarket's Newest player opened Monday

I know the industry well, having been in hospitality at one time, first as a kitchen manager with Pat & Marios Restaurants which was Canada's first chain concept to combine dining and bar/dancing w DJ as well as assisting to open other Toronto locations including high volume locals at Front & Church, Airport Road and Yonge & Eglinton. They had been a spin-off of the Mothers Pizza franchise and Casey's Restaurants all owned at that time by Yesac corporation, which I followed with stints at Mr Grummps downtown by the Eaton Centre, opening O'tooles Restaurants and on, eventually G.M.ing restaurants & nightclubs with live entertainment. I also wrote columns and produced Cable TV shows for Rogers and Shaw Cable that included me visiting various restaurants which was a predecessor to today's Rogers TV show models. Each Show - called "Out & About" would include a segment I entitled "On A Serious Note", which focused on a good cause every show which often would include a restaurant attachment of some sort.

At Pat & Marios, to save labour cost when the doorman wasn't there, I'd fill in alongside the ever whiny- voiced G.M. Bernie, or the fat man as some referred to him as behind his back. I'll never forget when a cook was giving him an excuse regarding why an order had screwed up and he yelled,

"If I want excuses I'll talk to Tom!"

We all howled! I learned a lot there however including how to talk to people and deescalate explosive situations. It didn't help we were located right across from "the projects", a maze of Toronto housing units ripe with drugs. I got sucker punched in the bar area one night by a local nutbar who was always trouble, leading to his banishment and my wake-up call as to the type of crazies that are out there and how a touch too much alcohol on some can be lethal.That all began in the 80's, those were the days! Ha!
Now back to my dinner!

I'd been given some tables to put local bodies in to eat free, part of a typical procedure that every Lone Star Texas Grill now does when they open a new one, a very cool concept. In order to get prepared before opening to the paying public, it's quite common to have a mock run through whereby 1/2 the restaurant staff would greet, seat, cook & serve, while the other half would act as ordering patrons. Sometimes the menu would be preset as to what you could order to ensure the staff got practice on all the dishes. Lone Star does this but they also hold another evening wherein members of the community have been contacted and invited in with allowances for up to 4 people per table to order off the menu which gives the staff additional experience before they actually open. Lone Star does even one more preopening event as well, as part of their "Texas Charm", by hosting one last rehearsal service before opening to the public for a local charity, which is certainly an innovative idea...but hey never mind the chatter..let's eat!

Upon our arrival we were greeted by some young countryesque hostesses and an attending manager who saw to it we were given a warm welcome - something I've often found lacking in Newmarket - particularly with some complacent chains who's managers are never close enough to the action to gauge how their customers really feel. Everyone thought East Side Marios would be here forever but they're not, because ultimately if value is relatively the same then a competing welcoming and fun atmosphere will win out every time, and frankly that place had the worst service in town and a non-caring attitude for the most part which, to that end, the staff at the new Lone Star in Newmarket seem to be a very enthusiastic crew. A quick look around and the staff was always in perpetual motion, whether singing at a table or playfully tossing bread at customers, it seems to be a prerequisite there to engage the patrons..and often! Our waiter Chris or Wild One as he's known in-house, although a little green, gave probably the best service I've had in all the years I've been in Newmarket - which is 20+. He would be right there as soon as an appetizer was done, kept on table maintenance like clock-work, checked in when appropriate, and had another fresh basket of fresh hot crisp nacho chips with cool tomato salsa, not too spicy but yummy, as soon as we were done. We were also served up a delicious conqueso tangy cheese dip splashed with jalapenos, without prompting..Mmm...These things I notice, having been a waiter / manager, and was almost floored when he told me it was his first job waitering! As it turned out he'd been working back of the house in kitchens for some time in other restaurants which really gives him superior food knowledge too a definite asset..easy attitude not phony..He got 4 stars from me out of 5 and a cool $20 on the side later that we insisted on! ha!

Video includes visit to Lone Star by the Duke Himself!

Of course at any Tex / Mex type of establishment, you have to try the nachos grande, and in fact to a degree a restaurant of this type could almost be judged by the dish. At any rate I was having some, as part of the run-through was that each table could order an appetizer. Our layered icon came out served with the usual salsa and sour cream on the side with the chips smothered in cheeses, a combination of Monterrey-jack and Cheddar as our waiter had offered up, and as well mounds of jalapeno slices, mildly spiced ground beef, tomatoes, black olives & peppers. I would like to have seen guacamole accompanying it, but realize its seasonal nature makes it tough to have as a menu item, nevertheless it was enjoyably fresh and the cheese was not spared. Personally, as a presentation freak used to fine dining tastes, I would like to see it layered a little higher which is how I was taught to do it, but that is more a presentation than taste or portion issue and it was still gobbled up like the last supper regardless!

For main course my friends shared a 1 lb chicken fajita which comes seasoned, grilled and served on a sizzling platter with sauteed green peppers, onions and all the fixings, along with warm flour tortillas and as usual Chris the rookie waiter with the efficiency of a robot showed up with fresh hot ones as soon they ran out. My friend, who also happens to be York Region's best DJ in Hungarian Pepper, and her son, devoured away while complimenting the tender chicken dish between bites. Sharing was a great idea as the bigger eating now bearded junior, made up for the pigeonlike eating mom at the end, making for a happy duo!

Mmm..cooked perfectly medium

I ordered the Steak & Rib combo with a loaded baked potato. Hey, my mom didn't raise a dummy! Ha! I'd asked for my steak medium which was cooked to perfection and served along with a peppercorn sauce, as to waiter Chris' suggestion, that was phenomenal. I can't count how many places I've ordered steak at, only to get it nowhere near how I asked it to be cooked, so it was certainly a nice start, but this dish also has a Texas Star seasoning, almost blackened / cajun but not quite, that explodes on your taste-buds upon impact. The succulent cut was tender too and my friend's son agreed it was delicious ( Hey! I had to let him try it!) - 'Like butta!" it's smokescreen of flavour almost making me forget about the ribs half, of which I'd ordered the original Lone Star BBQ style as opposed to the mesquite. The ribs were nice and tender, but I do prefer a traditional BBQ style (slow cooked over several days) which I don't believe they do there.. nevertheless they are still quite tasty indeed and the sauce very nice, and a good value to boot in looking at the menu! As for the loaded potato....Wow! Stuffed with the house cheeses blend, sour cream and bacon this baker was almost a meal in itself...I wasn't sure even waiter Chris' constant reminders to leave room for desert were going to work, but in the end we shared a baked apple crisp concoction and a scoop of ice cream served on a fajitalike platter with a sweet sauce poured over it at the table which sizzled and oozed on the platter even as we dug in. Mmmmm! I almost had to ask for a mop to clean up our drool! Ha!

The biggest confusion came at the end of the night as we are all so used to having to wait for a cheque, but not on this night! Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehawwwwwwwww!

TP Out!

TP Re-visits Spotlight Theatre School

2011-11-24T15:49:00.003-05:00

Spotlight Theatre's " Voice Impact Project" visits a York Region community in 2009

Main St Newmarket

I ran into an old friend and colleague, Merlene Samuels - Cephas, who has run Spotlight Theatre School out of Newmarket for the past "umptine" years (which equals about 26) while attending the annual local Santa Claus parade the other day. I was actually down that way to cover (P.A.C.C. News Report) Occupy Newmarket which was slated to meet at 11am at the Fairy Lake Park pavilions, or so I had thought, but as no one was there when I'd arrived I'd wondered over to the nearby parade, having been some mention of the group possibly joining it the week prior at the first general meeting. Turned out I was 2 hours early. Ho, Ho, Haa! As the parade ended and people disbursed, I began to walk up the still closed Main St where the TP supported 'Friendly Neighbourhood Youth Road Hockey Challenge" was also held, and where the "Spotlight Singers" had kicked it off with "O Canada" this past March Break, when I suddenly heard my name.

"Tom, how are you?"

It was Merlene. I can't actually recall how we first met, but I do know I had both my kids in her theatrical school at one point - Hey! My son as Daddy Warbucks!? Who Knew! Ha - anyway I was a single dad and producing an improv show for tv and live shows then, as well as attending film school, so it was a jugglers life for me at that time!

'Rapper TP" surrounded by Hip Hopp sensations Krhyme Syndicate perfomers at the 2011 FNY Road hockey Challenge

Upon graduating I approached Merlene about starting a class that focused on acting for TV & Film as well as the tech side of productions, as I pointed out that screen acting was very different than for live theatre and we'd include producing a "movie" at the end as part of the parcel, an idea which was ahead of its time with the finished version edited manually (via my fresh-out-of-film-school skills!) and shown on VHS.

Merlene and the school embraced the idea and it was a fun time for me..of course they also managed to rope me into committing to being a principal performer in Spotlight's Adult Troupe's performance ( I played Gus Schultz a big time music Producer! ha!), a musical complete with dancing which I'd never done professionally or otherwise and which gave me some apprehension but I think I pulled it off without embarrassing myself too much and the crowds seemed to love the show, so I guess we did okay. I even donned my Elvis suit some days prior, and stood on the street "thank-you very muching" and directing traffic towards tickets while pointing to a rented registration sign between croons! Ha. One time Reverend Elvis Baxter as he's known world-wide pulled up and asked me to do a 'thank-you, thank-you very much' for him, which I did, to his reply - " Yup that's pretty good" or something like that - Ha! As if I'd possibly soil poor Elvis' image by being road-side - meantime he's using impersonations to grow a congregation! Ha! Hey, more power to him, whatever works! Funny, he never mentioned God though!

Tom appears on TV to promote TP sponsored annual youth road hockey event A move to ban road hockey locally was squashed in part by pressure from TP in the media~!

TP does Elvis!

Merlene and I have kept in touch, most recently with some youth community development programs I've/we've been involved with - such as Spotlight's special troupe " The Voice Impact Project" which played in communities in need for free, and she was one of the 1st to embrace inclusion of Spotlight Theatre School when a group I helped found along with Merlene and which I Chaired for 4 years, offering free spots to kids without means called Operation Sparrow which needed organizations and board members to make it a reality for kids.

Anyway charities and "nice-a-ties" aside, at the end of the day businesses have to survive, and to do that the expectation is that anything consumers purchase - whether soup from a can or schools for acting - are the (they) kids benefiting (value) and in the case of theatre schools - are the productions well done as well? I've always thought that Spotlight kids seemed to have a special connection - like family - with graduating students often returning to instruct, or going on to related study or careers. Even the parents there seemed supportive and complimentary no matter how big or small the part a kid played, which is a big part of the equation as far as I'm concerned and the performances speak for themselves. It's nice to know - I did first hand as I was instructing but also able to see the other classes when doing so etc - that when you leave your kids they are not only in good hands, but that they are enjoying it and learning how a team works as one.

When the group lost it's then theatre location due to rising costs some years ago and had to re-stage in another location, Merlene and her Mom, who would often help then, never wavered they just soldiered on. When they were continually passed over for grants at the time and some of us wondered quietly if it was a racial thing, they said nothing... never using that as an excuse... until finally one day Spotlight Theatre School seemed to get the accolades and respect from the town and grant agencies that they were long due.

After mentioning to Merlene, that I remembered her now taller than her son, from when I would come in with my mom at one time creating sets for stage productions while he was in diapers, we happened upon talking of websites and electronic / SOCIAL media and the like, and I offered that lately we'd had some great focus in those areas and were doing very well..I made no promises but agreed to have a look at what they have and see if TPE Productions could assist over and above creating an online video for them from footage TPE has previously recorded..our Internet Marketing Whiz and SEO guy Fred Joly - Canada's best in my opinion - who is a "white- hat" website optimiser - had a quick look-see and has some suggestions - such as joining Google + as a business and adding video content to assist adding to optimizing, as well as some simple overhaul adjustments he recommends - all totaled should result in increased targeted website-visits and better results once they arrive...those things are Fred's department mostly - including the logical set-up make-up of pages. The creative and outside the box twists if needed of projects usually fall to me to help shape which I will certainly share with you all as we take them on! I'll keep you posted ..... Either way TP is going to produce a showcase video for Spotlight..because one should never forget where one comes from!

Later,

TP

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2011-11-20T14:29:00.000-05:00

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New Design Logo Web Site Blog

2011-11-20T14:23:00.002-05:00

We now have the new web site and design template built. The blog has been modified to reflect our design changes.

Web Site Launch

2011-11-12T23:34:00.001-05:00

Our web site will be launched soon. We figured we could morph TP Entertainment & Productions into TPEproductions.com and see if we could rank the new site for some of our industry specific keywords.

Blog-A-Thon Launch

2011-11-11T11:34:00.001-05:00

Producer, Director, and Host Tom Pearson on the set of " A Thin Pink Line"

Okay maybe there's no Blog-A-Thon happening...I made the term up.. but I'll bet at least a few peoples eyebrows raised at that one while briefly contemplating that it might be real and possibly the next, next big thing! Ha! At any rate I've got your attention and that's good...I think!

One of the many characters Tom portrays...The Grinch..... makes Santa look boring in comparison!

Hip Hoppers Kryhme Syndicate performs for TP 2010 at Fairy Lake Park...watch for them in 2011-12!

TP E Productions introduces new talent to the public - here in 2010 featuring the unique "Awake at 4 AM"

You can do anything, but keep off of these blue suede shoes..copper!

Thank-you Very Much!

I've been around the "biz" quite some time in a number of capacities both before and after film school... in every conceivable fashion almost, from Actor to Performer to Director, Producer, Associate Producer, Host for feature films to TV and have done live theatre and stand-up comedy...even camera operator assist and P.A. in my days on W.T.N.'s then top rated Decorators Challenge and while a single dad full time to boot..So yea! I've got stories ..and obviously I'm a good juggler ha ..well that's debatable..but I'm pretty good with voices and wacky characters though and I've had to play a number of ridiculous roles over the years. I was playing Ornery Scotty Mctavish, long before Austin Powers made it fashionable! Ah'll Tell Youuuu! My latest character is Thompson Williams a bumbling British reporter from the BBBBC whom is currently Stuck in Canada!

Some years back, I remember having to bring my son and daughter into rehearsals and to shows when I was (original) producing ( writing and feature performing!) the Canadian Improv Showcase, a live improv show which I co created and took to TV before walking away in disgust...having hooked up with an idiot out to appease his ego and hog the spotlight....well ok it was only cable but I would have taken it further with the right creative partner. I did get a mobile production truck to come to the theatre to tape it and had a live audience who paid to boot! Ha! Now that's creative producing my friends and I was in film school at the time!....I've done gigs from standup comedy to plays to tv and film to playing "Gripes" - an exaggerated version of hockey's Don Cherry I do - to (some may recognize me as) Elvis from the "Best of Speakers Corner" which they used to play often.....and before any of that I wrote, produced and hosted "Out & About" for Shaw and Rogers cable for 5 years while writing 2 columns for CoverStory Newspaper..and of course before my "single-dad-hood" took a reality foothold, TV Show's like Forever Knight, Top Cops or Secret Service among some.

Of course this was all going on prior to me getting full custody of my kids some years back! Ha...I mean how many bands could I review and restaurants for my "At The Clubs" and "Local Flavour" columns with kids in tow.?!..Truth be known I did bring them on occasion, but that would be to a restaurant I was reviewing and I'd write about portion sizes and whether they had high chairs or deals for kids or not for those columns! ha!..

Recent TP Acoustical Open Stage

One night while popping in to cover a band at The Rockin' Deli, a (former) local watering hole, I was jumped at the end of the night outside by 4 guys, all within eye-shot of the doorman who of course never left his safe perch inside the front doors. At any rate, as these drunken jack asses attacked I found myself on the ground with one guy wrapped around me, but luckily they were so drunk everytime they went to kick me I'd roll their friend in the way..Ha..one advantage to being in a bar and not drinking I guess! My theory later was they didn't like my (now ruined) leather pants...after all we were not in the city here! Ha! Ya-a-hoo! I wasn't as nice about it in my column at the time..it did make me think and for a while though, after I spent more time reviewing kids menus than Rod Stewart cover bands, like who had been playing that night.

At any rate I still have wild tales to relay, and come across entertaining past and present morsels constantly, and look forward to sharing some original outside the box stuff with y'all! So fasten you're frickin' seat-belts and get ready for different..I've been setting and predicting trends my whole freakin' life my friends so tune in here to keep up with what's happening.

Follow TP and what you'll also get here are a lot of seasoned, as well as raw ideas and talent and some crudely-edited-at-times productions that show potential to be developed..including my own invention.."Commotions" part comedy..part promotion! - I've included links to TP's You Tube examples - and we're not beyond developing or managing talent at TP either so I encourage you to post where possible in TP talent areas and submit ideas or clips for sharing!...Stay tuned for more!

As a remembrance day release I think it fitting to post this link to a radio show TP produced with Tom Pearson hosting this tribute to the troops which aired live to Afghanistan!

Later!
TP

TP flew Carole Pope in from L.A. to promote the world's 1st Same Sex Wedding Show in Toronto. Pope mockingly "blessed" the wedding certificate of Toronto's first legally married couple... produced by TP E Productions

TP covered George Olliver at the Inaugural "Stones" Fri's at Graystones Nightclub in Oct 2011

TP as "Gripes"....Gripes'll bring your hubby a 24 of beer..rant..and talk hockey with your special person..for a fee!ha

Interior Design Decorating Arts

2011-11-01T19:47:00.000-04:00

The Art of Interior Design

Being an artist means that I like to create stuff. Interior design and decorating is a great way to express myself. Tedious tasks such as drywall taping and painting become inspired moments leading to the ultimate satisfaction that comes from crafting a worthy piece. Here's a short clip of set design apprentice Fred Joly demonstrating the art in finishing intricately assembled areas.