Cast, audience roll with lights-out moment

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This article was published 06/07/2015 (4060 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TITANIC HEARTWARMER: At the Modern Family Vacation show at Celebrations Dinner Theatre, they’re cruising on the Titanic II. “What could go wrong?” the ads ask, tongue in cheek.

Well, no one expected this: the power suddenly cut out, for real, mid-show at Canad Inns Fort Garry, Celebrations’ home. There were no lights except for the exit signs.

Actor Geoffrey Hughes, playing the Modern Family patriarch, was in the middle of singing Stand By Me. Rising to the occasion, the Winnipeg audience helped finish the song a capella, with Hughes and the cast.

They took a 15-minute break after the song, the lights went back on and the show finished successfully.

Modern Family Vacation continues until Aug. 8. Tickets are going fast; call 204-982-8282 or visit the box office.

SAPERAVI and IL MOLINO: Winnipeg’s first Georgian restaurant, Saperavi, is opening in a month.

That’s the country of Georgia, whose food is influenced by surrounding nations such as Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia.

“We will be the first in Winnipeg serving Georgian food with a chef from abroad and Georgian wines as well,” says Landis Henry, referring to the new family business at 709 Corydon Ave. “It will be a fine-dining restaurant.”

Landis’s wife Joycelyn and son Christer, are co-owners. Christer, the manager, has a degree from the University of Manitoba in global political economy. Their family is international and well-travelled.

“Dad is from Jamaica, Mom is from England, where they met and lived for a time. I was born in Denmark and when I was about six, we immigrated to Winnipeg.”

The Henrys also recently opened Il Molino (the Mill), a Danish restaurant, in the lower level at 709 Corydon Ave., where Orlando’s Seafood Grill used to be.

Red umbrellas just went up on Il Molino’s street-level patio on Canada Day, competing for customers on the busy dine-and-stroll promenade.

“It’s exciting, and I’m nervous at the same time,” says Christer, 26.

Piled-high Danish open-faced sandwiches — artful stacks of different foods — are their specialty.

Says Allan Kotz, who’s quickly become a regular: “It’s something you can’t get anywhere else. My favourite is the salmon and avocado on dark rye with strawberries, blueberries and grapes.”

CANADA DAY PUNK KING: The fashion parade of punks and trendies all stopped to look at the Christmas-red giant mohawk sported by Ray Villeneuve of the band Dead City Disease.

Villeneuve is also known for playing in bands 1919 and WCSP (Winter City Skins + Punx).

Yours truly found him with a friend, Christian Garneau and the two were reunited after 10 years — nothing like Canada Day for seeing old buddies.

BEST FREEBIE! Rockin’ on the Red, July 10-12, is a free weekend of hot entertainment acts, dancing, a midway, classic car show and children’s entertainment at the Half Moon Drive In in Lockport, only 15 minutes from the city’s edge. Just cruise down Henderson Highway by the river.

Friday night’s free entertainment, which runs from 6-11 p.m., includes Johnny Cash imitator Cold Hard Cash, plus the Dreams & Rumors tribute to Fleetwood Mac. Then Free Ride brings on their 1950s comic act Harry ‘n’ the Armpits rock ‘n’ roll revival.

The Ukrainian party band Sloohai hits the stage later, and then Free Ride caps it off with their famous Beatles tribute show.

Saturday evening includes ’50s and ’60s rock group the Twighlights; Piano Catz, a duelling-pianos act; the Four Mile Road country band; Ron Paley and his six-piece dance band; and then Hit Boss with disco and ’70s music. Daytime activities (Saturday and Sunday only) run from noon to 8 p.m. and include extreme juggler Robin Chestnut, hot-air balloon rides and shuttle buses to the Red River Floodway.

SUN’S UP AGAIN: The Sunshine Chinese Restaurant snuck open Canada Day at 635 Corydon Ave.

They have big plans, having closed their three small restaurants — the Ling Long restaurant on Pembina Highway, Royal Garden takeout on Regent Avenue and RJA Sun’s Family Restaurant in Altona — in favour of building a medium-sized restaurant with a back patio on trendy Corydon.

Husband Baojian Sun is the chef, hence the restaurant name. Wife Ling Wang, the charming lady who runs the front, says they just finished painting some walls the colour of sunshine and are decorating the charming hidden patio out back, which is covered with real grapevines and mini-lights.

“We came to Canada for university and met at the University of Manitoba language class,” Wang says.

Sun says he cooks his own recipes — Mandarin, Cantonese and Szechuan styles. “But I’m sensitive to people who need gluten-, MSG- or sugar-free foods if they’re diabetic. They pay money and I want to see happy faces back.”

New customer Peter Long, executive chef at Maxime’s for many years, sat exclaiming at a corner table: “The hot-and-sour soup had perfect consistency with plump juicy shrimp, and everything else is perfect, too. Even the rice! We’ll be back in a few days.”

Added his partner, Tricia Geller, who calls herself the biggest food snob in town: “Coming in here was a huge, happy accident in our lives.”

Got tips, events, special events going on? Call the tip line at 204-474-1116 or write Maureen Scurfield c/o Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave. Winnipeg, MB, R2X 3B6.