Wanna stay hale and hearty? Make some friends
From CBC Radio | Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009 | 06:00 AM AT

0700 Wanna stay hale and hearty? Make some friends. That's what Mike Evans says. Dr. Evans is the founder and director of the Health, Media and Innovation Lab at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto. He's also a professor of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto. He came by to tell Mary about the medical benefits of social networks. Listen (runs 8:33) to their chat. Click here

Bishop Alex Dias had an audience with Pope Benedict – October 28
Photo By: Fr. Theodore Mascarenhas

Konkani play brings the house down with laughter
http://www.southasianobserver.com/south_asian_canadian_news.php?mid=1&cid=1819
by Silviano Barbosa

Fans of Konkani Tiatr who attended "CHUK KONNACHI" on October 24, 2009, rate it to be the one of the best performance seen the Greater Toronto in recent times. A review by Silvano Barbosa is linked below. They also praised the prompt timing in terms of start - finish and transitions of sets, which enhanced the entertainment value of the performance.

Producer, Sandra Menezes and Director, Marshal Fernandes, were full of praise for the high caliber of performance of their cast members and the great appreciation shown by the audience. The Tiatr created history by selling out weeks before the performance date.

This is the second sold-out show for Director Marshal Fernandes who has been on the Konkani Drama scene for many years. In May 1999 he staged “Amche Dolle” in aid of the G.O.A. Building Fund and later "AMBOTT-TIK", a musical comedy show that also had a sold out audience. Marshal, Sandra, and their team, are in the planning stages for another blockbuster show in October 2010.

Toronto: Director Marshal Fernandes came out with flying colours with a mind-blowing presentation of his terrific Konkani play Chuk Konnachi? (Whose fault?) The packed audience enjoyed it thoroughly. The play (called tiatr in the native Konkani language) was rich in dialogues and its delivery in the peculiar Salcette accent Konkani made it comedic. This is the first time that a Konkani in Toronto has seen a full house. Incidentally, director Marshal Fernandes had another Konkani sold-out show couple years ago. This could be credited to his unique marketing and organizational skills.

Toronto, which is home to more than 20,000 Goans, out of which at least more than a 1000 speak Konkani at home and claim it as their mother-tongue as per the recent census, can very easily deliver 300 Konkani-speaking and Konkani-knowing Goans to attend any Konkani tiatr. The audience in Toronto this time was very knowledgeable

The following list of actors and singers (not in any particular order) gave their best performances to make this tiatr quite memorable
Dr. Lucina Pinto (O Canada! National Anthem translated into Konkani by Marshal), popular and talented singer/actor JoeVaz, upcoming young singer Rhio Gracias and director/actor/comedian/singer/composer/CD producer Marshal Fernandes (in an ode to Padma Shri M. Boyer), Rhiza Gracias (fantastic acting and singing (canto) performance), Agnelo Gracias as Mama in his best first time comedy performance and as play editor, Marshal as Leitao in his inimitable simple Lollo comedy role, actor/singer Olympio Fernandes, popular guest-singer Jack Fernandes, enthusiastic actor/singer Olavio Da Costa, actor/singer/comedian Tony Da Silva, the impressive personality of character actor/singer Chris Gomes, the free-spirited Bohemian role of Grace Almeida, the imposing fine role of father by Bonfilio Pereira, the impressive matriarchal role of Yolanda Gracias, the dedicated and tireless Producer/actress/singer Sandra Menezes with her beautiful teenage daughter with a minor acting role, singer Stephanie Menezes, (who sang in a quartet), the sultry and racy performance in comedy by radiant Serah Barbosa in her typical Assolna-village accent, the most popular song “Jinga-Mummy” composed by Marshal and performed by the duo team of Rhiza Gracias and her petite sister-in-law Sylda Gracias whose debut as an impressive singer on Konkani stage with her dressed-to-kill wardrobe thoroughly jolted the audience, professional singer Ruth Kumar with her gyrating body movements and powerful voice, accomplished singer Hazel Jacob, actor Benny Pereira and singer Clema, cross-dresser/singer Auggie Pereira, and all the musicians from the Band “Crescendo” - Tony Da Costa, Tony (Organ), Lawry and Manuel.

As an reviewer, I would be remiss if I did not compliment the unknown author of the play. The actors for their exceptional showing are Serah Barbosa (as Consu), who was undoubtedly the darling of the audience as witnessed from the wolf-whistles, whispers and comments from the audience; Agnelo Gracias, for his superb delivery of impeccable Konkani idioms; and director Marshal Fernandes, for his passive and sinister comic role and for putting up a fine overall theatrical performance that will be remembered for years to come.

Konkani music compendium sells out
http://www.southasianobserver.com/south_asian_canadian_news.php?mid=1&cid=1820
Oct 30 2009

Toronto: The Konkani music compendium (Song Book & DVD movie) international bestseller "Greatest Konkani Song Hits" made its Canadian debut on Oct 24, and repeated its continuing success abroad, by selling out all copies available. The compendium was briefly on at the Konkani play, Chuk Konnachi? A magnificent compilation of previously unavailable sheet-music, lyrics, chords, tab, liner-notes of great Konkani hits (arranged by Toronto-based Francis Rodrigues), supplemented by a stunning 2-hour DVD movie of the songs performed live by piano virtuoso Victor Martin, the compendium was briefly on sale at Marshall Fernandes' "Chuk Konnachi" Konkani Tiatro (stage drama) Saturday 24th October, at the Michael Power auditorium in Etobicoke.

Having previously sold out all copies abroad at the two preceding launches, (Goa, India, and London, UK) in August, the organisers too were quite unprepared for the ravenous manner in which all copies were snapped up in Toronto.

Many in the surging crowds were heard to comment it was the first time ethnic Konkani music was given such scholarly and international treatment, bringing it to the doorsteps of the world. Not only are all the arrangements eminently playable - featuring Konkani greats like Chris Perry, Alfred Rose, Frank Fernand, M. Boyer, Wilfy Rebimbus, Henry D'Souza etc. - but the inclusion of Konkani film hit music ("Amchem Noxib", "Nirmon", "Bhuerantlo Munis", etc), allied to pretty Portuguese hits, and even great Swahili tunes ("Malaika") from the Goan diaspora, makes it not just a sure - fire bestseller, but from all accounts, the fastest-selling Konkani book ever! http://www.konkanisongbook.com .

Halloween at TEGSA's
November 2, 2009.
Carmelita D'Souza

The Observance of Halloween, which dates back to Celtic rituals thousands of years ago, has been associated with images of witches, ghosts, devils and goblins. This was the scene on Friday October 30th at TEGSA's first Halloween celebration. Members came out all very sportingly dressed up in scary disguises or ones that brought on smiles to many a face. The crowd was not as large as we hoped, however everyone had a great time. After a sumptuous meal, the witches, vampires, movie stars and super heroes took to the floor to be sure they were voted as NUMBER 1.

Our MC Joacquim Menezes looked awesome as... "Frankenstein's Headless Bride" and then out of nowhere came... "The Fighting Mummy" none other than Uvy Lopes !!!

The first prize went to Fatima Lawson dressed as the "Flying Nun"
Second prize as "Cleopatra" - Matti Young
Third prize as "Jessica Simpson" - Yvonne Francis

D. J. Ryan's selection of songs from yesteryear got everyone on the floor rocking and rolling and line dancing, of course, with Nattie our instructor in the forefront. The evening ended with one round of Bingo with our usual great prizes to the lucky winners.

It was one helluva Hip Hop Halloween Night. Booooooooo................till next Halloween