Al Simmons, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra to take stage together after Magic Workshop fire

Al Simmons has refurbished his horse-cycle, recreated his harmonica balloon bagpipes and is now ready to take the stage with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra after a fire destroyed much of his life's work earlier this year.

TheJuno-award-winning children's entertainer lost nearly all of his homemade instruments in a fire in his Magic Workshopin February.

"I said to [my son], I don't want to be remembered as the guy whose props burned down and, you know, that was the end 'Al Simmons was funny and then everything burned down and that's sad,' and 'Oh that's too bad. Let's go see something,'" he said.

"And he said, people aren't going to remember me for what was lost. They're going to remember me as the guy who bounced back, because there's no stopping me."

Simmons guesses he lost 99 per cent of his costumes, props and instruments in the fire, many of which he invented and built himself and which were central to his zany live act.

"I hate to go there. When I think about what was lost, [it] was brutal," he said.

A few pieces still survive, including Ol' Spoke, his horse-cycle, which Simmons said has been expertly restored and will join him on stage with the orchestra on Sunday.

"Watch out bass players and second violins, I'm coming your way," he joked.

Al Simmons' 'Magic Workshop' goes up in flames, irreplaceable props burn

7 years ago

Duration 4:15

A prominent Manitoba children's enterA prominent Manitoba children's entertainer has lost his life's work after his workshop went up in flames a week ago.tainer has lost his life's work after his workshop went up in flames a week ago.

Simmons is amazed by the community support he's received since the fire. People have brought him foodand boxes of broken musical instruments so he can get creating, he said, and a GoFundMe started in his honour raised more than $50,000 in a month.

"People are saying, 'Oh, you're like a phoenix, rising out of the ashes of the flames,' and all of that. But if anything rose out of those ashes, it was the support," he said.

Simmons will play alongside the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra at the Centennial Concert Hall on April 8, starting at 2 p.m., after crafts and family activities that begin at 1 p.m.

Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased online.