Oct 26-28: BROKEN, a PT Apprentice Showcase production

BROKEN
Two original one act plays about life after the fall
Oct 26–28

Pacific Theatre and Stone’s Throw Productions proudly present the world premiere of two original one act plays written by Tina Teeninga, with direction by Kerri Norris and Tina Teeninga, playing October 26 to 28th at Pacific Theatre.

BROKEN THINGS is a tale in which human brutality threatens to overwhelm Soeur Marie’s faith in God and hope in humanity. Set in France during World War Two, this thoughtful, visceral piece of theatre asks: in the face of suffering and trauma, do values truly guide a person? Caught between the tangible, human desire for justice and the religious plea for mercy, BROKEN THINGS illuminates one woman’s struggle with authentic belief. As a precursor to BROKEN THINGS, NORMAL is the fragile, poetic story of a young girl clinging to her last threads of sanity. Is she strong enough to maintain normalcy, or will it disintegrate before her eyes?

Boldly directed by Kerri Norris (A BRIGHT PARTICULAR STAR, Pacific Theatre) with stunning lighting design by Nigel Brooke, BROKEN THINGS is a compelling drama with a stellar cast: Elizabeth Pennington (DIARY OF ANNE FRANK, Oral Roberts University), Daniel Amos (HAMLET, HALO, A BRIGHT PARTICULAR STAR, THE QUARREL), Bill Amos (HAMLET, Stone’s Throw Productions/Pacific Theatre) and Lori Kokotailo (HUNGRY SEASON, A BRIGHT PARTICULAR STAR, LESS ADO ABOUT NOTHING).

NORMAL features the formidable young talent, Kirsty Provan (HAMLET, LESS ADO ABOUT NOTHING, Stones Throw Productions/Pacific Theatre) with direction from playwright Tina Teeninga (A NIGHT FOR WASABI-24 HR THEATRE, Stone’s Throw Productions/Pacific Theatre).

Written by playwriting apprentice Tina Teeninga, and featuring acting apprentices Elizabeth Pennington and Kirsty Provan, this two part evening, BROKEN, is part of the dynamic trio’s artistic work at Pacific Theatre. Not only does Pacific Theatre’s apprenticeship program afford actors the chance to perform on a professional stage, but it also provides artists the opportunity to produce original work from “the ground up”. Stay tuned for two more original plays by Tina Teeninga in March: Elizabeth Pennington will perform in the one woman show, RIVER BOTTOM BABY and Kirsty Provan will take the lead in EXPECTATIONS.

Details: BROKEN: Two original one act plays about life after the fall. Written by Tina Teeninga, Direction by Kerri Norris.
When: October 26-28. Thursday – Saturday, 8 pm.
Where: Pacific Theatre. 420 West 12th Ave at Hemlock St., Vancouver, BC.
Tickets: Pay-What-You-Can. No reservations necessary.

*

That's the official press release. Here's something less official, from one of Tina's emails to me; "I had a terrific time directing Kirsty yesterday, so much so that I woke up this morning at 3:30 am thinking of ideas for NORMAL and dreaming about future projects." I love our apprenti!

Oct 25 - Nov 4: The Importance Of Being Earnest, TWU

The Importance Of Being EarnestThe classic comedy of wit and romance

by Oscar Wilde

October 25-28 and November 1-4, 2006

Jack lives in the country. His imaginary brother Ernest lives in town. Algernon lives in town. His imaginary friend Bunbury lives in the country. Gwendolen falls in love with Jack, believing him to be Ernest. Cecily falls in love with Algernon, believing him to be Ernest.
Telling the truth would be simpler, but so much less fun.

For more details, check out the snazzy new TWU Theatre website

Nov 1-25: "Life After God," Touchstone Theatre / UBC

Yup, that's Bob Fraser floating (drowning?) in that there pool. The Gentleman Caller in Liffey's staging of THE GLASS MENAGERIE that Ian Farthing produced on our stage a couple years ago. The hockey-playing brother and lover-of-the-main-character in PRODIGAL SON this past spring, our co-production with Touchstone Theatre, who are producing this upcoming stage version of Douglas Coupland's amazing novel. This is the show I've been looking forward to more than anything else in this year's theatre season - the novel is a personal favourite (call that extreme favourite), and Touchstone's work is so fine, I can't wait. Katrina Dunn is directing, and ain't nobody better.

Here's more...

Touchstone and Theatre at UBC, with Playwrights Theatre Centre, have been developing Life After God over the past two years. Visit the LAG website and click "On the Subject" to read more about the process and inspiration for the play.

Showtimes at the TELUS
Monday to Saturday at 7:30pm

Showtimes at the Cultch
Tuesday to Saturday, 8pm
Matinees, Sun Nov 19 & Sat Nov 25, 2pm

Tickets at the TELUS
Adults $25; Seniors $18; Students $12
Call 604.822.2678

Tickets at the Cultch
Adults $25.50; Students/Seniors $21
Call 604 280 3311 or visit www.ticketmaster.ca

Special Performances
Wed 1 Nov - Preview - all tickets $6
Thur 2 Nov - Opening Night - SOLD OUT
Wed 15 Nov - Free Performance - tickets at the door only, from 7pm; first-come first-served; supported by RBC Foundation
Sun 19 Nov, 2pm - Bean Around the Play - join Director Katrina Dunn for a post-show coffee and chat in the lobby
Tue 21 Nov - Talkback & Two-for-One - all tickets $11, plus service charges

"This strange and wondrous event": A musician reflects on CONFESSIONS

Another email, this time from Nelson Boschman, who's pretty much become our de facto house pianist for gigs like CONFESSIONS and CHRISTMAS PRESENCE. (Not to be confused with our de facto house keyboardist, Brett, or our de facto house Hammond player, Chris, or... Anyhow.)

A nice companion piece to Kirsty's recent thoughts about the show.

For some reason I felt strongly compelled to stay home from church this morning and spend some alone time reading, journalling and reflecting. Among many other thoughts and feelings, I found myself thinking a lot about this strange and wondrous event of which we have all been a part. For what they're worth, I thought I'd share these thoughts with you...

From time to time I'm asked to describe CONFESSIONS/CHRISTMAS PRESENCE / TESTIMONY. No doubt you've all faced this challenge at various points. I told a colleague this past Friday morning (after Thursday's show), that CONFESSIONS was like church at its best, or, what I wish church was more like.

It reminds me of a family gathering; a potluck meal where everyone brings something, the head chef puts it all together, and the Guest of Honor graces us with His Presence in the midst of it all. It's loose and improvisatory, but far from carelessly thrown-together. There is attention to pairing food with drink (as with song or story to theme), but not in an obsessive or, worse, restrictive way. There is not too much preparation on the day of the meal itself, but rather the preparedness happens through the years of practice, trial and error which have taken place long before we gather together to feed our senses.

There is a certain order to things, but the predominant feeling is not that of confinement, but spaciousness. It's like a story, in which, as Henri Nouwen puts it, there is "room to walk around and find our place". There is excellence, but not elitism. And there are no show-offy, one-uppy attitudes. It's about contributing something as individuals which will only nourish and speak to people when combined and offered as a collective whole.

There is profound meaning, but not intellectual imperialism. There is beauty, but it is a beauty characterized by simplicity and grace, not outlandishness and superficiality. And perhaps above all, there is trust. We trust one another to bring our absolute best to the table. We trust that in the times we feel we're offering less than our best -- for whatever reason -- we will be accepted and welcomed anyway. We trust that the stories and songs we bring will help others pay attention to the Presence in the same way they have helped us do likewise. And we trust that when it is all over, God will have done far more than we can prepare for, ask or imagine.

Looking forward to the next potluck...

Soli deo Gloria,
Nelson

Oct 14: CONFESSIONS Credits

Confession
noun [F. confession, L. confessio.]
1. An admission of misdeeds or faults; words spoken about your sins, asking God for forgiveness
2. A statement made by the accused admitting guilt; or, a written document acknowledging an offense and signed by the guilty party
3. The act of a penitent disclosing his sinfulness before a priest in the hope of absolution; a sacrament
4. An album by metal band Ill Niño. It features How Can I Live, which was also released on the soundtrack to Freddy vs. Jason
5. Autobiography regarded as a form of prose fiction, or prose fiction cast in the form of autobiography
6. An open profession of faith

Tonight's Artists

Michael Hart - guitar and voice
Albums; Desire, Lord of the Mountain, Dulcimer Light, The Heart of the Matter, Soulkeeper, True
Michael's website

Sheree Plett - guitar and voice
Albums; Hold Still, Red Circled Heart
Sheree's website

Lance Odegard - guitar and voice
Albums; Renovation, With the Chance to Feel
Lance's website

Kenton Wiens- drums
Album; Badgentina’s “Brittle the Bed”
Kenton's website

Brett Ziegler - piano
Official website

Becca Robertson - upright bass

Karl Petersen - poet
Book; Bellowing In The Common

Diane Tucker - poet
Book; God On His Haunches

Kirsty Provan, Ron Reed - actors

*

ACT ONE
Ron: A Confession
Lance: Crooked Deep Down (Caedmon's Call, "She Must And Shall Go Free")
Ron: Definitions
Michael: I'm Headed For (Michael Hart, "Desire")
Ron: Pilgrimage Pilgrimage (from The Life You Save May Be Your Own by Paul Elie)
Sheree: Orphan Girl (Gillian Welch, "Revival")
Karl: Poems (Karl Petersen)
Michael: Surely Goodness And Mercy (Michael Hart, "Desire")
Lance: It Ain't Me, Babe (Bob Dylan, "Another Side Of Bob Dylan")
Kirsty: JFK & Jesus (from "The Good Enough News" by Lisa Shea, in Joyful Noise)
Michael: In My Life (The Beatles, "Rubber Soul")
Ron: Why We Lie (by Stuart McLean, broadcast on CBC radio's Vinyl Cafe, Sep 30 / Oct 1)
Sheree: Yellow Dress (Sheree Plett, "Hold Still")

ACT TWO
Ron: General-All-Purpose Apology (fom "A Thousand Clowns" by Herb Gardner)
Michael: One Day (Michael Hart, "Lord Of The Mountain")
Ron: Confession Booth (from Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller)
Lance: Orbit (Lance Odegard, "Renovation")
Diane: Poems (Diane Tucker)
Sheree: Flood (Sheree Plett, "Red Circled Heart")
Ron: As The Ruin Falls (C.S. Lewis)
Lance: Pacing The Cage (Bruce Cockburn, "The Charity Of Night")
Ron: The Elder Son (from The Return Of The Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen)
Michael: There Is Forgiveness (Michael Hart, "Lord Of The Mountain")
Ron: Life After God (from Life After God by Douglas Coupland – Touchstone Theatre production coming Nov 1-25!)
Sheree: A Living Prayer (Alison Krauss, "Lonely Runs Both Ways")
Ron: Pilgrimage reprise (Paul Elie)
Michael: Pilgrim (Steve Earle, "Mountain")

Oct 26: Lee Aaron benefit for Semiahmoo Family Place

You don't have the idea that cultural icons will be... well, people. That rock stars carry on conversations, rent videos, marry your friends, raise kids, go to church. Are nice people, in fact.

Well, they are. At least, one is.

Several years back, I made friends with BCCN music critic John Cody in order to pillage his record collection for obscure Beatles covers. An eventual friendship with his eventual wife, Karen, was an unexpected bonus: not because she's Lee Aaron, but because she's... well, like I said, nice.

Anyhow, in recent years she's moved from metal rock glam queen to jazz singer, and in a couple weeks there's a chance to hear her new music and benefit a cause that's close to her heart in the bargain. Not bad.

click image to enlarge

Oct 18 - Nov 18: Father Dunstan, Lookout Gallery

This just in from Loren Wilkinson at Regent College...

"There will be an opening of a show on Fr. Dunstan's work this week at Regent--4:30--followed by the premier of a film the knowledge network will shortly be releasing in the US, "In the Footsteps of Michelangelo", mainly about this last fresco. He will be present (I spent most of yesterday retreiving some stuff from the abbey, especially the full-sized cartoon of the fresco, most of which will be hung at Regent for the next month.)"

Heavenly Banquet
Paintings, frescos and sculptures of artist-priest Father Dunstan Massey

October 18–November 18, 2006

Opening reception 4:30 - 7:30pm, Wednesday, October 18
In the Footsteps of Michelangelo, 7:30pm, Regent College Chapel

Exhibition of the life work of Father Dunstan of Westminster Abbey, Mission,
and the debut of a documentary on his life shown in the Regent Chapel.

In The Footsteps of Michelangelo, produced by Woodfilms for the Knowledge Network, documents the life of Father Dunstan Massey, an artist-priest who, while living in the 21st century, practices the art form of fresco painting perfected by Michelangelo in the 16th century. It is an intimate portrait of a man who has devoted his life to his God and his art, and the Benedictine Monastery where he has lived for more than fifty years has become his gallery - a showcase for his paintings, frescos and sculptures. The Film will be shown at 7:30pm.

From IMAGE Update...

Father Dunstan Massey, an artist and Benedictine monk living in Mission, British Columbia, recently completed what many consider his crowning artistic achievement. Thirty years in the works, Father Dunstan’s four-story fresco, “The Heavenly Banquet,” features a different take on the Last Supper. “I searched and searched for a painting of this heavenly banquet,” Dunstan said, “but I couldn’t find one. So, the Eucharist features in the new fresco, but it’s in heaven.” Combining simplicity of style with a modern interpretation, the luminous work hangs at one end of the refectory at the Westminster Abbey in Mission. Born William Harold Massey in Vancouver, B.C., Father Dunstan’s artistic gifts were noticed early. In 1940, at age 16, he was offered a one-man art show at the Vancouver Art Gallery. As a young man, however, a different sense of vocation was forming, and in 1942 he entered seminary. Eight years later, he made his monastic vows and received the name Dunstan. After earning degrees in both theology and art, Dunstan was ordained to the priesthood in 1955, and has lived at Westminster Abbey ever since. Though the cloistered life is quiet, Father Dunstan has remained busy with artistic endeavors, including such projects as the series of twenty-two bas-reliefs in the abbey church. His other large fresco, “The Temptation of St. Benedict,” led to a Time Magazine profile in 1971. In addition to painting, Father Dunstan is a poet, filmmaker, and musician. His film on the temptation of St. Benedict, “Crown of Fire,“ won the Golden Eagle at the Cine Awards in Washington, D.C. in 2001. Piquant Editions has recently published his “Mystic Mountain,” a book length poem dramatizing the Christian hope of resurrection. Having completed “The Heavenly Banquet” in December 2005, Father Dunstan has now made available the series of drawings he used to plan the project. As he is one of only a handful of North American artists creating large scale religious frescoes, Father Dunstan’s drawings provide the viewer with a unique behind-the-scenes look at one of history’s most important artistic traditions. Hosted by Regent College in Vancouver, B.C., Heavenly Banquet: Paintings, Frescoes and Sculptures of Artist-Priest Father Dunstan Massey will continue through November. A documentary, In the Footsteps of Michelangelo, produced by Woodfilms for the Knowledge Network will be shown opening night, October 18, 2006.

"I Was Meant For The Stage": An apprentice responds to CONFESSIONS

Email from Kirsty Provan, an apprentice at PT. I talked her into letting me post it: it's very personal, not written for public consumption, but I asked her if I could - it's such a moving glimpse into what apprenticeship at Pacific Theatre is meant to be about.
You can see Kirsty in the upcoming apprentice showcase production, BROKEN, Oct 26-28

So i have a confession to make.

I came incredibly close to weeping last night. And i couldn't really understand why.

I think there's just something so beautiful about the arts...they way in which we can be so moved by the way someone sings, or the vulnerability of a person as they share their whole heart. It's this whole new form of worship....it's like you're being baptized out there on stage. Does that make sense?

Download "I was meant for the stage," by The Decemberists...maybe that'll help explain (once again, the simplicity of music seems to speak wonders).

I just really wanted to say thank you. Thank you so much that i can be here...i am overjoyed just to witness. But to be able to participate....words won't work for me at the moment, it seems.

A lot of people really love their Sunday morning church service.
I love the fact that i get off work every day and feel as if i've just had one of the most intimate sessions with my Jesus.

Thank You for that.

Kirsty

*

I Was Meant For the Stage
The Decemberists

I was meant for the stage,
I was meant for the curtain.
I was meant to tread these boards,
Of this much I am certain.

I was meant for the crowd,
I was meant for the shouting.
I was meant to raise these hands
With quiet all about me.
Oh, Oh.

Mother, please be proud.
Father, be forgiving.
Even though you told me
'Son, you'll never make a living.'
Oh, oh.

From the floorboards to the flys,
Here I was fated to reside.
And as I take my final bow,
Was there ever any doubt?

Oct 13: CONFESSIONS Credits

I must confess I never knew before, "The Long and Winding Road" is a gospel tune...

Tonight's Artists

Sheree Plett - guitar and voice
Albums; Hold Still, Red Circled Heart
Sheree's website

Michael Hart - guitar and voice
Albums; Desire, Lord of the Mountain, Dulcimer Light, The Heart of the Matter, Soulkeeper, True
Michael's website

Lance Odegard - guitar and voice
Albums; Renovation, With the Chance to Feel
Lance's website

Jonathan Anderson - banjo, guitar, and various other interesting instruments
Albums; Halfway to a Better Place, Things Done and Left Undone
Jonathan's website

Nelson Boschman - piano and voice
Albums; Keeping Time, Vol. 1
Available here

Kenton Wiens- drums
Album; Badgentina’s “Brittle the Bed”
Kenton's website

Brett Ziegler - piano
Official website

Ben Appenheimer - upright bass

Karl Petersen - poet
Book; Bellowing In The Common

Rebecca deBoer, Ron Reed - actors

*

ACT ONE
Ron: A Confession
Lance: Crooked Deep Down (Caedmon's Call, "She Must And Shall Go Free")
Ron: Definitions
Sheree: Oh Dear (Sheree Plett, "Red Circled Heart")
Ron: Eggs (from "Talley's Folly" by Lanford Wilson)
Michael: Surely Goodness and Mercy (Michael Hart, "Desire")
Rebecca: Ashes (from Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott)
Jonathan: Compressed Heart (Jonathan Anderson, "Halfway To A Better Place")
Ron: Skipping Stones (Tim Anderson)
Sheree: Flood (Sheree Plett, "Red Circled Heart")
Rebecca: JFK & Jesus (from "The Good Enough News" by Lisa Shea, in Joyful Noise)
Jonathan: The Long and Winding Road (The Beatles, "Let It Be")
Ron: Why We Lie (by Stuart McLean, broadcast on CBC radio's Vinyl Cafe, Sep 30 / Oct 1)
Sheree: Yellow Dress (Sheree Plett, "Hold Still")

ACT TWO
Nelson: I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (U2, "Rattle And Hum")
Ron: General-All-Purpose Apology (fom "A Thousand Clowns" by Herb Gardner)
Sheree: Orphan Girl (Gillian Welch, "Revival")
Karl: Six Poems (Karl Petersen)
Sheree: Salem (Sheree Plett, unreleased)
Ron: Church (from Holy The Firm and Teaching A Stone To Talk by Annie Dillard)
Jonathan: All The Diamonds (Bruce Cockburn, "Salt, Sun and Time")
Ron: Confession Booth (from Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller)
Lance: Grace Hymn (Lance Odegard, unreleased)
Sheree: A Living Prayer (Alison Krauss, "Lonely Runs Both Ways")
Ron: Pilgrimage (from The Life You Save May Be Your Own by Paul Elie)
Michael: Pilgrim (Steve Earle, "Mountain")

Oct 12: CONFESSIONS credits

Splendid night. As Bono might say, "God walked through the room."

Tonight's Artists

Lance Odegard - guitar and voice
Albums; Renovation, With the Chance to Feel
Lance's website

Sheree Plett - guitar and voice
Albums; Hold Still, Red Circled Heart
Sheree's website

Jonathan Anderson - banjo, guitar, and various other interesting instruments
Albums; Halfway to a Better Place, Things Done and Left Undone
Website for Jonathan Inc.

Nelson Boschman - piano and voice
Albums; Keeping Time, Vol. 1
Available here

Kenton Wiens- drums
Album; Badgentina’s “Brittle the Bed”
Badgetina website

Brett Ziegler - piano
Official website

Becca Robertson - upright bass

Rebecca deBoer, Ron Reed - actors

*

ACT ONE
Ron: Confession
Lance: Crooked Deep Down (Caedmon's Call, "She Must And Shall Go Free")
Ron: My Dream
Lance: It Ain't Me Babe (Bob Dylan, "Another Side Of Bob Dylan")
Ron: Eggs (from "Talley's Folly" by Lanford Wilson)
Jonathan: Bitter Seed (Jonathan Inc., "Things Done And Left Undone")
Rebecca: Ashes (from Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott)
Lance: The Incomplete (Lance Odegard, "Renovation")
Ron: This Is Just To Say (William Carlos Williams)
Sheree: Flood (Sheree Plett, "Red Circled Heart")
Ron: Jesus Was A Convict (by Kim Wozencraft, from Joyful Noise, edited by Rick Moody and Darcy Steinke)
Nelson: Vegas Story (The Lost Dogs, "Gift Horse")
Ron: Confession Booth (from Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller)
Lance: Grace Hymn (Lance Odegard, unreleased)

ACT TWO
Nelson: I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (U2, "Rattle and Hum")
Ron: General-All-Purpose Apology (fom "A Thousand Clowns" by Herb Gardner)
Lance: Hurt (Johnny Cash, "American IV - The Man Comes Around")
Ron: As The Ruin Falls (C.S. Lewis)
Lance: Pacing The Cage (Bruce Cockburn, "The Charity Of Night")
Rebecca: JFK & Jesus (from "The Good Enough News" by Lisa Shea, in Joyful Noise)
Jonathan: The Long and Winding Road (The Beatles, "Let It Be")
Ron: Why We Lie (by Stuart McLean, broadcast on CBC radio's Vinyl Cafe, Sep 30 / Oct 1)
Sheree: Orphan Girl (Gillian Welch, "Revival")
Lance: Pilot Me (Lance Odegard, "Renovation")

Oct 22: Bach "Joy" Cantata at St. John's

Bob Dylan's "Theme Time Radio Hour"

"Take a trip to the land of magic radio.
With music hand-selected from his personal collection,
Bob Dylan takes you to places only he can.
Listen as Bob Dylan weaves his own brand of radio
with themes, dreams and schemes."

If you've seen my one-man-show THE TOP TEN THOUSAND OF ALL TIME, you know how much I love radio - not commercial radio, which drives me nuts, but the best of radio, what radio could be. The platonic ideal of radio. That show was basically written as an act of total self-indulgence: I never thought it would be performed, but for a few days I indulged the fantasy of having my own late-night radio show where I could play exactly what I wanted, and T10 is what came out.

Well, Bob Dylan is doing what I dreamt of doing, with his "Theme Time Radio Hour." My pal Nick pointed me to these marvelous hour-long shows that mix music (not Bob's) with scraps of poetry, clips from movies, and Bob's own idiosyncratic musings. It's broadcast on something called XM radio (I don't know what that is, but I'm thinking I oughta find out), but there's also a site where you can download the programs as mp3 files.

I started with "Bible," "Radio" and "Baseball," but you'll have your own faves. Here's a rundown of the episodes to date;
Episode 1: Weather
Episode 2: Mothers
Episode 3: Drinking
Episode 4: Baseball
Episode 5: Coffee
Episode 6: Jail
Episode 7: Fathers
Episode 8: Weddings
Episode 9: Divorce
Episode 10: Summer
Episode 11: Flowers
Episode 12: Cars
Episode 13: Rich Man, Poor Man
Episode 14: The Devil
Episode 15: Eyes
Episode 16: Dogs
Episode 17: Friends & Neighbours
Episode 18: Radio
Episode 19: Bible
Episode 20: Map
Episode 21: School
Episode 22: Telephone
Episode 23: Water