meet the apprentices

Our new apprentices have arrived and they're already hard at work!  Here is a day in the life of our apprentices-in-training.

Step one: successfully filling in subscription forms for the first time!  Go Kim and Maki!

Step Two: Remember that everyone makes mistakes, don't get down on yourself for it!

Step Three: Get packaging - look at that growing pile of ready-to-mail subscriptions!

Step Four: Victory!  Subscriptions processed and packaged!

to sep 3 | tough | kat gauthier

Kat Gauthier was Sky in You Still Can't, and Goldie Hawn in Godspell. She's the bee's knees. She's also in this...

Twenty-Something Theatre presents
Tough!
by George F. Walker

Studio 1398 (formerly PTC Studio)
to Sep 3

“Walker has an eye for the ridiculous and an imagination that packs his plays with action”
--New York Times

After bringing the sold-out smash hit Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love to Vancouver in 2009 Twenty Something Theatre is bringing another contemporary Canadian revival to the city in 2011: Tough! By George F. Walker. Bobby and Tina are nineteen. Bobby gets caught cheating. Tina finds out she’s pregnant. Jill, Tina’s best friend, hates Bobby and welcomes the opportunity to kick his ass. Sometimes life is tough. First written in 1993 this dark comedy by George F. Walker is a wrenchingly funny, painful, and honest depiction of the conflicting desires and troubled relationships that continue to epitomize young people today. Directed by Jessie-nominated director Tamara McCarthy, Tough!, is on stage at Studio 1398 (formerly PTC Studio), Granville Island from August 24th – September 3rd, 2011.

Twenty-Something Theatre is a Vancouver based independent theatre company dedicated to producing contemporary theatre that is provocative, edgy and relevant to our generation. We are committed to providing Vancouver’s next generation of theatre artists with opportunities to pursue their craft and we strive to enhance Vancouver’s theatre community with productions that entertain and evoke the lives of today’s young people.

Heading into our 6th year we have featured some of the city’s best up-and-coming artists in such highly acclaimed works as This Is Our Youth by Kenneth Lonergan, The Shape of Things by Neil Labute, The Fever by Wallace Shawn, Suburbia by Eric Bogosian, Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love by Brad Fraser, Blue Surge by Rebecca Gilman and Nocturne by Adam Rapp as well as our first original work, Prodigals, by Vancouver playwright Sean Minogue.

Previews $12.00 + $3.25 s/c
Regular $22.00 + $3.75 s/c
35 & under & Seniors (with valid id) $18.00 + $3.75 s/c

ron reed on life & style with zara | joy tv

This summer Ron was interviewed by Zara Durani for Joy TV's new show Life & Style with Zara. You may have missed it when it aired, but fear not! We live in an age where watching things when they are actually scheduled to be on TV is unnecessary! Here is the interview, uploaded onto Youtube.

tuesdays with morrie | artistic director's notes - ron reed

This time around we have TWO sets of artistic director's notes!  Here's the first set, from PT's Ron Reed.  Still to come: Gallery 7 AD Ken Hildebrandt's notes.

Welcome to our twenty-eighth season! It’s been an exhilarating ride, particularly the past two seasons, and as we launch this one it feels like our theatre is in a very good place. The pieces we produce on our own - Playland, Doubt, Refuge Of Lies, A Christmas Carol, My Name Is Asher Lev - are all right at the core of what we’re about, featuring artists who call Pacific Theatre their artistic home, with ever-expanding design and production values. And we find ourselves with a rich array of collaborators and co-producers among other Vancouver theatres, thrilled to be so engaged with the rest of this remarkable artistic community, bringing you productions - shows like Re:Union, Jesus Hopped The ‘A’ Train, Godspell, Jake’s Gift, The Passion Project, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, Danny & The Deep Blue Sea.

Gallery 7 has long been a ‘sister company’ to Pacific Theatre, a community theatre in the Fraser Valley with a mandate that’s a lot like ours. When I saw their production of Tuesdays With Morrie this spring I was very moved - far more than I had expected to be, the piece packs a real punch - and it occurred to me that our audience would have a similar response. Ken Hildebrandt is a longtime friend and peer, and I’ve had the pleasure of working with Glen Pinchin on both You Can’t Take It With You and You Still Can’t. Both actors were absolutely at the top of their game, and it seemed an ideal opportunity to showcase not only these two artists and their company, but also a piece of theatre so close to the heart of both our theatres.

We hope you’ll enjoy tonight’s visit with two remarkable men - one who’s lived a long life fully, soulfully, the other who is challenged to do the same. And we hope you’ll come back and join us for encounters with other such lives - a Quaker whose extraordinary act of witness may have altered the course of a war; a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, clutching covetous old sinner who is challenged to transform; two lost souls in a Bronx bar; a charismatic young priest and the woman who suspects he may be preying on her students; four disciples at a memorable dinner party; a priest and a cleaning woman considering changes in vocation.

Last season was a triumph. But we think the one to come may be the best yet!

tuesdays with morrie | photos

Photos from the original run of TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE at Gallery 7 Theatre in Abbotsford.  All photos feature Ken Hildebrandt as Mitch and Glen Pinchin as Morrie.  Photos by Dianna Lewis.

auditions | joel stephanson podplay

Untitled Podplay 
(a radio play for mobile devices in the style of Neworld Theatre)

Company: Quiet Hum Theatre Co.
Playwright/Director: Joel Stephanson
Production Dates: Recording in early/mid-September
Audition Dates:  Afternoons of August  29th & 30th  
Audition Address: by appointment at Pacific Theatre, 1440 West 12th Ave (at Hemlock)
Requires:
- 1 woman (Katherine) to play many different ages; strong singing skills: a good church-choir soloist voice that is described as especially passionate
- 1 male, age 30-60 to play young and old versions of himself
- approximately 15 other small and medium sized roles - we are especially in need of men.

Notes: Actors are asked to bring a 1 to 2 minute 20th-century monologue.  We may also ask for a cold read.  Those auditioning for Katherine are also asked to sing about 30 seconds of an unaccompanied song.

Inspired by local history, this play follows a century in the life of a Vancouver heritage building.  Patrons will download the play onto their iPods, cell phones, etc, and follow the narration through various rooms to overhear conversations and music from past decades. 

Remuneration: We regret being unable to offer this.  That said, CAEA members are certainly welcome if interested, as this does not fall under CAEA jurisdiction.  Members of other unions may need to verify that they are permitted to take part.  

Contact: Please send resumes and photos to Joel at quiethumtheatre@gmail.com, by August 27th.  If you have any voice or acting samples online, please provide a link.  

There may be some down time if it becomes necessary to mix and match readers at the audition - your patience is appreciated.  

Thanks in advance for your interest!
quiethumtheatre.wordpress.com

tuesdays with morrie | fun facts

For some people the end of August means back-to-school, here at PT it means back-to-the-stage (a much more positive association for most of us).  Our first show is TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE, a guest production by Gallery 7 Theatre.  In honour of the back-to-school, educational spirit, here are a few fun facts about the show.

This is real life: what with the popularity of the book, movie, and stage play, most people already know this fun fact, but it deserves a mention.  Yes, indeed, this is based on an entirely true story, experienced by a real-life Mitch and an equally real Morrie.

In it for the money: the book was originally written because Mitch Albom was looking for a way to help Morrie Schwartz's estate pay off the medical bills from his ongoing struggle with ALS.

Some call it fate: Mitch had gone a solid 20 years without reaching out to reconnect with his former professor.  What motivated the sudden rekindling of their relationship?  Well, Mitch just happened to be surfing channels at the same time that Morrie was being featured on Nightline.  What are the chances?

The big ones: Morrie tells Mitch to make up a list of all the things he wants to discuss in their newly re-formed Tuesday philosophy classes.  The list he comes up with includes death, fear, aging, greed, marriage, family, society, forgiveness, and a meaningful life.  Is there anything missing from that list you would have asked about?

july 15-aug 27 | party this weekend | diana squires

Aug 18 update: "Party This Weekend, the House Party Collective and Scarlet Satin Productions have announced that the show will be moved to a larger venue for its remaining weekends. The show will be presented at 3079 Copley Street (near Nanaimo and Grandview Highway) on August 19, 20, 26, and 27."

Dianna (Dice) Squires was on our stage in last season's GODSPELL, singing and dancing her way through the Gospel of John.  Her latest venture is a site-specific, roving show called PARTY THIS WEEKEND, also featuring Matt Beairsto from THE GREAT DIVORCE.  Info below!

Experience a house party you will never forget, through the eyes of four pivotal party guests. Mingle, eat & drink, following one of these characters through the house each night.

Lara:
the helplessly Type-A hostess will keep her best friend's birthday party running smoothly, even if some heads have to roll

Cameron
the smooth-talking, well-monied douchebag everyone loves to hate... lays everything on the line for the woman he wants

Vivian
a well-meaning social disaster steals the birthday girl's shoes and searches for her prince charming

Derek
a quirky musician wrestles with his sexual identity while getting roped into one ridiculous scheme after another

Party This Weekend
July 15 - August 27
8pm Fridays & Saturdays only (er, as the title implies)
3079 Copley Street
$15 for single tickets
$40 for a 4-show pass...get the whole story!
Limited capacity (and the show's getting lots of buzz already) so I definitely recommend reserving early for the night(s) you want
To reserve: partythisweekend2011@gmail.com
More d's: www.partythisweekend.ca

*Note: Our opening &\ closing weekends are VIP which means 19+ and alcohol will be served. You must be on the guest list to get in on those nights (see email address above).

Much love to everyone, and for those working on shows I don't know about yet...I look forward to hearing all about them!

espresso goes to poland

Lucia Frangione's ESPRESSO was a landmark show for us when it premiered at Pacific Theatre in 2003. Cia has written an account of her (and her play's) recent misadventures in Poland: here's a teaser: read the whole article at the talonbooks website.

...After my meeting with Ewa I head over to the MOMA. In it I discover a tremendous amount of contemporary art that is a specific outcry and response to the oppression of the Catholic church. A lot of anger is slashed across the walls.

My play Espresso is about an Italian Catholic family whose patriarch has a terrible car accident and lies on the brink of life and death. Three women stand vigil over him: his mother, his second wife and his daughter. While these women strain under their immense grief and fear as they wait for the results of his operation, they unravel family secrets, they pray to whatever God they think may exist or not, they contemplate the life lived and the love lost and their place as women in this culture, in this religion, in this family. An erotic Christ figure comes to each of them during their time of grief and woos them with the Song Of Solomon into a place of spiritual and sexual healing, a place of hope, a place of remembrance that this too shall pass and the season of singing shall come.

As I look at this harsh angry necessary display of art, I am so thankful I have written Espresso and can offer the Polish audience an alternative response to religion that is also challenging and yet offers some hope through reclamation.

Oh yes, I have some lofty thoughts about myself this afternoon.

Finally the night has come for me to see my play! Malgorzata Semil has warned me that a few of Amante’s lines have been cut, some of the Song of Solomon. . . .

edmonton fringe | faith healer | tim dixon

Wonderful!  Tim Dixon, a member of our rep company when we first opened the theatre at 12th & Hemlock (Cotton Patch Gospel, Voice of the Prairie, Traveler In The Dark, Howard Buys A Motorhome, and more recently 12 Angry Men), treads the boards again!  

website

set designer needed | gallery 7 theatre | abbotsford

This September our friends at Gallery 7 Theatre will be taking over our stage with a remount of their production of TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE.  In the meantime, they're looking for emerging set designers for their productions of THE OUTSIDERS and ROBINSON CRUSOE coming up this winter in Abbotsford.

THE OUTSIDERS
Opens November 4th, design process to begin immediately.

ROBINSON CRUSOE
Opens January 20th, design process to begin in November.

Designers will be required to work with the director and other designers to develop an appropriate overall production concept and a specific set design that meets artistic, budgetary, liability, and resource goals.  They will provide drawings, a scale ground-plan, a colour rendering, and where possible a scale three-dimensional model of the set and associated pieces, as well as working with construction manager, carpenters, and crew to ensure the set is completed and loaded-in for the final dress rehearsal.

For a full job description, or to apply, send your theatre resume with past set design credits to Ken Hildebrandt at gallery7theatre@shawbiz.ca.  Interested parties without experience are welcome to apply as well.