frank nickel wins john hobday award

Big news!  Our Co-General Manager Frank Nickel has won the John Hobday Award in Arts Management.  Frank won for a mentorship he will be launching with Nathan Medd, managing director of the National Art Centre’s English Theatre.  The other winner is Natasha Bood of Toronto Summer Music. Congratulations, Frank!

freud's last session | opening night photos

Friday's opening of FREUD'S LAST SESSION went splendidly!  It was the perfect way to launch the last show of our season.  Here's some shots from the post-show reception, with some of the patrons and artists behind the show.

sideshow | may 5th

The last SIDESHOW of the season is on its way!

SIDESHOW: Musical Improv
inspired by the setting of FREUD'S LAST SESSION
Tuesday, May 5th at 7:30pm
Book: www.pacifictheatre.org • 604.731.5518

may 23 | rip van winkle the musical | kaitlin williams gordan

Come see a reading of RIP VAN WINKLE THE MUSICAL at the Cultch, featuring Kaitlin Williams Gordon (THE FOREIGNER, IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE RADIO PLAY, DOUBT, GODSPELL).

In a small village below the Kaatskill mountains, there lives a man named Rip Van Winkle. After years of socializing in town but neglecting his farm and family, he has a fight with his wife. He takes off into the mountains, and after a mysterious encounter, falls asleep. He wakes to find that twenty years have passed. His home - abandoned and falling to pieces. Everyone he knew and loved - gone. Rip Van Winkle travels through time to test the boundaries of relationship. After all, what remains important, twenty years later?


Rip Van Winkle the Musical (reading)
The Cultch, 1895 Venables St, Vancouver
Showtime: Sat May 23: 4PM
PAY WHAT YOU CAN

Book and Lyrics by Alyssa Kostello
Composed by James Coomber
Performed by Kayvon Kelly, Alex Nicoll, Matthew Beairsto, Adam Kozlick, Michael Shewchuk, Kaitlin Williams Gordon, Jess Amy Shead, Erin Aberle-Palm, Rose McNeil, Rahael Yohannes and others
60 minutes

Click here for more information.

freud's last session | pay-what-you-can preview tonight

Tonight is the pay-what-you-can preview of FREUD'S LAST SESSION!  As usual, you can buy tickets in advance for $13.99, or buy at the door and pay whatever you like. 

freud's last session | video trailer

The video trailer for FREUD'S LAST SESSION is live!  Watch this battle of wits between Freud and Lewis play out as a chess match.

freud's last session | subscriber appreciation saturdays

This Saturday is our final Subscriber Appreciation Saturday of the season!  Since FREUD'S LAST SESSION features a man who is no stranger to the PT stage, CS Lewis, we are doing a spotlight session on him, looking at past PT plays featuring him or his stories, as well as his ideas and writing.

FREUD'S LAST SESSION - SUBSCRIBER APPRECIATION SATURDAY
CS Lewis Spotlight
Saturday, April 25th at approx. 3:15pm
(following the matinee performance)
RSVP to shona@pacifictheatre.org.

freud's last session | two lewises on stage

In FREUD'S LAST SESSION, Sigmund Freud calls CS Lewis in for a meeting where they unpack the mysteries (or lack thereof) of the universe.  For our two actors, Evan Frayne and Ron Reed, this isn't their first time exploring the world of CS Lewis!  Both Ron and Evan have played Lewis in past productions - Ron in his Jessie Award-nominated role in SHADOWLANDS and Evan in THE GREAT DIVORCE.  Here's some shots from their past turns as Clive Staples Lewis.

subway station of the cross book | ins choi

Toronto based actor Ins Choi, recently seen in PT's guest production SUBWAY STATIONS OF THE CROSS has released a book based on his acclaimed one-man show. 

Inspired by a real-life encounter with a homeless man, award-winning playwright Ins Choi (Kim’s Convenience) has originated an astounding work of artistry and imagination in these fourteen spoken-word poems and songs that make up Subway Stations of the Cross. Part public disturbance, part performance artist, and part modern-day prophet, Ins Choi embodies the form of a nameless vagabond who is both beggar and seer. He creates a rich tapestry of the profane and the sacred, the humorous and the banal, the contemptuous and the poignant in both poetry and lyric. It is a holy communion for the urban soul. This relevant and challenging show is captured here in book form with illustrations of subway drawings by Guno Park, whose work has been featured internationally.

Click here for more information

freud's last session | photos

Some advance shots for FREUD'S LAST SESSION, taken by Emily Cooper.

apr 7-18 | the duchess a.k.a. wallis simpson | craig erickson

There is one more week left of this brilliant funny and inventive play, written by Linda Griffiths debuting at the Cultch presented by Ruby Slippers Theatre. PT regular Craig Erickson (GRACE, LEAVE OF ABSENSE, and ) stars as King Edward, and Sarah Rodgers (ESPRESSO, A CHRISTMAS CAROL, IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE RADIO PLAY) directs. 

Don’t miss this scandalous play from Linda Griffiths! The fabulous, epic, and true tale of Wallis Simpson: the notorious, convention-smashing American divorcee for whom Edward VIII gave up the throne. Featuring 10 of Vancouver’s finest actors playing 36 roles, take a trip with Simpson through her tumultuous adult life stopping for visits with historical figures such as Noel Coward, King George V, Hitler, and Queen Mary.

The Duchess A.K.A. Wallis Simpson by Linda Griffiths
Presented by Ruby Slippers Theatre
Dates: April 7-18 @ 8pm
Where: The Cultch @ 1895 Venables St, Vancouver

Starring Diane Brown and Craig Erickson as the Duchess and King, respectively. 

Click here for more info or to purchase tickets.

may 12 | celebrazione

Outside our window the cherry blossoms are blooming and we're hard at work.  Not only are FREUD'S LAST SESSION rehearsals in full swing and subscriptions rolling in for next season, but we're putting on a big party!  CELEBRAZIONE is an Italian-style celebration of music, food, and theatre to benefit Pacific Theatre.

CELEBRAZIONE

An Italian celebration of theatre, food, and music to benefit Pacific Theatre, including a silent auction and a raffle. Hosted by Lucia Frangione, featuring performances by Lucia Frangione, Robert Salvador, and accordion by James Coomber.

May 12th - La Piazza Dario at Italian Cultural Centre - 3075 Slocan St
6:30 Doors, 7:30 Dinner

Tickets are $135 (including dinner, entertainment, and a $75 tax receipt).

You can purchase tickets online here or call our box office at 604.731.5483.

announcing the 2015-2016 season!

Announcing our 2015-2016 season!  This year's line up is primarily composed of world premieres and long-held "dream shows" that we can't WAIT to share with you!  Get your subscription in now to reserve your spot: subscribe online here or call 604-731-5518.

Smoke on the Mountain by Alan Bailey and Connie Ray
October 9-November 1

In an attempt to bring his backwater congregation into modern times – it is 1938, after all – Pastor Ogelthorpe stages a gospel sing-along, inviting the Sanders Family Singers to bring their new bluegrass sound. A hilarious musical full of songs and stories that will set your toes tapping and your heart soaring.
guest production by Midnight Theatre Collective

The Amish Project by Sarah Dickey
November 6-21

In 2006, the Amish of Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania forgave the man who walked into their schoolhouse and shot ten girls. A brilliant meditation on radical kindness, The Amish Project is a stunning exploration of the strength of community and the power of forgiveness in the face of tragedy.
a Bleeding Heart Theatre production presented in association with Pacific Theatre

A Christmas Carol: On the Air by Peter Church
December 5-January 2

Ebenezer Scrooge is a miserable, bitter old miser who hates irrational things like happiness, generosity, and Christmas, until a trio of ghosts shows him the error of his ways. Pacific Theatre goes back on the air, giving this beloved holiday tale new life through the charm and magic of a 1940’s-style live radio show.

Christmas Presence
PT: December 13-15, 20 & 21
Valley: December 19

Join our eclectic gathering of musicians and actors for a night of music, stories, poems, and readings for the holiday season. Our favourite Christmas tradition.

Common Grace by Shauna Johannesen
January 29-February 13

After spending six months running from her past, Colleen is forced to return home for her father’s funeral. Between the flowered cards, casseroles, over-priced caskets, and hidden bottles of wine, she must decide if she can fit into the world she left behind. A provocative and relatable family drama.
Advisory: Some strong language and adult content.

Gruesome Playground Injuries by Rajiv Joseph
April 1-16

Over the course of 30 years, a series of unsettling injuries brings Kayleen and Doug together as they spar, spat, and haltingly try to rescue one another. A fascinating and surprisingly tender story tracing the ricocheting dynamics between a corrosive masochist and an accident-prone daredevil.
Advisory: Extremely strong language and adult content.

A Good Mother by Kathy Parsons
April 20-23

A child is left alone in a parked car outside a grocery store. One good mother’s sacrifice sets everyone’s lives on a new course, bringing into question what is right, what is good, and what is allowed.
A Script-in-Hand presentation.


Wit by Margaret Edson
May 20-June 11

Brilliant and exacting, renowned Professor Vivian Bearing approaches her cancer therapy with the same academic rigor she applied to her studies. As her treatments progress, however, her intellectual armour gives way to her need for human kindness. A poignant and exquisitely-written story of unwitting redemption.

Sideshow
April 29 & 30

Another night of who-knows-where-it-will-end-up improv comedy! Fun for the whole family.

freud's last session | first read

Today was the first read of FREUD'S LAST SESSION! We have been trying to bring this play, bringing CS Lewis and Sigmund Freud together for an incredible battle of wits, for about three years. Can't wait to see how it comes together!