Thursday, June 30, 2016

year-end campaign | 53.4% complete



This year's Year-End Campaign has officially begun! We have had a truly remarkable 35th Anniversary season, starting with with sold-out productions of Kim's Convenience and The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and finishing with the artistically challenging and heartbreakingly funny The Cake.  Now we are celebrating this milestone with one last fundraising campaign. Please consider making a donation today.


Our goal is to raise $50,000 by the end of our fiscal year on June 30th. The good news is, we already have a seed gift of $25,000! We would like to see that gift matched, however, and that is up to you! Please donate any amount today to help bring us the rest of the way home.

The story so far:


SEED GIFT: $25,000

MATCHING TALLY:
60 + 25 + 412.31 + 25 + 100 + 237 + 50 + 30 + 100 + 10 + 25 + 50
+  79.75 + 500

 = 1704.06


TOTAL = $26704.06 | 53.4%

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to our past thirty-five years of success! 
Please continue to help us continue to offer Theatre That Matters by donating today.

TO DONATE:

Go online: www.pacifictheatre.org/donate

Call: 604-731-5483
Mail/Visit: 1440 W 12th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V6H 1M8

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

featured apprentice | kim larson

Kim Larson celebrated her last day as an apprentice here at PT. What's next, you say? I'm glad you asked! Here's a behind the scenes look at life as an apprentice and what's in store for Kim this summer.


What was your favourite part of the apprenticeship?
It was really exciting to learn the ins and outs of producing my own shows. It's a very rewarding process.

In what ways have you grown artistically/professionally over the past 11 months?
I think I came into this apprenticeship with a strong foundation of the technical elements of acting. I knew how to do it, but I wanted to learn why to do it. I wanted to be surrounded by people who had established careers and knew exactly why they love the craft and how they live it out. I feel like I got that. Spending time with Ron, who has such a clear vision of what he thinks good theatre is and how to do it, has been refreshing. I think I have a clearer idea now of how I want to be an actor.

What are your plans for the summer?
I'm going to Armstrong to work on OUR TOWN at Caravan Farm Theatre!

What are you most excited for now that the apprenticeship is over?
Daaayyyyliiiiiggghhhhttt! I'm excited to spend a bit of time out of Vancouver over the summer and camp for the next month and a half straight!

We wish you all the best, Kim! See you soon!



Thursday, June 23, 2016

any night | apprentice show

Apprentices Jess Amy Shead and Julia Sidelanowska are getting ready for their year-end show ANY NIGHT.


When Anna moves in to the basement suite below Patrick, an unlikely romance ensues. But as she suffers increasingly strange behaviour in her sleep, it sends them both down a dizzying spiral of mistrust and fear. Now, caught together in a shared nightmare, these clashing lovers must untangle their demons, sort reality from dream, and learn how to trust – or one of them may never wake up.

July 8-16 at 8pm
Tickets: pay-what-you-think-it's-worth after the show (cash only)

** Subscribers you get free tickets to our apprentice shows! Email tickets@pacifictheatre.org to reserve your free tickets today.

Featuring Jess Amy Shead and Riaan Smit
Director • Julia Siedlanowska
Set Designer • Pedro Chamale
Sound Designer • C.J. McGillivray
Costume Designer • Heather Schmit
Lighting Designers • Ada-Jane Wolf and Nicole Weismiller
New Media Designer • Matt Horrigan
Assistant Set Designers • Vanka Salim, Jocelyn Kim and Shelby Wyminga
Stage Manager • Miranda Sandberg
AUDIENCE ADVISORY: Contains strong language, violence, and sexual content. Trigger warning for assault.

Monday, June 20, 2016

your pt-friendly guide to the jessies

The Jessies are just a week away and we are so excited to celebrate with all of you. To kick off the count down to the Jessies, here is a PT-Friendly guide to all our artists who have been nominated for their outstanding work around the community.


Andrew McNee was last seen on our stage in THE SEAFARER, and has been nominated for his work in the Arts Club's ONEGIN and Bard on the Beach's THE COMEDY OF ERRORS. You watched Lori Triolo on our stage in DANNY AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA, and she's been nominated for her performance in THE MOTHERF**KER WITH THE HAT. Kevin McNulty was seen a few years back on the PT stage in THE LAST DAYS OF JUDAS ISCARIOT, and has been nominated for his performance in YOU WILL REMEMBER ME. Stephen Drover, worked on our 2012-2013 production of WITTENBERG and has been nominated for his work in COCK.

Corina Akeson most recent work at PT was for her design in WIT. She was also the assistant director for THE WHIPPING MAN, and is nominated for her performance in A DOLL'S HOUSE. Another familiar face to THE WHIPPING MAN production is Drew Facey, who has been nominated for his set design in ONEGIN. 

Many artists who worked on our production of WIT have also been nominated for their outstanding work in other productions. Julie Casselman, who made her professional debut as Nurse Susie was nominated for her sound design on TENDER NAPALM.  Christopher Gauthier is nominated for his costume design in BRIGHT BLUE FUTURE. John Webber is no stranger around PT. He recently was the head set designer for WIT and has been nominated for his outstanding lighting design in ONEGIN at the Arts Club. Lauchlin Johnston is well known around PT for his outstanding lighting and set design work. This year he has been nominated for his work in GOOD PEOPLE and PETER AND THE STARCATCHER. 

Carolyn Rapanos worked on the production of GRUESOME PLAYGROUND INJURIES and is nominated for her work in RIVULETS: 3 SHORT PLAYS ABOUT A FLOOD. Itai Erdal previously worked on JESUS HOPPED THE A TRAIN, and was nominated for her work in THE VALLEY. Wendy Gorling was the movement coach and choreographer for our actress in THE AMISH PROJECT, and is nominated for her work in THE WAITING ROOM. Pam Johnson worked with us on COMMUNION, and is nominated for her work in THE COMEDY OF ERRORS. Last but certainly not least, Benjamin Elliot was seen a few years back in our production of CHRISTMAS ON THE AIR and is nominated for his design work in A BEST LAID PLANS and LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST. 

There you have it folks! Let's give a round of applause for the nominees! We can't wait to see everyone at the awards next Monday. 





Wednesday, June 15, 2016

june 15-18 | something sacred | a moment with the artists

SOMETHING SACRED opens tonight @8pm! We are so excited to see Kim and Stephanie back on the PT stage performing their own original work in Kim's final apprentice project. Congratulations on opening, ladies!

Kim Larson in THE DROWNING GIRLS 

How is this performance different from the first time you performed the show? Have you made any changes?

I've actually made quite a few changes since the last time I did the show. The show is autobiographical, so it's been an interesting process for me to go back into something that now feels like it happened a long time ago and shift things around. In some ways, it was really difficult. But I also had the chance to go back and re-visit the person I was and think about the ways I've changed since then. Originally, the show was centered more around the guy - my relationship and the decision to stay or leave. But with a bit of distance, I realized that what I was wrestling with was actually my faith community and the fear of losing my identity. So the new version has more of that.

What inspired you to write the piece? What excites you about the piece?

 I started writing this show because I had to. I knew that if I was writing about my heart, it was going to touch on faith and God in some way, but the only things I could write about that felt true were the questions I had. So I started there. I don't think the piece has any answers to those questions, but it takes some steps towards figuring things out. Maybe. Hopefully.

-Kim Larson

Stephanie Elgersma in MY BEAUTIFUL MONSTER

How is this performance different from the first time you performed the show? Have you made any changes?

The change most notable to me is that I myself am different. The biggest challenge has been to return to a play that I wrote two years ago. It can be strange and sometimes painful to to now put myself back into the emotional demands of this play and what I thought true at the point in my life when I first wrote it. But I guess to be an actor is to face my fears and jump out of my comfort zone every night, and I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t absolutely love it or think it important. Other than that, just blocking has changed -- the play was originally set in a small chapel (the one upstairs from Pacific Theatre actually) so bringing it now to the Pacific Theatre stage is quite the adjustment!

What inspired you to write the piece? What excites you about the piece?

Why Frankenstein? Well it started as a joke originally, but the more I thought about it, the more it seemed like an exciting idea. I love the complicated relationship between Frankenstein and his monster, and all the potential metaphors wrapped up in this ugly, deformed, yet ultimately misunderstood creature and how that could potentially mirror Annie’s relationship with her wild sexual desire and her faith. And I knew that having the story of Frankenstein through out my play would provide me with the anchor I needed to guide my own storytelling.

-Stephanie Elgersma

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

something sacred | apprentice show

Apprentice Kim Larson is getting ready for her year-end show SOMETHING SACRED.


Two stories.
True(ish) stories.
Questions about what is sacred, Where it breaks,
And what is worth holding on to.

Written and performed by Stephanie Elgersma and Kim Larson.

On June 15-18 at 8pm with 2pm matinee on June 18
Talkback Friday, June 17

Tickets: pay-what-you-think-it's-worth after the show (CASH ONLY)

curtain call | a 2015-2016 retrospective

That's a wrap on our 2015-2016 season! Here's a TakeMeBackTuesday retrospective on our past season.

SMOKE ON THE MOUNTAIN


THE AMISH PROJECT


A CHRISTMAS CAROL: ON THE AIR 


COMMON GRACE



GRUESOME PLAYGROUND INJURIES



A GOOD MOTHER 


WIT 


Saturday, June 11, 2016

wit | closing performance

There are two performances of WIT left- 2pm and 8pm today! Thanks so much to the team for their hard work! Happy closing!














Friday, June 10, 2016

wit | the film adaptation

There are three performances left of WIT! We thought you'd might like to see what Emma Thomson had to say while playing the role of Vivian in the film adaptation.


"I was sent the play, and I looked at the cover and thought that's an interesting title. And I loved it, such a great piece of writing." Emma Thompson

Thursday, June 09, 2016

wit | more photos

We're in the final week of WIT! Here are some more photos taken from the show taken by Damon Calderwood. 





Tuesday, June 07, 2016

wit | director's notes

Here's what director Angela Konrad had to say about WIT, halfway through the rehearsal process.


I first encountered Wit at The Vancouver Playhouse in 2001. I was enraptured. The delicious blend of humour and pathos; the intellectual gymnastics; the stimulating conversation about God, death, purpose, and meaning; the theatricality. This one remarkable play held everything I care about in life, everything I love in theatre. But I was also mystified. What did it mean when the Playhouse produced what seemed to me a deeply religious play? What is the significance of Donne’s Holy Sonnets or Vivian’s journey without a faith perspective? I remember saying that the play would be a more natural fit at Pacific Theatre. And here it is.

Since immersing myself in this story, I have come to appreciate it even more. The layers of complexity and paradox. The skill and elegance of the writing. The clarity and humanity of the characters. The lessons about the seduction of knowledge and the redeeming power of love. One day in rehearsal, I remarked to my cast that it is so enriching to live inside this play, it would be a privilege even if it was never staged. And yet, the story is too soul-satisfying not to share.

Edson has said this play is about grace, which she defines as “the opportunity to experience God in spite of ourselves”. With our variety of faith perspectives, in spite of ourselves, we have been bathed in grace during this process. Whatever your faith position, may you be also.

Friday, June 03, 2016

wit | artistic director's notes

Here are Ron Reed's AD Notes on WIT!


Twenty years ago I asked a Los Angeles theatre friend if he’d come across anything that might be right for Pacific Theatre. Wit had recently premiered at South Coast Rep, and when he told me of the John Donne connection, I was thrilled. But then he had second thoughts: maybe it wasn’t so strong a link to PT after all. So I didn’t follow through and track down the manuscript. Drat.

Not sure where those second thoughts came from. Four years later the play won the Pulitzer Prize, another friend thought it would be perfect for us, and I got a copy. Perfect indeed – and a perfect role for Katharine Venour. So we went after the rights. But, too late. It turned out The Vancouver Playhouse was also interested, and we had to bide our time.

In 2005 Katharine and I did Shadowlands together, the story of C.S. Lewis and his wife Joy Davidman, and her death by cancer. Dan Amos played a young doctor in that show. Dan moved to Los Angeles several years ago, but we’ve been talking about having him up to do another show. When I realized the time had come to stage Wit, it was irresistable to have him play another young doctor, though in a far more substantial role – not realizing this part has been on Dan’s wish list for years. I’ve also been looking for a way to work with Angela Konrad again, and when she mentioned out of the blue that she’d become fascinated with this play, it all converged, and... Here we are.

Through rehearsal, my regard for this script has only deepened, seeing the resonances between characters, the echoes from one scene to another, the “wit” and precise language of medicine and literature and theology juxtaposed with with simpler, harder human and eternal truths. Achievement and mortality, power and weakness. This play gives us a taste of John Donne’s extraordinary intellect, but even more, it gives us the opportunity to experience something of the deep faith that informed his life and carried him through suffering and death.

All that said, I love the play’s lightness and energy. I love the intellectual rigour – its “wit” in the John Donne sense – but I also love how witty it is. How funny it turns out to be.

So I can’t wait to share this extraordinary experience with you, our audience. Hoping that we can bring you something of the depth and intricacy and dread and humanity and hope to be found in John Donne, and in Margaret Edson’s wise and witty play.

Ron Reed, Artistic Director