June 7: Pacific Rim String Quartet at Pacific Theatre

Pacific Rim String Quartet
with guests Yariv Aloni, viola and Eric Wilson, cello

Mendelssohn: String Quartet Op. 12
Brahms: String Sextet Op. 36

Sunday, June 7, 3:00PM
Pacific Theatre
1440 West 12th Ave.

Tickets: online or 604-731-5518, and at the door.

Pacific Rim String Quartet

Li-Ling Liao, violin
Ruth Huang, violin
Robin Streb, viola
Brian Mix, cello

Guests:

Yariv Aloni, viola, is a former member of the Aviv and Penderecki Quartets and has collaborated with many musicians, including Isaac Stern, Pinchas Zuckerman, Mischa Maisky and Christoph Eschenbach. Mr. Aloni has recorded for the CBC, the BBC, National Public Radio, Radio-France and the Israeli Radio. He can also be heard on Compact Discs issued by the United, Marquise, Tritonus, and CBC labels.

Eric Wilson, professor of cello at UBC, was solo cellist of the Ensemble of New York in residence at the Lincoln Centre, New York. He was also a founding member of the Emerson String Quartet. Wilson has performed with such eminent artists as Menahem Pressler and Walter Trampler and with the Boston Chamber Soloists, New York Chamber Soloists, Lyric Piano Quartet, Quartet Canada, Pro Arte Quartet and the Melos Quartet.

June 2: Peter La Grand & Miriam Jones at Pacific Theatre

A couple years back, my friend Rudi played me his new cd. I bought it from him on the spot, and it became my favourite cd of the year. By then, Miriam had already moved to England, so I never met her or heard her play live. But I sent her some fan mail, and when it turned out she'll be here for a visit in June, we offered her Pacific Theatre for a concert. Along with Peter La Grand, a fantastic Vancouver musician who opened for Over The Rhine here a while back: we've heard his music on the PT stage, but this is the first time he'll be singing it for us. Promises to be quite the night!


Pacific Theatre welcomes you to The Series: A concert series dedicated to PT's extended family of amazing musicians. We wanted to give those who support us at events like Christmas Presence their own place to call home.

Inaugural concert featuring two of the West Coasts brightest rising stars, Miriam Jones and Peter La Grand in the living room intimacy of Pacific Theatre. Join us for an unforgettable night of music.

Tickets only $12! Purchase online or at the door.

"Being Here is a fun, sometimes poignant, and entirely enjoyable effort from one of the West Coast's rising young artists."
- North By Northwest, CBC Radio One

Jun 2: Miriam Jones / Peter La Grand at Pacific Theatre!

Tues June 2 Peter La Grand / Miriam Jones concert PT 8pm

More details to follow, but for now...  Mark your calendar!  Two amazing musicians.

May 30: START TIME DELAYED Sheree Plett / Jeremy Eisenhauer, Beaumont Stage

I've just heard that Sher & Jer are not performing until after another event concludes at the Beaumont. Word is, Doors are at 9:15 pm with music starting at 9:45 pm.

Hey, wanted to let you know about our Tour Kick-off:

Jeremy and I are heading across the country in our stylin mini-van, all the way to Halifax. We are having a kick off show on Saturday, May 30, 2009
at the Beaumont Stage
(316 West 5th ave Vancouver, BC)
Doors at 7:00pm
Show at 7:30pm
$10 @the door
Tariq Hussain will be opening the evening.

Would LOVE it if you could come, feel free to spread the word.

Take care, Sheree

Jessie News

Some familiar PT actors were singled out for Jessie Richardson Award nominations at yesterday's press conference / party - though not always for their work on our stage.

Julia Mackey is honoured for her marvelous one-woman show, JAKE'S GIFT, which has been touring all over Canada for the past couple seasons. Jules first developed the character of Jake in a three week mask intensive workshop PT offered back in 2002, which led to our December production MERCY WILD that also featured Dirk Van Stralen, Scott Campbell, Mark DuMez (recently named Artistic Director of Chemainus Theatre!), Sarah Turner and Danica Crolow. You've seen Julia on the PT stage in PRIVATE EYES, THE LION, THE WITCH & THE WARDROBE, THE FARNDALE CHRISTMAS CAROL and, most recently, HOLY MO! She's one of our all-time favourites.

Anthony Ingram was nominated for his outstanding turn last fall in PINTER'S BRIEFS, a definitive performance of short pieces by the great British playwright. Anthony has been at PT since the very beginning, joining our Pacific Salt Company back in high school! Lots of PT mainstage roles have followed, including HOWARD BUYS A MOTORHOME, THE LION, THE WITCH & THE WARDROBE, JOAN OF ARC, CARIBOO MAGI and HALO, as well as directing projects PRIVATE EYES and BEGGARS AT THE WATERS OF IMMORTALITY. You simply must not miss Anthony's latest directing triumph, the critically acclaimed Tempus Theatre production of 36 VIEWS, which plays through Sunday at the Jericho Arts Centre. The script manages to be both entertaining and intricately clever, with real insights into authenticity and truth, deception and self-deception. Anthony's direction is impeccable, the design marvelous, several performances very strong - especially Michael Kopsa, who you last saw on the PT stage in THE WOODSMAN, and who'll appear in THE LAST DAYS OF JUDAS ISCARIOT this fall. Next season, Anthony will appear in REFUGE OF LIES at Pacific Theatre.

Todd Thompson got the nod for his performance in TRUE BELIEVERS - MY ACID TRIP for Solo Collective: you'll remember him from ESPRESSO, and can look forward to seeing him next season in THE LAST DAYS OF JUDAS ISCARIOT, which will also feature the PT debut performance of Sasa Brown, nominated yesterday for her work in BONE IN HER TEETH at Leaky Heaven Circus. Duncan Fraser played the exterminator in PT's production of GRACE: he's been nominated for his performance in HOMECHILD at the Arts Club. And it would be unduly coy (if quintessentially Canadian) not to mention that I also got a nod for playing Keith in our fall production of MOURNING DOVE: I've been in some plays at Pacific Theatre too, and next season I'll be joining Anthony, Sasa, Kopsa, and many others in THE LAST DAYS OF JUDAS ISCARIOT to open our 26th Season.

YOU STILL CAN'T: "Meet The Mets"

June 4-6: Then Comes Spring, with music by Lance Odegard

Soul Food afficionado Rudi Krause saw this and recommends it. Music by Lance Odegard. Makes me sense a Regent connection.



Then Comes Spring...
...a one-man, one-act experiment in self help
by James Simpson

"I wanted to experiment with the idea of putting sound-bites, quotes and slogans from our celebrity, advertising and self-help cultures in the mouth of a homeless man because the irony of that juxtaposition seemed powerful to me... and considering our culture's obsession with wealth and well-being at any cost, along with the rising fear surrounding the 'financial crisis', I was interested in ways of challenging us to re-evaluate the kinds of stories we allow ourselves to be enticed by." James Simpson

Buy your tickets in advance for this blockbuster starring James Simpson with music provided by talented singer-songwriter Lance Odegard

June 4th - 6th at Havana Restaurant Theatre - 1212 Commercial Drive, Vancouver

For advance tickets please pay on-line or email us: embryostage@gmail.com

If you buy on-line, your tickets can be picked up at the venue on the night of the show.

YOU STILL CAN'T: Opening!

Got me one of them fancy new iPhone thingies. 

Doesn't take very fancy pictures, but it sure is handy. 

Grabbed a few moments from a momentous day...

Out for a walk between rehearsal and opening, 

and look who I run into 

outside that little theatre just around the corner from PT. 

Sky's room-mate! Standing in front of her own picture. 

Then I get back to home base, and what's that?

Could it be...

The brochures for the new season!

(I'll show you what's inside in the next few days. 

Or if you just can't wait, drop by PT and pick one up for yourself.)

A quick "hi" to Joseph in the box office...

And here's Joe's pal from Studio, Uncle Vlad... 

Or is it Al?... 

Or maybe Dave?...

Back to the Scott Campbell Memorial Green Room 

to check out the marshmallow pie on Linsy's prop table...

Then down into the theatre to put finishing touches on the set dec...

Pearl's mentor, God rest his soul...

And Grandpa's skull...

Preparations for that all-important religious celebration...

A Pauline-Johannine feast!

The altar of pop culture...

Norman's studio (and Eldon's theme park - thanks Mike!),

all ready for The Feast Of Saint Anonymous...

Pseudographs...

After the show, Norman meets Keven Stephens, interior designer!

...and makes a key addition to his display...

Then up in the lobby, mother and child reunion! 

That's Alice on the left, with her daughter Myrtle...

It's a crazy world, Grandpa!

(Who were those people? Credits: Kaylee Harwood, a delivery man, Nathan Kolke's brochure, Kirsty Provan, Byron Noble, Dave Smith, Abbie Hoffman, Yorick, eggmen, George, Paul, Ringo, John and Walt, Clint, Bono, Ron, Tim Bratton, Keven Stephens, Becky Branscom, and Debra Sears.)

YOU STILL CAN'T is Just About Ready to Open - Here's a Sneak Peek at What it Looks Like!

Check out these photos of our upcoming emerging artist showcase, YOU STILL CAN'T. The photos are taken by Ruth Skinner - you can see more of her work at www.ruthskinner.com.

Early Reviews for 36 VIEWS - Unanimous Praise

Anthony Ingram project at Jericho Arts Centre, with Michael Kopsa - DEFINITELY one to see, I'm hoping to go tonight!

36 VIEWS
The first reviews are out, and the critics agree:

Stunning Views Deserves Larger Stage...36 VIEWS is class act both on and off stage...this production, very capably directed by Anthony F. Ingram, is extremely handsome. The Jericho stage has never looked so "art gallery" sophisticated.
- Jo Ledingham, Vancouver Courier

Go and be intrigued by this tightly interwoven script and its very well acted, directed and produced presentation by Tempus Theatre Company...
Jane Peniston - reviewvancouver

36 Views is like engaging in a stimulating conversation with a lively interlocutor. As Iizuka spins intriguing variations on her theme of authenticity, her text is always smart and she expects you to keep up, but she’s never pretentious or obscure...Michael Kopsa is perfectly cast as Wheeler.
- Colin Thomas, The Georgia Straight

If you've already seen the show (thank you!) and agree with the critics, please help us spread the word! And if you haven't come by the Jericho Arts Centre yet, we'd love to see you sooner rather than later - we're absolutely positive that you'll want to tell everyone you know about it, and we want to make sure there'll still be time for them to see it, too!

Performances Tuesdays through Sundays at 8:00pm. Tickets available through Tickets Tonight (TicketsTonight.ca or http://www.facebook.com/l/;604.684.2787). Tuesdays are Pay-What-You-Will; Wednesday, May 13: Equity special price $15. Availability of tickets at the door should be good this coming week (if you want to save on service charges).

Directed by Anthony F. Ingram, and starring Keith Martin Gorday, Annabel Kershaw, Michael Kopsa, Lissa Neptuno, Bert Steinmanis and Valerie Sing Turner.

See you at the theatre!

YOU STILL CAN'T: Extras? Any Age!

Should have made it clear in my previous post, but the one-line walk-on role we have in YOU STILL CAN'T can be played by male actors of pretty much any age - let's say ten years old and up?

Need you for at least three performances. You'd arrive about an hour before curtain time, and stay until about 10:30 (or 9:15, if you don't care about taking your bow!). Wanna? Show previews May 14, runs May 15 - June 13.

Contact our Assistant Stage Manager Laura Hamel (778.241.3517 or Laura.Hamel@mytwu.ca) - she'll answer all your questions, and sign you up!

No such thing as too many Daves...

SOUL FOOD: YSC, VOC, 36V, ETC

YOU STILL CAN'T
May 14 - June 13

Much excitement around Pacific Theatre these days, with all the craziness of YOU STILL CAN'T permeating the place. Definitely make plans to see this home-grown sequel to YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU: we're having a blast, and want you to get in on the fun. And if you want a bigger helping of the zaniness, we're still looking for Daves! There's a small, very fun walk-on, non-speaking role (well, that's not strictly true: you do have to say the word "Dave" at one point...) that we we need to fill. If you can do even three performances between May 14 and June 13, call 604.731.5483 and ask for Laura Hamel. (More detail on Daves at the blog.)

We're also looking for a handful of props for the show. Anybody got a Mets cap? A Yankees cap? A portable ghetto blaster with decent sound that might pass for 1989 vintage? Inflatable furniture? If we could borrow any of the above, call 604.731.5483 and ask for our props master, Linsy Rotar.

OTHER SOUL FOOD TIDBITS

Speaking of Alison (we were, back in that first paragraph), she's now singing with the VOC Soul Gospel Choir, and they've got a concert May 9. Anthony Ingram and Michael Kopsa are involved in 36 VIEWS which runs through May 23, there's a new novel by Sholem Aleichem about a traveling theatre that I think would make a darn fine play, animator Ken Priebe has a little mini-festival of animation coming up at his church, and we tip our graduation caps to TWU's Aaron Caleb who was recently awarded the Davis Distinguished Teacher Award."

SOUL FOOD MOVIES

Spring is slack season for substantial movies, but SUNSHINE CLEANING is a pleasing pop-indie flick about reconciliation, and even some nice nods heavenward. TROUBLE THE WATER is in a limited run at Cinematheque May 6-10, and Atom Egoyan's ADORATION opens here May 8. Peter Chattaway provides us with nifty Chesterton ruminations on stage, screen and history. In stolen moments over the past month I've been messing around with movie lists, and have come up with 55 Films You No Longer Need To See Before You Die and 34 Films I Do Want To See Before I Die (THE APARTMENT was amazing!).

May 14 - Jun 13: YOU STILL CAN'T at Pacific Theatre

Don't miss out on seeing
YOU STILL CAN’T
the closing show of PT's 25th Anniversary Season!

This hilarious comedy by Ron Reed is a sequel to the comic classic You Can’t Take it With You
and features emerging artists from Vancouver and the Fraser Valley.

Opens May 15, preview May 14

Box office: 604.731.5518
Email: tickets@pacifictheatre.org

TICKETS ARE GOING FAST, SO GET YOURS TODAY.
AS LOW AS $17 FOR ADULTS AND $11 FOR CHILDREN!

May 9: VOC Soul Gospel Choir

Alison Chisholm pretty much runs the office at Pacific Theatre, but that's not all she does. As well as acting in occasional Stones Throw shows - and her own Fringe show this fall! - Ali started singing with the VOC Soul Gospel Choir last fall. Wanna hear 'em? Here's Alison...

I became a member of the VOC Soul Gospel Choir in October 2008 and it has been an absolute blast to be a part of it. It seems that by the end of every concert, the entire audience is on its feet clapping and dancing along. If you like soul or if you like gospel, then I certainly recommend that you come out to the show this weekend.

Soul Gospel Comes to West Van
Saturday, May 9th, 2009 7:30 pm
West Van United Church
2062 Esquimalt Ave, West Vancouver
Doors open 6:30 pm
Admission by minimum donation
(Adults $15, Seniors & Students $10, Youth 10 to 15 $5, Kids 9 & under are free)

Let me know if you plan on coming, so that I can be sure to say Hello to you after the show. This is a larger venue than the last concert that people tried to attend, so there shouldn't be any risk of you being turned away this time. If you would like to come and see us perform, but don't think you will be able to make it out to this concert - don't worry! Apparently we already have at least 7 gigs booked for the summer - including a performance at the Folk Festival on the morning of July 17th. So there are plenty more opportunities to come and hear us sing. But hopefully some of you will be able to make it out on the 9th!

"Wandering Stars": somebody oughta write a play

Wandering Stars, by Sholem Aleichem
translated from the Yiddish by Aliza Shevrin

"Best known for his stories of Tevye the Milkman, a character later brought to Broadway in Fiddler On The Roof, Sholem Aleichem was a Russian humorist sometimes referred to as 'the Jewish Mark Twain.' In this romantic epic, previously available only in an abridgment, two lovers are enraptured when the Shchupak-Murovchik Yiddish theatre troupe arrives in their impoverished town, and they resolve to escape shtetl life and run off with the actors. Their gruelling journey takes them across continents and ends on New York's Lower East Side, capturing, with whimsy and pathos, the experience of the Jewish diaspora at the beginning of the twentieth century. As one of the lovers tells the other the night they first meet, 'Stars do not fall, stars wander.'"
The New Yorker, May 4, 2009

Interesting companion piece to this...


...which was the basis for the 2004 film THE RECKONING. Film held much promise, but fizzled in the home stretch. Back at the time, I thought it would make a terrific Pacific Theatre play - the theatrical setting, mystery cycles, the collision of faith and art and truth-telling and justice - apart from the cast size. Still...

I suspect this is the only Portishead song to quote the Epistle of Jude...

YOU STILL CAN'T: Extras needed

Took this as a reference photo at rehearsal last night...

That's R Milhouse, Norman, Grandpa Tony, Sasha, Vlad and Dylan in the back row,

Tiffany, Unnamed, our assistant stage manager and Sky in the middle row,

Pearl, Bea and Myrtle in the front row,

and the back of Dianne's head in the foreground.

The assistant stage manager isn't in the play. She's just standing in. For Dave. That's because, well...

"Dave's not here, man."

We need some Daves. You need some fame. 

This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Pacific Theatre is looking for actors who can do small cameo roles - some speaking, some not - in our upcoming production of YOU STILL CAN'T, which runs Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8pm, with 2pm Saturday matinees. You don't need to do every performance: if you can do three or more, contact us at 604 731-5483 and we'll connect you with our stage manager - or our assistant stage manager - or maybe even with Dave - who'll give you more info, check your availability, and see if we can make you a star! (A very small star.)

YOU STILL CAN'T runs May 15 - June 13

Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8pm

with 2pm Saturday matinees

May 3 / Jun 6: animator Ken Priebe on faith & film

Ken is a local animator who also writes for Hollywood Jesus. Ken wrote the book on stop-motion animation - quite literally.

I know it's short notice but just thought I'd let you know I'm giving the morning message at Cedar Park Church in Ladner this weekend, Sunday May 3 10:40am. It's on 'Faith & Film: Taking God's Detour' and centers around the Pixar movie CARS.

It's partly a kick-off for my upcoming animation festival, also at Cedar Park on Sat June 6. The festival will consist of workshops & family activities in the afternoon, a short film screening, then a BBQ and an evening presentation I'll be giving on 'Animation as an Act of Worship', talking about spiritual themes in movies like PINOCCHIO and THE IRON GIANT, etc.

Ken Priebe
animationbooks@gmail.com