Aaron Caleb, "Davis Distinguished Teacher Award"

Heartfelt congratulations to Aaron Caleb, who was named Trinity Western University's "Davis Distinguished Teacher" at today's Commencement ceremonies.  What an honour!  How well-deserved!  And such perfect timing: Aaron worked around the clock last fall to move us into our new performance space in Freedom Hall, which ended up providing the perfect frame for his magnificent production of "The Good Woman of Setzuan" which closed the on-campus part of TWU's mainstage season - one of the half-dozen most memorable productions I've seen at TWU in 21 years, up there with "All My Sons," "Our Town," and Aaron's own "Taming Of The Shrew," among others.

A heartfelt "standing O" for Mr Caleb!

YOU STILL CAN'T: The Company

Brett Ziegler, Debra Sears, Glen Pinchin, Laura Van Dyke

Gratifying. About two hours ago I put the finishing touches on the rehearsal draft of YOU STILL CAN'T, ready for our first day's rehearsal on Monday. Good feeling.

Also gratifying to think about the cast of Emerging Artists we've pulled together for this show. Andrea Loewen, Christie Maxson and Laura Van Dyke are this year's crop of PT apprentices: you heard Laura breathe in MOURNING DOVE, and saw her in REMNANTS and YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU, but the other two will be making their mainstage debuts.

The show is a co-pro with the TWU Theatre program. We're featuring Kat Gauthier, Alex Voicu and Shalyn McFaul (who were in REMNANTS), Philip Miguel (the IRS man from YCTIWY), and Kyla Ferrier in her first PT role. Also back from YCT (notice how even the abbreviation gets abbreviated?) are Brett Ziegler (who played his own grandson), a keyboard veteran of many a CHRISTMAS PRESENCE; Glen Pinchin (who played his own father), a graduate of the UCFV theatre program; and Debra Sears (who was the Princess Olga Katrina last year), a Pacific Salt Company and Stones Throw Productions veteran!

Mack Gordon, Peter Carlone and Chris Wilson come to us from the University of Victoria BFA program, and Byron Noble is immersed in the Studio 58 program. Tim Bratton is a student at Regent College: I'm tickled to see him play Norman, a pirate radio dj character I stole from another of my plays, THE TOP TEN THOUSAND OF ALL TIME - which Tim performed a couple summers ago at the Winnipeg and Edmonton Fringe Festivals.

Here's the cast list. Can't wait 'til Monday!

Grandpa Tony Kirby - Glen Pinchin

Sky Poppins, Tony's grand-daughter - Kat Gauthier

Norman Poppins, Tony's grandson - Tim Bratton

Dianne Poppins, Tony's daughter - Shalyn McFaul

Aunt Myrtle, another daughter - Debra Sears

Aunt Bea, another daughter - Andrea Loewen

Aunt Pearl, yet another daughter - Christie Maxson

Dylan Carmichael, grandson of Ed & Essie Carmichael - Brett Ziegler

Sasha Kolenkhov, granddaughter of Boris Kolenkhov - Laura Van Dyke

Vladmir Kolenkhov, son of Boris Kolenkhov - Byron Noble

Dave Smith, Sky's friend - Mackenzie Gordon

Tiffany Smyth-Wattles, a friend of Dave's - Alex Voicu

R. Milhouse Starkey, Tiffany's cousin - Philip Miguel

Al, a beat poet - Byron Noble

Unnamed, a feminist - Kyla Ferrier

Other Daves - Peter Carlone, Chris Wilson

Set design, Dale Marushy; costumes, Krista Sung; props, Linsy Rotar; lights, Lora-Lynne Frewing; composition, Brett Ziegler; sound, Ron Reed; stage manager, Lois Dawson; production manager, Frank Nickel.

YOU STILL CAN'T runs May 15 - Jun 13 at Pacific Theatre. Check the PT website for more details, or to buy tickets

May 1-23: 36 VIEWS, Anthony Ingram & Michael Kopsa

An intriguing show on its way, featuring two Pacific Theatre regulars. Anthony Ingram is directing: you'll remember him from THE ELEPHANT MAN, HALO, BEGGARS AT THE WATERS OF IMMORTALITY, even THE PACIFIC SALT COMPANY! And Michael Kopsa is in the cast: THE WOODSMAN, SHADOWLANDS, HOSPITALITY SUITE. Check out the Tempus Theatre website for tickets and more - including swell graphics!


Culture and commodity, fetish and forgery, and personal and professional revenge are all exposed in...

36 VIEWS
by Naomi Iizuka
Directed by Anthony F. Ingram
May 1 - 23
Jericho Arts Centre, 1675 Discovery Street

STARRING: Keith Martin Gordey, Annabel Kershaw, Michael Kopsa, Lissa Neptuno, Bert Steinmanis, Valerie Sing Turner

An art dealer and an art historian discover what appears to be an ancient manuscript, a priceless Japanese pillow book created by a medieval courtesan. As they try to prove its authenticity, their search becomes an erotic game of greed, love, and sleight-of-hand. In a series of 36 interlocking scenes, Naomi Iizuka's play explores the relationship between the imaginary and the real, and the lines and spaces that separate feelings and words, objects and images of objects, antiques and reproductions, and a person’s heritage and physical features.

". . . thoughtful, humane, poetically phrased and staged with intricate, shimmering beauty . . . a multi-textured web that became completely engrossing. Each facet of 36 Views offers another perspective on the art and artifice of our lives."
- San Francisco Chronicle.

Lars von Trier and THE PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC

"Von Trier owes his entire painful career to his Danish countryman Carl Dreyer, particularly his silent classic The Passion Of Joan Of Arc, which deals with the ultimate case of a woman suffering for her faith. What makes the film difficult to watch isn't so much Joan's persecution at the hands of her ecclesiastical tormentors, or even Maria Falconetti's famously expressive performance, which registers her anguish in every crevice of her face. Its disturbing intensity comes mainly from Dreyer's refusal to play by the rules: Defying the most basic tenets of cinematic grammar, which require filmmakers to establish spatial relationship on a 180-degree plane, Dreyer instead constructs the film as a series of extreme close-ups, with little sense of where the characters are in relation to one another. That disorientation, combined with the feverish emotions whipped up by the trial, places viewers in a grim psychic space."

The Onion A.V. Club, "24 Great Films Too Painful To Watch Twice"

The rest of the list?

1. Requiem For A Dream (Aronofsky)
2. Dancer In The Dark (von Trier)
3. The Passion of Joan of Arc (Dreyer)
4. The Seventh Continent (Haneke)
5. Winter Light (Bergman)
6. Bad Lieutenant (Ferrara)
7. Straw Dogs (Peckinpah)
8. Audition (Takashi Miike)
9. Sick (Dick)
10. Come and See (Klimov)
11. In a Year of 13 Moons (Fassbinder)
12. Safe (Haynes)
13. Irreversible (Noe)
14. Boys Don't Cry (Peirce)
15. Grave of the Fireflies (Isao Takahata)
16. When the Wind Blows (Murakami)
17. Leaving Las Vegas (Figgis)
18. Jonestown (Nelson)
19. S-21 (Rithy Panh)
20. The Last House on the Left (Craven)

May 2: Joy Fellowship Benefit - Trout Sonata, Dvorak string quartet

Grace Vancouver Church presents
An Evening Of Classical Music
featuring Tony Lee on violin

Programme: Schubert's Piano Quintet in A (the "Trout") and Dvorak's string quintet in E flat
Time: Saturday, May 2nd at 7:30 PM
Location: Grace Vancouver Church, 1696 West 7th Ave. (at Pine St.)
Admission: By donation (suggested $20)

Proceeds will benefit Joy Fellowship, a Christian ministry for people with mental or physical disabilities

Soul Food: Funny Stuff, Sad Stuff, Jazzy Stuff, Other Stuff

Soul Foodies!

A quick note to remind you about SIDESHOW at Pacific Theatre this Friday and Saturday night. If you've seen our comedy improv before, you'll remember how great it feels to laugh this hard. And if you haven't, I want to encourage you to celebrate spring with an evening of guffaws, chortles, snorts, hoots, chuckles, howls and giggles. So darn fun.

In the next few days I'll be serving up more soul food over at the blogs. ROMEO & JULIET visit our stage for a few nights next week, THE NELSON BOSCHMAN TRIO plays the Yaletown Blenz Wednesdays and elsewhere, elsewhen over the next couple months, and I'm in the process of posting some tasty bits and pieces at soulfoodmovies and oblations. But before I do any more over there, one more rewrite on YOU STILL CAN'T, which begins rehearsals Monday...

Apr 17/18: SIDESHOW Comedy Improv at Pacific Theatre

There are two kinds of people in this world. The ones who believe there are two kinds of people in this world, and the other kind.

There are two other kinds of people in this world. The ones who never miss SIDESHOW, and the other kind. Group One has more fun. The world would be a better place if more people from Group Two moved over to Group One.

Do what you can to make the world a better place.


SIDE SHOW
Friday April 17 - Saturday April 18, 8pm at Pacific Theatre.
comedy improv with a dash of chaos. Good clean fun for the whole family with our zany friends from around the city. Let the games begin!

Tickets
$11-22, with group discounts available
731-5518 or online

Apr 22-25: ROMEO & JULIET, Shadows & Dreams

Kerri Norris, Stephen Elcheshen, Frank Boyle are all Shadows & Dreams stalwarts, known best for their summer Shakespeare in the park in New West.

Two star crossed lovers take their lives.....
Shakespeare’s classic tragedy in the luxurious setting of Beverly Hills.

Shadows and Dreams Theatre Company Presents:

Romeo and Juliet
by William Shakespeare
Apr 22-25 at 8pm, Apr 25 at 2pm
at Pacific Theatre, 1440 W12, Vancouver

Juliet and Romeo are the children of feuding studio executives in L.A. Goth Juliet thinks that a relationship with the preppy Romeo would be the ultimate way to torment her straight-laced parents. Childish rebellion turns into real love and results in tragedy for everyone involved in the feud. A bold retelling with a little bit of Gossip Girl, a little bit of L.A. and a whole lot of Shakespeare.

Tickets - $15 (cash only)

For more information or to arrange an interview call 604-515-0704,
visit www.shadowsanddreams.org or email tickets@shadowsanddreams.org.

Director: Patricia Johnson-Brooke (New Westminster)
Assistant Director: Nicole DesLauriers (Vancouver)
Stage Manager: Glynis Knowlden (Coquitlam), Costumes: Kerri Norris (New Westminster)
Cast:
Jacqueline Becher (North Vancouver), Nigel Brooke (New Westminster), Jayme Burke (Vancouver), Michael Charrois (North Vancouver), Tony DeMatteis (Vancouver), Karen Ferguson (Vancouver), Uriah Field (New Westminster), Andrew Goulding (Vancouver), James King (Vancouver), James Knowlden (Coquitlam), Kiri McGuire (Surrey), Allen Pike (Vancouver), Joel Pike (Vancouver), Wendy Podgursky (Vancouver), Ryan Swanson (Vancouver), Marni Westerman (New Westminster)

About Us.....
This is Shadows and Dreams' fifth production having produced Desdemona: A Play About A Handkerchief at Pacific Theatre, Hamlet at The Beaumont Studios and A Midsummer Night's Dream & As You Like It in New Westminster. They are a regulars in the Sunday Summer Revue at the Bandshell in Queen's Park (New Westminster) and are in pre-production for The Comedy of Errors which will be performed there at the end of July/beginning of August 2009.

YOU STILL CAN'T: Cast

Cast (in order of appearance)
Norman - Tim Bratton
Aunt Bea - Andrea Loewen
Grandpa Tony - Glen Pinchin
Sky - Kat Gauthier
Al - Byron Noble
Dave - Mackenzie Gordon
Aunt Pearl - Christie Maxson
Sasha - Laura Van Dyke
Dylan - Brett Ziegler
Tiffany - Alex Voicu
Unnamed - Kyla Ferrier
Dianne - Shalyn McFaul
Aunt Myrtle - Deb Sears
R. Milhouse - Phil Miguel
Uncle Vladmir - Byron Noble

Also - Peter Carlone, Chris Wilson

Apr 8 22 24 / May 6 7 20: Nelson Boschman Trio

Plenty of chances to hear PT's favourite jazzman in the next couple months...


April 8 (Wed) - Blenz Yaletown - Vancouver
April 22 (Wed) - Blenz Yaletown - Vancouver
April 24 (Fri) - Gallery 7 Gala - Ramada Inn, Abbotsford
May 6 (Wed) - Blenz Yaletown - Vancouver
May 7 (Thu) - Communitas Spring Fundraiser - Bakerview Church, Abbotsford
May 20 (Wed) - Blenz Yaletown - Vancouver

And a few details about the Communitas event...

Communitas Supportive Care is excited to announce their annual Fundraising Dessert Evening.

Communitas is a non-profit organization that offers care and support for people living with mental and/or physical disabilities. The fundraising event raises money for the Communitas programs that do not receive government funding. It is also a great opportunity to educate the public about the joys and challenges of living with a disability.

The Fundraising Dessert Evening is scheduled for Thursday, May 7th, 2009 at Bakerview Church (2285 Clearbrook Road) in Abbotsford at 7:00 pm. The Nelson Boschman Trio will entertain guests with rich jazz music and the evening would not be complete without delicious gourmet desserts. There will also be a silent auction to raise additional money for the non-funded programs.

Tickets ($15 each or $100 for a table of eight) are available at the Communitas Supportive Care office (#103-2776 Bourquin Cres., Abbotsford), by phone (604-850-6608) or online (www.CommunitasCare.com/store). You can also purchase tickets at House of James in Abbotsford.

This event is sponsored by Globe Printers who generously provided printed posters and flyers.

"A TIME FOR TICKETS" 2-for-1 Special to A TIME TO DANCE at Pacific Theatre

It's the final week of A Time to Dance and you're running out of chances to see it. The good news is, if you call the box office (604-731-5518) and tell them that it's "A TIME FOR TICKETS" you can get two tickets for the price of one!

Award winning writer William Hay had this to say about the show:

"Her dance was as varied as her vocalizations and the story rich and captivating from beginning to end. Touchingly telling the tale of this remarkable pioneer of 1930's modern dance and innovator of dance therapy, Libby followed Lisl's life from Vienna across Europe, escaping Nazis to poverty then fame in New York City. Libby was beautiful throughout, bringing the heart, sadness and promise of an era to the little theatre with her remarkable art."

Mar 27-28: Joel Stephanson in OLEANNA

UPDATE: Scheduling glitches at the performance venue mean there are only two nights to see Joel in OLEANNA.  Book fast!

*

Those of you with long memories will recall Joel Stephanson's charming performance in TRAVELER IN THE DARK. Tim Dixon and Erla Faye Forsyth were his folks, and I was his grandfather. (Now that's creepy: IF you have long memories, you MAY recall a time when I was a grandfather. Now I feel old). Anyhow, with more PT involvement for Joel likely on the horizon, it's a pleasure to let you know about this upcoming show...

OLEANNA
by David Mamet
Mar 27-28, 8pm
Little Mtn Studios | 196 E 26th, off Main

Directed by Victor Ayala.
Featuring Joel Stephanson and Bo Jovanovic.
Produced by Salem Theatre Company.
Tickets at the door - a mere $10! (come early)

A TIME TO DANCE is "remarkable art"

Award-winning Writer, William Hay, says this about A TIME TO DANCE, running at Pacific Theatre until April 4 (tickets: 604.731.5518):

Libby Skala's tribute to her great aunt Elizabeth 'Lisl" Polk played tonight at Pacific Theatre http://www.pacifictheatre.org starring LibbySkalla. http://www.libbyskala.com

Her dance was as varied as her vocalizations and the story rich and captivating from beginning to end. Touchingly telling the tale of this remarkable pioneer of 1930's modern dance and innovator of dance therapy, Libby followed Lisl life from Vienna across Europe escaping Nazis to poverty then fame in New York City. Libby was beautiful throughout bringing the heart, sadness and promise of an era to the little theatre with her remarkable art.

I was thankful I'd brought friends and rewarded by their praise as heartfelt as my own. What an uplifting and joyful evening! Thank you again, Ron Reed, for bringing us another great production of this brilliant and talented young woman.

photo credit: Kevin Lionias

Mar 28: Spring at the Chan Centre, TWU Choirs

Spring at the Chan Centre
Trinity Western University Choirs

Artistic director and organist Ay-Laung Wang will lead the choirs in a performance of Bacalov’s Missa Tango, featuring soloists Chad Louwerse (TWU Alumnus), Robyn Driedeger-Klassen, and accordion soloist Walter Martella. Additionally, presentations of spectacular chorals selections such as Bound for the Promised Land, Highland Cathedral, Polynesian Ka Hia Manu, and much more, will showcase both the amazing sound of the TWU choirs and the power of the organ.

If you missed seeing the sold out Christmas at the Chan Centre concert, now is your opportunity to take part in a musical highlight of the year.

For more information contact Shayna Leenstra at Shayna.Leenstra@twu.ca or 604-513-2173.

Date: Saturday, March 28th
Time: 7:00 pm
Location: Chan Centre for the Performing Arts; 6265 Crescent Road, Vancouver
Tickets: $15.50; Available at Ticketmaster

Mar 24 - Apr 4: Jade Shaw in SHOCKER'S DELIGHT

Jade Shaw was the best Laura I've ever seen when A GLASS MENAGERIE was a guest production at Pacific Theatre. If you missed her in January, her new show is back...

Shockers Delight! extends run by popular demand!

Opening March 24th, Evolving Arts Collective presents a Squidamisu Theatre production of Shockers Delight!, a whimsically dark play by Canada’s own Stewart Lemoine. In this graceful yet uproariously funny Lemoine tale, fate doesn’t have your best interests at heart or neatly sort everything out in the aftermath of inevitable misfortune.

Directed by Matthew Kowalchuk and starring Paul Herbert, Jade Shaw and Richard Stroh, Shockers Delight! had a very successful run in January of this year at The Beaumont Stage and is back by popular demand.

Shockers Delight! is an adult fairy tale of love gone askew. It is the story of Marcus, Julia, and Rory. Their study of the eclectic disciplines of ballroom dancing, golf, and 19th century furniture design provides the backdrop for a classic tussle of emotional versus intellectual attraction. Marcus impulsively manipulates his lifelong pal Julia into asking Rory (a complete stranger) out on a date. It’s a capricious act that he’ll regret for the rest of his life — he secretly adores Julia but never bothered to tell her, and now he has to watch in silent horror as she and Rory fall more and more deeply in love. Fate refuses to allow Marcus to make up for his mistake: just when he’s about to claim Julia for himself, a tragic accident addles his brain to the point where he can’t even remember who Julia is anymore. A story that begins in a collegiate whirl of improvised boilermakers and late night Latin dance assignations transcends its whimsical beginnings to give rise to a resolution of unexpected beauty linking the present, future, and distant past.

Tickets 733-3783 ext. 305 or online

Opening Night: Tuesday March 24, 8pm
March 24th – April 4th, 2009 Tuesday through Saturday evenings, 8 pm
March 28th and April 4th – Saturday afternoon matinees, 2 pm

The Beaumont Stage
316 W. 5th Avenue (@Alberta)
604-733-3783 ex: 305

Squidamisu Theatre (pronounced: squid-a-mi-su) was established in 2008 by Jade Shaw and Richard Stroh. Simply put, these two Canadian actors wanted to create opportunities to work. Upon completion of their first undertaking’ Richard Greenberg’s Three Days of Rain, Squidamisu was officially born.

Mar 25 - Apr 4: GOOD WOMAN OF SETZUAN at TWU

TWU Theatre Department
The Good Woman of Setzuan by Bertolt Brecht
Directed By Aaron Caleb
Mar 25 - Apr 4 8pm + Sat matinees 2pm
Trinity Western, Freedom Hall

This city's gonna make a man out of her...

In the gritty but mystical town of Setzuan, only the conniving survive. But when three gods descend into the city in search of virtue, they find a lot less than they bargained for. If they want to save the world, they’ve got to find a person worth saving. This enchanting parable by one of the giants of modern theatre uses music, mask, and mayhem to follow the adventures of a questionable woman, using questionable means, to defend her un-questionable virtue. An enchanting theatre classic with music, merchants and morals.

Mar 18: Art Talks, "Making A Living In The Arts"

Langley Art Talks
“Creating a Plan for Making a Living in the Arts, Grassroots Startups, and Group Collaborations”
Wednesday Mar 18, 7pm
Langley Public Library, 20399 Douglas Crescent, Langley

Most artists are sole proprietors of their own business. This talk provides concrete advice on putting your plan of making a living in the arts into action. Discussion about collaborations and startups will follow, as a strong option to make artistic projects feasible without substantial external funding is through cooperation with other artists and working with established groups. This will be followed by a discussion time to share experiences and suggestions.

Sponsored by the Verge Arts Series (TWU) and the Langley Arts Council

Mar 13: RECESSION PARTY at Pacific Theatre!

Times are tough. Every time you turn on the radio or television it’s doom and gloom and scary recessions. So, since we’re all spiraling into a financial abyss, why not have a party? And since this is the most terrifying time of our lives, why not have it on the creepiest day of all: Friday the 13th?

Enter The Recession Party! An adults only (19+) show Produced by Stone’s Throw Productions in association with Pacific Theatre, the night will kick off with a variety show, featuring musicians, dancers, comedians, and much more to help you forget your woes.

After the show wraps up, kick up your heels, have a drink, and boogie your troubles away at the dance party. On top of it all, there will be chances throughout the night to improve your lot in life by winning raffle prizes.

Tickets $13 in advance, $15 at the door. Book ahead by calling 604 731-5518, or online

Featuring
Christina Sicoli
K.Phanie
Inka Hadzismajlovic
Cameron Burns
David Nisbett
Matt and Leanne
Mana Mansour
Brett Nikolic
DJ Corbeau

...and more to come!

Raffle donors include Videomatica, The Firehall Arts Centre, Pacific Theatre, and Saje!

Mar 11 - Apr 5: TENT MEETING in Atlanta

Tent Meeting
A Musical by Morris Ertman & Ron Reed
Directed by Tom Key
March 11 – April 5, 2009

Theatrical Outfit, Atlanta

From March 11 through April 5, 2009, Theatrical Outfit in downtown Atlanta presents the exuberant, old-time gospel musical Tent Meeting by Canadian playwrights Morris Ertman and Ron Reed. Tom Key directs a stellar Atlanta cast that includes Andrew Houchins (Pastor Ernest Douglas/Ben Reimer), Shayne Kohout (Dolly Hoveland), Daniel May (George Hoveland/Bob Lefsrud), Glenn Rainey (Sam Lundquist/Angus McPhee), and Geoff “Googie” Uterhardt (Rev. Elroy Phillips). Ann-Carol Pence is musical director.

The setting is the 1930s West Canadian prairie, an agrarian community hard hit by the Great Depression and a severe draught. Embattled and embittered farmer, George Hoveland, sits in his empty silo, smoking and nursing old wounds that threaten his estranged marriage to Dolly, a once vital woman who now seeks solace in her piano-playing and incessant church-going. The couple is stunned one day by the unexpected appearance on their doorstep of a traveling revival group of musicians whose truck has broken down. The itinerant leader, Pastor Ernest Douglas, is a friend of the Hovelands from days gone by, when the three of them, along with Sam Lundquist, the good-natured owner of the local pool hall/drinking emporium, sang together in a similar gospel troupe.

Pastor Douglas, whose call to the ministry tellingly coincided with George and Dolly’s decision to marry, recruits the Hovelands and Sam to assist in the pitching of the “canvas tabernacle” in a nearby field. As the day unfolds, so too, do inner conflicts, regrets and longings among the characters, and through their gradual immersion in the uplifting music and contagious spirit of communal vulnerability, they undergo deep interpersonal transitions that lead to profound transformations. In one of the play’s most tender moments, the person to make the strongest spiritual impact is the resident preacher, Rev. Phillips, an unassuming, under-confident young man whose genuine concern for the congregation overrides his haunting doubts about his own ministerial abilities.

The story is sweet, poignant and comical, similar in style to a Horton Foote play. In a special note in the script, the playwrights remark that Tent Meeting is “an affectionate nostalgic tribute” … one that focuses on … “the humanity of the people, and, above all, the spirit of the music itself.” Indeed, both Ertman and Reed drew on the traveling tent meetings of their youth and the time-tested, time-honored hymns and gospels, often sung a capella in barbershop quartet-style harmonies. The musical selections, which gloriously range from Up Above My Head to Balm in Gilead to O Happy Day to Walk in Jerusalem Just like John, are integrated into the action of the story. And though the play is set in Canada, the hymns and situations are familiar terrain in the Bible-Belt American South.

Morris Ertman explains, “The strength of Tent Meeting lies in the genuine tensions of small-town relationships-like strained marriages and broken friendships...in my day, most small communities were split between the church and the pool hall” … (but) … “the truth in this play is not just meted out by ministers, it’s meted out by the owner of the pool hall, and it’s my belief that God works that way.”

And even though Tent Meeting is about forgiveness and the revival of faith, it easily accommodates the presence of non-belief and welcomes the meeting of the sacred and the secular on common ground. Ertman continues, “It doesn’t make you feel guilty if you are a non-believer...this play deals honestly with unbelief, and it allows people to be in a place of unbelief if that’s where they want to live.”

Tent Meeting also benefits from the subtle, cleverly economical use of props, sound effects and even actors in double roles, which makes for inspired staging.

Theatrical Outfit’s production is a professional theater U.S. premiere, about which Artistic Director Tom Key remarks, “We are so pleased to be introducing Tent Meeting to American audiences. The narrative of the play is so touchingly human, and to have Ann-Carol Pence providing musical direction to such a powerhouse cast-actors who have a phenomenal combination of acting and vocal skills--it’s just a director’s dream come true. I believe our audiences will find Tent Meeting revelatory.”

In Canada, Tent Meeting received four Dora Award nominations, including Best New Musical, a Jesse Award nomination for Best Musical, and a Sterling Award nomination for Best Musical. For quotes from Canadian reviews and more information about the production, please visit www.theatricaloutfit.org.

Tickets are $30. Preview performances are Wed., March 11 - Fri., March 13 at 7:30 pm, and opening night is Sat., March 14 at 7:30 pm. Performance times are Weds. through Sats. at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2:30 pm; Saturday matinees are March 21 & April 4 at 2:30 pm. Special performances include a Student matinee on Wed., April 1 at 11 am; $10 Seniors matinee on Wed., March 25 at 2:30 pm; Girls Night Out/ Dinner Theater at City Grill ($45) on Thurs., March 26 at 5:00 pm; American Signed Language Performance on Sun., March 22 at 2:30 pm; Talkback with cast following the performance on Fri., March 27. Recommended for age 12 and above, for adult themes and language.

Group discounts are available (call 678.528.1497) and $10 student tickets day of show, with student ID. Box office hours are noon to 6 pm Tues. through Fri. and prior to curtain; 678.528.1500; www.theatricaloutfit.org. Educational programming support is provided by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and The Coca-Cola Company.

# # #

About Theatrical Outfit
Theatrical Outfit entertains, educates and enlivens our audiences by producing classic and contemporary theater with an emphasis on work indigenous to the culture of the American South. The themes of spirituality and racial understanding are particularly resonant in our culture, and we are committed to giving them dramatic voice in the heart of downtown. Founded in 1976, Theatrical Outfit is dedicated to Atlanta-based artists of national caliber.

Feb 26 - Mar 29: Kevin Brady in THE COMPLEX

Kevin Brady was one of our early apprentices at Pacific Theatre, who happened to understudy Dirk in MASS APPEAL on the afternoon that Jo Ledingham happened to come see the show and gave him a stellar review. He returned home to Seattle, has done tons of work with Taproot Theatre and various improv groups, and we brought him back up to play Bob in HOSPITALITY SUITE and Robert in THE CLEARING. Kevin's now in the middle of the run of his own original show - with this terrific review! I'm seriously thinking of heading south to see it.


The Complex
Feb 26 - Mar 29 | Thu-Sat 8:30, Sun 7pm
587-2414
Unexpected Productions, 1428 Post Alley, Seattle

Seattle Weekly review by Jenna Nand:

An autobiographical improv show: I was just as skeptical as you probably are. But Kevin Brady’s self-portrayal as a twitchy, yuppified college grad receiving a crash course in the “real world” (a la Capitol Hill) gets a gold star from me.

We join the artist as a young man setting off to make his mark in the theater scene and learning that he’s gotta eat, too. Brady accepts a gig as an apartment manager and finds himself playing Father Confessor-cum-nanny to a literary cast of misfits, strippers (one of Derek Kavan’s 50 roles), mute drug-dealers (Lisa Keeton), and gothic screamers (Kavan again, who flexed serious improv muscle with credible, lightning-fast character changes). As director, Randy Dixon coaxed deliriously funny barrages from the complex’s resident crazies, an alcoholic antique collector (Troy Mink) and an elderly car vandal (Susie Simpkins).

I take my hat off to the cast’s realistic abruptness of dialogue and gentle, though not maudlin, handling of society’s various unsavories. But I will admit it did give me the skin-crawls to realize that since this is all based on Brady’s true-life experiences, I could be sitting next to some of these characters on the bus every day.

Mar 15: POP SWITCH premiere screening

Jason Goode is a PT guy - acted in some Stones Throw shows, most recently TWIGS (he was the furniture mover) - who makes films. THE HITCHHIKER was penned by our Literary Manager, Kathy Parsons, and starred Gina Chiarelli. Well, his new one - scribed by and starring Lucia Frangione, also starring Michael Kopsa and Duncan Fraser - is ready to go! If you want to get the look, here's the dope...


(Don't worry about the RSVP date. Just let them know as soon as you can.)

March 15: POP SWITCH Premiere

Jason Goode is a swell pal of Pacific Theatre.

(Don't worry about the RSVP date. Just let them know as soon as you can.)

Mar 4: Horton Foote Has Died

My favourite film is TENDER MERCIES, and another followed soon after which made a very personal connection with me, TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL. Both are by Horton Foote, whose exquisitely understated studies of "just plain folks," mostly Texans, makes me think of him as the American Chekhov. Maybe it's time to do something of his at Pacific Theatre...

Horton Foote on the set of “The Traveling Lady” 

at the Mabee Theatre at Baylor University in February 2004.

New York Times
March 4, 2009
Horton Foote Has Died

Horton Foote, who chronicled America’s wistful odyssey through the 20th century in plays and films mostly set in a small town in Texas and left a literary legacy as one of the country’s foremost storytellers, died in Hartford, Conn., on Wednesday. He was 92, said his daughter, Hallie Foote.

In screenplays for such movies as “Tender Mercies,” “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “The Trip to Bountiful,” and in plays like “The Young Man From Atlanta” and his nine-play cycle “The Orphans’ Home,” Mr. Foote depicted the way ordinary people shoulder the ordinary burdens of life, finding drama in the resilience by which they carry on in the face of change, economic hardship, disappointment, loss and death. His work earned him a Pulitzer Prize and two Academy Awards.

Here is a portion of his obituary, written by Wilborn Hampton; the complete version will be posted at nytimes.com Wednesday evening.

In a body of work for which he won the Pulitzer Prize and two Oscars, Mr. Foote was known as a writer’s writer, an author who never abandoned his vision or altered his simple, homespun style even when Broadway and Hollywood temporarily turned their backs on him.

In screenplays for such movies as “Tender Mercies,” “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “The Trip to Bountiful,” and in plays like “The Young Man From Atlanta” and his nine-play cycle “Orphans’ Home,” Mr. Foote depicted the way ordinary people shoulder the ordinary burdens of life, finding drama in the resilience by which they carry on in the face of change, economic hardship, disappointment, loss and death. His work earned him a Pulitzer Prize and two Academy Awards.

Frank Rich, who as theater critic of The New York Times was one of Mr. Foote’s champions, called him “one of America’s living literary wonders.” Mr. Rich wrote that his plays contained “a subtlety that suggests a collaboration between Faulkner and Chekhov.”

Mr. Foote, in a 1986 interview in The New York Times Magazine, said: “I believe very deeply in the human spirit and I have a sense of awe about it because I don’t know how people carry on. What makes the difference in people? What is it? I’ve known people that the world has thrown everything at to discourage them, to kill them, to break their spirit. And yet something about them retains a dignity. They face life and don’t ask quarters.”

Mr. Foote spent most of his life writing about such people in a simple, homespun style. In more than 50 plays and films, most of which were set in the fictiional town of Harrison, Texas, he charted their struggle through the century by recording the daily, familial conflicts that filled their lives.

He often seemed to resemble a character from one of his own plays. Always courteous and courtly, he spoke with a slow Texas drawl. He enjoyed good food and wine but would usually opt for barbecue and iced tea or fried chicken with a Dr Pepper when he was home in Texas. He was a jovial man with a wry humor, and his white hair and robust frame gave him the appearance of a Southern senator or one’s favorite uncle, the one who always had a story.

Albert Horton Foote Jr., one of three sons of Albert Horton Foote and the former Hallie Brooks, was born March 14, 1916, in Wharton, Texas, a small town about 40 miles southwest of Houston that was once surrounded by cotton fields. His father was a local haberdasher and his mother, who was from an old Southern family, taught piano.

Although he boarded a train for Dallas at the age of 16 to pursue a career as an actor, Mr. Foote never really left home. From his first efforts as a playwright, he returned again and again to set his plays and films amid the pecan groves and Victorian houses with large front porches on the tree-lined streets of Wharton. His inspiration came from the people he knew and the stories he heard growing up there. “I’ve spent my life listening,” Mr. Foote once said.

May 11-22 / Jul 27-31: Film courses at Regent

A reminder about a couple intriguing film courses coming up at Regent College. Check here for more details.

Soul Food: Mo & Other Shows

Last chance to see Lucia Frangione's HOLY MO! at Pacific Theatre - hilarious, surprisingly moving, an all-time audience favourite starring Julia Mackey, Katharine Venour and the inimitable Erla Faye Forsyth. Must close this Saturday, March 7.

Anthony Ingram (ELEPHANT MAN, HALO) is in CORIOLANUS through Mar 14, and Laureen Smith (YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU, SHADOWLANDS) opens tonight in BEGGARS AT THE HOUSE OF PLENTY by the author of DOUBT, closing March 14. Jason Hildebrant, a very strong actor from Toronto, performs his one-man version of BLUE LIKE JAZZ this Friday at Tenth Church.

CHRISTMAS PRESENCE musicians have concerts coming. Leora Cashe is back in town with her Joni Mitchell tribute - you can catch it Mar 5 or 28. And Lance Odegard has two new cds out - hear the tunes live Mar 27 & 29.

Mar 3-14: Laureen Smith in BEGGARS IN THE HOUSE OF PLENTY

Remember Mrs Kirby in YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU last season? She opens tonight in a play by the author of DOUBT...


BEGGARS IN THE HOUSE OF PLENTY
by John Patrick Shanley

Evolving Arts Collective opens its 2009 season with another John Patrick Shanley classic, Beggars in the House of Plenty. Shanley grapples with demons from his past in this gritty, surreal comedy. Dealing with the trials and hardships of family love in a way that is both funny and profoundly painful, Beggars is a play that resonates with audiences from all walks of life. It opens March 3rd, 2009 at The Beaumont Stage.

Johnny is the youngest and most sensitive of three siblings stranded in a surreal Irish Catholic household lorded over by their father, a butcher working in the Bronx, and their mother, a chipper, hope-mongering wreck of a woman. Johnny takes solace in pyromania and writing about his family. As Johnny matures, he becomes increasingly perceptive, revealing with more and more sympathy the underlying causes of so much family misery. In between Johnny's musings are raucous scenes of catastrophic violence; barely held in check by each character's submerged but instinctual need for the love of one another.

”Painfully funny…a memory play that is like Eugene O’Neil as seen through the eyes of Tennessee Williams influenced by Eugene Ionesco." — The New York Post

"crackles with the energy of artists who are going places…" — New York Times

Tickets 604-733-3783 ext. 305 or online

Doors are at 7:15 pm and the show starts promptly at 8 pm.
March 2nd Special preview night Monday – 2 for 1 ticket price
March 3rd Opening Night - Tuesday
March 4th – 8th Wednesday - Sunday
March 10th – 14th Tuesday - Saturday

The Beaumont Stage
316 W. 5th Avenue (@Alberta)

Must Close Mar 7: Final week of HOLY MO! at Pacific Theatre

One of the all-time audience favourites has returned to Pacific Theatre. The extraordinary Erla Faye Forsyth is back - could it be HOLY MO without her? - joined this time by the heart-breakingly hilarious Julia Mackey (JAKE'S GIFT, MERCY WILD, PRIVATE EYES) and - in her first comic turn on the PT stage - the amazing Katharine Venour (SHADOWLANDS, AGNES OF GOD, ST JOAN, HUNGRY SEASON). Kevin McAllister's cosmic set underscores the poetry and mythic resonance of the piece, while creating lots of crazy places for the girls to be goofy. What a mid-February lift to the spirit!


They’re back! After ten years Folly, Buffoona and Guff bring back a Revised Version of a PT audience favourite. Experience The Book of Exodus in all its sweep and grandeur – with the Life of King David thrown in for fun. (Oh yeah, they sing too.)

“Wonderfully silly, clownish, wacky, warm, and fun.” The Vancouver Courier

Featuring Katharine Venour (How it Works, Shadowlands ), Erla Faye Forsyth (Driving Miss Daisy, The Farndale Christmas Carol, The Foreigner, etc), Julia Mackey (Jake’s Gift, Farndale...Christmas Carol). Directed by Morris Ertman, this star-studded cast is joined by a crew of magnificent talent. Kevin McAllister’s scenic design (Espresso, His Greatness) is mesmerizing, and Drew Facey provides a touch of ragamuffin hilarity as costume designer. Also on board are Matt Frankish (lighting, Mourning Dove) and Luke Ertman (musical direction, The Quarrel, The Woodsman). Stage Management by Lois Dawson.

COMING in 2009-2010- Leave of Absence - a new play by Lucia Frangione

(And check out the cool video of the cast talking about HOLY MO, over at the PT website.)

Mar 21: Chor Leoni, "Meetin' Here Tonight"

Meetin' Here Tonight: Music of Inspiration
Chor Leoni Men's Choir

Whether it is Blessed Assurance, Amazing Grace, or We Shall Rise, favourite hymns and beloved spirituals speak immediately to the heart and soul. Meetin’ Here Tonight brings these familiar songs and anthems of faith, hope, redemption, and belief into your listener’s circle. Repertoire from this concert will be recorded for Chor Leoni’s next CD project of the same name, but as you know, there’s nothing like experiencing it live!

Two performances on Saturday March 21, 2009!
3 pm & 7:30 pm
Both performances at
Shaughnessy Heights United Church
1550 W 33rd Ave, Vancouver, BC
Tickets from ticketmaster 604.280.3311

Name that Von Trapp!

From the Toronto production of A SOUND OF MUSIC. Identity of the Captain to be revealed...

*

Later...

Yup, that's our very own Ian Farthing! Congrats, good sir.

Mar 5 / 28: Leora Cashe

We miss Leora Cashe, the gospel and jazz singer who was a long-time feature at CHRISTMAS PRESENCE. She moved away from Vancouver a couple years ago, but she's headed back our way for a quick Western Canada tour.



Thursday March 5th 7:30pm
The Silk Purse Music Series Presents

Leora Cashe and The Ross Taggart Trio
ANOTHER SIDE NOW

Tickets: $15.00 Members $17.00 Non-Members
Ph. (604) 925-7292
The Silk Purse
1570 Argyle Avenue
West Vancouver, BC, Canada

Call ASAP for tickets, it's a small venue!

Featuring:
Darren Radtke - bass
Buff Allen - drums
Ross Taggart - piano

*

Saturday, March 28, 2009
The Blasted Church Midnight Service
Christ Church Cathedral
10:00pm-12:45am
Tickets: $89.00 call 604-873-3311

A runaway hit at the Okanagan Wine Festival every year, the Blasted Church Midnight
Service comes to Vancouver's vino week for the very first time. Not your average mingler, the
evening brings to life the label's irreverent name by having guests commune at Christ Church
Cathedral for soul food from Memphis Blues Barbeque House and soulful music from the Gospel
Experience Choir featuring Candy Churchill, Joe Chappell, Will Sanders, Leora Cashe, Marcus Mosely,
Sibel Thrasher, Ron Small and Lovie Eli.

Celebrate World Theatre Day with 2-for-1 Tickets to A TIME TO DANCE

A TIME TO DANCE is MAGNIFICENT and CLOAKED IN MAGIC...

...and you can see it 2-for-1!

Please join us in celebrating World Theatre Day, 2009! World Theatre Day is celebrated every year on March 27, and is sponsored by The International Theatre Institute.*

BUY A REGULAR TICKET TO A TIME TO DANCE AT PACIFIC THEATRE FOR FRIDAY MARCH 27, 8pm AND RECEIVE A 2nd TICKET ABSOLUTELY FREE!

TO BOOK YOUR TICKETS CALL 604.731.5518 or email tickets@pacifictheatre.org


Libby Skala charmed Vancouver audiences two seasons ago with her heart-warming one-woman show, Lilia, for which she received international acclaim. Now she returns with A Time to Dance, a magical fusion of storytelling, improvised movement, and creative dance, to tell the life and soul of the spirited Austrian Elizabeth ‘Lisl’ Polk, who danced her way indomitably through poverty, artistic repression, and the rise of Hitler.

This one-woman show, called “fanciful and expressive” by The London Free Press, shares with its audience the voice of a cast of characters, enlivened through the profound talent of Lisl’s great-niece, Libby Skala. Skala recounts the tale of a woman who arrived in Vienna in 1902, survived two world wars, immigrated to New York, and danced the Macarena on her 100th birthday.

A pioneer of dance therapy and the wife of an unexpected suitor, Lisl tells the tale of harrowing adventure, wild creativity, and the discovery of a surprising and long-awaited for love.

A Time to Dance has toured Berlin, Dresden, Toronto, and New York, and arrives in Vancouver at Pacific Theatre March 19 (with a preview March 18), and running to April 4.


*The ITI is an international non-governmental organization that was founded in Prague in 1948 by UNESCO and the international theatre community. The ITI aims "to promote international exchange of knowledge and practice in theatre arts (drama, dance, music theatre) in order to consolidate peace and solidarity between peoples, to deepen mutual understanding and increase creative co-operation between all people in the theatre arts."

Check out the World Theatre Day blog: http://wtd09.wordpress.com.

Feb 26: Damon Calderwood, FLIGHTS OF FANCY

The ELEPHANT MAN is also a bird man....


Felicitations, Feathered Friends...

Once again, just in case you were in the mood for some images of our fine feathered friends, I wanted to tell you about another PowerPoint show I'm doing this Thursday about my book, Flights of Fantasy, and my next book, Moments of Discovery.

The show is about an hour long, and includes pictures from my first and upcoming books, with every delightful and zany anecdote about birds--and my adventures photographing them--I can squeeze into 60 minutes.

Here's the info:

Thursday, February 26th from 7-8:30 pm I am at the Capilano Library in North Vancouver...3045 Highland Boulevard (in Edgemont village) {Phone (604) 987-4471}.

Here's some info. And here's some more.

The show is free, of course, and open to all who have a love for nature or photography. I would love to see you there if you live in the area. I'll have copies of my book available as well as prints of some of my shots to peruse. If you have any questions feel free to e mail me or give me a call at 778-998-4886.

Yours bird-brainedly,
Damon

Feb 25 - Mar 14: Anthony Ingram in CORIOLANUS

PT regular Anthony Ingram (ELEPHANT MAN, BEGGARS AT THE WATERS OF IMMORTALITY, PRIVATE EYES, HALO, etc) opens next week in...


Shakespeare's
Coriolanus
"Let every feeble rumor shake your hearts"
Directed by Jack Paterson*

Previews: Feb 25 & 26, 8pm ($10)
Performances: Feb 27-Marh 14, 8PM
Tues - Sun, 8pm

Box Office and Reservations: (604)224-8007 Ext 3
Book on line at www.bardatjac.com
Advanced Ticket can be purchased at BizBooks: 302 West Cordova St.

PRESS RELEASE
Coriolanus: for the first time since the 19th century
Jack Paterson and team return to the Jericho Arts Centre

Following the critical success of Titus Andronicus, Jack Paterson returns to the Jericho
Arts Centre with his reinvention of another neglected Shakespeare text: Coriolanus. It
would seem that this will be the first professional production in Vancouver since the late
19th century, when a touring troupe brought their show to town.

According to RB Parker, editor of the Oxford University edition of the play, Coriolanus is
the most brilliant political play ever written. Through its exploration of what happens to a
solider during peacetime, it is a powerfully relevant study of the relationship between
personality and politics. For his heroism in war, Coriolanus is nominated for the office of
Roman consul. Immediately, his opponents seize on his one fatal flaw: his refusal to
play the political games demanded by the public of their leaders. The hero becomes a
hated outcast – vowing terrible revenge on his own community.

Paterson and his team have carved out a reputation for creating gripping produc-
tions of Shakespeare that uncover the core of the work, making it relevant for to-
day’s audiences. In 2006, Paterson received the Ray Michal Award of Work by an
Emerging Director; a recognition for a body of work that includes Titus Andronicus
(five Jessie nominations; Vancouver Courier & Vancouverplays.com best theatre
of 2006 lists), Shakespeare’s R&J (two Jessie nominations and also on the Cou-
rier best of list for 2006), Julius Caesar (two Jessie nominations, Vancouver Cou-
rier Best of List) and The Tempest (one Jessie nomination).

Mar 27/29: Lance Odegard cd release concerts

Remember Lance Odegard from CHRISTMAS PRESENCE, TESTIMONY, etc? This past December he brought us the crunchiest Advent tune yet, a glorious reframing of Dylan's "When The Ship Comes In," and a cover of Vancouver songwriter Peter La Grand's memorable "Mary's Song." Well, that uprooted prairie boy's got two new albums, and (appropriately enough) a pair of cd release concerts coming up. You can buy the records at his site, and here's the info on the gigs...

Lance Odegard & Band/ with special guests Sheree Plett Band/ and Alec Arnold & Crystal Shepherd
Friday, March 27, 2009
$10 I Doors at 7:30pm
St. James Hall
3214 10th Avenue West
Vancouver, BC

Lance Odegard & Band/ with special guest Ryan Chace
Sunday, March 29, 2009
7:30pm I $7 at the door
House of James Coffeehouse
2743 Emerson Street
Abbotsford, BC

Feb 18-28: EAST OF BERLIN, Firehall/Touchstone

When I first saw a description of EAST OF BERLIN, I had to read it twice to figure out whether it was REFUGE OF LIES or not; "Rudi has grown up in Paraguay, blissfully ignorant of his father’s past. When he discovers the awful truth, he tries to atone for his father’s appalling acts. Can love heal what history has so brutally torn asunder? Or will the horrors of the past haunt him forever? East of Berlin is a stirring and absolutely essential meditation on the psychological legacy of the Holocaust..."
Of course it's not the same play, but that description hooked me. I'm not going to miss this one: even aside from the coincidence of name and place, these are obviously themes and subjects I find fascinating. I'm going next Friday.


Here's what Katrina Dunn (who directed PRODIGAL SON) sent in an email this morning...

Hi all,

This is just a little reminder email about East of Berlin, a really
amazing show from Toronto which Touchstone and others have brought out
to Vancouver and runs at the Firehall now until February 28th. Below
is some info about it and some of the artists involved that I sent out
around the GVPTA - I'm sure you'll know these people and appreciate
how great it is to have their work in town. I really hope you can
check out this amazing piece. A buddy of mine who was at the PWYC
preview last night said: "The show is both hysterically funny and
terrifying. The audience were stunned into a trance, truly. It took
them all some time to get up and leave. Wow."
Best, Katrina Dunn

Dear GVPTA Members,

The Firehall Arts Centre, Touchstone Theatre, the Chutzpah! Festival and Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad have brought the Tarragon Theatre's acclaimed production of Hannah Moscovitch's East of Berlin to Vancouver for a limited run. The show features the work of two of Toronto's hottest theatre artists - neither of whom has ever been featured on a Vancouver stage. Don't miss this rare opportunity to check out their work and this multi-Dora-award-nominated show fresh from its Toronto remount and off to play Theatre Network in Edmonton.

Playwright Hannah Moscovitch is a stellar young talent - an emerging playwright who has been dubbed "an indie sensation" by Toronto Life Magazine, "the wunderkind of Canadian theatre" by CBC Radio, and "irritatingly talented" by Eye Weekly. Her plays have been produced at the Tarragon Theatre in Toronto where she is currently playwright-in-residence, the Factory Theatre, Alberta Theatre Projects and the Magnetic North Theatre Festival among others. Upcoming, Hannah has been commissioned to create new works for the stage with a number of Canada's most exciting established and experimental theatre companies, including Prairie Theatre Exchange, Great Canadian Theatre Company, Volcano Theatre, 2b theatre company, Theatrefront, and Manhattan Theatre Club in New York.

Director Alisa Palmer is an award- winning theatre director in demand across the country and one of few Canadian directors who crosses genres, directing classics, contemporary plays, creation projects, musicals and operas. As a director recent productions include Top Girls (revived last fall for Soulpepper), The Clean House at Canadian Stage, the premiere and revival of the 2005 hit Belle Moral : A Natural History at the Shaw Festival (currently running at the National Arts Centre). She has directed numerous landmark plays which have toured across the country, including Diane Flacks Random Acts, Sibs by Richard Greenblatt and Flacks and Smudge, the first professional play by a blind playwright. She has twice been shortlisted for the Siminovitch prize.

East of Berlin plays February 18th to 28th at the Firehall Arts Centre.
Tickets are available at the Firehall Box Office 604-689-0926 or online

PLANK loves HOLY MO!

Holy Mo: Moses in Denial & the Clowning of King David
by Naomi Dolgoy
Plank Magazine, February 18 2009

Lucia Frangione’s Holy Mo once again graces the stage of Pacific Theatre this month. I had the pleasure of witnessing the Holy Mo trinity of Follie (Katharine Venour), Bufoona (Erla-Faye Forsyth) and Guff (Julia Mackey) as they led audiences through the story of Moses in Holy Mo, followed by a short ‘pee break’ (as explained by Follie, and more commonly referred to as intermission), then through the story of King David in Spew Boy.

This revamping of the Holy Book for Holy Mo, transforms stoic Bible figures into comical, nicknamed, multifaceted characters. Biblical Moses becomes ‘Mo’, brother of rapping, dreadlocked Aaron, and husband of Biblical Zipporah, ‘Zip’, who begs him to get off the couch, stop watching TV, and enjoy his retirement. Kind David is ‘Davey’, who starts out as a bagel boy; and the Israelites, ‘Heebies’ are factory workers – a role that allows for audience participation. The Biblical tales are re-imagined with clowning, mime, country bluegrass music, movie montages and pop-culture references from Chariots of Fire to Sylvester Stallone to Macbeth – there is even a scene in ‘slow mo’. The stage setting evokes a circus arena, in which the audience sits on both sides of the venue, and the players engage the viewers with amazing ‘feats’ of circus performance.

The physical design of Holy Mo is elegantly layered – a sheer curtain becomes the Red Sea, the veil of God, and the blood-smeared houses in Goshen (Egypt). The costumes are simple and comical: broom bristles atop a hockey mask denote the giant Goliath, a red beret and a cigarette express the emotional character of Jonathon (King David’s brother in law). The comedy is equally layered: seemingly overt yet undeniably complex. Bathroom jokes and ‘gangsta’ Biblical figures build on the main comical conceit: clowns recanting stories of two Biblically revered characters, depicting their shortcomings as equal to their heroism.

Follie, Bufoona and Guff represent characteristics in all of us, both in their strengths and in their weaknesses. They put on a show acting out Biblical stories that they believe must be told, while analyzing the relationship between the people and their invisible-deity-that-cannot-be-seen-until-you-die, Yamma (God). Throughout the play the clowns pause to challenge and evaluate the actions of Yamma. The clowns approach Godliness with a childlike wonder and amazement, wanting to play God, fearing God, revering God. This relationship between player and creator parallels the relationship between Moses and God, and David and God, in the Bible, wherein the supplicants question their ability and purpose as leaders, and challenge God who selected them for the role.

Underneath the cleverness and good-natured humor, what these three clowns are telling is a story of sacrificing oneself for a greater purpose. Though their stories are from the Biblical era, the clowns mesmerize the audience with timeless tales of struggle, success and self-actualization. Fittingly, time and space cease to matter; Hollywood Movies, modern slang, and Biblical feats fuse together to form Holy Mo, a performance fit for a King—as reluctant as he is heroic—or a Leader as shy as he is monumental.

Cast: Katharine Venour, Erla Faye Forsyth, Julia Mackey. Director: Morris Ertman. Scenic Design: Kevin McAllister. Costume Design: Drew Facey. Lighting Design: Matt Frankish. Musical Direction/Sound Design: Luke Ertman. Stage Manager: Lois Dawson; Holy Mo runs 8pm Wednesday-Saturday, February 6-March 7, with select Saturday Matinees at 2pm, at Pacific Theatre (604.731.5518); tickets $17-$34.

Feb 22: "Praise The Lord With Stringed Instruments"

I officially declare this Sunday... Something to do with strings. You can make something up.

Point being, after you leave the Pacific Rim concert at Pacific Theatre Sunday afternoon, why not grab a nice dinner - some spaghetti, perhaps? or string beans? - then head over to First Christian Reformed for more?


Hi, friends, family, colleagues, etc.

Hooray, part 3 of my arts thesis is this Sunday! It's another worship service, for Epiphany season, which will feature lots of chamber music (late Classical and early Romantic) and silence and prayer... and not many words at all. For introverts like me, it will (hopefully) be a paradise of restful silence before God. Well, I hope it will be the same for extroverts too...

Here are the details:

Who: the musicians will be me, Kathy Kwon, Jonathan Ng, and Colin Wilson. We are a piano trio and string quartet. A whole lot of others will be involved in planning, food prep, decorations, etc. You are also a welcome participant.
What: A worship service, in which we will worship God through instrumental music, silence, and prayer. Afterwards there will be coffee, snacks, and a chance to discuss.
When: This Sunday night, February 22, at 7:30.
Where: First Christian Reformed Church, 2670 Victoria Dr., Vancouver
Why: We need to pray!

This is an open invitation, so feel free to bring friends. I hope to see many of you on Sunday night!

Celia

Feb 22: Music At Pacific - Pacific Rim String Quartet

The Pacific Rim String Quartet continues their second season in residence at Pacific Theatre, playing Mozart's 'Hunt' Quartet, Shostakovich Quartet #7, and Dvorak's chamber masterpiece, the 'American' quartet.

Music At Pacific
Sunday, February 22, 3PM
Pacific Rim String Quartet
Pacific Theatre, W. 12th and Hemlock
tickets: 604-731-5518
www.pacifictheatre.org



Other opportunities to hear PRSQ Artistic Director Brian Mix

Sunday, March 1, 2PM
Brahms Concerto for Violin and Cello
Li-Ling Liao, violin soloist, Brian Mix, cello soloist
New Westminster Symphony Orchestra
Massey Theatre, 8th and 8th, New Westminster
Admission by donation

Tuesday, March 10, 8PM
Music on Main's series "A Month of Tuesdays" at The Cellar Restaurant,
West Broadway at Dunbar
J.S. Bach: Suites for solo cello
Brian Mix, cello

Feb 14: VINTAGE VALENTINE at Pacific Theatre

Stones Throw Productions presents
VINTAGE VALENTINE

A fun-filled Musical Theatre Review all about love. Bring your friends or your Valentine and enjoy numbers from Moulin Rouge, Fiddler on the Roof, Chicago and many more. Tickets are $11 in advance or pay-what-you-can at the door. Or purchase a ticket to see Holy MO on Feb 14th and stay to see Vintage Valentine for FREE!. For more information please phone our box office at (604)731-5518.

Saturday, February 14, 2009
10:15pm - 11:30pm

Pacific Theatre
1440 W 12th Ave
Vancouver, BC

Feb 11-14: PROOF at TWU

Theatre at TWU presents David Auburn’s Proof, a play that asks the question: how can we know the truth when there is no proof? This Pulitzer Prize winning modern drama explores the instabilities of love, trust, and mathematical certainty.

The story centers on Catherine, the daughter of a brilliant but mentally unstable mathematician. After his death, Catherine discovers a paradigm-shifting proof among his papers, and claims the discovery as her own. Has she inherited her father’s genius, or his insanity?

Running for five performances only, Proof offers a dynamic evening of compelling drama sure to engage both the heard and mind with intrigue, romance, laughter and science.

Feb 11-14, 8pm + Feb 14 matinee, 2pm
tix:website | 513-2121 x3576

Mar 6: Blue Like Jazz // Live, Jason Hildebrand

Based on the book Blue Like Jazz by acclaimed author Donald Miller, Blue Like Jazz // Live is an innovative and revolutionary theatrical multimedia production developed and performed by Jason Hildebrand.

It is a personal, raw and humorous reflection on spirituality, God, and community. Blue Like Jazz // Live is an honest and unexpected journey - a scrapbook of one man's life.

The solo performance incorporates the use of film and computer-generated motion graphics.The graphics feature imagery rooted in Miller's book and provide a backdrop for the main action. Also featured an original jazz music soundscape by Juno award winning musician Paul Neufeld.

Jason Hildebrand is a professional actor, award-winning filmmaker and communication coach from Toronto, Canada. He has performed in theatre, film and television, and continues to tour the globe with his acclaimed solo performances. Jason also works with organizations, theatre and film companies and educational institutions in various capacities throughout North America and Europe.

Friday March 6th, 8pm
Tenth Church 11 W 10th Ave
info - carla@tenth.ca / 604 876 2181 ext 209

$10 advance | $15 door | web

Pacific Theatre Apprentice Opportunities

(click on image to enlarge)

Feb 28: Dvorak's Biblical Songs

Dvorak’s Biblical Songs

A vocal recital featuring Angelina Van Dyke and Eric Hominick. Funds raised will be donated to Genesis Vancouver, a long-term recovery and reintegration program for mothers with children seeking a way out of sexual exploitation.

Saturday Feb 28th at 7:30 pm
Grace Vancouver Church 1696 W 7th (at Pine)
Admission by donation – suggested amount $20 – tax receipt issued over $20
604 649-3289
www.genesisvancouver.com

HOLY MO renderings by Costume Designer Drew Facey

Check out these gorgeous renderings by Drew Facey, the fabulous costume designer for HOLY MO!


GUFF - The flunky. Guff was a tag along who became useful to the troupe. She is the technician, the orchestra, the scenery, and any bit part that Follie and Bufoona can't cover to complete the story. Guff primarily plays animals and inanimate objects. She continues to surprise Follie and Bufoona with new bits she has added to the show. She has a problem with an overactive saliva gland, which may be one of the reasons she doesn't speak. Guff wears overalls and mukluks, a cowboy shirt and a bolo tie. She has long black braids. She depends greatly on Bufoona and Follie as family and yet maintains a kind of distance. Her trademark is her guitar, Tulip, which she plays proficiently and harmonizes beautifully with a kazoo. Guff is a proletariat.



FOLLIE - The respected troubadour who runs the show. Tall and square, she wears a tattered tuxedo jacket with red and orange flourish, dark velvet pantaloons and tall gold boots. She is an utterly sincere visionary and finds great joy in the beauty of the stories she tells. She has a commanding rich alto voice, severe black hair, curly eyebrows and plays washtub bass and harmonica. She is a totalitarian.


BUFOONA - The fool. Bufoona is small, round, clownish and squeaky. She has a prized orange and gold ruff around her neck made from old curtains, complete with pompoms. She wears check pants that flair at the calf, brown leggings and sneakers with painted flowers. She loves an audience, sometimes for selfish reasons. Despite Bufoona's short attention span, small rebellions and mischief making, Follie knows she can count on Bufoona's genius to pull through. Bufoona is a banjo playing soprano and anarchist.