Tag Archives: Arts Club

Hairspray; Arts Club (Upcoming show)

Posted on April 27, 2011 | Leave a comment

The hit musical-comedy Hairspray dances its way on to the Arts Club stage this May. Based on the cult John Waters movie of the same name starring Ricki Lake, Sonny Bono and Divine, the Tony-winning musical ran for six years on Broadway.

Adam Charles and Jennie Neumann in the Arts Club Theatre Company’s production of Hairspray. Photo by David Cooper.

Music by Marc Shaiman (Catch Me If You Can), lyrics by Scott Wittman (Catch Me If You Can) and Marc Shaiman, and book by Mark O’Donnell (Cry-Baby) and Thomas Meehan (Cry-Baby). Directed by Bill Millerd, musical direction by Ken Cormier, and choreographed by Valerie Easton. Set design by Ted Roberts, costumes by Alison Green, and lighting by Marsha Sibthorpe.

Starring Jay Brazeau (Drowsy Chaperone, Playhouse), Meghan Anderssen (Thoroughly Modern Millie, TUTS), J. Cameron Barnett, Jak Barradell (Altar Boyz, Arts Club), Darren Burkett (Seussical, Carousel), Adam Charles (White Christmas, Arts Club), Starr Domingue, Kayla Dunbar (The Park, Studio 58), Allison Fligg (Footloose, Exit 22), Ian Yuri Gardner, Kimberly Gelera, Alana Hibbert, Anna Kuman (White Christmas, Arts Club), Lelani Marrell, Laurie Murdoch, Jennie Neumann (Seussical, Carousel), Matt Palmer (Annie, Gateway), Milo Shandel, Colin Sheen (Fantasticks, Playhouse), Cailin Stadnyk (Singin’ in the Rain, TUTS), and Robyn Wallis.

Arts Club Theatre Company presents Hairspray from May 12, 2011 – July 10, 2011 at the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage, 2750 Granville St.  Tickets are available online or by phone at 604-687-1644.

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Posted in Arts Club, Hairspray, Musical Theatre, Upcoming Shows, Vancouver

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Irving Berlin’s White Christmas: The Musical; Arts Club (Upcoming show)

Posted on November 15, 2010 | Leave a comment

It’s hard to believe but it’s that time of year again and the Arts Club is ready to get you in the seasonal spirit with its remounting of last year’s box office success   White Christmas.

Sara-Jeanne Hosie and Monique Lund in the Arts Club Theatre Company’s production of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas: The Musical. Photo by David Cooper.

Based on the 1954 musical film starring Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Danny Kaye and Vera-Ellen, the stage version debuted in 2004 with a book by David Ives and Paul Blake and music by Irving Berlin.

Directed by Bill Millerd, musical direction by Bruce Kellett and choreography by Valerie Easton. Starring Sara-Jeanne Hosie, Monique Lund, Todd Talbot, Jeffrey Victor, Susan Anderson, Allan Gray, and Mark Weatherley and featuring Robert Allan, Scott Augustine, Adam Charles, Brennan Cuff, Anna Kuman, Jeremy Lowe, Kristie Marsden, Marianne McCord, Laura McNaught, Keri Minty, Shane Snow, Fiona Vroom, Rachael Withers.

Arts Club Theatre Company presents Irving Berlin’s White Christmas: The Musical from December 4, 2010 – January 2, 2011 at the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage, 2750 Granville St.  Tickets are available online or by phone at 604-687-1644.

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Posted in Arts Club, Musical Theatre, Upcoming Shows, Vancouver, White Christmas: The Musical

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A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline; Arts Club (Upcoming show)

Posted on September 22, 2010 | 1 comment

A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline follows the life of the legendary singer, and features such songs as “Walkin’ After Midnight,” “Sweet Dreams,” and “Crazy.”

Sara-Jeanne Hosie in the Arts Club’s production of A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline. Photo by David Cooper.

Written by Dean Regan. Directed by Shane Snow, with musical direction by Nico Rhodes, set and lighting design by Ted Roberts, and costume design by Norma Bowen. Starring Sara-Jeanne Hosie (White Christmas, Arts Club) and Kevin James.

A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline, presented by the Arts Club On Tour in association with Chemainus Theatre Festival, runs from October 8 – November 15, 2010, at various theatres in North Vancouver, Maple Ridge, Surrey, West Vancouver, Coquitlam, Kelowna, Nelson, Cranbrook, Mission, Burnaby, Vernon, and Chilliwack.  Tickets are available from the local theatres, click here for a more detailed schedule.

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Posted in A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline, Arts Club, Chilliwack, Coquitlam, Cranbrook, Kelowna, Maple Ridge, Mission, Musical Theatre, Nelson, North Vancouver, Surrey, Touring Shows, Upcoming Shows, Vernon, West Vancouver

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The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee; Arts Club (Upcoming show)

Posted on June 1, 2010 | 2 comments

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is finally here in Vancouver.  I’ve been looking forward to seeing this show since it was announced last year.  This production comes direct from a reportedly successful run at the Belfry Theatre in Victoria.  Since I always avoid reading reviews, I have no idea what kind of reaction the show has already garnered.  But, I’m hoping that the Arts Club won’t disappoint.

Josh Epstein in the Arts Club production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Photo by David Cooper.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is the Tony Award-winning musical comedy that follows a group of overachieving students as they vie to outspell the competition.

Music and lyrics by William Finn (Falsettos, A New Brain), book by Rachel Sheinkin and conceived by Rebecca Feldman. Starring Michael Blake, Jeremy Crittenden (Altar Boyz, Arts Club), Josh Epstein (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Vancouver Playhouse), Sara-Jeanne Hosie (White Christmas, Arts Club), Brian Linds, Alison MacDonald (Les Misérables, Arts Club), Tracy Neff, Rosie Simon, and Vincent Tong (Altar Boyz, Arts Club). Directed by Michael Shamata, musical direction by Bruce Kellett, choreography by Laura Krewski, set design by Yvan Morissette, costumes by Erin Macklem and lighting by Marsha Sibthorpe.

The Arts Club in association with The Belfry Theatre presents The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee from June 17 – July 31, 2010 at the Granville Island Stage, 1585 Johnston Street, Vancouver.  Tickets are available online or by calling 604-687-1644.

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Posted in Arts Club, Musical Theatre, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Belfry Theatre, Upcoming Shows, Vancouver

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Billy Bishop Goes to War; Arts Club (Upcoming show)

Posted on March 28, 2010 | 8 comments

The Canadian classic musical Billy Bishop Goes to War returns to the Vancouver stage this month.  Written and composed by John Gray with Eric Peterson, directed by Sarah Rodgers, and starring Ryan Beil and Zachary Gray, Billy Bishop features a pianist and one actor portraying 18 different characters.

Zachary Gray and Ryan Beil in Billy Bishop Goes To War. Photo by Tim Matheson.

The Arts Club and Persephone Theatre co-present Billy Bishop Goes to War from March 25 – April 17, 2010 at Granville Island Stage. Tickets are available online or by calling 604-687-1644.

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Posted in Arts Club, Billy Bishop Goes to War, Musical Theatre, Persephone Theatre, Upcoming Shows, Vancouver

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White Christmas: The Musical; Arts Club (Review)

Posted on November 21, 2009 | 4 comments

While I’m a sucker for Disney musicals, after four straight years of Beauty and the Beast as the annual Christmas musical at the Arts Club, it was time for a change.  This year’s holiday production at the Stanley is White Christmas, the 2004 nostalgia-laden stage adaptation of the 1954 Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye film.

The show’s book, by David Ives and Paul Blake, although only five years old, doesn’t stray too far from the original, nor does it attempt to insert any sort of modern sensibilities.  If you’re searching for any overarching larger themes or social messages here, don’t bother.  White Christmas is a throwback to a simpler time when pretty much any problem could be solved by simply mounting a Broadway-style revue.  Is war getting you down? Facing foreclosure and financial ruin?  Put on a show!

Monique Lund and Sara-Jeanne Hosie in the Arts Club Theatre Company’s production of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas: The Musical. Photo by David Cooper.

In this instance, retired army buddies turned musical stars Phil Davis and Bob Wallace, played by Todd Talbot (Annie, TUTS) and Jeffrey Victor (Les Misérables, Arts Club), decide to help out their former commanding officer General Waverly.  Waverly, as played by Réjean Cournoyer (Les Misérables, Arts Club), has sunk all of his money into a Vermont inn and is about to lose his shirt due to unseasonably warm weather and a lack of snow to placate the tourists.

Arts Club veterans Monique Lund (Beauty and the Beast, Arts Club) and Sara-Jeanne Hosie (Les Misérables, Arts Club) are sister act Judy and Betty Haynes who join forces, professionally and romantically, with song-and-dance duo Davis and Wallace.

Talbot and Victor have better onstage chemistry together than they do with Lund and Hosie respectively, which is perhaps a more unintentionally faithful following of the buddy-musical film genre than intended.

After playing Mrs. Potts for the past four Christmases in Beauty and the Beast, Susan Anderson easily breaks into her new role as busybody Martha Watson.  Anderson takes the opportunity to show off her vocal and dance skills in “Let Me Sing and I’m Happy” and exceeds all expectations, in what should be a supporting role.

In an already markedly strong chorus, Jak Barradell, Jeremy Lowe and Laura McNaught stand out from the pack with their energy and charisma.

This show’s strength comes shining through in the big group dance numbers including “Let Yourself Go” and “I Love a Piano.”  Valerie Easton’s choreography is a loving tribute to the old movie musicals that have long since fallen out of fashion, where dancers once hoofed and tapped energetically for the cameras, broad smiles not wavering for a single beat.

White Christmas is as warm and familiar as an old friend and seems destined to become another Arts Club holiday tradition.

Arts Club Theatre Company presents Irving Berlin’s White Christmas: The Musical until December 27, 2009 at the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage, 2750 Granville St.  Tickets are available online or by phone at 604-687-1644.

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Posted in Arts Club, Musical Theatre, Reviews, Vancouver, White Christmas: The Musical

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Irving Berlin’s White Christmas: The Musical; Arts Club (Upcoming show)

Posted on November 12, 2009 | Leave a comment

Christmas is coming early to Vancouver this year.  The Arts Club production of White Christmas begins previews tonight and opens officially November 18th, 2009.

Based on the 1954 musical film starring Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Danny Kaye and Vera-Ellen, the stage version debuted in 2004 with a book by David Ives and Paul Blake and music by Irving Berlin.

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Todd Talbot, Laura McNaught, Jeffrey Victor, Sara-Jeanne Hosie in the Arts Club Theatre Company’s production of White Christmas. Photo by David Cooper.

Starring Sara-Jeanne Hosie (Les Misérables, Arts Club), Monique Lund (Beauty and the Beast, Arts Club), Todd Talbot (Annie, TUTS), Jeffrey Victor (Les Misérables, Arts Club), Susan Anderson (Beauty and the Beast, Arts Club), Réjean Cournoyer (Les Misérables, Arts Club), with Robert Allan, Jak Barradell (Altar Boyz, Arts Club), Darren Burkett (A Chorus Line, RCMT), Adam Charles (A Chorus Line, RCMT), Anna Kuman (A Chorus Line, RCMT), Jeremy Lowe (Les Misérables, Arts Club), Kristie Marsden (Company, Arts Club), Marianne McCord, Laura McNaught (A Chorus Line, RCMT), Keri Minty (A Chorus Line, RCMT), Shane Snow (The Full Monty, Patrick Street), Fiona Vroom, Mark Weatherley, and Rachael Withers (Les Misérables, Arts Club).

Arts Club Theatre Company presents Irving Berlin’s White Christmas: The Musical from November 24– December 27, 2009 at the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage, 2750 Granville St.  Tickets are available online or by phone at 604-687-1644.

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Some shows are better, bigger (Guest Post)

Posted on September 1, 2009 | 6 comments

Today’s post is written by guest blogger, Rebecca Coleman.  To view Musicals in Vancouver’s response, check out our guest post at the Art of the Business blog

I love independent theatre. It’s where I live, it’s where my heart is, and it’s where I make my living.

But I also love theatre in general, and, while I tend to hang out in the indie scene, I’ll go see pretty much anything going.

A few months back, I went to see Les Misérables at The Arts Club, and a couple of weeks ago, Rent at Presentation House.

First, you have to understand that these two musicals hold significant sentimental value for me. Les Miz was my favorite musical for a long, long time, and it was only replaced in my heart when Rent came along. I knew all the words in Les Miz, and used to daydream about being Éponine, even learning “On My Own” for auditions. I saw a touring version of it, about 10 years ago at the Q.E., and was blown away by the spectacle.

Then, in 1996, while watching the Tonys, I saw the original Broadway cast of Rent singing “Seasons of Love” and “La Vie Bohème,” and I was instantly smitten. I’ve now seen Rent four times, including once at the Nederlander Theatre in New York, where it ran for 12 years.

The Nederlander Theatre in New York City

The Nederlander Theatre in NYC.

So, I’m pretty familiar with both of those shows. So, seeing them done in a smaller theatre, on a smaller scale, was a very interesting experience.

And I felt like they were missing something. Don’t get me wrong—both productions were excellent—big hearted, beautifully sung, and with strong production values. But because of money and size of venue, some of the big special effects were cut.

It makes a huge visual impact to see the barricade in Les Mis slowly rotating into view, strewn with dead bodies. The Arts Club production did have a barricade, and it did move, but with more of a pulling-out-a-drawer motion. The impression it made was not as strong. Similarly, Javert’s suicide was not as impactful (sorry about that choice of words).

I had a similar experience seeing Rent. I missed Mimi howling “Out Tonight” as she straddles both staircase railings and slides down, and Joanne’s first arrival on a motorcycle.

Maybe it’s just my sentimentality speaking, but maybe some things are better, bigger.

Now, anyone know of a production of Miss Saigon happening? I got a hankering to see a helicopter land on stage…

Rebecca Coleman is a freelance theatre publicist here in Vancouver. Her roster includes Touchstone Theatre, Ruby Slippers, Radix, Leaky Heaven Circus, Presentation House, Capilano University’s Theatre Department, and Itsazoo. In addition, she does social media training, and has published an e-book on the topic titled Getting Started with Social Networking for Artists and Arts Organizations. Her blog is The Art of the Business.

Rebecca Coleman

Rebecca Coleman

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Posted in Guest Post, Les Misérables, Musical Theatre, Opinion, Rent, Vancouver

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Saying goodbye to summer

Posted on August 29, 2009 | Leave a comment

Over the last month, there’s been so much theatre to see and so little time.  And now it all seems to be ending.  The cheeky SHINE: A Burlesque Musical finished its two-week run at the Waterfront Theatre on Granville Island last weekend and we also bade adieu to the toe-tapping Thoroughly Modern Millie and Annie at Theatre Under the Stars.

At the Arts Club, the Altar Boyz are spritzing their hair with product for the last time and at Pacific Theatre, the good folks from Not Another Musical Co-op are singing the last notes of Songs For A New World this weekend.     Across the water, at the Presentation House Theatre in North Vancouver, comes the final curtain call for the newest object of my affection, Fighting Chance’s Rent.

Fighting Chance Production's cast of Rent; Clockwise from top left, Craig Decarlo, Christine Quintana, Jacqueline Breakwell, Anton Lipovetsky, Nick Fontaine and Cesar Erba.

Fighting Chance Production's cast of Rent; Clockwise from top left, Craig Decarlo, Christine Quintana, Jacqueline Breakwell, Anton Lipovetsky, Nick Fontaine and Cesar Erba.

I have a rather shameful admission to make . . .  I’ve never been a giant Rent fan.  Nor a Rent fan of any other size, for that matter.  It stems from a certain stubbornness that I possess when it comes to being told what to do or what to like.  In fact, I have an aversion to jumping on to bandwagons of all kinds.  It’s that contrary quality that made me disregard the film version and pooh-pooh the various Rent soundtracks.

But now, I’ve drunk the Kool-aid and have been totally taken in by Rent.  I’ve seen it three times and would have seen it again, if it hadn’t kept selling out.

Which brings us back to the end of the summer season and the sudden onset of my musical-theatre withdrawal blues.  My current state of despair is somewhat tempered by the knowledge that the fall musical season will soon be upon us.  Though, truth be told, I’m not overly enthused by this.  I’ve seen all of these latest summer shows twice and sometimes more and they’ve become familiar, like friends.  And it’s so hard to say goodbye.

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Posted in Altar Boyz, Annie, Arts Club, Fighting Chance, Musical Theatre, Not Another Musical Co-op, Rent, SHINE: A Burlesque Musical, Songs for a New World, Theatre Under the Stars, Thoroughly Modern Mille, Vancouver

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Weekend To-See List (Aug 7-9 2009)

Posted on August 7, 2009 | Leave a comment

Yesterday was the 104th and final performance of Les Misérables at the Stanley Industrial Theatre (read about it at the Arts Club Blog).  Breaking the 100 performance mark is a huge deal for a local show and the Arts Club is definitely celebrating.

But, the summer Vancouver musical theatre is far from over, and here are my top two picks for this weekend.

1. Rent:  The Fighting Chance production opened last night and has already announced a week long extension.  My review of the show isn’t up yet, but clearly I liked it since I’ve put it at the top of my weekend to-see list. Playing at Presentation House Theatre in North Vancouver, Rent tickets are available online.

umbrellas-of-cherbourg

2. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg is playing on the big screen this weekend.  The 1963 classic French sung-through movie starring Catherine Deneuve is a cinematic spectacle and a must-see for musical aficionados. Vancity Theatre, 1181 Seymour Street Aug 7-9; 6:30 Fri; 8:30 Sat, Sun.

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Posted in Arts Club, Fighting Chance, Les Misérables, Movies, Musical Theatre, Rent, Vancouver

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