Evan Goldman is looking forward to turning 13 and his Bar Mitzvah when his parents divorce and his mother abruptly moves him from New York City to small-town Indiana. Evan’s subsequent quest for popularity is the basic premise of the coming-of-age musical 13. While 13 only lasted a few months on Broadway in late 2008, the cast recording has become a favourite on my playlist.
Boasting a teenage cast, band and technical crew, 13 makes its Vancouver premiere as part of the 2010 Vancouver International Fringe Festival and is the debut production from Awkward Stage Productions Society. Awkward Stage’s mission is to “provide real life performance and production opportunities to youth in that awkward stage of transitioning to professional theatre.” The show has also been double-cast with a senior and junior ensemble alternating performances.
Book by Dan Elish and Robert Horn, with music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown (Parade, The Last Five Years). Directed by Cara Tench and Corwin Ferguson, with musical direction by Andy Toth. Starring Zach Wolfman, Alex Lara, Kristin Bunyan, Alyssa Baker, Quinn Cartwright, Ashlee Kim, Jonathan Hers, Morgan Roff, David Cohen, Dylan Sloane, Fiona McIntyre, Julia Di Spirito, Devon MacKinlay, Eric Dunnill, Jacob Wolstencraft, Yoav Lai, Kai Bradbury, Anna Sutela, Ginny Dunnill, Caitlin Carhoun, Julie Cooper, Katie Coopersmith, Brittany Gee and Maiah Fujino.
Awkward Stage Productions presents 13 from September 9 – 19, 2010 at the Firehall Arts Centre, 280 East Cordova Street, Vancouver. Tickets are available online.
Musicals in Vancouver 