Category Archives: Upcoming Shows

Grease; Broadway Across Canada (Upcoming show)

Posted on August 12, 2010 | 1 comment

That original high school musical, Grease is the word once again.  After a drought of touring productions in Vancouver in recent years, Broadway Across Canada has a steady stream of Broadway shows heading our way.  Up next: Grease.  The current production includes songs from the original stage production as well as popular hits from the movie version, including “Hopelessly Devoted to You,” “Grease,” and “You’re the One That I Want.”
Book, music, and lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, with additional songs by Barry Gibb, John Farrar, Louis St. Louis and Scott Simon. Directed by David John O’Brien, choreographed by Joyce Chittick.  Set design by Tony Award winner Derek McLane, costume design by Tony Award winner Martin Pakledinaz and lighting design by Tony Award winner Kenneth Posner.

Starring Tony nominee Eddie Mekka, Alyssa Herrera, Matt Nolan (Grease: You’re The One That I Want), Patrick Cragin, Audrey Filson, Kelly Teal Goyette, Patrick Joyce, Alicia Kelly, Brad Lawson, Ashley Rubin, Lauren Elaine Taylor, Lauren Turner and Marc Winski.

Broadway Across Canada presents Grease from October 26 – 31, 2010, at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, 600 block Hamilton St, Vancouver. Tickets are available online or by calling 604-280-4444.

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39… and Ticking!; Full Figure Theatre (Upcoming show)

Posted on August 2, 2010 | Leave a comment

Full Figure Theatre presents the locally-developed musical 39… and Ticking! Written and directed by Sharon Heath, this clown musical deals with issues of dating, aging, raising kids and procreating.

39… and Ticking! made its world premiere last October in Burnaby and is being remounted this summer for Vancouver audiences. Featuring music composed by Ted Hamilton and Joan MacLean, with musical direction by Bill Costin and choreography by Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg.  39… and Ticking! stars Joan MacLean, Lisa Beley, Lisa Bunting and Cheryl Mullen.

Full Figure Theatre presents 39… and Ticking! from August 3 – 8, 2010 at the Jericho Arts Centre, 1675 Discovery St, Vancouver. Tickets are available online or by phone at 604-224-8007.

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Posted in 39... and Ticking!, Full Figure Theatre, Musical Theatre, Upcoming Shows, Vancouver

Lion King cast members host benefit for local HIV/AIDS groups

Posted on July 18, 2010 | Leave a comment

Cast members from the touring production of the smash hit The Lion King are raising money for two local HIV/AIDS groups with the special one-night-only revue Le Jazz Hot.

Developed by Vancouver local and Broadway entertainer Ian Yuri Gardner, the show will feature Wendy Bollard and international and Broadway talent including Vusi Mhlongo, Kendra Moore, LaShonda Reese, Sophia Stephens, Omari Tau, Frank Wright II and other members of Disney’s The Lion King.

Le Jazz Hot will feature solo and ensemble music, dance and audience interactive numbers in a setting of a 1930s/40s speakeasy. Door prizes will include tickets to The Lion King at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Funds raised will benefit Youth Community Outreach AIDS Society and the National Congress of Black Women Foundation in Vancouver.

Youth Community Outreach AIDS Society is Canada’s first youth-driven organization leading the HIV and HepC movement through peer education, support, and shared leadership. YouthCO was formed in 1994 to address an identified need for youth-specific HIV/AIDS services and has been providing peer support and education throughout Vancouver and British Columbia, Canada.

The National Congress of Black Women Foundation is a registered charity that promotes and facilitates leadership development, cultural awareness, health and education programs for black women and their families through funding and research. The NCBWF works in partnership with other organizations and individuals who support the goals and objectives of reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS infection and enhancing the quality of life for people living with HIV/AIDS.

Disney’s The Lion King plays until August 8, 2010, at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, 600 block Hamilton St, Vancouver.

Le Jazz Hot plays for one night only on Monday, July 26, 2010 at 7 pm at the Revue Stage, 1601 Johnston Street, Granville Island. Tickets are $30.00 and are available online or by calling 604-629-8849.

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Posted in Musical Theatre, The Lion King, Theatre News, Touring Shows, Upcoming Shows, Vancouver

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The Last Five Years; Stone’s Throw (Upcoming show)

Posted on July 12, 2010 | Leave a comment

Jason Robert Brown’s semi-autobiographical The Last Five Years plays for a short run this week at Pacific Theatre.  It’s the story of a 5-year relationship told in an unconventional way. The woman’s point of view is told backwards from end to beginning while the man tells his side of the story from beginning to end.  The two meet only once in the play, in the middle at their wedding.

Written by Jason Robert Brown (13, Songs for A New World). Directed by Heather Teeter, musical direction by Dave Rosborough, and lighting design by Jin Kim. Featuring Shalyn McFaul and Joshua McFaul.

The Last Five Years, presented by Stone’s Throw Productions, runs from July 14 – July 17, 2010 at the Pacific Theatre, 12th and Hemlock, Vancouver.  Tickets are available online or by calling 604-731-5518.

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Singin’ in the Rain; TUTS (Upcoming show)

Posted on July 4, 2010 | 1 comment

Theatre Under the Stars brings the adapted version of the 1952 film classic Singin’ in the Rain to the Vancouver stage.

Neil Minor, Lindsay Sterk, and Lauren Bowler in the TUTS production of Singin' in the Rain.

Screenplay by Betty Comden and Adolf Green, songs by Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed. Directed by Shel Piercy (Thoroughly Modern Millie, TUTS), choreography by Shelley Stewart Hunt (Thoroughly Modern Millie, TUTS), and musical direction by Wendy Bross Stuart.  Set design by Drew Facey (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Gateway), costume design by Chris Sinosich (Thoroughly Modern Millie, TUTS), video design by Tim Matheson, and lighting design by Gerald King.

Starring Cailin Stadnyk (Evil Dead, Ground Zero), Lori Zondag, Fred Galloway (Annie Get Your Gun, TUTS), Jameson Parker, Daniel White, Neil Minor (The Drowsy Chaperone, Playhouse), Lindsay Sterk, and Lauren Bowler (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Gateway).  Featuring Natalie Aspinall, Sierra Brewerton, Amanda Buckingham, Sarah-Zoë Catherine, Emily Fraser, Shannon Hanbury, Emily Kapahi, Angela King, Kristina Linden, Jennifer Suttis, Courtney Shields, Linzi Voth, Paul Almeida, Neil Aspinall, Dan Bowman, Angus Chiu, Cameron Dunster, Damon Jang, Joel Lahaye, Alex Nicholl, and Jim Stewart.

Theatre Under the Stars presents Singin’ in the Rain on alternating nights from July 10 – August 21, 2010 at the Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park, Vancouver. This year, all seats are reserved, eliminating the need to line up early. Tickets are available online or by calling 1-877-840-0457.

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Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat; TUTS (Upcoming show)

Posted on July 4, 2010 | 1 comment

The third and final production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat to hit Metro Vancouver this season, comes courtesy of Theatre Under the Stars.

The cast of TUTS' Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcot

Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber (Phantom of the Opera, Cats), lyrics by Tim Rice (Evita, The Lion King). Directed by Shel Piercy (Thoroughly Modern Millie, TUTS), musical direction by Kevin Michael Cripps (Footloose, Exit 22), and choreographed by Keri Minty (A New Brain, Pipedream). Costume design by Chris Sinosich (Thoroughly Modern Millie, TUTS), lighting by Gerald King and video design by Tim Matheson. Co-starring Erik Ioannidis, Jaime Piercy, Brittany Scott, Alex Gullason, Caleb Di Pomponio, Dimitrios Stephanoy, DaeYoung Danny Kim, Ashley Gelhede, Aaron Lau, Benjamin Wardle, Amanda Testini, Friedrick Po, Amber Shikaze, Scott Heatcoat, Rachel Harrison, Camilo Dominguez, and Madeleine Suddaby.

Theatre Under the Stars presents Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat on alternating nights from July 9 – August 20, 2010 at the Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park, Vancouver.  This year, all seats are reserved, eliminating the need to line up early. Tickets are available online or by calling 1-877-840-0457.

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Disney’s The Lion King; Broadway Across Canada (Upcoming show)

Posted on June 17, 2010 | 4 comments

The Vancouver debut of the Tony Award-winning musical Disney’s The Lion King is less than a month away and the local buzz continues to grow.  The Lion King is a theatrical juggernaut that has shown no sign of slowing down since it hit Broadway 13 years ago.

Phindile Mkhize as Rafiki in the opening number “The Circle of Life” from the national tour of Disney's The Lion King. Photo by Joan Marcus.

The Lion King is the eighth longest-running musical in Broadway history and this touring company is one of the seven productions currently playing worldwide, including New York, London, Hamburg, Paris, Tokyo and Las Vegas.

Starring J. Anthony Crane, Brenda Mhlongo, Nick Cordileone, Adam Jacobs, Syndee Winters, Monica L. Patton, Kolton Stewart, Monique Lee, Dionne Randolph, Tony Freeman, Omari Tau, Ben Roseberry, Jerome Stephens Jr., and Madai Monica Williams.

Disney Theatrical Productions and Broadway Across Canada present Disney’s The Lion King from July 13 – August 8, 2010, at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, 600 block Hamilton St, Vancouver. Tickets are still available online or by calling 604-280-4444.

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Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris; Point B Theatre (Upcoming show)

Posted on June 9, 2010 | 1 comment

From the company that brought us Reefer Madness last summer comes the musical revue Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris.

Music by Jacques Brel, with production conception, English lyrics and additional material by Eric Blau and Mort Shuman. Directed by Maddison Popov and Brianna Wiens. Starring Michael Kovac, Erin Palm, Brandyn Eddy (HSM2, URP) and Kathy Fitzpatrick (Footloose, Exit 22).

Point B Theatre (formerly J.E. Productions) presents Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris from June 17 – June 26, 2010 at the PAL Theatre, 581 Cardero St.  Tickets are available online or by calling 604-684-2787.

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Hair; Fighting Chance (Upcoming show)

Posted on June 8, 2010 | Leave a comment

The prolific people at Fighting Chance Productions present Hair, their 15th show in three years.  Following last year’s successful run of Rent, they’ve chosen a classic rock musical to end their season.

Fighting Chance's production of Hair.

Book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni, music by Galt MacDermot. Directed by Ryan Mooney, musical direction by Vashti Fairbairn. Starring Michael Brock, Sean Parsons (Footloose, Exit 22), Jenny Moase, Cesar Erba (Rent, Fighting Chance), Hal Rogers (Rent, Fighting Chance), Arielle Tuliao, Amy Jean McElwain, and Ranae Miller. Also featuring Daniel Chai, Michelle Bardach, Sarah Wolfman-Robichaud, Anna Hassard,  Matt Russell, Augustine Justin Go, Eric Alexander Steel, Nyla Carpentier, Nilsen Tiefenbach, Max Friesen, Robyn Leigh Johnson, and Veronika Sztopa.

Fighting Chance Productions presents Hair from July 21 – August 1, 2010 at the Waterfront Theatre, 1412 Cartwright St, Granville Island.  Tickets are available online or by calling 604-684-2787.

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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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