The 10 PM show on the last day of Summerworks 2011 completed my theatre marathon of nine shows in three days. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat!
I was tired but exhilarated by the variety of works available to see, and the wealth of talent from established to emerging artists that was part of the Festival. When I come for Summerworks again however, I will make sure that I have more than just the final three days in which to see the Festival so I would have time to catch some of the music acts as well as see many more of the plays. As it was I saw 8 of the 42 that were staged.
So we come to Sunday, the last day of the Festival and I am planning to see four plays. The dilemma is how to chose what to see, juggling priorities, time slots and distances. And selection of what to see is a subject to which I will return later.
My first choice was Hannah Moscovitch's "Little One." I first heard of her when I saw "East of Berlin" and really loved her writing. A year later I saw Mexico City and The Russian Play, two short plays by Moscovitch and although I was not as "blown away" by them as by East of Berlin, I thought her work was well worth seeing.
My second choice was "The Trolley Car" by Amiel Gladstone because I received a Facebook invitation, it was developed in Vancouver, and I had not had a chance to see it before.
That took care of the 4 PM and 10 PM slots, conveniently leaving me able to see White Rabbit, Red Rabbit at 7:30 PM. I was told by several sources not to miss this as it was a Volcano/Necessary Angel co-production and had to be good.
I am not a rabble rouser. I don't sign petitions or march in parades to support or protest against ideologies or political actions. I don't subscribe to any particular socio-political ideals but make up my mind based on how I see the reality of a specific situation. So why did I, along with a whole lot of people, head off to hear a reading of Homegrown by Catherine Frid, on the same night in eleven different locations across Canada?
It's simply because I think that the arts are vital in creating an intelligent, thoughtful, curious society, and new works will not be created and performed if financial support for the arts is not there. SummerWorks is a Festival of new works or experimental productions by young companies, that has been held in Toronto since 1991. Originally a Fringe-style format, it evolved into a juried festival, where a panel of theatre professionals evaluate the proposals and select the plays to be performed.
Richard III by William Shakespeare
Directed by Kathryn Shaw
Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival,
Douglas Campbell Studio Stage, Vanier Park.
July 13 to September 23, 2011
Vancouver, BC. At the end of Henry VI: The War of the Roses, I left the Studio Stage theatre looking forward to seeing Bob Frazer as the unrepentantly villainous Richard in the concluding play of Bard's Kings History Play Cycle, Richard III.
The day of the show's opening was also the first 7 hour marathon day of the intermediate level wine course I am taking. While we learned about regions and varietals, we also tasted 18 wines, 9 during the morning and 9 in the afternoon session. I rushed home to change and made it to Vanier Park in time to pick up The Merchant's Antipasto picnicbasket from Emelle's Catering, and wolf it down before the show began. I was worried that sheer exhaustion plus whatever alcohol could be left in my system might cause me to nod off but to the contrary, I was riveted throughout the show and could not take my eyes off the stage.
Mention Richard III to most people and whether or not they have seen Shakespeare's play, they associate his name with the murder of the young Princes in the Tower of London. It's like Medea. Mention her name and the first association is infanticide not the complex and multi-faceted nature of this woman. So leaving aside the little princes, what is this Richard all about?
Anything Goes
Music and lyrics by Cole Porter
Original book by PG Wodehouse, Guy Bolton, Russell Crouse, Howard Lindsay
New book by Timothy Crouse and John Weidman
Director Sarah Rodgers
Music Director Christopher King; Choreographer Dayna Tekatch
Theatre Under the Stars,
Malkin Bowl, Stanley Park
Alternating nights July 13 to August 20th, 2011
Vancouver, BC: As we sat at a window table enjoying an exceptionally good pre-show meal at the new Ensemble restaurant, we watched raindrops spattering on the pavement. It looked like the weather forecasts were correct and the opening night of Anything Goes would take place under wet skies.
By the time we walked into Malkin Bowl to find our seats the sky had temporarily cleared but before the show began the drizzle started up again and the TUTS volunteers were handing out transparent ponchos to keep everyone in the audience dry.
But not even the rain could decrease my appreciation of Cole Porter's marvelous musical. Anything Goes is one of my favorites because almost every tune is a "stick in the head" kind of melody. My IPod ballroom dance music collection has quickstep versions of "It's De-Lovely", "You're the Top" and "I Get a Kick out of You", and I think I have most of Porter's clever lyrics permanently implanted in my brain. So I sang along silently in my head, and enjoyed the show a whole lot.
Bye Bye Birdie
Book by Michael Stewart; Music by Charles Strouse; Lyrics by Lee Adams
Director Shel Piercy
Music Director Kevin Michael Cripps; Choreographer Shelley Stewart-Hunt
Theatre Under the Stars,
Malkin Bowl, Stanley Park
Alternating nights July 12 to August 20th, 2010
Vancouver, BC: It is summertime in Vancouver - sort of - and Theatre Under The Stars is back for its 65th season. After an early meal at Le Bistro de Paris, we were looking forward to the opening night of Bye Bye Birdie, which runs alternate evenings with one of my favorite musicals,Anything Goes, which is packed with songs by the fabulous Cole Porter.
It's easy to see why Bye Bye Birdie is a favorite musical for high school and college shows. Inspired by the 1958 drafting of Elvis Presley into the US army, the storyline centers around rock and roll idol Conrad Birdie (Erik Gow), who is about to go overseas to serve his time in the army. His agent Albert (Daniel White) worries that this is the end of his business. His girlfriend / secretary Rosie (Lalainia Lindbjerg) who wants Albert to give up the music business, marry her and became an English teacher, has an idea for one last publicity stunt to make them rich. Conrad will record Albert's new song, One Last Kiss, and one lucky teenage fan, Kim (Amy Jean Mcelwain) from small-town Sweet Apple, Ohio, will be kissed by Conrad on the Ed Sullivan show. Of course nothing works out as planned but everything turns out happily in the end.
Henry VI: The Wars of the Roses
adapted and directed by Christopher Weddell
from Henry VI Parts I to III by William Shakespeare
Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival,
Studio Stage, Vanier Park.
June 30 to September 21, 2011
Vancouver, BC: With Henry VI and Richard III, Bard in the Beach completes the History Cycle of Shakespeare's plays about the 14th and 15th century Kings of England and the civil wars between the Houses of Lancaster and York, rival families within the royal House of Plantagenet. The play cycle at Vanier Park commenced in 2009 with the production of Richard II and continued in 2010 with Falstaff and Henry V.
Here's a quick summary of the saga related in the Kings' plays. Henry IV who had deposed Richard II established the House of Lancaster (red rose) on the throne of England. His wild young son matured into the warrior king, Henry V, he of "once more unto the breach, dear friends" fame. Unfortunately Henry V died young, and his infant son became king Henry VI. Richard, Duke of York (white rose) challenged young Henry's right to the throne and a series of battles between the armies of Lancaster and York took place over the next thirty some years. Finally a Lancaster, Henry Tudor, defeated Richard III of York. Henry VII married Elizabeth of York to unite the warring houses, and the Tudors ruled England over the next century.
Three Days of Rain by Richard Greenberg
Directed by Victor Ayala,
Ninja Pirates Theatre Company
Studio 16
June 28 to July 3, 2011
Vancouver, BC: I was about to join friends for a farewell dinner at Salade de Fruits Cafe at the French Cultural Centre on West 7th. The Centre is also home to the Studio 16 black box theatre. As I entered, the poster for the play that was opening that night in Studio 16, caught my eye. It was Three Days of Rain by Richard Greenberg, the first play in a book with a 4 play collection by Greenberg, that was sitting on a bookshelf in my apartment. I remembered that on reading the play some time ago, I had thought what a fantastic acting challenge it would present and I was curious to learn who was tackling it.
Dog of Your Understanding - a PodPlay Written by Jan Derbyshire, Music by Yawen Wang
Featuring the voices of Peter Anderson and James Fagan Tait Produced by Neworld Theatre with Screaming Weenie Productions
PodPlays created by Neworld Theatre with Playwrights Theatre Centre Production partner: CBC Radio One
Vancouver, BC: I just experienced my first PodPlay. If you are wondering what exactly a PodPlay may be, that is not surprising because PodPlays are a fairly recent innovation in the podcast world. A PodPlay is a site–specific audio play listened to on a media player like an IPod.
The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare
Directed by Rachel Ditor,
Bard Mainstage, Vanier Park,
June 15 to Sept 23, 2011
Vancouver, BC: Of all the Shakespeare plays I have seen I find The Merchant of Venice to be among the most compelling yet certainly the most disturbing to watch. While taking into account the likelihood that the play's reception by a contemporary audience would be very different from an audience of Shakespeare's own time, the script sets up so many powerful and conflicting issues that one is on a non-stop rollercoaster ride.
The 10 PM show on the last day of Summerworks 2011 completed my theatre marathon of nine shows in three days. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat!
I am not a rabble rouser. I don't sign petitions or march in parades to support or protest against ideologies or political actions. I don't subscribe to any particular socio-political ideals but make up my mind based on how I see the reality of a specific situation. So why did I, along with a whole lot of people, head off to hear a reading of Homegrown by Catherine Frid, on the same night in eleven different locations across Canada?
Richard III by William Shakespeare
Anything Goes
By the time we walked into Malkin Bowl to find our seats the sky had temporarily cleared but before the show began the drizzle started up again and the TUTS volunteers were handing out transparent ponchos to keep everyone in the audience dry.
Bye Bye Birdie
It's easy to see why Bye Bye Birdie is a favorite musical for high school and college shows. Inspired by the 1958 drafting of Elvis Presley into the US army, the storyline centers around rock and roll idol Conrad Birdie (Erik Gow), who is about to go overseas to serve his time in the army. His agent Albert (Daniel White) worries that this is the end of his business. His girlfriend / secretary Rosie (Lalainia Lindbjerg) who wants Albert to give up the music business, marry her and became an English teacher, has an idea for one last publicity stunt to make them rich. Conrad will record Albert's new song, One Last Kiss, and one lucky teenage fan, Kim (Amy Jean Mcelwain) from small-town Sweet Apple, Ohio, will be kissed by Conrad on the Ed Sullivan show. Of course nothing works out as planned but everything turns out happily in the end. 
Henry VI: The Wars of the Roses
Here's a quick summary of the saga related in the Kings' plays. Henry IV who had deposed Richard II established the House of Lancaster (red rose) on the throne of England. His wild young son matured into the warrior king, Henry V, he of "once more unto the breach, dear friends" fame. Unfortunately Henry V died young, and his infant son became king Henry VI. Richard, Duke of York (white rose) challenged young Henry's right to the throne and a series of battles between the armies of Lancaster and York took place over the next thirty some years. Finally a Lancaster, Henry Tudor, defeated Richard III of York. Henry VII married Elizabeth of York to unite the warring houses, and the Tudors ruled England over the next century.
Three Days of Rain by Richard Greenberg
Dog of Your Understanding
The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare
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