All posts tagged with: theatre

Les Misérables is an epic and uplifting story about the survival of the human spirit. On October 8, 1985, Les Miserables opened in London at the Barbican Theatre. Three short months later it moved to Palace Theatre, and since April 3, 2004, the show has been selling out at the Queen’s Theatre. On October 8, 2006, Les Miserables celebrated its 21^st birthday in London, becoming the worlds longest running musical!

The Broadway musical of Les Miserables opened at the Broadway Theatre on March 12, 1987. The US tour began in the same year, visiting over 150 cities. It returned to Broadway in November 2006, and remains the 3^rd longest-running Broadway production of all time.

The show has been seen by nearly 60 million people across the world in 42 countries and in 21 languages. It’s one of the world’s most popular musicals ever written.

Cameron Mackintosh’s 25^th anniversary production of the world’s longest running musical will be coming to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre June 12 – 23, 2013. Tickets for the show will go on sale on Saturday, April 6, 2013 at 10:00am.

“I’m delighted that 25 years after Les Miz originally opened in London the audience for this marvelous show is bigger and younger than ever before,” said producer Cameron Mackintosh.

The all-new production will feature new staging and scenery inspired by the paintings in Victor Hugo’s classic novel.

“Over the years I have seen many successful but visually different productions, so it has been exciting to draw inspiration from the brilliant drawings and paintings of Victor Hugo himself, integrated with spectacular projections.  The new Les Miz is a magnificent mix of dazzling images and epic staging, driving one of the greatest musical stories ever told.”

Songs will include “I Dreamed a Dream”, “On My Own”, “Bring Him Home”, and “Do You Hear the People Sing?”, and many more. The music is by Claude-Michel Schoenberg, and lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer.

In Vancouver, Les Misérables, week runs Wednesday through Saturday evenings at 8:00pm; Thursday and Saturday matinee at 2:00pm, Sunday matinee at 1:00pm. and Sunday evening at 6:30pm.  Second week runs Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 8:00pm, Saturday matinee at 2:00pm, Sunday matinee at 1:00pm and Sunday evening at 6:30pm.

Tickets for the Vancouver performances start at $35 plus applicable service charges. To order call 1-855-985-5000, or order from Ticketmaster.

Les Misérables, in Vancouver, presented by Broadway Across Canada, is part of a five city tour in Western Canada including Calgary (June 25 – July 7), Edmonton (July 9 – 14, 2013), Regina (July 16 – 21, 2013), and Winnipeg (July 23 – 28, 2013).

The question on monogamy comes up in almost every relationship at one time or another. For some, it’s a sensitive topic, for others, it’s not a big deal. For Matt and Tim, a gay-couple that have been together for 10 years, it turns their cozy home into a battlefield. Their story is told in the live-theatre performance, Unstuck, coming to Vancouver March 16-23, 2013.

The show is based upon the characters, Tim and Matt, who have enjoyed a wonderful monogamous relationship. Like most gay-couples, the question of an open relationship has come up, through the proverbial knock at the door. The unexpected guest for the couple to quickly re-evaluate their relationship and explore their options.

“The impetus for the play was a conversation I had with my boyfriend many years back about monogamy,” explained the Toronto playwrite, Evan Tsitsias. “I feel that at every one of us at some point in our lives and relationships have to discuss or contemplate this decision and what it means inside our relationship.”

Evan hopes this performance will provoke people to take a hard look at their own perspective of the themes from the show, and to see if they can separate sex from love, and what it means to them, and their relationship.

Produced by Screaming Weenie Productions, the show is directed by Michael Dobbin. The performance is guaranteed to bring the conversation of open relationships to the forefront of conversation. The cast for the Vancouver performance includes local actors, Sean Harris Oliver, Ari Solomon, and Kevin Kraussier.

Catch Unstuck at the PAL Vancouver Studio Theatre (581 Cardero Street), March 16-23, 2013. Tickets are $20 (plus HST), and are available online and at the door.

Contest

Enter for a chance to win two tickets to see the live theatre performance of Unstuck in Vancouver. To enter, tweet the following:

I want to win 2 tix from @br_webb to see Unstuck by @screamingweenie March 16-23 in #Vancouver. http://ow.ly/i33Di #WinUnstuck Pls RT

Once you have tweeted this contest you can receive up to four additional chances to win, by doing the following:

1. Leave a comment on this blog post on your thought on open relationships.
2. Follow @br_webb on Twitter and leave an additional comment on this blog post confirming you are a new follower for an additional entry.
3. Share this blog post on Facebook and leave an additional comment on this blog post confirming you have shared on Facebook for an additional entry.
4. Subscribe to myWebbSite.ca and leave an additional comment on this blog post confirming you have subscribed for an additional entry.

Contest closes at 5:00pm PST, Monday, March 4, 2013. One random drawn winner will be announced on this blog post on or before Wednesday, March 5, 2013. Read the complete contest rules.

- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

This contest is now closed.

Congratulations Erik, you are the lucky winner of two tickets to see the live theatre performance of Unstuck in Vancouver. 

Thank you to everyone who entered by sharing on Facebook, twitter, and subscribing to myWebbSite.ca. Please keep watching for more contests coming soon.

Billy Elliot the Musical is the joyous celebration of one boy’s journey to make his dreams come true. Set in a small town, the story follows Billy as he stumbles out of the boxing ring and into a ballet class, discovering a surprising talent that inspires his family and his whole community and changes his life forever.

From April 2-7, 2013, Broadway Across Canada presents Billy Elliot, the Musical at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in downtown Vancouver. The show runs 2 hours, 50 minutes, including intermission. It’s suitable for families, ages 8 and up.

From 10:00am on Friday, January 18 until 10:00pm on Sunday, January 20, 2013, readers of myWebbSite.ca have the special opportunity for pre sales:

• http://www.ticketmaster.ca/venueartist/139293/1106208?brand=bac
• Presale passcode: FAMILY

General tickets go on sale on Monday, January 21, 2013.

Billy Elliot the Musical is the celebration of a boy’s journey to make his dreams come true. Set in a small town, Billy stumbles out of the boxing ring and into a ballet class, discovering a surprising passion inspiring his both family and community. The Tony award winning musical comes to Vancouver from April 2-7, 2013.

Based on the international smash-hit film, Billy Elliot the Musical is brought to life by a phenomenal cast of 45 singers, dancers and actors. Director Stephen Daldry, choreographer Peter Darling and writer Lee Hall, along with music legend Elton John, has written what the New York Post calls “His best score yet!”.

Billy Elliot the Musical has earned critical acclaim around the world and was the winner of ten 2009 Tony Awards including Best Musical. The production has been awarded 81 national and international awards including ten Tony Awards, Best Musical by the New York Drama Critics Circle, Drama Desk, Drama League and Outer Critics Circle.

The Daily News calls Billy “So exhilarating that you feel like leaping!” Liz Smith calls the show “Absolutely awesome,” The New York Observer raves that Billy is “The best thing to happen to Broadway in a long while,” and WOR’s Dave Richardson cheers, “All I can say is WOW!”

The show is produced by Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Working Title Films, Old Vic Productions and NETworks Presentations, LLC. The production features scenic design by Ian MacNeil, associate direction by Julian Webber, costume design by Nicky Gillibrand, lighting design by Rick Fisher and sound design by Paul Arditti. Musical supervision and orchestrations are by Martin Koch.  Touring production direction is by Justin Martin and choreography is by Kathryn Dunn.

The performance runs April 2-7, 2013 in Vancouver at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Billy Elliot plays Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 8:00pm; Saturday matinee at 2:00pm; Sunday matinee at 1:00pm and Sunday evening at 7:30pm.

Tickets for Billy Elliot vary in range depending on performance, seat location, and date of purchase and start at $35.00. Tickets go on-sale 10:00am, January 21, 2013, through all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.ca or call toll-free 1.855.985.5000.

Billy Elliot in Vancouver, presented by Broadway Across Canada, is part of a five city tour in Canada including dates in Ottawa January 1 – 6, 2013, Montreal January 8 – 13, 2013, Edmonton March 19 – 24, 2013 and  Calgary March 26 – 31, 2013.

A fun, vibrant, American city that is rich in history. It’s Chicago, Illinois, and if you’re never been, you have to put this city on your to-visit bucket list. From the roman-gothic architecture to the historic and modern landmarks, there are so many great things to do.

When arriving in Chicago by air (WestJet now offers daily flights from Canada), you land at O’Hare International Airport. It takes about 45 minutes to get downtown aboard the “L Train”. The L Train has been features in many popular movies, including The Fugitive, which was filmed and set in Chicago.

Once downtown the best place to start is the Magnificent Mile. There are blocks after blocks of shopping and sites to see. Located just off the Magnificent Mile are other landmarks including the Chicago Theatre and the Plaza of the Americas.

To get a true understanding of why they call it the Windy City, head over to the Navy Pier. You’ll be blown away (quite literally) by the wind coming off the lake, and because it’s a very cool visitor attraction. There is a long pedestrian walkway, boat tours, a massive vintage ferris wheel, and a giant indoor kids mall with restaurants, games, toy stores and souvenir shops.

It’s easy to get around on the L Train lines to explore the entire city. Outside of the downtown area there are a number of neighbourhoods, including Boystown, the gay area of the city. Just a few minutes further away is the world-famous Wrigley Field.

Home is more than a place that a person sleeps and keeps their belongings. It’s a community. A feeling on belonging. A sense of security.

But what if you were an immigrant to Canada, a refugee fleeing from another country, or someone disowned by a family for loving someone of the same gender?

Screaming Weenie has created Chasing Home, a live theatre performance exploring what ‘home’ means to outsiders, immigrants, refugees and others who have been forced to flee their counties and build a new life for themselves in Vancouver.

Directed by Pedro Chamale and Seán Cummings, Chasing Home is performing at the Vancouver Playhouse Recital Hall, located at 601 Cambie Street in Vancouver, from March 15 – 17, 2012.

Tickets are $10 per person and are available at the door or can be purchase in advance online.

Screaming Weenie’s mission is to produce and promote queer and sex positive performance, facilitating a stronger queer community by creating and encouraging the performing arts and artists.

Photo credit – © SCOTT SUCHMAN

Don’t Stop Believing, We Built This City, The Final Countdown, Can’t Fight This Feeling, and a mix of rock’n 80’s tunes are coming May 8 – 13 to the Centre of Performing Arts in downtown Vancouver.

The Rock of Ages musical is set in 1987 on the Sunset Strip, where a small-town girl meets a big-city dreamer. They fall in love to the greatest songs of the ‘80’s in one of LA’s most legendary rock clubs. The totally-awesome, good time show is about dreaming big, playing loud and partying on!

The five-time 2009 Tony nominee musical is a hilarious and feel-good love story musical told through the hit songs of iconic 80’s rockers including Journey, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Foreigner, Pat Benatar, Whitesnake and many others.

Rock of Ages is directed by Tony award nominee Kristen Hanggi, choreographed by Kelly Devine, original arrangements by David Gibbs, and with musical supervision, arrangements and orchestrations by Ethan Popp.

Performances run Tuesday, May 8 to Sunday, May 13, 2012. Shows Tuesday – Saturday evenings are at 8:00pm, Sunday evening at 7:30pm, and matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 2:00pm. Tickets vary in range depending on performance, seat location and date of purchase and start at $35.00 (plus applicable charges).

Rock of Ages is presented by Broadway Across Canada and is part of a three city tour in Western Canada including dates in Regina April 24-26 and Saskatoon April 27 – 29, 2012.

Pre Sale Tickets:

• 10:00am, Friday, March 9 – 10:00pm, Sunday, March 11
• http://www.ticketmaster.ca/venueartist/139276/1291934?brand=bac
• Presale passcode: STACEE

Tickets go on sale on Monday, March 12, 2012 through all Ticketmaster outlets, by phone 1-855-985-5000, or on line at www.ticketmaster.ca.

“]

CATS opens April 10 – 12, 2012 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre for 8 performances. [Photo credit: 2010 Joan Marcus

Photo credit: 2010 Joan Marcus

After celebrating its 30^th anniversary on May 11, 2011, CATS, the longest continuously touring Broadway musical in history will return to Vancouver, BC for eight (8) performances Tuesday, April 10 – Sunday, April 15, 2012 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.

On May 11, 1981, CATS opened at the New London Theatre in the West End. Eight years later, it celebrated its first important milestone: after 3,358 performances CATS became the longest running musical in the history of British theatre. CATS played its final performance on its 21st birthday, May 11, 2002.

CATS opened on Broadway on October 7, 1982 at the Winter Garden Theatre in New York City and continued to live up to its motto “Now and Forever.”  On June 19, 1997, it became the longest running musical on Broadway. CATS ended its 18 year run on September 10, 2000 with 7,485 performances.

With music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, CATS won seven 1983 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Lighting, and Best Costumes.

Five continents, 26 countries, and over eight and a half million audience members later, CATS is still America’s most loved family musical. Celebrating not only its Broadway touring legacy but the birth of the musical spectacular, CATS is still revolutionary and awe inspiring.

Performances for the Vancouver show run Tuesday – Saturday evenings at 8pm, Sunday evening at 7:30pm with Saturday and Sunday 2pm matinees.  Tickets start at $35 (plus applicable charges), and will go on sale on Monday, December 19, 2011 through Ticketmaster by calling 1-855-985-5000 or purchasing online.

Photo Credit: © Joan Marcus

The classic musical love story, Beauty and the Beast, will be coming to Vancouver this February 8-12, 2012. Based on the Academy award-winning animated film, the Broadway musical has won the hearts of over 35 million people worldwide.

The show is filled with the unforgettable characters, lavish sets, detailed costumes and song and dance to all your favourite songs including, “Be Our Guest”.

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast if presented by Broadway Across Canada and will be showing at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in downtown Vancouver.

Just in time for Christmas, tickets can be purchased online for the evening and matinee shows until the end of Sunday, December 4, 2011. Tickets can be purchased before the general sale using the special code “CASTLE”.

Photo credit: North American Tour 2010 by Joan Marcus

By all accounts the audience members at the grand opening of MammaMia! in Vancouver was a huge success. Throughout the performance the audience clapped along, bobbed their heads and tapped their toes to the many delightful Abba songs from decades gone by.

The cast members were fantastic, especially the very hot male back-up singer and dancers. Each performer made their character their own. Their voices bringing the performance to life. The crowd favourites were Donna’s friends – they had amazing voices and belted out tune after tune flawlessly.

The music was played by a live orchastra in the pulpit, located below the stage in front of the audience. At times the sound was hard to hear towards the back of the theatre, however, they were on-tune throughout the performance.

The stage set was very simplistic, but was enhanced with creative lighting. The transitions between scenes were cleverly disguised by carrying the songs between set changes. The colourful costumes and props added to the fun and excitement to the show; there was everything including platforms and spandex!

Overall, it’s a fantastic song and dance show, and everyone who grew up listening to Abba, or even if they just know a couple of Abba songs, needs to see this amazing performance.

Definitely stay for the end when the entire cast get together to perform your favourite Abba hits together. It’s a crowd pleaser!

[slideshow]

Celebrating 35 years since their debut “Dreamboad Annie”, legendary rock band, Heart, has been out on the road promoting their latest album, “Night At Sky Church”.

Heart recently they wrapped up a 20-date cross-Canada tour at Vancouver’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre, bringing them back to the city that gave them their start nearly 40 years ago. Ann still sings with power and edge and Nancy still struts and strums with the exuberance and energy just as she did when she first started.

The Wilson’s are proud of their ties to Vancouver, citing local events and venues of the past, and where they recorded their first hit record “Dreamboat Annie”.

New songs from the 2010 released album, “Red Velvet Car”, produced by Vancouverite, Ben Mink, compliment their hits from the past. Ben even joined Ann and Nancy on stage during their recent Vancouver stop, for a couple of the new singles adding a lush depth to the songs with his violin.

Whether it’s belting out hard rocking tracks like “Barracuda” and “Crazy On You”, a simple stripped down version of “These Dreams” or power ballad “Alone” these are classic tunes performed by the talented pros.

Over the years Heart’s sound has covered a wide range of eras and tastes; hard, electronic tinged, soft ballad, country but through it all there is the continuing  knowledge that rock ties it all together and these ladies don’t look like they’ll stop rocking any time soon… thankfully!

Article and photos contributed by Jay Minter.

[slideshow]

Gone is the Fabio-esque long flowing mane of hair so synonymous with Michael Bolton of the 80’s and 90’s but the voice and the hits live on.

Based on his recent sell-out show at the River Rock Casino Theatre, Michael Bolton certainly cannot be accused of limiting himself to a single genre. Over his lengthy career, beginning in a hard rock band, he has recorded R&B, Contemporary Pop, Classic pop, Standards, Swing, and Opera.

During his two hour show at the River Rock, the audience was treated to a wide variety of his music genres, showcasing his diversity of range and skill.  Having just an image of the 80’s Michael Bolton as a frame of reference, many were impressed with what was presented.

On Bolton’s most recent tour, saxophonist and successful recording artist, Michael Lington was along as a band member and performed his hit single “You & I”.

Changing out of a suit and into comfortable and familiar jeans and a t-shirt, a set of the best know Michael Bolton songs followed: “How Can We Be Lovers”, “Georgia On My Mind”, and “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You”.

The positive energy in the theatre translated into an entertaining evening and a good time. That ability to know exactly how to win over the whole audience is the difference between a good musician and great performer.

Michael Bolton is currently working in-studio recording his next album. Bolton’s career is still going strong to there’s ample time for him to try a few more genres…perhaps Bolton Goes Country is in the future?

Article and photos contributed by Jay Minter.

This past Saturday I had the opportunity to see, Refuge of Lies at the Pacific Theatre. This play is a rendition of the off-broadway performance, Refuge, which played in September 2008 at the Lion Theatre on 42nd Street in New York.

This was my first visit to the Pacific Theatre. It is located in the lower-level of the Anglican Church at 1440 West 12 Avenue in Vancouver, B.C. The theatre is very quaint, holding about 100 people. The stage is uniquely positioned in the centre, with the the audience being spit in half on either side in theatre-style seating. I must admit, it was an intimate atmosphere all things considered.

Refuge of Lies is a play based on actual events. The Pacific Theatre’s describes the production:

Rudi Vanderwaal is a quietly retired man whose religious conversion may hide terrible wartime secrets. When a Dutch journalist travels to Vancouver to confront him with the realities of his past, memory and fantasy, dream and nightmare collide in a searing vision of guilt and the cost of redemption.

About five minutes into the production is quickly realized that this was not a play about war-crimes, but rather about religion. I felt it to be very unappealing, however, I felt I should give it a chance to redeem itself.

As the performance continued going through various scene, bouncing from past to present, from one story-line to the next, it was very confusing. It was about the half-way point that I could finally follow-along with what the playwright, Ron Reed, was trying to convey.

The intermission came three-quarters of the way through. I scanned the crowd and it was mostly older folks who I would imagine would be regular church-goers, and much to my surprise, about one-third were under the age of 35.

Throughout the play religion vs mans-law is debated heavily; should someone be punished for something they did over 50 years ago, or does being baptized wash away your sins. At the end, they never answered the question (you’ll have to watch the performance to see how the get out of that one!). I’m sure I wasn’t the only one left questioning what would be the right answer.

There’s a strong undertone that religion and war go hand-in-hand.

One of the characters was a female who would was in her younger adult years – mature, aware of society and morals and educated. I really sided with her – that the past is in the past – we need to move on, look towards the future. Sure, we can learn from the past, but why hold grudges.

Overall, I thought the acting was fairly decent. I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in religion, war-history, or local theatre.