Alyson Eng - Page 6

This September, Arts Club will be bringing back live theatre to Vancouver with NO CHILD a?? by Nilaja Sun. NO CHILD a?? is a play done by one actor taking on 16 different characters. This award winning show (including an Obie Award, 2 Outer Critics Circle Awards, and a Lucille Lortel Award) will be playing at the Newmont Stage at the BMO Theatre Centre from September 24th to November 8th. I had the pleasure of talking with the two incredible women who will be playing the main role in the play: Celia Aloma and Ali Watson. Read the full interview below!

Many theatre communities in Vancouver and around the world have been hit hard by the recent COVID-19 pandemic. With theatres closed and productions cancelled, the Vancouver theatre scene has been nearly non-existent. Many theatre companies are turning to producing online content during this time. Actors and theatre workers are amongst those who have been struggling the most during this time and Fabulist Theatre in Vancouver has found a way to help those in need.

From March 3rd to 8th, KIM'S CONVENIENCE played at the Evergreen Cultural Centre in Coquitlam. As this play acted as the inspiration behind the hit CBC television series: Kim's Convenience, this stage production was very popular leading to many sold out shows during its week in Coquitlam. KIM'S CONVENIENCE plays next in Chilliwack at the Chilliwack Cultural Centre on March 11th followed by the ACT Arts Centre in Maple Ridge on March 12th and 13th.

This weekend, I had the pleasure of attending STEEL MAGNOLIAS, which played at The Nest in Granville Island. Presented by Boone Dog Productions, this play really highlighted the strength and importance of relationships among women. Made up of an entirely female cast, it was empowering to see the female characters in the show build each other up during the good times and bad. STEEL MAGNOLIAS plays at The Nest until Sunday March 8th!

Looking to see a show combining high-energy dance, music, and magic all in one? Look no further than the show: CELTIC ILLUSION coming to Vancouver's Orpheum Theatre on March 3rd. Made for an audience of all ages, CELTIC ILLUSION highlights contemporary Irish dance while blowing the audience away with acts of magic and illusion. I had the pleasure of interviewing show creator, choreographer, and lead dancer of the show: Anthony Street.

This February, Untold Wants Theatre's production of Gruesome Playground Injuries will play at the Vancity Culture Lab. Written by Rajiv Joseph, this production revolves around main characters Doug and Kayleen who meet multiple times throughout a 30 year time period. Each time they reconnect, new issues are brought forth into their relationship with one another. These new issues also bring big decisions that have to be made regarding their future together. This play will make you laugh, warm your heart, and show you how complicated relationships can be! This month, I had the pleasure of interviewing one of the directors of the show: Jessica Aquila Cymerman about GRUESOME PLAYGROUND INJURIES' upcoming shows taking place from February 5th a?' 15th!

What has drama, comedy, and romance all in one show? What will make you laugh till tears come streaming out of your eyes? If you guessed NOISES OFF presented by the Arts Club Theatre Company, you definitely would be correct! I had the pleasure of seeing the show last week and I can honestly say it was one of the best productions I've seen from the Arts Club so far! Playing at the Stanley Industrial Alliance Theatre in Vancouver from January 23rd to February 23rd, NOISES OFF is definitely worth the money to see!

Imagine you are in a venue with hundreds of people packed around you, swaying and singing along to the music of one of the greatest rock bands of all time. You turn to your left and bob your head to the beat of a?oeI Want It Alla?? and later on, scream the lyrics to a?oeBohemian Rhapsodya?? with the woman on your right. This was just a snapshot of my experience seeing WE WILL ROCK YOU a?' a musical featuring the music of Queen and Ben Elton at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on January 11th. On it's North American tour including more than 60 cities, WE WILL ROCK YOU played in Vancouver for 2 days before continuing onto the rest of its tour stops across Canada.

With a New Year comes another great year of theatre in Vancouver! Starting off 2020, the 16th year of the annual PuSh International Performing Arts Festival will take off from January 21st to February 9th. It will be taking place at many different venues across the Vancouver area and will feature 27 works from 24 companies from 9 countries. The festival focuses on inspiring risk-takers and creators looking to strengthen their interests with the modern world. The PuSh Festival will spark deep conversation about politics and artistry that will leave you wanting more! The following is a list of the top 5 shows I am most interested in for this festival!

This month, I had the pleasure of attending Arts Club's production of MISS BENNET: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLEY at the Granville Island Stage in Vancouver. Written by playrights Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon, the play features the characters from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice highlighting the love life of the middle Bennet sister: Mary. With her sisters Elizabeth, Jane, and Lydia all together again, Mary is reminded of how she is the only single Bennet sister at the Pemberley this Christmas. Although she takes pride in being on her own, Mary's love life takes an unexpected turn when a guest arrives to spend Christmas with the family. Playing from December 5th to January 4th, this show is perfect for a night out with loved ones during the holidays!

This holiday season, the Arts Club in Vancouver is playing THE SOUND OF MUSIC at the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage. Starring Synthia Yusuf as Maria and Jonathan Winsby as Captain von Trapp, this production is the perfect show for the family to see this winter! The show plays from November 7th, 2019 to January 5th, 2020 and will definitely warm your heart!

Delicious pies, love stories, and music written by Sara Bareilles are just a few things of many that make the musical: WAITRESS, a must-see this season. Playing at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre until November 17th, Broadway Across Canada's WAITRESS officially premiered in Vancouver, B.C. with a brand new National Tour cast on Tuesday. Led by the amazing Bailey McCall as the show's lead: Jenna Hunterson, this touring production did not fail to impress me with its emotion, music, and energy.

The hit Broadway musical: RENT opened up Broadway Across Canada's 2019-20 season with it's 20th Anniversary Tour at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on September 17th. Highlighting the story of struggling artists living in the East Village of New York City, we explore their struggles with life, love, and HIV/AIDS. RENT: The 20th Anniversary Tour plays at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver till Sunday September 22nd!

As the summer of 2019 comes to a close, Vancouver Theatre opens up with a variety of theatre productions this fall. Whether it's a fun night out with your family, an exciting date night, or just a break from work/school you're looking for, theatre is always a great option for a great time. The following list is the top 5 upcoming shows that I am looking forward to in Vancouver!

a?oeNow is the time to seize the day. Stare down the odds and seize the day. Minute by minute, that's how you win it. We will find a way, but let us seize the day.a?? Filled with exciting songs, outstanding choreography, and superb acting, Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) presented one of my favorite musicals of all time: NEWSIES, in Vancouver this month. Disney's NEWSIES is currently playing at the Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park until August 17th.

Imagine this: you are sitting underneath the beautiful Vancouver sky on a warm summer night. Surrounding you is a warm and inviting venue filled with people of all ages who are beaming with the excitement for the spectacle that is about to take the stage. Looking ahead to the set, you see a small Greek island where a hotel owned by Donna Sheridan stands. Vines envelop the white walls of the hotel that include faded wooden doors at the entrances and exits. You stare at the set in awe as the orchestra starts to play and the musical: MAMMA MIA begins.

Anyone who loves rock & roll, rad costumes, energetic dancing, and uplifting humor would be a fool not to make their way to the Metro Theatre in Vancouver for Renegade Arts Company's production of ROCK OF AGES. Highlighting classic rock songs from the 80s from artists such as Pat Benatar, Foreigner, Whitesnake, and Journey, this jukebox musical brought out my inner rock star!

Growing up, Matilda was both a book and movie that was well-loved in many households. The peculiarity of the Wormwood household, the magic of Matilda's powers, and the bone-shaking wrath of Miss Trunchbull was felt by readers and audiences near and far. This month, Arts Club brought Roald Dahl's classic tale to life with its production of MATILDA THE MUSICAL. Playing at the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage in Vancouver from May 16th to July 14th, Arts Club does not disappoint with this truly remarkable show.

Extravagant tap dancing numbers, incredible singing, and breathtaking set pieces were a few things that I got to witness at the Massey Theatre on Saturday night. The Royal City Musical Theatre's production of SINGIN' IN THE RAIN performed another round of shows this weekend at the Massey Theatre in New Westminster, B.C. Playing from April 4-20, SINGIN' IN THE RAIN tells the story of film stars Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont with the rise of 'talking pictures' in Hollywood. Filled with romance, drama, and comedy, SINGIN' IN THE RAIN takes us back in time to experience what the the movie industry was like in the late 1920s.

After touring North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Mission, and Surrey, Arts Club's touring show CIRCLE GAME made its stop in Coquitlam last week. Playing in Coquitlam at the Evergreen Cultural Centre from March 6th to 9th, CIRCLE GAME is a "reimagining of the music of Joni Mitchell" featuring many of her hit songs such as "Both Sides Now," "A Case of You," and "Big Yellow Taxi." With many more stops to go on their tour around British Columbia, the magic of Joni Mitchell's music will reach audiences near and far.