Alyson Eng - Page 6

A new creative arts space called EIGHTH & EIGHT is currently in the works for local artists and performers in Metro Vancouver. Located at 735 Eighth Avenue in New Westminster, EIGHTH & EIGHT will be a 35,000 square foot space with the Massey Theatre at the heart of the complex. The aim for the project is to create more opportunities for current and future generations of artists by providing them with a space to collaborate with one another. EIGHTH & EIGHT hopes to become a place for a variety of voices. With programs highlighting Indigenous cultural development, Prismatica (for the LGBTQ2iA+ spectrum), the We are Multitudes program (for diverse African Heritages), digital arts, and much more – EIGHTH & EIGHT will provide a space for various communities to flourish.

Love, heartbreak, and drama – the key ingredients of the perfect audio play to spice up your day! SOMEONE LIKE YOU written by Christine Quintana is Arts Club’s newest audio play in their “Listen To This” series and is available for download starting May 19th to January 19th. SOMEONE LIKE YOU brings forth a modern take on the play Cyrano de Bergerac involving romance, hidden identities, and complex relationships. Set in Vancouver, this audio play is the perfect way to support local theatre while satisfying your cravings for a good romantic comedy!

This year, Arts Club Vancouver will offer four audio plays in a series called: Listen to This. Highlighting the works of Canadian playwrights from the “Emerging Playwrights Unit” or the “Silver Commissions Project,” these audio plays will allow the exploration of theatre in a different and engaging way. From March 17th to October 27th, NIGHT PASSING written by Scott Button will be available for listening.

In a world where face-to-face conversations are currently at a minimum and online interactions are at a high, theatres are finding new ways to foster creativity and conversations to reignite a spark in a community that has been dimmed for a long time. Next month, Vancouver’s Zee Zee Theatre will present VIRTUAL HUMANITY, an online version of their popular past event: Human Library.

This holiday season is a lot different than the past. With increased restrictions due to COVID-19, live theatre is currently on pause with uncertainty as to when it will return. Thankfully, the Arts Club’s one-woman play, THE TWELVE DATES OF CHRISTMAS, is available for streaming to satisfy all of your theatre needs this December. Starring Genevieve Fleming and Melissa Oei both taking on the lead role of Mary, this play follows a 30-something newly single woman as she navigates her way through the dating scene. After catching her fiancé locking lips with another woman on national TV, Mary goes on many dates that make her question whether she will ever find love again. If you’re curious to see how Mary’s love life plays out, you have until January 3rd to purchase a recorded stream of the show for $19 on the Arts Club website – it is definitely worth the watch!

This month, HEY VIOLA! Viola Desmond: The Soundtrack of a Life plays from October 15 – 25 at the Anvil Centre in New Westminster. After interviewing star, Krystle Dos Santos in September, it was a pleasure to see her take the stage playing Canadian Hero: Viola Desmond in the show. Viola Desmond was a Canadian civil rights activist and entrepreneur. In 1946, Desmond fought against racial segregation as she refused to leave the “Whites only” section of a movie theatre in Nova Scotia. Desmond was arrested and charged with tax evasion. Her experience was publicized and sparked a movement amongst Canadians against racial discrimination. Viola Desmond is currently featured on the Canadian ten-dollar bill and her story will remain important to Canadian history, as racial injustices are still an ongoing issue we face today.

Returning from a long period of dormancy, theatre makes a comeback in Vancouver: better and safer than ever! At the Anvil Centre, the show: HEY VIOLA! Viola Desmond a?' the Soundtrack of a Life plays from October 15th to 25th. This production follows the life of Canadian civil rights activist: Viola Desmond highlighting her fight against racial injustice in Nova Scotia. Starring Krystle Dos Santos (Co-Creator) as Viola and direction by Tracey Power (Co-Creator), HEY VIOLA also incorporates 15 songs from Desmonda??s era. With musical accompaniment from local musicians Steven Charles (guitar/bass), Chris Davis (trumpet, drums, and piano), and Mary Ancheta (keyboard), Dos Santos will sing the night away while telling the story of a woman who sparked a movement across Canada. I had the pleasure of chatting with Krystle Dos Santos touching on Violaa??s life, the creative process, and her favourite parts of the show! Read the full interview below!

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!