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12 May 2013
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Preview: Everything is BIG at Storybook’s Hairspray

 Email Footer - hairspray-01

Hairspray opened at Storybook Theatre this weekend. It’s a 2002 musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman and a book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan. It’s based on the 1988 John Waters film Hairspray.  It won Tony awards for best musical, book and score and was in turn was the basis for a second film in 2007.

The story is set in 1962 Baltimore. Tracy, a large teenage girl, aspires to get on The Corny Collins Show, a local dance show based on the real life Buddy Deane Show. Originally turned down because of her weight, she gets in by impressing Collins with some “Negro” dance moves she learns from the son of Motormouth Maybelle, who hosts “Negro Day” – the only day of the month when blacks are allowed on the show (segregated, of course). Tracy becomes a local celebrity and with Motormouth’s encouragement, leads the cause to get the show integrated.  

Jolene Anderson as Motormouth Maybelle. Photo courtesy of Storyook Theatre

Jolene Anderson as Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray. Photo courtesy of Storyook Theatre

Jolene Anderson plays Motormouth Maybelle in Storybook’s production. Earlier this week I had a chat with her to get her take on the show and her role. “I love the character of Maybelle,” says Jolene, “she’s positive and upbeat – very different from the other adults in the show. She teaches Tracy and her mother, who’s also an insecure larger woman, not to put themselves down just because they’re big. She really understands what integration means to her and her family and how big a chance they’re taking by trying to get on The Corny Collins Show, but she won’t back down – or let anyone else back down either.”

Jolene is a Calgary-born business major who’s been involved in acting and theatre for the last decade, since she returned from university in Saskatchewan. She’s done several shows with Storybook Theatre and joined the Storybook Board of Directors this year. “I chose Storybook because I’d heard good things about them before I got involved,” says Jolene. “They provide great opportunities for people who are not professionally trained. It took me a few auditions to get a part, so I spent most of my first few years backstage doing stage management, sets and props, which I think has made me a stronger actor”. Jolene says one of the things she likes about Storybook is the sense of community. “It’s like a family,” she says, “We support each other. There’s always someone there with more experience to give you a helping hand, and we learn to help others in return. Our production team puts so much of themselves into the show, it inspires all of us on stage to want to give everything we’ve got.”

Edna-01

Jeremy Walker as Edna Turnblad in Hairspray. Photo courtesy of Storybook Theatre

Jolene says that the stage version of Hairspray is “electric from start to finish.”  She points out that there are many songs that aren’t in the movie, and things you don’t expect to see even if you’ve seen the movie a hundred times.  And with almost forty cast members, it’s a big show. “We’ve got two directors (Jamie Eastgard-Ross and JP Thibodeau), a musical director (Patrice Barnes) and three choreographers (Terra Plum, Katherine Burrowes and Lianne Smith),” she says. “We started by learning the music first, then interspersed it with choreography, then finally added lines and blocking. I’ve really enjoyed watching the characters grow through rehearsal, movement and choreography. And everything is BIG – big sets (designed by JP Thibodeau and built by Bill Brown), big costumes (by Magz Ross and Alex May), big  makeup (by Cat Bentley and Kirstie Gallant), big lights (by JP Thibodeau and Gina Power), and of course, BIG HAIR (by Cat Bentley and Athena Guy)!” Jolene says that they’ve maintained the tradition of having Tracy’s mother played by a man, as Divine did in the original movie, and John Travolta did in the second. “Our Jeremy Walker does a fabulous Edna,” she adds.

Jolene thinks there’s something for everyone in Hairspray regardless of their age. “Those who were around then will remember the struggle for racial equality, while younger people may be able to relate to more contemporary struggles around religion or homosexuality,”  she says. “And the issues of self-image and looks are still very prevalent in today’s culture. You could fast-forward that element of the story to 2013 and it’s just as relevant as it was when it was written.” Jolene says the key messages of Hairspray are about learning to be yourself and standing up for others, and that it asks the universal question: “why do we cut others out of the picture? She  says that even if you’re not in it for the moral, you’ll love the early-60’s era music and dancing. As she says, ”I don’t see how anyone could not love this show.”

Hairspray runs until May 26 at The Community Arts Centre in Beddington. Tickets are $21-$24. For more information go to Storybook Theatre

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04 May 2013
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Preview: The Drowsy Chaperone Perks Up at Cappuccino

Tonight is opening night for one of my favourite musicals, The Drowsy Chaperone (“a comedy within a musical”) at Cappuccino Musical Theatre. It’s the story of a “slightly blue,” middle-aged musical theatre fan whose favourite 1928 musical, the fictional The Drowsy Chaperone, comes to life onstage as he provides running commentary – and sometimes speaks/sings along – to show why he loves it so much. The Drowsy Chaperone played at Theatre Calgary in 2011, but as far as I know this is the first time it’s been done by a Calgary community theatre company.

James Noonan as Adolpho

James Noonan as Adolpho

This musical, with book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar and music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison,  is a Canadian success story, having started out in Toronto when McKellar, Lambert, Morrison and several friends created a spoof of old musicals for the stag party of Bob Martin and Janet Van De Graaff in 1997.  It then moved to the Toronto Fringe Festival, was expanded for Mirvish Productions and ultimately opened on Broadway in 2006, where it won Tony Awards for best score and book.

I spoke with musical director Ian Robertson earlier this week. Ian hails from Halifax and is new to Calgary, having moved here from London, Ontario last summer. He’s got Bachelors and Masters degrees in Music (piano performance) and has always been interested in musical theatre. He’s also done some acting, but mostly focusses on music - he does a lot of opera and classical music as well. “Other than the fact that my wife is a native Calgarian, the reason we moved here is that we see Calgary as a vibrant, growing city – both artistically and economically,” he says. “Both of these elements were really important to us in deciding where to live. We’ve been following the Cowtown Opera Company for years.”

Judy Dunsmuir as "Drowsy"

Judy Dunsmuir as “Drowsy”

One of the first things Ian did when he landed here was get involved in community theatre, on Front Row Centre’s production of Monty Python’s Spamalot. This is where he met The Drowsy Chaperone’s director Bill Torrie. Bill found out that Ian had been musical director for The Drowsy Chaperone twice in the last two years with a live band. Bill convinced him to do it ”once more, with feeling.” Ian will also be playing keyboard in the intimate four-piece emsemble he assembled for the show, which is what he typically likes to do. “Cappuccino usually does their shows with a soundtrack,” says Ian, “so having a live band will be a treat.”

Ian says The Drowsy Chaperone has a lot to offer for all audiences. “It both satirizes and glorifies the olden days of musical theatre”, he explains, “which means that people who aren’t particularly into musical theatre will enjoy laughing at it, while people who are fans will get all the “in” jokes”.  He also likes that it’s a tribute to real, living people, and that the story is essentially an unravelling of the imagination of the unnamed “Man in Chair (Bill Oullet)”. “I’ve seen and done the show many times – professional, community and even children’s shows – and every “Man” brings something different to it,” he says. “Bill has been involved in community theatre in Calgary for over fifty years – he’s pretty much a legend here. He’s got a million lines and little jokes that are written with craft and care and he really pulls them off. His character is a little less campy and flamboyant than other versions you may have seen, so we’ve made more of that in the role of the George (Jimmy-Lee Vennard) instead”.  Ian says their Robert Martin (Doug Keeling) is 38 and looks 25. “He’s a really quick study, having picked up about three months worth of tap-dancing skills in the space of six hours of rehearsal,” Ian said. “If you liked him as Sir Galahad in FRC’s Spamalot, you’ll love him here.”

Jay Newman and Steve Hansen Smythe as Gangsters

Jay Newman and Steve Hansen Smythe as Gangsters

The Drowsy Chaperone is a simple, relatively short “mostly family-friendly” show (~ 75 minutes – it’s often done without intermission), and Ian says it has more spectacle than you might expect, with “virtuosic dance and singing – not to mention monkeys and blind-folded roller-skating. And you can’t beat Janet Van de Graaff (Chelsea Millard)’s big “Show Off” number for plain, old-fashioned fun”. Ian can’t say enough about the talent and hard work of his volunteer cast, crew and Calgary’s community theatre scene in general. “It’s incredible. These people all have day jobs, and then haul themselves out to rehearsal night after night and give everything they’ve got, “he says. “Often the people who work with them have no idea they have this other life. It’s worth coming out just to see what the person in the cubicle next to you might be doing with their spare time. And you can’t beat the quality for the price.”

Chelsea Millard as Janet

Chelsea Millard as Janet

The Drowsy Chaperone runs Wednesdays to Saturdays, May 4 – 18 at The Studio at the Vertigo Theatre Centre. Tickets are $25 for Adults, $20 for Students/Seniors. Thrifty Thursday May 9th is $15. Evening shows start at 8pm and Sunday matinees are at 2:30PM. Tickets may be purchased online at www.vertigotheatre.com or by phone at 403-221-3708. The Calgary Musicals+ Meetup Group is going on Wednesday May 15th if you’d care to join us.

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22 Apr 2013

Preview: Chicago Brings Leggy Dancers and All That Jazz to Stage West

1996 Revival Poster

1996 Revival Poster

After spending yesterday singing snippets of Gilbert and Sullivan tunes, inspired by Morpheus Theatre’s production of The Gondoliers, I am now humming “All That Jazz,” inspired by Stage West’s production of Chicago (the musical), which opened last weekend. Chicago hasn’t gotten to grace professional stages very often. That’s because until recently, many restrictions were placed on it to limit the competition with the Broadway show and revivals, touring shows and the movie.

The story, based on a 1926 play of the same name by court reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins, is set in glamorous and gritty 1920’s Chicago and is the satiric fictional account of two ambitious and competitive starlets who murder their lovers and end up in a prison with many women in the same boat (“He Had it Comin’). They endeavour to get the charges dropped with the help of a smooth-talking lawyer who uses his “razzle-dazzle” to manipulate the media into a sympathetic portrayal of his celebrity clients.

2002 Movie Poster

2002 Movie Poster

Chicago has music by John Kander and book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse (the latter of whom hails from the Windy City, incidentally, and directed and choreographed the original 1975 Broadway production).  The show is still strongly identified with Fosse. Although the original didn’t do all that well, the 1996 revival was the third longest running show on Broadway. In 2002, Chicago was made into a film with Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renee Zellwiger and Richard Gere.

Max Reimer

Max Reimer

This production is directed by Max Reimer, who is Stage West’s “go-to” director for its big shows. He recently directed their Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and The Rocky Horror Show, among others. Max has been artistic director for many theatres for the past 19 years, including Huron County Playhouse and Theatre Aquarius in Ontario and The Vancouver Playhouse in his native Vancouver. He’s directed a number of musicals of late, including Billy Bishop Goes to War (Regina), Fiddler on the Roof (Toronto) and a little-known Canadian musical called Gun Metal Blues (Winnipeg).

Phil Nero

Phil Nero

Max has a dance background himself and is thrilled to have Phil Nero as his choreographer for this show. Phil is an actor/dancer-turned choreographer who has performed on stage for many of the big Broadway touring shows and recently directed and choreographed Stage West’s Toronto production of A Chorus Line. “He just exudes Fosse’s style and is perfect for Chicago,” gushes Max.

Max says that Chicago was revolutionary for its time, both in terms of content and style. “It’s a commentary on the sexual politics of the 20’s as told through the filter of the sexual politics of the 70’s,” Max says. “When we produce it now, forty years later, we impose our current filter on that. To put it in perspective, imagine what people will think of “Madmen” in twenty or forty years”.

Max says the public and media still have a morbid fascination for “dark and unusual episodes of violence,” especially when perpetrated by women, which makes Chicago as relevant today as when it was written.  “Having a show that was carried by strong, albeit deeply flawed, women was unusual at the time,” says Max, “and Fosse used his chorus in ways that people hadn’t done. People who have only seen the movie will see that the stage version is much more of an ensemble piece, which goes much deeper than the movie ever could”.

Max acknowledges that there are differences between directing a show for dinner theatre vs. regular theatre. “People coming to dinner theatre are there to be entertained – which is great for us, because it puts them in the right frame of mind, ” he says. “On the other hand, we have to hit the stage flying. Act I is dinner. The audience is already having a good time.  The performance has to be fierce in order to get their attention so they’ll stop having fun with each other and start having fun with us. Chicago does just that.”

When I asked Max if Chicago might be too hot for a typical Stage West audience, he assured me it was not. “Yes it’s a sexual and sensual show,” he said, “But what’s hot about Chicago is Fosse (i.e. the dancing).” He adds that this production is a favourite of dancers – especially leggy dancers – and that they had lots and lots of people come out for auditions from across the country. “I’m sure the audience will be impressed with our strikingly attractive and talented cast – both the women and the men.” Max closes by saying that if you liked the movie, you’ll love the play, and if you love the play, you’ll love Stage West’s production of it. He added, “It’s an iconic musical. It’s a shame it hasn’t been produced more.”

Once Max is done with Chicago here he’ll be adjudicating at drama festivals this summer. He’s currently planning the shows he plans to direct next season at theatres in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario.

Bob Fosse (1927-1987)

Bob Fosse (1927-1987)

Chicago (The Musical) opened last weekend and runs into June. Tickets range from $69 to $105 ($59 for Seniors), including buffet dinner. For more information, including a complete Playbill go to Stage West.

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26 Mar 2013
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Preview: The Rocky Horror Show – Mark Bellamy Does The Time Warp @ MRU

Mark Bellamy

Mark Bellamy

Mark Bellamy’s been a busy man since leaving his post after eight years as Artistic Director (plus four years Assistant Director) of Vertigo Theatre last year. The last show he directed there was the widely acclaimed musical, Sweeney Todd. Since then he’s directed Calgary2012′s Sweet City LipDub, ATP’s You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, Forte Musical Theatre’s Maria Rasputin Presents and Lunchbox Theatre’s Scarlet Woman (currently playing) – the latter of which is the only non-musical in the lot.

I interviewed Mark last week between rehearsals for Mount Royal University’s The Rocky Horror Show, the first amateur production he’s directed since leaving Vertigo. In case you’re one of the few people not familiar with the 1975 cult movie, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which was based on this 1973 stage version, it’s the story of a virginal young couple who end up, let’s say, more than a little wiser, after landing at the mysterious mansion of Dr. Frank N. Furter, “A Sweet Transvestite from Transsexual Transylvania,” when their car breaks down on a dark and stormy night.

While Vertigo fans may not be aware of this, most of Mark’s acting career in the ten to fifteen years prior to his time there had been in musical theatre, which may explain his choice of shows since becoming a free agent.  Born and raised in Calgary, he studied drama at University of Calgary, and although his training was largely classical, he could sing, so musicals were a natural fit.  He performed in musicals for Lunchbox Theatre and Stage West before moving to Toronto, where musicals were his bread and butter. His last stint on stage was in the cast of Forever Plaid in Vancouver and in the original Forever Plaid company in Las Vegas, which is, oddly enough, how he ended up directing The Rocky Horror Show at Mount Royal University.

“I was in Las Vegas in the early 1990′s when I decided to come back to Canada. Calgary was a natural choice since I grew up here and  knew a lot of people,” explains Mark. “Mount Royal College (now University) called me up in Las Vegas and gave me a chance to direct Cabaret. It was my first job as a director, and I’ve always been grateful for that. I haven’t done anything with MRU since then, so when they offered me the chance to do Rocky, it seemed like a nice way to start my freelance directing career again by coming full circle.” He also added that he likes working with young performers and that mentoring of students and recent graduates is really important to him, since he was mentored by some “really, really great people” in his early days. Mark says that when working with students, it’s as much about teaching, as it is directing. “Actors at this stage in their career haven’t learned their approach yet”, he explains. “Rather then telling them what to do, I want them to learn to make their own choices, which is what will be expected of them when they turn pro.” 

Richard O'Brien as Riff Raff in The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Richard O’Brien as Riff Raff in The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Mark knows The Rocky Horror Show well, having first seen the movie in high school, and then been in the cast for a production at Stage West, where he understudied for the part of Riff Raff.  He says he was surprised MRU chose the show, due to its adult subject matter, and told them he’d do it as long as they understood he wasn’t going to pull any punches.  “I needn’t have worried,” says Mark. “The students had no problem with the material, helped in part by the fact that we live in a much more accepting environment now than when the play was written. While the show is certainly still unconventional, it’s not nearly as shocking as it was then”.  He feels it does have an important message that’s still relevant today: “be who you are, be comfortable with who you are, and be accepting of others who are different from you.”

Tim Curry from The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Tim Curry as Dr. Frank N. Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show

For those that haven’t seen the stage show, Mark says the script is pretty close to the film. It’s a fun show, with the usual opportunities for audience participation – one of the appeals of the show is that the audience is encouraged to dress up and talk (not to mention sing and dance) back, especially for the midnight showings.  As for this production, Mark says it’s a riot. “It’s a really great group of kids. They work hard and have great energy. And there’s a large 30-person cast, which is unique. All the first and second year drama students are in it. “There are so many Transylvanians,” says Mark, laughing,  “that we almost blew the costume budget on high heels alone!”

After this production, Mark will be directing Panic at Vertigo. Then he’s looking forward to a little time off to spend with his new golden retriever puppy, before embarking on next season’s adventures. He says “I’ve enjoyed my first year as a freelance director. There’s been lots of work and lots of variety. It’s not bad to be busy.”

The Rocky Horror Show runs from March 28 to April 6. Shows on March 28, 30, April 2, 3, 4 and 6 are at 7:30pm. There are two midnight showings: March 30 and April 5. There is no performance on March 29 (Good Friday).   Tickets are $20 Adults, $15. Reserve your tickets by calling 403.440.8889. For more information go to Mount Royal University. The Calgary Musicals+ Meetup Group is going to the closing night performance on April 6, if you’d care to join us.

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17 Mar 2013
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Preview: The God That Comes – “Life is made immeasurably better by wine and rock ‘n roll”

Hawksley Workman in The God That Comes. Photo By Blake Sittler

Hawksley Workman in The God That Comes. Photo By Blake Sittler

You might think that a 2500 year old Greek tragedy by Euripides might seem an unlikely topic for contemporary musical treatment, but The God That Comes, one of four shows at Alberta Theatre Projects’ 27th Annual PlayRites Festival, attempts to bring fresh life to The Bacchae, the ancient tale of an uptight soldier-king who goes toe-to-toe against the god Bacchus (the god of wine, song revelry and actors (!)) when he thinks his townsfolk are spending just a little bit too much time cavorting with him and each other up on the mountain.

The show was co-created by Juno-award winning indie pop-folk singer-songwriter and record producer Hawksley Workman, and Co-Artistic Director of Halifax’s 2b theatre, Christian Barry. Hawksley is the star of what director Christian describes as a one man “rock concert record for the stage. “It’s a collection of songs inspired by the story”, explains Hawksley, “more than it is a traditional musical or narrative. It’s definitely heavy on the music. As a singer-songwriter, it was important for me for me that the music function inside or outside of the context of the play. In that sense the show is very much like the concerts I normally do, other than that it tells a story”. Hawksley plays three characters in the show: Bacchus, The King and the King’s mother – the latter of whom is a follower of Bacchus, much to her son’s, and her own, shame.

Hawksley has always known music was what he was going to do for a living. “It’s the life that chose me, not the other way around,” he explains. He grew up in Northern Ontario, near Huntsville, in a house that was always full of music. His Dad was a big music lover and had a lot of records, although his parents never pushed him into it. “When I was a kid, I told the Sunday teacher I was going to play the drums in The Little Drummer Boy, “ Hawksley reminisces, “It didn’t matter that I’d never played drums before. I said I’d figure it out. I’ve been playing guitar and drums since I was four or five”. He says that although he performed in lots of musical theatre and church music when he was younger, he’d be fibbing if he said he’d done anything like The God That Comes.

Christian Barry first approached Hawksley about the concept nine or ten years ago, but “life got in the way” for both of them as they worked on other projects. Then a couple of years ago, they decided to pick up the project and run with it. “We were drawn to the story because of its social and political message. We are taught from the time we are young that losing control is something we should never do,” says Hawksley, “when, as Bacchus shows us, nothing could be further from the truth”.  The idea for the title came about halfway through the development of the show. “We were looking for something evocative and fresh”, says Hawksley, “and in poring over lots of texts related to the Bacchae, we learned that one of the reasons Bacchus was so popular was that he was one of the few gods that showed himself to mortals. So, the title has a playful double meaning that we thought brings the right touch of cheek and luridness”.

“ATP bought into the concept and the people involved right away and provided resources, space, time in Banff to workshop it and build the show into what it is” says Hawksley. Draft versions of the show have been performed over the last year at Victoria’s Uno Festival last May, Toronto’s Summerworks Festival in August and most recently to sell-out crowds at Vancouver’s PUSH Festival in January. Hawksley says the show has continued to evolve through its development (including a new song he wrote last week), and although they consider it essentially finished now, it will continue to be tweaked, maybe forever. “We’ll be taking the show to Halifax and Europe this year, it’s been booked into Tarragon’s 2013-2014 season, and I’ve had some interest from Australia” Says Hawksley. “It’s a unique show, and I think it will have a life of its own for a while.”

Hawksley and Christian’s goal in creating The God That Comes was to create a show where like-minded people can get together and get lost in music and song in an intimate cabaret setting over a glass – or a bottle – or wine, and recreate that ancient communal ritual that can allow access to a higher power – a religious experience of the sort that Bacchus would approve. He sums up as follows: “At the centre of the show is a belief that life is made immeasurably better by both wine and rock and roll“.

The God That Comes premieres at the Alberta Theatre Projects 27th Annual Enbridge PlayRites Festival and runs from March 19 to April 7 (The official opening is Thursday March 21) at the Big Secret Theatre. Tickets are $40. For more information, see Alberta Theatre Projects. The Calgary Musicals+ Meetup Group is going on Thursday April 4th if you’d care to join us (1/2 price for the first to RSVP, while supplies of discount coupons last!).

For more information about Hawksley, see Hawksley Workman’s Website

For more information about the show, see The God That Comes website

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19 Jan 2013
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Preview: Blanche: The Bittersweet Life of a Wild Prairie Dame (or two)

Blanche Gilbertson circa 1933

Blanche Gilbertson circa 1933

Just back from a week in Halifax with only one CD as my companion – Onalea Gilbertson’s haunting Blanche: The Bittersweet Life of a Wild Prairie Dame. She gave it to me when we met for tea last week – on her birthday, as it turned out – to talk about her current show at Lunchbox Theatre as part of the annual High Performance Rodeo .  

Onalea is well-known to Calgary audiences. She performed for several years with One Yellow Rabbit and other theatre companies, fronts a jazz band (and the symphony from time to time), and does film and mixed media. Onalea is Calgary born and bred, but has spent much of the last year in New York City, in part related to Blanche’s Off-Broadway premiere at the New York Musical Theatre Festival in October 2011. 

“Blanche is the perfect mixture of theatre, history and music – it combines folk, torch, jazz and chamber music traditions with innovative storytelling set against the backdrop of historic Alberta,” says Lunchbox Theatre Artistic Director, Pamela Halstead. Onalea describes it as the story of her grandmother’s ”remarkable, yet ordinary life”. “I was inspired to write it when I found a photo album in the drawer of her dresser in her nursing home and started asking her about the people in the pictures. The show includes snippets of Blanche’s story, spoken in her own voice, from our interviews.” 

Gilbertson as Blanche, photo by Donald Lee

Gilbertson as Blanche, photo by Donald Lee

Onalea explained that Blanche Gilbertson grew up during the depression era in rural Alberta in a family of five kids. “She was a straight-talking, no-nonsense woman. At school she was considered the class clown, and when she grew up, she threw parties that were wild enough to bring in the police,” she says. “As a young girl she got tired of everyone “bitchin’ about money” so she got herself a job on the Gilbertson farm as a cook and ended up marrying one of the sons, and later, his brother.”  Onalea says that her much older cousins described her as a cool grandmother, the kind you’d have your first cigarette or drink with.   

Blanche started out as a cabaret-type production commissioned by the Banff Centre, where it was performed in 2007 as part of their Summer Arts Festival. It’s evolved over the years, with less talking and an additional character. Onalea describes this version, its first time in this incarnation in Calgary, as more of a song cycle than a traditional musical theatre piece, much like some of her other works. With 17 songs in only 64 minutes, the emphasis is clearly on the music.  Onalea plays keyboard and sings all the songs herself, with accompaniment by co-composer Jonathan Lewis on violin and clarinet, Jeff Gladstone on guitar and vocals, and Bill Sanders on cello. The men also play the loves of Blanche’s lives as the story unfolds.

Josh Henderson as Ronnie on violin, Eric Richardson as Woody on guitar, Onalea Gilbertson as Shrike and Brian Sanders as Bill on Cello. Photo by C Stanley Photography

Earlier production with Josh Henderson as Ronnie on violin, Eric Richardson as Woody on guitar, Onalea Gilbertson as Shrike and Brian Sanders as Bill on Cello. Photo by C Stanley Photography

In a way, this show is an expression of Onalea’s own life story as she has gathered together a number of people she’s known and worked with for a long time to develop and perform in the show with her.  “Rachel Avery was the only person I could trust to direct this work,” says Onalea. “We were in the Young Canadians together when we were twelve. She brings exactly the right touch of gentleness, elegance and grace that I was looking for”. Other key members of Onalea’s production team include co-composer Morag Northey, Joey Walls (lighting), Michael Howard (stage manager) and her brother Leif Gilbertson (sound).

“I want people to understand that elderly people were young once. They’ve felt what we’ve felt and they’ve experienced the same things that we have. And they’re much smarter than we give them credit for”, says Onalea. “I’m also curious about what we choose to remember of our lives or other peoples’ lives. Memory is selective, and it’s interesting what sticks”. Onalea says this show is very accessible to people of all ages, and adds: “I hope that it will inspire people to bring their grandparents, parents, children and grandchildren, and start sharing the stories of their lives, before they are lost forever.”  

Blanche: The Bittersweet Life of a Wild Prairie Dame opened at Lunchbox Theatre on January 14 as part of the High Performance Rodeo and runs until January 26. It plays at 12:10 during the week and there are also evening shows Friday and Saturday. Tickets are regularly $28 with discounts for seniors/students and Lunchbox PlayPass holders. The Calgary Musicals+ Group is going on Monday January 21 if you’d like someone to go with. You can listen to the songs at http://www.onalea.com/original-blanche.html

Onalea is also singing some of her original songs, including some from the show, in a performance called Torch Songs From the Gypsy Van at the Cathedral of the Redeemer on February 9th. For more information on this and other performances by Onalea Gilbertson, go to her website at http://www.onalea.com/.

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05 Jan 2013

Preview: In The Beginning (of 2013) Is Children of Eden

Children of Eden - webpage color copy

We think all we want is a lifetime of leisure, 

Each perfect day the same endless vacation

Well, that’s all right, if you’re a kind of crustacean

But when you’re born with an imagination

Sooner or later you’re feeling the fire get hotter and higher …

The Spark of Creation

[From "The Spark of Creation" by Stephen Schwartz (Children of Eden)]

First out of the gate for Calgary musicals in 2013 is The University of Calgary Operetta Company production of Stephen Schwartz’s Children_of_Eden, which opens tonight (January 5) for a one week run. I bought the vocal selections last Fall in anticipation, and as I’m listening to Youtube clips of “Spark of Creation” and “In Whatever Time We Have”, I’m wondering why we haven’t seen or heard this 1981 musical or any of its 43 (!) songs more often, especially after Schwartz’s huge Broadway success with his subsequent show, Wicked. (Schwartz’s previous big claim to fame was 1971’s Godspell).

Colleen Whidden

Colleen Whidden

“You may have heard of Adam, Eve, and their time in Eden, but if you haven’t seen this musical, then you haven’t really heard their story,” says Colleen Whidden, Artistic Director for The University of Calgary Operetta Company. “Though it obviously has biblical over-tones, the core of this show is seeing, hearing, and laughing at the evident (and normal) ‘family dynamics’ even in the Garden of Eden.”

The Adam and Eve story plays out in Act I, while Act II features Noah and the Ark – with different leads and “Father” as the only common character between the two. Colleen says that while the two Acts could almost stand alone as two separate plays, there are common themes weaved between the two, in particular the key message that “The Hardest Part of Love” is letting go. “The themes are so universal – good and evil, selfishness and greed, for example – that you don’t have to be religious or familiar with the stories to relate to them”, says Colleen. “In fact, we spent the first few rehearsals just reading through Genesis and talking about how the characters and their struggles relate to our own, and how foundational they are to our society, even today”.

Stephen Schwartz

Stephen Schwartz

Children of Eden is one of publisher MTI International’s top 20 licensed musicals but the show never made the leap to Broadway from its relatively short run in London’s West End, even though Schwartz and many others consider it his best musical. Part of the blame, in addition to lackluster reviews, lies with the Gulf War which broke out during the run and limited world travel. I know from personal experience when I was marketing my own first musical,  Eve: The True Story, that many theatre companies and the public in general are often put off by shows with religious themes (Godspell, Jesus Christ Superstar and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat notwithstanding), so that may also have been a factor. Apparently Schwartz hasn’t given up on Broadway, and Wicked’s success has indeed given him the additional cachet to seek investors, so we may see it there yet.

Rehearsal030

Children of Eden Rehearsal Photo courtesy of The University of Calgary Operetta Company

Another obstacle is that the show has a very large 57-person cast, making it expensive to produce. “That’s actually one of the reasons the show appealed to us”, says Colleen.  ”As a university/community troupe, we are always on the lookout for musicals with big choruses that are essential to the story, lots of leads, and a live orchestra, in order to give as many people as possible a chance to shine”. In this case, she says, the show is about 80% music and the chorus is on stage much of the time. There’s also a lot of dancing, with choreography by Jocelyn Hoover and fight-choreography by Haysam Kadri, Artistic Director of the Shakespeare Company. “We could have done the show with less, but wanted to make full use of the ample talent we have available,” added Colleen.

Children of Eden Rehearsal Photos courtesy of UCalgary Operetta

Children of Eden Rehearsal Photo courtesy of The University of Calgary Operetta Company

“The University of Calgary Operetta Company is one of the few groups in Calgary that can pull off a big show like Children of Eden, and we urge Calgary audiences to take a chance on something they don’t know. We’re sure they will embrace it as much as we have,” says Colleen. “We’ve even added an extra weekend to our run for the first time (Jan 5-6), to give more people a chance to see it, since our final weekend often sells out”.

Performances of Children of Eden run January 5-12, 2013 at the University Theatre on the University of Calgary main campus. Evening performances begin at 7:00pm; with weekend matinees at 1:00 or 3:00pm.

Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 students/seniors and a special $10 for everyone on Wednesday January 9 only. For more tickets or more information see www.UCalgaryOperetta.ca or call 403-263-0079. The Calgary Musicals+ Meetup Group is going on Thursday January 10. You are welcome to join us if you’re looking for someone to go with.

Past University of Calgary Operetta Company productions include West Side Story (2009), Miss Saigon (2010), Titanic: The Musical (2011) and Guys and Dolls (2012).

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09 Jul 2012

Q&A with … Morris Ertman (Rosebud Theatre)

Morris Ertman

This is one of a series of interviews with some of the movers and shakers in the Calgary area musical theatre scene. Morris Ertman is the Artistic Director of  Rosebud Theatre. He also co-wrote the award-winning musical Tent Meeting, which he is currently turning into a screenplay.

How did you get involved in theatre and make your way to Rosebud?

I grew up in Millet, Alberta, a small town near Edmonton. I was smitten by theatre as a teenager. I was involved in high school productions and even had a subscription to the Citadel Theatre, which performed out of the old Salvation Army Hall in those days. I studied theatre directing and design, as well as religion, in University and then went on to be a freelance director and theatrical designer across the country for about twenty years, including involvement with The Stratford Festival, The National Arts Centre in Ottawa, The Canadian Opera Company, and Pacific Theatre in Vancouver. About thirteen or fourteen years ago, Rosebud Theatre asked me to come direct Cotton Patch Gospel, and after directing a few other shows for them, they asked me to be Artistic Director.  I’ve been here ever since.

How is Rosebud Theatre different from other theatre companies?

As soon as you enter the Rosebud Valley, you know you’re in for something special  – there’s an ethos here of storytelling, artistic expression, beauty and intimacy that you can’t find elsewhere.  We’re about an hour northeast of Calgary. Because most people need to travel to get here, it’s almost like a pilgrimage. By the time they arrive, they are primed to open their hearts to experience and receive our productions.  They tell us they are often astonished at the quality and clarity of the storytelling.

Rosebud Theatre is one of few Canadian theatre companies with a resident company, which means the same actors work together on a number of different plays, along with our guest artists. This gives them a shorthand language that makes it easy to work the details – kind of like a band that’s used to playing together over the years. There’s also a synergy with the Rosebud School of The Arts and the town itself. Many of the people in the company work at the school, and many of the school’s students apprentice at the theatre and eventually become part of the resident company. Also most of the one hundred or so people who live in Rosebud work for the theatre, the school or both. It’s not uncommon to walk by someone’s house and see people playing music or reading scripts on the front porch. As a result, our audiences, many of whom are long-time patrons, get to know us well, and almost feel like we’re family.

It’s amazing to me that a town this small can manage to pull off something this big. How did it get started?

The Rosebud School of the Arts started about thirty years ago, as the vision of Laverne Erikson, a teacher of music and visual arts. She felt that artistic expression could be an economic driver for a dying town. The summer programme for Calgary youth she founded expanded to become the Rosebud School of the Arts and in 1983 the school decided to put on a play, Where The Sun Meets the Earth, as a fundraiser. It was so successful, they put on a show every summer and it kept growing and growing. Within ten years they were putting on three shows a year, attracting over 25,000 people a year. Now we have a fully professional dinner theatre putting on five shows year-round – including two musicals – and bringing in over 35,000 people a year from all over Alberta and beyond. [For more on the history of the school and theatre, go to Rosebud School of The Arts - History - LMC].

What do you look for when selecting a musical?

Our current show is a good example of what we’re looking for. Anne of Green Gables is a story that’s well known and loved – in fact, many people say it’s the single most important book they’ve ever read.  We’re looking for a story that’s bigger than our own humanity, one that shows the values of goodness, grace, inclusiveness and the power of redemption. We think there’s enough hardness in the world, so we choose shows with an optimistic viewpoint. While Rosebud Theatre has its roots in the Christian faith (Laverne was a youth pastor), and our shows often have a spiritual or moral lesson, you’d be hard-pressed to say the shows we do are more overtly religious than those of other theatre companies.

I also have to consider the cast I have available, particularly the leads. In this case, I knew I had a great “Anne” in Cassia Schramm in the School, and that was one of the reasons I selected it for our summer show this year.

Why should people come to see Anne of Green Gables?

We tell the story very well. People who love the story have told us that the show we have delivered to them is true to the original spirit of the book and the 1965 musical. The show is inventively staged and we have great performers.  Also, there are lots of parallels between Rosebud today and the town of Avonlea 100 years ago, where the story is set, so it’s a wonderful environment in which to see this show. It’s also a nice outing for people from the city. Many people make a weekend of it by staying at one of Rosebud’s quaint inns, B&B’s or campgrounds, doing some shopping in town or taking in the attractions of nearby Drumheller, including the Badlands and the world-famous Royal Tyrell (dinosaur) Museum.

Anne of Green Gables runs until August 25. For more information go to: Rosebud Theatre

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05 Jun 2012
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Q&A with … Randy Apostle (Jubilations Dinner Theatre)

Randy (haha) Apostle

This is one of a series of more-or-less-monthly interviews with some of the movers and shakers in the Calgary musical theatre scene, which is interesting, since he lives in Winnipeg. Randy Apostle is the Artistic Director of Jubilations Dinner Theatres in Calgary and Edmonton and Celebrations Dinner Theatre in Winnipeg (all under the umbrella of “Wow! Hospitality Concepts”). He also writes most of the scripts for their productions (70/110 of the shows he’s worked on, to be precise) . He responded to my questions in writing.

What’s your background and how did you get involved with Wow! Hospitality Concepts?

I was born and raised in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, and I attended the University of Regina Drama department, with the assistance of a scholarship and student loans…lol.  My mother encouraged me to also get training for a ‘real job’ so I studied and became a Registered Psychiatric Nurse. I practised for a few years in both Saskatchewan and Alberta and then I began acting in a few shows here and there. Before I knew it, I was taking a leave of absence and soon after that, was back into show biz full-time. I worked in quite a few different theatres as an actor and stage manager and learned more about stage craft all along the way. I first began writing scripts with comedy troupes and moved into tackling full plays from there. I started performing with this type of theatre in Regina where the model was brought from the many dinner theatres on the east coast. At one point I was asked to direct a show out in Winnipeg. During that production the existing artistic team parted ways with their producer and there I was putting up my first show… After that there were a few years of craziness with different owners and locations…the usual small theatre growing pains. Regina was on their own and Winnipeg and Edmonton had venues needing shows…At that time I was living down in Los Angeles and flying up to direct…not a very cost-effective idea…It was at this time I began writing scripts for the shows. Then around 1993, our present producers took the helm and with their background being in the restaurant business, it was a good marriage of skills. Since that time we have moved both the Winnipeg and Edmonton venues and opened a third in Calgary.

How does one of your shows get developed and produced?

The process is pretty straight ahead. As artistic director I assemble show ideas - either my own or pitches from other writers. We do many spoofs on pop culture, television, films and even musicals. I present them to the producers who narrow it down to ones they believe have the best marketing possibilities. Next I put together longer treatments of each idea. I meet with the producers again and get feedback from the three theatres on their opinions and put together a show list. From that I plan out the pre-production, bring in guest directors sometimes, put that together and off we go. First off, of course, is the script. Depending on who is writing  – me or someone else – we may work on drafts for a year. Next I look into casting… again, the earlier the better!  Another challenge with doing spoofs is trying to loosely match the “look” of the show you are sending up while also needing performers who are triple threats (singers, dancers, actors). Next, I meet with our department heads and they put together the set and costume design, the music producer and I consult on the music and he puts together musicians to record our music. We have a 2-1/2 week rehearsal period and open our shows in Winnipeg, after which they move to Edmonton and Calgary in succession. I have been known to change things right up until closing week in Calgary whether that be rewrites or even changing up songs. The show may also change when a different actor comes in and a new dynamic is introduced. One advantage to creating our own works is the freedom to alter and tweak each and every production.  

Do you use the same cast and creative team in all locations?

I have been blessed to have all of the production team intact for around 20 years! So our comfort and trust level is very high, yet open to challenges and growing all the time. A big challenge over the years was making the move from small rooms and small capacity to larger venues that made them a more attractive business opportunity for investors. The entire concept had to evolve. In the early days the cast took part in the service and would be on-stage belting out a tune one minute and serving you your cocktail the next. Of course this was all about making a small company fly and we learned a lot about interactive dinner theatre and engaging your audience while immersing them in the concept. To this day we have our cast out in the house during the breaks maintaining that one-on-one experience, but they don’t serve food. Our servers are always in character and we have character building and improvisation workshops to encourage everyone in the room to become part of the show! I still very much love this concept! Although I oversee productions for all three theatres, it is not a tour, as the theatres are three separate entities and each issues their own contracts.  Some of the actors move to other venues, but it is really up to them. The production crew has some folks who travel along with crew members hired in each city. The servers and crews all come from in town.

How do you decide on what shows to mock and what music to go with them? More importantly, how do you get away with it?

Spoofs and parodies have been around forever. The important thing is to never claim to be anything other than that. We are doing a send-up of a popular show, not claiming to be associated to it in any way, nor hoping to fool anyone into believing we are … just as Carol Burnett and so many other comedy shows do …Saturday Night Live is still doing it today… We are paying homage to shows we all share in our culture. Music is chosen in many different ways. The idea is pretty much the same as picking shows. We look for tunes that are familiar to a very wide spectrum of people. SOCAN rights are paid to use the songs.

Because of your 20-year run with Wow! your shows have probably been seen by more Canadians than those of any other the playwright, Norm Foster included, and yet you’re still relatively unknown. What do you say to that?

Ha. Ha. Well, to tell you the truth I have been so busy for so long I never really have given it much thought. I know I feel blessed to have had this gig and to work with so many talented people. I realize that ours is a rather odd entity in the theatre world today with one team supplying shows to three different theatres. I have not had to search out places to present my works. I am grateful to the many people who have attended so many of my shows and I do hear from quite a few, which is nice. I guess because of the nature of spoofs and parodies, many folks don’t look at the plays as original works. I can understand this, although many of our musicals over the years have not been based on particular shows or works but rather on genres. At the end of the day I have always believed that theatre is for the audience. I want to give them shows they enjoy and want to see. I do not have a burning desire to alter anyone’s views about life but I do like to make them laugh! Once in a while we create those touching moments and the power of music on emotions is of course huge, but the underlying goal is and always has been a fun night to share with family and friends and no matter what we are sending up we must never lose sight of that.

Do you write any plays other than those produced by Wow!?

Yes, over the years I have written shows for some other theatres and adapted shows from the 3 act dinner theatre format to 2 acts to present in non-dinner theatre settings. I have written for the Fringe, directed an improv soap opera and directed for other theatres. I also still pursue film and television acting, having just last week worked on a TV movie starring Rob Lowe.

Your next musical at Jubilations Dinner Theatre in Calgary is Two and Two Thirds Men. I’m sure fans of the TV show Two and a Half Men will flock to it, but what can you say that would convince someone like me who hates the original TV show to want to go (other than that neither Charlie Sheen nor Ashton Kutcher are in it, which is definitely a plus, for me, at least)?

Ha, ha. Well, as with all our spoofs it is important that we tell a story with our show that stands alone so people who have not seen the TV show (yes, there are some) can still understand and enjoy the show. Plus the music is a blast – ’70’s hits delivered by some really great singers! The interaction with all the cast and staff is aimed at you having a good time! No, I probably can’t make you a fan of a show you don’t fancy, but you may appreciate how we send up the characters and what we choose for them to sing!

Now, the one question I’ve been dying to ask after seeing two shows at Jubilations. Do ALL of your plays make reference to your hometown of Moose Jaw?

Yes, that is my little trademark…Most guest writers work it in as well, as our season ticket holders and regulars have come to expect and look forward to where it is going to show up. My Mom is still living there and I have to admit it was a good place to grow up.

 

Two and Two Thirds Men is playing from June 29 to September 2. For more information on this or previous shows, go to Jubilations Dinner Theatre.

Posted in Interviews and tagged , , , , ,
16 May 2012
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Q&A with … Paul Mulloy (Centre for Performing and Visual Arts at Central Memorial High)

Paul Mulloy

This is one of a series of more-or-less-monthly interviews with some of the movers and shakers in the Calgary Musical Theatre scene.  Paul Mulloy is a Drama Teacher/Learning Leader at the Centre for Performing and Visual Arts (CPVA) at Central Memorial High School and the director of their upcoming production of Beauty and the Beast. I caught him for a few minutes during his lunch hour on Tuesday for a quick conversation.

Paul, how did you come to teach at the CPVA?

I studied vocal performance, theatre and education at university and then went on to work as a stage actor, mostly in musical theatre. I was in the Toronto and international touring productions of several shows, including Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera.  I even got to perform on Broadway with the 1989 revival of Shanandoah. I also worked with a number of theatre companies in Canada, including Theatre Calgary, The Canadian Opera Company and the Shaw Festival.

When my three children were small they travelled with me, but once they were in school, I realized that the personal rewards of being on stage started to diminish relative to the price of being on the road all the time. I went back to school in 2000 and got an education degree so I could get a job where I could stay in one place, while still pursuing my love of theatre. I landed a position at the Arts-Centred Learning Programme at Milton Williams School, which moved to Willow Park School, and then came to Central Memorial four years ago. I really enjoy teaching, and particularly love putting on shows with the students. I consider myself honoured to have the opportunity to work here.

What is the CPVA programme and why is it unique?

The CPVA is housed at Central Memorial High School and it focusses on the arts discipline. Grade 10-12 students can choose to specialize in dance, theatre arts, visual arts or music (band, choral or strings). We have the only strings programme in the Calgary public school system. Students get one and a half hours a day in their chosen area as part of their high school curriculum and a guaranteed opportunity to be involved in a major production every year. There are about 400 students in the programme (~150 in drama) and they really like being in a school surrounded by peers who share their interest in the arts.

How do students get into the programme? Is it really competitive?

We do have more applicants than we have spots, but our selection criteria are quite broad and we try to make the process as painless as possible. Students send in a written application by January of their Grade 9 year and if their application is accepted, they have to prepare a short audition piece (a one minute monologue for theatre candidates, or a presentation of their portfolio for visual arts candidates, for example) and do a short interview. We realize that for most people, this is their first audition, and they’ll probably be pretty nervous, so we don’t expect it to be perfect. We’re looking for passion and preparedness, the ability to take direction and the willingness to take risks, as much as raw talent or experience. You can find more details on our website.

What kind of shows do you do and how do you pick them?

We typically do four plays a year, two of which are a musicals. We’ve got a lot of people, so we’re looking for a show with a big chorus that has enough to do to keep the students engaged. For example, we recently did Little Women, which has several great lead roles, especially for girls, but it was kind of boring for everyone else. [I saw this at Storybook Theatre earlier this year, and definitely agree. lmc]. We also typically double-cast the lead roles (i.e. two people are cast in the role and play it on alternate performances), which means we have to find not one, but two people who are capable of performing them. This can sometimes limit the plays we’re capable of doing in a given year.

The show also has to have a story we’re interested in exploring and that will challenge us, because, let’s face it, we have to put several months of time and energy into it, so we want to really enjoy and learn from the experience.  We also have to believe in what the show is trying to say. For example, we wouldn’t do a show like Grease, as much fun as it is, because we think it sends the wrong message to young girls about what you need to do to get friends/a boy. [Funny, I said the same thing in my post on a few of my favourite musicals. lmc]. A few shows we’ve done in recent years include Fiddler on the Roof, Les Miserables and Urinetown, to give you an idea. Beauty and the Beast is a bit of change for us, but it’s fun to work with the students on something with which they’re so familiar, having all grown up with the 1991 Disney movie. One advantage we have over regular theatre companies is that we don’t have to worry as much about selling tickets, so we have the freedom to choose shows just because we want to do them, rather than because they’ll sell well. [That would explain recent productions of Scaramouche and Oresteia, among others. lmc].

Do you have anything else to add?

Our students have worked really hard to put on an entertaining show and we hope people will come out to see what a great job they can do. Also, we couldn’t put on a musical like Beauty and the Beast without the strong support and talent of the entire school – not just the students, but the other staff who are involved in areas like music, choreography, costumes, set-building and stage management. That’s the great thing about the Centre for Performing and Visual Arts. We’ve got all the talent we need to put on a great musical theatre production under one roof.

Beauty and the Beast is playing for 5 performances only at Central Memorial High School from May 22 – May 27 (excluding Thursday and Friday). Tickets are $18 for adults and $15 for students. Family packs are available for some performances. Click here for tickets.

Centre for Performing and Visual Arts Past Shows

I’ll be going to Beauty and the Beast next week on Opening Night (Tuesday, May 22).  If you want to come with me, join my Calgary Musicals MeetUp Group and meet me there. Watch for my review later in the week.

Lynn

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