Urinetown: The Musical

Coming to the Firehall Arts Centre on November 1 is Broadway smash Urinetown: The Musical! Winner of three Tony awards, including Best Book and Best Original Score, Urinetown is a satirical comedy about a town where you have to pay to pee!

Urinetown runs at the Firehall Arts Centre from November 1 - 29 !

Margaret Cho in Vancouver

Comedienne Margaret Cho hits town to rock the mic on November 1at the River Rock Casino.

Tickets on sale via Ticketmaster.

Vancouver Opera presents: Stickboy

"There's a bully in all of us." So is the tagline for the world premiere of this original piece presented by the Vancouver Opera.
 

"The inner life of a young boy is at the heart of this moving and meaningful new opera by world-renowned spoken-word artist Shane Koyczan and composer Neil Weisensel. Bravely autobiographical, beautifully poetic, visually innovative and musically memorable, Stickboy confronts the uncomfortable reality of a society struggling with its own fear and insecurity, a society that seeks conformity and uniformity at the expense of those who are different."

Stickboy runs at the Vancouver Playhouse from October 23 to November 7. 

Evil Dead: The Musical

Returning to Vancouver is the cult hit, Evil Dead: The Musical, complete with Splatter Zone in effect!

Down Stage Right Productions brings this Sam
 Raimi
 80s
 cult
 classic back just in time for Halloween to tell "the age old tale: five college
 kids travel
 to
 an abandoned
 cabin
 in
 the
 woods, boy meets girl, boy expects
 to
 get
 lucky,
 boy
 unleashes evil spirit, girl meets the big bad and boy meets chainsaw instead. Friends into lovers, lovers into
 friends, and friends
 into
 Candarian Demons. Mayhem
 ensues, and don't forget
 the spectacular singing
 and dancing. 
 Evil
 Dead
 includes
 hilarious
 numbers
 like
 All
 the
 Men
 in
 my
 Life
 Keep
 Getting
 Killed
 by
 Candarian
 Demons,
 Look
 Who's 
Evil
 Now and 
Do
 the
 Necronomicon."


Bigger, badder, and bloodier, Evil Dead The Musical plays at the Norman Rothstein Theatre from October 22 to November 1.

Show Tune Sunday at The Junction

Join us for Show Tunes at The Junction on Davie Street on Sunday October 19 from 3-7pm for some spooky show tunes to get you in the mood for Halloween! There will also be prizes including tickets to Margaret Cho, Stickboy the Opera, Urinetown the Musical, and Evil Dead The Musical!!

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Carrie: The Musical

What better way to get your freak on just in time for Halloween than with one of Broadway's biggest commercial flops? That's right, Carrie: The Musical is now on in Vancouver, at the Jericho Arts Centre!

Fighting Chance Productions brings this cult classic to life for the month of October with this Canadian regional premiere of the musical. The night I attended, the most terrifying part of the evening was the sound system, which had some unfortunate snafus throughout much of the first act. Luckily, things got fixed up in time for people to enjoy the rest of the show.

If you're not familiar with the story of Carrie, it's based on the horror book by Stephen King, about a telekinetic girl who gets picked on and is raised by a super religious mother. Pushed to the edge, Carrie eventually wreaks havoc on those who have done her wrong.

The Jericho Arts Centre is the perfect venue for it, as it adds to the creep factor being isolated all the way out near the edge of the woods as it is. Ranae Miller does a great job as Carrie, both acting and singing-wise. She is meek and cowering, yet bursting to be bold and longing to fit in. Hurt and betrayed, her anger is malleable and fills the room as the show comes to its iconic climax.

A wonderful treat for Halloween! Carrie: The Musical is on now until October 25th at the Jericho Arts Centre. Tickets available online.  (There is even merchandise available for the show from pins and buttons to Carrie t-shirts to a Carrie carrying case!)

The Rainmaker

Pacific Theatre kicks off its 2014/15 season with a classic country tale of faith and lust in N. Richard Nash's The Rainmaker.

Photo by Emily Cooper. Pictured: Robert Salvador, Pippa Johnstone, John Voth

 

 

The story revolves around a family of men who are trying to help the lone female of the group, Lizzie, get married off. Set on a farm in yesteryear, the brothers and father hatch a plan to score the town widower for Lizzie, whose low self-esteem prevents her from believing in herself and fulfilling her dreams.

In fact, the majority of the characters are afflicted with the same feelings of low self-worth. The widower doesn't seem to feel he's worthy of a companion, while one of Lizzie's brothers battles with being regarded as the dumb one.

Photo by Emily Cooper. Pictured: Kenton Klassen, Pippa Johnstone, Andrew Wheeler, Ryan Scramstad.

 

 

 

 

On top of all the family drama, the entire town has to deal with a drought that is slowly but surely killing their crops and farm life. Enter in the Rainmaker, played by Robert Salvador (from last season's Espresso). Here, he easily takes on the persona of a slimy con artist cowboy with a heart of gold. He manages to add layers of mystery and complexity to the show, as he squares off in his cowboy boots against all the other characters, making them question themselves and their beliefs.

Photo by Emily Cooper. Pictured: Ryan Scramstad, Robert Salvador, Andrew Wheeler.

 

Will the Rainmaker save the day? Will he bring rain and end the drought, both in the weather and in Lizzie's love life? This is a lovely production with a cozy set designed brilliantly by John Webber. With Thanksgiving upon us and Christmas just around the corner, this is a great kick off to the holiday season with its heartwarming sentimentality and family dynamics.

The Rainmaker is on now until November 1st at The Pacific Theatre.