11 Stations

Last night, I stepped into another world. Sitting in the theatre at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, I lost all concept of space and time for a single hour as Amber Borotsik danced, screamed, and twirled her way around the stage as “Philistine”, the jilted lover in “One”, created by Jason Carnew and directed by Eric Rose of Calgary’s Ghost River Theatre.
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Charming yet haunting and heartbreakingly personal.  It’s breathtaking and, at the same time, devastating.  There is just no simple way to describe Photog, the current show at the Shadbolt Centre.

Photog offers an extraordinary window into the inner conflict of conflict photographers – those whose job it is to capture on film some of the world’s most terrible actions and atrocities.

To me, one thing is certain at least: Photog is both extremely meaningful and memorable.  As I sit here to write about this incredible performance, parts of the story are still swirling around in my mind.

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Drawn from real-life accounts of war photographers, the engaging and riveting Photog comes to the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts this Wednesday for a four-day run.   Produced by a local production company – Boca del Lupo – Photog has already garnered incredible reviews from audiences across the country for its depth, insight and real-life stories and images of conflict.  I recently had an opportunity to chat with Photog creator Jay Dodge, and here’s ! what he told me about this much-anticipated Shadbolt production: Continue reading →

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Footlight Theatre Productions  has done it again and turned community theatre on its head at the premiere of ‘Grease’ on Saturday night at the Michael J. Fox Theatre. Curtains opened to a packed house that just barely went silent after buzzing with pre-show excitement.

There was something ever charming and familiar about that first scene, with the illustrious pink ladies sporting their bouffants and pink jackets and the boys in their skinny black jeans and chucks. The scene was instantly set for an evening of classic musical theatre. Continue reading →

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It doesn’t take an astrologer to figure out that Theo Marx’s star is quickly rising. Last year, he made his Footlight Theatre Productions debut as the enigmatic ‘Tin Man’ in the Wizard of Oz and this year returns to the stage as smarmy TV broadcaster and DJ Vince Fontaine in Grease.

Funnily enough, this isn’t Marx’s first experience putting on the hit movie musical. When he was fourteen years old he played the role of ‘Teen Angel’, singing the much-loved song “Beauty School Dropout”. “I was so scared to sing”, Marx recalls in a recent phone interview, “I remember bartering with the casting crew, trying to get them to give me an acting-only role. Of course, then they cast me in a singing-only role! I guess you could say that’s what ignited my love for musical theatre. I remember the first show ending and thinking to myself, ‘this is fun! I like applause!’” Continue reading →

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When I received an email letting me know which musical the talented team at Footlight Theatre Productions was putting on this year for their annual show, the 12-year-old in me let out a shrill squeal of unimaginable glee. Let me give you a hint: This is the show that you want, oh oh oh, honey, the show that you want. The show you need. Oh yes indeed. Continue reading →

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It was the first show of the new season at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts last night and already I’m left wondering how any other show is possibly going to hold a candle to Thomas Jones’ captivating performance in WoodySed. This one man powerhouse performance about the tragic, triumphant and tumultuous times of folk singer Woody Guthrie had me singing its praises all the way out the theatre. Continue reading →

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Remember that song “This Land is Your Land”?  Well if you do, then you may also know that the hero of folk troubadours who came up with that ditty is none other than Woody Guthrie. For the more alternative politicos amongst you, you may also know him as the man whose guitar prominently displayed a sign that said: “This Machine Kills Fascists”. Continue reading →

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One thing that makes the Burnaby Blues + Roots Festival different from other concerts at Deer Lake Park is that you are allowed to bring in your own food! Restaurants in Burnaby provide cuisines from around the world at a variety of different price points so there really is something for everyone. Hard as it was, I broke down my Top 3 “Take-Out Foods” Continue reading →

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Following in the footsteps of Debbie Reynolds and Lee Meriwether, Peggy Ann, the star character in Miss Caledonia, a hilarious one woman show making its western Canadian premiere at the Shadbolt April 20 and 21, wants to be a star. How will she succeed? Why, by winning the local pageant of course. Will farm girl Peggy Ann Douglas have the chops to win over the judges and escape her simple rural life filled with back-breaking labor? You’ll have to see the show to find out. Continue reading →

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