What can you do in 8 days? Why not make a short film? Crazy8s is an annual filmmaking competition and festival in Vancouver, where 6 short films are created in just 8 days. These 6 films will be premiered at the Crazy8s gala screening on February 22, with an epic after party to follow. Don’t miss this exciting event!
Read moreArts Club's Noises Off is a three-part free fall into divinely crafted chaos →
A tight ensemble nails the comedic clockwork of Noises Off's farce. Photo credit: David Cooper
Good things come in threes. And so does great comedy. The Arts Club Theatre Company’s production of Noises Off is a hilarious farce about putting on a play, and the train wreck that can erupt when you combine personal misunderstandings, jealousies, and romantic affairs gone wrong. And in keeping with the rule of three that says a trio of events can achieve ideal comedic effect, the action in Noises Off happens in three acts—a three-part free fall into divinely satisfying chaos.
Read moreTheatre Review: 13: The Musical brings fresh verve to familiar teen archetypes →
Mean girls, jocks, freaks, and geeks—the struggles of adolescence always seem to come with these familiar characters. Bring on Tomorrow Co.’s production of 13: The Musicalintroduces us to a new generation of these archetypes in a story about the teenage fight for social acceptance and the true meaning of friendship. It’s also the perfect vehicle to showcase an impressive array of local teenage talents who individually and collectively deliver outstanding performances.
Read moreBard on the Beach adds sexy Italian style to Shakespeare →
Get out the sunscreen, sunglasses and your fave summer attire, because Bard on the Beach is starting to heat things up. Celebrating its 28th season, this beloved Shakespeare festival, known for its fresh takes on the Bard’s classics, will be transporting audiences to Italy all summer long. All four of its headliner shows have been set in the land renowned for wine, art and romance. Much Ado About Nothing, The Winter’s Tale, The Merchant of Venice and The Two Gentlemen of Verona will captivate audiences with passionate Italian flair.
Read moreTheatre Review: Hand to God is a sinisterly hilarious experience →
There’s always been something creepy about the puppet and puppet master relationship. For example, the concept of the ventriloquist dummy who gains a mind of its own has always been disturbing. But the idea of a boy whose hand puppet becomes possessed by the devil in a Texas church is next level creepy. Combine that frightening theme with outrageously sexual and contemporary humour and you have yourself a winning show.
Read moreFormer 'The Hills' star chainsaws his way to success at Art! Vancouver →
Artists from around the world are getting ready to showcase some unique and innovative pieces at Art! Vancouver. This annual celebration of art will grace the Vancouver Convention Centre from May 25-28. One of the featured artists will be local BC boy, Ryan Cook, who uses chainsaws and a variety of hand tools to turn raw wood into unreal sculptures.
Read moreBallet BC concludes 31st season with Program 3
Ballet BC dancer Rachel Meyer. Photo credit - Michael Slobodian
Ballet BC will conclude its 31st season with Program 3, which opens tomorrow night at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. This much anticipated finale to the contemporary ballet troupe's trilogy of montage works this season will feature creations by Israeli choreographers Emanuel Gat and Ohad Naharin, as well as Ballet BC’s Artistic Director Emily Molnar.
Read moreOpera Review: Vancouver Opera’s Dead Man Walking is a riveting journey driven by artistic brilliance
Photo credit: Trudie Lee, courtesy of Calgary Opera
It’s incredible how a stage production can sometimes transport you to another time and place so convincingly that you forget you’re watching a show. Such is the case with Vancouver Opera’s (VO) Dead Man Walking, a 21st century American opera. Dead Man Walking is both a fascinating and moving look into the capital punishment debate. VO’s production is absolutely magnificent – a collaboration of incredible vocal and acting talent combined with astonishing brilliance in musical direction, staging, sets, lighting and costume design. But above all else – it tells a compelling story that will likely stay in many people’s minds long after the curtain falls.
Read moreCurtain Up: First-ever Vancouver Opera Festival opens today
Caitlin Wood and Alex Lawrence in "The Marriage of Figaro". Photo credit: Emily Cooper Photography
Begin the overture on a history-making event in Vancouver. It’s opening night for the Vancouver Opera (VO) – not just for a new production, but for a radical and ambitious new endeavour. Instead of presenting a standard season of mainstage productions throughout the year, VO has elected to instead present the first-ever Vancouver Opera Festival. Starting today and running until May 13, three mainstage productions will be performed: Otello, Dead Man Walking and The Marriage of Figaro.
Read moreVertical Influences: Spellbinding contemporary dance and skating spun together
Photo credit: Alicia Clarke
Vancouver’s stand-out contemporary theatre, The Cultch, has added another exciting art form to its theatre season…contemporary ice-skating. Presented by Montreal’s Le Patin Libre, Vertical Influences is a spellbinding two-act show currently heating up the ice at Britannia Ice Rink in East Vancouver.
Read moreTheatre Preview: Mess provides insight into overcoming anorexia →
Anorexia is the topic of Mess, a 75-minute play presented by The Vancouver International Children’s Festival and PuSh International Performing Arts Festival.This critically-acclaimed show from England is unique because it’s not the dark play many people might expect. Instead, it’s been described as an experience that infuses humour, creativity and fun songs while offering a poignant look into the power anorexia holds over individuals and their loved ones.
Read more"The Phantom of the Opera" leads Broadway Across Canada's exciting 2017/2018 season
"The Phantom of the Opera" will open Broadway Across Canada's 2017/18 season. Image: Alastair Muir.
Broadway Across Canada (BAC) recently announced it's spectacular 2017/2018 season lineup, headlined by one of my personal favourite musicals, Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera. This will be a fresh new staging of the show, featuring a new set and choreography. This production has sparked a lot of buzz and we'll get to see it right here at Vancouver's Queen Elizabeth Theatre.
Read moreClub PuSh sizzles up the Vancouver arts scene this January →
While Old Man winter may be continuing his tyranny over Vancouver, local arts fans will soon be able to escape to the sizzling atmosphere of Club PuSh. Held at the Fox Cabaret, this social hub of the 13th annual PuSh International Performing Arts Festival promises to provide exciting theatre in a casual, fun setting.
Read moreKayla James takes over Mary Poppins umbrella in style →
Stepping into the role of Mary Poppins is never an easy task. There’s the expectation to match or at least come close to reaching the standards of Julie Andrews. But in the Arts Club’s current remount of Disney’s Mary Poppins, actress Kayla James also had the challenge of living up to Sara-Jeanne Hosie’s acclaimed performances from previous seasons. Fortunately for audiences this holiday season, James is phenomenal as the iconic English nanny who flies through the sky with her umbrella and changes lives one household at a time.
Read moreThe Concierge of Vancouver is a fresh look at city's housing crisis →
From headline news stories to cocktail party conversations, Vancouver’s housing crisis seems to be a daily topic of conversation. Matchmaker Production’s current play, The Concierge of Vancouver, written by Sahul Ezer, looks into this topic from a pretty cool angle. While the writing of the play isn’t amazing, the story itself is fascinating and the talented cast deliver top notch performances.
Read moreOur fav Mormon boys are back in town and they want to give you the book!
"The Book of Mormon" has returned to Vancouver and plays until September 4. Photo credit: Broadway Across Canada.
Our favourite boys are back in town! That’s right, The Book of Mormon, presented by Broadway Across Canada, is back in Van and so are some of the most adorable Mormon missionaries ever! And they’re on a mission to steal your hearts with their cuteness and killer song and dance skills.
Read more"Rock of Ages" is a blast despite a few letdowns
The Arts Club knows how to rock, and they’re currently heating things up at the Granville Island Stage with the Tony Award-nominated musical, Rock of Ages, directed and choreographed by Peter Jorgenson. And while the show isn’t the strongest effort I’ve seen from Arts Club, it’s still a pretty good time.
Read more"The Romans In Britain" provides interesting, impactful drama
Summer tends to bring plenty of lighthearted theatre offerings that allow you to sit back and enjoy fun songs, choreography, sets and costumes. But if you’re in the mood to shake things up a bit and experience some pretty heavy theatre in an intimate setting, Ensemble Theatre Company’s (ETC) The Romans in Britain is worth checking out.
Read more"Betrayal" takes audiences on an intriguing journey through time
The cast of Ensemble Theatre Company's 'Betrayal'. Left to right: James Gill, Corina Akeson and Tariq Leslie. Photo credit: Thorsten Gohl.
Remember the famous quote “Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives”? Ensemble Theatre Company’s current play, Betrayal by Harold Pinter, is an up close and personal exploration of relationships and secrets, set against the ever-present reminder of the passing of time.
Read moreThe Arts Club’s "Billy Elliot" will be remembered as a stunning artistic achievement
It’s rare to experience a show that reaches out and truly touches the hearts of its audience in an electrifying and unforgettable way. The Arts Club’s production of Billy Elliot, which recently completed its run at the Stanley Theatre was just that - a theatrical masterpiece superbly brought to life through the use of dance, music, singing and the outstanding collaborative efforts of its creative team. And the driving force behind everything was the standout performance of the show’s young star, Nolan Fahey.
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