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From the Director

My theatrical instincts were honed in this very theatre; it’s where I began my professional career twelve years ago, and it’s where my artistry has been prompted, encouraged and supported ever since. As such, it’s a great honour to have been entrusted with this, the first production of CTF’s 25th anniversary season.

It’s in relationship and collaboration with my mentors and helpmates here that I’ve become the artist I am today. And it’s in tribute to these tremendous artists that I offer you this music-filled story of love and family: I wanted to create a performance that, hopefully, conveys the energy, humour and familial warmth of my best Chemainus memories.

Over the years, working here has revealed to me what I love and value, both onstage and in the greater sphere of life and community. In this way, the story of Elizabeth and Darcy rings true to me, too. They realize their capacity, and finally see themselves clearly, when each is reflected in the other.

The action of Pride and Prejudice derives from a series of snap judgements. Its magic is spun from slow-dawning realizations. Here’s hoping you enjoy both its spark, and its enticing, enduring sweetness.

Julie

Book Your Tickets

Book online or call the box office now to book your tickets! 1-800-565-7738

Cast & Creative Team of Pride & Prejudice

Directed by

Choreographer/Dance Captain

Musical Director

Set Designer

Costume Designer

Lighting Designer

Stage Manager

Assistant Stage Manager

  CAST

Elizabeth “Lizzie Bennet

Kitty Bennet/Lady Anne de Bourgh

Mary Bennet/Charlotte Lucas

Mr. George Wickham

Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy

Mr. Collins/ Mr. Gadiner

Jane Bennet/Georgiana Darcy

Mrs. Gardiner/Lady Catherine de Bourgh

Mrs. Bennet/Mrs. Reynolds

Mr. Bennet

Mr. Charles Bingley

Lydia Bennet/Caroline Bingley

Julie McIsaac

Kayla Dunbar

Melissa Morris

Brian Ball

Crystal Hanson

John Webber

Anne Taylor

Mel Watkins

 

Yoshié Bancroft

Julie Casselman

Kayla Dunbar

Erik Gow

Brett Harris

Matthew Hendrickson

Melissa Morris

Caitriona Murphy

Amy Lee Newman

Paul Terry

Chris Walters

Lindsay Warnock

By |February 7th, 2017|Categories: 2017 Season, Pride & Prejudice|0 Comments

Celebrating A Classic!

Our 25th Season Begins With A Celebrated Classic.

As we began our twenty-fifth season, the notion of legacy was firmly in our minds. But not just our own history here in the Chemainus community, and in Canada’s theatre scene. We were caught up in the question of why certain stories have become timeless – in the way that today’s show, Pride and Prejudice, has become a celebrated classic.

Since Jane Austen’s story was published over 200 years ago, it has inspired millions of people. Readers and audiences have enjoyed the original work (and many adaptations), while artists of all varieties have used its themes to create countless derivatives in a variety of media.

Fortunately, as we directed, rehearsed, and produced this adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, we discovered some secrets behind the story’s far-reaching fondness:

Nothing (much) has changed. Although our physical world is radically different, the essence of human nature is enduring. Two centuries have passed since its writing and yet we can easily relate to the influences of wealth, manners, and social class on our culture.

  • Good drama is addictive. A scheming plot that’s told in intelligent conversation will always bring us back for another hit.
  • Everyone knows an Austen character (or two). Maybe a social climbing mother, silly sister, maverick change agent, haughty love interest, or buffoonish cousin? You’re sure to recognize a familiar face.
  • Some snark and clever irony makes for an especially delightful kind of humour.
  • Nostalgia for country life in Regency times makes a charming way to escape to the past.
  • Love has always been wonderfully complicated.

Pride and Prejudice is a phenomenon for these reasons and more. We hope you’ll enjoy this performance and the many more experiences we have for you during our 25th Anniversary Season. Like this classic story, we hope to create a legacy of theatre that you remember fondly, and repeat often.

Book Your Tickets

Book online or call the box office now to book your tickets! 1-800-565-7738

By |January 17th, 2017|Categories: 2017 Season, Pride & Prejudice|0 Comments

2017 Season Tickets on Sale Now!

 You won’t want to miss a minute of our 25th Anniversary Season!

Every year, your support and patronage emboldens us to continue providing theatre in creative new ways – and in 2017 we aim to ignite your imagination again.

We kick off with Jane Austen’s classic, Pride and Prejudice, an absolute joy of Regency romances.  Find out if the illustrious manservant Jeeves saves the scene and the day in Jeeves Takes a Bow. We will gaze into the awesomeness of creative achievements through a tale of the stars and passion for life (near and far) in the exquisite play, Silent Sky.

We’re going to hop through the summer with Rock Legends – the eagerly anticipated sequel to Twist and Shout – as well as pay tribute to our own past with popular KidzPlay and Studio programming. The riotous music of the Canadian blockbuster 2 Pianos 4 Hands is likely to make you giddy – and at Christmas we’ll bring out your wacky side when the Cornwalls return with an all new original Chemainus Theatre Festival adventure.

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Get the the best savings and the most benefits, including:

  • The greatest discount on dinner and theatre packages
  • 15% off tickets for family & friends to a show (and the Playbill Dining Room)
  • 10% off every purchase in the Gallery Gift Shop
  • A free ticket exchange per show
  • Unlimited exchanges with six show packages
  • Extra savings of 50% off tickets to Talley’s Folly

Early Bird Draw

Purchase by Dec 9, 2016 and be entered to WIN your Season Ticket Package, a night at the Best Western Plus Chemainus Inn and a backstage tour at the Theatre.

Which of our outstanding musicals, tributes, dramas, and comedies will you see in 2017?

2017-season-lineup

By |December 6th, 2016|Categories: 2017 Season|0 Comments

Scut Farkas Auction is LIVE Now!

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Let the Chemainus Theatre be your one stop Christmas shop!

Imagine dinner and an evening of theatre with a Vancouver Canuck “King” Richard Brodeur or a tranquil stay at the Tigh Na Mara Seaside Resort and Spa…

We are excited to launch our Scut Farkus Auction Extravaganza in conjunction with the opening of A Christmas Story! Featuring getaways, artwork, gift baskets and more! The auction will open November 18th at 5:00 PM and close December 22nd at 12:00 AM midnight (just in the nick of time to get your gifts under the tree!)

A Family Christmas Classic

aboutxmasstoryThe final show of the Festival’s Season always stands apart. It’s not that the artistry and entertainment value differ from any other production; our teams are always giving you their greatest. The specialness comes from the holiday spirit and feeling of anticipation we all share.

Looking forward to what’s coming is an exciting part of coming to the end of a season. At the same time, we are comforted by the nostalgia of looking back. At the Festival, we have fond memories from nearly 25 years of holiday productions, all of which start with the same wish – to share a theatrical moment you’ll cherish with us.

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This year, that wishful quality of Christmas is at the heart of our comedic play, A Christmas Story. Turning back the pages to 1938, we will see young Ralphie’s attempts to convince his parents, his teacher, and Santa that a Red Ryder B.B. gun really is the perfect Christmas gift – and hear through his older, perhaps wiser, narration, how hope can lead us in many interesting directions.

The play is an adaptation of the award winning 1983 film – derived from the short stories and semi-fictional anecdotes of author Jean Shepherd (published in his book In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash (1966). Having deep resonance in North American culture, the story is considered a holiday classic with a message: no matter how crazy the path our personal wishes lead us, in the end we find happiness from the caring of others.

Our greatest wish is to share inspiring theatre with you, and we thank you for being part of this memorable chapter in our own “Christmas Story.” Enjoy your festivities, and we hope you’ll continue to celebrate with us in 2017 as we mark 25 years of outstanding Festival performances!

 

Get your dollars matched!

Between now and December 1, 2016, every dollar donated to the Chemainus Theatre Endowment Fund will be matched by the Department of Canadian Heritage. Our goal is to raise $15,000

Current 2016 donations are $7,350 Help us raise $7,650 by December 1, 2016!
The Chemainus Theatre Endowment Fund helps the theatre keep pace with the rising cost of producing and presenting professional theatre, and preserves our role as a leading cultural institution for the region.

All donations to this important initiative stay in the fund forever, yet the Chemainus Theatre benefits from the interest earned on the fund. The bigger the endowment grows, the more interest revenue we receive! This new source of income is important to our survival and that’s why we’ve set a new target – to raise $15,000.00 towards our endowment.

You can help us reach our goal by giving a one-time gift, making a multi-year pledge, donating public securities, or leaving us a bequest through your estate planning.

You can donate by clicking here or by calling our box office at 1.800.565.7738.

 

By |October 18th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments

Review: A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur is Fascinating

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Erin Ormond, Kaitlin Williams, Stacie Steadman, Randi Edmundson. Photo: Cim MacDonald

 

Romanticism versus practicality, generosity versus spitefulness, working class versus professional, Williams comes back time and time again to themes that are universal, and digs deep into the intimate nature of these women’s lives to examine them.

It doesn’t matter that it’s 2016, when Bodey opines “there’s always a gossipy little group” she could be talking about life today.  And Helena, describing “dinner for one”, echoes the complaints of generations of lonely people while Dottie’s relentless pursuit of physical fitness and the man she dreams of definitely rejoin concerns of modern women. Heartbreak and disappointment are inevitable.

Set designer Amanda Larder, through judicious use of suspended doorways and windows, and complete working kitchen, creates the claustrophobic impression of the tight confines in Bodey and Dottie’s cramped efficiency, paying particular and faithful attention to the playwright’s descriptions.  When Helena laughs at the décor, what had originally appeared charming takes on a completely different look as seen through her eyes—a sad example of the German tenements so far removed from her experience.

Lighting (Marsha Sibthorpe) illuminates crucial moments of despair—Dottie sobs disconsolately under the soft haloed light in the bedroom, and Helena steps out of the action for a moment to show her true feelings.

Crystal Hanson’s costumes clearly define the class distinctions—Bodey is dowdy in her house dress, Helena–crisp and elegant as if stepping off the society pages, Dottie—girlish in a gown that cost dearly and Sophie frumpy in be-ruffled peignoir.

dottie-creve-coeurStacie Steadman as Dottie. Photo: Cim MacDonald

While elements of nostalgia are at play in terms of décor and household convenience, present day audiences will be grateful for societal changes sometimes taken for granted—Bodey rejoices in an extra half-Saturday off, Dottie has happily “crossed the line”, Helena arrives for a visit that is not expected.

Boundaries and limits are clearly defined–a Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur is fascinating in its exploration of how these four women test and conform to them, and in the interplay in their relationships.

Director Sarah Rodgers and actors have crafted a sensitive, nuanced production that inspires viewers to want to know more, and proves, once again, the profound ability of Tennessee Williams to transcend time and place.

A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur has a limited run. Don’t be disappointed.

A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur at the Chemainus Theatre Festival
September 9-24, 2016
Tickets: from $28

Original Story Link

Hilarous Hilda’s Yard!

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Get off the fence and into your seats. Hilarity is about to ensue in Hilda’s Yard.

What happens when the kids move back to the “empty nest”? Comedy Gold!

In his gifted comedic style, Norm Foster composed a meaningful story of two not-so-empty nesters.

It’s 1956, and Sam and Hilda have finally begun to enjoy a peaceful life. But their blissful nights in front of the television (and a little hanky-panky) are cut short when their unemployed son and their newly single daughter return for an uninvited (and lengthy) stay.

That fabulous ’50s pluxked string music at the start of Hilda’s Yard is just perfect. And so is pretty much everything that follows it.” – Cam Fuller, The Star Phoenix

Niceties begin to fall by the wayside as strong-wills and traditional values face-off against the traumatized and spoiled attitudes of youth. Soon, the delightfully hilarious battle between generations of the “Fluck” family begin to show a deeper story of love, work ethic, mental health, and domestic struggle.

Find out what transpires when The Chemainus Theatre Festival presents this over-the-top, all-ages play.

Book Your Tickets

Book online or call the box office now to book your tickets! 1-800-565-7738

By |August 30th, 2016|Categories: 2016 Season, Hilda's Yard|0 Comments

A Tennessee Williams Gem

Rarity begets richness – revealed at The Chemainus Theatre Festival.

Lovely Sunday

As we scour scripts for our season, we are sometimes surprised to find a lesser-known play that is bursting with character and entertainment. A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur is one of those lucky discoveries.

Written by well-known author, Tennessee Williams, the delicate and dynamic story is often overlooked in comparison to his famous works—The Glass Menagerie, A Streetcar Named Desire, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, —and  is often underestimated.

The short play premiered in June 1978, a few years before Williams’ death, and caused immediate buzz – though not in the usual admiring fashion. Though A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur explores Williams’ most frequent of themes – heartbreak – it does so with an unexpected tenor of kindness and levity. Upon its debut, the nostalgic softness, rich symbolism, and witty dialogue of the story caught both fans and critics off-guard. And yet, at its heart, this play once again delivers “the Gothic joke of the American dream gone wrong.”

It is through a jovial lens and clever characters that Williams illuminates more solemn mid-century struggles. From schoolteacher Dottie’s naïve and desperate dreams to matriarchal matchmaking roommate Bodey, domineering colleague Helena, and the ever-present but never prominent mourning Miss Gluck, Williams pinpoints the still-familiar feeling of coping with loneliness and despair.

Despite its worldly themes, the play often departs from realistic technique into a unique blend of poetic language, slapstick humour, and sincere and tender moments that are sweet, different, and totally enjoyable.

We feel fortunate to share this masterful story, and hope that you will join us for another great Festival experience.

Book Your Tickets

Book online or call the box office now to book your tickets! 1-800-565-7738

Fall Into Inspiration

Enjoy the casual, intimate experience of our Studio Stage with this year’s Studio Production.

Falling Awake

One starry night the body of a young man, still strapped into his airplane seat, falls from the sky into the yard of Harold and Elsie’s farm. As the night unfolds, their mysterious guest effects a profound transformation in his hosts. Falling: A Wake is a haunting and surprisingly funny play about love, loss, and the redemptive power of letting go.

Tickets cost $27.

Show Location

This play is not at the theatre Mainstage, it’s at our Studio Stage

Available Performances

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Book Your Tickets

Book online or call the box office now to book your tickets! 1-800-565-7738

 

By |August 2nd, 2016|Categories: 2016 Season|0 Comments