2016 Season Archives - Chemainus Theatre Festival

A Family Christmas Classic

The 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.

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!

By Editor M|October 25th, 2016|Categories: 2016 Season, A Christmas Story, About the Shows, Christmas|0 Comments

Now Playing: Hilda’s Yard

How unbreakable are the ties that bind a family together? It’s 1956, and happy empty-nesters Sam and Hilda are finally enjoying life on their own. But their peaceful home turns chaotic when their unemployed son and newly-single daughter return for an unexpected stay. Can these traditional parents and far-out children bridge the generational divide?

Enjoy the hilarious situational comedy of this Norm Foster gem.

Click for More About the Show

By Editor NW|October 7th, 2016|Categories: 2016 Season, Hilda's Yard|0 Comments

Upcoming Gallery Exhibit: Martin Kaspers, October 7

About Martin Kaspers

Martin Kaspers became a full time artist in 2000 using photography as his primary medium.

He moved to the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island in 2006 and has his studio there. At his studio he does all his own printing and framing. He also prints for many other artists and helps photographers with adjusting their images.

Presently, he sells his art in galleries across western Canada. Much of his subject matter is the beautiful west coast.

Martin’s Website

Click Here to Visit

By Editor NW|October 5th, 2016|Categories: 2016 Season, Hilda's Yard, The Gallery Gift Shop|0 Comments

Review: A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur is Fascinating

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.

Stacie 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

By Editor M|September 14th, 2016|Categories: 2016 Season, A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur, Reviews|0 Comments

Upcoming Gallery Exhibit: Brian Scott, September 9 to 24

Brian Scott – September 9 to 24

About Brian Scott

Canadian artist Brian Scott is an original oil painter whose name is inextricably linked to colour – wild and wonderful mixes of fanciful, fun and exciting hues that bring the west coast fishing boats, architecture and tumble-down buildings of our beloved coastal British Columbia into a new perspective. Whether you make your home here on Vancouver Island or are a visitor to Canada the fine art originals of Brian Scott will evoke wonderful memories!

Expressionist oil paintings produced on location are this BC artist’s main passion. His emphasis on design and composition, combined with a full spectrum of colour, has become the trademark of his paintings. Brian Scott focuses international attention on Canadian art; his original oil paintings have sold internationally in the U.K., Hong Kong, Germany, Holland, Norway, Switzerland, Australia and the U.S.and in his well-established market here on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.

You can view and purchase Brian Scott’s original art, fine art prints, greeting cards, Brian’s books – collections of painting and accompanying stories – and whimsical papier mache sculptures based on his painting. Visit his art gallery studio in Black Creek in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada, open most days. Watch for the colourful signs on scenic Hwy. 19A.

Brian’s Website

Click Here to Visit

By Editor NW|September 1st, 2016|Categories: 2016 Season, The Gallery Gift Shop|0 Comments

Hilarous Hilda’s Yard!

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

A Tennessee Williams Gem

Rarity begets richness – revealed at The Chemainus Theatre Festival.

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

By Editor M|August 11th, 2016|Categories: 2016 Season, A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur|0 Comments

Fall Into Inspiration

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

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

Book Your Tickets

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

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

Photos With The Stars!

Get a photo with the stars after the show!

Bring your group to see our summer KidzPlay (ask our groups coordinator about our special groups rate!) and meet the cast after the show in the front courtyard.

Pet the Fish and Other Impossible Tales is a hero’s tale for kids, an imaginative, exciting fantasy adventure for children coming to life on the Chemainus Theatre Festival stage again this summer.

Last seen on the Chemainus Theatre stage in 2004, it was written by Chemainus Theatre Festival’s Artistic Director Mark DuMez, who says it was inspired by a trip to a gift shop with his young daughter. Fascinated by a brightly coloured stained glass fish, she insisted with the enthusiastic wonder of a small child that she wanted to “pet the fish”! Ruminating on the day’s shopping adventure inspired Mark to write this heartful tale of a child’s gift to her mother; being able to return the dreams her mother lost in the process of becoming a grown-up.

Josephine, the heroine, sets out with her unwilling brother in tow, on a journey that magically transforms their lives. Their impossible tale takes them to a talking oyster, a riddling troll, and out to sea to catch the Big One.

You can now reserve your seats in advance for KidzPlays!

Recommended for ages 4 and up, Pet the Fish runs until August 13^th at the Chemainus Theatre Festival.

Tickets are only $12 (including taxes) for all ages. Or buy a family pack—buy 3 get one free! Show days and times: Tuesday 2 pm, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 11 am.

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

Groups

Contact our Group Bookings Coordinator, Karen Sharonowski:
groups@chemainustheatre.ca
Ph: 250.246.4161 or 1.877.247.4161

By Editor M|July 21st, 2016|Categories: 2016 Season|0 Comments

More Chances To See Footloose!

Worried you won’t get to see this summer’s blockbuster?

We’ve got you covered!

Due to popular demand, we have added a number of shows to the schedule so you can be sure to see Footloose: The Musical this summer.

Book online at chemainustheatre.ca OR call the box office now to book your tickets! 1-800-565-7738

By Editor M|July 15th, 2016|Categories: 2016 Season|0 Comments