On stage in May and June

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Theatre 2011

On stage in May and June

Tuesday, 26 April 2011

The summer theatre season in Vancouver is quickly approaching. Here is what is set to play Vancouver stages in May and June 2011, including shows with an LGBTQ! connection.

Are we missing a show? Send us the details and we'll get you listed! Do you have an LGBTQ! connection - let us know as we'd love to do a preview!


	Hairspray Arts Club Stanley Theatre Through 10 July 2011 Amidst the doo-wop and beehives of ‘60s Baltimore, pleasantly plump Tracy Turnblad won’t let popular Amber Von Tussle squash her dream of dancing on a local TV teen variety show. Can a girl with big ideas (and really big hair!) change the world … and win the heart of dreamy Link Larkin? Welcome to the ‘60s! Visit http://www.artsclub.com for tickets and information.

	Mom's The Word: Remixed Arts Club Revue Stage Through 23 July 2011 The mother of all shows is back by popular demand! The shockingly funny Moms reunite to bring highlights from the smash hits Mom’s the Word and Mom’s the Word 2: Unhinged to the Arts Club’s Revue Stage. They’ll share their true, intimate tales of the heartache and joy of parenthood, from bun in the oven to the terrible twos to the terrifying teens. Visit http://www.artsclub.com for tickets and information.

	Bard On The Beach Shakespeare Festival Vanier Park Through 24 September 2011 Bard on the Beach’s 2011 season sees the mainstage production of the light-hearted romantic comedy As You Like It playing in repertory with the classic The Merchant of Venice. In the studio tent are Henry VI: The Wars of the Roses and Richard III. Visit http://www.bardonthebeach.org for tickets and information.

	A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline 16 June - 30 July 2011 Arts Club Granville Island Stage From small town Virginia to the bright lights of Carnegie Hall, Patsy Cline’s legend is a monument to ambition, grace, and talent. This moving tribute to a dazzling star lost at the peak of her career features the classic songs “Walkin’ After Midnight,” “Sweet Dreams,” “Crazy,” and more. Experience the magic of an unforgettable woman and an unforgettable voice. Visit http://artsclub.com for tickets and information.

	Harvey Metro Theatre 18 June - 16 July 2011 One of the longest running plays on Broadway. The story is about an affable man Elwood P. Dowd and his unseen to all but Elwood, presumably imaginary friend Harvey, a six-foot, three-and-one-half-inch tall rabbit. When Elwood starts to introduce Harvey, a pooka, to guests at a society party, his society-obsessed sister, Veta, has seen as much of his eccentric behavior as she can tolerate. She decides to have him committed to a sanitarium to spare her daughter Myrtle Mae and their family from future embarrassment. Visit http://www.metrotheatre.org for tickets and information.

	Gritty City Theatre Improv Centre, Granville Island Opens 23 June 2011 Grow out your hair and hang onto your aviators – the streets of Vancouver are no longer safe! Take a trip back to the 70s with Vancouver TheatreSports’ improvised cop drama: Gritty City Fever. Cops, crooks, and car chases abound in this 90-minute production that takes inspiration from your favourite 70s cop shows. Will the police get their man, or will the bad guys rule the streets in a reign of chaos? Whether you’re cheering for the cops or for the robbers, the laughs have never been as loud as when Vancouver’s funniest improvisers take the stage. Visit http://www.vtsl.com for tickets and information.

	Bash: Latter-Day Plays Hardline Studios 27-30 June & 5-9 July 2011 'Bash' is a concussive prayer. Four characters share more with us than their most private confessions: they also share the depths at which they find ways to rationalize their sins. Neil Labute has crafted a drama that is heartbreaking, vicious, and, above all else, human. All performances by donation ($15 suggested). Visit http://www.hardlineproductions.ca for more information.

	Three Days of Rain Studio 16 28 June - 3 July 2011 Touching on topics such as mental illness, physical impediments and those who have been hurt and damaged in the past, it ultimately tells the story of individuals working to overcome their struggles in order to achieve their dreams. Visit http://ninjapiratestheatre.com for more information.

	The Verona Project Pacific Theatre 29 June - 2 July 2011 Set in the present day, in a city much like Vancouver, the story of Romeo and Juliet is played out with an eye towards the joys, pains and mistakes of youth. The Verona Project looks to ask many questions which are relevant to today's audiences: How do we perpetuate fear and prejudice in our kids? How have we all contributed to the violence and death of our children? Are we destined to follow in the footsteps of our mothers and fathers? Call the Pacific Theatre Box Office for tickets at 604.731.5518.

Previously in May & June:

	Bridge Mix Metro Parkade 8 - 25 June 2011 Eight emerging theatre companies return to the Metro Parkade on West Pender for another year of brand new site-specific installations. Visit http://www.itsazoo.org for tickets and information.
	Wicked Queen Elizabeth Theatre Through 26 June 2011 Long before Dorothy drops in, two other girls meet in the land of Oz. One - born with emerald green skin - is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. Wicked tells the story of their remarkable odyssey, how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good. Tickets available online or by calling 1-855-985-5000.
	The Great Divorce Pacific Theatre Through 18 June 2011 Hell resembles nothing so much as a dreary industrial city in the north of England, its denizens free to leave whenever they like – aboard a bus bound for a heaven that’s like nothing you’ve ever imagined. A theologically dazzling journey studded with memorable characters, mind-spinning dialogue, and images of human folly and sublime hope that will forever change the way you see eternity. Visit http://pacifictheatre.org for tickets and information.
	A Guide to Mourning Performance Works 8 - 12 June 2011 A father's death reunites Deirdre with her three adult children. Together they attempt to plan their father's final passage with what one would hope to be a sense of tender urgency and intimacy. But in a play that is at once unsettling and hysterical, both bleak and hopeful, the family is so consumed with serving their own needs first that the actual funeral seems doomed from the start. Visithttp://www.upintheairtheatre.com for tickets and information.
	Bedroom Farce Havana Theatre Through 5 June 2011 Malcolm and Kate are having a housewarming party. They’ve invited all their friends, including Trevor and Susannah, who Malcolm says better not start any trouble or they’re out. Also invited are Nick and his wife Jan, Trevor’s ex-girlfriend. But Jan is solo tonight because Nick is stuck at home with a bad back. In another part of town, Ernest and Delia just want to celebrate their anniversary in peace. What could go wrong? Visit www.thatothertheatrecompany.com for tickets and information.
	Community Dinner Progress Lab 1422 1 - 4 June 2011 Dinner theatre is served up fresh in this unique collaboration between some of Vancouver’s most innovative theatre artists and newcomers to Canada. One part cooking show, one part biography and one part dinner party, this theatrical feast celebrates the one thing that unites us all – food. Visithttp://rumble.org for tickets and information.
	Uncommon Women (and Others) PAL Theatre 31 May - 4 June 2011 Join the ladies of Mount Holyoke as the reflect on their time together at college as they try to "discover themselves" in the wak of second-wave feminism. The funny and poignant comedy is a perfect night out for ladies, and the men who want to understand them! Visithttp://fightingchanceproductions.ca for tickets and information.
	Never Swim Alone Hardline Studios, Gastown 27 May - 4 June 2011 Never Swim Alone is a quick-witted, breakneck satire about two men engaged in ruthless competition. Formerly childhood friends, they smile while stabbing each other in the front and jockey to be first in a series of pissing contests - some literal, much to the amusement of the audience. Visit the group's Facebook event page for more information.
	Haunted Metro Theatre 7 May - 4 June 2011 Aspiring playwright Nigel Burke is neurotic and agoraphobic and has not written a word in three months, much to the chagrin of his wife, agent and friends. A mysterious man who knows of Nigel’s interest in Byron gives him a goblet used by the poet. Drinking from this goblet causes subtle changes in Nigel’s confidence and manner – then out of nowhere, an unexpected visitor arrives - the ghost of Byron himself. Visit http://www.metrotheatre.org for tickets and information.
	Eurydice Studio 16 23 May - 3 June 2011 Eurydice (Yuh-RID-ih-see) is a modern adaptation of the myth of Orpheus, but follows Eurydice and her decent to the Underworld where she meets her Father. Tickets are available online or by calling 778-228-8977. Visit Secretly Women Productions on Facebook for more information.
	The Ballad of Bobby Angel J Lounge 24 - 26 May 2011 The Ballad of Bobby Angel is a campy and comedic, interactive murder mystery. Everyone has their secrets, and these characters are bursting with them. Visit http://www.mysteriumtheatre.com for tickets and information.
	Beautiful Problems Roundhouse Community Centre 13 - 21 May 2011 Radix Theatre is pleased to present Beautiful Problems, a new original work inspired by the famous 1997 chess game between world champion Garry Kasparov and the IBM computer Deep Blue. Beautiful Problems offers an emotionally and intellectually engaging response to some of the most difficult issues of our time. Visit www.radixtheatre.org for tickets and information.
	Love/Stories Little Mountain Gallery 11 - 21 May 2011 You won't know what to expect in these original and relate-able five short plays.An audition for a new play goes sideways, a question-and-answer session with a famous director takes a turn for the domestic dispute, a temp deals with post break-up stresses by throwing herself at her co-worker. For tickets call 604.999.1522 or email: kinetichism@gmail.com.
	MacHomer Vancouver Playhouse 14 & 15 May 2011 This one man tour-de-force melds Shakespeare’s Macbeth and TV’s The Simpsons into a vocal spectacular featuring 50 Simpsons characters. This Macbeth is anything but classic as Miller brings out the tragedy of Homer Simpson and the comedy of the ambitious Thane of Glamis. Retaining 85% of Macbeth while incorporating Simpson-esque asides (“Is this a dagger I see before me? Or a pizza?”), you’ll never see Macbeth again in the same light. Visit http://www.vancouverplayhouse.com for tickets and information.
	Prodigals SFU Woodward's 3 - 14 May 2011 After a sold-out & critically acclaimed workshop production, which was also recently named as one of the ten best theatre productions for 2010, Prodigals returns for its official World Premiere. Set in a small bar in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, six young underachievers await the results of a murder trial that’s hit close to home. Their world of drinking, sarcasm and missed opportunities is flipped upside down when a former friend returns from Toronto to testify in the trial, reopening old wounds and creating some new ones as well. Visit www.twentysomethingtheatre.com for tickets and information.
	The Graduate Arts Club Granville Island Stage Through 14 May 2011 The Graduate is adapted for the stage from the popular 1967 romantic comedy film that starred Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft in the iconic roles of Benjamin Braddock and Mrs. Robinson. The story of Benjamin finding his way in life after college spoke to a generation about the ways of the adult world, and the loss of innocence. Visit http://www.artsclub.com for tickets and information.
	The Lawyer Show: Something Funny Happened on the Way to the Forum Waterfront Theatre 4 - 7 May 2011 This hit musical is inspired by the farces of the ancient Rome and tells the bawdy story of a slave named Pseudolus and his attempts to win his freedom by helping his young master woo the girl next door. The Lawyer Show is a fundraiser for Carousel Theatre for Young People and Touchstone Theatre. Visit http://www.carouseltheatre.ca for tickets and information.
	Little Me CBC Studio 700 4 - 7 May 2011 Probably the best musical comedy you've never heard of, Little Me is a whopping, whirling satire on the familiar "as told to" show biz biography. In this case, the Hollywood back-story is that of Belle Poitrine (French for "beautiful bosoms") a buxom blonde and queen of the silver screen. Follow her epic romances and rise to ascendance over the bodies of husbands, lovers and acquaintances who meet untimely deaths in her vicinity. Visit http://applausemusicals.com for tickets and information.
	Fiddler On The Roof Vancouver Centre for the Performing Arts Through 1 May 2011 Tevye’s wrestling with the new customs of a younger generation is punctuated by an unforgettable score. When his daughters choose suitors who defy his idea of a proper match, Tevye comes to realize, through a series of incidents that are at once comic and bittersweet, that his children will begin traditions of their own. At the story’s close, the villagers of Anatevka are forced to leave their homes and even the sturdy mores that have guided everyday life begin to crumble. Paradoxically, it is the enforced loss of the rigid traditions and home life that Tevye has tried so tenaciously to preserve that leads the family to reconcile and draw closer still. Tickets are available online or by calling 604-780-3333.
	Tape The Waldorf Hotel Through 1 May 2011 Tape is staged inside a hotel room at the Waldorf Hotel. With seating for 18 persons max this performance is truly intimate and unique. No black-outs, no transitions. This is live theatre, as real as it gets. A modern morality tale, Tape will keep you guessing until the end. Who’s right? What’s wrong? In the course of an hour, in one hotel room, secrets are revealed and alliances altered, but the truth is illusive … even when it’s on tape. Visit http://www.tapetheplay.ca for more information.