Every year, Winter Carnival swoops in to relieve Vernon residents of their winter blues. And, every year, Michael Poirier plays his part as writer/director to enliven the festival.

Poirier乌鸦传媒檚 Backstage Theatre presents Wonderland Retirement Home Feb. 7-10 at the Schubert Centre as part of the Vernon Winter Carnival. This year, the Carnival乌鸦传媒檚 theme is Carnival in Wonderland.

乌鸦传媒淚 do wait until the theme of Carnival comes out (to begin writing),乌鸦传媒� Poirier said, adding that he has written plays for Winter Carnival since 2006. 乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 about a retirement home for actors who never made it to the red carpet, and they乌鸦传媒檙e all down on themselves 乌鸦传媒� a little depressed.乌鸦传媒�

Characters in the play, reliving their glory days by refusing to let go of the characters they once embodied, are disheartened by the day乌鸦传媒檚 lacklustre 乌鸦传媒渂ig乌鸦传媒� news: Wonderland is receiving new bingo cards. Gus Calling乌鸦传媒檚 Ninja Man (Mike Panian) and Chancey Calm乌鸦传媒檚 Tinkerbell (Betty Anne Northup), like the rest of the gossip-fuelled actors that call Wonderland home, are constantly at each others throats, which only serves to make matters worse.

乌鸦传媒淭he new owner tries to bring moral up by producing a play, but if anyone wants to act, they have to get along,乌鸦传媒� Poirier said. 乌鸦传媒淲hen the opportunity comes to get back on stage and have fun, they compromise their comfort zones on the regular to serve that opportunity. It乌鸦传媒檚 a play about relationships and coming to terms about aging with dignity.乌鸦传媒�

Backed by a six-piece band led by music director Julie Armitage, the two act musical comedy features a Winter Carnival-themed menu complete with a two protein buffet.

乌鸦传媒淚 had someone who said, 乌鸦传媒業 come to your plays because I get greats plays and great dinner. It乌鸦传媒檚 like going to a music night,乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮�媒� Poirier said. 乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 a very great relationship we乌鸦传媒檝e had with the Schubert Centre.

Wonderland Retirement Home乌鸦传媒檚 score compiles hits from a multitude of genres, from classic rock to big band, to Woodstock-esque tunes and folk jams.

乌鸦传媒淗opefully there乌鸦传媒檚 something there that appeals to everyone,乌鸦传媒� Armitage said. 乌鸦传媒淭his year was a bit of a challenge with the Wonderland theme. We ended up using songs that reflected more about either characters or what they were trying to convey.乌鸦传媒�

For example, Armitage said, Nurse Nancy (Lori Hancock) sings The Doors乌鸦传媒� classic hit Light My Fire while drooling over a photo of her crush. Moreover, the score seeks to add to the fun ambiance found in Wonderland Retirement Home.

Poirier, a member of the Playwrights Guild of Canada and Best Ensemble and Outstanding New Play Award-winner, put the finishing touches on the script in October. It then went to a first reading in November with four-times a week rehearsals beginning in January.

However, the playwright of more than 25 productions fell into the craft by mere coincidence.

乌鸦传媒淚 never let anyone read anything I wrote,乌鸦传媒� Poirier said of his early days in writing. 乌鸦传媒淚 let Anne (an aquaintance and member of the local theatre society) read one of my short stories and she asked if I could write a play. I wrote a play for her, and I was just hooked.乌鸦传媒�

Several years, a handful of films, and dozens of short stories and scripts later, Poirier is looking forward to the curtains opening on Wonderland Retirement Home.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 unbelievable the amount of people who stood up and wanted to have fun,乌鸦传媒� Poirier said of the audition process. 乌鸦传媒淚f you can乌鸦传媒檛 walk away happy after putting on a performance, it乌鸦传媒檚 not worth it. To me, that乌鸦传媒檚 what theatre is all about.乌鸦传媒�

Wonderland Retirement Home runs at the Schubert Centre Feb. 7-10. Doors open at 6 p.m.; dinner is at 6:30 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available for $49 at the Winter Carnival Office, 250-545-2236, or the Schubert Centre, 250-549-4201.

entertainment@vernonmorningstar.com
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