The cycle rotates daily. A performance is followed by an engaging green room socials, which precedes a coffee critique the following afternoon before workshops and a new performance at night.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 just so much going on. It乌鸦传媒檚 like you乌鸦传媒檙e bringing the Vancouver theatre forum to Vernon,乌鸦传媒� said Richard Kerton, Theatre BC Mainstage co-chair. 乌鸦传媒淓very night is a different show. Every night is a different experience.乌鸦传媒�

Theatre BC乌鸦传媒檚 Mainstage Festival kicks off at the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre June 29 with Collected Stories by Donald Margulies presented by E.C.H.O. Players of the North Island Zone. Each night sees a performance from each of the eight theatre companies entered in this year乌鸦传媒檚 festival, which culminates in an awards banquet July 7 at the Schubert Centre.

乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e getting excited. We乌鸦传媒檙e feeling the anxiety just crossing the T乌鸦传媒檚 and dotting the I乌鸦传媒檚,乌鸦传媒� Kerton said of the looming festival kickoff.

乌鸦传媒淢ainstage likes to set a certain quality. Giving them (community theatre companies) the opportunity to perform in a professional theatre is an experience. It乌鸦传媒檚 giving them a chance to see what it乌鸦传媒檚 all about.乌鸦传媒�

Prior to the festival, theatre companies joined together with other companies in each of Theatre BC乌鸦传媒檚 eight competing zones to decide which company proceeded to the provincials. In the Okanagan Zone (Ozone) that honour went to Powerhouse Theatre乌鸦传媒檚 Calendar Girls directed by Tanya Laing Gahr.

As part of their initial performance, Calendar Girls, in the vein of the true story itself, produced a calendar from which a portion of the proceeds was donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada.

According to Barbara Keith, with Powerhouse Theatre, those donations total $4,650 and will be presented to Anni Rychtera, an LLSC volunteer and a Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma survivor, prior to Calendar Girls乌鸦传媒� July 1 Mainstage performance.

Other performances include The Best Brothers by Daniel MacIvor presented by Terrace Little Theatre of the Skeena Zone June 30, Halo by Josh MacDonald presented by the Chilliwack School of Performing Arts as a wild card entry from the Fraser Valley Zone July 2, The Gravitational Pull of Bernice Trimble by Beth Graham presented by Between Shifts Theatre of the North Shore Zone July 3, No Exit by Jean-Paul Sartre presented by Theatre In The Country of the Fraser Valley Zone July 4, Hand To God by Roberts Askins presented by Williams Lake Studio Theatre of the Central Interior Zone July 5 and Blackbird by David Harrower presented by Stage North of the Peace River Zone July 6.

乌鸦传媒淪ome of the companies are used to performing in their own facility and are getting used to (performing on new stages). Some have never performed in a big theatre either. We try to make it as comfortable as possible. Our goal is to welcome them to Vernon and relieve their anxiety,乌鸦传媒� Kerton said.

乌鸦传媒淭heatre BC is a non-profit. Our mandate is education. I乌鸦传媒檓 confident that what we are doing is the right thing.乌鸦传媒�

Kerton said feedback from adjudicator Stephen Drover, artistic director of Rumble Theatre and associate artistic director at Arts Club Theatre Company, is provided not only to actors but to all who work on a production. And, for one Mainstage workshop, the feedback presented to Cathie Young, full-length winner of the Theatre BC 2017 Canadian Playwriting Competition is the highlight.

乌鸦传媒淪he乌鸦传媒檚 bringing her play to Vernon. That乌鸦传媒檚, of course, a brand new play never performed before,乌鸦传媒� Kerton said of Young who works with Expect Exceptional Theatre Company.

Scenes from Young乌鸦传媒檚 play Port Moody Confidential 乌鸦传媒� Glimpses will be workshopped by Kathryn Shaw at Powerhouse Theatre as part of the festival.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 hard when you have it on paper to see what it乌鸦传媒檚 going to look like on stage,乌鸦传媒� Kerton said.

In addition to the performances and critiques, local theatre star Amelia Sirianni will lead the Theatre Youth Camp Workshop July 5-7. Sirianni led the workshop last year with success.

乌鸦传媒淭he biggest struggle is getting young people into community theatre, actually getting them on stage,乌鸦传媒� Kerton said.

At the banquet July 7, awards will be presented to theatre companies, actors, set designers, costume designers and more.

乌鸦传媒淲e want people to come to the show. You乌鸦传媒檙e not just buying a ticket to see a show, you乌鸦传媒檙e supporting the theatre community,乌鸦传媒� Kerton said.

乌鸦传媒淭his is a great opportunity for people to see great theatre in a short period of time at an affordable cost.乌鸦传媒�

Tickets to Theatre BC乌鸦传媒檚 Mainstage Festival are available through the Ticket Seller, 250-549-7469, . Single performances are $30 or $25 Theatre BC member, a three-day pass is $87 or $72 respectively, a five-day pass is $140 or $115 and an eight-day pass is $216 or $176.

parker.crook@vernonmorningstar.com
Like us on and follow us on .