Peter Panties: What does C.S.I. have to do with Peter Pan?
Remember those bouncy balls that you used to play with when you were a kid? You would throw it against a wall and it would bounce and bounce until you were finally able to catch it. Magic!
It's that same kind of magic that went into the creation of
Peter Panties, the classic story of Peter Pan radically re-imagined by playwrights Niall McNeil and Marcus Youssef. The collaboration of these playwrights was one of propelling ideas into the atmosphere, watching the colours fly and catching them when they were ready to land. For
Peter Panties, it's a world that stems completely from Niall's imagination.
Niall, truly, is the creative force behind the show. His inventive ideas were launched, and then
delicately recorded by the talented Marcus Youssef who then helped to shape and mould these ideas into a storyline and script. When getting together for a creative session, Marcus would capture all their conversations on video as a record for future reference. He also wrote down all these ideas so that they could one day breathe life into the characters and scenarios that Niall so vividly imagined.
And in Niall's world, anything goes. According to Veda Hille, the songstress behind the performance "there's everything from Macbeth to Mother Courage to C.S.I. in the mix." These pop culture references are the product of the totally candid approach these guys took when creating
Peter Panties. They didn't restrain from going to the places that their imaginations could take them. Instead, they let ideas build on top of one another until they had reached the place they felt happy with.
And that place was the birth of
Peter Panties, the story of Peter Pan like you've never seen it before. Not for children!
Peter Panties runs at The Cultch February 3 to 13. Tickets are only $22 and can be purchased online at
tickets.thecultch.com, by phone at 604.251.1363 or in person at 1895 Venables Street (at Victoria Drive).
Firebird 2011: Turning Point Ensemble and MOVE: the company
What are these guys all about?
Turning Point EnsembleWhat happens when you put the 19 instrumentalists of
Turning Point Ensemble together in a room? Music with a mission. And that mission is all about bridging the gap between music of the past and music of today.
More specifically, it's music from the past hundred years they aim to promote. Turning Point wants you to understand and give you insight into the music of the past. They figure that without an appreciation for what happened then, how can you possibly appreciate what's going on now?
It's the imaginative programming of their performances that makes this happen. Not to mention their interdisciplinary collaborations. See, Turning Point Ensemble doesn't just remount old scores, they breathe new life into them by pairing up with other artists: choreographers, singers, photographers and visual artists to create something new.
In recognition of their great work, Turning Point received last year's Rio Tinto Alcan Performing Arts Award in the category of Music for 2011. This $60,000 production fund is awarded annually to performing arts companies in BC, with the aim of creating new works in music and opera, dance and theatre.
The new work by Turning Point premieres this coming March with The Cultch's presentation of
Firebird 2011, March 2-5, and it's a perfect chance to see what these guys are all about. With two acts come two variations of the same piece; the first, a new take on Stravinsky's original
Firebird and the second, a
Firebird variation complete with music by Jocelyn Morlock and choreography by Vancouver's own Simone Orlando with dancers from MOVE: the company. It's a musical and choreographic marvel you won't want to miss!
MOVE: the companyIf you're wondering about the happenings in the world of contemporary dance, look no further than
MOVE: the company. This little group has gained big ground in their five year existence, boasting a bigger résumé than most dance companies build in a lifetime.
Founded in 2005 by artistic director Josh Beamish, MOVE: the company focuses on the production of new choreographic works from both established and emerging choreographers. This is a company that doesn't wait for work to find them, they create it.
What's more, their stuff is good. Really good. And with that kind of talent it's hard to not be noticed. That's why you may have seen them presented by local hot shots Dancing On The Edge, The Vancouver International Dance Festival or MovEnt's Dances For a Small Stage, just to name a few. They've also toured extensively throughout BC, as well as to Alberta, Ontario, Québec, Nova Scotia, and even south of the border to New York, Washington, DC and San Fransisco.
It's a wonder that a company just five years old could already have this kind of experience. However, the company wouldn't be anywhere if it weren't for the smart direction of Josh Beamish who has an impressive résumé of his own even without the comforts of his company. He works hard, and clearly the effort pays off. MOVE: the company is evidence of that.
Check out MOVE in
Firebird 2011. Between the incredible sounds from Turning Point Ensemble, the choreography by Simone Orlando and performance by MOVE, you'll be seeing some of the greatest talent this city has to offer on one stage!
Firebird 2011 runs at The Cultch March 2 to 5. Tickets start at $28 and can be purchased online at
tickets.thecultch.com, by phone at 604.251.1363 or in person at 1895 Venables Street (at Victoria Drive).
Calling all Youth Artists!
Are you a youth aged 13-24? Apply to be a director for this year's IGNITE! Youth-Driven Arts Festival. You get a production budget, rehearsal space, a professional venue AND get to work with a professional directing mentor. The program is 100% free!
Click here to find out how you can be a part of this fantastic program!
Check out the new website for Ignite! Vancouver's Youth-Driven Arts Festival!
