Q&A with Madeleine Sami: The Charming New Zealander Dishes About Her Theatrical Debut and the Return of No. 2  Tour de force Madeleine Sami is just as excited to be performing No. 2 now as she was 12 years ago when it premiered in her native New Zealand. "I think it's the fact that you get to take the [No. 2] family all around the world - the joy for me now having done it so many times is taking it to new audiences and seeing what they bring to it. The first Canadian event was a good measure of what Canadians will be like, it was really warm. I feel like New Zealand and Canada are both humble nations, y'know; they both have a lot of similarities and commonalities - the people come from a similar place. And at the end of the day it's a story about family. The thrill I get is watching people identify with the part they like most." Read more  No.2 is now playing at The Cultch February 4, 2012. Tickets start at $16 and are available online at http://tickets.thecultch.com, by phone at 604.251.1363, or in person at 1895 Venables Street. A co-presentation with Push International Performing Arts Festival; Presented with the support of The Charlotte and Sonya Wall Fund for the Arts and Creative New Zealand.
The 605 Collective and Choreographer Dana Gingras Discover their Primal Instinct with New Animal
New Animal sees the physical boundaries of the 605 Collective pushed to their limits, something award-winning choreographer Dana Gingras has always been fascinated with. New Animal is thought made visible in multi-disciplinary form. Physical bodies move within a multi-media landscape set to a manipulated soundtrack by Roger Tellier-Craig. The difference in training disciplines within the collective - Ballet to Hip-Hop to Jazz to Martial Arts - allows choreographer Gingras to experiment and play with ranges of movement and create mixed forms presenting a visual feast for the spectator!
New Animal premieres at The Cultch February 7-11, 2012. Tickets are from $16 and may be purchased by visiting tickets.thecultch.com or by calling the Box Office at 604-251-1363.
The Silicone Diaries - Gender As Performance
Is society obsessed with beauty, youth and physical attractiveness or is it corporations who hold the obsession? Do people naturally want to be physically desirable and attractive? Is gender an innate quality or a learned performative behaviour? Why does plastic surgery hold such negative connotations? Or does it? All will be uncovered, literally, in Nina Arsenault's as she reveals the 60 surgical procedures and years of preparation she undertook to transition from an awkward man into a jaw-dropping bombshell. Prepared to be shocked, challenged and entertained! The Silicone Diaries plays at The Cultch from February 14-25, 2012. Tickets are from $21 and may be purchased by visiting tickets.thecultch.com or by calling the Box Office at 604-251-1363.
GIANTS IV feat. EPIC SEX ED: Late-night Comedy at The Cultch
The fourth installment from GIANTS Comedy and their world-class comedian ensemble brings you Epic Sex Ed complete with sex, drugs and dance battles; what more could you want on a Saturday night in East Vancouver? Perhaps opening and closing parties before, during and after the show? Giants IV feat. Epic Sex Ed comes fully equipped with all of the above as well as buckets full of laughter and cheap pints courtesy of Whistler Brewing! Special guests include Darcy Michael and Ivan Decker, along with new installments from "News Around Now" with Emmett Hall and "Delicious Things" with Nik Bunting. Giants I, II and III were sell-outs so be sure to get your tickets quick!
Giants IV feat Epic Sex Ed is a one night affair and seating is limited. Grab your tickets while you can! For more information, hilarious videos, and guest bios, visit GIANTScomedy.com.
Hunchback Remains True to Victor Hugo's Novel
The award-winning creative team from Catalyst Theatre return to Vancouver with Hunchback; a reimagining of Victor Hugo's famous 1831 novel. Whether you're a fan of the novel, Catalyst Theatre, the gothic genre or simply a theatre enthusiast, you're in for a treat. Co-presented with The Vancouver Playhouse, Hunchback is a visual spectacle and has left audiences across Canada in awe with its tale of obsession, love, lust, beauty and the grotesque. Catalyst Theatre was last in Vancouver in 2010 with Nevermore, the whimsical fairytale of Edgar Allen Poe as part of the PuSh Festival.
VALENTINE'S EARLY BIRD OFFER! Enjoy 50% off tickets purchased to performances on Feb 18, 20, 22, 23. Offer valid from Feb 9 to 15 with promo code 'Quasimodo'. Cannot be combined with any other offer. No cash value. Offer may not be applied toward past purchases.
Hunchback plays at The Vancouver Playhouse from Feb 18 - March 10, 2012. Tickets are available at The Vancouver Playhouse Box Office in person, online or by calling the Box Office at 604-873-3311.
The Old Trout Puppet Workshop returns with Ignorance
Can't seem to figure out when you ceased to communicate with the person next to you and became obsessed with Facebook? Or why you've become so unhappy? Old Trout Puppet Workshop is here to help. Ignorance - a puppet documentary - will explain how we went from simple, happy souls to the complicated, dissatisfied, overwhelmed people we are today, with hopes of offering some useful insight. Co-created by The Old Trouts and numerous online contributors via the world-wide web, this is truly a collective and universal story. Ignorance experiments with new ways of creating theatre and offers a chance to marvel at their beautifully crafted puppets, while breaking all the rules. Ignorance plays at The Cultch from Feb 28 - Mar 10, 2012. Tickets are from $16 and may be purchased by visiting tickets.thecultch.com or by calling the Box Office at 604-251-1363.
In The Gallery: Feature Wall, by Gillian McConnell, No Reserve Seating by Kevin Godsoe and Private Practices by Janny Thompson
The Cultch gallery is excited to showcase three artists in February. Finishing her exhibition Feature Wall, which opened in mid January, is Gillian McConnell, an artist of all trades whose work uses a unique blend of paint, photography and collage to tackle the subjects of politics, spirituality, psychology and culture. Following McConnell is a joint show between BC Artists Kevin Godsoe and Janny Thompson. Godsoe's unique paintings communicate an appreciation of Zen, texture and music, which makes itself apparent in the movement of imagery in No Reserve Seating. Meanwhile, Thompson explores alternate realities and the concepts of dreams through striking colours and vibrant forms in the paintings of Private Practices.
Feature Wall is now showing until February 12th, 2011. No Reserve Seating and Private Practices will show from Feb 14th to March 15th. For regular gallery hours, visit our website at thecultch.com.
All art displayed in The Cultch gallery is available for sale and may be purchased through The Cultch. If interested, please contact us at gallery@thecultch.com.
Carmen Aguirre's Success with CBC's Canada Reads
The Cultch will be glued to the radio to hear Carmen Aguirre (playwright and performer of our upcoming presentation Blue Box)'s acclaimed memoir, Something Fierce, battle it out against four other Canadian books during the 2012 CBC Canada Reads program. Make sure to tune in to CBC Radio One on February 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th at 11:00 am or 8:00 pm for Canada Reads. You can also live stream the debates online at 10:00 am on the same days. Carmen is also just days away from Canadian tour of her one-woman show Blue Box. Set in Chile, Los Angeles and Vancouver, this funny, sexy, moving and deeply political one-woman show is an intimate and sensual story of love, lust and revolution.
Blue Box plays at The Cultch May 1-12; tickets can be purchased by visiting tickets.thecultch.com or by calling the Box Office at 604-251-1363.
The IGNITE! Mentorship program - Inspiring the Youth of Our Community 
The IGNITE! Mentorship Program offers a series of one-on-one mentorship opportunities in specific media to youth who want to pursue a career in the arts. This year, we are offering mentorships in Dance, Directing, Play Writing, Songwriting, and Spoken Word.
In each of these areas, promising young artists will be paired with a mentor in their chosen media. The Cultch presents some of the most accomplished artists from across Canada and around the world. The intensive program is designed to allow emerging artists in the community to access and learn from this incredible pool of talent.
It's Not Too Late!
Dance and Directing applications due February 15th
Playwriting applications due May 1st
Spoken word and Songwriting deadlines for this year have passed.
For further information about our mentorship program and to submit your application, please visit ignitementorships.wordpress.com.
If you're interested in being involved as a performer in our IGNITE! Youth-Driven Arts Festival, May 14th-19th, 2012, please visit our website at www.igniteyouthfest.ca to learn how!
Exciting Volunteer Opportunities
Administration/Reception
Looking to gain experience in administration and receptionist duties? Interested in receiving free tickets to upcoming Cultch shows, learning new and transferable skills, meeting new people and receiving recognition for your efforts? The Cultch is currently looking for a volunteer receptionist with a great sense of humour to assist in a wide range of administrative services. Hours for this position are day time, week days. For more details and info on how to apply, please contact Cindy Reid, Managing Director (cindy@thecultch.com).
Grand Old Time Square Dance! 
If you've enjoyed The Cultch's annual square dance, then this event is for you! Old-time banjo player Paul Silveria calls country dance figures to live music from old time string band Shout!WhiteDragon, featuring Kori Miyanishi on fiddle, Christopher Suen on banjo, Lorraine Cobb on guitar, and Mark Vaughan on mandolin. All dances are taught on the spot, so beginners can start dancing right away with no prior experience. These community-oriented dances are fun, lively, and engaging! This time around they've made a few changes to make things even better! First - THE BAR IS BACK! That's right, the bar will be open at the back of the hall - no more going downstairs for your drink and missing a dance or the music! Second - they've got a new way for you to purchase your tickets! PLUS, if you buy your ticket in advance you can bring a date (or a friend) for just $5 at the door! And lastly - since they're rolling with the Valentine's Day theme, they'll be running a bake sale! Sweets for your sweetie! Wise Hall, 1882 Adanac at Victoria Drive February 9th, 7:30pm till late 19+, $15 at the door / $10 advance at brownpapertickets.com/event/224007
(bring a friend or date for just $5 with your advance ticket purchase)
A Wrong Way Grand Production www.reverbnation.com/shoutwhitedragon 
Valentine's Day at the Founders Lounge
 Haven't been to our lovely new Founders' Lounge yet? Looking to impress that special someone? Two Chefs have whipped up a delightful and delicious four-course menu for Valentine's Day. And why not check out The Silicone Diaries for a provocative post-show performance? Four course menu - $39 / $60 with wine Reservations: 604-340-3445 First Course Goats Cheese & Tomato Confit Tart Frisee, cherry tomato confit, warm puff pastry Second Course Cured Salmon & Beet Carpaccio House cured sockeye salmon, red beets, micro greens, rosemary cracker, and grainy mustard Entrée Course Poached Salmon Aqua Pazzo Olives, tomato, fennel, garlic, new potato, baby carrots or Coq au Vin Dessert Chocolate Pot de Crème with Bourbon Strawberries 
Rent The Cultch for an Exceptional Event Prime rental dates available at very reasonable rates! The Cultch has grown from a performance venue to a diverse cultural centre and is a supportive rental facility for dozens of local theatre, dance and music presenters. We currently have a number of prime rental dates in both spaces from March through August 2012. Don't miss this opportunity to bring your event to life on The Cultch's stage. Historic Theatre (click to see photo) Max 265 seat capacity; unique heritage features Dates Available in 2012: March 18, 19 & 25, April 1 to 3, 5, 7, 30, May 3, 4, & 6, 8 to 10, 20 to 23, 30 & 31, June 1 to 9, 12 to 15, 18 to 21, July 2 to 14, 30 & 31, August 1 to 12, 25 &26 Vancity Culture Lab (click to see photo) Max 102 seat capacity; Black box studio Dates Available in 2012: March 4 to 8, 10 to 16, 18 & 19, 21 to 23, 25 & 26, July 30 & 31 , August 1 to 12 Greenhouse Studio Max 55 seat capacity; Rehearsal or recreational studio Dates Available in 2012: March 4 to 10, 12 to 16, 19 to 29, May 15 to 31, June 1 to 30, July 1 to 8, 14 to 31, August 11 to 31 Visit our website or call Jenn Spry to discuss your event: 604-251-1766 x107 ~ jennifer@thecultch.com. |
