The board met last week and has officially decided to produce a second show this year! We will be presenting Hansel & Gretel December 11 and 12 at the Salvation Army New Westminster Citadel. Stay tuned for more details and the official poster launch!
We will also be presenting Massenet's Cinderella in August 2010.
On top of our full productions, plans are in the works for a Gala fundraising dinner and collaborations with another New West music group...details to come!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
SOLD OUT!
That's right, ladies and gents...last night we performed to a sold out house. (HUZZAH!) We had 29 tickets left when we opened the doors, and were sold out in 8 minutes. We barely managed to pack in people on the waiting list (thanks to those of you who didn't show, BTW - everyone who did show up got to see it!).
It was pretty warm in that tiny theatre, but there was a great energy in the room, and the Diva cast pulled out their best performance yet. I was so incredibly proud of them all.
And so I reiterate...if you don't have your tickets already, get them now. We fully expect more sold out houses this weekend. Don't make me say I told you so. :)
See you at the show!
Jeanine
Artistic Director
It was pretty warm in that tiny theatre, but there was a great energy in the room, and the Diva cast pulled out their best performance yet. I was so incredibly proud of them all.
And so I reiterate...if you don't have your tickets already, get them now. We fully expect more sold out houses this weekend. Don't make me say I told you so. :)
See you at the show!
Jeanine
Artistic Director
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Anxious
Today is day three of our hiatus from the theatre. We go back tomorrow night for the final four-day run, and I am SO ANXIOUS to be back at the theatre! I miss it so much already, which does not bode well for the post-show depression that hits most of us on the closing of a show.
But, in very exciting news, we sold over 100 tickets for this weekend over the last two days, so it's looking like we'll be ending with four very full houses. Good news indeed (for performers, producers, and audience alike!) as a fuller house often means more contagious laughter.
We have all but forgotten the struggles it took to get to this point - there is talk of putting on a reduced version of Hansel and Gretel this winter, and plans are in the works for our full production next summer to be Massenet's Cinderella! More details on both of those to come!
Cheers,
Jeanine
Artistic Director
But, in very exciting news, we sold over 100 tickets for this weekend over the last two days, so it's looking like we'll be ending with four very full houses. Good news indeed (for performers, producers, and audience alike!) as a fuller house often means more contagious laughter.
We have all but forgotten the struggles it took to get to this point - there is talk of putting on a reduced version of Hansel and Gretel this winter, and plans are in the works for our full production next summer to be Massenet's Cinderella! More details on both of those to come!
Cheers,
Jeanine
Artistic Director
Monday, August 24, 2009
Halfway through, and still alive!
Well folks, we're halfway through Iolanthe's run. Our cast is enjoying as few well-deserved days off, and catching up on some sleep. I wanted to share part of an email we received from a patron who came to see the show this weekend...
"We saw the show last evening and oh, my gosh, what an awesome production! Excellent singing, good costumes and sets...If this production was to take place at the Queen E, it would have cost five times more to attend. It certainly was worthy of being shown there because it was every bit as good as any production I've ever seen at the Queen E."
I've heard from quite a few people that they are planning to come this weekend, and I HOPE they have already bought their tickets, for I fear there won't be many at the door. We have had an excellent response and many people who saw it this weekend are returning for a second viewing!
I'm so glad that it is being well received, and that people are just plain having fun at our performances. I really hope that everyone who wants to see it is able to get in!
Jeanine
"We saw the show last evening and oh, my gosh, what an awesome production! Excellent singing, good costumes and sets...If this production was to take place at the Queen E, it would have cost five times more to attend. It certainly was worthy of being shown there because it was every bit as good as any production I've ever seen at the Queen E."
I've heard from quite a few people that they are planning to come this weekend, and I HOPE they have already bought their tickets, for I fear there won't be many at the door. We have had an excellent response and many people who saw it this weekend are returning for a second viewing!
I'm so glad that it is being well received, and that people are just plain having fun at our performances. I really hope that everyone who wants to see it is able to get in!
Jeanine
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Reviews of Iolanthe are in!!!!!!!
This is very exciting for us, our fist review! Check out the review here.
John Arsenault,
Music Director
John Arsenault,
Music Director
Friday, August 21, 2009
Opening Night was a Success!
Last night was the night...the opening night of Iolanthe. Dragon cast. And they rocked the house. I was so incredibly proud of everyone - the cast was hilarious and poignent and sounded beautiful; John did an awesome job conducting; the costumes were breathtaking; the technical side went smoothly; and best of all, the audience ATE IT UP! They loved it! People weren't just giving the requisite "I'm really enjoying it" that I often hear. They were raving. Several people said they'd be returning to see it again. One woman told me she was a huge G&S fan, and had seen D'Oyly Carte do this show, and ours was more fun. Than D'OYLY CARTE! We weren't sold out, but had a really good sized house for a Thursday opening. I'm expecting to sell out a couple shows. Tonight is already pre-sold to 65% and we'll see more at the door.
John and I were talking afterward (as we do after every rehearsal and show) and realized that we still have seven shows and were SO EXCITED because we loved it so much last night that we don't want it to end!
Hope you all get a chance to see it! It will make your night.
Jeanine
John and I were talking afterward (as we do after every rehearsal and show) and realized that we still have seven shows and were SO EXCITED because we loved it so much last night that we don't want it to end!
Hope you all get a chance to see it! It will make your night.
Jeanine
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Well, we've arrived!
Last night was our final dress rehearsal for Iolanthe. Despite a few glitches, I think we're in very good shape!
This is a talented group of people, for sure! We have everything in this show from a high school student right up to emerging professional opera singers. Everyone brings their own set of skills and experience to the stage, and it makes for a great product!
It's interesting as the conductor of a show, you do all sorts of work at the beginning, rehearsing the music, letting the singers know what you want, fixing the notes, the rhythms, the dynamics. Then you kinda of become secondary to the director for a while. It's not that you don't have the chance to continue to improve the music, but that you are doing it on someone else's time. So, you have to pick and choose the most important points to discuss and rehearse.
Then, you get to the dress rehearsal and the show is yours again. Conducting is a lot like being a manager. You facilitate the singers to sing the best that they can sing. You give them peace of mind about their entrances. You help them if they forget the words. You shape the music, you control the dynamic. And make no mistake... different gestures produce different results! We're not just waving our arms up there.... really...
Do you want to know what it's like to be driving a bus that large? It's a bit scary. But honestly, it is the most amazing feeling, when you really connect with the cast and they are really connected with you, and you make the most amazing music just with a small gesture. It's sublime. I LOVE it. I love it. I can't say that enough. I feel like I've found my home. I still have lots to learn, but I know this is the right place for me.
So, this is a time of great excitement for me. I get to lead these incredibly talented performers through 8 performances of Iolanthe.
Lucky me! I have the best job in the house!
John Arsenault
Music Director
This is a talented group of people, for sure! We have everything in this show from a high school student right up to emerging professional opera singers. Everyone brings their own set of skills and experience to the stage, and it makes for a great product!
It's interesting as the conductor of a show, you do all sorts of work at the beginning, rehearsing the music, letting the singers know what you want, fixing the notes, the rhythms, the dynamics. Then you kinda of become secondary to the director for a while. It's not that you don't have the chance to continue to improve the music, but that you are doing it on someone else's time. So, you have to pick and choose the most important points to discuss and rehearse.
Then, you get to the dress rehearsal and the show is yours again. Conducting is a lot like being a manager. You facilitate the singers to sing the best that they can sing. You give them peace of mind about their entrances. You help them if they forget the words. You shape the music, you control the dynamic. And make no mistake... different gestures produce different results! We're not just waving our arms up there.... really...
Do you want to know what it's like to be driving a bus that large? It's a bit scary. But honestly, it is the most amazing feeling, when you really connect with the cast and they are really connected with you, and you make the most amazing music just with a small gesture. It's sublime. I LOVE it. I love it. I can't say that enough. I feel like I've found my home. I still have lots to learn, but I know this is the right place for me.
So, this is a time of great excitement for me. I get to lead these incredibly talented performers through 8 performances of Iolanthe.
Lucky me! I have the best job in the house!
John Arsenault
Music Director
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