Hailing from all across the country, young artists who trained in Oak Bay are poised to present the hottest new musical theatre works. The Canadian Heritage Arts Society, owner of the Canadian College of Performing Arts, launched a new performance troupe celebrating and featuring alumni of the college.
The troupe will tour Vancouver Island with two new works by CCPA graduates.
“This troupe is the culmination of a lot of training and talent from some amazing people,” said Avery Brennan, director of Art Isn’t Easy, one of the two one-act musicals. “Everyone involved have found their own path with great success since graduating and are back as professional artists to perform for our great community.”
For example, Cate Richardson returns to Victoria to perform while her appearance in Age of Adaline plays in theatres internationally.
The pair of musicals, Art Isn’t Easy and The Blind Pig, are the work of directors Brennan and R.J. Peters, music director Brad L’Écuyer, choreographer Siobhan Barker and writers Brennan and Sarah Murphy.
Art Isn’t Easy follows six artists celebrating their mediums and discovering their true calling. This fun revue celebrates musicals old and new with pieces about singing and dancing, makeup and beauty, cooking and crafting. Using hit songs by composers like Stephen Sondheim, Ira Gershwin and Stephen Schwartz, the performers take the audience on a journey through life as an artist.
The Blind Pig is a mini musical inspired by Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, and set in prohibition-era Chicago. Celebrating the music of Fats Waller, this is a jazzy, romantic comedy where bootleggers, barflies and bathtub gin create a cocktail that’s the bees knees.
The troupe launches formally on May 29 with performances of Double Bill; Triple Threat featuring the two new works Art Isn’t Easy and The Blind Pig at the CCPA Performance Hall on Elgin Road at 7:30 p.m.
The show will be performed until June 13 on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30, with two 2 p.m. matinees on June 6 and 13. Tickets are available by calling 250-595-9970 or emailing reception@ccpacanada.com.
cvanreeuwyk@oakbaynews.com