The Pit Collective presents City of Angels, which is now on at Performance Works | Granville Island until July 17th.

The Details

The place – Los Angeles.  The time – the late 1940s. A New York crime novelist agrees, at the behest of a Hollywood producer, to adapt his latest novel into a screenplay but how much is he willing to sacrifice for a taste of fame and fortune?  As the disillusioned author’s marriage falls apart, we see, simultaneously, the adventures of his detective presented as if in black and white film.  The wisecracking and quick-witted “Detective Stone” has a way with women but is forever haunted by the one who got away in this musical spoof of film noir crime novels and Hollywood’s treatment of writers that is smart, swingin’, sexy, and funny.

City of Angels

Directed by Jennifer Copping

Starring Michael Lomenda, Donal Thoms-Cappello, Jennifer Copping, Caitlin Clugston, Janet Gigliotti, Crystal Balint, Paul Herbert, Miranda MacDougall, Tim Perez, Chase Sander, Lindsay Warnock, Jessie Alvarez, Thomas King, Callum Gunn, and John R. Taylor.

Co-Produced by Christopher Shyer
Co-Directed by Sylvia M. Zaradic
Choreography by Ken Overbey
Musical Direction by Angus Kellet
Music by Cy Coleman
Lyrics by David Zippel
Book by Larry Gelbart

Now on until July 17th at Performance Works | Granville Island.

Tickets:
General: $41
CAEA Equity Members/Seniors: $31
BrownPaperTickets.com

How to Enter

Please send an e-mail to info@bizbooks.net and please include this information:

• Your Name

• Your E-mail Address

• Your Phone Number

• “City of Angels” Contest in the subject line

Winners will be selected at random and will be contacted by e-mail.

Recommended Reading The Perfect Stage Crew
2nd Edition Click a cover for more details Empire of the Son Ignite: Illuminating Theatre
For Young People Recommended Reading The Perfect Stage Crew
2nd Edition Click a cover for more details Empire of the Son Ignite: Illuminating Theatre
For Young People

The post City of Angels Theatre Contest appeared first on Biz Books.

This is the set-up for the stage musical City of Angels, which plays in Vancouver from July 9th through July 17th at Performance Works. Presented by the Pit Collective, this ambitious show is directed by Jennifer Copping, co-directed by Sylvia M. Zaradic, with choreography by Ken Overbey and musical direction by Angus Kellett.

The cast includes Jesse Alvarez, Crystal Balint, Jennifer Copping, Janet Gigliotti, Callum Gunn, Caitlin Clugston, Paul Herbert, Thomas King, Miranda MacDougall, Tim Perez, Chase Sander, John R. Taylor, Donal Thoms-Cappello, and Lindsay Warnock.

The talented Canadian actor Michael Lomenda, perhaps best-known for starring in Jersey Boys on the Broadway stage and later the big screen adaptation for director Clint Eastwood, plays Stone, the detective in City of Angels.

We spoke to Michael Lomenda to get the scoop on City of Angels.

________________________________

Can you start by telling us about you and your involvement in City of Angels?

I’m Michael Lomenda and I play Detective Stone in the show, Stine’s alter-ego in the film noir novel he’s adapting for the screen.

What should audiences expect from the show?

City of Angels has got a little something for everyone – it takes place in Los Angels in the late 1940s, when the big Hollywood studios were churning out the hit classic Film Noir films like The Maltese Falcon or Double Indemnity. Stine is a writer from New York who’s been hired to adapt his film noir novel and, as a fish out of water in the Hollywood world, navigates sleazy studio heads, actor egos, re-writes and the relationship with his wife, who sees through all the Hollywood smoke and mirrors.

Meanwhile, as he’s adapting the novel to film, we see it all unfold in fantastic film noir fashion, right in front of your eyes with all the dames, guns, thugs and great lighting everyone loves about the classic film noir films.

AND, on top of it all, the music is incredible! A blend of incredible torch songs, jazzy Manhattan Transfer harmonies, and hilarious comic tour de force tunes. Musically, in Cy Coleman and David Zippel’s hands, you’d have to be dead to be bored.

How did you prepare for your role?

Besides reading the script relentlessly, I watched a bunch of film noir documentaries and films just to really immerse myself in it all, which was kinda like an Easter egg hunt because every film or documentary I watched, the more you find all the incredible nods and references to the film noir genre running through City of Angels. If you’re a fan of this genre, this show’ll be a real treat.

What’s the most rewarding part of acting in a musical?

For me, good musicals like this one are the coming together of all my favorite things, and contrary to how some people in “the biz” are portrayed in our show, the people I work with are my favorite perk of doing what I love.

Recommended Reading The Perfect Stage Crew
2nd Edition Click a cover for more details Empire of the Son Ignite: Illuminating Theatre
For Young People Recommended Reading The Perfect Stage Crew
2nd Edition Click a cover for more details Empire of the Son Ignite: Illuminating Theatre
For Young People

Where do you get your creative inspiration from?

Tons of things. I listen to a lot of music. Podcasts. I meditate. I watch a ton of movies and TV. I travel, I eat food, I love visual art. I steal from the fellow actors I admire. I read. Ultimately, being an actor is not just that, I feel like it’s being and artist, so I work at trying to find inspiration in life. Oh, and bourbon.

What are the three most important elements for a good stage musical?

A good director first and foremost who has a clear vision and the ability to steer the ship, make quick decisions, and ultimately be able to TRUST. Trust that the script and score is incredible (if it is), trust the actors will bring it (if they’ve cast well), trust they’ve assembled a brilliant crew who will have their back and trust that their vision is strong and compelling to truly engage and audience. There’s at least three things in there, right?

What books and authors would you recommend for stage performers?

Just read it all. Honestly. And then cherry pick whatever works for you. I also find interviews with actors really (useful) and any time I can go to a talk-back with working directors, producers, writers, and actors, I go. Almost always they say something that inspires me to feel more courageous.

What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career so far?

To be okay with failure. And that ultimately you have to lean into it. Rehearsal can be grody sometimes because you’re falling on your face in front of everyone over and over again. But you have to do it, and you have to do it in front of everyone because it’s how you pick yourself up that’s interesting.

What do you want your artistic legacy to be as a performer?

Are you kidding with this question?! It’s so epic!!! Honestly, I just love the people I work with so I hope they all show up at my funeral and sing and there’s a good spread with lots of cheese and they talk about my ridiculous backstage dancing and hopefully, my open heart. I grew up as a weird kid in small town Alberta, and I’m incredibly grateful for where my career has taken me, so, I think if, in my career, I’ve ever inspired anyone to go into the arts or push a little harder in the biz for a little longer, or to write or paint or knit or sing or whatever, I’d sincerely be a happy camper.

Where can people find out more about you and City of Angels? 

I’m on all the social medias (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) as well as MichaelLomenda.com and City of Angels is on Facebook and you can find tickets at BrownPaperTickets.

________________________________

Thanks to Michael Lomenda for speaking with us!

You can see City of Angels at Performance Works from July 9th through July 17th with a special preview on July 8th. For tickets, please visit BrownPaperTickets.com.

The post The Biz Interview: Michael Lomenda appeared first on Biz Books.

As the lead in the upcoming Vancouver production of Heathers: The Musical – the first time in Canada – she’s helping to bring life to a staple of 1980s pop culture in a whole new way. We caught up with Christine Quintana to get the goods on how the themes of Heathers can resonate on stage.

________________________________

What is your involvement with Heathers: The Musical and how did that get started?

Our director David C. Jones approached me a few months ago to ask me if I was interested in playing Veronica in the musical version of Heathers. It was a lightning-quick meeting we both fit in between other meetings – so quick that I left thinking, did that just happen? But I’m so glad it did because here I am. Now I’m seeing my dang face on posters around town. Things happen fast sometimes!

What drew you to be a part of this production?

I have a terrible confession to make – I hadn’t actually seen Heathers. Not the movie, or the musical. But I knew about its cult classic status and I’d heard wonderful things about the musical.  After I  did a bit of research, I knew I wanted to be involved. It’s rare that you get a cast stacked with female leads, but that’s Heathers – Heather MacNamara, Heather Duke, Heather Chandler, Martha and Veronica all have incredible, meaty, rich material. The boys get to be the eye candy and comedic relief!

Recommended Reading The Perfect Stage Crew
2nd Edition Click a cover for more details Empire of the Son Ignite: Illuminating Theatre
For Young People Recommended Reading The Perfect Stage Crew
2nd Edition Click a cover for more details Empire of the Son Ignite: Illuminating Theatre
For Young People

Can you share some of your creative process in preparing for the role – from the initial planning all the way to opening night? 

I only watched the movie once – just to see the style and the iconic moments. I think with a show like this it’s important to nod to the origins, but the scenes and even plot points are different and I didn’t want to start getting attached to choices from the movie that no longer suit the musical.

Our rehearsal process has been very part-time over the last few months. I’m used to working in the traditional Equity process where you come together for two weeks, three at most and bang out the whole show working full-time. I’ve really enjoyed having a lot of time to let the material sink in, focus on one thing at a time. Without the pressure of having to turn out the shape of the show immediately because you head into tech in a week, there’s time to get to know the material well.

Right now, I’m focused on the guts of the show – going into those deep dark teenage feelings and mining the emotional truth of it. Once we get into runs, it’ll be time to fine tune the technical aspects of comedy – staying inside the show for the personal arc, but standing just outside enough to make those precise choices of timing and gesture that make the show as funny as it can be.

The preview performances will be essential to nailing down the rhythms of the show once we have an audience in the house responding – or not responding, as is sometimes the case – and making sure the audience doesn’t miss a beat. I can tell already that it’s going to be totally jarring to be in a moment that is a five alarm high stakes devastating situation for Veronica, and the audience might be laughing their asses off. But it’s only funny if it’s real for us – the comedy lies in the dichotomy between truthful moments and absurd situations in Heathers. Come opening night though, it’s time to put the script and my notes away and play for real.

What should audiences expect from this show?

Fierce singing, fierce dancing, and the sting of teenage angst that might hit a bit too close to home. Heathers: The Musical is hilarious and has killer music, but I think the real surprise for audiences will be the incredible cast. There are a lot of new faces on stage and I think people will be really blown away.

What are the three most important ingredients for a successful stage production?

I’m going to use the Heathers as my inspiration for this question:

Heather Chandler: Leadership.

It takes a lot of people to make this thing happen – we’ve got producer Lori Watt, director David C. Jones, stage manager Michael Brooks, musical director Steven Greenfield, choreographer Ken Overbey, and also lots more help even within the cast, like our dance captain Daren Dhyengco and music captain Steffanie Davis. Everyone has a unique job and important perspective to add to the production.

Heather Duke: Confidence.

I think in the performing arts, particularly in the theatre, we suffer from low self-confidence. Sometimes in Vancouver we feel like all the action is happening somewhere else or that theatre as an art form is somehow ‘less than’. We need to fight that, always – to believe that we’re worthy of audiences and that we’ve got something important to offer. We need to value our work and believe in its worth to our community.

Heather MacNamara: Vulnerability.

These two go hand in hand – it requires confidence to be vulnerable and vulnerability to be confident. Just the act of getting on stage or offering your art to the world requires tremendous vulnerability. In our working process we need to be open and generous with our scene partners and collaborators – that’s when the work gets good. It’s a lifelong practice to be comfortable with making yourself vulnerable, but it’s an essential ingredient for worthwhile art.

Are there any books or authors that have been influential to you so far in your creative journey?

I find this is a love-it-or-hate-it read, but I love True and False by David Mamet. I certainly don’t agree with the entire thing, but he nails some pithy, tweet-sized philosophies about how to approach work as an actor. Sometimes we can get so bogged down in our fears and distractions about the ‘industry’ – I gagged a bit just saying the word – and then also about our process that we lose the ability or focus to just get the f**k to work, as David Mamet would say it. There’s some great food for thought in there about putting your ego and fragility aside and just doing your damn job.

What is the most important lesson you have learned so far in your career?

Very little will come to you on its own – you’re responsible for your destiny as an artist. Whether that’s a large-scale thing like producing your own work or creating opportunities for yourself to perform, or as simple as being clear on what you want from a rehearsal day and setting yourself up to achieve that objective, it’s up to you. And hey, you can learn something from the Heathers on this one – that takes leadership, confidence, and vulnerability. But it’s worth it – the hardest thing in this business, especially as an actor, is feeling like you have no agency over yourself or your work. Taking charge is the only way to feel like you’re moving forward.

What other projects do you have coming up and where can people find out more about you online?

I’m the co-Artistic Producer of an indie theatre company called Delinquent Theatre which has a show coming up in the spring called Never The Last. We’ll share all the details on our website and Facebook page.  I also write essays and other things on my personal website.

________________________________

Our thanks to Christine Quintana for speaking with us!

Heathers: The Musical runs January 6th to 17th, 2016 at The York Theatre, 639 Commercial Drive in Vancouver, BC. For tickets, call the Cultch box office at 604-251-1363 or order online.

The post The Biz Interview: Christine Quintana appeared first on Biz Books.

Production Details

Heathers: The Musical is the darkly delicious story of Veronica Sawyer (Christine Quintana), a brainy, teenage misfist who never dreamed of getting in with the most popular and cruel clique at high school. But she did. She never dreamed of dating the dark and mysterious new kid at her school. But she did. And she certainly never dreamt of killing anyone. But she kind of did.

…Gently with a Chainsaw Artists’ Collective brings this outrageous musical based on the 1988 cult film which was written by Daniel Waters, and starred Winona Ryder and Christian Slater, to Canada. Adapted by Kevin Murphy and Laurence O’Keefe, Heathers: The Musical is a shockingly funny, heartfelt, homicidal show directed by David C. Jones. Equal parts social commentary and psycho thriller, Heathers: The Musical is guilt-free mayhem. Director David C. Jones has assembled a diverse cast of established talent and fresh new voices from Vancouver’s performing arts community.

Jessie Richardson Award winning actress Christine Quintana plays Veronica Sawyer, our misfit heroine who gets in with the wrong crowd, with recent Studio 58 graduate Kamyar Pazandeh as the brooding JD. The trio of terrorizing Heathers is Synthia Yusuf, Devon Busswood and Nhi Do. Playing against type – Colin Sheen and Hal Wesley Rogers play the brutish and dumb football bullies, while Steffanie Davis plays one of their victims. The adults are played by producer Lori Watt, Ken Overbey and Nelson Wong. Rounding out the cast of high school students and cliques are Quinn Cartwright, Daren Dyhengco, Vivian Full, Brent Hirose, Matt Montgomery, and Deanna Rayne.

David C. Jones directs this rompy musical comedy with Liz McLaughlin Assistant Directing. Sarah Mabberley recreates the high school scene of 1989 along with Sacha Picard’s 80’s inspired looks from Main Street’s F as in Frank Vintage clothing store and props by Quinn Cartwright. Gabriel Carter’s fight direction blends the humour and the homicidal urges of the actors with Ken Overbey’s choreography and lighting design by Michael Methot. Under Steven Greenfield’s musical direction, a live onstage band brings this musical to life with Sound Design by Kyra Soko. Stage Manager is Michael Brooks.

Heathers: The Musical runs January 6th to 17th, 2016 at The York Theatre, 639 Commercial Drive in Vancouver, BC. 

• Previews: January 6th & 7th, at 7:30 pm ($15)

• Opening Night: January 8th, at 7:30pm ($30)

• Matinees performances are at 2:00 pm January 9th, 10th, 16th and 17th ($25)

• Evening performances are at 7:30 pm January 8th to 9th ($30), 12th to 16th ($40)

For tickets, call the Cultch box office at 604-251-1363 or order online

Enter to see the Saturday, January 9th Evening Performance

Please send an e-mail to info@bizbooks.net and please include this information:

• Your Name

• Your E-mail Address

• Your Phone Number

• “Heathers: The Musical Contest” in the subject line

Contest closes on Monday, December 21st, 2015. Winners will be selected at random and will be contacted by e-mail.

Recommended Reading The Perfect Stage Crew
2nd Edition Click a cover for more details Empire of the Son Ignite: Illuminating Theatre
For Young People Recommended Reading The Perfect Stage Crew
2nd Edition Click a cover for more details Empire of the Son Ignite: Illuminating Theatre
For Young People

The post Heathers: The Musical Contest appeared first on Biz Books.