Western Canada Theatre 2021/22 Season Brochure

2021-2022 SEASON PRESENTING PARTNER

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE..

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE… being back in the theatre.

–

HEART SERIES

Chelsea Hotel.........................................DEC 02 to 11, 2021 | Sagebrush Theatre BOOM........................................... FEB 24 to MAR 05, 2022 | Sagebrush Theatre Kim’s Convenience..................... MAR 31 to APR 09, 2022 | Sagebrush Theatre Hey Viola!*.........................................APR 21 to MAY 07, 2022 | Pavilion Theatre The Wizard of Oz................................ MAY 12 to 28, 2022 | Sagebrush Theatre

COURAGE SERIES

Clean................................................ MAR 24 to APR 02, 2022 | Pavilion Theatre Hey Viola!*.........................................APR 21 to MAY 07, 2022 | Pavilion Theatre Echoes of the Homesick Heart.................JUN 02 to 11, 2022 | Pavilion Theatre

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

Trace**.............................................NOV 20 and 21, 2021 | Sagebrush Theatre International Women’s Day Festival........ MAR 08 to 12, 2022 | Pavilion Theatre Plus more! *Hey Viola! is part of both the Heart and Courage Series **A Super Subscription gives you front-of-the line access to tickets to Trace (not included in separate Heart and Courage Subscription Series).

Single tickets may be limited.

Not every show is suitable for all audiences, for age restrictions and audience advisories please visit wctlive.ca

Our Commitment to Care

We are thrilled to welcome you back into the theatres this season! As we transition back to live performance and audiences, things may look a little different for awhile. Know that the safety and comfort of our patrons, artists, and staff will remain at the forefront of all we do.

As circumstances evolve throughout the season, we will continue to follow public health guidelines and provide ongoing updates to keep everyone safe and secure.

…HOME! …HOME! –– COURAGE. HEART. HOME.

Never have these words had more resonance for all of us. And with these words we welcome you to the 2021/22 Season at Western Canada Theatre.

We excitedly return to the theatre with eight wonderful productions that bring us back together as a community. Through them we explore stories about the place we live, about love, about family, about history—and where you’ll find joy, laughter, heartbreak, empathy, and the profound happiness of being together after a long time apart. Too long.

In our Heart Series, we offer productions that embody iconic and explosive music, warm and appealing comedy, and exuberant history—a series that speaks to us about who we are and what we’ve missed. In our Courage Series, we bring you three world premieres from bold and diverse female creators, stories that explore human relationships, foster understanding of those who have been marginalized or forgotten, and deepen our new appreciation of the world around us.

We can’t tell you how much we’ve missed you—but we can tell you that we know you’ll love being back again. Like Dorothy says, “We’re home. And you’re all here.” Welcome.

James MacDonald Artistic Director

CHELSEA HOTEL: The Songs of Leonard Cohen Created by Tracey Power and Steve Charles A new version based on the Firehall Arts Centre production

DECEMBER 02-11, 2021 | SAGEBRUSH THEATRE LOVE, LONGING, AND THE MUSIC IN BETWEEN.

Leonard Cohen’s powerful and poetic music is the heartbeat of the nationally acclaimed Chelsea Hotel. Haunted by memories of his tumultuous love life, a writer checks in to New York’s infamous Chelsea Hotel, desperate to find the words and inspiration for his next song.

An enchanting, eclectic cabaret of love won, lost, and found again told through Cohen’s transcendent music and lyrics—including fresh interpretations of Cohen classics Hallelujah, Closing Time, Suzanne, and many more!

Sexy, mysterious, and daring, Chelsea Hotel is the perfect holiday outing for friends and lovers looking to heat up chilly December nights.

“Chelsea Hotel is a knockout.”–THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT

HEART SERIES

There’s no place like…

Leonard Cohen’s iconic hotel hangout.

BOOM A Kidoons and WYRD Production

Written, Directed, and Performed by Rick Miller FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 05, 2022 | SAGEBRUSH THEATRE 100 VOICES. 25 YEARS. 1 MAN.

An explosive solo performance that documents the music, culture, and politics that shaped the Baby Boom generation. Rick Miller takes us through 25 turbulent years—from the first atomic bomb in 1945 all the way to the Apollo 11 landing on the moon in 1969—and gives voice to over 100 influential politicians, activists, and musicians.

This stunningly staged production blends cutting-edge multimedia, tour-de-force storytelling, and 25 moment-defining songs. BOOM is a mind-blowing experience that will thrill audiences of all generations.

“A can’t miss theatrical experience.”–THE CALGARY SUN

HEART SERIES

There’s no place like… a thrilling trip through time and space.

KIM’S CONVENIENCE

By Ins Choi An Arts Club Theatre Company Production Based on Pacific Theatre’s 2018 Production

MARCH 31-APRIL 09, 2022 | SAGEBRUSH THEATRE A CORNER STORE COMEDY.

The stubborn Mr. Kim, a Korean-Canadian shopkeeper, has built his tiny empire from nothing. As he grapples with a changing neighbourhood landscape, he struggles with the chasm between him and his secondgeneration offspring. This journey of a fractured but loving family forgiving the past and confronting the future will make you laugh and warm your heart.

Ins Choi’s hilarious and touching hit play—that inspired the beloved hit TV show of the same name—is a new Canadian classic.

“Gut-bustingly funny with a huge heart.”–THE VANCOUVER SUN

HEART SERIES

There’s no place like… your favourite corner store.

THE WIZARD OF OZ

By L. Frank Baum With Music & Lyrics by Harold Arlen & E.Y. Harburg Background Music by Herbert Stothart Dance & Vocal Arrangements by Peter Howard Orchestration by Larry Wilcox Adapted by John Kane for the Royal Shakespeare Company Based upon the Classic Motion Picture owned by Turner Entertainment Co. & distributed in all media by Warner Bros.

MAY 12-28, 2022 | SAGEBRUSH THEATRE WE’RE OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD!

Click your heels together and follow Dorothy, Toto, Scarecrow, Tinman, and the Cowardly Lion down the Yellow Brick Road through the magical land of Oz. With help from the Munchkins and Glinda the Good, Dorothy and friends will find brains, heart, courage and more on this magical journey—just watch out for the Wicked Witch and her winged monkeys!

From bluegrass-inspired Kansas to electric green Oz, this spectacular original WCT production is the story you know and love with a few tornado twists. Bring the family together to experience the ultimate story of coming home—because there truly is no place like it.

“A classic musical celebration of color and spectacle.”–BROADWAY WORLD

HEART SERIES

There’s no place like…

OZ!

THE HUB & STAGE ONE _ At Western Canada Theatre we are passionately invested in the role theatre has in the education and enrichment of our community, built on a foundation of equity, diversity, inclusion, and access. The Hub for Creative Learning provides opportunities for teachers, creative artists, theatre lovers, and theatre newcomers of all ages to become actively engaged in these activities through Audience Enrichment, Community Engagement, Creative Development, Educator Resources, and Theatre Classes.

Stage One Theatre School offers Acting, Musical Theatre, and Performance classes year-round for ages 4 to 18, as well as Teen Drama Workshops, Spring Break programs, and Summer Camps. Plus, Next Stage offers Acting and Play Reading groups for adults.

Learn more at wctlive.ca/thehub

SPECIAL EVENTS _ INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY FESTIVAL MARCH 08-12, 2022 | PAVILION THEATRE Celebrate International Women’s Day with an extraordinary festival brought to you by an all-female WCT team! Building off the success of the All A’Broad and A Broad’s Way cabarets, this expanded festival will be a full week of funny, fierce, and feminist works from some incredible women and local talent—showcasing music, theatre, comedy, spoken word, dance, and more from a variety of emerging and established artists.

Plus more!

As we transition back into live performance this season, we want to celebrate the magic of theatre with you and your family as much as we can. There are several additional special events in the works—including the spooktacular return of Tales from the Stage.

TRACE

SPECIAL PRESENTATION

Red Sky Performance

Conceived & Directed by Sandra Laronde Choreography by Jera Wolfe NOVEMBER 20 & 21, 2021 | SAGEBRUSH THEATRE DANCE AMONG THE STARS.

We are traceable to the very beginnings of the universe, our ancestral origins stretching across the Milky Way to the atoms burning inside of us here on earth.

Experience the exhilarating production and breathtaking artistry of Canada’s leading contemporary Indigenous performance company. Trace maps Anishinaabe sky and star stories through Indigenous storytelling and cutting-edge dance as seven dancers and three musicians offer a glimpse into our origins as well as a vision for the future.

Bring the whole family—especially the dance lovers in your life— to experience this gorgeous work that brings a whole new form of storytelling and performance to the WCT audience.

“Magnificent in the scope of its imagination, and mysterious in its beauty.”–THE GLOBE AND MAIL A Super Subscription gives you front-of-the line access to tickets to Trace. Single tickets may be limited.

There’s no place like… the stage bursting with movement and music.

CLEAN Written by Christine Quintana Spanish Translation & Adaptation by Paula Zelaya Cervantes A Neworld Theatre Production, in association with Western Canada Theatre

MARCH 24-APRIL 02, 2022 | PAVILION THEATRE A COCKTAIL OF MEMORIES, FANTASY, AND REALITY.

The lives of two women from very different worlds collide in the illusionary paradise of a Mexican resort. Adriana, a hotel floor manager reeling from a family loss, has a chance encounter with Sarah, a Canadian wedding guest with a long-held traumatic secret—when their worlds collide on a fateful rainy night, both women are forced to face their past and all that they’ve tried to keep hidden.

Stunning, shocking, and surprisingly funny, Clean intimately explores different perspectives of female solidarity, secrets, and survival across two languages.

Performed in English and Spanish with dynamic surtitles.

COURAGE SERIES

There’s no place like… a tormented paradise where truths are revealed.

HEY VIOLA!

VIOLA DESMOND– THE SOUNDTRACK OF A LIFE

Created by Krystle Dos Santos and Tracey Power A Western Canada Theatre Production, in association with Musical TheatreWorks

APRIL 21-MAY 07, 2022 | PAVILION THEATRE A MUSICAL CELEBRATION OF A CANADIAN CIVIL RIGHTS HERO.

A smashing tour-de-force performance by acclaimed Canadian jazz and blues singer Krystle Dos Santos. Hey Viola! is a musical exploration of civil rights trailblazer, Viola Desmond—the fearless woman featured on your $10 bill.

Hey Viola! takes the audience on an extraordinary journey through Viola’s life and the events that shaped her, from the 1917 Halifax explosion to the civil rights struggles of the 1950s. Featuring hot jazz, gospel, and traditional spirituals, this eye-opening new musical brings bold, new energy to the life and times of a remarkable woman.

HEART & COURAGE SERIES

There’s no place like… a cabaret for revolutionary times.

ECHOES OF THE HOMESICK HEART

By Laura Michel JUNE 02-11, 2022 | PAVILION THEATRE FINDING THE VOICES.

A powerful new work exploring language reclamation and revitalization from one of our most compelling local artists. This multi-generational story explores one family’s connection and disconnection between language, culture, and community. In order to rediscover what was lost, and to move forward in understanding, each generation must learn from , the other with the help of the wily trickster and teacher seklép (coyote).

Based on in-person interviews conducted across the Secwépemc Nation, Echoes of the Homesick Heart shares stories of this land by incorporating lived experiences and the real-life voices of youth to elders—celebrating the resilience of Indigenous families, communities, and culture.

COURAGE SERIES

There’s no place like… your community.

WAYS TO SAVE _ • Seniors save 10% off Adult tickets • Students & patrons under 30 get access to discounted tickets with valid ID • Preview Thursday – SAVE by joining us for a preview performance the first Thursday of the run • Pay-What-You-Can Saturday Matinees available for sale online the day of the performance or at the door one hour before curtain (limited seating available) • WCT Students Club offers high school students discounted tickets to Pizza Night

Some restrictions may apply

For a full list of single ticket prices & special performances

for all shows, please visit wctlive.ca

Evening Performances • 7:30PM Saturday Matinees • 2PM Wednesday Tea Matinees • 11AM

For information and tickets, visit wctlive.ca or contact the Kamloops Live! Box Office at:

klbo@kamloopslive.ca 250.374.5483

1025 Lorne Street

Join us at a special performance this season!

Opening Nights have moved to the first Friday performance this season! Opening Night ticket holders are invited to a special post-show reception with the artists.

Thursday Pizza Pre-shows • Join James MacDonald and special guests in the Sagebrush lobby for pizza and a dynamic discussion about the production at 6:30pm, before the second Thursday performance.

Thursday Post-show Artist Talks following the show at the second Thursday performance—join the cast for an enlightening discussion about the show.

_

SUBSCRIPTION PACKAGES _ Opening Night Friday & After ADULT

Preview Thursday STUDENT OR UNDER 30

SENIOR

ADULT

STUDENT OR UNDER 30

SENIOR

8-SHOW SUPER SUBSCRIPTION: SAVE 20% • Experience all 7 shows, plus the special presentation of Trace Regular

$274.40

$246.96

$117.00

$247.20

$222.48

$117.00

Down in Front*

$230.40

$207.36

$102.00

$203.20

$182.88

$102.00

5-SHOW HEART SERIES: SAVE 15% • Experience 4 shows at the Sagebrush Theatre (Chelsea Hotel, BOOM, Kim’s Convenience, The Wizard of Oz), plus Hey Viola! at the Pavilion Theatre Regular

$199.75

$179.78

$87.75

$178.50

$160.65

$87.75

Down in Front*

$153.00

$137.70

$71.50

$131.75

$118.58

$71.50

3-SHOW COURAGE SERIES: SAVE 15% • Experience all 3 World Premieres at the Pavilion Theatre (Clean, Hey Viola!, Echoes of the Homesick Heart) Regular

$91.80

$82.62

$39.00

$84.15

$75.74

$39.00

*Down in Front: Rows B to D at the Sagebrush Theatre

EARLY BIRD SUBSCRIPTIONS • Subscribe by October 31 and SAVE EVEN MORE! FLEX PASSES • Prepaid package of tickets valid for any combination of shows in the season STUDENT OR UNDER 30

ADULT

SENIOR

Flex 7 Pass

$272.65

$245.39

$119.35

Flex 5 Pass

$201.88

$181.69

$89.38

SUBSCRIBER BENEFITS • • • • •

TEA MATINEE SUBSCRIPTION • Wednesday matinees at 11am. Come early to enjoy tea and a treat before the show.

Plus, stay for a chance to talk to the performers after the show. Seating is limited. Thanks to the generous support of the BC Interior Community Foundation.

7-Show Tea Subscription Does not include Trace

$119.70

5-Show Heart Series

$95.00

3-Show Courage Series

$57.00

Savings – secure the best seats at the best price!

Flexibility – unlimited free exchanges with no fees First Priority Seating – Early Bird subscribers get first access to the best seats in the house** Discounts – save 15% off additional tickets Special Offers – enjoy exclusive discounts at local restaurants and businesses with your VIP Benefits Card

**In order to remain flexible to evolving restrictions around COVID-19, we are unable to guarantee the same seats across all performances this season.

SINGLE TICKETS On sale starting November 2021 Exact prices based on seat selection and applicable discounts

Plays at the Sagebrush Theatre

Musicals at the Sagebrush Theatre

All Productions at the Pavilion Theatre

$20–$52

$25–$57

$20–$40

All prices include GST. A Capital Improvement Fee of $1.31 is applied per ticket, per performance.

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE… WESTERN CANADA THEATRE! PERFORMANCE VENUES Sagebrush Theatre 1300 9th Avenue 250.372.0966

Pavilion Theatre & WCT Office 1025 Lorne Street 250.372.3216

WCT Mailing Address Western Canada Theatre • Box 329, Kamloops, BC V2C 5K9

TICKETS

Kamloops Live! Box Office 1025 Lorne Street 250.374.5483 Toll Free: 1.866.374.5483 WCTLIVE.CA WCT is proud to tell our stories on the traditional lands of Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc.

Illustrations by J Taylor Paravantes • fieldandsea.com

Thank you to our Season Supporters!

PRESENTING PARTNER

PUBLIC SUPPORT

SEASON SPONSORS

SENIORS’ TEA MATINEE SPONSOR