"Clybourne Park" is social dramedy at its best

Change can be a good thing, but when it involves a family of another race moving into a bedroom community in a Chicago neighbourhood nearly 60 years ago, that change can be a source of resistance. And that sense of resistance can go into reverse in that same house, in that same bedroom community exactly 50 years after the fact.

That’s the overall theme of Bruce Norris’ Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Clybourne Park”, which is now playing at the Centaur Theatre until April 30.

The play is divided into two parts. The first part takes place in 1959, as Russ and Bev, a middle-aged married couple living in Clybourne Park are about to move out of their house. Throughout this hot Saturday as Russ and Bev are packing the last of their boxes before the big move the following Monday, they receive a number of visitors: Jim, the local parish priest; their friends Karl and his hearing impaired wife Betsy; and Albert, who is picking up his wife Francine, who works as a maid for the couple. Although the fast-paced conversations deal with a variety of rather trivial subjects (from how Neapolitan ice cream got its to name to geography), it eventually dissolves into a whole mess of anger and pain when Karl raises the topic that Russ sold his house to an African American couple (who are about to live in an all-White neighborhood), and when Jim brings up the painful memories about Russ and Bev’s deceased son, and what lead to his premature tragic death.

The second part takes place 50 years later, in 2009, when a neighborhood association meets in the same house in the same neighborhood – which is now predominantly a black neighborhood – as they discuss the prospect of a white couple purchasing the house in question, and how they plan to tear it down and build a new house on the site. The conversations between the characters, like in the first half, start off being of a trivial nature (like what really is the capital of Morocco). But as it becomes more relevant and politically incorrect, it dissolves into another mess of anger and pain; but this time, the ghosts of the house’s previous owners resurface, thanks to the discovery of an old army footlocker that was buried in the backyard.

“Clybourne Park” is dramedy at its best, with a great deal of humour, talk, frustration and hurt mixed into a winning formula on how people not only deal with subtle, yet radical change, but also how they deal with their personal demons and prejudices. My favorite part is the 1959 segment, which fondly reminded me of the sitcoms and live dramas that were part of TV’s golden age (in fact, I was wondering where the three 1950s TV cameras with the large CBS eye logos on the side were going to emerge from the audience). It started like an episode of “I Love Lucy” and ended up being a production of “Playhouse 90”. And the ensemble cast – which had the challenge of performing two (and sometimes three) different roles – successfully met their acting challenges with flying colours. In particular, special kudos go out to Lisa Bronwyn Moore, whose performance as Bev in the 1959 segment as a typical 50s housewife (complete with makeup, perfectly coiffed hair, house dress and high heel shoes) was a wonderful combination of June Cleaver and Edith Bunker; and Harry Standjofski as Russ, who in his loud, bombastic way, somehow strikes a blow for civil rights as he defends his choice of whom he sold his house to, although much to the consternation of his good friend (and closet bigot) Karl.

For more information, or to purchase tickets, call the Centaur box office at 514-288-3161, or go to www.centaurtheatre.com.

A conversation with "The Book of Mormon"'s Gabe Gibbs (aka Elder Price)

“The Book of Mormon”, the wildly satirical musical comedy that won 12 Tony Awards – including Best Musical in 2011 – will be returning to Montreal for a limited engagement from April 18 to 23 at Salle Wilfrid Pelletier of Place des Arts.

Created by Matt Stone and Trey Parker (the duo behind the edgy Comedy Central animated series “South Park”) and Robert Lopez (who created the equally edgy Broadway musical “Avenue Q”), “The Book of Mormon” tells the story of Elder Price and Elder Cunningham, two members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS), also known as the Mormons, who are fresh out of the LDS Church Missionary Training Center, and are eager for their first international posting as missionaries to spread the gospel of what the Book of Mormon has to offer to their potential new converts. However, instead of getting assigned to Elder Price’s dream posting of Orlando, Florida, he and Elder Cunningham are sent to Uganda, in particular a village that is ruled by a tyrannical local warlord.

“The show is damned funny. If you tell the average 40-year-old about a musical that deals with religion, they will run away screaming in the opposite direction. If it’s covered by the people who brought you South Park and Avenue Q, then it’s a different story, because people will not sit down and watch a two-hour musical of that nature without some humour to it,” said Gabe Gibbs, who portrays Elder Price in this current touring company production of “The Book of Mormon”.

During a recent phone interview with Gibbs from Toronto, where “Book of Mormon” is about to wrap up a seven-week run before heading to Montreal, he expressed a great deal of admiration for Stone, Parker and Lopez for raising questions about organized religion in general through “Book of Mormon” that normally wouldn’t be brought to the table during a normal conversation. But he also cited another reason why he is honoured to be part of the cast of a show that he deemed as “something special.”

“It’s fun to see someone sent into an impossible situation, and it’s even more fun to watch somebody not get it when they are offered something that is not part of their values,” he admitted. “Basically, it’s fun to watch those missionaries drown as they try to preach something that doesn’t match or connect with the villagers they hope to convert.”

Gibbs, a native of Detroit who performed “The Book of Mormon” on Broadway and joined the national touring company this past October, admits that going on the road with a hit Broadway show can be tough, but says that when the show arrives at a certain destination for a short or lengthy engagement, somehow adapts a small percentage of it to cater to the city or region where it is playing in. “For example, we tweaked about 2 percent of the show when we brought it to Salt Lake City, Utah, because that’s the world headquarters of the Mormons; and the show ended up being wildly different,” he added.

Tickets for the Montreal run of “The Book of Mormon” are still available, and cost between $41.25 and $125.75. To purchase tickets, go to www.evenko.ca.

Centaur Theatre goes “hand in hand” as it launches its 49th season line-up

There were many reasons for people to go “hand in hand” with applause at the annual unveiling of the Centaur Theatre’s line-up, which took place last Wednesday (March 15) to mark its upcoming 49^th season, which will go under the theme of “Hand in Hand”.

Roy Surette introduces Eda Holmes (left), his successor as the Centaur Theatre's Artistic & Executive Director

First of all, the gathering of media and members of Montreal’s English language theatre community were applauded by the Centaur for braving the aftermath of the major snowstorm that fell on the city the day before to attend the launch event. Second, outgoing Artistic and Executive Director Roy Surette was applauded for his 10 years of running the Centaur and bringing English language theatre in Montreal to a whole new level (he will be stepping down at the end of May to return to his native B.C.). Third, applause was called for the official introduction of his successor, Eda Holmes, who previously ran the Shaw Festival, but had her theatrical roots in Montreal with the National Theatre School and the Centaur. And finally, there were enthusiastic rounds of applause for the exciting line-up of new shows that will grace the Centaur stage for the 2017-2018 season.

Before that line-up was revealed, Surette announced that the Centaur’s facilities on St. Francois-Xavier Street in Old Montreal will undergo a series of major expansion renovations, starting in January 2018 with the Centaur 2 theatre space, with a projected completion date to coincide with the beginning of the Centaur’s 50^th anniversary season.

The six plays that are part of the Centaur’s 2017-2018 subscription series are a diverse mixture of autobiography, comedy, diversity and even puppetry that will have audiences burst out in enthusiastic rounds of hand in hand applause. It begins with “Playing With Fire: The Theo Fleury Story” (October 3 – 29), in which the Centaur transforms into a hockey rink to tell the story of Theo Fleury (based on his best selling memoir of the same name) and his up and down career as a professional hockey player, from his Metis upbringing, to winning a Stanley Cup championship, to winning a gold medal at the Winter Olympics; Fans of the “Master of Suspense” himself, Alfred Hitchcock, will certainly be pleased with this multi-award winning stage adaptation of “The 39 Steps” (November 14 – December 10), Hitchcock’s classic 1935 thriller film of spies, murder and deception … but this time with a comic twist (it also marks Ms. Holmes’ directorial debut at the Centaur); The world premiere of Pascale Rafie’s play “The Baklawa Recipe” (January 23 – February 18, 2018) is the story of two young immigrant women from Lebanon who settle in Ville St. Laurent during the 1960s, and face a struggle to integrate themselves with the traditional female roles of their native country, as female roles quickly begin to change within the feminist movement during this turbulent period in Quebec’s history; “The Daisy Theatre” (February 20 – March 25), is a puppet show with a risqué slant to it, as Canadian master puppeteer Ronnie Burkett literally pulls the strings with a show filled with some of the most outrageous, out of the ordinary characters ever in the puppetry world, including lounge singer Rosemary Focaccia and Lillian Lunkhead, billed as Canada’s oldest and worst actress ever. Please note that this show is only for adults 16 years of age and over; “Successions” (April 10 – May 6) marks the Centaur debut of Montreal playwright Michaela Di Cesare. This comedy tells the story of two second generation Italian Montrealers – one is a lawyer who is running for public office, and the other is his lackadaisical-minded brother who would rather party than hold a steady job; Originally scheduled for a run during this summer’s festival season, but has now been shifted to conclude the 2017-2018 season, the English-language adaptation of Michel Tremblay’s acclaimed drama “Hosanna” (May 15 – June 10) won four METAS Awards in 2015, and tells the story of a Cleopatra impersonator who returns home from a Halloween party in tears, and later faces his deepest fears and insecurities.

As well, the Centaur will continue its popular series of beyond the mainstage productions, including the Brave New Looks play selection, which for this 49^th season will be Scapegoat Carnival’s production of Sophocles’ classic Greek tragedy “Oedipus” (October 19 – 22); “Urban Tales” (December 7 – 16), Centaur’s Christmas tradition of dark, twisted Yuletide tales told by some of Montreal’s best onstage storytellers; the “hottest two weeks in winter”, better known as the Wildside Theatre Festival (January 4 – 13, 2018), which now begins its third decade; plus the Saturday Morning Children’s Series, and the behind-the-scenes Sunday Chat-Ups and post-performance Talk-Backs.

“It’s been a marvelous 10 years as the Centaur’s Artistic and Executive Director,” said Surette. “And I know I will leave the theatre in great hands with Eda Holmes as my successor.”

For more information on what the Centaur Theatre has to offer for its upcoming 49^th season, or to purchase its 6-, 5-, or 4-play subscription ticket packages, call 514-288-3161, or go to www.centaurtheatre.com. #centaur49.

“You Will Remember Me” gives human face to Alzheimer’s Disease

When I first heard about the Centaur Theatre’s latest production “You Will Remember Me” by Francois Archambeault at last year’s season launch event, I thought it was going to a cosmic, space-age type of production (especially after looking at the play’s poster artwork).

A year later, as I attended an early performance of the English-language premiere of this play (which is now in the midst of its run that lasts until April 2), that space-age theme still clung to me as I witnessed in the theatre’s semi-darkness Eo Sharp’s breathtaking set design, which included a series of tall poles propped up by industrial strength wires. However, after catching the performance, I realized “You Will Remember Me” was not a play that dealt with outer space, but it was quite a cosmic experience, as it gave a powerful, human face to the ravages of the dreadful neurological affliction that is Alzheimer’s Disease.

The play focuses on Edouard (Jean Marchand), a highly respected history professor for a Quebec university, who in an effort to memorize all the names of his students, later realizes that he was in the wrong classroom to begin with. As a result of this little bit of personal confusion, Edouard is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. As he continually denies that he has this disease – yet his family comes to terms with it – the fabric of his immediate family begins to unravel. His faithful wife Madeleine (Lally Cadeau) starts to become unfaithful, as she deposits him to the home of their journalist daughter Isabelle (Johanna Nutter) practically every weekend so she could have a tryst with another man. In turn, Isabelle leaves her father in the care of her latest boyfriend Patrick (Charles Bender), who in turn leaves him to the care of his rebellious teenage daughter Berenice (Amanda Silveira). It is thanks to Berenice – though indirectly – that Edouard comes to terms with a family tragedy that has remained suppressed for over 20 years, which he attempts to do in a series of conversations with Berenice before the ravages of Alzheimer’s takes away not only his life, but the memories he has had through his life, whether they be good, bad or long forgotten.

“You Will Remember Me” marks the directorial swan song of the Centaur’s current Artistic and Executive Director Roy Surette, who will step down from this position at the end of the season. And he has done a masterful job with this choice of play to mark this swan song with the Centaur. It is a highly-charged, highly emotional production that shows one person’s struggle to recapture the memories of their life before a degenerative neurological disease gradually takes them all away in a devastating manner. The five cast members deliver stellar performances all around, especially Amanda Silveira as Berenice, who through a mixture of cockiness, reluctance and sensitivity, manages to do what the other members of Edouard’s immediate family cannot accomplish, and that is to bring out his fondest, cherished – and deeply buried – memories before it is too late.

To purchase tickets for the remaining performances of the run of “You Will Remember Me”, call 514-288-3161, or go to www.centaurtheatre.com.

Alan Zweibel: From $7 jokes to SNL

DALLAS, TEXAS – I was a devoted fan of “Saturday Night Live” through its golden age, which was its first five seasons from 1975 to 1980, where such legendary cast members as Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, Jane Curtin and the late John Belushi and Gilda Radner changed the face of late night and comedy television with such memorable characters as the Samurai, the Blues Brothers, Roseanne Roseannadanna, and the Coneheads. In fact, during that five-year-period, I made sure I was home by 11:30 every Saturday night to catch every new episode of 90 minutes filled with great comedy, memorable hosts and unforgettable musical guests (which became the talk every Monday morning with my friends at the Sir Winston Churchill High School cafeteria).

So imagine my surprise when last week, I was chosen to be the lead staff person during a Saturday morning talk session with former SNL staff writer Alan Zweibel, who worked with the show during that golden age, at BBYO’s annual International Convention, which took place last weekend in Dallas.

Zweibel fascinated the standing room only crowd made up of mainly teenage BBYO members from around the world, as he recounted to them his multi-faceted career as a comedy writer. He talked about his comedy influences (which included Mel Brooks and Dick Van Dyke), his rather inauspicious start as a stand-up comedian, and the realization that he could make better money as a comedy writer, in which he began by providing jokes to other comics and talk show hosts, for which he was paid a princely sum of $7 for every joke that was used.

Although he has written for “Curb Your Enthusiasm”, has written several books (including his affectionate memoir of his friendship with the late Gilda Radner called Bunny Bunny) and screenplays, the main focus of Zweibel’s talk was his years at SNL, and offered a lot of great backstage stories of how he came up with some of his best sketches, and the hazards of writing jokes and sketches for a 90-minute live TV show on a weekly basis. My favorite anecdotes included his unusual job interview with Lorne Michaels in 1975 for the job as one of the original SNL writers (he produced a binder filled with 1,000 jokes, yet Michaels hired him on the basis of reading only one of his jokes in the binder); how he sat under the “Weekend Update” desk and grinded out jokes while the segment was on the air, and handed them to the anchors when he completed each joke; the trouble with an out of control horse during a “Bill Murray’s Celebrity Corner” interview segment on Weekend Update with “Mrs. Ed” in 1979; his favorite host (Steve Martin) and not-so-favorite host (Milton Berle); and his constant run-ins with the show’s resident censor.

And Zweibel announced to his admiring audience that he is currently writing two new plays, is about to work on a new season of “Curb Your Enthusiasm”, and is releasing a book called For This We Left Egypt?, which is a parody of the Haggadah, a prayer book that is used during the Jewish holiday of Passover (and will be the subject of a future review in my Book Banter column). And after the session was over, Zweibel spent about an additional 15 minutes chatting with some of the teen audience members, in which he posed for pictures and offered advice to those who want to pursue a career in comedy and comedy writing. As for me, Zweibel posed for a picture with me, and graciously autographed my copy of Live From New York, the excellent oral history of Saturday Night Live, in which he was one of the many show’s alumni who were interviewed for that book. For a devoted fan of Saturday Night Live’s golden years, it was great to come in contact with one of the people who made that golden age happen.

My Favorite Books of 2016

This past year, like ever other year, I read an average of 50 books, so that it can be reviewed in the pages of The Montreal Times every week. Choosing a book to review is always done through a personal process of elimination, and that same process is done as I decided which were my favorite books of 2016.

I have to admit, the books that have reached the best seller lists this year has been a crazy salad of choices, from books by stalwarts like Stephen King, John Grisham and James Patterson, to the latest entry into the Harry Potter saga Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (which was actually the script of the stage production that went by that title), to the latest installment of controversial Fox News host Bill O’Reilly’s “Killing” series (this time he tackled the defeat of the Japanese empire during World War II, which was called Killing the Rising Sun). This year was the year of the memoir for me. There were plenty of choice titles that arrived at my door from publishers aching to be read and reviewed; however, 2016 was a vintage year for the memoir, because there were a lot of interesting people who had a lot of interesting stories to tell about their respective lives and experiences whether they were a legendary rock music superstar, a Secret Service agent, or a popular actress with an anxiety-ridden upbringing. And they were books that quickly caught my interest, read with great enthusiasm, and regularly recommended to people who asked me about which of the latest releases they should be reading.

So, without further ado, here are my favorite books of 2016.

Paul McCartney: The Life by Philip Norman. This is my choice for book of the year. Veteran British rock journalist and author Philip Norman has delivered a thorough, unflinching portrait of the soufflé-talking “cute Beatle” from the streets of Liverpool, to Beatlemania, to Mull of Kintyre, to Liverpool Oratorio. There are plenty of surprises about McCartney’s personal and artistic life that are brought to light for the first time in this book (especially his rocky post-Beatles road before he really hit it big as a solo artist with his group Wings). A definite must-read for all Beatles fans.

Born To Run by Bruce Springsteen. Probably the best rock star memoir since Keith Richards’ Life. Springsteen leaves no stone unturned in this brutally honest look at his long, arduous journey to rock ‘n’ roll superstardom.  What I really liked about the book is how the narrative style almost reads like song lyrics; basically, if Springsteen decides to put this book to music, it would end up being one hell of an epic album.

American Heiress by Jeffrey Toobin. The CNN legal analyst and best selling author can certainly write an intelligent, probing true crime book. This time, he gives a thorough retelling of heiress Patty Hearst’s kidnapping by the Symbionese Liberation Army, which dominated the headlines throughout 1974 and 75. Toobin writes with the flair of an investigative journalist, and gives the reader a captivating behind the headlines story of the kidnapping, from how dysfunctional the Hearst family really was, to the rag tag motivation of the SLA, to what really happened to Hearst in the months leading up to her capture in September of 1975.

Making Waves by Shirley Babashoff and Chris Epting. During the 1976 Montreal Olympics, Shirley Babashoff was the darling of the U.S. swim team, and was expected to take home a mother lode of gold medals in the pool. But that gold rush was dashed by the members of the East German women’s swim team, which made Babashoff quite suspicious, especially due to their out of the ordinary muscular appearance. Babashoff’s memoir is a fascinating chronicle about how she became the first whistleblower to an Olympic doping scandal that would become a pandemic many years later, but sadly, she became a pariah in the world of amateur athletics because of her rare act of bravery.

Toni Tennille: A Memoir by Toni Tennille. Back in the mid and late 70s, the Captain and Tennille ruled the pop charts with such hit records as “Love Will Keep Us Together”, “Muskrat Love” and “Do That To Me One More Time”. However, Toni Tennille’s life behind the music with her musical partner and husband Daryl “The Captain” Dragon was a life of dealing with his obsessive, compulsive tendencies, which took off a lot of the sheen from their glamorous public life as popular recording artists. This memoir tells Tennille’s story with a great deal of honesty and bravado, and could have been a perfect candidate for an episode of VH1’s “Behind the Music” series.

Five Presidents by Clint Hill. The life a Secret Service agent is a very high-pressured one, where agents sacrifice many long hours – and even their own lives – in order to protect the life of the President of the United States. Hill put together a fascinating memoir of his more than 15 years as a Secret Service agent, and what it was like to be the protector of presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon and Ford. Hill gives a first-hand look at each administration he served, and the joys, quirks and idiosyncrasies that went with them (the chapters about Lyndon Johnson are filled with plenty of the latter two).

Distilled by Charles Bronfman. The 85-year-old Bronfman, the youngest child of Seagram distillery magnate and Canadian Jewish community leader Sam Bronfman, gives an engrossing account of what it was like to grow up as part of one of Canada’s most prominent business dynasties. There’s plenty of great details about how he helped put the Montreal Expos franchise together, his monumental personal clashes with his older brother Edgar on the many decisions they had to deal with that affected the family empire, and how he coped with the tragic death of his beloved wife Andrea in 2006 (which is probably one of the most heartbreaking parts of the book).

Seinfeldia by Jennifer Keishan Armstrong. Ever wondered how “Seinfeld” evolved from a show about nothing to one of the greatest sitcoms in television history? The answers are satisfyingly provided in Seinfeldia, which tells that story with a lot of fascinating behind-the-scenes details. You find out about the show’s bumpy road to its legendary status, and the origins of the show’s many popular episodes and characters, from the Soup Nazi, to “Festivus”, to “The Contest”. With books about The Mickey Mouse Club and the Mary Tyler Moore Show under her belt, Seinfeldia has cemented Jennifer Keishan Armstrong’s reputation as a top notch TV historian, and I look forward to the next classic TV show that she plans to commit between two covers.

End of Watch by Stephen King. This is the third book of Stephen King's dabbling into the crime thriller genre, and satisfyingly concludes the trilogy of novels that began with Mr. Mercedes and Finders Keepers. This time, retired police detective Bill Hodges conducts his final pursuit of mass murderer Brady Hartsfield, as a suicide he is called to investigate has a connection to Hartsfield, even though he is still incarcerated for the Mercedes Massacre that he committed in the first book. And to add to this, Hodges learns that he is about to begin his own private battle with a serious form of cancer. Cleverly written, it proves that Stephen King is more than just a writer of horror novels.

This is A Book About the Kids in the Hall by John Semley. The Canadian comedy quintet that is The Kids in the Hall is known for their quirky, edgy sketches and characters on their CBC series that ran from 1989 to 1995, and has developed quite a cult following. Semley, a diehard fan of the group, provides a thorough, seminal book that is the first serious study of the Kids, their origins, the Toronto comedy scene of the 1980s that helped develop their unique style of sketch comedy, how their cult following evolved when cable TV networks aired reruns of their TV show, and how their reunion tours made them a much stronger group. So if you enjoyed watching the Chicken Lady, Buddy Cole, their lengthy filmed sketches, or even their overlooked feature film "Brain Candy", you will find Semley's book required reading. 

And that takes care of 2016. Have a page-turning 2017.

Dispatches from the Centaur Theatre's Wildside Festival

It’s billed as the “hottest two weeks in winter”, and this year’s 20^th anniversary edition of the Centaur Theatre’s Wildside Theatre Festival has certainly lived up to that billing.

For this year’s milestone edition of the festival – which runs until Sunday, January 15 -- programmers Roy Surette and Johanna Nutter have chosen seven distinctive productions that represent how different aspects of diversity can be portrayed on the stage in an entertaining, thought-provoking manner. Topics that are dealt with in this year’s Wildside shows include female, cultural and sexual identity; family relationships; journalistic responsibility; the search for authenticity; and misunderstanding the marginalized.

This year, I managed to see four of the seven Wildside offerings, and needless to say, I was entertained, amused, moved and inspired by the messages each production conveyed. Three out of the four shows I saw will be playing at the festival through January 15. So if you need some theatrical comfort food from these cold January days, here are my three Wildside recommendations.

“Hootenanny!” (Smith & Somers) is a funny, bittersweet tale of a popular Australian children’s show duo comprised of Jeff Van Der Hoot and Annie Eucalyptus (aka “Hootenanny”), who are on the Canadian leg of their world tour. And during one of their shows, the team unravels and disintegrates right before the eyes of the audience, thanks to scandal, infighting, and unshared secrets that come out into the open at the last minute. The show is done in real time, as you witness the break-up of Hootenanny during the course of their 60-minute concert, which is complete with kids’ songs, video clips and a dance break. At times uncomfortable but always captivating, “Hootenanny!” is a stark portrayal of the dark side behind the glamour of being a popular entertainer. Its remaining shows are on January 14 at 9 p.m. and January 15 at 2 p.m.

“A Perfect Picture” (32-Hour Theatre Company) is based on the true story of South African photographer Kevin Carter, who won a Pulitzer Prize for his photograph of a vulture lying in wait for his prey, a starving child in war torn Sudan. Written and performed by Laurent McCuaig-Pitre, he tells the story of Carter and his famous photo from two points of view: Carter himself and the vulture in the picture, who tries to justify his presence in the photo. “A Perfect Picture” is a fascinating portrait study of the type of tortured souls photojournalists are (especially when they are assigned to war zones), and the ethical questions that stir in their minds when they shoot photos of tragic events, whether it be for the sake of their profession, or for the glory that it can bring them. Remaining shows on its run take place on January 12 at 7 p.m., and January 13 and 15 at 9 p.m.

"Empire of the Son" (Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre) is nothing short of a sheer triumph. Tetsuro Shigematsu, a performer/CBC Radio show host/stand-up comic, who worked as an usher at the Centaur years ago, delivers a multi-media story filled with plenty of humor, heart and culture, as he tells about the rather quirky relationship he had with his father, who not only survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945, but also had an interesting career as a broadcaster with the BBC in London and Radio Canada International. What I enjoyed about the show is not only Shigematsu’s easy-going, yet candid delivery, but also his clever use of photos, props, audio tape recordings of interviews with his family, and small scale model re-enactments, which certainly adds to this emotional theatrical experience. It's a very entertaining, uplifting piece about coming to terms with a parent during the difficult time of mourning their passing, and how important it is to listen to what each family member has to say, whether one agrees or not. A definite must-see! There are three remaining performances of “Empire of the Son” on January 12, 13 and 14, and all start at 7:30 p.m.

Although its run at the Wildside Festival has ended, I have to give special kudos to "Outta Here".  It’s a musical production by the students of Summit School, a private school that creates an individualized and enriching atmosphere for different special needs students. The show deals with a group of students with developmental disabilities who go on a school field trip, but end up going on an adventure of self-discovery, and what motivates each of the five students who decide to forsake the field trip for this adventure in the city. I have to give the 35 Summit students who make up the cast a great deal of credit for taking on and succeeding in this stupendous task of putting on this large-scale show for an audience outside of the comfort zone of their school, and taking on multiple roles that can be a challenge for even the most professional of actors. And judging by the heart and enthusiasm each student put into their respective performances, it is hoped that more courageous and entertaining productions from the students of Summit School will grace the stage of future Wildside Festivals.

And if you can’t get enough of what the Wildside has to offer, then catch its remaining Offside events, which begin immediately following the final show of the night at the Centaur’s Ted T. Katz Family Trust Gallery space, starting around 10 p.m. There will be a puppet karaoke showcase (where you get to sing a favorite song, and let a puppet act it out for you) on January 12; and a special all-star musical tribute to the late Leonard Cohen takes place on January 13. Admission is free for both events.

For more information about the Wildside Festival, or to purchase tickets, go to www.centaurtheatre.com.

   adventure of self-discovery. I have to give these 35 student actors a lot of credit for their courage of mounting and performing a production of this scale. And special kudos goes to Cassandra Mac Isaac for her scene stealing performance as Erica, the sassy student who is part of the five students who ditches the school field trip for an adventure.adventure of self-discovery. I have to give these 35 student actors a lot of credit for their courage of mounting and performing a production of this scale. And special kudos goes to Cassandra Mac Isaac for her scene stealing performance as Erica, the sassy student who is part of the five students who ditches the school field trip for an adventure.

adventure of self-discovery. I have to give these 35 student actors a lot of credit for their courage of mounting and performing a production of this scale. And special kudos goes to Cassandra Mac Isaac for her scene stealing performance as Erica, the sassy student who is part of the five students who ditches the school field trip for an adventure.adventure of self-discovery. I have to give these 35 student actors a lot of credit for their courage of mounting and performing a production of this scale. And special kudos goes to Cassandra Mac Isaac for her scene stealing performance as Erica, the sassy student who is part of the five students who ditches the school field trip for an adventure.

adventure of self-discovery. I have to give these 35 student actors a lot of credit for their courage of mounting and performing a production of this scale. And special kudos goes to Cassandra Mac Isaac for her scene stealing performance as Erica, the sassy student who is part of the five students who ditches the school field trip for an adventure.adventure of self-discovery. I have to give these 35 student actors a lot of credit for their courage of mounting and performing a production of this scale. And special kudos goes to Cassandra Mac Isaac for her scene stealing performance as Erica, the sassy student who is part of the five students who ditches the school field trip for an adventure.