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FIREHALL ARTS CENTRE
2009 / 2010 FIREHALL FIRSTS - A PREMIERE SEASON!
The Firehall Arts Centre 27th season is full of firsts. From the launching of premieres - Back to You; Debt - the Musical; in(habitat); The Strange Adventure of Myself; and the full length presentation of ADAM-EVE/Man- Woman; to the return to Vancouver of two truly moving works - Where the Blood Mixes and Blood.claat and to the annual BC Buds Spring Arts Fair, which each year premieres short new works from over thirty different artists throughout the venue and throughout the weekend.
"We are excited to present a season that embodies what the Firehall Arts Centre is all about - supporting Canadian artists by sharing with our audiences artistic works that are daring, risky, surprising and moving", stated Donna Spencer, Artistic Producer. "The Firehall is proud of our long standing contribution to our community through the connections we have made between our artists and our audiences. Participation in the arts as audience members, donors and as artists contributes greatly to the overall health and well-being of Canadian society and each of the projects we have selected for production this season will bring a special focus to what it means to be Canadian today".
The season kicks off with the Musical Theatreworks production of Back to You - the Life and Music of Lucille Starr written by Tracey Power, September 30 - October 10. Lucille Starr, born May 13, 1938, is a Franco-Manitoban / British Columbian singer, songwriter, and yodeler best known for her 1964 hit single, "Quand Le Soleil Dit Bonjour Aux Montagnes" ("The French Song.") The play begins in 1981 with Lucille Starr, played by Beverley Elliott, coming back to her hometown, Coquitlam, BC, in her comeback tour. Coming home sires up a lifetime of memories - from a successful career to the loss of her voice and recovery. The tour brings her back to her music, herself and back to you.
From October 15 - 17 - two separate dynamic dance shows are presented in association with the Dance Centre during Dance in Vancouver: Joe Ink's (In)habitat and Les Productions Figlio's The Strange Adventure of Myself. Featuring choreography by Joe Laughlin and performances by Tara Dyberg and Chengxin Wei, (In)habitat explores how we define our sense of place in the world and the importance of home as sanctuary. Shelter is a basic human need; it's also an expression of our hopes, our dreams and even our deepest fears. The Strange Adventure of Myself, featuring solo work of the very talented and well known Canadian dance artist, Sylvain Senez is choreographed by Les Figlio's Artistic Director Serge Bennathan. Described humorously as "my first Self-Help creative work", the work is inspired by the mechanical Kinetic sculptures of Arthur Ganson, by the works of Oscar Wilde and by conversations about age, life and art.
A new musical about money and life, Debt - the Musical written by Leslie Mildiner and directed by Donna Spencer will preview October 23-27 and opens Wednesday, October 28 - November 14. This 90 minute musical revue explores the chaos, confusion and comedy of dealing with debt - a satire that dares to go where no musical has gone before - Bankruptcy Court!
What started as a 20-minute commission work for the 20th anniversary of the Dancing on the Edge Festival, ADAM-EVE/Man-Woman comes to a full-length creation December 9 - 12, 2009 by Co.ERASGA in partnership with the Firehall Arts Centre. Alvin Erasga Tolentino's work encounters and challenges the social and archetypal place of man and woman, identity and gender. The choreography presents the body as passive and aggressive, yin and yang, masculine and feminine. The dance captures Tolentino's
unique and imaginative choreographic voice. Strange, tender, fascinating, and startling, his physical language exudes boldness of simplicity, complexity, and sublime minimalism.
The powerful work of Kevin Loring, Where the Blood Mixes, returns February 25 - March 6, 2010. Loring's work is an incredible accomplishment and a study on his own people, the N'lakap'mux First Nation who live where the Thompson meets the Fraser. Taking a fearless look at the Native community's most painful emotional scars while still casting a ray of light, this Vancouver Playhouse/Belfry Theatre/Savage Production presentation received rave reviews and awards in its first production.
The Firehall welcomes back the gripping solo show, Blood.claat, one ooman story, which took Vancouver by storm during the 2008 Magnetic North Festival from April 7 to 17th, 2010. Written and performed by d'bi young anitafrika, Blood.claat, is a story told through multiple generations in which rituals travel in symbolic cycles of scorn and celebration exposing rites in which all metaphors unite in the fluid of life. "a gripping example of how Canada's cultural mosaic is rich with stories that are first drawn from other places and then filtered through our amazing arts community." Peter Birnie, Vancouver Sun.
The seventh anniversary of the increasingly popular BC Buds - Firehall's Spring Arts Fair wraps up the season with artists, actors, and musicians creating their works in every crack and cranny of the beautiful heritage Firehall building. The Fair will be held on May 21-23, 2010 and will once again showcase over 100 artists in performances which are free for all.
Whether it's your first time or your fiftieth time visiting the Firehall, the performances this season will enthral, inspire and entertain you in one of Vancouver's most intimate and welcoming audience and performance spaces. Theatre, dance and discussion - all at the Firehall Arts Centre.
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