A community theatre Broadway musical revue production is coming to Evergreen Theatre and promises a little for everyone.
The Far, Far Off Broadway show has a cast of 64 children and adults and will feature songs and scenes from famous Broadway musicals including Annie, Les Misérables, Mama Mia, Chicago, The Lion King, The Producers, Cabaret, The Sound of Music and more.
Last spring, the revue’s director, CaroleAnn Leishman was putting together a production of Annie, but she became quite sick and had to postpone it. By August, when she was ready to pick the production up, she realized that it had lost its community band. Also, some of the actors who had been cast in the adult roles and a few of the children were either moving out of town or over-committed.
“Just shy of starting to panic I said to myself I need to rethink this,” said Leishman. It then came to her that she should do a Broadway musical revue instead. That way she would be able to keep parts of Annie and add scenes and songs from other musicals.
There are certain musicals she has wanted to stage, but either the rights were not available or the show was too daunting to do because of the need for massive props and sets, she said.
Leishman chose a couple of songs and scenes from each of the productions for the revue.
The musical revue format will have several standalone segments. Leishman said she’ll introduce each segment with a projection of the title of the production on the screen before each part begins.
“It’s quite amazing how you get wrapped up in it, even though it’s only a couple of numbers. It will give the flavour of the shows.”
Structuring the revue has been beneficial too. “It’s worked out really well and given actors more exposure,” she said.
The orphans from her original production of Annie now also sing in The Sound of Music and The Lion King and they have more roles throughout, she added.
Leishman has re-formed her showgirls for a few numbers as well.
The advantage of performing a musical revue is that set props are simplified and allow for quick transitions which puts more focus on the performers, she said.
“There’s nothing worse for an audience than having to sit there in the dark waiting for them to change the set,” said Leishman.
She is urging the public to see the production and support community theatre. “The orphans [from Annie] have been working on the production since last spring,” she said. “All the hard work they’ve put in, it’s pretty incredible.”
Three evening performances, starting at 7 pm at the Evergreen, are planned with Thursday, November 7, as opening night. Performances will run on Friday, November 8 and Saturday, November 9. A 1 pm matinee performance is planned for Sunday, November 10.
Tickets are on sale at Powell River Recreation Complex box office, the Patricia Theatre, Breakwater Books & Coffee, Ecossentials and at the door. Tickets for adults are $15, youth and seniors $12 and children six years old and under can attend for free.
