Hobson's Alternative: Kickstarting the April theatre scene

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Three premieres are poised to kickstart the April theatre scene. Spirit Fireplace Theatre gives a hearth chat with William Shakespeare whereas StoryBook Theatre will get enchanted and Quest Theatre groups up with Cloudsway Dance to deal with systematic racism.

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When he’s not on stage or in entrance of a digital camera, Calgary-based actor David Haysom runs a pest management service the place he discovered way more work through the pandemic.

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“In so most of the houses I went into, I discovered folks have been determined for dialog or any type of human interplay. So many individuals have been so alone. Once I was leaving one girl’s house, I recited one of many many Shakespearian sonnets I’ve memorized and she or he was so grateful. That’s the place the inspiration for MacBeth Un-Scotched got here from,” says Haysom, who will carry out this one-man present within the Pumphouse’s intimate Joyce Doolittle Theatre April 4-8 at 7 p.m.

Creating MacBeth Un-Scotched turned a household affair when Haysom requested his mom, playwright Morag Haysom, to jot down the script. The duo had collaborated for his 2015 solo present Vincent in regards to the Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh.

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In MacBeth Un-Scotched, Haysom performs William Shakespeare who sits down with individuals who collect to clarify why he wrote MacBeth after which performs a mini model of the play “hitting all of the juicy elements. He additionally explains what occurs in between these main scenes.”

These juicy bits might be offered of their unique Elizabethan pronunciations.

“There’s a linguist in Wales who has translated Shakespeare again into its unique pronunciations. It appears to be like like gibberish once you see it nevertheless it means that you can converse it. Doing this has been very intimidating however I wished it to be genuine,” says Haysom, who hopes he can take his MacBeth Un-Scotched far and close to.

“We’re booked into the Vancouver Fringe in September and I hope finally to get it on the complete fringe circuit, however I’d actually prefer to take it into faculties and even into folks’s houses in the event that they need to host a Shakespeare night time.”

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Haysom’s two careers converged not too long ago whereas he was enjoying Clyde Lidgard on the Calgary-shot TV sequence Joe Pickett after they known as him in to do away with a wasp drawback.

Tickets for MacBeth Un-Scotched, directed by David LeReaney, are $22.50.

SING A SONG OR TWO OF ENCHANTMENT

StoryBook Theatre is proud to be staging the Canadian premiere of the brand new household musical Ella Enchanted on the Beddington Arts Centre April 7-22.

The musical isn’t primarily based on the 2004 movie that starred Anne Hathaway as Ella however fairly on the 1997 younger grownup novella by Gail Carson Levine. It was changed into a stage musical in 2017 by Karen Zacarias and Deborah Wicks La Puma.

“Most individuals had no thought Ella Enchanted was dropped at life as a stage musical. They solely knew it because the film. The stage musical is ideal enjoyable for all ages and StoryBook is happy to offer the Canadian premiere of this unbelievable present,” says StoryBook’s creative director JP Thibodeau.

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Ella Enchanted is the story of poor Ella of Frell who, at delivery, was given the reward of obedience by her misguided fairy godmother Lucinda. Because of this Ella is pressured to do something folks ask of her. On her journey to rid herself of this curse, she should outwit ogres, sidestep giants, befriend a prince, survive a stepfamily and in the end discover the ability to be her true self.

In StoryBook’s model, directed by Samantha Currie and musical director Ethan Vasquez Taylor, Ella is performed by Nina arny R. Mabugat with Alexandra Woodley as her fairy godmother and David Kampel as her prince.

Tickets for Ella Enchanted begin at $32.

SYSTEMATIC RACISM IS NOT FANTASY

Quest Theatre and Cloudsway Dance Theatre have teamed as much as create Roll For Initiative, a household play that appears at systematic racism by way of a fantasy sport setting.

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Written by Cloudsway’s creative director Kunji Ikeda, Roll For Initiative follows the story of a half-orc named Teiji who faces discrimination and prejudice they reside in a world the place magic is prohibited for orcs.

Ikeda says the play, which speaks to kids and adults alike, explores themes of acceptance, braveness and standing up for what is correct.

“Roll for Initiative is appropriate for audiences of all ages and gives a strong message in regards to the affect of systematic racism, environmentalism and the ability of unity. It makes use of a dice-rolling fantasy world that’s accessible and age-appropriate, but in addition thought-provoking and academic,” says Ikeda.

Donovan Seidle of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra has written the unique music. The present stars Deedra Solange Ladouceur, Spencer Streichart and Andy Weir, and is directed by Daniel Fong.

Roll for Initiative runs in cSPACE King Edward (1721 29 Ave. S.W.) April 5-8 at 7 p.m. Choose your value tickets are $15, $25, or $35.