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IN MEMORIAM – LORENA GALE
Continuing this week: the Arts Club’s Les Misérables at the Stanley and Altar Boyz at the Granville Island Stage; Othello and The Comedy of Errors at Bard on the Beach, with All’s Well That Ends Well opening in the small tent; The China Tea Deal in the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Gardens; Enchanted April at the Metro; Reefer Madness (the musical) at PAL; and the Vancouver International Flamenco Festival at the Playhouse and Waterfront theatres. And opening this week, that Vancouver institution The Number 14, back for another go at the Waterfront.
Check out our latest Letters: Stephen Drover sends us Stratford AD Des McAnuff’s pre-show talk on diversity in casting; Camyar Chai sends a love note that announces he’s alive & well & still in the biz; and Playhouse AD Max Reimer sends a clarification of his company’s recent record on racial and ethnic diversity in casting its shows. Congratulations to Heather Redfern and Jane Heyman. Cultch AD Heather was recently honoured with the Mallory Gilbert Leadership Award, given in Toronto in honour of Tarragon Theatre’s long-time general manager, for leadership within the Canadian theatre community. And Jane, recently retired from the faculty of Studio 58 and freelance directing again, won this year’s Vancouver Women of Distinction Award for arts and culture, in part no doubt for her extraordinary work on behalf of PAL Vancouver. We’re so lucky to have these two fabulous women in our community. Long may they thrive. And congrats to Artistic Director Brian Richmond who announces the opening of his Blue Bridge Repertory Theatre in Victoria. (For the past two weeks I’ve had it her as Blue Ridge, with the correspondingly wrong url—apologies.) Their season opened with Stratford director Jeannette Lambermont-Morey’s production of As You Like It, which will be followed by Death of a Salesman, starring David Ferry, Kyra Harper, and Jacob Richmond. For info go to www.bluebridgetheatre.ca. Vancouverplays wishes them all the luck in the world. CALLBOARD A few spaces remain for young wannabe musical theatre artists in the July session of Gotta Sing! Gotta Dance! (in its 15th year at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver), from July 7-30. Cost is $650 for non-members and $550 for members of the JCC. Call (604) 257-5111 or go to www.jccgv.bc.ca or www.theimpresario.ca. Theatre Replacement, Caravan Farm Theatre, and Leaky Heaven Circus present a workshop with British devised theatre specialist Lucinka Eisler. Participants will explore the idea of the performer as creator with a focus on developing the individual’s creative voice as part of an ensemble. Oct. 5-9 at the Caravan Farm in Armstrong, BC. $550 + GST (includes room & board). First come, first serve; max. 12 people. Registration deadline: Sept. 1. $100 deposit and CV/bio required. Contact ruthie@theatrereplacement.org for registration and information. Gateway Theatre invites submissions of original, unproduced scripts from established and emerging Canadian playwrights for SceneFirst, its New Play Development Program, now in its fifth season. Scripts selected will receive a short workshop and staged reading in March 2010 and will be considered for production in Gateway’s upcoming seasons. For info email artisticassociate@gatewaytheatre.com or call 604-247-4974. Deadline for submissions: Oct. 16.
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Sad, sad news: actor and playwright Lorena Gale passed away on June 21 in Vancouver General Hospital after a long, tough battle with abdominal cancer. She was only 51. Lorena was a Jessie-winning actress (three times nominated), a Governor General’s Award-nominated playwright, one of the busiest TV and film actors in Canada, a proud Black woman, a wonderful friend, wife of director John Cooper and mother of their 17 year old son Clay. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to the VGH Foundation c/o the Palliative Care Unit, 899 W. 12th Ave., Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9. For a full biography and tribute to Lorena, 
Matt Humphrey is the recipient of the 2008-09 Vancouverplays-King George Secondary Drama Award. Matt has shown his dedication, enthusiasm and extensive skills both on the stage in lead and supporting roles and behind the set as stage manager. Matt has also achieved honour roll status in his school work, is an avid reader and, according to his teachers, a pleasure to teach. Congratulations to Matt, who receives a $200 cash award from Vancouverplays.com.
