THEATRE PREVIEW

OCTOBER 2024 | Volume 244

 

Theatre Replacement’s East Van Panto returns with a witty twist on Robin Hood!

The Cultch and Theatre Replacement are excited to announce the return of the East Van Panto with its 12th annual production, East Van Panto: Robin Hood, at the York Theatre, November 20-Jan 5, 2025.

It’s a beautiful day in Trout Lake for Robin Hood and the Merry-Thems—or it should have been! Alas, the naughty Sheriff has other plans—the parks have been privatized! Now everyone, including the birds and animals, has to pay to use the park. A trip to the library to read up on their rights leads Robin and friends on a grand adventure to invade Britannia, to retrieve the keys to the city’s public amenities, and try to steal back our neighbourhood from the rich and powerful.

Since its inception in 2013, Theatre Replacement’s East Van Panto has become a cherished holiday tradition for Vancouver audiences, filling the York Theatre with its playful and localized retellings of classic tales. “The experiment of the East Van Panto is to take a classic story—and one that perhaps has some problematic things about it—and turn it on its head by placing it smack dab in the East Van community,” says Theatre Replacement’s Artistic Director Maiko Yamamoto. “That always leads to a lot of fun, silly antics—poking fun at ourselves and finding a place for us to tell our own stories.

Director, Anita Rochon, and writing duo Jiv Parasram and Christine Quintana, the team that created last year’s East Van Panto: Beauty and the Beast, return to the helm for Robin Hood. “I loved what they created last year,” says Rochon about Parasram and Quintana. “They infused the show with so many great local references and politics, but at the center, it had this real heart. They both live in East Van. They both love this place.”

Most of the cast from 2023’s Beauty and the Beast will be returning. Jason Sakaki takes on this year’s antagonist, Prince Ken. Munish Sharma is Robin’s loyal sidekick, Little Jaan, and audience favourites Steffanie Davis and Mark Chavez are also back. Joining these returning cast members, the titular character of Robin Hood is played by Hayley Sullivan, who makes their Panto debut this season.

As always, local legend Veda Hille will contribute her signature music parodies, transforming everything from rock ballads to opera classics into witty, unforgettable tunes. Amanda Testini will once again be bringing in her playful choreography, and all of the designers from last year are returning: costumes by Alaia Hamer, scenic illustrations by Cindy Mochizuki, set design by Lauchlin Johnston, lighting design by Sophie Tang and sound design by Brad Danyluk. Together, this incredibly talented team will bring the timeless legend of Robin Hood into modern-day East Van.

“The underlying themes in the original Robin Hood are very political,” says Maiko Yamamoto. “steal from the rich to give to the poor—so be assured that class struggles will be inside this year's Panto. But as always, handled with fun, irreverence and a bit of weirdness too!”

“It is a highlight of my every December.” — Marsha Lederman, The Globe and Mail

"Rowdy made-in-East-Van fun for the whole family."—Stir

“East Van Panto has earned its place as one of the best-loved holiday traditions in Vancouver”—Colin Thomas

“All-ages shows rarely really mean all-ages, but the East Van Panto always delivers” — Alyssa Hirose, Vancouver Magazine

“Every year [East Van Panto] gets bigger and funnier…”—Katie Gartlan-Close, Vancouver Presents

CREATIVE TEAM
Playwrights: Jivesh Parasram& Christine Quintana
Director: Anita Rochon*
Composer & Musical Director: Veda Hille
Choreographer: Amanda Testini*
Associate Musical Director: MishelleCuttler
Assistant Director: Howard Dai

STARRING
Hayley Sullivan as Robin Hood
Jason Sakaki* as Prince Ken & Marion
Munish Sharma* as Little Jaan
Steffanie Davis* as Toni the Pony
Mark Chavez as Hans the Hedgehog, Luz the Goose & Robobrarian
Veda Hille & Mishelle Cuttler on the Keys (alternating nights)
June Mirochnick on Percussion
Carol Chu+. Sewit Eden-Haile+ and Stella Jack-Rennie+ as the Merry-Thems

DESIGNERS
Set and Properties Designer: Lauchlin Johnston
Costume Designer: Alaia Hamer
Lighting Designer: Sophie Tang
Sound Designer: Brad Danyluk
Scenic Illustrator: Cindy Mochizuki
Head of Props: Heidi Wilkinson & Flying Fox Prop Shop
Head of Wardrobe: Sarah Sosick

*Appears with the permission of the Canadian Actors’ Equity Association. Theatre Replacement engages professional artists who are members of the CAEA under the terms of the Independent Theatre Agreement. We thank them for their support.

+Student of Studio 58

WHEN: NOV 20, 2024–JAN 5, 2025

EVENING SHOWS: 7:00 PM
NOV 20, 21: PREVIEW
NOV 22: OPENING
NOV 23, 27–30
DEC 01, 03–08, 10–15, 18–22, 26, 28–29
JAN 02, 04

MATINEES: 2:00 PM
NOV 24, 30
DEC 01: BABY FRIENDLY
DEC 07, 08, 14
DEC 15: VOCALEYE
DEC 21–22, 24, 26–29, 31
JAN 02–05

WHERE: York Theatre, 639 Commercial Drive, Vancouver BC.

TICKETS: Tickets from $59. Single tickets on sale now through The Cultch’s Box Office: 604-251-1363 or thecultch.com/event/east-van-panto

ABOUT THEATRE REPLACEMENT:
TR’s work is grounded in the creation of original, experimental and intercultural works of performance. Since the company’s beginnings, we've held fast to an ethos of co-existence, and this idea still runs through everything we do. Our new works are built through highly collaborative processes, over extended working periods and foreground diverse artists. With an incredible roster of Associate and Resident Artists, as well as ongoing and new collaborators, we've built a body of work that forwards our aesthetic and conceptual interests in creating and sharing bold, contemporary performances. Our works tend to question the ways in which the performance and the audience interact. We look to answer larger questions we are asking in and of the world. As we continue to make new performances, our processes include collaborating and intersecting with artists and people who hold different perspectives, histories and identities — this is how we define our intercultural practice. 

We've also designed programs that share what we do and how we do it with other artists through various opportunities for mentorship, residency, professional development and networking. We are invested in cultural exchange and international dialogue and actively seek out ways in which our work can be in conversation with the world through presentation opportunities, creative partnerships and strategic initiatives.

ABOUT THE CULTCH:
Since 1973, The Cultch (formally the Vancouver East Cultural Centre) has been one of Vancouver’s most diverse and innovative arts and cultural hubs. The organisation operates three theatrical venues, a gallery, various ancillary spaces in the heart of East Vancouver, as well as digital programming through The Cultch Online that reaches international audiences. The Cultch offers dynamic contemporary programming in theatre, dance, music, and the visual arts, bringing world-class cultural presentations to thousands of citizens each year through its own programming and through providing rental opportunities for community users. Our purpose is to provide a venue for performance that serves a diverse and engaged public and provides space for artistic experimentation and development, building an audience for local companies and presenting cutting-edge national and international work. 

The Cultch
1895 Venables St., Vancouver, V5L 2H6
communications@thecultch.com | 778-903-1592
thecultch.com | Box Office: 604-251-1363

The Cultch is located on the unceded Indigenous land of the xwməϴkwəýəm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil‑Waututh) Nations.

 

 

 

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