BROADWAY MUSICALS
Second part to be held Jan. 18-21 at Penticton Lakeside
With the overwhelming success of last year’s Broadway Musicals talent show came the immediate demand for a sequel.
Soundstage Productions will present Broadway Musicals The Concert: Part II at the Penticton Lakeside Resort the week of Jan. 18-21 featuring a new cast but the same production team.
“We decided to go again with a variety show because I knew the format could allow more flexibility, involve more youth and people of all ages and abilities,” director Lynne Leydier said.
“Instead of doing a kid or teen musical, this allows me to showcase a variety of new and old works to educate, inspire and entertain, again exposing not only our cast, but our audiences to what is possible in musical theater.”
Similar to last year the show will feature numbers from more than 25 musicals, some more familiar than others. The major coup is including a medley from Hamilton, which is currently shattering box office records in New York after cleaning up at the 2016 Tony Awards.
“This is huge,” Leydier said. “It’s a show many people will never get to see due to the long wait list. Hamilton has changed the way musicals are done. It’s much more than an historical rap musical. The lyrics are amazing, the song melodies beautiful and powerful. The cast loves being able to showcase some highlights from the show.”
Other shows being featured include Chicago, Something Rotten, Billy Elliot, Miss Saigon, Cabaret, Pippin, School of Rock, Evita, Carousel and the Sound of Music.
“I arrived at my choice selection based on who auditioned and their particular abilities. I had great dancers and character singers that were suited to certain styles and types of music,” Leydier explained.
The trademark of a Soundstage show is the singers perform with a live band. Backing tracks are never used.
Adult cast members this year include Ashley Surowski, Mia Harris, Rochelle Dionne, Lindsay Gallagher Smith, Krystine Nemirovski, Michelle Younie, Adrienne Penner, Sally Gfeller, Anne Ramey, Jessica Okayama, Beth Scott, Chris McIntosh, Emily Stuchbery, Michelle Laluk, Kaylee Lesmeister, Mackenzie Johnson, Tyler Evans, Brian Hesje, Eli Nelson, Dave Ramey and Josh Richardson.
Teens include Tianna Ferlizza, Lara Moshaver, Sophia McNolty, Annabella Nordlund, Olivia Tom, Catherine Critchlow, Selina Spence and Isadora Kuipers.
Children in the cast are Emma Brier Dyck, Kailyn Brown, Autumn Hoolaeff, Maya Lefebvre, Emerson Morgan, Andreas Nordlund, Makayla Parker, Kennedy Smith and Niya Jurcic.
Reserved tickets are on sale from the front desk of the Penticton Lakeside Resort for $45 plus tax. Shows are Jan. 18-21 at 7 p.m. with an additional 1 p.m. matinee on Jan. 21. The public is encouraged to buy early as last year four of the five shows were sold out.
On the net: www.soundstage productions.com.