THEATRE
Me and You
Sibling rivalry in a double-edged comedy. From childhood until old age, Liz and Lou are sisters who go through life mostly as friends, but sometimes as foes. See their stories come alive across the decades through the acclaimed mask work of Melody Anderson in a comedy that gives a unique face to sisterhood. • BMO Theatre Centre, 162 W. 1st Ave., April 12-May 6 • From $29, artsclub.com
Nine Dragons
In 1924, in the Kowloon district of Hong Kong, a series of sadistic murders have stymied the local police. What to do but bring in the city’s top detective, and set him loose on a place riddled with corruption, crime, and vice of every possible variety. A co-production with Vertigo Theatre and Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre. • Gateway Theatre, Richmond, April 12-21 • From $29, gatewaytheatre.com
Cabaret
A fierce, meaty musical with a score featuring songs that have become classics of American musical theatre including Cabaret and Maybe This Time. Presented by Royal City Musical Theatre. • Massey Theatre, New West, April 12-29, • $29-$48, royalcitymusicaltheatre. com
Sink or Swim
Singer, actress Beverley Elliott (Once Upon A Time) returns with brand new stories and songs. Think Little House on the Prairie meets Lord of the Flies. • Evergreen Cultural Centre, Coquitlam, April 12-14, 8 p.m. • $15-$33, evergreenculturalcentre.ca
Go Back for Murder
Carla Crane believes her mother, who died in prison, was wrongly convicted of murder. In an attempt to clear her name, Carla persuades those present on the day to return to the scene of the crime and recount their version of events. Presented by Theatre West Van. • Kay Meek Centre, West Van, April 14-28 • theatrewestvan. com
Shakespeare in Hollywood
When the entertainment of the silver screen meets the magic of Shakespeare’s fairies, Oberon and Puck find themselves transported from the land of legend and classical myth all the way to Hollywood in the middle of a suspiciously familiar story. • Metro Theatre, 1370 SW Marine Dr., April 14-May 12 • $25/$22, metrotheatre. com
The Explanation
In James Fagan Tait’s latest chamber play, ideas of gender and sexuality are questioned, as two characters, John and Dick, develop a friendship that might have other people raising some eyebrows. After all, when two straight men start spending every weekend together, and when one of them likes to wear women’s clothing, people start to expect an explanation. Presented by the frank theatre company. • The Cultch Culture Lab, 1895 Venables St., April 17-29 • $27, tickets.thecultch.com
World Without Us
This haunting piece of theatre from Belgium’s cuttingedge theatre company Ontroerend Goed, explores the notion of the end of humanity. In the span of a heart beat all of humanity is extinguished. No more talk about the old days, about what’s possible. No more words. The spaces we used to fill are now empty. World Without Us is a poignant and poetic monologue, and the third part of a thematic trilogy about humanity and the cosmos. • The Cultch Historic Theatre, 1895 Venables St., April 1729 • From $22, tickets.thecultch.com
Love/Sick
In this unromantic, romantic comedy, six actors portray nine couples in stories that begin and end in the local SuperCentre and move in and out of their comfortable (and not-so-comfortable) home lives. Presented by Stone’s Throw Productions. • Pacific Theatre, 1440 W. 12th Ave., April 18-21 • $15, pacifictheatre.org
Slow Dancing
Mary, a homeless woman, befriends Ann, a young pregnant woman, much to the dismay of Ann’s husband, Charlie. George, Mary’s friend who died and is now an ever-present spirit in her life, gently guides Mary to help Ann when she is faced with some very tough choices. • Surrey Little Theatre, April 19-May 12 • $10-$17, surreylittletheatre.com
Chelsea Hotel: The Songs of Leonard Cohen
The Firehall Arts Centre celebrates its 35th anniversary season with a tribute to the late Leonard Cohen. Featuring six artists playing seventeen different instruments, this award-winning production is an inventive fusion of music, dance, and theatre. • Firehall Arts Centre, 280 E. Cordova St., until April 21 • From $25, firehallartscentre. ca
The Humans
When three generations of the Blake clan descend on a rundown lower Manhattan duplex for Thanksgiving dinner, much more is simmering than the gravy. • Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage, until April 22 • From $29, artsclub.com
Bar Mitzvah Boy
Joey is a successful lawyer who is used to things going his way. When he suddenly decides he needs a bar mitzvah he doesn’t expect to have to wait, or take classes. • Pacific Theatre, 1440 W. 12th Ave., until April 14 • $20$36.50, pacifictheatre.org
Enron
Mixing classical tragedy with savage comedy, Enron follows a group of flawed men and women in a narrative of greed and loss that reviews the tumultuous 1990s. Presented by the United Players. • Jericho Arts Centre, 1675 Discovery St., until April 15 • $20-$26, unitedplayers.com
Rent
Based loosely on Puccini’s La Boheme, Jonathan Larson’s Rent follows a year in the life of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York’s Lower East Side, under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. Presented by Renegade Arts Co. • The Shop Theatre, 3030 E. Broadway, until April 14 • $24/$20, brownpapertickets.com
Mr. Burns, A Post-Electric Play
After the collapse of civilization, a group of survivors piece together the plot of The Simpsons. 75 years later, these are the myths from which new forms of performance are created. A Little Mountain Lion Production. • Studio 1398, Granville Island, until April 21 • $23/$28, theatrewire.com
4000 Miles
After suffering a major loss while he was on a crosscountry bike trip, 21-year-old Leo seeks solace from his feisty 91-year-old grandmother Vera. As days turn into weeks, Vera and Leo bond over love, loss, and the difficulties of growing up and growing old. Presented by the Vagabond Players. • The Bernie Legge Theatre, New West, until April 22 • $12-$17, vagabondplayers.ca
Misery
The Arts Club Theatre Company presents Stephen King’s chilling thriller. Successful romance novelist Paul Sheldon is rescued from a car crash by his ‘Number One Fan,’ Annie Wilkes, and wakes up in her secluded home in the mountains of Colorado. While Annie nurses him back to health, Paul soon realizes that he is not her guest, but her captive. • Granville Island Stage, until May 5 • From $29, artsclub.com
Blithe Spirit
Charles Condomine’s dinner party turns into mayhem when a seance led by Madame Arcati provokes the ghost of Elvira, his late first wife, and only Charles can hear her. Presented by the Deep Cove Stage Society. • Deep Cove Shaw Theatre, North Van, until April 21 • $20/$18, deepcovestage.com
Crimes of the Heart
The Magrath sisters have not been the same since their mother hanged herself, along with her cat. When a family emergency reunites the sisters in their home town of Hazelhurst, Mississippi, past resentments bubble to the surface as the sisters are forced to cope with Babe’s latest incident. Presented by the North Vancouver Community Players. • Theatre at Hendry Hall, North Van, until April 21 • $18/$16, northvanplayers.ca
Once On This Island
This one-act musical tells the story of an orphaned peasant girl who uses the power of love to bring together the different social classes living on her island. • Redgate Revue Stage, Granville Island, until April 14 • $23/$25, brownpapertickets.com
The Miracle Worker
Deaf, blind and mute Helen Keller lives out a dark and silent existence that expresses itself only through violent and spoiled behaviour. As a last resort, her family hires a young teacher, Anne Sullivan, to help. Presented by Gallery 7 Theatre & Performing Arts. • Abbotsford Arts Centre, until April 14 • $15-$25, gallery7theatre.com
Communion
The distance between recovering alcoholic Leda and her born-again daughter is filled with silence, anger and humour. Upon the advice of a therapist Leda tries to bridge that distance and prepare her daughter for the calamity just ahead. Presented by Speedbump Theatre. • Presentation House Theatre, North Van, until April 15 • $15-$20, speedbumptheatre.com
Incident at Vichy
Theatre In the Raw brings to light Arthur Miller’s drama Incident at Vichy, a story of persecution and anti-Semitism during the Second World War. • Studio 16, 1551 W. 7th Ave., until April 22 • $22/$25, theatreintheraw.ca