Live Audio Description News for those with vision loss
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VocalEye Spring Newsletter
March 26, 2013
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Happy Easter Bunny, Everyone!
CONTENTS
2 Pianos 4 Hands Strikes a Chord
Cat in the Hat Touch Tour
Arthur: Boy King Excalibrates
Hot Summer Musicals
Contests and Reminders
2 PIANOS 4 HANDS
Strikes a Chord at the Stanley
...you needn’t have ever played
an instrument to understand 2
Pianos 4 Hands; it will speak to
anyone who remembers their
childhood dreams of success...
-The
Georgia Straight
Rick describes 2 Pianos 4 Hands at the Arts Club Stanley Theatre, 2750 Granville Street between 11th and 12th Avenues, on Sunday April 7 at 2 PM. Tickets and equipment are available by calling 604-687-1644.
I used to play violin and cello in my youth and this show had me in stitches and in tears. Terrific performances, impressive piano chops and beautiful music, this is a masterpiece of storytelling that will resonate with anyone who has ever been a
student and had a teacher. But you don't have to take my word for it. The reviews are stellar:
"From the moment Dykstra and Greenblatt take the stage in tuxes with tails like a pair of concert pianists and settle in behind their Yamaha baby grands the pair are beyond charming in this story about a pair of Canadian kids who played piano
instead of hockey." -The Vancouver Sun
"Greenblatt and Dykstra have performed this show together over nine hundred times in Canada, the US, the UK, Japan, Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, South Africa and beyond. The amazing thing is how fresh it still is. Each punchline sounds
like the first time. Each howl of outrage against Dad feels new. Each rejection looks as if it just happened... there’s no sex, no drugs, no obscenity, no violence. Pure delight. And if you applaud long enough, they’ll reward you with a piece so serene,
so calming that you’ll think you’ve died and gone to Heaven." -Jo Ledingham
You can read the Plot Synopsis, the list of pieces performed (the heavenly encore piece is not listed, you have to be there for that one), About the Creators, Production History and more in this accessible text document.
Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt in a flurry of sheet music at the grand piano.
HAPPY WORLD THEATRE DAY!
Celebrated annually on March 27 since 1962, here is the Canadian message from Micheline Chevrier and the
international message from Dario Fo.
THE CAT IN THE HAT Touch Tour
As I mentioned last time, thanks to a Telus Community Grant, Kickstart Disability Arts and our partnership with Carousel Theatre for Young People, this is the first season VocalEye has been able to offer live audio described performances and Touch
Tours for children and youth with vision loss. We are most grateful for their support.
We had a small but enthusiastic turn-out for THE CAT IN THE HAT on sunny St. Patrick's Day, including the winner of our last ticket giveaway contest, the Leung family, and a family all the way from Kamloops! Big thanks to everyone for coming!
Ingrid and Khaira did a wonderful job describing the set, characters, costumes and action for this colourful, physical production. After the show, we invited everyone to the stage where the entire cast, crew and Carousel Theatre staff met our young
patrons and their families. Everyone got the chance to learn balancing tricks with The Cat (Mike Stack) and Emma Hammond, to drive the Thingamajig with Sally (Kayla Dunbar), The Boy (Mack Gordon) and Tessa Gunn, to blow bubbles with The
Fish (Allan Zinyk) and to play in the Things' Box with the Kittens (Nicol Spinola and Amanda Testini).
Ken took some great photos and I'm sharing a few below, the rest are on our Facebook page. Thank you to Carousel, the families and VocalEye's Ken Dresen for your kind permission to share them.
ARTHUR: BOY KING Excalibrates
Our second described performance in April will be ARTHUR: BOY KING for Carousel at the Waterfront Theatre, 1412 Cartwright Street beside the Kids' Market on Granville Island. Suitable for ages 7 and up, Rick and Ken will describe this World
Premiere on Friday April 19 at 7 PM, followed by a Touch Tour. Tickets are $15 and available by calling 604-685-6217.
HOT SUMMER MUSICALS ARE SELLING FAST...
You won't want to miss Dreamgirls, the Motown Musical inspired by The Supremes, Sunday June 2 at 2 PM at the Arts Club Stanley...
...or Avenue Q, a Sesame Street inspired musical for adults, Thursday July 11 at 8 PM at the Arts Club Granville Island.
Avoid disappointment by calling the Arts Club Box Office to reserve your tickets and equipment today, 604-687-1644.