In this Issue: What’s been up with Theatre In the Raw...? • The Untold Stories of Vancouver 3 original musicals over 11 years........1 • A Heartfelt Thanks and Grateful Appreciation......................................... 2 • Announcing TITR’s 9th Biennial One- Act Play Writing Contest .................... 3 • Winners of our 8th Biennial One-Act Play Writing Contest............................ 3 Bruce and Libby and Chorus (Photo: Sindy Angel © 2008) • Thank You to our Sponsors ............. 3 Then in 2011 TITR produced the second • A word from Jay Hamburger............. 4 musical Yippies In Love, the untold story of a ‘60s-era tribe of radical political provocateurs who rocketed across the Vancouver landscape The Roaches of Bruce: The Musical (Photo: Sindy Angel © 2008) in just two years, leaving a new, more direct- In 2008, we produced the first full-scale action style of politics as their legacy. musical – Bruce-the Musical – that revealed In a way, the Yippies play takes the opposite how the Downtown Eastside transformed tack from Bruce in its characterizations. its identity from a Skid Road to a residential Rather than portraying real-life heroes, its neighbourhood. Bruce - the Musical is an heroes are fictionalized composite of Yippies “unauthorized” biography; it combined real- I have known. While Yippies were ultra- life “heroes,” Bruce Eriksen, Jean Swanson, focused on media and image, it was not Libby Davies, with other fictionalized primarily about individual personalities, but residents of the neighbourhood this time in about the ideas that were creative, outspoken action singing and dancing upon the stage. and produced positive change. The real-life Inevitably, there were gaps in the record. characters that do appear in the play are The result is that some of the dialogue and far from heroes; they are the establishment incidents in the show were […] embroidered. figures who reviled and attempted to suppress That’s where the drama in historical drama the Yippies. comes in. To my knowledge, Bruce, Libby, Ironically, 40+ years after it all happened, the Jean and Harry did not actually sing and establishment now seems ready to embrace dance in beer parlours or at City Hall. But as the Yippies as a legitimate part of Vancouver Jay Hamburger kept reminding me, “Bob, it’s history. Yippies In Love helped to spur this not a newspaper article, it’s a play!” change, and the play had been officially ...Continued, page 2 Vancouver is full of untold stories - important events that helped shape the history of the city, but haven’t always gotten their full recognition. At Theatre In the Raw, we initiated a cycle of three plays, “Untold Stories of Vancouver,” that brought these tales into a new realm through the musical theatre stage. ...Continued from page 1, col. 3 liberating power of taking matters into one’s own hands through direct action. I came to learn of many of the traditions of the theatre. One that appealed to me a great deal was the use of music and choreography to help make difficult and complex ideas and recognized in the city`s 125th anniversary emotions more accessible to the audience. celebration. The City actually encouraged I was especially drawn to artists who had people to take in the show! The show at tackled many-sided social issues, including The Cultch was actually sold out for many a Brecht & Weill and Rogers & Hammerstein. performance. Though all the plays in the “Untold Stories Then came the last of the three original of Vancouver” series are dramatizations of musicals in the series. I originally wrote events, what is as totally true to life as I could The Raymur Mothers as a radio play in make it is the heroic struggle of a community 2003 for a theatre workshop conducted by to assert its identity and its dignity, and the Jay Hamburger at the Carnegie Community role of some very remarkable people in Centre and was broadcast over Vancouver bringing that about. Co-op Radio CFRO. It was the first play I - By Bob Sarti (edited by Jay Hamburger) had ever written, and conceived as a straight- forward recounting of the events leading up to the mothers’ blockade of the railroad tracks Announcing Theatre In the and the courtroom scene that followed it. As such, it was an extension of my career’s work Raw’s 9th Biennial One- in journalism – telling a story as literally Act Play Writing Contest (“undramatically”) as possible. or 16 years TITR has held this contest The final version of The Raymur Mothers Fto give up-and-coming and established was greatly expanded over the original radio writers alike an opportunity to have their version. It takes in not only the blockade, work staged by a professional theatre but the lifestyle and problems faced by low- company. Following in the tradition of income women trying to raise children in our mandate: we are dedicated to artistic Vancouver in the early 1970’s. I envisioned grassroots theatre in the Lower Mainland/ about a dozen songs in the popular genres of Vancouver, as well as to presentations beyond the day – pop, folk, ballads, rock, country, B.C. borders. We are risk takers, creating anthemic, highlighting the range of issues and responding to the cultural needs of those facing the protagonists, from relationship in Canada and the International community. problems and courting rituals to the We want to provide an open, creative, and challenges of being a single parent to the supportive atmostphere for struggling artists and give exposure to tried and untried playwrights. We’re looking for the best, new and fresh One-Act plays never before performed for payment or published. (Plays can be previously workshopped.) The contest is open to all. Entries will be accepted Thank you... until December 31, 2015 at midnight. We to the three choreographers Yvonne particularly look forward to plays submitted Chartrand, Ella Batten, and Anna Kuman on themes of cultural/social diversity! as well as our faithful costume designer Stephanie Jones, and Stage Manager Jennifer For more specific guidelines please visit: Magajes and assistant Adeline Martin. www.theatreintheraw.ca/contest ...Continued page 3, col. 1 Points of dialogue were recently brought change matters until the approach to the Thank you to Bob Sarti, forth at a Vancouver day-long conference non-profit theatre arts funding scene with Bill Sample & Earle Peach seeking to build a healthy creative future its massive rigmarole of restrictions, rules, With a project that spanned 11 years for further development and stronger and bureaucratic grant apparatus is either it was an honour to work with Bob, engagement with the performing arts in and revamped or redone. Input and roundtable Bill, and Earle on such a large project. around Vancouver, the Province and Canada. discussions from a number of the groups The creativity flowed. Looking back, I went as representative from our Theatre in that have been around for over 20 years such with the talent we were working with, the Raw (TITR) attending the meeting hoping as TITR need to have a greater say and be the writing of, and then mounting, all to see results from such a gathering. I am listened to. Setting-up for increased funding three musicals in the “Untold Stories of not sure there was any outcome whatsoever. and promotional support aimed towards Vancouver” each for 10 performances Matters were to my knowledge left hanging. small to medium sized theatres mounting on Vancouver stages was quite an significant shows in the Lower-Mainland We are a small independent theatre company accomplishment. Your award winning or touring plays to outlying communities in Vancouver whose practitioners are doing original musical theatre pieces embodied want adequate attention to be met with real their best to get productions up at least all aspects of TITR’s mandate to assist financial results. Action in the form of real once a year. Primarily our presentations in the creation of socially relevant support, not just winks and nods is called for are original play works. On occasion we original works. by such theatres and their followers. produce reputable well-known theatre pieces “It seems that in order to succeed - or previously performed by other companies. The larger and older theatre groups seem even function - in the world, a certain After over 20 years of continuous work to be in charge, receiving what looks to be tolerance for moral and cognitive for TITR I’ve found myself looking in the a good portion of the available funding. dissonance is necessary.” John Vaillant; mirror, thinking that no matter what our small Smaller organizations that are developing The Golden Spruce ch. 14; pg. 220. to medium sized theatre in Vancouver says invaluable and original theatre work (often or does we are at a huge disadvantage. But with emerging actors on the stage), are left why…? not only by the wayside, but falling back to “square one” with what to do, where to do it No doubt the theatre community discussion and how to get the backing to support their meetings over time have come and gone critical work. This has occurred time and but to what avail or result? The notion that again to TITR, even after producing popular after lengthy production work (which by all sold-out musical works that audiences standards has been successful) TITR would appreciate. step right in line for proper performance work funding, is a complete fiction. Few to It took TITR 11 years to complete a three- my knowledge for that matter manage to live part musical project titled The Untold Stories off of the funding that comes into the Arts of Vancouver by Bob Sarti, (music/songs There is an odd recurring outcome when without finding subsidiary financial means by Bill Sample; incidental music/songs by leading theatre practitioners get together via lucrative movie contracts; out-of-town Earle Peach).