Theatre teaches val- ues in the Trump-era Green Thumb Theatre vows to address anti- immigrant sentiments through stagecraft By KURTIS GREGORY outh Vancouver’s Green Thumb ‘Theatre intends to address recent political turmoil surrounding ref- ugees and immigrants directly in future plays it takes on tour. For over 40 years, Green Thumb The- atre has been putting on educational plays that instill positive messages for children, most recently touring a rendi- tion of Dave Deveau’s Celestial Being, with its final performance last Wednes- day at Queen Elizabeth Elementary School. “We will take what’s going on south of the border in a very direct way, be- cause I think it’s our responsibility as creators, and one of the artistic voices in our cul- ture, to do that,” said Patrick Mc- Donald, artistic director at Green ‘Thumb Theatre. Celestial = Be- ing, intended for Patrick McDonald 2 Primary school ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, audience, is about GREEN THUMB a young — girl THEATRE named = Celeste who finds out she has Asperger's Syndrome and experi- ences bullying and social isolation as a result. The play features a small cast of actors that travels around Canada presenting the message of the play to young audiences. With an increase in social ten- sion and anti-refugee sentiment rising around the globe, Green Thumb The- atre’s plays are extremely relevant to young immigrants. “Tt can take time for a child to feel welcome in a new culture,” said John Dubé, senior manager of settlement programs at MOSAIC, a local charity that helps immigrants settle into Cana- dian society. MOSAIC often uses community events, including theatre performances, to help new immigrants integrate into Canadian society. “That tends to work the best around "I think it’s our responsibility as creators, and one of the artistic voices in our culture, to do that.” - PATRICK MCDONALD, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, GREEN THUMB THEATRE doing group activities because then you're not targeted” said Dubé. Margaret Onedo, a third-semester student at Langara College’s Studio 58, who moved to Canada from Ethiopia when she was eight years old, believes theatre in general is well-suited for en- couraging social acceptance with new- comers. “Theatre is a very communal space, it’s a space where everybody can be ac- cepted,” said Onedo. “Everybody is in that experience to- gether, they’re watching a live human, their breath is held and every moment you have to be actively there.” STUDIO 58 Krista Skwarok as Peggy Sawyer and Matthias Falvai as Julian Marsh light up the stage in Studio 58's production of 42nd Street on Feb. 7. PHOTO couRTESY OF Studio 58 takes on Broadway Langara’s theatre troupe premieres Depression-era musical By JASON GILDER landmark Broadway musi- cal is bringing show-stop- ping production value to the small stage of Studio 58. 42nd Street is the largest musical production the theatre program has presented to date, with 75 per cent of seats already snatched up. The proceeds from Studio 58’s $250,000 Legacy Fund were used to expand the show’s _ techni- cal elements for this big-budget smash-hit. Studio 58 artistic director, Kathryn Shaw, says one major area the fund pro- vided a boost in was by bolstering the play’s music elements. “Usually we would be lucky to have a piano player or two,” said Shaw. “Now we have a trombone, a sax, trumpet, bass and a drum.” Enlarged music elements come with bigger responsibilities for musical direc- tor Christopher King. “They are all professional players,” said King. “To get that kind of quality player requires a little bit of money and “To get that kind of quality player requires a little bit of money and it is worth every penny.” — CHRISTOPHER KING, MUSICAL DIRECTOR it is worth every penny.” 42nd Street tells the story of Peggy Sawyer, a talented young performer with an eye on performing on Broad- way, who arrives in New York City at the height of the Great Depression. Over time, she is ultimately swept up in the challenge of putting on a musical when joblessness and poverty run ram- pant throughout the country. The musical, based on a 1932 novel by Bradford Ropes, was first produced on Broadway in 1980, racking up nu- merous Tony Awards over the course of its original residency and 2001 revival. In her final production at Studio 58, Stephanie Wong says she had to chan- nel her inner diva as Dorothy Brock, a seasoned veteran in theatre arts who ex- periences a whirlwind change because of the economic depression that swept the United States in the 1930s. “She goes from this diva who has worked very hard for that entitlement and you see her breaking point,” says Wong, adding that, “the Depression helps her discover what’s most impor- tant to her, which is love.” 42nd Street rans until Feb. 26 at Lan- gara College's Studio 58. Tickets can be purchased online through Studio 58's website at langara.ca/studio-58. Bradford Ropes released his novel, 42nd Street, to wide aclaim. A Holywood film, star- ring Ruby Keeler and Warner Baxter, was released, racking up nominations at the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Sound. 42nd Street opens on Broadway in August 1980, and runs until January 1989, becoming the 14th-longest run- ning show on Broadway. SOURCE: BROADWAY.COM Dance studio delays NYC hip hop tour Eloise Stockton-Thomas practices during a dance class at Boogaloo Academy on Feb 6. sas ZEIDLER PHOTO Boogaloo Academy postpones tour due to U.S. immigration action By SASHA ZEIDLER | South Vancouver dance studio’s cultural tour of New York City for hip hop enthusiasts has been postponed due to the new immigration | order in the United States. Boogaloo Academy provides classes varying from ballet to hip hop. Anita Perel-Panar and Jheric Hizon, who co-founded the studio in 2012, said they planned the tour to show dancers and their families how hip hop culture began, but U.S. President Donald Trump's latest decision made them reconsider. "The people that are coming to our tour, they all come from different backgrounds,” said Hizon. "Now with the travel ban, we can't really ask them ‘what na- tionality are you?” Like the academy’s vision for their students, the tour, which is being rescheduled for August, aims to connect people who share a passion for dance. Ac- tivities on the 10-day tour include Broadway shows, sightseeing and an afternoon with the man credited for founding hip hop, DJ Kool Herc. The tour postponement also had other effects that cascaded across the studio. Boogaloo Academy’s foundation, A Star Society, which provides free classes throughout Vancouver, would have held their ninth annual High School High competition, but the event was cancelled due to con- flict with the initial tour dates. In spite of the negativity that lead to the tour being rescheduled, students and faculty at Boogaloo Acad- emy are still working to bring people together through the art of dance. "We're not trying to put anyone down or be better than anyone,” said teacher and dancer for the acad- emy’s crew, The Collective, Rowena ‘RoRo Cacapit. "It’s more like I'll teach you, you teach me." "You feel welcome and nobody puts anyone down or makes you feel little,” said student Alexia Kong. “It’s a studio where you can be yourself. I love the whole idea that I can be me without judgment." As they work on rescheduling the tour, Perel-Panar and Hizon keep their focus on their students. “(Dancers are] ambassadors to connect the world,” said Hizon.