4 Chutzpah! returns to Vancouver The Jewish performing arts festival back for its 16th year at Norman Rothstein Theatre By JORDAN MACDONALD omedian Jon Steinberg, along with many other per- formers, is ready to bring his unique brand of comedy to the upcoming Chutzpah! Festival from Feb. 18 to March 18. According to Mary-Louise Al- bert, artistic managing director of the festival, the annual event | is a great opportunity to show- case all-kinds of artists to a Ca- nadian audience, as well as pro- mote Jewish culture. The festival, now in its 16th year, is being held at the Norman Roth- stein Theatre at 41 Ave. and Oak Street. According to the festival’s web- site, audiences can see perfor- mances in music, comedy, dance and even Jewish film. Albert is in charge of selecting the performers. This year she has selected artists from Mexi- co, Cuba, Germany, Israel, the U.S. and Canada. “We bring artists back, so that helps them develop their career,” Albert said. “It gives artists outside of Canada an international take.” David Urist, a member of the Hillel Jewish Student As- sociation at Langara College, said in an email response that it’s important to have performers com- ing from outsideof ¥ Vancouver. Wf i “T think that Crs it is impor- / tant to no- tice that most of the per- form- wp 1 prot? Left: A- ers for Chutzpah! are not from Vancou- ver,” he said. “I think that Jewish-centric performing arts festi- vals like Chutzpah! are unique oppor- tunities for connections to be made be- tween the Jewish performing arts community of Vancouver and Jewish performing arts communities from all over the world.” Urist said that the Chutzpah! Festival gives the public a . chance to experience Jewish performing arts. “This is a great opportu- nity for the general public to get excited about and appreciate Performances put on by international Jewish groups and performers,” he said. Urist, who has performed in Jew- ish-centric events himself, said Vancouver also has a wonderful range of talent in the city relating to the performing arts. Jon Steinberg is currently scheduled to be the opening act this year, alongside fellow co- median Jessica Kirson. Steinberg, who is perform- ing at the Chutzpah! Festival for the first time, describes himself as a different kind of » comedy act. “If I had to describe it, itis a very laid back, deadpan style,” he said. “I’m kind of dark, kind of dry.” Urist said he is looking for- ward to the Chutzpah! Festival. “In the past, I have only at- tended one event that was a part of the festival,” he said. “I am very excited to attend at least one of the performances being put on by Chutzpah! in the following month.” ubmitted photo DEBBIE PIPE submitted photo WA is a group of musicians composed of three sisters who perform their spin on Jewish folk music. Right top: Baladino will be performing their Mediterranean-Gypsy grooves on March 5. Right Bottom: Vancouverite Shay Kuebler is back to Chutzpah! to present his mix of various dance styles. Under-represented actors get jumpstart Theatre company aims to help younger, up-and- coming, under-represented actors at theatre schools By CHAHIRA MERARSI promoting diversity on stage with anew program to give actors from under-represented boost. The National Arts Centre English Theatre and Studio 58 have partnered to give free audition coaching to actors across the country who will be audi- tioning for theatre schools and who self-identify as members of under-rep- resented communities. “T feel like it’s something that the school has already embraced. Things like this don’t happen everyday so we're excited,” said David Hudgins, as- sociate director of Studio 58. Hudgins said that although Ca- nadian theatre is open to change, it’s still stuck in the S™ 58 is taking a step forward in communities a + DAVID HUDGINS past. ; Associate director Quite frankly, a gt Studio 58 lot of the theatre is very white, if doesn’t reflect enough of our society as we see it,” he said. “Especially in urban centres where there is so much multi- culturalism, it’s strange to have the- atres still so white. It’s still sort of the colonialism of Canada at work.” Judi Pearl, artistic projects coordina- tor at the NAC English Theatre, said that artistic directors across the coun- try are finding it difficult to promote diversity on stage. “A very common complaint that we hear from artistic directors across the country who are looking to create more diversity on stage is that the graduates that are coming out of the theatre schools are not particularly diverse,” she said. Pearl said the NAC English Theatre developed this idea in order to help stu- dents who identify as members of un- der-represented communities, some- thing they’ve loosely defined. “We have purposely left it very broad,” she said. “An under-represent- ed community means, if you don’t see yourself on Canadian stages, then we want to hear from you.” The NAC English Theatre has also formed partnerships with Memorial University of Newfoundland and York University. According to the NAC website, stu- dents will receive coaching for their upcoming audition, and will have the opportunity to ask a professional actor about the reality of a career in theatre performance. Applications for the audition-coach- ing program will be accepted until Feb. 26. Studio 58’s acting and production programs will be accepting applica- tions until April 18 and auditions will be held in Vancouver from April 25 to May 3. ——=~ DAVID COOPER submitted photo Studio 58’s associate director David Hudgins, who worked on productions such as Spring Awak- ening (shown above), said theatre in Canada was still seeing a lack of diversity on the stage. Studio 58 focuses on promoting diversity, so the new partnership with NAC English Theatre is exciting, says Hudgins.