I ee ae Ses From left to right: Marguerite Hanna, Michelle Morris and Teo Saefkow perform as weary travellers in Studio 58's production of Shakespeare's As You Like It. PHOTO BY DAVID COOPER Design dilemma resolved The Studio 58 production required complex props and set By DANICA WALKER ourcing props and design- ing an elaborate set were just some of the issues Stu- dio 58 faced in their mod- erm rendition of Shakespeare’s As You Like It, set in a refugee camp. ‘The Shakespearean comedy cen- tres around a group of people living in exile in a French forest. Though Studio 58’s production of the play has the same language as the classic version, it steps away from its con- ventional setting. The director, Michael Scholar Jr., saw a correlation between the current refugee crisis and Shake- speare’s script and attempted to address these issues throughout the play. “T couldn't help but see the cur- rent migrant crisis and the refugee crisis as a parallel to the story that, 500 years ago, Shakespeare was writing about,” Scholar said. While trying to include, not only the actors, but the audience into the design of the refugee camp, the stu- dio faced challenges sourcing and creating the set. Theo Bell, a fourth-year student and props manager said many of the props needed to be hand-made. “One of the challenges we found was finding the pieces that looked the part but were also able to be broken down,” Bell said. “One of the ways we kind of dealt with that issue was by having things being hand-made.” Michelle Morris, who plays Ce- lia in the play says the director has changed the original theatre to look like a refugee camp. “He has taken what is a newly outfitted theatre as of this past summer and completely torn it down to its bare minimum,” Mor- ris said. The crew and the director want- ed to use the play as an art form to raise discussion among the audi- ence. “What the audience walks away with is of course up to them,” Scholar said. “I hope this promotes an interesting discussion about the current migrant crisis but also what art can do and how art can be a ves- sel in a container for various differ- ent messages.” Showings of As You Like It run until Oct. 15. Studio 58 bond leads to VIFF film Grads attribute their success to chemistry developed at Studio 58 By ALLISON HAYES A fter premiering their film Public Schooled at this year’s Vancouver _ International Film Festival, two Studio 58 alum- ni attribute their success to their unique rapport. Producer and screenwriter Josh Epstein and director Kyle Rideout both graduated from Studio 58 in 2004. ‘The two then formed the pro- duction company Motion 58 after they attended a theatre tour put on by Studio 58. This relationship be- tween the two has led to four pro- ductions including Public Schooled. The film stars notable actors like Judy Greer and Russell Peters, the film is about a teen yearning to break away from his overbearing home schooled mother, played by Greer, to pursue his love for a girl with one-leg. Epstein says their successful duo was formed while they were attend- ing Studio 58 at Langara College. “We have a sort of writing, pro- ducing, directing chemistry and it’s usually very rare to have that,” Ep- stein said. “I think a lot of partner- ships are formed at Studio 58, a lot of companies have come out of that school”. Rideout and Epstein aren't the only Studio 58 graduates who took part in the film, as 2014 graduate Daniel Doheny plays the main role of Liam in the film. Doheny met the duo when he attended a workshop at Studio 58, but never thought he would be a part of one of their productions. “When I was at Studio 58 Kyle and Josh had taught a workshop at school, they did a bunch of scenes Studio 58 alumni Daniel Doheny in the film Public Schooled. suawitTEp PHOTO from the movie,” Doheny said. “I had been hovering around the proj- ect but I didn’t know I would be so involved.” Both Rideout and Epstein were excited when their film was showed Oct. 2 at the Rio Theatre in Van- couver. “Playing at the Rio is fantastic. So many people and familiar faces it is the best crowd to play for,” Rideout said. The film Public Schooled will tour film festival throughout North America. Vancouver Diwali Fest to include unorthodox dance types Festival of lights to cel- ebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary By LISA TANH he traditional Indian dance groups that perform at Di- wali festivals throughout Vancouver are far more versatile than one might imagine. Though the performers will please crowds with their tradition Indian dancing in performances leading up to and including Oct. 19 to 23, in their down time the groups are actually practicing and performing culturally diverse dances including Bhangra High- land Scottish fusion, South African Bhangra fusion [and] belly danc- ing Bhangra fusion says Hardeep Singh Sahota who runs the Royal Academy of Bhangra. “Our focus is towards providing a wide range of education about our culture, dance and to learn about others,” Sahota said. Kriti Dewan, the board chair of Diwali Fest in Vancouver says this year’s event will incorporate a spec- trum of Indian cultures — as well as Canadian soul music and spoken word poetry to celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary. “Our focus is towards providing a wide range of education about our culture, dance and to learn about others" —HARDEEP SINGH SAHOTA, ROYAL ACADEMY OF BHANGRA “There will be 12 different per- formances and some of them will be doing Bollywood belly dancing and Bhangra dancing, while oth- ers are performing Canadian soul music and spoken word poetry,” she said. Some of the performances will take place in Downtown Vancou- ver, Kitsilano, and the Trout Lake community centre. The Royal Academy of Bhangra, will also perform on Oct. 19 at the start of Diwali at the Chan- nel Punjabi Diwali Gala in Surrey, which will educate attendees on the importance of cultural change through various traditional dances such as Dandiya and Gidha . “When we opened our academy, the morale was to actually promote the education about the Punjab folk dance and music culture,” Sa- hota said. Diwali Festival, or the Festival of Lights, begins on Oct. 19 and runs until Oct. 23. This year's Diwali throughout Vancouver will also celebrate Can- ada's heritage in the form of tradi- tional Indian Dance.