Portal Players Dramatic Society’s 2012 musical production of “Suds: the Rocking 60’s Musical Soap Opera” opens on Friday, February 24, and tickets are on sale now.  Portal Players is excited to present their first musical in the new-to-the-Capitol seats! 

Director Blaine Ronning and Musical Director Sandy Bouleau have pulled together a strong cast of diverse local musical talents in the cast and in the band.  Alberni Valley audiences can look forward to seeing Lisa Fryer as Cindy, the young ingénue whose job at a 1960’s Laundromat becomes decidedly more interesting and musical when she is visited by her guardian angels Marge (Janet Deakin) and Dee Dee (Yvette Deveau) on a particularly difficult day.  Chris Arthurs provides comic intervention as a number of characters (Mr. Postman, a washer repair man, and a Mystery Date) who pass by the hilarious proceedings, while Brent Ronning enters the scene to sing along with the ladies as Mr. Right and Johnny Angel.   The show features classic songs like “Please Mr. Postman”, “You Can’t Hurry Love”,  a medley of Burt Bacharach tunes, “Respect”, “Our Day Will Come”, “I Say a Little Prayer”, “Secret Agent Man”, “I Will Follow Him”, and “I Know a Place” among many others woven into the story. 

The band features Sandy Bouleau on keyboard, Dennis Olsen on guitar, Scott Jarvis on bass, James Van Metre on drums, and Kayla Burton on wind instruments. 

The show runs over four weekends on Friday and Saturday nights at the Capitol Theatre, from February 24 until March 17.  Tickets are available online now at the Portal Players website (www.atthecapitol.org) and in person at Rollin Art Centre during their regular business hours.  All seats are $20 in advance, and any tickets left on performance nights will be $25 at the door.

For more information:
Contact Producer Liz Bernstein at 250.724.6650 (liz.rallispaper@shaw.ca)
Or PPDS President Brent Ronning at 250.730.2700 (brent.ronning@shaw.ca)

Tags: Music, Comedy, Rock, Family

If you are returning to the Glee program at the Capitol Theatre, classes start up again Thursday January 12, 2012.  If you missed the fall session you’ll want to be part of this exciting program and the year-end show.

The Capitol Glee and Wee Glee Singers choral program is offered by Portal Players Dramatic Society as part of their educational programming.  Glee is an opportunity for children and youth to learn and have fun singing, dancing and performing a wide variety of music genres including rock, pop and classics in a theatre setting.

The “Wee Glees” range in age from 4 to 8 years, and the “Glees” are 9 to 16 years.  Classes are Thursdays: Wee Glees 3:10 – 3:40 pm; Glees 3:45 - 4:45 pm. Registration for the upcoming semester will take place Thursday January 12 and Thursday January 19, 2012 between 3 and 4:45 pm at the Capitol Theatre on Argyle Street.  There are a few spaces left in both groups but space is tight and offered on a first come first serve basis.

For more information, please call the Capitol Theatre at 250-723-1195, or program leader Janet Schlackl 250-724-6008.   Cost for January - June:  Wee Glees (4-8 yrs) $100;  Glees (9-16 yrs) $200 +  a registration fee for new families (includes Portal Players membership).

Tags: Music, Kids

The Capitol Glee and Wee Glee Singers choral program is offered by Portal Players Dramatic Society as part of their educational programming. Glee is an exciting opportunity for children and youth to learn and have fun singing, dancing and performing a wide variety of music genres including rock, pop and classics in a theatre setting.

The Wee-Glees range in age from 4 to 8 years and the Glees from 9 to 16 years: both groups participate in two semesters per year. The fall semester is drawing to a close and will culminate with the “Cool Yule” Christmas Show Sunday, December 11th at 7:00 p.m. at the Capitol Theatre. Tickets are available at the door on show night. Come join both Glees and Wee Glees as they sing their way into the Christmas season.

Registration for the second semester will take place from 3:00 pm to 4:45 pm Thursday, Dec 1 and Dec 8 at the Capitol Theatre. There are a few spaces left in both groups but space is tight and offered on a first come first serve basis. Rehearsals are weekly on Thursdays -- Wee Glees 3:10 - 3:40 and Glees 3:45 - 4:45. The first day of classes in the new year will be January 12th, 2012. For more information, please call the Capitol Theatre at 250-723-1195 or Janet Schlackl at 250-724-6008.

Tags: Kids, Music

Portal Players Dramatic Society and The Capitol GLEE program are pleased to present “Music Mayhem” on Tuesday, May 31st. This year end concert will feature the young men and ladies of the Capitol GLEE program including the adorable Wee-GLEE singers and they will be joined by local performer Christina Wynans as well as local band J-Walk.

The Capitol GLEE program began last September as a musical addition to the Capitol STAGES program. Instructor Janet Schlackl and accompanist Ellen Vander Putten have built a solid program for young people to enjoy vocal training and learn the basics of choral singing, all while exposing them to a variety of great music and allowing them to have a lot of fun.

“MusicMayhem” will be the first stand alone show for the program so they have invited along some amazing young local talent to join them.
Christina Wynans is a well know local musician with a stellar voice and a seemingly endless musical talent. She has performed at many local events and is a shining light in the ADSS band and music programs.

J-Walk is a three piece rock band that formed early fall of 2010, composed of ADSS students Lucas Bosma, Cameron Stefiuk and Graham Villette. The band continues practices in Villette's basement with hope of creating good music to make people dance. The three players create music influenced by,AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, Oasis, Kiss, and many others. J-Walk now continues to look for new places to play, more songs to jam, and new ideas for music. They are really pleased to be performing in the Capitol for the first time.

“We are very excited about the show” says GLEE instructor Janet Schlackl “ We have worked extremely hard to bring some tough numbers into the show but the kids have done a fantastic job getting ready. It going to be a great night with some really interesting and varied music.”

Capitol GLEE’s Music Mayhem plays Tuesday May 31 at 7pm. Doors open at 6:30. Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased at the Capitol Theatre box office Tues- Fri 1pm-5:30pm or at the door.

Tags: Music, Kids

Portal Players Relay for life team, the Capitol Thespians, are teaming up with local musicians to join the fight against cancer. On June 9th 2011 thirteen local music groups and musicians will take to the stage at the Capitol Theatre. Tickets will be available at the Capitol Theatre box office or by calling Melissa Lowe at (250) 730-7356.

The music groups are: Rob Armich and Rob Mooney, Sandy and Walter Bouleau, Janet Deakin and Dennis Olsen, Full House, Peace Keeper, Blaine Ronning, Alexandria Drew, Birgit Kuit, Dented Halos, Justin Levins, ADSS Senior Vocal Trio and Heather Costerton.

“I have never produced anything of this size in my life, I am so excited!” says Melissa Lowe, Team Captain and Variety Show Producer. This will be Lowes second year as captain for the Portal Players team. “It’s a lot of hard work, but those who I am working with are extremely kind and helpful people.”

Lowe has been a member of Portal Players for many years now and felt it was time from them to give back to a community who has been very supportive. “Relay for Life has always been big in this community, and it’s about to get bigger with this Variety Show. It will bring together other relay members and members of the community who like to listen to good music and see a great show. People will be leaving the theatre with a good warm hearted feeling,” says Lowe.

Tags: Music, Comedy, Fundraiser

THE PLATTERS were one of the top vocal groups of the rocking 1950's and among the first doo-wop groups inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame. They were one of the first 'black' groups targeted to a predominantly 'white' youth audience in the US. At the concert The LEGENDARY PLATTERS will perform great chart topping hits like "Only You," "The Great Pretender," "The Magic touch," "My Prayer," "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes," & "Twilight Time". THE INK SPOTS story spans six decades with more than eighty chart hits and performances. They have been called living legends of American music and "the most imitated entertainers in show business." THE INK SPOTS songs have been used by all kinds of people, spanning many generations, and can be found on diverse movie soundtracks like Shawshank Redemption and Radio Days ("If I Didn't Care") or the BBC TV's The Singing Detective ("Do I Worry," "Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall").

Tags: Music

March 11th, Port Alberni, BC, Lorne Warr & The Streels ~ 
The Capitol Theatre, Community Concert Series, 4904 Argyle St, Port Alberni, BC. Tickets & Info from Rollin Art Centre, 250-724-3412.

Join Lorne Warr and The Streels for an acoustic night of folk music. It will be a night of  heart warming  original folk songs & up beat East Coast influenced music, sharing the stories that reach from one coast to another!  Performance starts at 7:30. Ticket price $18.

Born and bred in Lewisporte, Newfoundland, singer/songwriter Lorne Warr transposes the traditional music of his youth, along with his exploration of new genres, into velvet baritone vocals. His intricate guitar playing coupled with his songwriting gift of telling stories that travel from one side of Canada to the other is what modern folk is all about. Lorne was born in Newfoundland and currently resides on Bowen Island, BC ~ from one Rock to another.

He grew up surrounded by Newfoundland music and folklore ~ listening to his Granny's button accordion and his father's stories of ghost ships and pirates. Over the years he has explored many musical genres ~ from rock bands, solo classical guitar & folk music, to obscure, esoteric jazz (How esoteric? Just ask him about synthetic keys and watch the pained expression on his face). It wasn't until a friend , Ed Kavanagh, lent him a mandolin and taught him a jig by Newfoundland fiddler Emile Beniot, that his musical soul found its way back home ~ back to the Folk music he had loved as a child.

Inspired by traditional music & influenced by contemporary songwriter's like Gordon Lightfoot, Stan Rogers & Richard Thompson, Lorne began writing his own songs & writing arrangements for traditional music that were fresh and energetic. Lorne has been a professional musician for the last 11 years playing with his band The Streels at festivals and has been active in the Celtic Folk music scene all around the Vancouver area.

Now embarking on a solo career his latest Cd “Come Down to Paris” is due for release in the spring of 2011. He continues to write, arrange, perform, & to follow the most important part of the Newfoundland musical tradition ~ to have fun! For more on Lorne Warr email lorne @ gmail.com

Tags: Music, Folk

Get set for a gigantic stage experience as Portal Players Dramatic Society scales up the Capitol Theatre for the classic fairy-tale comedy “Jack and the Beanstalk”.

Join our hero Jack as he fights to win the heart of a lovely princess and deliver his family and friends from a life of fear and poverty by ridding the world of the horrible Giant Blunderbore and his evil henchman.

Done in the traditional British style, this show bring entertainment for the whole family. Stuffed full of zany characters, silly antics, and humour of all kinds there is something for everyone. Wether your laughing in the aisles or humming along with the musical numbers you can guarantee a ggod will be had by all.

Directed by Scott Lowe and Tanya Horne, the cast has been hard at work sharpening their wit and developing the over blown characters that are essential for this kind of show.

The Cast of Jack and the Beanstalk are as follows:

Jack Trot, our hero - Cydney Pedersen
Princess Melanie, our lovely heroine - Alexandria Drew
Dame Trot, Jack’s manish mother - Scott Lowe
Silly Billy, Jack’s dim-witted brother – Elliot Drew
Daisy, a cow - Teresa Drew
Fleshcreep, the Giant’s henchman - Dan Brennan
The Vegetable Fairy, a good-meaning and hapless immortal - Irene Williams
King Satupon, the princesses doddering father - Walter Bouleau
Sergeant Spick, a simple guard of the King - Chazz Lozorko
Corporal Span, an even simpler guard of the King - Ryleigh Horne
Clarance Clanger, the town crier - Amanda Oxley
Blodwyn Blunderbore, the Giant’s ugly wife - Dave McGarry
The Dread Dragon, a dreadful dragon - Madison Horne
THE GIANT, a huge fe fi fo fumming nasty guy - Giant Blunderbore

The show also features a host of youth talent ranging in age from 10-15 who join us as chorus, villagers, slaves and other characters from time to time.

Jack and the Beanstalk opens Friday, February 11th and plays the following two Fridays, February 18th and 25th. Saturdays, February 12th, 19th and 26th. These are evening show with curtain at 7:30pm. Sundays, February 13th,20th and 27th are matinee showings with the curtain rising at 2:00 pm. Tickets are available now at the Capitol Box Office, Rollin Arts Centre and Echo Centre. Adults $15, Senior and Students $13 and children under 12 are only $5 each.

Tags: Comedy, Kids, Music