Stage Door News
Stage Door News
Talented performers from Niagara and beyond will be returning to roles in a musical cabaret at Something-Something Productions.
On Oct. 21-22, the Playhouse Theatre at Corks Winebar & Eatery in Niagara-on-the-Lake will come to life with a cast of memorable characters from Niagara, Hamilton and Toronto performing songs from different musicals in RE:PLAY. The idea, said Rob Burke of Something-Something Productions, was to have a cabaret where performers would have a second opportunity to sing from roles they played for audiences in the past.
“As we grow as performers, we reflect on the past and always think of ways we could of done it even better,” said Burke. “This cabaret will be bringing performers together who want to re-play the roles and songs from the past.”
Burke said the event, which was the idea of Something-Something Productions co-founder Dina Mavridis, will bring performers together from Toronto, Hamilton and Niagara, adding they will “wow” audiences with the variety of songs from different musicals such as The Phantom Of The Opera, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Grease, Avenue Q and more.
Brady VanVaerenbergh will be one of the feature performers alongside Jason Babb and a cast of others. While he now hails from Toronto, VanVaerenbergh lived in Niagara about five years ago, taking to the stage in a Garden City Productions performance and working with Mystery on the Lake in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
“I am looking forward to being part of it,” he said of the cabaret, noting he worked with Burke and Mavridis during his time in Niagara. “They have a really great venue.”
VanVaerenbergh will be singing four songs from shows he has performed in the past, including Avenue Q, Little Women and Batboy. They are just some of the roles he has portrayed in his career, which has taken him across the globe, including stops in China, Qatar, Germany, Austria and beyond.
“I’ve gone through and picked songs I wanted to revisit,” he said. “They’re songs that spoke to me and things I wanted to revisit. I think they felt good in my voice now as an actor and things I wanted to improve on.”
The entire process, he said, has been a bit nostalgic as he revisited his previous roles. He notes things have certainly changed with some songs as he is older, has a “more mature” voice and can take a different approach with his experience.
“Its neat finding parts of the story I never considered,” said VanVaerenbergh. “All these are pieces I am passionate about and it will be a fun night.”
Doors open for the performances at 7:30 p.m., with the show beginning at 8. Tickets are $20 each. Seating is general and the cabaret is a licenced event with drinks available for purchase, including wine from sponsor Creekside Estate Winery.
Tickets can be purchased online at http://sspniagara.eventbrite.ca or by calling 289-668-0482.
By Scott Rosts for www.niagarathisweek.com.
Photo: Brady VanVaerenbergh.
2016-10-20
Niagara-on-the-Lake: Cabaret "RE:PLAY" performs at Corks Playhouse Theatre October 21-22