The year 2016 is going to be extra special at the Chemainus Theatre Festival.
As artistic director Mark DuMez and managing director Randy Huber say in their brochure, “digging into the...season is both a gift and a thrill. Whether it’s the ache for nostalgia, the need for a good belly laugh, the swing of a well-played tune or a crackle of a well-turned phrase — something in us longs for a great story well told.”
Chemainus is known for providing high calibre professional performances in an intimate, jewel-box setting and theatregoers wait with considerable anticipation to see what DuMez and Huber have hiding up their sleeves for the coming year.
It all starts Feb. 12 with Million Dollar Quartet, a new production, all about Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins.
These four singers, all from the Deep South and all making their mark at Sun Records, inspired a whole generation of teenagers with their rebellious rock ‘n’ roll music. The show continues until March 26.
And, if you just can’t get enough of Johnny Cash, up next there’s Ring of Fire: Project Johnny Cash, which is back by popular demand at Chemainus from April 6-23.
Mary Chase’s whimsical story Harvey about a man and his invisible friend, runs from May 6-28.
Then, clear the tracks, it’s time for the summer blockbuster musical. In 2016, it’s Footloose, with stage adaptation from Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie’s screenplay, lyrics by Pitchford and music by Tom Snow, Eric Carmen, Sammy Hagar, Kenny Loggins and Jim Steinman.
This musical is scheduled to take the stage from June 10 to Aug. 27, with a few subsequent days left open in case — as has been seen in the past few years — the demand for tickets overwhelms the capacity of the building and extra dates have to be added to the run.
In the autumn, the theatre will present two plays by two great playwrights: first Tennessee Williams’s dramatic comedy, A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur, from Sept. 9-24 and then Hilda’s Yard by Norm Foster from Oct. 7 to Nov. 5.
Finally, the holiday classic show for 2016 is A Christmas Story, another script based on a movie. This one takes the stage from Nov. 18 to Dec. 31.
Call the box office at 1-800-565-7738 to enquire about season ticket prices.
Single tickets went on sale Jan. 5, so if you are looking at specific dates, it’s a good idea to get tickets right away.
Certain popular time periods for eagerly anticipated shows will sell out quickly.