All the charms of Cabaret are coming to the Chemainus Theatre.
On the heels of the iconic Dolly Parton providing the soundtrack to the popular production of 9 to 5 that was extended until Aug. 31, comes another opportunity for music lovers to bask in the songs of musical legends such as Gordon Lightfoot, and Fleetwood Mac. The Cabaret events will take place in the Playbill Dining Room, and the price of admission includes a three-course dinner with an intimate live performance enjoyed from the comfort of one's table.
"It's great that artists in the Playbill Cabaret series have been able to curate such great material and song lists for their tributes," said artistic director Mark DuMez. "We are surrounded by wonderful musicians who find ways to embody and capture these great artists' work in the Playbill, in such a lovely intimate, listening room experience as part of this series."
"Over Chemainus Theatre's history, we have had a lot of great events and musical performances in the Playbill, reaching way back to murder mysteries in the early years. During 2020 and 2021, we developed the Cabaret Series to provide opportunities for musicians, comics and storytellers, add dimension and diversity to the offering at Chemainus Theatre and keep the space animated between main stage productions"
Music lovers can lean into the Legacy of Lightfoot on Sept. 13 and 14 with dinner reservations beginning at 5:30 p.m. This show aims to recreate the unparalleled spirit of Canadian Gordon Lightfoot. Following the passing of the iconic singer/songwriter in May of 2023, British Columbia musicians Oliver Swain and Dylan Stone collaborated to create a concert to celebrate Lightfoot's life and music.
"Dylan and I had both been longtime Lightfoot fans. Seeing the incredible outpouring of love for his life's work and watching younger audiences discover it for the first time prompted me to call Dylan up and suggest we do a proper celebration, inviting a dozen artists across several genres to come together," said Swain.
Swain and Stone have been dubbed two of B.C.'s most accomplished and experienced songwriters and performers. Between both of their storied careers they have headlined concerts at some of Canada’s largest music festivals and between them share numerous accolades and awards including award wins and nominations at the JUNO's, the Western Canadian Music Awards and Canadian Folk Music Awards. This dynamic duo will 'Go-Go Round' shining a light on the entirety of Lightfoot's musical career, serving up the sounds of his earlier coffee house playing days in the 1960s, to his mega hits of the '70s, all the way up to the 'Beautiful' music he created in his later years. Don't hide your love away for this man, tickets for dinner and the one-hour show are $85.
"In addition to how perfectly crafted the songs are and how the recordings are so beautifully performed and arranged, I love how Canadian and working class his perspective was. You can hear the voices of railroad men, farmers, ship captains and loggers in the words of Gordon Lightfoot, he tells their stories and wears his heart on his sleeve in every verse," said Swain. "I hope our audience will go home, put on an old Lightfoot record, and listen to the music from a kid from Oakville, Ontario that came to define Canada and folk-rock for many decades."
Back by popular demand are Vancouver-based newlyweds Stephen and Annika Thakkar who will have music lovers 'Hypnotized' as they present the songs and sounds of Fleetwood and Friends of the '70s with an evening performance on Sept. 15, and an afternoon of musical delight on the 17.
Stephen, who is a Canadian actor and singer/songwriter, says upon hearing Fleetwood Mac's 'Dreams' for the first time in high school his love of music changed forever. His path to becoming a professional musician began while backpacking in Australia when he played his ukulele for loose change between surfing the waves. Since, he has brought his acting chops to the Chemainus Theatre stage for roles in The 39 Steps, and A Tiny Christmas Carol and has been busy working on his debut album Growing Pains.
Annika, who is graduate of the musical theatre program at Capilano University, thanks her parents for forcing her to listen to the same 70's Greatest Hits album on their long family road trips as it led to her not only becoming well-acquainted with this era, but also falling in love with it. Some of her musical theatre credits include Into the Woods, and The Secret in the Wings. Aside from performing she has also honed her talents as the assistant director on a production of You're a Good Man Charlie Brown.
"When Annika and I started dating, one of the things we both found ourselves connecting through was our love of music from the '70s," said Stephen. "Annika loved Carole King and my favourite band was Fleetwood Mac. So from a personal standpoint, all the music in this show is much of our personal favourite music whether it’s Elton John, CCR, Carly Simon, James Taylor and more."
The couple, who use their blend of rock, folk and pop melodies to transport their audience into a timeless era, will also be performing hits such as 'It's Too Late' by Carole King and Elton John's 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart' to name a few. Tickets for dinner and the one-hour show are $84.
"Our favourite part of this show is seeing the impact these songs and stories have on the audience," said Stephen. "We were both so amazed while performing this show last year at how audiences couldn’t wait to tell us their own stories from music’s finest decade and their own interactions with it. We hope music lovers coming to this show can be transported back to a time where they can listen to their favourite songs and learn more about some of the history in the music. We really dive into the stories of these bands, especially Fleetwood Mac, because the drama was almost as entertaining as the songs themselves."
Tickets for either cabaret performance can be purchased at tickets.chemainustheatrefestival.ca
"We hope attendees have a really great time enjoying professional artists paying tribute to music and musicians that have been the soundtrack to great moments in all our lives," said DuMez.
