When the curtain opens on the James Cowan Theatre stage at the Shadbolt Centre this week, it will be a moment of triumph for a longtime Burnaby theatre company.
Not so very long ago, Footlight Theatre was taking a long, hard look at its future and wondering if it would even be possible to continue in the ever-challenging world of community theatre.
The answer, as it turns out, is yes - a resounding, dancing-and-singing-and-reliving-the-glory-days-of-girl-groups kind of yes.
The company is staging The Marvelous Wonderettes - the off-Broadway hit by Roger Bean - from Nov. 6 to 15.
The musical stars four musical theatre talents from the Vancouver area: Katherine Alpen as Missy, Sabrielle McCurdy-Foreman as Suzy, Carolyn Bergstrand as Cindy Lou, and Stefania Wheelhouse as Betty Jean.
They're members of Springfield High School's 1958 Songleader Squad, and they're called in as a last-minute replacement to entertain at the senior prom - which makes up the musical's first act. In the second act they're back, 10 years later, for their high school reunion.
Along the way, they treat the audience to familiar tunes from the era - 23 in total - that include such hits as Mr. Sandman, Lipstick on Your Collar, It's My Party, It's In His Kiss and Lollipop.
"A lot of the songs are familiar," says Susan Reid, president of the Footlight board. "The music is unbelievable. People who see it are like, why is this not being done everywhere?"
Reid is enthusiastic about the quality of production that's shaping up under the leadership of director Wayne Nolan and musical director Kate MacColl - both new to the Footlight fold.
Nolan, who recently moved from Ottawa to settle in New West, came to Footlight with an extensive performing and directing resume from his time in Ontario, while MacColl is a performer, director and teacher at the Sarah McLachlan School of Music.
"We're thrilled to have this as their debut," says Reid.
The musical is substantially smaller than the last several productions by Footlight - which have been large-cast productions such as The Wizard of Oz, The Sound of Music and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
Reid says it was important to the board to continue to stage a high-quality show, so this time out they chose to focus on something more intimate - and make the return from the large Michael J. Fox Theatre back to the smaller Shadbolt venue.
"We were at Shadbolt for many years, so it's nice to be back," she says, adding the Shadbolt staff have been extremely supportive.
She's pleased with the show choice, too, noting it will appeal to a broad base of audience members - from those who know the music through their parents or grandparents, to those who grew up to the music themselves.
"I think it's going to be anybody that loves the music of the '50s and '60s," she says. "It's music that everybody will know."
Moving forward, she says, it's possible Footlight will return to the larger productions of the past, though she says it's likely to be a mix of smaller and bigger shows.
For the moment, the focus is on making sure that every detail of this production - music, sets, costumes, props - is as authentic to the era and as high-quality as it can possibly be, and offered at a price ($25 across the board) that's affordable to everyone.
"We're so happy to still be in Burnaby," Reid says with a smile. "It should be lots of fun."
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The Marvelous Wonderettes is onstage for 10 performances, with 8 p.m. shows Nov. 6 through 8 and Nov. 13 through 15, plus 2 p.m. matinees on Nov. 8, 9 and 15.
Tickets are $25 for all seats, available through tickets.shadboltcentre.com or by phone at 604-205-3000.
