This month marks the debut of a musical featuring fairy-tale favourites that have been revamped to tackle contemporary issues.
Lisa Simon, writer and director of A Modern Fairy Tale (AMFT), had the idea of writing her own musical when she realized there was a lack of anything other than traditional representation of gender and relationships in the fables she grew up with.
“That’s not the way my friends are,” said the Burnaby resident of 13 years, whose production has made a conscious effort to break away from traditional gender roles and storytelling. The musical also tackles issues of racism, homophobia and consent.
In AMFT, the much beloved fairy-tale princess, Cinderella is known as “Prince Cinder,” who is romantically involved with another male character named Prince Chuck, while the character of Wolf from Little Red Riding Hood is portrayed by an actor who does not identify as either male or female.
The actors of AMFT are rehearsing in the dance studio adjunct to the Bonsor Recreational Complex.
With only a few short weeks until opening night, there is a need to rehearse multiple dance routines at once, with the smaller routines being relegated outside. And, inevitably, missteps occur.
“You’re not jumping, just me,” the actor playing Wolf calls over her shoulder at her dance partner, breaking character and bringing the musical number to a halt; a single misstep had brought the two actors together in a painful collision. The choreographer tells them to try again for what does not seem like the first time.
Associate choreographer and publicist for AMFT, Damon Jang said that teaching choreography to the cast was slow going at first, but things have picked up nicely.
Much like its inclusion of performers from all walks of life, the casting of AMFT did not discriminate based on how well an actor could dance.
Jang, who has also helped choreograph productions at Byrne Creek Secondary every year since 2013, is thankful for the cast’s hard work and is certain that “audiences who see the cast is made of intergenerational cast members will (be able to appreciate what we’ve done).”
Despite having to rehearse in the evenings after a full day’s work, the mood among performers is jovial, and there is a genuine sense of camaraderie.
Simon said that should there be any sort of suggestive innuendo in a scene, intended or otherwise, a recurring joke among the actors is for one of them to say “It’s not that kind of show!”
But there is something greater than comedy being fought for here. With her musical, Simon is challenging society’s conceptions of what “normal” is, and she hopes to change a few minds along the way.
“Being feminine is seen as something shameful which it isn’t. A boy can be a princess if he wants; a girl can be a superhero.”
It’s that kind of show.
A Modern Fairy Tale is onstage at the Metro Theatre in Vancouver, Aug. 19 to 30. Shows are at 7 p.m., with 1 p.m. matinees on Sundays. Tickets are $20, on sale at
tickets.metrotheatre.com.
