By Tom Mark

Calendar Girl’s Off To Provincials

May 28, 2018 | 1:13 PM

The Powerhouse Theatre’s production “Calendar Girl’s” has won the Okanagan Zone Theatre Festival and now goes on to provincial competition.

Calendar Girl’s went up against 6 other productions in the last week at the festival in Vernon, reviewed by adjudicator Andrew McIlroy.

Calendar Girls Director ,Tanya Laing Gahr, says McIlroy felt the cast brought something that can’t be taught.

“That was heart. They really brought this beautiful beating heart to this story, so that everything that plays on stage feels authentic because it is authentic. And he really believed that audiences connected to that. ”

Calendar Girls actress Kristine Larson was singled out as the Best Supporting Actress for the entire festival.

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McIlroy also had high praise for lighting and video designer Rusty Gahr.

“He really thought that Rusty’s vision that really gives life to the set and gives life to the story really illuminated things in both a literal and metaphorical sense.”

Laing Gahr says McIlroy felt the video work demonstrates how the Powerhouse Theatre has stepped up its game.

She says she thinks it shows this is something Vernon audiences were wanting, were really hungering for.

During its run at the Powerhouse, Calendar Girls had sold out shows and standing ovations with appreciative audiences..

Laing Gahr says Andrew McIlroy spent several hours with the cast and crew on Sunday discussing some ideas on how to go forward.

“He gave us some ideas of how we can dig a little bit deeper into some of the pivotal scenes in the play. Just to put a little bit more meat on the bones that already exist there.”

She says McIlroy said the reason he chose this play was because he sees it as a very competitive play and he wants to see it win at Mainstage.

The Mainstage Festival featuring the best plays from across the province will be held at the Vernon Performing Arts Centre June 29th to July 7th.

Calendar Girls will be performed on July 1st.

The production now hopes up against winners of other zones in the provincial Mainstage Festival being held at the Vernon Performing Arts Centre June 29th to July 7.

Calendar Girls will be presented July 1st.

by Tom Mark