The new year brings a whole host of new performances to the Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre stage, with music, dance, theatrical performances and much more ready to captivate the whole family.
As the SPOTLIGHT Season ushers in 2024, audiences will delight in a one-man show highlighting Gen X history and pop culture, an intimate country-meets-alt-folk performance and a rollicking take on Anne of Green Gables – all before the end of February.
“There’s theatre, dance, circus – the season highlights some of the very best the world has to offer,” says Erin Kennedy, from Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre.
Here’s a look at some of the highlights, but be sure to keep an eye on the calendar for the full line-up.
- Jan. 13 – Waves, All That Glows Sees. At just 30 to 40 minutes, this Théâtre des Confettis creation by Véronique Côté is the perfect introduction to the theatre for little ones aged 18 months to four years. Following a small pathway of shells and stones into a tent made of sheets, we see a man dreaming of the sea – first sand appears, then turtles, seagulls and fish, the sky and boats… Beside him, another man makes music, letting his melodies float over the ocean in this imaginary holiday to the sea.
Waves, All That Glows Sees, is the perfect introduction to the theatre for preschoolers. Photo courtesy VDPAC - Jan. 17 – BOOM X. If you loved Boom, Rick Miller is back with Part 2 of his multi-media trilogy capturing the music, pop culture and politics of the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s. From Atari to Kurt Cobain, Watergate to punk rock, Miller captures generation-defining moments through music and impersonation, giving voice to 100+ characters in a stunning production that blends cutting-edge multimedia with tour-de-force storytelling.
- Jan. 26 – Mariel Buckley. The Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre’s spacious stage becomes an intimate music venue akin to an old-school jazz club for this performance from celebrated singer-songwriter Mariel Buckley, whose magnetic live show and signature brand of angst-ridden alt-folk has charmed listeners since her 2018 debut LP, Driving In The Dark. Enjoy the music from your own table, right on stage.
- Feb. 8 – Anne of Green Gables – The Ballet. Lucy Maud Montgomery’s beloved Canadian novel comes to life in this playful, colourful and evocative production following the adventures of Anne Shirley, an orphan girl sent to live on a farm in the fictional town of Avonlea, Prince Edward Island. Featuring original choreography by Bengt Jörgen, along with colourful costumes and sets, “the dancers almost seem to jump right off the page,” Kennedy says.
- Feb. 24 – Blizzard, by FLIP Fabrique. Join this company of talented acrobats, trampolinists and creative visual storytellers in a crazy, poetic and gentle journey into the dead of a Quebec winter. “It’s 75 minutes of amazing circus for the whole family,” Kennedy says.
With so many amazing performances coming up, the Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre also makes gift-giving easy this holiday season. In fact, choose the 2023/24 PICK 3 Flexible Subscription and you can pick three or more 2023/24 SPOTLIGHT shows, including Special Presentations and OnSTAGE Concerts, and save 10 per cent off the regular ticket price!
Learn more and plan your entertainment calendar at vdpac.ca/spotlight-season
