When it first hit the 琉璃神社 stage in 2015 it wowed local crowds and now it鈥檚 back to do it again.
Okanagan-written RAFT a Rock Opera is taking over the Mary Irwin Theatre in 琉璃神社鈥檚 Rotary Centre for the Arts from Sept. 13 to 16, 2017.
鈥淚t is homegrown and wonderful. The cast is phenomenal. I got involved again because I fell in love with it,鈥� said Christine Daley, production/stage manager for the show, who also worked on the original production.
鈥淲e feel so many people missed out on this wonderful opportunity two years ago. We had to do it again.鈥�
The musical is the brainchild of Randall Robinson and Pat Brown.
It is being called an 鈥榚pic rock musical鈥� that chronicles one of the worst naval disasters in French history.
Through the incompetence of her arrogant captain, the Medusa reportedly ran aground in 1816. At that time there were not enough life boats so 151 sailors were set adrift on a makeshift raft.
鈥淐ondemned, as it would turn out, to unthinkable depravity and suffering,鈥� reads the musical鈥檚 description.
Two years later an eccentric French painter, Theodore Gericault, read a factual account of this tragedy and painted Le Radeau De La Meduse鈥�The Raft of the Medusa, a painting that became an icon of French Romanticism.
The rock opera tells the story of the tragedy through Gericault鈥檚 eyes.
Since its debut in 2015, it was taken to the O-Zone Theatre Festival in Salmon Arm where it won trophies for best musical ensemble, best musical direction (Robinson) and best costume design (Anne Ramey).
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鈥淭he adjudicator in Salmon Arm said this was the 鈥榥ext Canadian rock opera鈥�, that it is going to just rock the world, so to speak,鈥� said Daley.
鈥淚f I were to see this on Broadway I would equate it with something like RENT, it has a great story and the music just tells the story. It is a rock opera, it鈥檚 an opera. If you loved RENT or The Phantom of the Opera or Les Mis茅rables, this can run parallel, it is just unknown. The music is worthy of recognition.鈥�
Eventually the show鈥檚 creators hope the rock opera gains traction outside of the Okanagan and lands on even bigger stages.
Neville Bowman has reprised his role as the tortured artist, Theodore Gericault. and two other cast members from the original production have taken on new lead Roles鈥擯enticton鈥檚 Dustin McGifford as Henry Savigny and Penticton鈥檚 Annie Scott as Alexandrine De Saint Martin.
鈥淚鈥檝e been involved with musical theatre for 40 years and it rocked my world,鈥� added Daley.
Tickets are $30 (adults) and $25 (students, seniors) and are available online now at or by phone at 250-717-5304.
For additional more information visit: .
carmen.weld@bpdigital.ca
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