21 Sep

Peter Pan Prequel, Pulitzer-Prize Winner and More: 5 Can’t-Miss Shows at the Arts Club this Fall

The Arts Club, Vancouver’s largest theatre company, is kicking off its 52nd season with a bang this fall. The lineup in the coming months features a mix of hotly anticipated premieres, award-winning imports and a few holiday classics.

On top of that, the Arts Club is debuting its brand-new, $20-million BMO Theatre Centre in Olympic Village. The spiffy new theatre replaces the company’s Revue Stage on Granville Island and joins its two other flagship venues: the Art-Deco classic Stanley on South Granville Street and the waterfront Granville Island Stage.

Here’s a peek at 5 can’t-miss productions from the Arts Club this fall:

Disgraced: The 2015-2016 season kicks off with the Canadian premier of this Pulitzer Prize-winning play that’s practically ripped from the headlines. A Pakistani-American lawyer and his artist wife live comfortably in the U.S. But the decision to hold a dinner party with an African-American coworker and her Jewish husband brings up long-buried issues. Conversation spirals into heated debate about faith, race and politics in contemporary America. Sept. 17-Oct. 18; Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage; from $29

The Waiting Room: Spirit of the West frontman John Mann provides the score for this moving premiere about family, healing and hope. The true story follows iconic rocker Mann as he navigates his life before and after receiving a cancer diagnosis. Told with grace, honesty and more than a little humour, The Waiting Room offers a uniquely personal insight into the experience of being a patient. Oct. 1-Oct. 31; Granville Island Stage; from $29

A Christmas Story, The Musical: You’ve never seen little Ralphie quite like this. Based on the classic 1983 movie about the little boy who wants nothing more than a Red Ryder BB Gun for Christmas, this festive musical is filled with a zany score, quirky sets and some one-of-a-kind dance sequences. Off-beat and just weird enough to warm minds and hearts, A Christmas Story is sure to be a holiday sellout. Nov. 5-Dec. 27; Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage; from $29

It’s a Wonderful Life: It wouldn’t be Christmas in Vancouver without an Arts Club production of this holiday classic. This innovative rendering shines a new light on poor George Bailey, whose good deeds go unnoticed after he falls on financial ruin. In George’s darkest hour, a guardian angel intervenes with a needed reminder that faith, hope and family make life truly wonderful. Nov. 19-Dec. 5; Granville Island Stage; from $29

Peter and the Starcatcher: Everybody knows Peter Pan from his exploits in Neverland. But how did he get to be such a crazy little sprite in the first place? This Peter Pan prequel, which premiered on Broadway in 2012, traces his journey from lonely orphan to beloved hero who refuses to grow up. Expect plenty of swashbuckling and singing mermaids in this romp of a backstory that takes Peter from a forlorn orphanage to the deck of a pirate ship. Nov. 26-Dec. 27; Goldcorp Stage at the BMO Theatre Centre; from $25