STARWALKER - A new musical by Corey Payette
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An Urban Ink & Raven Theatre co-production in association with The Musical Stage Company and presented by the Cultch
Commissioned by: The Musical Stage Company and The Aubrey & Marla Dan Fund for New Musicals Developed in partnership with: Urban Ink, Raven Theatre, & The Musical Stage Company Starwalker is a powerful new musical written and directed by Corey Payette. The story follows Starwalker, an Indigi-Queer Two-Spirit drag queen learning the ropes of the East Van Drag community when their world is thrown upside down. When Starwalker is introduced to Drag at the House of Borealis, their whole world changes, introducing them to a home they never knew they needed, creating a new persona that blends their grounded Indigenous cultural spirit with drag performance, resulting in an empowering and celebratory experience that only tearing down the patriarchy can provide. Payette’s pop/rock music paired with pulsing drum set the perfect musical scene for this modern day love story. Musical Stage Company (Toronto) commissioned this new musical giving Payette a blank canvas to create his work. The musical tackles issues of identity, strength, and resilience and is sure to leave audiences inspired. WHEN: February 16 – March 5, 2023 WHERE: York Theatre (The Cultch) |
Book/Music/Lyrics and Directed by Corey Payette
Choreography by Ralph Escamillan Music direction by Sean Bayntun Dillan Chiblow as Starwalker Stewart Adam Mckensy as Mother Borealis Jeffrey Follis as Levi Featuring: Jesse Alvarez, Ryan Maschke, Connor Parnall, Ralph Escamillan, and August Elzinga Set Design: Anna Shearing Costume Design: Alaia Hamer Lighting Design: Jonathan Kim Sound Design: Bradley Danyluk Producer: Fabian Aspell Morales Assistant Choreographer: Ross Wirtanen 
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Children of God - A new musical by Corey Payette
NAC CO-PRODUCTION - NAC ENGLISH THEATRE COLLABORATION
An Urban Ink (Vancouver) Production in collaboration with NAC English Theatre, in association with Raven Theatre (Vancouver) / The Cultch (Vancouver) Children of God is a gorgeous, powerful musical about an Oji-Cree family whose children were taken away to a residential school in Northern Ontario. The story of Rita, a mother who was never let past the school’s gate, and her kids, Tom and Julia, who never knew she came, pushes toward redemption. Children of God offers a thrilling blend of ancient traditions and contemporary realities, celebrating resilience and the power of the Indigenous cultural spirit. Inspired by First Nations music, Payette’s profoundly moving score also includes echoes of provocative Broadway masterpieces such as Fun Home and Next to Normal. “I saw this production in Kamloops on the third night of a small festival season presented by the Western Canadian Theatre Company. I’m sure they could have sold out three times for the number of people clamouring to get in, all after word of mouth had spread from the first two nights about this powerful musical by Oji-Cree writer Corey Payette. I knew after the first scene that it was destined for Canada’s stage.” – Jillian Keiley, Artistic director, NAC English Theatre “Every once in a while someone as special as Corey Payette comes along with a project as special as this. Children of God was developed as part of The Collaborations because it was so extraordinary, passionate and beautiful.” SARAH GARTON STANLEY |
Credits:
ORIGINAL CAST Herbie Barnes: Tom/Tommy Cathy Elliott: Rita Kim Harvey: Joanna/Secretary Trish Lindström: Sister Bernadette Kevin Loring : Wilson Cheyenne Scott: Julia Michael Torontow: Father Christopher Aaron M. Wells : Vincent Kaitlyn Yott: Elizabeth CREATIVE TEAM Book/Music/Lyrics & Director: Corey Payette Production Designer: Marshall McMahen Musical Director/Piano: Allen Cole Orchestrator/Viola: Elliot Vaughan Dramaturg: Sybille Pearson Assistant Director: Julie McIsaac Lighting Designer: Jeff Harrison Jewelry design: Helen Oro Movement Director: Raes Calvert Sound Designer: Kris Boyd Fight Directors: Mike Kovac & Ryan McNeill Bolton Stage Manager: Samira Rose Assistant Stage Manager: Jessica Schacht MUSICIANS Cello: Brian Chan Piano: Allen Cole Guitar: Martin Reisle Viola: Elliot Vaughan THIRD NATIONAL TOUR
SEGAL CENTRE, MONTREAL YORK THEATRE, VANCOUVER BC TOUR - VERNON, NERLSON, CRANBROOK, SURREY SECOND NATIONAL TOUR CITADEL THEATRE, EDMONTON WESTERN CANADA THEATRE, KAMLOOPS WORLD PREMIERE & TOUR YORK THEATRE, VANCOUVER NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE, OTTAWA |
Les Filles du Roi - a new musical by Corey Payette & Julie McIsaac
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May 15-27, 2018
York Theatre, Vancouver A Fugue Theatre/Raven Theatre production in association with Urban Ink and The CultchLes Filles du Roi (The King’s Daughters) is a gorgeous new trilingual musical written in English, French, and Kanien’kéha (Mohawk) from the creators of last season’s groundbreaking Children of God. The powerful story of Kateri, a young Mohawk girl, and her brother Jean-Baptiste whose lives are disrupted upon the arrival of les filles du roi in 1665. They forge an unlikely relationship with young fille Marie-Jeanne Lespérance, whose dreams of a new life are more complicated than she could have imagined. Over the course of a year, Mohawk, French and English journeys collide setting the stage for the Canada we know today. Payette’s music connects the heartbeat of the drum and the soaring voices of our female ancestors in a thrilling contemporary score, weaving three languages and rivaling the beauty of Canada’s most stunning landscapes. Fugue Theatre commissioned Julie McIsaac and Corey Payette to create this project as a way to address the historical roots of the current debates about migration, cultural diversity, gender equality and Indigenous sovereignty. The project draws on the writers’ personal connections to their French and Indigenous heritage, historical research and cultural collaboration with Mohawk community. MEET THE CREATORS: Check out this video of Julie and Corey. |
Cast:
Kaitlyn Yott – Kateri, Julie McIsaac – Marie-Jeanne Lespérance, Raes Calvert – Jean-Baptiste, Laura Di Cicco – Madame Savoie, Andrew Cohen – Clarke, Chelsea Rose – Clan Mother/Chorus, Synthia Yusuf – Chorus, Kayla Dunbar – Lise-Ann/Chorus, Lisa Goebel – Chorus, Cecilly Day – Chorus, Merewyn Comeau – Chorus Creative Team: Corey Payette – Artistic Director/ Director/ Composer/ Co-book/lyricist, Julie McIsaac – Co-book/lyricist, Marshall McMahen – Production Designer (Set/Costumes/Props), Rachel Kiyo Iwaasa – Musical Director/Piano, Patrice Bowler – Movement Director, Elliot Vaughan & Martin Reisle – Co-Orchestrators, Jeff Harrison – Lighting Designer, Kyra Soko – Sound Designer, Konwahonwa:wi Stacey – Beadwork Designer Mike Kovac & Ryan McNeil Bolton – Co-Fight Directors, Lisa Goebel – Associate Movement Director, Ashley Noyes – Stage Manager, Melanie Thompson – Assistant Stage Manager, Dawn Brennan – Managing Director, JD Derbyshire – Creative Producer, Adrian Muir – Production Manager, Stephanie Kong – Head of Wardrobe, Sharon Zimmerman – Props Master, Musicians: Molly MacKinnon – Violin, John Kastelic – Viola, Rebecca Wenham – Cello |
Sedna - created by Corey Payette, Reneltta Arluk, & Marshall McMahen
The Music From Sedna
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by Corey Payette
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