New West Theatre is ready to party in August with their new production “Party On,” premiering Aug. 8 in the Yates/ Sterndale Bennett Theatre.
New West’s August comedy revue shows are chick full of lots of action, dancing and popular songs and Party On is no exception.
New West Artistic director Jeremy Mason had no trouble with his directing debut for a New West music/comedy revue show.
“But I’ve seen every one since 2002. And as artistic director I’ve seen them on a very intimate level,” he said.
The show features favourite hits from the 1970s to today ranging from the Eagles and Phil Collins to Sheryl Crow, but the dancing will be the main attraction for this show.
“We usually put more emphasis on the choreography in the August show. The July show is more about the music,” he said, adding all aspects of the show are important. There is a variety of music including numbers from Whitney Houston, Billy Joel and Sheryl Crow.
“Jocelyn (Haub) sings a great Sheryl Crow,” he enthused.
The cast includes a lot of familiar faces from “Bandstand,” plus Jay Whitehead, who directed “Bandstand” in July and Jocelyn Haub.
Jessica Ens, who is usually a highlight on stage during the summer performances, takes an important back-stage role for Party On — she is choreographing the entire show for the first time. It helps that the professional dancer has worked with most of the cast before.
“I’m not on stage this time. It’s exciting to be in a new role,” said Ens, who was teaching dance at Chinook High School last year and will be returning in the summer . She has been involved with New West productions since 2001, and in between shows has been training in Chicago and earned a BFA in dance from York University in Toronto. She is also owner and director of the Lethbridge Alberta Dance Company.
She has been enjoying working with the cast.
“There’s lots of jive work ( ballroom style dancing) and lifts, a little cha cha some hip hop and more modern choreography. They’re dancing their hearts out,” Ens enthused.
She has never choreographed a production like this before, though she choreographed one as an independent study in university.
Because she has worked with most of the cast except Mwansa Mwansa and Ksenia Thurgood, she knows both her and their limitations.
“I’ve seen them before though, she said.
“ I know what they can do because I know what I could handle,” she continued.
“There has been a lot of mutual respect. Nobody has given me any trouble,” she laughed.
“We didn’t get too fancy, just what is necessary to the show,” she said noting deciding a lot of that has involved working with Mason about what each number needed.
“There’s lots of energy and great patterns,” she enthused.
“Everything is looking great,” she said adding she is looking forward to opening night.
“ For me, I like to sit in the back and watch the audience and watching their reactions and listen to them laughing,” Mason said.
“We have a week before the show, so this is when it all starts to take shape. We have all of the individual performances and the choreography and comedy all come together,” he said.
“I really wanted to harbour the feeling of a big party — a big bash — and want the audience to feel like they are invited to a very big party,” Mason said.
Party On! runs Aug. 8-Sept. 1 in the Yates -Sterndale Bennett Theatre.
