It is easy to see why New West Theatre’s annual winter production is such a popular draw each year.
 They were competing with a sold out Les Miserables across the street at Southminster United Church, so the Tuesday night crowd was understandably not as strong as I expected.

But they were an enthusiastic laughing at ever groaner pun and applauding wildly after every musical number.
 The new show, Razzle Dazzle, as usual is a best of the best — favourite songs and favourite comedy.

 The cast begins dressed classy in an old style club complete with chandeliers hanging from the ceiling as they launch into an exciting version of Ray Charles’ ‘Shake Your Tailfeather’
The music runs the gamut from the 1940s to more modern pop and all of it in between.
 This come to the fore in the second set as Scott Carpenter talks about his  love for ‘lady parts’ and wishing  for a compilation of the best songs from the ladies.

 The talented ladies Erica Hunt, Kathy Zaborsky, Jocelyn Haub fulfil his wish, beginning with singing wartime jazz standards like ‘Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy’ and moving through the ages through Motown and into ’80s pop with the Pointer Sisters’ ‘I’m So Excited’ and ’90s pop with the Spice Girls ‘Wannabe.’

Zaborsky takes centre stage  behind a grand piano to sing a hot version of Ray Charles ‘For Once In my Life.’

New West Theatre is starting to get ready to put on some Christmas themed Razzle Dazzle at the Yates Theatre, Dec. 16-Jan. 4.
Jay Whitehead is doing double duty as director and choreographer for the show.
“It’s our traditional Christmas show. It is part greatest hits from past shows and part new material too,” Whitehead summarized.

 He was inspired by the 20s for the look of the show.
“I was inspired by the look of old dance halls. They had class and a sort of elegance ,” he said.
  As usual for the Christmas shows they feature popular pop and rock and roll hits from the ’50s to today.

 There are some new songs as well.
“Kathy (Zaborsky) is featured on a beautiful Jane Siberry song ‘Calling All Angels’ and she plays piano on it too,” Whitehead enthused adding the entire group is featured on Belinda Carlisle’s ‘Heaven is A Place On Earth.’

“And we have some very Christmas driven comedy,” he said.

Whitehead noted both directing and being choreographer is a challenge.
“But I’ve worked with a lot of wonderful choreographers. And this time, the communication between the director and choreographer is instant. All I have to do is have a thought,” he chuckled.

 Richie Wilcox is excited about being part of his first New West Theatre show.
“ It is so exciting. The first show I saw when I moved here last year was ‘Party On,’ their summer show,” Wilcox said.
He is pleased to be part of the “New West family,” particularly because there are a lot of ’80s moments in the show, which usually includes the greatest hits of past New West shows.

Lethbridge Musical Theatre has been bringing a taste of Broadway to Lethbridge for 50 years.
Founding member Ed Bayly has been involved in every production since ‘Finian’s Rainbow’ took the stage at the old Capitol Theatre downtown in 1964.
“We were there until 1966 when we moved to the Yates Theatre where we’ve been ever since,” Bayly related.

“We were in conjunction with the Lethbridge Symphony when we started. Dick Mells was the founding member and he directed the first 16 shows,” he said.
 Bayly has also directed quite a few shows including “Oliver” two years ago.
“I was involved with Playgoers of Lethbridge before that. And it was just exciting to be involved with another group,” he said.

“When they moved to the Yates, I’d been hired as the  Yates’ technical director, so I’ve been involved in every production after that in some capacity,” he said.
“I’ve been on stage, designed and built sets, later on I directed. I’ve even swept the floors,” he smiled.

 They even took the show on the road, when they put on Li’l Abner, a musical based on the old comic strip in 1965.
“ We hadn’t done that before and we haven’t again,” he said adding the experience with fraught with adventure thanks to having a live pig as part of the show.