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August 30, 2002
Gotta Sing! Really good!
Summer youth program puts on an entertaining show.
CYNTHIA RAMSAY SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH BULLETIN
As a group, teenagers have a bad reputation. They're gawky, moody
and they are not known for their listening skills. But you wouldn't
know it from watching the latest group of 80-plus Gotta Sing! Gotta
Dance! performers at the Norman Rothstein Theatre last week.
In its eighth year, Gotta Sing! Gotta Dance! is a musical theatre
summer program for youth from age nine to 19. There are two sessions
of the program, boasting a total of more than 160 talented singers
and dancers from throughout British Columbia. Five Israelis also
joined the program this summer, four of whom were sponsored by the
Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver as part of Project 2000.
Directed once again by Richmond lawyer and impresario Perry Ehrlich,
this year's production was TV or not TV, which he co-wrote
with David Hudgins of the Electric Company. A musical theatre look
at the world of television, TV or not TV featured a large
repertoire of songs from Broadway and movie musicals including Cats,
Annie, Phantom of the Opera and Mamma Mia.
As well, it featured a number of dance routines that would have
left many a professional dancer breathless. Each group of Gotta
Sing! Gotta Dance! participants had a mere 18 days of rehearsal,
culminating in three performances of the musical at the end of each
session.
It was an impressive sight to see more than 80 youth on the stage
of the Norman Rothstein Theatre. No one tripped over anyone else
(noticeably anyway), everyone was in time and some of the moves
looked pretty complex. Especially fun was the tap dance number in
the song "Wall Street." Throughout the production, the
look of sheer joy never left the kids' faces.
The performers were supported by the Gotta Sing! Gotta Dance! band,
comprised of musical directors Wendy Stuart and David Fromager on
keyboards and Nino Di Pasquale on percussion. Two original songs
– "Gotta Sing! Gotta Dance!" by Ehrlich and "Some
People Like to Sing" by Joan Beckow – added a novel twist
to the production, yet fitted right in with the Broadway melodies.
Another unique dimension of the performance was a heartfelt tribute
by the kids to everyone who was affected by the tragedy of 9/11.
It was a sentimental touch that brought tears to some people's eyes.
In addition to the credit due the youth, Ehrlich and the Gotta Sing!
Gotta Dance! instructors deserve kudos. The instructors were Stuart,
Fromager, Emmy Award-winning choreographer David Connolly from Los
Angeles, Valerie Easton (choreographer for Theatre Under the Stars'
Kiss Me Kate and Stanley Theatre's My Fair Lady),
Chris McGregor (co-artistic director of Carousel Theatre), TV and
play director Susan Lehmann and choregrapher Isabelle Maheux. Rebekka
Sorensen (set designer and costume co-ordinator) and Itai Erdal
(lighting designer) also contributed to the quality of the production.
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