In-person performances this March became unattainable for Vanier College Productions (VCP) as universities once again pivoted to online learning at the beginning of the year amid surging COVID cases.
Virtual preparations and rehearsals for VCP’s 50th anniversary season production of Festival began in the fall. But as they looked ahead to opening their curtains, VCP converted all winter programming online, serving as a testament that the show must go on.
Festival was replaced with The Radio Plays. As Festival is a farcical play-within-a-play with three fictional theatre companies performing a suspense thriller, The Radio Plays stay true to form with the comical murder mystery theme. The Radio Plays is set to air on Saturday, March 19 at 7:30 p.m. and will feature the plays, The Emerald Heist, A Mystery Murdered and The Mummy Unravels.
The evening will also include a short presentation of the work that Festival designers completed in the fall term and some original commercials created by the company.
Show Choir has rehearsed in-person and virtually with the theatre troupe recording and creating music videos for presentation online on Saturday, March 26 at 7:30 p.m. Comprised of new arrangements and mashups of Broadway show tunes and top 40 hits, the selections include songs from the hit musicals Hamilton, Moulin Rouge, Dirty Dancing, In the Heights, A Chorus Line, Aladdin, Cinderella and Mulan, as well as songs made famous by the Black Eyed Peas, Green Day, Harry Styles, Spice Girls, Black Pink and ABBA.
“For 50 years, Vanier College Productions has provided students at York University with valuable experiential education, where theatre and the arts have created opportunities for community building, connectiveness and learning,” says VCP’s Artistic Director and Producer Brian Goldenberg. “Over the past two years, the need for human connection has been more important than ever, and despite the need to shift between in-person and online, VCP has continued to create these opportunities for students. I am very proud of everyone involved with Festival, The Radio Plays and Show Choir for their tenacity and resilience in facing the many obstacles and challenges this year.”
The Radio Plays is directed by alumni Gloria Mampuya, Nug Nahrgang and Stefan Porfirio. Show Choir is led by two of VCP’s work-study students, Julianna Greco as choreographer and Isabel Misquitta-Yip as assistant music director, along with Goldenberg serving as artistic and music director.
The performances can be viewed online. For more information about The Radio Plays and Show Choir, ticket pricing and more, visit the VCP website.