From left: actors Keenan Marchand, Alice Best, Mackenzie Cameron, and Alec Gloanec go on a wild ride in TWU’s New Generations play festival Jan. 28 to Feb. 1.

From left: actors Keenan Marchand, Alice Best, Mackenzie Cameron, and Alec Gloanec go on a wild ride in TWU’s New Generations play festival Jan. 28 to Feb. 1.

TWU’s festival of plays will be a wild ride

New Generations from SAMC Theatre promises to be a 'fast, furious and funny' festival

A new generation of playwrights and directors are busily crafting a one-week explosion of live theatre at Trinity Western University.

SAMC Theatre’s New Generations is a “fast, furious, funny play festival” running Jan. 28 to Feb. 1, with three brand new shows playing back-to-back every night.

“New Generations is ‘grassroots creation’ at its best, and for the first time in several years, every play in our 2014 festival is an original, student-written script,” said Angela Konrad, SAMC Theatre Chair.

“Tickets for New Generations are always in high demand, because of the unique opportunity to be part of something so fresh and intimate.  It’s a treat for our audiences to witness stories told for the very first time, with all the creative energy of tomorrow’s powerhouse arts professionals.”

The Escaper’s Song, a comedy by Jessica Walters, takes the audience into the wilderness of a small town.  Four young adults are at a crossroads — how much would they sacrifice to escape the drudgery of everyday life?  Featuring Alice Best, Mackenzie Cameron, Alec Gloanec, and Keenan Marchand, under the direction of Charissa Hurt.

Here, by Erik deLange, tells of a young couple’s grief as it dissolves into a dream world of love made new, memories made beautiful, and a magical forest “where the wild things are.” Amy Dauer directs Graham Boldt, Emily Herbison, Rena Iwasaki, Jordan Klassen, Esther Owobowale, and Sam Ravensbergen.

Feminist Fan Club, by Dillon Dean James, is a no-holds-barred comedy with plenty of sass.  Armed with gluten-free cookies and very different ideas of what feminism should look like, an unlikely troupe of students gathers to solve the world’s problems.

It is directed by Matthew Wigmore, with actors Graeme Geddes, Amara Gelaude, and Rachael Norman.

With the imaginative design of TWU alumna Lora-Lynne Hanley, three different worlds come to light before the audience’s eyes.

New Generations plays one week only at the School of the Arts, Media + Culture from Jan. 28  to Feb. 1 at 7:30 p.m. with a 2 p.m. Saturday matinee.

Tickets are priced from $8 to $15 with special Tuesday/matinee discounts.  For tickets visit www.twu.ca/theatre or call 604.513.2121 ext. 3872.

Langley Times