Take a little bit of vaudeville, mix in some eclectic folk and top it off with ukulele, piano and guitar and you have the music of Ross Douglas.
The Penticton Art Gallery is bringing back the musician with the storied career for one night only, Friday, April 26.
Initially drawn to theatre, Douglas has toured the world as a pianist/narrator in the second-ever cast of Billy Bishop Goes to War.
He was also in the original Vancouver production of Angry Housewives, for which he received a Jessie Award for outstanding musical direction.
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In addition to that work, Douglas spent nine years as a writer, musical director and performer at the Theatre Royal in Barkerville, B.C.
“You’ll be getting songs that are funny. I tend towards humour, I tend towards wit, I tend towards songs sometimes about murder,” Douglas said in a news release. “My background is theatrical so you’re getting a lot of songs in the first person. I will become the character in probably half the songs in my repertoire.”
According to reports, his songwriting, whimsy, and willingness to be “loony for loony’s sake” were giant inspirational touchstones for Douglas’ work across a spectrum of entertainment.
“Ross Douglas is a one man vaudevillian whirlwind, a consummate and versatile entertainer. His live show is always a crowd pleaser with astute songs that blend history, comedy, theatre, a variety of musical genres and a litany of instruments from keyboards to mandolins and ukuleles” said Julie Fowler; executive director for ArtsWells Festival of All Things Art.
“I want to get people a really good night out for their hard-earned buck. I like to be entertained and I like to entertain people in a variety of ways,” said Douglas, who has four albums under his belt.
He performs Friday at the Penticton Art Gallery from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Tickets are $10 gallery members and seniors, students and non-members are $15 and are available at the Penticton Art Gallery or by phone at 250-493-2928.
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Mark Brett | Reporter
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