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Broadway Across Canada’s Once opened last night to a full house at Vancouver’s Queen E Theatre. Once follows the book by the Irish playwright Enda Walsh and the 2006 motion picture written and directed by John Carney that won acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival.

The music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova won an Academy Award for Best Original Song, Falling Slowly and in 2013 a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theatre Album. The theatrical production went on to win eight Tony Awards including Best Musical.

Once has impressed audiences as a literary work, film, musical and theatrical production. 

BAC’s production is presented in association with the New York Theatre Workshop and was originally developed at the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Lead actors Stuart Ward and Dani de Waal are both accomplished musicians and vocalists.

[Stuart Ward and Dani de Waal]

Ward plays a Dublin street musician ready to give up on his dreams of being a musician; de Wall portrays a Czechoslovakian pianist who lives with her mother and daughter and plays classical piano at the local musical instrument store. The story’s about going for your dreams and the power of music to connect us all. 

The audience enters the QE Theatre to a stage set as a Dublin Pub and is invited both pre-show and during intermission to come up on stage while the hugely talented cast performs live on stage. Enjoy a drink and soak in the atmosphere!

Having the feeling of being in an Irish pub is something I’ve not yet experienced nor seen in Vancouver — theater-goers are in for a real treat. The tempo of the music goes from the very soft and lyrical to the hard strumming and full-throated music of an entire cast in harmony.

 
The audience rose to their feet in unison to give the cast a rousing, well-deserved standing ovation. Once is only in town until November 22 so if catching the best of Broadway is your cup of tea, don’t procrastinate on this one or you’ll miss out on a fantastic heartfelt evening of story and music. All photos ©2015 Joan Marcus.

About Our Contributor David Cadman

David Cadman served nine years as a Vancouver City Councillor, nine years as the International President and three years as International Vice-President of Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI). He’s a recipient of both the United Nations Peace Medal and the United Nations 50th Anniversary Medal.