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The Ultimate Book Show springs to life

For more than 30 years, Edmonton Musical Theatre has produced triple-threats and thrust them into the big wide world to try their luck.

For more than 30 years, Edmonton Musical Theatre has produced triple-threats and thrust them into the big wide world to try their luck.

Two years ago, EMT alumna Susan Gilmour, now a Stratford and Broadway star, came back for a performance with the hometown crowd.

This year Vance Avery returns as guest artist for EMT’s year-end production. The Ultimate Book Show opens Thursday, June 19 for an eight-day run at the Westbury Theatre.

The multi-talented Avery has performed in the Canadian and U. S. touring show of Les Miserables and starred in Cabaret and Sweet Charity. He’s performed at Carnegie Hall in the PBS special My Favourite Broadway: Love Songs with Julie Andrews. Avery also starred as Joseph in the first U. S. national tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

“He’s got the chops in every possible way. He’s an amazing singer and as an actor – he’s wonderful,” said show director Marie Nychka.

In creating The Ultimate Book Show, EMT general manager Steffni Ault and music director Bob Rasko put their heads together for a fresh take on Broadway pieces inspired by literary classics.

Rasko created an imaginative world where a Wicked Witch takes about half a dozen fairy tale characters on a journey that helps them discover where they belong, Nychka said.

The characters start in Oz before heading to Edwardian London where they meet street urchins and the Artful Dodger from Oliver. In a change of scenery, they land at Canada’s Green Gables before being transported to revolutionary France in Les Miserables. From the revolution they travel to England’s Secret Garden and then to the Ascot for My Fair Lady. The remaining cast then hops across the oceans for South Pacific before ending in the fairytale realm of Into the Woods.

Two St. Albert actors – Barbara Hubbard and Jamie Johansson – once more set out to enchant audiences with their versatile, lustrous voices.

Hubbard has nabbed the role of the Baker’s Wife from Into the Woods and Johansson is the Ghost Mother in The Secret Garden.

“Barb has this beautiful voice and she’s such a wonderful actress. She has great instincts and she always comes across as honest. I’d work with her in a professional show in a shot,” Nychka said.

“And Jamie also has a lovely voice. She’s grown so much and she understands hard work. She puts so much into it, especially the two songs she’s featured in.”

Johansson sings the poignant How Could I Know that starts as a solo and morphs into a duet when Avery joins her.

There will also be a special appearance by St. Albert actor Danielle Ereinne Hall as the Wicked Witch and Carlye-Shae Highbaugh as her rolling sidekick Volubilis.

“We’re proud of what we’ve done and it will stand up against any professional show. This group is incredibly committed. Their work is heartfelt and outstanding. I’ve pushed them harder than professionals and they’ve stepped up. Every time I raise the bar higher, they go for it. They care for each other and it’s been really a joy to work on the show. It reminds me of why I do theatre.”

Preview

The Ultimate Book Show<br />Edmonton Musical Theatre<br />June 19-21, June 24-28 at 7:30 p.m.<br />Westbury Theatre in the ATB Financial Arts Barns<br />Tickets: $20 to $25 Visit edmontonmusicaltheatre.com

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