West Side Story, An Impressive Production by CTORA Theatre - MAY 8-24, 2025 - Granville Island Stage

I thought the original film production of West Side Story was outstanding and didn't think other versions would be able to compete. But live theatre brings its own interpretation and, I think this story continues today. I am, once again, captivated by the music, the songs, the choreography and the dances, the characters and the drama of it all! But in live theatre, there can be silence, a pause for reflection and a few seconds to consider what will happen next. And that whistle that breaks the silence, ...who is being called and who is calling? Same for the snapping of the fingers, "we're cool" "we're dancing", "come here", "join up or join in" or "something's coming". There was also the silence of sneakers and soft shoes, for grace as well as stealth. The power comes from skillful dancers, light on their feet, moving quickly, purposefully, and efficiently. And then there is more silence as characters take stock of each other, lots of thinking before they break into song and dance. 

CTORA Productions has done an excellent job of bringing in the best for all 6 teams: Creative Team, Designers (Set,Costumes, Lighting and Sound), Musicians, Stage Management, Production, and Marketing Team. The marketing for West Side Story is excellent and begins with the CTORA website, which has such fantastic photos and videography by Canna Zhou (Instagram), who has been with the company since 2017. 

The West Side Story Production Brochure, is a beauty, too. Red, with the shadows of Maria and Tony, reaching up to their story title, it contains the profiles and photos of the entire team! You know them even before you see the show. I really like the preface: From Director, Chris Adams, and his comments about the heart of the show: "At the heart of this piece is a rare alchemy: Leonard Bernstein's sweeping, complex score, Stephen Sondheim's sharp and emotionally rich lyrics and Jerome Robbins' iconic choreography." Music Director, Kevin Woo and an orchestra of 14, managed to play from a separate room and used monitors to see the stage. I knew about the orchestra and its location because Canna gave me a quick tour before the show. Seeing the musicians at work, is another wonderful benefit of attending live theatre. All of the musical numbers are listed and were performed so well. 

Favourites were: "Something's Coming" and "Maria" by Sayer Roberts (Tony) "I Feel Pretty" Cassandra Consiglio (Maria and Shark Girls) and "Somewhere" by Holly Collis Handford, (Anybodys, Tony, Maria and Company).  It takes an entire Creative Team of dance and movement experts to make the action real, safe and in sync with the music. WOWS to Chris Adams, Director, Suzanne Ouellette, Choreographer, Kevin Woo, Music Director, Julie Murphy, Intimacy Director, Violence Design, Mike Kovac Fight Director, Celene Harder, Assistant FD, Jennifer Lynch Assistant Choreographer/Dance Captain and Monica Sumulong Dumas, Assistant Music Director. Kudos, too to Brian Ball, Set and Costume Design for not only dressing up the set as an iconic backdrop but also for envisioning clothing that moves with the dancers and reflects past and present trends. A nod to Andy Sandberg for a preshow chat about her lengthy Stage Management experience and her love for West Side Story. I saluted the Set Design and Building and Lighting in my instagram reel of my West Side Story Evening. A big thank you and bows to all! Dear Canna, I send roses for sharing your perfect photos! It is so rare that I attend events for pure enjoyment minus the dreaded photo editing. There is a place for us in this visionary, creative community! Go TEAM!!!

Photos by Canna Zhou

PATCHWORK: VSB Climate Fashion Show - Students from 11 Vancouver High Schools Present Fashion That Is High On Style and Low On Environmental Harm

Whenever I see the word Patchwork, I think of quilts! Quilts can be made individually or by a group. They can be a bed cover, a wall hanging, or can accessorize clothing. They provide warmth and comfort and inspiration, in terms of their stories, patterns, fabrics and the variety of techniques used to make them. Quilts were originally made as wedding gifts or for the hope chest of bedding made for the first home together. They could be made from the finest materials or from whatever was at hand, an early form of recycling,reducing waste and upcycling. I once attended a day of workshops at Quilt Canada, this time in Vancouver, and met so many makers of all kinds of quilts. Quilting is a way of meeting to share ideas, to create art, make memories and design something useful, long lasting, able too be upcycled, recycled and reused forever. Patches are pieced together for family and friends, for fundraising, and for powerful ways to make strong statements. In this case, PATCHWORK,a Climate Fashion Show, held Friday April 25, 2025 at Kitsilano Secondary, involved more than 160 volunteers, a community from 11 Vancouver Schools, who have spent many months learning together how to patch together all the pieces required to produce a show to teach about the detrimental effects of fast fashion on the environment and to show us more ways to dress with statement and style with what we already have, what we can make that is sustainable/eco friendly and long lasting, and how we can buy less and toss less into the landfill.  Maeve Downing, Head Organizer got a great committee together, some from her school, Windermere and others from across the Vancouver School District. With extensive experience at Vancouver Fashion Week and Vancouver Kids Fashion Week, Maeve asked people from the Fashion Industry and Fashion Programs, to give training workshops and this list was posted at the event! WOW! Thanks!  Brilliant to show the audience (Parents, Students, Teachers, Sponsors...everyone, that this production happened because of commitment to the cause, ongoing training and using every resource they knew, through their own active involvement in school and community. When I met this committee, late in the afternoon, after a long day of school and activities, I was impressed with their energy, enthusiasm and readiness to get going. We interviewed each other as a way of learning how to get started and as a way to think about content for writing. PATCHWORK is a major academic project for them and I know they will record this experience as a memory of their accomplishments and hopefully as a template, a blueprint for educating and gaining community support for vital causes.

 The PATCHWORK Climate Fashion Show is a remarkable Student Led Achievement! First, there was a high level of Student participation from all areas of the city. Each Student brought skills and experience and a commitment to action. I look at them as the top of the quilt, individual pieces featuring the faces, the stories, the cultures, the fashion designs, the photographs, the music, and the invitation to become part of a wrap around for closer attention to and better care of the environment. The batting or filling for the quilt is the sustainably sourced fabric, the closets mined for upcycling and recycling outfits, the 'found' and thrifted materials, the equipment and spaces for the planning, practising and staging of the show, the favourite pairs of shoes and boots worn thin by the travel and running around, the vast amounts of food to sustain the high energy of these teens, and a lot of hopes, dreams and vision of the final performance! The backing and binding are the foundation of this PATCHWORK Quilt! The Families, Friends, Education, the Programs, the Clubs, the Vancouver School Board and its many Green and Sustainability Initiatives and support for projects like PATCHWORK, the Teachers, Administrators, Maintenance and Facilities Staff, VCCFASHION and many additional Mentors, Workshop Resources and quiet voices of encouragement, along the way, are all the enhancements, the quilting technique on the back of every quilt. As for the dedication, how many names do you think would be added? Embroidered, stencilled, appliquéd? And now that this PATCHWORK is completed, when will the next one be? Congratulations all, for an Inspiring and Impactful Slow Fashion Event!!!

 Please go to Patchwork VSB and PATCHWORK:VSB Climate Fashion Show for the details of Committee Members, Designers, and the process of the whole project and the final fashion show. We have been watching Maeve Downing shine behind the scenes and on the stage at Vancouver Fashion Week and Vancouver Kids Fashion Week, for a long time. I have written about her here: https://www.clotheslinefinds.com/2024/04/maeve-downing-volunteering-learning-art.html. Marilyn Wilson, who writes extensively about Designers and their collections, locally and internationally, interviewed Maeve, here. Both Marilyn and I made reels about PATCHWORK here and here. We thank Maeve for the invitation and the whole cast for a wonderful show. Students are our future. We look forward thanks to them!

Maeve Downing receives flowers for her exceptional leadership. Delara, her Co-Organizer is also such an accomplished, leading light!

This is Evelyn Huang (Windermere) and my very first welcome to the PATCHWORK Climate Fashion Event

Maeve Downing and friends who welcomed PATCHWORK attendees to the event. 

Designed by Delara Reporter (Kits) who sourced her material from @oursocialfabric, a non-profit fabric recycling initiative/store in Vancouver

Designed by Delara Reporter who made her jewelry from scraps from her school's metal shop

Linnea and her recycled architectural drawings as clothing/wearable art

More of Linnea's architectural drawings/outfits

Vancouver Fashion Week Is Coming Right Up Tuesday April 8 - Sunday April 13. Dare to Wear Red!

To me, red is the colour of energy, drama and excitement, all that Vancouver Fashion Week provides, each season. I wear red accessories: jewelry, berets, bags, scarves and even coats. Last time, October 2024, I wore and saw a lot of red. I wonder what Designers see first? Is it the garment or the colour? Some new ways to wear red, this April, might include: red sheer tops or dresses like Alexs Yu creates, or plaids and knits by Allison Dunne or a dynamic faux fur, maybe cuffs or punk leather jacket sleeves, that might show up in a Fashion School Collection, perhaps by VCC Fashion or Lasalle College Vancouver, both of which you will see, Wed. April 9th! Red could make a Fedora hat band statement or an elegant heel for a chunky Fluevog heel. A scarlet camera strap or a tomato red tie, a tux with a satin red lining,...the possibilities are infinite ...to the moon and back. So much Fashion to see and so soon. Be there to see the drama unfold. Wear a touch of red. Dare you! Here are some of the reds I saw, on the Vancouver Fashion Week runway, last time.

My jewelry is by Carolyn Bruce. Her spectacular pieces call people over to talk. 

Dress is by Ted Baker and jacket by Katherine Barclay, both treasure hunted and changed up for many seasons. Hair by Ryoko Tsuchida. 

Afsaneh Reihanifard, who will show her collection: REIHANI DESIGN, at 7:30, April 8 at Van Fashion Week! With her is Willow Del Rose Digital Content Creator. 

Emma Ireland Designs

Alexs Yu

Bahar Kianpour and wearing red is Afsaneh Reihanifard, both of these designers are showing at Van Fashion Week, this season.

Poppy Wang

Bahar Kianpour and Afsaneh Reihanifard, again, standout red in the audience 

Wearing a red wristband is Designer Lexi Chang of Hazihaus 

Doggie in purse of Designer The Cut Design Academy 

Designer Alexs Yu presents his 10th Anniversary Collection at Van Fashion Week 

Jamal Abdourahman, Founder and Producer of Van Fashion Week and Designer Alexs Yu are interviewed on Global TV

Alexs Yu

More vibrant red from Designer Emma Emma Ireland Designs

Continued 10th Anniversary party for Alexs Yu

Happy Fashion Week, everyone. "May your days (April 8-13) be as bright and joyful as the colour red."

Be My Romance A DSI Fashion Event by Chw ( Bella Sirena) Yu February 13, 2025

Sirena founded DSI (Designer Search International) a Production Company, in 2017. A Ballerina, Model, Fashion Merchandising Grad as well as Theatre Grad (UVIC) Sirena has been working in TV and Film and is now back in Fashion, helping Designers to get their work onto the red carpet. The Annex at 823 Seymour, is an intimate space, perfect for spotlighting fabric and design. The seats are tiered, too. This time, the stage was filled with the colours of Valentines: red, white and pink. The word "love" appeared in almost every photo. Our Emcee, Brodie Marples and Lyndall Elizabeth Elder, teamed up for introductions and interviews and kept up hilarious chat and thoughtful commentary, throughout the evening. Lots of great music and song by: DJ-BlackPace/LadyPace, Singer, Jonny-Noel and Musician, Dean Saxman! Designers: Cassidy Theresa Breon, Cremains Cremains, Claire Paradis, Kimberly Mac. Models: AaRish Sharma, Aiesha Jones, Caitlin MacGillvray, Chw Bella Sirena, Egwuatu Francis Beacon, Kimberly Mac, Lauren Crick, Nicole Haney, Owen Mius de Pobomcoup, Ryley Dempster, Silver Ginza, Soheila Aldaghi, Tessa Marie-Fleur Li. All brought statement, flair and style to the stage. Music, Fashion, Staging, Engagement and Love, what more for Valentine's Day.I dressed in red and wore a fabulous Valentine necklace by Carolyn Bruce! The grand finale brought the whole team, holding lights and bringing us all closer with the Elton John song: "Can You Feel The Love Tonight?". Yes, for sure! Bravo! Please see Designer Reels on my Instagram.

The Entertainers

Finale