Four nostalgic theatre shows to catch this May in Calgary

by Riggs Zyrille Vergara, Publishing Editor

With nearly all restrictions having been lifted for a while in Calgary, there has been a resurgence of theatre shows and musicals being back on the scene and back in the minds of theatregoers.

If you’re one of those people who miss seeing the antics, drama and the music of the stage in person, here’s a list of shows and musicals you can catch this May in Calgary.

Alberta Ballet’s Cinderella

As a production company that has been open since 1966, Alberta Ballet is a trusted bringer of top-notch professionally done ballet shows. This year, they are closing out the season with the company’s most successful production in 54 years – Christopher Anderson’s version of Cinderella.

Anderson takes the classic 1697 Charles Perrault version with its well-known characters such as the wicked stepmother, campy stepsisters, a handsome prince and the enchanting fairy godmother, but puts a modern twist that’s enjoyable to all types of audiences.

According to the show’s playbill, Anderson sees this modern story as a way to be “moving away from the concept of the Prince rescuing [Cinderella]” and that he’s excited to “pursue narrative and emotional balance by encouraging vibrant and engaging supporting characters, like the stepsisters and stepmother.”

As the new Artistic Director Designate of the company, Anderson has the responsibility of establishing himself in Alberta as the renowned ballet virtuoso that he is. This should come easy with his more-than-a-decade experience of being a choreographer, dancer and teacher.

Experience the magical story of the beloved classic fairytale on pointe in the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, which started last April 28 but will continue until May 7.

Million Dollar Quartet

Back on December 4, 1956, eventual music legends Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash had an impromptu jam recording session at the Sun Record Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. And on that day, an iconic moment in rock and roll history was made, with an article from the Memphis Press-Scimitar calling it the “Million Dollar Quartet”.

As the years had come, this moment remained significant and the jukebox musical Million Dollar Quartet, with the book by Colin Escott And Floyd Mutrux, was born. It dramatized that very day and made fans see another amazing reiteration of their idols coming together.

Featuring tracks from the four rock and roll icons and original songs from the company, this musical will leave you reminiscing the “good old days”. Witness the musical at Max Bell Theatre in the Arts Commons from April 26 to May 22.

Menopause the Musical

Just in time for Mother’s Day. If there’s one musical that your Mom can fully relate to this month, it might just be Menopause the Musical. Kidding aside, this production will leave anyone laughing yet learning so much at the same time. Dubbed as the longest-running scripted musical in Las Vegas history, this musical is ought to be your most memorable one yet.

Menopause the Musical, with lyrics and a book by Jeanie Linders, follows four women who meet each other at a lingerie sale in a department store where they started a sisterly bond through their hot flashes, forgetfulness, mood swings and more. Adding more to the hilarity are the 25 parodied tunes and lyrics from the ‘60s and ‘70s commemorating all types of women who will undergo this change of life.

Don’t miss this wacky and tongue-in-cheek musical this May 13 and 14 at the Grey Eagle Resort and Casino.

The SpongeBob Musical

If you want to take a deep dive back to the waters of the early 2000’s, The SpongeBob Musical is here to take you on a new journey with your beloved characters from the iconic Nickelodeon series, SpongeBob Squarepants.

Featuring the lovable characters Spongebob, Patrick, Sandy, Squidward, Mr. Krabs and more, join in on the fun and thrill of the Bikini Bottom story as they face a terror that has thrown the town into panic. And experience the awe and wonder of seeing an unexpected hero come to save the day in this musical with a book by Kyle Jarrow.

With its iconic opening number, “Bikini Bottom Day”, which will sure to get audiences up their seats and the familiar lovable antics of the characters, this musical truly deserved its twelve Tony Award nominations for its original Broadway production. Catch these hilarious sea creatures from April 22 to June 4 at Beddington Theatre Arts Centre.

The listed theatrical productions may have different COVID-19 protocols and restrictions, for more information visit the events’ respective websites.