Article, Arts & Culture, Community
Welcome back Project Limelight!
How can a group of fairytale characters come together to save a Strathcona basketball court from redevelopment?
On June 22, the cast and crew of Project Limelight’s production of East Side Story were greeted with applause as a full house welcomed the young performers back to the Fei and Milton Wong Experimental Theatre stage.
This performance marked the society’s return to the stage for the first time since 2019—a much-anticipated occasion, demonstrated by the show’s sold-out status in the days leading up to the performance. SFU’s Vancity Office of Community Engagement has been a principal partner of Project Limelight since 2012, providing space, technical support, staffing, and promotional materials for the performance.
Project Limelight is a non-profit performing arts program in East Vancouver, offering residents aged 8 to 15 years old from the Downtown Eastside, Strathcona, and Mount Pleasant programming at no cost. Instructors are experts in their fields, bringing unique experience and energy to the program. The program provides youth with a safe place to build an artistic community alongside professional actors, directors, dancers, singers, costume designers, filmmakers, and musicians.
Project Limelight gives youth in and around Strathcona access to professional resources, facilities, and training that prepare them for a life of creative, engaged learning. Mentorship and the pursuit of creativity are foundational to Project Limelight. Program founders Donalda Weaver and Maureen Webb write, "Our hope is that every child in our program walks away with a widened circle of friends, an increased sense of self, and heightened curiosity. Nothing would please us more than having participants come back to the program as mentors. To us, that is success."
PENNYBAGS
(sees audience)
Ahhh! Woah. Hello! Look, I’m not such a bad guy. I’m just a humble businessman who might someday try to run a pipeline through here. Why don’t I give you another chance? Come on! Who wants to pull a chance card?
East Side Story is a jukebox musical that blends fairy tales, site-specific references, and the gameplay mechanics of Monopoly. The narrative follows two siblings, Max and Zola, as they strive to save the Strathcona basketball court from Monopoly tycoon Pennybags, who aims to develop it with condos and pipelines. With assistance from the Night Hoops—a Fairy Tale All-Star Night Basketball League—the quirky crew hosts The First Annual Slam Funk Variety Hour, hoping to raise $50,000 in Monopoly money to purchase the court.
The colourful set featured clever touches such as the rotating "W" of the Woodwards building punctuating the city skyline, alongside Strathcona's signature Craftsman houses. These details ground the play in a recognizable East Vancouver before transporting the story to a vibrant, technicolor fairytale Dreamland. Alongside cheeky, self-referential jokes in the dialogue, East Side Story offers a humorous and whimsical exploration of the city's political landscape.
Magical duo Gandalf and Tinkerbell about to amaze with their illusionary act
The cast of East Side Story performing their hit song 'East Side Funk'
Mr. Pennybags is unsure of whether he wants to honour his deal with the fairytale creatures
Little Red Riding Hood is attempting to sway the goons
MC's the Red Queen and Captain Hook warm up the crowd for the First Annual Slam Funk Variety Hour
VOCE Program Manager Julia Aoki is crowned "Second Prize winner at a Beauty Contest" at the dress rehearsal of East Side Story.
Max makes a final wager that Pennybags simply can't refuse
Red Queen, Hook and Cinderella shuffling off to Twist and Shout
Gandalf contemplating whether saying "though shalt not pass" will work or not
Zola realizing she will be sent directly to jail
The cast of East Side Story performing a musical medley
The Flaming Unicorns rocking out to KISS
Will the fairytale characters raise enough monopoly money to save the basketball court?
Hook getting a little carried away big ideas again
Goldilocks shushing the audience
Hook is overwhelmed by The Flaming Unicorns' request for a selfie
Gandalf, Tinkerbell and Red Riding Hood
Give it up for the cast of East Side Story!
Mr. Pennybags caught monologuing again
Big Bad Wolf astounds with his captivating juggling act
It's wonderful to have students and parents from the program back in the building after a long hiatus. We look forward to seeing Project Limelight’s next show and are proud to support their return to the stage. You can follow up on Project Limelight’s next season and donate to the program at www.projectlimelightsociety.org.
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