Teatro La Quindicina Presents Stewart Lemoine’s

The Velvet Shock

Music and Mystery in the Mountain Air as Sheri Somerville Headlines Teatro Revival!

Fresh from the launch of her sensational new Jazz CD Crazy Love, Sheri Somerville now returns to both the theatrical stage and to her roots as an operatic and concert performer when she revisits the play in which she made her 1996 Teatro La Quindicina debut, Stewart Lemoine’s The Velvet Shock.

In this mysterious continental comedy, set in Salzburg in 1967, Madame Somerville portrays Margherita D’Inverno, a tempestuous Italo-American soprano who sweeps into the Austrian festival city, only to be immediately confronted by her past in ways which intrigue and disturb her. The ensuing tangle of memories, half-truths, and outright deceptions will have scandalous and even sinister consequences, not only for Margherita, but also for all those in her immediate circle of family and admirers.

This new production of The Velvet Shock features a pair of young artists who are making Teatro debuts following well received performances at the 2005 Edmonton Fringe. Matt Alden (Boygroove, Blacklisted) portrays Anton Jerger, an earnest young music student with a profound connection to the deluxe diva, and Clarice Eckford (Rocking Out, The Love Course) is Vicki Winters, the great lady’s vivacious niece and travelling companion. Varscona favourite Coralie Cairns follows up her recent successful Teatro debut in At the Zenith of the Empire by playing Elsa Kosch, a mild-mannered Austrian hausfrau whose innocent meddling sets off the play’s inexorable chain of revelations.

Playwright Stewart Lemoine also directs and the inexorable escalation of suspense plays out in an elegant evocation of Mozart’s Alpine birthplace created by Set and Lighting designer Mike Takats. To Costume Designer Leona Brausen falls the glorious task of draping the divine D’Inverno in yards of satin, chiffon, organza, and of course deep velvet. Invaluable Stage Manager Rachel Rudd stands by, ready to
steam and atomize as required.

The Velvet Shock plays at The Varscona Theatre from February
16 to March 4.
Performances are Tuesday through Saturday at 8pm, with matinees on Saturdays at 2pm.

Tickets are $18.00 for Adults and $15.00 for Students, Seniors, and Equity members.
Tuesday evening and Saturday matinee performances are Pay-What-You-Can!
Plus: There’s an additional 2-for-1 Night on Friday, February 17!

For reservations, call 433-3399, Voice box #2.
Tickets also available through Tix on-the-Square at 420-1757 or www.tixonthesquare.ca