It鈥檚 1899 New York City. A gang of underpaid paperboys band together to fight for better working conditions. Among them? 91原创 musical theatre actress Tiffany Hunter.
The longstanding Vancouver tradition of Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS) returns to the Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park with two new musical productions; the ABBA-filled rom-com Mamma Mia and the Disney-film-turned-Broadway-show Newsies.
The latter is where theatregoers will find 23-year-old Hunter 鈥� though they鈥檒l have to look closely. The Aldergrove-born actress plays the role of Mike, one of the paperboys.
鈥淚t鈥檚 hard remembering to stand like a man,鈥� Hunter laughed. 鈥淚鈥檒l be sticking my hips out and then realize I shouldn鈥檛 do that.鈥�
Hunter spent her childhood taking gymnastics lessons, a skill she said helped her land the role.
鈥淚鈥檓 short so I keep getting cast as orphans and boys. But I鈥檝e been told gymnasts move like a musical theatre man does.鈥�
This is Hunter鈥檚 fourth production with TUTS; she debuted with the company back in 2015 as an orphan in Oliver. Hunter followed that production by playing a magic rug in Beauty and the Beast and an ensemble player in Mary Poppins.
Both Hunter鈥檚 roles and experience have been increasing steadily over the past four seasons; after graduating from D.W. Poppy Secondary School, she studied a three-year musical theatre program at Capilano University.
鈥淪chool showed me that I could sing, act, and dance, but it taught professionalism and to take care of our bodies and voices.鈥�
Read more: 91原创 tumbler rolls across Stanley Park stage in Beauty and the Beast
Putting her gymnast skills to the test, Hunter flips and tumbles all over the stage 鈥� even over top of a cast member for a very inspired musical number.
鈥淏eing a gymnast,鈥� Hunter explained, 鈥淚 tumble a lot in the show. If I didn鈥檛 stretch, I wouldn鈥檛 make it through the summer.鈥�
Newsies began as a live-action musical Disney film that starred a young Christian Bale in 1992 and then adapted for Broadway twenty years later.
Based on a real newsboy strike, the musical tells the story of paper publishers who raise their distribution price and are met with an uprising of boys desperate to fight oppression.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the younger generation rising up and demanding more,鈥� Hunter said regarding the historical setting鈥檚 relevancy. 鈥淭he older generation in the show are resistant to change and eventually come around in the end.鈥�
鈥淭he show was based on true events, so it鈥檚 interesting to see the parallel of what was happening then and what鈥檚 happening now with things like climate change.鈥�
Theatre Under the Stars has been performing outdoors at the Malkin Bowl since 1940 鈥� a fact that Hunter said is never lost on her.
鈥淚t鈥檚 super fun. There鈥檚 an eagle鈥檚 nest in a nearby tree and when you notice the sun starts setting earlier in the summer鈥� and then there鈥檚 the audience sitting on the hill鈥� it鈥檚 such a great opportunity.鈥�
Stanley Park may sound like a lengthy drive for some, but Hunter says outdoor theatre is worth the trip.
鈥淚t has a high production value. You don鈥檛 always get professional theatre in 91原创,鈥� Hunter said. 鈥淎nd then being outside 鈥� Stanley Park is beautiful. It鈥檚 a night out in nature making great memories.鈥�
When she is not performing on stage, Hunter teaches tumbling to children at CircusWest 鈥� a Vancouver circus arts school.
Running on alternating evenings from July 5 to August 17, people can catch Newsies and Mamma Mia at the Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park.
Tickets are available at .
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Email: ryan.uytdewilligen@langleyadvancetimes.com
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