Win Tickets to Billy Bishopl have theatre by Meredith I Elliott 1 Since then b o t h G r a y and Peterson g o n e o n t o e n j o y s u c c e s s in f i l m , t h e a t r e , television, and print. Eric Peterson b e c a m e a Canadian household name through s e v e n - y e a r r u n as L e o n o n t h e C B C his series | Enter to Win I a pair of tickets the I December to I I I S t r e e t Legal, w h i c h e a r n e d h i m t h r e e G e m i n i A w a r d s . S i n c e t h e s h o w ' s c o n c l u s i o n h e has r e t u r n e d t o the stage, r e c e n t l y w i n n i n g a D o r a M a v o r M o o r e A w a r d f o r his p e r f o r m a n c e i n T h e Designated Eric Peterson in the 1978 production o f Billy Erikson. B i s h o p G o e s t o W a r . P h o t o by Glen Mourner, and p e r f o r m a n c e of John Gray's a p p e a r e d in f i l m a n d t e l e v i s i o n s h o w s i n c l u d ing t h e a c c l a i m e d C B C m i n i - s e r i e s The Sleep Room. J o h n G r a y has s i n c e w r i t t e n s e v e r a l ^ ^ e l e b r a t e the daring exploits of o n e of Canada's favourite heroes, W o r l d W a r ing a c e W i l l i a m A v e r y B i s h o p , w h e n Vancouver Playhouse Theatre p r e s e n t s Billy Bishop November I flym u s i c a l s , i n c l u d i n g Rock Musical, and Roll; Health, the Billy Bishop Goes t o I w h i c h p r e m i e r e d at t h e V a n c o u v e r the Playhouse and starred Eric Peterson; and TheTree.TheTower.TheFlood, which opened the War I Company G o e s to W a r , I 2.This spe- C h a n C e n t r e . For t w o years, G r a y c o n t r i b u t e d a series of satirical sketches t o C B C ' s T h e journal and he n o w w r i t e s a starring Eric Peterson at the V a n c o u v e r Playhouse t h e a t r e . 16 t o D e c e m b e r cial 2 0 t h - a n n i v e r s a r y p r o d u c t i o n r e u n i t e s the original creators, playwright John Gray w e e k l y c o l u m n f o r The Vancouver Sun's Saturday Now Review. Billy Bishop has r e t u r n e d , 2 0 years a n d s t a r E r i c P e t e r s o n , in a c r o s s - c o u n t r y c e l e b r a t i o n o f t h i s l a n d m a r k play. Billy Bishop G o e s to War is a home-grown o l d e r a n d l o o k i n g b a c k o n h i s life f r o m t h e p e r s p e c t i v e o f m i d d l e a g e . " S t o r y t e l l i n g is really a b o u t t h e s t o r y t e l l e r , " explains J o h n C e l e b r a t e the 20th | a n n i v e r s a r y of this sparkling | I musical c o m e d y . I ' A n s w e r the trivia q u e s t i o n ' s u c c e s s s t o r y . It w a s f i r s t p r e s e n t e d a t t h e V a n c o u v e r East C u l t u r a l C e n t r e in November 1978, w h e r e N e w Y o r k pro- G r a y in a r e c e n t V a n c o u v e r S u n a r t i c l e , " a n d having a guy 20 years o l d e r telling t h e s t o r y alters the entire subtext.As you get older, y o u c o n t i n u e t o be f a c e d w i t h this person more used ducer Lewis Allen was one of the t h o u s a n d s w h o f e l l in l o v e w i t h t h i s s p i r ited musical about a plucky C a n a d i a n H e t o l d his f r i e n d a n d b u s i n e s s hero. · below, fill o u t the f o r m , and · | e i t h e r fax it to A r t s A l i v e at | I (604) 984-3563 o r d r o p it off I at the A r t s A l i v e office I l o c a t e d at 148 E. 2nd S t r e e t | I in N o r t h V a n c o u v e r before N o v e m b e r 27. Trivia I Question: I ' I partner w h o is s t i l l 19, a n d s u r v i v a l b e c o m e s Mike N i c h o l s a b o u t this w o n d e r f u l n e w play; N i c h o l s s a w t h e s h o w o n its C a n a d i a n t o u r a n d Billy Bishop was Broadway-bound. a b o u t life i t s e l f . " A d d e d E r i c P e t e r s o n , "I t o feel Bish felt guilt a b o u t t h e d e a t h o f A l b e r t B a l l [a B r i t i s h w a r a c e ] . I n o w s e e h i s guilt at just s u r v i v i n g , and t o t h a t guilt y o u A f t e r critically s u c c e s s f u l r u n s in Washington and N e w York, the d u o took can add a kind of envy too, because others their s h o w t o the Edinburgh Festival, w h e r e it w a s a h u g e h i t , l e a d i n g t o a l i m i t e d e n g a g e m e n t in L o n d o n . A l t h o u g h n o t a b o x office s u c c e s s in t h a t city, t h e show died y o u n g and didn't have t o g r o w o l d . " T h e Billy Bishop t o u r o p e n e d in Stage In w h a t c i t y d i d Billy Bishop G o e s to War S e p t e m b e r at T o r o n t o ' s C a n a d i a n Company · and moves to the Playhouse just attracted the attention of the B B C , which competed with Granada Television for the r i g h t s t o f i l m t h e play. A f t e r nearly f o u r years, the original production and a second touring show than I m a k e its w o r l d p r e m i e r e ? | a f t e r R e m e m b r a n c e Day. F o l l o w i n g t h e V a n c o u v e r r u n , Billy Bishop moves on to Manitoba Theatre C e n t r e , the G r a n d Theatre in L o n d o n , O n t a r i o , a n d t h e N a t i o n a l A r t s C e n t r e in O t t a w a , c o m p l e t i n g its a n n i v e r s a r y t o u r in t h e s p r i n g o f 1999. |Answer | finally c l o s e d , having p l a y e d t o m o r e 3 5 0 . 0 0 0 p a t r o n s in 5 0 c i t i e s . In t h e p r o c e s s . Billy B i s h o p G o e s to War IName To book your tickets, call the customer service office at (604) Playhouse 873-331 You'll be I or glad Goes I garnered a host of awards, including a G o v e r n o r General's A w a r d for Drama, a C h a l m e r s A w a r d , and the Los Angeles Critics A w a r d f o r B e s t Play. E r i c P e t e r s o n a l s o r e c e i v e d the L A C r i t i c s A w a r d for Best P e r f o r m a n c e and the C l a r e n c e D e r w e n t A w a r d for P r o m i s i n g N e w c o m e r of the N e w Y o r k theatre season. Most try to win a pair in our contest! you came along lAddress I for the ride. B i l l y B i s h o p Playhouse 12.0 t o W a r is at the Vancouver November 16 to December theatre ' P h o n e (Day/Evening) · E n t r y d e a d l i n e : N o v e m b e r 27. | D r a w date: D e c e m b e r I. i Meredith publicity Elliott is a freelance co-ordinator. writer and I 1