Squamish's Heather Feeney has sung and acted in film and on television, has starred as Annie in Canada's first-ever stage production of the Broadway hit and has performed in major stage productions in both Vancouver and New York City.
From the standpoint of advancing her acting and singing career, she admits this weekend's two performances at the Brackendale Art Gallery (BAG) aren't exactly the pinnacle. However, they do represent an opportunity for the Squamish mother of two to re-ignite her passion for live musical theatre - and perhaps stoke the fire in her audiences as well.
Feeney, who for the past five years has dabbled in TV and film while raising her two children, aged 5 and 2, will perform a show titled "Live, Laugh, Cry and the Music of Your Life: A One-Woman Musical Theatre Cabaret" on Saturday (April 28) at 8 p.m. and Sunday (April 29) at 7 p.m. at the BAG.
The shows feature Feeney and piano accompanist Scott Knight performing 18 songs from a variety of musical theatre productions. Instead of the tried and true from Cats and Fiddler on the Roof, though, Feeney has selected lesser-known songs that have touched her heart, and she promises they'll touch the hearts of audience members in one way or another.
They also feature a bit of a progressive story line - starting with "young, sweet love" to the empowered self-assurance of a song titled, "Get Out and Stay Out," from the stage production 9 to 5: The Musical.
"I have to tell you it probably is not a career-enhancing move," a laughing Feeney said of playing at the BAG, "but I do get a lot of intrinsic satisfaction, such as making me feel really good through creative expression. It's what I've been what I've been craving to do - to do a two-hour bash-out where I throw all these songs out there.
"I have a closet of songs I could sing on a given day, but I had to be selective and choose songs that can be woven together. All of these songs, I think, will allow every member of the audience to take something away."
Feeney said the show is her own way of re-launching her career in musical theatre. Performing in big stage productions is an all-consuming grind of a life, one from which she has stepped back to have a family while performing more sporadically in film and TV.
"The stage career was halted when I got pregnant with my first baby," said Feeney, who lives on Plateau Drive in Valleycliffe. "Film and television are one day here and one day there, so they're easier to fit in, whereas stage is a huge, every-day, all-day commitment and with not a lot of financial reward."
In spite of those drawbacks, musical theatre is still her passion, she said, one that she hopes to share with audiences on Saturday and Sunday (April 28 and 29). Tickets, which cost $20, are available at Xocolatl, Westland Insurance, the Adventure Centre and the BAG.
