Squamish actress and musical performer Heather Feeney is diving back into the theme of relationships Feb. 14 and 15 at the Brackendale Art Gallery with her new musical theatre piece called Still Smokin鈥�.
鈥淟ast year鈥檚 Valentine鈥檚 show 鈥� called Smokin鈥� and Broken 鈥� also paid tribute to romance and relationships,鈥� said Feeney. 鈥淏ut last year鈥檚 show ended up having a happy ending despite the 鈥渂roken鈥� in the title, while this year [spoiler alert] it鈥檚 not quite a happy ending.鈥�
Feeney meticulously creates her musical theatre pieces by weaving together a variety of songs pulled from different Broadway shows, and working them into a single narrative.
鈥淚t happened that the way I pieced the songs together this time told a different kind of narrative than last year,鈥� she said, adding that most of the songs for the new show were actually tunes left over from research for previous performances.
But even though it鈥檚 about love and features a not-so-happy ending, don鈥檛 expect somber songs and tearful ballads.
鈥淚 try to stay with more comedic and up-tempo songs,鈥� she said. 鈥淟ast year we had a great cross-section of the Squamish community come out for Smokin鈥� and Broken, and I think they really liked the choice of songs and the fact that despite being Valentine鈥檚 Day they didn鈥檛 have to listen to a bunch of love songs and ballads.鈥�
Of the 21 songs Feeney chose for Still Smokin鈥�, only a scant three are love songs.
鈥淲e had a lot of men who had never been to musical theatre and who were dragged there by their wives coming up and telling me how much they loved it,鈥� she said. 鈥淪ome have even been asking me when my next show was happening.鈥�
Feeney began her career in Calgary where she attended The Young Canadians School of Performing Arts. At the age of 12, she was cast as Annie in Canada鈥檚 first production of the Broadway hit. Later, she moved to New York City to further her acting career and studied at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy as well as The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts.
After leaving New York, Feeney returned to Vancouver and continued her career in theatre, film and television, appearing in numerous movie projects and TV shows like Dead Like Me, Postal, Supernatural, Men In Trees, The Collector, DaVinci鈥檚 Inquest and more, before going on hiatus to raise a family in Squamish.
Pianist Scott Knight will again accompany Feeney on stage. Knight is an accomplished pianist who has worked with the U小蓝视频 Opera, Burnaby Lyric Opera and Vancouver Opera, where he toured the Barber of Seville and La Cenerentola for some 250 performances. He received Jessie Award nominations for Best Musical Direction for his work on Falsettos and Into the Woods.
Still Smokin鈥� will be held Feb. 14 at 8 p.m. and Feb. 15 at 7 p.m. at the Brackendale Art Gallery (BAG). Tickets are $20 and available at Xocolatl and the BAG.
