To close Place des Arts' faculty concert series this season, musical theatre teacher Shawna Parry will be bringing along a few friends - who won't be recognizable.
The quartet made up of Parry, Patrick Lambier, Michelle MacTaggart and Lucas Blaney will be in full makeup and costume as they take to the Coquitlam venue on Saturday to pay tribute to the Rat Pack.
It'll be familiar ground for Parry. Not only has she taught students at Place des Arts for a couple of years but she was also part of the original musical when it played four times last fall at Federico's Supper Club on Commercial Drive in Vancouver.
Then, Parry was brought in for the choreography and to portray one of the show girls. But for the Coquitlam event, she'll take on the role of Peggy Lee as well. And Parry will have her fellow cast mate Lambier, who plays Sammy Davis Jr., by her side.
"It was really popular when we did it last fall," she said. "I'm excited to try it out in a cabaret-style room at Place des Arts.... I'm in charge of this version so I've added my own stuff like more girls' parts and girls' songs."
Parry's glamorous show will be a first for Place des Arts, which has never included musical theatre as part of its faculty concert series. Michael Fera, the facility's special events co-ordinator, suggested to Parry last year to have her Rat Pack part of the program.
"We thought it would be something new and different that stands out," she said. "There's comedy and choreography. There's more than just the music."
But the songs, performed live in the Leonore Peyton Salon, will be something to savour, too: Mac the Knife, Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend, I'm Gonna Live Till I Die, Fever and The Lady is a Tramp are among the tunes on the repertoire.
An Ontario native, Parry moved to Vancouver in 1995 after training in dance at the Fay Gleeson Dance Centre in Thunder Bay; here, she tried out for her first musical and fell in love with the craft. Her credits include West Side Story (Vancouver Opera); How to Love (Vancouver Fringe 2012); and Guys and Dolls (Metro Theatre), for which she received an Ovation Award nomination for Most Outstanding Female Performance as Adelaide.
Lambier is an alumnus of the Vancouver Theatre Sports League and has worked in television and film for more than 20 years. He was cast as Bobby in Crazy for You (Theatre Under The Stars) and Billy in 42nd Street (Royal City Musical Theatre).
MacTaggart was the voice of Patsy Cline in Always Patsy Cline. As well, she impersonated Cher in Lost Vegas Live and played Sheila in A Chorus Line. And Lucas Blaney has played Jason in Bare: A Pop Opera (Fighting Chance Productions), was in the ensemble in Blood Brothers (Arts Club Theatre) and Danny Zuko in Grease! (Footlight Theatre).
The Rat Pack: The Pack is Back runs Saturday, April 13 at 7:30 p.m. at Place des Arts (1120 Brunette Ave., Coquitlam). Tickets are $15/$13 through www.placedesarts.ca or by calling 604-664-1636.
A cash bar serving wine and martinis will also be open.
