OVER THE RIDGE Comes to Massey Theatre in April

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Massey Theatre will present the world premiere of Over the Ridge on Saturday, April 13 at 4:00pm and 8:00pm. Ticket prices are $45 - $50 (plus applicable fees and service charges), and are available online at www.ticketsnw.ca or by phone at 604.521.5050.

In 2020, Vancouver acoustic folk-roots group The Fugitives released Ridge, a musical storytelling film that examined the WWI Canadian soldier experience during the Battle of Vimy Ridge. It was named a Top 10 Arts Event of the Year by The Globe and Mail, and spawned the JUNO-nominated album Trench Songs.

In this world premiere of Over the Ridge, The Fugitives – headed by songwriters Brendan McLeod and Adrian Glynn along with Christopher Suen (banjo) and Carly Frey (violin) – collaborate with choreographer and Ballet BC dancer Jacob Williams to expand this narrative through dance. Over the Ridge explores the misconceptions and offers reflections on the Battle of Vimy Ridge. The story is told through direct address, historical readings, dance, and new re-imaginings of the songs WWI soldiers wrote in the trenches.

“As soon as we started workshopping this and I saw Jacob’s incredible choreography and the dancers’ fantastic interpretation, I realized this was a good way of giving voice to over 20,000 WWI Canadian soldiers who were underage,” says McLeod. “Their youth is embodied on stage in a way that is both literal enough to understand and abstract enough to be aesthetically compelling.”

Developed in partnership with the Massey Theatre Society, with help from Ballet BC and Arts Umbrella, Over the Ridge adds original contemporary dance to storytelling, spoken word and live music, resulting in a kinetic ride through history that delves into our strong connection to the past and passionately argues against the exploitation of young lives.

Massey Theatre’s Executive Director Jessica Schneider says, “We are so eager to witness Ridge transform into Over the Ridge. Seeing artists dream bigger and push further in their vision for their work is deeply inspiring. We can’t wait to share this world premiere with you.”

Credits for Over the Ridge:

Writer:  Brendan McLeod

Music Director:  Adrian Glynn

Music:  The Fugitives (Brendan McLeod, Adrian Glynn, Carly Frey, Christopher Suen)

Director:  Julia Course 

Choreography:  Jacob Williams

Dancers:  Briana Del Mundo (Ballet BC Emerging Artist), Pei Lun Lai (Ballet BC Emerging Artist), Sophia Makarenko, & Nathan Coburn