It’ll be a summer of firsts for Blake Sartin and Brent Hughes.
Sartin, a Port Coquitlam resident and Terry Fox secondary graduate, takes his first lead role with Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS), playing Billy Lawlor in 42nd Street.
And for Hughes, the music teacher at Dr. Charles Best secondary in Coquitlam will be in the orchestra pit for the first time as conductor in TUTS’ second show, Cinderella.
Hughes said it’ll be his ninth visit to the pit, having played the trumpet for past TUTS’ productions — starting in the mid-1980s when he was an music and education undergrad at UBC.
Last fall, TUTS organizers asked Hughes if he would consider leading a musical “and it was a no-brainer for me,” he said, noting his last company performance was in 2003 for Anne of Green Gables.
For Cinderella, leading the musicians through a “very lyrical and romantic and magical” score has been a pleasure for Hughes as he enjoys the Rodgers and Hammerstein songs. “The challenge for me is making sure I honour it….. The music and lyrics: they’re so easy to listen to and interpret.”
Sartin, too, is looking forward to his starring part in the glitzy 42nd Street, having portrayed George last year in The Drowsy Chaperone and Fender in Hairspray, in 2015.
A musical theatre graduate from Capilano University, Sartin was also invited to be involved in the production, which includes plenty of tap dancing and solo numbers.
For each of his three TUTS experiences, “it’s been completely different,” Sartin said. “I’ve gone from ensemble and supporting to now leading. And I’m learning from all of them.”
Other TUTS cast members from the Tri-Cities include: for Cinderella, Jocelyn Tsui, Jenna Lamb and Nicol Spinola; and for 42nd Street, Michael Murphy, Kyra Leroux, Joscelyne Tamburri, Emma Wiebe and Tiana Pazdirek.
• Cinderella and 42nd Street run on alternate nights between July 4 to Aug. 18 at Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park (610 Pipeline Rd., Vancouver). All shows are at 8 p.m. except on fireworks nights when the production starts at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $30 to $49. Visit tuts.ca.
