Photo: Contributed

Kelowna's New Vintage Theatre Company is making a move to the small screen.

The company regularly performs a parody soap opera as an improvised stage show, but starting in January it will also air on Shaw TV in a series called 'As the Sun Burns'.

"I got a message from a young intern...asking if I would be interested in writing and producing a show for him to work on," says Bonnie Gratz, Artistic Director of New Vintage.

Stretched for time because of a busy schedule, Gratz says she suggested turning the existing soap opera into a television series.  "This request turned into a small meeting, larger proposal and-boom!-before Christmas we have already had two shoots."

The TV and stage versions of the show will be slightly different.  The television version will be a rehearsed and scripted version of what comes out of the live, improvised show.

Gratz says while there are improvised soap opera stage shows in many cities, Kelowna is one of the first to have the show move to local television. She's pleased to be working with "a fantastic team of professionals as well as interns who are learning their craft."

Gratz writes, directs and acts in the series along with 15 other local actors ranging in age from 13-50.  

As The Sun Burns will air on Monday afternoons starting in January 2015. The next improvised stage version of the show is on New Year’s Eve at The Black Box Theatre.

The doors open at 7pm and tickets are available from Select Your Tickets or at the door.