What's New, Pussycat?

The doldrums of winter can always be broken up with the heat of a warm fire, great company and something fun.  

Something I always look forward to in February is New Vintage Theatre’s annual fundraiser and season launch, The Black Cat Cabaret, because it is a chance to show the community our fantastic artists and warm up the crowd for our upcoming shows.

Heating things up, indeed. This weekend’s event, held at The Black Box Theatre, will feature over 40 artists.  We’ll be singing cabaret classics and sending up our favorite shows in sometimes bawdy skits written by yours truly.  

The big deal is our annual 10 Minute Play Competition. Four finalists were selected by jury from our fall call out for plays:

• The Grind by Andrew G. Cooper of Kamloops
• Green Alibi by Catherine Cunningham-Huston of Kelowna
• Cancel My Appointments by Natasha Daly of Kelowna
• The Hammer Shop by past winner Logan Mullin from Vernon. 

The winner is awarded $150 and a ridiculous, but coveted trophy, The Black Cat Cup. 

Directors this year are:

• Ashley Plomp
• Kendra Hesketh
• Graham Daley
• Logan Mullin, who will be directing his own play. 

Believe me, they take their job seriously and although the cup is goofy, they want to win.

Our audiences also get into The Black Cat by dressing up like underground cabaret partiers, lover’s red and black cat prevail, and they also vote on the winning play. 

Fifteen local businesses have also contributed hotel packages, jewelry, wine and collectables to The Black Cat silent auction and raffles because this event is our major fundraiser for the year. 

One lucky audience member will also get to take home a pair of diamond earrings worth $500 from Premier Jewellery and Loan.

If you are looking for the perfect Valentine’s event-may we encourage you to bring out your inner Love Cat?  

Throw off the parka and dress up in lover’s red or black cat and pop down to our party, set in London’s Kit Kat Club.

It’s going to be a hot one.

The Black Cat Cabaret runs Feb.11-12 at 7:30 p.m. at The Black Box Theatre. It is a 16+ event.

Advance tickets, $25, are available from www.selectyourtickets.com or $35 at the door (cash only).  For more information about our not for profit, charitable professional theatre company, check out www.newvintage.ca.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.