Take a little bit of Great Gatsby late 1920’s flair, add in a dash of creepy English estate and a mysterious drowning and you have the recipe for Rebecca, the lavish play being produced by New Vintage Theatre, slated to run October 3-5 at Kelowna Community Theatre.

What makes this play unique is not just the grandness of Daphne du Maurier’s classic gothic thriller, but also the fact that the entire cast, design and technical team are all from the Okanagan and are working in this show as paid artists. Featured actors include Doug Brown (Shaw TV, Super 8), Arlene Irwin (Miracle on 34St), Janet Anderson (Becky’s New Car), Matt Brown (Annie), Chris Froese (The Woman In Black), Roger Ward (Love On The Line), Joe Welton (Love on The Line), Graham Daley (The Generations), Geoff Millar (Calendar Girls), Bailey Strand (The Outsiders) and the outstanding Elana Bizovie, a recent graduate of the prestigious Theatre Arts program at University of Alberta.

“We are so very proud to have put together a dream team of talents from Penticton, Kelowna and Vernon for this show. It has been made possible thanks to the support of our community and many arts partners including Kelowna Community Theatre, Architecturally Distinct Solutions Inc., Jace Albrecht Construction, Aspire Media, Kelowna Public Library, Mosaic Books and Pulp Fiction Coffeehouse.” Says New Vintage Artistic Director Bonnie Gratz, who also produces this production.

Rebecca is the story of a young ordinary woman, unnamed throughout the play, who comes to the iconic estate of Manderley with her new husband Maxim DeWinter. All seems like a fairy tale as the shy woman leaves a life of poverty and obscurity to live in the largest estate in Cornwall. What she soon comes to realize, however, is that she is now living in the shadow of Maxim’s first wife, Rebecca, a goddess who was extraordinarily beautiful and the life of every party. She learns that Rebecca died in a tragic ,mysterious drowning and that is not the only secret Manderley keeps guarded within. Strange whispers from the corners of Manderley-maybe even from Rebecca herself- begin to reveal the truth-showing the young heroine that her dreamed life is now a nightmare.

Author Daphne du Maurier is known for her terrifying tales-she also penned The Birds (also made into a movie by Alfred Hitchcock) and Don’t Look Now!. In 1939, Alfred Hitchcock adapted the book for the big screen and won his only Academy Award with his adaptation of Rebecca for Best Picture.

Rebecca kicks off the Fall Okanagan Wine Festival with a fun opening night on October 3 where patrons are asked to Dress To Impress and don a mask for The Manderley Masquerade, a party complete with an appearance of the ghost of Rebecca and pre-show interactive actors. Each show following will have an entertaining pre-show chat and will have tastings courtesy of Peller Estates Winery, too.

New Vintage asks for your support of professional theatre in Kelowna and encourages you to bring your friends to come and see this extraordinary play on the big stage at Kelowna Community Theatre. Tickets are $25-Adults, $20-Seniors/Students. There is a Student Matinee as well on October 4 at 12:30pm and group discounts are available.

Tickets available from www.selectyourtickets.com and info is available from [email protected]