“Brutally funny and honest.” - The Globe & Mail

“Going in, it’s best not to know anything about Cliff’s take on As You Like It.”

– Broadway World

VERNON, BC — Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre Society proudly presents As You Like It, or The Land Acknowledgement by Cliff Cardinal, a Toronto’s Crow’s Theatre Production. This opening performance of VDPAC’s 2024-25 SPOTLIGHT Theatre Series takes to the stage on Thursday, October 3, 2024 at 7:30PM.

“I have been a fan of Cliff Cardinal’s work for many years! This gripping performance will make you laugh and break your heart,” shares VDPAC’s Artistic Director Erin Kennedy.

In this radical re-telling of William Shakespeare’s classic, Cultural provocateur Cliff Cardinal, widely-known for his acerbic, mischievous and fearless approach, brings a devastating yet laugh-out-loud examination of land acknowledgements as a cultural and political practice. Cardinal’s Cree and Lakota heritage deeply informs this production, adding a unique and powerful perspective to the timeless themes of mistaken identities, banishment and forgiveness.

Described by the Toronto Star as “sly, funny, and charming,” and hailed as “the Canadian arts surprise of the year” by The Globe and Mail, this performance has been lauded for its dark humor, difficult subject matter and raw emotion. NOW Magazine states, “One thing’s certain: this As You Like It is unlike any other production of the play, past or future.”

Based in Toronto, Crow's Theatre has been a leading force in new play creation in Canada for four decades. It hosts a wide range of programming and collaborations with Canadian and international artists, aiming to ignite passionate engagement by creating and promoting theatre that examines pivotal narratives of our times.

Audience Advisory: The performance addresses challenging themes, including war and its associated violence, colonization, adult language, sexual violence, gun violence, mass murder, and suicide.

There is subject matter which may cause distress or trigger challenging emotions for some of our audience members. If there are certain themes that you would find particularly disturbing, please speak to someone in Patron's Services before entering the theatre.

The Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre presents As You Like It, or The Land Acknowledgement, on Thursday, October 3, 2024 at 7:30PM. Tickets are $30 for Adults, $27 for Seniors, $25 for Students. The performance is 1 hour and 30 minutes without intermission.

For tickets, contact the Ticket Seller at 250-549-SHOW (7469) or visit ticketseller.ca to purchase online.

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Ticket link: https://www.ticketseller.ca/tickets/event/the-land-acknowledgement

Video:

Photos: Dahlia Katz

About Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre

The Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre Society is a non-profit, charitable organization devoted to fostering artists, their work, and live performance in all genres and for all ages. The Society operates the Performing Arts Centre (VDPAC) on behalf of the Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO) and with the support of over 30 staff and 200 volunteers. Each year, we present our SPOTLIGHT Season of over 25 diverse performances, complemented by over 125 professional guest concerts, festivals, and special events. We select professional touring productions to entertain, enlighten, move and amuse our patrons. Altogether, they offer audiences of all ages a world of unforgettable live performance experiences.

Please visit: https://vdpac.ca/ & https://ticketseller.ca/

Facebook: @vdpac
Instagram: @vernonperformingarts

For interviews and more information, media can contact:

Raj Jain, Marketing & Community Engagement Coordinator

250-542-9355

[email protected]