29 — Friday, March 5, 1999 — North Shore News ~ q uy 2 NEWS photo Brad Ledwidge LA Cage Aux Follies is Lloyd Burritt's 38th production with Argyle. The rausic and drama teacher retires this year after 29 years with the Lynn Valley school. Studenis pay tri bute to retiring teacher Layne Christensen News Reporter layne@nsnews.com ARGYLBP'S staging of La Cage Aux Folles this week is as much a tribute to the show’s director as it is a showcase for the talents of the school’s students. After three decades of teaching theatre and music at Argyle, Lloyd Burritt will retire this June. “This is a gift to me,” said Burritt before the show’s opening Monday. The parents’ drama association had asked Burritt if he would stage the musical comedy, whose central figures are a gay couple, in consideration of the acceptance they’ve shown towards the teacher’s openness about his own sexuality, he says. So far, the show has been well received. The entire run sold out within 24 hours and three shows were added. In the 29 years he’s taught at Argyic, the Lynn Valicy schooi has staged productions with far more “sensitive” subject Matter, says Burritt. “We've done three Shakespeare plays which are riddled with adultery and sex and there is none of that in La Cage Aux Folles. It’s all about relationships and love of a human being,” said_Burritt, who turns 59 in Junc. Among the 39 productions the school has staged during Burritt’s tenure are Jesus Christ Superstar, West Side Storyand Romeo and Juliet. The school’s 1974 staging of Cabaret caught the attention of Vancouver theatre imre- sano Hugh Pickett. In a letter to the school, Pickett praised the production. “{ don’t know who was behind the 2 idea of doing this show in the school, bur wha- ever it was, plus everyone who had anything to do ith it, deserves great credit, and I congratu- fate you all.” Burritt recalls thar the school’s production of A Little Night Music was considered “too daring and sophisticated” for Lynn Valley when it was staged in 1976. Says Argyle principal Ken Fever of Burritt’s teaching talent: “He's a very dedicated person who gets the absolute best out of his students. He really motivates students, and all his perfor- mances are outstanding.” In 1983, Burritt cast Grade 9 student Justine Priestly as Diana in the school’s produc- tion of Ame of Green Gables. The role required the young teen to act drunk in one scene, recalls Priestly. “I was so nervous,” says the LA. actor whose credits include a recurring role on Melrose Place and a four-year stint as L.A. corre- spondent for the now detunct magazine show Metro Cafe. “I remember coming up to him after rehearsal and saying I don’t know how ro do this. He took me aside and worked on it with me. We only did five shows, but ] remem- ber getting standing ovations after that scenc. It’s still one of the highfights of my career.” Other famous faces have passed through Burritt’s classroom. He taught Bryan Adams in the ‘70s and Jason Priestly of Beverly Hills 90210 fame in the "80s. Neither Adams, who studied music compo- sition with Burritt, nor Priestly had much time for school productions, the teacher remembers. “Both of them had that focus even then,” he says. “Both of them knew they were going to make it.” SATURDAY, MARCH 6 Double Digit Nite WIN ON A DOUBLE-DIGIT AND IT PAYS DOUBLE EVENING SESSION - REGULAR GAMES SUNDAY, MARCH 7 $1,000 BONUS GUARANTEED EVENING SESSION ¢ an ~ You play, vou sing, vou dance. All ages. March 5 at 7:30 pam. $5/2. St. Catherine’s Church, N.Y. Scholarship Compettti singers competing in classical and music theatre categories pro- vide an afternoon of free entertainment. March 7 at 1:30 pam. West Vancouver United Church: Classical Austria. Laudate Singers’ final concert of the season features Haydn and Mozart. March 7 at 3 p.m. ‘Tickets: Ticketmaster, 280-3311, or at door. elwias 2: CHES Avalon Hotel: Mark Hasselbach and the Jass Perpetrators play jazz in the lounge every Saturday, 2:30- 4:30 p.m. Loonte Toonie Thursdays features Little Gorphin Anni¢ and Rosco P. Coltrane March 11. $5 cover, or $4 with food donation to Harvest Project. Beach House at Dundarave Pier: Les Is More . Every Monday, 5-8 p.m. Black Bear Neighbourhood Pub: Tivin — X, Mondays; Mr. Flood’s Party, Tuesdays. Howe Sound Inn: Jam ses- sions Thursday evenings at 8 p.m. with Rick Rogoza. Jack Lonsdale’s Pub: Live music Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Info: 986-7333. Lynnwood Pub: Live music Thursday to Sunday from 9:30 p.m. No cover. Maplewood Pub: Live music featuring Silverload every Sunday night at 7:30 p.m. Info: 924-1834. Marmalade Cafe: Red Nickers Jass Band. Every sec- ond and last Sunday of the Photo submitted PACIFIC Baroque Orchestra presents music and bal- let from the French baroque, 8 p.m. Sunday at the Chan. Tickets, $32 and $24: 280-3311. month, 6:30-9 p.m. Waterfront Bistro: Saturday Night Live Comedy. Standup comedy every Saturday night. Doors open at 8 p.m., show- tine at 9 p.m. Capilano College, Room 148, Cedar Building: Koerner Lecture Series. Genie Award winner Nettie Wild presents “Outside Eyes: Art, Politics, Contradictions” and will screen exerpts of A Place Called Chiapas in a discus- sion of the relationships of the artist co political move- ments. March 7 at] p.m. $5/3. North Shore Unitarian Church: African Stories pre- sented by children’s author Tololwa Mollel. March 7 at 2:30 p.m. $5/3. Each adult may bring one child at no cost. -Compiled by Martin Millerchip E-mail (martin@nsnews.com) or fax a press release for your enterrainment event to 985- 2104. Deadline for Friday inclusion is the previous Monday. 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