As I perform the nicotine depleted dodge-and-weave after the curtains close, my eyes will inevitably find themselves falling to those platters of pygmy cheese cubes. Bites to kick-start conversation, they always leave me with an urge to draw some sardonic metaphor between Broadway play and post-performance hors d'oeuvre. It's not gonna happen, though, so long as the group keeps putting on such entertaining and artistically rich productions. Once again I've been forced to check my cynicism (ok, most of my cynicism) and praise the Vancouver debut of The History Boys as another complete success, and further testament to our city's theatrical prowess...

Being the resident theatre critic here at Beyond Robson, I was the natural choice to cover this year's Under the Stars offerings. But, I'll be perfectly honest: I'm not usually a huge fan of the musicals. I've reserved my musical-theatre experiences for situations that seem to demand it (i.e. seeing "Rent" in New York and "Cabaret" while visiting London with my sister, the actress -- both of which I ultimately enjoyed). Soon after donning the theatre hat for BR, I had the chance to take in the amazing Black Rider, and reviewed the Arts Club's wonderful rendition of The Producers. After seeing how well one Vancouver company managed to pull that show off, I was actually kind of excited to check out two more homegrown Broadway adaptations. Would this year's TUTS complete my conversion into a full fledged fan of the song-and-dance storytelling?

It has been acceptable, however, to find humor in WWII Germany for awhile now. Just watch Charlie Chaplin as Adolf or Peter Sellers as Dr. Strangelove (in two of the best comedic performances ever put to film) for proof that Nazi satire is nothing new. More recently, South Park has been doing the Hitler shtick successfully for a long time, and "Life is Beautiful" won a damn Oscar.

My favorite vehicle for fascist farce would undoubtedly have to be Mel Brooks' The Producers. The classic comedy, which follows two Broadway producers who hatch a scam to make millions by staging the biggest flop ever: "Springtime for Hitler", won an Oscar in 1968 and has subsequently become a cult-film staple.

In 2001 the film was adapted by Brooks himself for Broadway, and the resultant musical comedy has now found its way to Vancouver's Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage. Thanks to the Arts Club Theatre, Vancouverites will have an opportunity to enjoy one of the funniest and most popular musicals in Broadway history, near perfectly handled and playing until July 13. You can't do any better in terms of mainstream theater... this one is worth the money.

The group has become one of Vancouver's most consistently exciting theatre companies; priding themselves on a mandate of diversity and a celebration of the places where Vancouver's distinct cultures and aesthetics intersect. newworld's consistently edgy productions are a testament to their dedication to Vancouver's broad artistic community, something that will be on display again as they rev up for the seventh edition of the Bite of the Underground cabaret-style variety show, an event which functions as a fundraiser for the company.

It happens tonight at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre, with doors at 8:30. The evening will feature the work of a number of hot local performers, including stand-up, poetry, spoken word, and a variety of music. Some notes on the featured acts after the break...

While the above may sound like any armchair Nostradamus' pessimistic prediction for our city after viewing yesterday's Sun headlines, it's actually the setup for The View from Above, a new work by local playwright James Long. Co-commisioned by The Ruby Slippers Theatre and Theatre la Seizieme, the play has been running since April 12, receiving quite a lot of local attention.

Despite its darkly comic tone, this production is so painfully relevant that it's almost difficult to watch -- but in that good, humanist way. The run at Performance Works on Granville Island only lasts until Sunday, before moving to the Shadbolt Center for the Arts in Burnaby from April 30 - May 3, and is essential for any socially concious Vancouverite or fan of local theater.

While the plot of the latest Arts Club original play could have some cynics muttering 'pop-fringe cliche', it's actually based on a true Vancouver story, circa 2003. Replace 'Clearwater Bank' with VanCity and you have the real-life controversy that inspired Michele Riml's new production at the Granville Island Stage, a rollicking rom-com-satire that resonates with this authenticity. Clearly the extraneous human drama is an artistic creation, and if poorly handled could make for a stale 'Sex & the City' reject... but it's sold entirely by a sharp script and some equally wonderful performances.

Into the Woods, on now at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre, is the hit Broadway musical from Stephen Sondheim (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street). More than any of his other productions, Into the Woods is stuffed to the brim with memorable characters and witty, wonderful songs.

Many of our nostalgic favourites get the revamped treatment, their intentions and their morals as compromised as any real person: Jack, with the bean stalk, is lovable but dim-witted; Little Red Riding Hood wields a knife with delectable pleasure; Rapunzel is a traumatized Virgin Mary, held captive by a wicked witch who just wants to be a mother.

Written by Rosa Laborde, and directed by Richard Rose, Léo tells the story of three young friends coming of age in seventies socialist Chilé, just prior to the violent military coup d'etat, overthrowing Salvador Allende.

The well-proven UBC theatre program's latest presentation is a comedy surrounding the follies of three women who seek education, wit, and intelligence at the sake of their family's happiness. Director Patrick Gauthier leads an almost faultless cast and crew in delivering a surprisingly relevant and entertaining performance. The play's jabs at academia give any modern audience something to relate to, and are so well handled by the troupe at UBC that one easily puts aside the comedy's slightly sexist tone.

The gutsy direction, stunning costumes and strong performances had the entire audience laughing throughout, and I implore you to order tickets now. Did I mention it makes fun of feminism? Read on for more impressions and details...

Vancouver's fourth annual PuSh Performing Arts festival drew to a close on Sunday. A celebration of innovative and independent music, theatre, and dance, the festival was overflowing with great performances... and if you're like me, you missed a ton of standout shows. However, one of PuSh's 2008 highlights is seeing an extended run at the Granville Island Stage. Catch it tonight, tomorrow or Saturday as your last chance at the festival's offering of experimental theatre.

First performed to sold-out audiences in Vancouver at PuSh 2005, The Black Rider: The Casting of the Magic Bullets is a dark, adventurous musical created by Tom Waits, William S. Burroughs and Robert Wilson. This avante-garde "musical fable", which had its German debut in 1990, was revived ten years ago to critical acclaim in Edmonton, of all places, by the November Theatre... the show went on to have a hugely successful run at the New York Fringe.

Although I was born in Calgary, trained to dismiss all things Edmonton, my love for the literature of William S. Burroughs and the music of Tom Waits ensured that this was one event I could not pass up. After seeing the show in all its chaotic glory, I must firmly recommend that you do the same. More after the jump...

Show director Randie Parliament with Picked Productions says, “Debbie Does Dallas is no susical the musical. It's not cats. It's literally porn on stage!� While there may not be any real coitus, the show is still lewd. It's lowbrow. It objectifies women just as much as the original porn did. Drinking during the show is encouraged. The amount of brain involvement in the show is much like watching porn, but in this one you won't want to fast forward through the dialog.

Check out the private show they did just for Beyond Robson.

The show on its Canadian premiere runs nightly at 7pm until the December 15th at the Odyssey (1251 Howe Street - www.theodysseynightclub.com)

Peace, it seems, is something that eludes everyone in The Ecstasy of Rita Joe, from the imprisoned and impoverished title character to the understanding but inescapably racist magistrate overseeing her fate. Canadian George Ryga's masterwork of a play, currently at The Firehall, is given a powerful reworking by director Donna Spencer and her talented ensemble. Although the language sometimes verges on didactic, there is enough potent poetry and staggering social relevance to make this play significant even 40 years after its debut.

Rita Joe (Lisa C. Ravensbergen) is a young First Nations woman who left the reservation for some semblance of modern life in the city. She's been arrested for vagrancy and prostitution - charges she doesn't understand - and is plagued on all sides by a foreign religion, government, and haunting memories of a childhood divided between a humiliating residential school and the natural harmony of home with her sister (Tricia Collins) and father (Byron Chief Moon). Her boyfriend, Jaimie Paul (Kevin Loring), promises a life of autonomy and plenty, but their dreams are continually dashed by a system trying to sweep the "Aboriginal problem" under the tightly woven rug. It's a simple story, and sometimes the plot seems to be more of a vehicle for Ryga's views on the treatment of Aboriginals in Canada; still, Spencer's direction keeps the production moving quickly on the sparse, auditorium-like set.