Byline: Baila Lazarus

Urine the right place

Left to right: Andrew Wheeler, David Adams, Anton Lipovetsky and Chris Cochrane. (photo by David Cooper)

If Saturday night’s performance of Urinetown was any indication, the Jewish community has two rising stars in its midst.

Triple-threats Anton Lipovetsky and Andrew Cohen are actors to watch; and the latest production at the Firehall is a perfect opportunity to see them show off their singing, acting and dancing talent.

Despite its unfortunate name, which gives rise to equally unfortunate double-entendres in theatre reviews, Urinetown did live up to the hype that’s labeled it a Broadway hit. Not one for musicals, I’m happy to say this one kept me entertained throughout the performance, due in no small part to the fancy footwork directed by Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg and Tony Award-winning lyrics by Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis.

Urinetown takes place in a “town like any town you might find in a musical,” according to the narrator (who jumps periodically out of his role as Police Officer Lockstock to educate the audience about the workings of a play). The year is some point in the middle of a long drought, water is scarce and free toilets have been overburdened in what have become known as the “stink years.”

Facilities are now owned by private companies who charge people for their use. Thus the request, “A penny for a pee?” becomes the begging mantra of street people looking to relieve themselves. If they can’t afford the few cents to get in the doors, their only recourse is to do their business in a public space, for which they will get arrested and sent to Urinetown. The audience doesn’t get to see Urinetown until the second act, so we’ll avoid the spoiler here. Suffice to say, it’s known as a really undesirable spot, and one to avoid at all costs. So paying a fee to pee is really the only option.

In the rather stale part of this “town like any town,” a group of homeless people around “Amenity #9” start to revolt against a new fee hike. The group is led by Bobby Strong (Lipovetsky), who happens to be in love with Hope (aptly named, of course), the daughter of Caldwell B. Cladwell (stage veteran Andrew Wheeler). Cladwell is CEO of Urine Good Co., which owns the private toilets. In this case, the love interest doesn’t get in the way of a good revolution, thankfully, and eventually the impoverished cast free themselves from the shackles of the tinkle toll. Is it a time for celebration? You’ll have to see the play to find out.

The role Lipovetsky has been given in this play serves to highlight his incredible singing talent, comedic flair and even his ability to direct the cast in a choir-like ensemble near the end.

The play only demonstrates a few of Lipovetsky’s skills, actually. The gifted 24-year-old has already won a Jessie Award for outstanding composition for the musical Broken Sex Doll (currently on its second run, playing until Nov. 22 at the Cultch’s York Theatre) and he shared the 2011 Mayor’s Arts Award in Theatre with Bard on the Beach artistic director Christopher Gaze. Lipovetsky won for best emerging actor and playwright.

For his part, Cohen has also been busy in the B.C. theatre scene, appearing in Chicago, Fiddler on the Roof and The Laramie Project, as well as becoming one of the finalists on CBC’s Triple Sensation TV show and performing in the 2010 Olympic Games Closing Ceremonies. He also does sound design and composes. (See “A next gen of theatre artists,” Nov. 7, jewishindependent.ca.)

Besides these fabulous contributors are Wheeler as the nasty, money-grubbing CEO, David Adams as the singing/dancing/narrating officer and Michelle Bardach as Hope. As well, numerous quirky directorial choices, such as having Strong freeze with an expression as though he’d been stung by a bee every time he has a flashback, and Little Sally (Tracey Power) jumping in and out of character to ask the narrator questions about the play, meld to create a surprisingly fun, witty and thoroughly enjoyable production.

Urinetown is at the Firehall Arts Centre until Nov. 27.

Baila Lazarus is a freelance writer, painter and photographer. Her work can be seen at orchiddesigns.net.

Help financing new startups

Starting a small business can be an exciting prospect that brings with it the potential to be your own boss, follow your passion and create passive income for retirement.

But even the best ideas that generate strong markets can fail if the financial structure doesn’t have a solid foundation. That’s why every new-business owner should make their first priority collecting advice from experts in business planning.

This is especially true if you are looking for startup capital. Most people think three options – personal, family/friends or a bank – are the only sources of funding available. Often overlooked are specific small-business loans and grants from the federal government.

photo - Eli Joseph
Eli Joseph, senior account manager, business and personal, at RBC. (photo from Eli Joseph)

Eli Joseph, a senior account manager, business and personal, with RBC, is often surprised at how few people know about government funding options.

Joseph works with businesses on day-to-day banking, as well as lending solutions through the Canada Small Business Financing Loan (CSBFL) or the Business Development Bank of Canada.

Clients who fall in the “small business” category typically have gross sales under $2 million, with fewer than 15 employees, and who need loans up to $250,000.

“Ninety-eight percent fall under this category,” he said.

The CSBFL has very specific applications, however, such as investing in new equipment or trucks, buying furniture or expanding a business. It won’t cover the cost of hiring staff, a franchise fee or planning a marketing campaign. For that, Joseph suggests looking at a line of credit.

But even before signing up for some fresh cash, Joseph cautions business owners to take stock of where they are.

“Ninety percent start their business asking for money,” said Joseph. “I try to slow down the conversation, I ask, ‘Do we have a business here?’ There were three examples where we had to slow it down and go through the numbers; in all three, after doing footwork, they realized they didn’t have a valid business.

“That’s where people jump the gun – they haven’t done the research; and they don’t have a business plan.”

Tax planner Alexei Schwartzman also underlines how important it is to get professional advice before heading too far into the business.

“It is important to involve someone who understands the tax implication of the business, but it’s essential to get someone involved before the business is officially running,” he said. “Often people do not think of asking the questions until they are already operational and, by that point, it might be too late for certain things.”

This is particularly important if your business has an innovative component that might be eligible for tax credits through the Scientific Research and Experimental Development Tax Incentive Program (also known as SR&ED). Businesses wanting to take advantage of this government credit need to incorporate before incurring research and development costs. A good tax consultant can help determine if the cost of incorporation and filing SR&ED tax returns, which can be substantial, will be worth the actual money saved.

Also be sure to look at the Public Works and Government Services Canada’s Build in Canada Innovation Program (buyandsell.gc.ca), as well as the National Research Council Canada’s Industrial Research Assistance Program (nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/ irap/index.html). Both of these have loans and grants that help kickstart businesses to get their innovative products and services from the lab to the marketplace.

No matter what type of funding you’re looking for, both Schwartzman and Joseph agree that the biggest mistakes business owners make are not having a business plan, not doing proper market research or trying to do everything themselves rather than turning for advice to experts who have already done the legwork.

For general information on government loans/tax credits for small business, contact Rob McGarry, concierge service, National Research Council Canada, c/o Small Business BC, 601 West Cordova St., 604-499-2804, [email protected], concierge.portal.gc.ca.

Baila Lazarus teaches media communications at Small Business BC. Register for her courses at phase2coaching.com.

Upcoming Events

  • Oct. 30: Money Money Money: How to Get It, Manage It and Grow It, a keynote session highlighting how to access different levels of financing to support your business, presented by Futurpreneur as part of the all-day SOHO SME Business Expo at the Sheraton Wall Centre. vancouversme.soho.ca.
  • Nov. 6, 13 and 20, 10:30 a.m.-noon: How to Do Business with the Federal Government, three-part series at Small Business BC, 601 West Cordova St. smallbusinessbc.ca/seminars.

Amy Herzog’s 4000 Miles offers 4,000 laughs

Nathan Barrett and Nicola Cavendish in Amy Herzog’s 4000 Miles. (photo by David Cooper)

I can be quite nervous going to see a play that relies on only one or two main actors to carry the production, particularly when those one or two have most of the dialogue, and the action takes place in only one room for the entire performance.

But my concern is never that great when Nicola Cavendish is one of the two involved because I know I will laugh out loud, stifle tears and otherwise experience a full, rich range of emotions. I was not disappointed when I caught Cavendish in Amy Herzog’s 4000 Miles.

In this starring role, Cavendish plays 91-year-old Vera whose grandson Leo (Nathan Barrett) comes to stay with her after a cross-continent bike trip during which his best friend died.

Leo has come to stay with his grandmother due to lack of cash, being estranged from his mother and in an uncertain position with his girlfriend.

At first Leo appears to be the clichéd lost soul – not entirely the self-absorbed persona you expect to find in a 21-year-old – who brings to Vera a companionship the older woman is missing. The reunion is filled with laughs right off the top as Vera’s hearing problems cause havoc in the communication.

Vera herself is savvy, but tough, and pulls no punches when giving her opinion.

“You smell terrible and I wouldn’t be surprised if you have lice,” she says to Leo in one of the first lines of the play.

The relationship starts with Leo showing warmth to an uncomfortable Vera, who’s more used to complaining all the time than accepting someone’s love; and it’s quickly revealed that

Vera really only wants what’s best for her grandson, like a good night’s sleep.

Vera shows interest in Leo’s recent trip as well, albeit on the weird side, asking Leo if he ever met a sexual crackpot wanting favors in exchange for giving Leo a place to stay.

The two soon start talking about family, and Vera admits she also has a dysfunctional relationship with Leo’s mother: “I always end up telling her what a disappointment she was to her father,” Vera sighs. “I don’t mean to, but I do.”

It’s not long before Leo’s “one-day visit” turns into a lengthy stay and the well-meaning free spirit starts acting like a freeloader, even bringing one-night stands over to the apartment.

Vera, for her part, turns into a crotchety micro-manager who’s defensive and fearful. She starts to lecture Leo on responsibility, and doesn’t hesitate to show an angry frustrated side when she feels her space is being infringed upon.

In one brilliantly funny scene, Leo’s girlfriend comes over and drops her bag in the middle of the living room. Walking by the bag, Vera nonchalantly gives it a kick and, with surprising results, sends it flying a good 10 feet back to the front door – eliciting laughs and applause from the audience.

Vera’s progressive loss of memory, while a bane for her (“I hate not being able to find the right words”), is also a source for comedic enjoyment in the play, especially when she and Leo smoke pot together.

“Your father never did anything for me in bed,” she says, mistakenly referencing her daughter. “Neither of my husbands did.”

“Were my parents in love?”

Leo asks during this baring of stoned souls.

“Which ones were your parents?” Vera dopily responds.

While this play is not likely to offer deep insights that will turn your world around and cause you to run out to reconcile with every estranged member of your family, it is a warm, wonderfully written snapshot of two somewhat lost people who come together with love and humor.

4000 Miles ran Off-Broadway in 2011 and again in 2012, and was a finalist for the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for drama. It shows at the Arts Club Stanley Theatre until Oct. 12. Visit artsclub.com.

Baila Lazarus is a Vancouver-based writer, painter and photographer. Her work can be seen at orchiddesigns.net.

Travel B.C.: unique places, unique views

A ziplining selfie: Dangling over river gorges in Clayoquot Plateau Provincial Park. (photo by Baila Lazarus)

The mission: to explore British Columbia from as many geographical perspectives as possible. The means: a 10-day road trip on Vancouver Island. The locations: whatever would take us off the city or country roads. The result: eight ways to see the province like you’ve never seen it before.

From the air

1. Nothing says “new perspectives” like sleeping in a ball suspended from three trees about 15 feet in the air. Making Lonely Planet’s 2014 list of top 10 extraordinary places to stay, the Free Spirit Spheres near Horne Lake, about 45 minutes north of Nanaimo, are just that. Designer Tom Chudleigh has built three round wooden “rooms” about 10 feet in diameter, so guests can feel like they’re sleeping in a tree, but with all the amenities of a hotel room. A perfect “glamping” scenario, the rooms have electricity and are outfitted with dishes, a small fridge and a few appliances, and the site has showers, a full kitchen and even a sauna. Prices start at $155 per night. freespiritspheres.com.

photo - Having a ball: The Free Spirit Spheres near Qualicum Beach provide hotel room comfort 15 feet in the air
Having a ball: The Free Spirit Spheres near Qualicum Beach provide hotel room comfort 15 feet in the air (see below). (photo by Baila Lazarus)
photo - Having a ball: The Free Spirit Spheres near Qualicum Beach provide hotel room comfort 15 feet in the air
(photo by Baila Lazarus)

2. Search ziplines on Vancouver Island and you’re bound to come up with three: WildPlay, south of Nanaimo; Adrenaline, west of Victoria on the way to Sooke; and West Coast Wild, 45 minutes east of Ucluelet. We chose the latter due to its number of lines (six) and lack of suspension bridges (a request by my co-traveler). The $99 cost was a great deal for two hours of stunning scenery, a guided nature walk and exhilarating zipping. Even for non-risk-takers, this is a great adventure. Sit and hang on for a smooth ride or test your mettle by hanging upside down and striking a pose. wcwild.com.

3. One of the best values of the trip was a floatplane tour from Victoria Harbor with Harbour Air Seaplanes. The $100 30-minute tour takes off from in front of the Empress Hotel and flies over the Capital District, passing over the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Saanich, offering a glimpse of Butchart Gardens from the air. harbourair.com.

From the water

4. Tofino and Ucluelet – indeed, much of coastal British Columbia – are known for their whale-watching excursions. For an alternate option, try a bear-watching trip instead. These boats ply the inlets and shorelines, giving passengers a more varied view of the topography and making it easy to spot and follow wildlife. (Unlike trying to anticipate in which square metre of ocean a whale might breach.) On a tour with Jamie’s Whale Watching, we spotted a mother and two cubs and were able to watch them forage for food right by the water’s edge for about 45 minutes, giving everyone the opportunity to get a good look – and good shots. jamies.com.

photo - Bear essentials: A mother and her cub stake out the shoreline in Clayoquot Sound near Tofino
Bear essentials: A mother and her cub stake out the shoreline in Clayoquot Sound near Tofino. (photo by Baila Lazarus)

5. It’s not often you can get a view of the shoreline from a kilometre out without standing on a boat or floating platform of some kind, but at low tide near Tigh-Na-Mara in Parksville, it’s a mud-walker’s dream. Meander through ankle-deep puddles or stick to the muddy flats, examine tracks left by crabs or other marine life and lose yourself in the vastness. Turn around, and the buildings on the shoreline look like miniatures.

photo - Tigh Na Mara
The views at Tigh-Na-Mara are expansive and beautiful. (photo from Tigh-Na-Mara)

From underground

6. Don a helmet with headlamp, some sturdy shoes and gloves and you’re ready for caving in Horne Lake Provincial Park. About an hour from Nanaimo, these tours – offered through the park – give a glimpse into the world of beautiful crystal and rock formations, and geological history. Tours range from a Family Cavern 1.5-hour tour for $26 to a High Adventure four-hour tour for $125. Note this is not a walk in the park. There is very rough terrain and the caves are very cold. hornelake.com.

From high above

7. If you’re interested in getting a bird’s-eye view, but still want to be standing on terra firma, two locations near Victoria offer outstanding vistas. Driving up the Island Highway about 30 minutes from Victoria, take the turnoff to Whittaker Road and keep right to go up Ebedora Lane. At the top – where the Aerie and Prancing Horse are located – you’ll have stunning views of Saanich Inlet.

8. Across the inlet, stand in the shadow of history as you make your way up Observatory Hill. Built in 1918, the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory was, for a short period, the largest functioning observatory in the world. The road winds up the hill, offering lookouts with views to most of Saanich.

Baila Lazarus is a freelance writer, painter and photographer. Her work can be seen at orchiddesigns.net.

Granville Island gastronomy

Terra Breads’ Granville Island Market location is one of four in Vancouver. (photo by Joanne Leung) 

When the first Terra Breads opened in Kitsilano 20 years ago, owner Michael Lansky would probably not have expected to be part of a food tour that includes truffle salt, fireweed honey or slices of Rathtrevor cheese. But Terra Breads’ Granville Island location is one of the culinary stops on the Granville Island Market Tour – billed as a combined “food tasting and educational walking excursion.”

Presented by Vancouver Foodie Tours and Edible Canada, the tour has been recognized by the Canadian Tourism Commission as a unique Canadian experience. It was one of the first such activities to be inducted into the Canadian Signature Experiences collection in 2011. Edible Canada supports local and Canadian food producers, and the tour reflects this commitment.

You may have visited Granville Island Market with limited time and/or an agenda to pick up a specific item, so you’ve bypassed various market stalls because their products weren’t on your list. This tour will give you pause to spend a little more time getting to know the local food that’s available. Whether you decide to go back and purchase what you’ve tasted is up to you but, at the least, you’ll have more options the next time you want to impress visitors with exceptional cuisine that’s farmed or made here, or close by.

Meeting at the Edible Canada retail store and restaurant on Johnston Street, we were treated to our first tasting on the tour and given some history of the island and the market.

On the menu for the nosh were fish cakes, salad, wine and flavored sea salt. The local ingredients in the meal were Pemberton-grown potatoes. Of particular interest was Amola flavored sea salt, which Edible Canada sells in small packets with flavors such as black truffle and cabernet sauvignon.

photo - Use Amola flavor-infused sea salt from the Edible Canada retail story and your guests will think you’ve slaved away over dinner with special ingredients.
Use Amola flavor-infused sea salt from the Edible Canada retail story and your guests will think you’ve slaved away over dinner with special ingredients. (photo by Baila Lazarus)

On the menu for the history was a discussion of the creation of Granville Island and the market. The size of 22 soccer fields, the island was originally dredged out of False Creek in the early 20th century. The reclamation project was to establish an industrial park. Saw mills, steelworks and cement plants went through booms and busts in the area. In the 1970s, the island was redeveloped by the federal government to create the cultural and business destination it is today. The cement factory that still exists on the island is the last heavy-industrial business.

In 1972, the administration, management and control of the revitalization of Granville Island were transferred to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. According to CMHC, the island is now home to approximately 275 businesses that generate more than $130 million annually.

Granville Island Public Market opened in 1979. They offered Sunday shopping as a way to draw people to the location. The structure that houses the market is the old B.C. Equipment Ltd. building, a wood-framed machine shop. The market has 50 permanent vendors and a rotating roster of approximately 40 farmers and culinary artisans.

After our first taste and chat, we were off to JJ Bean, a local roaster since 1945. Along with our medium roast, we were given some education on coffee, such as the drawback of “aggressive blooming.” (Hint: If you buy freshly roasted coffee, let it sit for a couple of days before putting them through a French press.)

Then, it was over to Terra Breads, where we were treated to olive/rosemary bread and pecan fruit crisps. Considered Vancouver’s first artisan bakery, the two-decade-old institution first opened on 4th Avenue in Kitsilano and now has two other locations – on 5th Avenue near Ontario and in the Village in False Creek. (Hang on to a crisp or two, so that you can eat it with foods later in the tour.)

Next stop was Oyama Sausage, where the charcuterie is infused with Okanagan red wine or sake made around the corner on Railspur Avenue.

For cheese aficionados, a six-year-old cheddar from Armstrong and a Swiss-like Rathtrevor from Little Qualicum on Vancouver Island were very well received by our tour group. These were presented by Benton Brothers Fine Cheese.

Apples and cherries from #1 Orchards in the Okanagan were used to cleanse our palate before heading over to Granville Island Tea Co. They have created a smooth chai that comes in a two-package mix you can make yourself easily at home. (Ask them what the secret ingredient is. You’ll be surprised at the answer.)

In a far corner of the market, Chilliwack Honey offers a tasting of fireweed honey, named for the flowering plants that grow in areas ravaged by forest fires. The B.C. company has been raising bees in the valley for more than 35 years.

After the smorgasbord of gastronomic glee, you might not think you’d have any room for dessert. But one whiff of the heavenly scent at Lee’s Donuts will have you thinking twice. Go before 2 p.m. for hot old-fashioned glazed doughnuts. The melt-in-your-mouth decadence is a perfect end to the “class.”

In addition to the market tour, other offerings are the World’s Best Food Truck tour and the Guilty Pleasures Gourmet tour. Visit ediblecanada.com.

Baila Lazarus is a freelance writer, painter and photographer. Her work can be seen at orchiddesigns.net.

A Vancouver Jew in Camelot

The cast of Spamalot, with Josh Epstein at centre, on one knee. (photo by David Cooper)

In any great adventure,
that you don’t want to lose,
victory depends upon the people that you choose.
So, listen, Arthur darling, closely to this news:
We won’t succeed on Broadway,
If you don’t have any Jews.

– Sir Robin, Spamalot

Of all the Monty Python films, perhaps none has deposited as many “Pythonisms” as Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Who can forget the airspeed of an African swallow, horse hoofs portrayed by empty coconut halves, the knights who say “ni,” the killer rabbit and, that old chestnut, “It’s only a flesh wound.”

Produced in 1975, Holy Grail was the second in a string of five successful Python films that included And Now for Something Completely Different (1971), Life of Brian (1979), Live at the Hollywood Bowl (1982) and The Meaning of Life (1983).

Funny thing is, although I’ve seen Holy Grail perhaps a dozen times over the years, I don’t recall the presence of a giant Magen David dangling in a spotlight as the cast sings, “You haven’t got a clue if you don’t have a Jew.” Call me crazy but I don’t think that was in the original.

But then Spamalot does not suggest that it’s anything other than a rip off (albeit lovingly done), so, although it’s based on the movie, be prepared for the use of monumental artistic licence. And yet, what better piece for physical comedian/actor/musical theatre devotee Josh Epstein to sing as he prances around the stage in one of the funniest performances you’ll see this year.

photo - Josh Epstein, as the taunting Frenchman in Spamalot
Josh Epstein, as the taunting Frenchman in Spamalot. (photo by David Cooper)

Epstein has already proven his prowess in memorable productions such as The Producers in 2008 and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee in 2010. But seeing him frolic in chain mail, bedecked with Orlando Bloom hair, or hurling brilliant insults as a French soldier wearing the equivalent of a Conehead helmet, is gut-wrenchingly hysterical.

For those not familiar with the story, the plot centres on King Arthur’s attempt to round up some knights (or “ke-nicts” as Epstein mispronounces in his French “aksant”) to search for the grail. On his path, he encounters challenges of outrageous (in size and humor) proportions. He can’t even convince the local serfs that he deserves their respect as a king after relating how he acquired the title from the Lady of the Lake. “Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is a bad way to choose a government,” he is told.

The hapless Arthur (David Marr) continues undaunted, however, eventually rounding up four knights – the Homicidally Brave Sir Lancelot (Jay Hindle); Sir Robin, the Not-Quite-So-Brave-as-Sir-Lancelot (Epstein); Sir Galahad, the Dashingly Handsome (Jonathan Winsby); and Sir Bedevere, the Strangely Flatulent (Ashley O’Connell). His biggest challenge comes when he is told by the knights who say “ni” that he can only continue his quest if he puts on a successful Broadway musical.

“Can it be done?” he asks Sir Robin. Yes, he responds, but only if you have Jews in the production. After all, “It’s a very small percentile who want to see a dancing gentile.”

Enter the Magen David, a menorah on a piano and four knights and one king who suddenly transform into Chassidic Yiddim.

As it turns out, Arthur’s sidekick Patsy is a member of the tribe, but has been keeping it a secret.

“It’s not the sort of thing you say to a heavily armed Christian,” he responds to Arthur when asked why he was not forthcoming.

Beyond the brilliant writing, kudos have to be given to choreographer Lisa Stevens and costume coordinator Rebekka Sorensen-Kjelstrup. The look, the sound and the dancing all elevate the production into stratospheric entertainment.

Monty Python’s Spamalot, with book and lyrics by Eric Idle, runs until June 29 at the Arts Club’s Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage, artsclub.com. Warning: profane language.

Baila Lazarus is a freelance writer, editor and photographer. Her work can be seen at orchiddesigns.net.