Opera Kelowna embraces queer storytelling in its latest production
Opera Kelowna is proud to announce a return to the stage for solo cabaret opera, The Book of My Shames at the Rotary Centre for the Arts February 17 and 18, 2023. This performance was originally brought to the Kelowna stage in July 2021 for three nearly sold-out evenings.Isaiah Bell’s intensely heartfelt recounting of painful and poignant personal trials blurs the boundaries between his experiences and our own. His struggles mirror the unique and personal journeys towards self-acceptance that we all face in our lives.
Created by Bell and Director Sean Guist, The Book of My Shames premiered at Tapestry Opera in 2019 and has been developed with the support of Opera Kelowna, Pacific Opera Victoria, and Intrepid Theatre.The performance is a daring and uniquely intimate experience. Accompanied by a live chamber orchestra, join us as Isaiah goes on a frank, funny, and frequently uncomfortable exploration of life’s awkward underbelly.Artistic Director Rosemary Thomson says “This show tells an utterly compelling story about moving from shame to self-acceptance. Although Isaiah Bell shares this message through the telling of his deeply personal and moving story, it touches all of us with its universal message. Everyone at Opera Kelowna is honoured to present this moving production which shares this important message from Isaiah’s perspective with our local audience.”With pathos, a wink, and extraordinary tenor voice, Isaiah delivers a “comic, wrenching, and personal tour-de-force” that delivers a message that will stay with you long after the lights come up.
The performances take place at the Mary Irwin Theatre at the Rotary Centre for the Arts, starting at 7:30 pm and running roughly 100 minutes.Pre-performance talk by Artistic Director Rosemary Thomson will take place at 6:45 pm.Friends of Dorothy Lounge will be hosting a post-performance cocktail hour, complete with signature drinks and grazing boards, in the RCA Atrium directly following the performance each night.Opera Kelowna gratefully acknowledges these performances are made possible through the support of the City of Kelowna, Central Okanagan Foundation and BC Community Gaming Grant.Watch Isaiah Bell and Sean Guist explain how The Book of My Shames came to fruition here: https://youtu.be/dowKk-k3nLQSee a short clip from the show here! Video by Rebellious Unicorns. For regular tickets, visit https://rotarycentreforthearts.com/events/event/137202/.To purchase pay-what-you-will tickets from Simpletix, please visit: https://www.simpletixcom/e/the-book-of-my-shames-pay-what-you-will-ti-tickets-119321.For more information or further details please visit our website https://www.operakelownacom/production/the-book-of-my-shames-2023/.
