Todd Talbot

Close your eyes and imagine ... well, don't close your eyes because you need to read on. Imagine...you board BC Ferries and as you climb the stairs up to the passenger deck to get your coffee you are handed a glass of Champagne. Obviously things are a little different, there is an orchestra playing, your feet start moving and before you know it you are racing around the ship, from room to room meeting gangsters, tap dancing sailors, a beautiful debutante, wealthy tycoons, and show girls. This would definitely make the ever rising cost at BC Ferries worth every penny.

I welcome you aboard the SS American! A world where Anything Goes!

Helming this ship as Director and Choreographer, it's my job to make sure that you are in good hands for your journey. I have chosen 15 incredible performers to travel with you and make sure you are kept on your toes.

Finding the cast and musicians was the first and most crucial step in building this show. Jeremy and I searched across the country to find a group of actors who could handle the technical demands of this show.

There is often not enough credit and respect for the multi-faceted performer that is needed to be able to handle the demands and challenges in Musical Theatre. Often it is the role of Hamlet that gets all the praise when in fact he never puts on a pair of tap shoes or sings a high 'C'. The search was made even tougher when I decided to have our 'orchestra' be on board the ship and be made up of the cast members. We now needed actors who could sing, dance, and play an instrument - Brilliantly.

Our rehearsal process has been different from most. Usually the orchestra rehearses separately from the actors and you put the two components together when you get to the stage. With the cast learning all their blocking, choreography, vocals, and instrumentation at the same time it took an incredible level of discipline, dedication, and skill to bring all those elements together. Coupled with this task - the actors were also performing Murder on the Nile in the evenings. Singing and dancing by day, solving a murder mystery by night and a few hours in between to remember who they are in real life.

Anything Goes is built around something you can't see but you can hear, you can't touch but you can feel, you can't taste but you are left deliciously satisfied. The heart of this show beats with melodies and lyrics from Cole Porter. This music and these actors have made this process exciting, challenging, and rewarding and one I will never forget.

This is my second trip to Chemainus. Last year I choreographed My Fair Lady for Artistic Director Jeremy Tow. Jeremy and I share a common vision and passion of theatre which made the choice to come and take on both directing and choreographing this show an honour and a lot of fun.

Now, fun is a simple little word that often gets overlooked in theatre. It is often dismissed as not being as dignified or complex as other words like "controversial" or "inspirational". Today we are going to celebrate and honour this little three letter word. I invite everyone, cast and audience to embrace a couple hours of FUN.

Bon Voyage!

Biography
Todd has worked throughout North America, and around the world. His theatre and film experience is as an actor, director, choreographer, and producer of new works. His Canadian theatre credits include work with the Vancouver Playhouse, Arts Club, Bard on the Beach, Carousel Theatre, Gateway Theatre, Charlottetown Festival, and Canadian Stage Company. He is also Artistic Producer of Whistler Theatre Project. Todd is excited to be back with the incredible team at CTF. Most recently Todd was seen in his most personal work - his wedding to the beautiful Rebecca.