Between January 31 and February 6, 2022, the Sunset Theatre is thrilled to be hosting Theatre Artists, Amy Lee Newman (Playwright & Performer), and Jim Hodgkinson (Musician/Composer).
Meadows of Stone (working title) is part of our 2020/2021 Exploration Series, which was delayed by one year due to the Covid19 Public Health Orders. After much patience, Amy & Jim finally arrive in Wells to spend a week working on the development of this brand new play.
The Exploration Series was created in 2006 by Sunset Theatre Artistic Director, Karen Jeffery, to provide a space and place for Canadian Theatre Artists to create new work. For the past few years, this program has been generously funded by the BC Arts Council’s Project Grant program, and we are thrilled that in Fall 2021 we confirmed that the Canada Council for the Arts is supporting our 2021/22 Exploration Series through the Research & Creation Grant program.
Synopsis for Meadows of Stone
Meadows of Stone is a new musical theatre work in development by Amy Newman and Jim Hodgkinson. It’s the story of a World War One Volunteer Aid Detachment Nurse who makes her way to the front lines to try and find her brother, who is a soldier missing in action. Along her travels, she meets a Band Master who is in charge of keeping up morale for the troops.
AMY LEE NEWMAN • Playwright/Performer
Amy has been on stage since the age of 5, thanks to her parents who were professional musicians, songwriters and theatre producers. In more recent years, she was a co-producer, playwright and performer at Barkerville’s Theatre Royal, bringing stories and songs of the BC Gold Rush to thousands of tourists every season. After 18 years at Barkerville, Amy now works as a freelancer in Vancouver.
One of Amy’s dream roles was that of ‘Mrs. Bennet’ in Chemainus Theatre’s acclaimed production of “Pride & Prejudice”. Other favourite shows over the years include “Steel Magnolias”, “Gypsy”, “Bye Bye Birdie”, and “Much Ado About Nothing”. A feature of the holiday season in the Lower Mainland is Amy’s a cappella caroling quartet, The Christmas Revelers, which has been entertaining clients throughout the region for over 20 years.
Over the pandemic, Amy has gone back to class, studying Voice Over at On The Mic Training, as well as film acting techniques with noted coach, Gina Chiarelli.
Other projects including scriptwriting and narrating on numerous videos related to the Gold Rush. Amy is also working with New Pathways to Gold Society, writing an online guide to the Cariboo Wagon Road as part of their restoration project.
Amy is over the moon to be part of the Sunset Theatre’s Exploration Series, along with her composer/collaborator, Jim Hodgkinson and her partner/filmmaker, Richard Wright. The Sunset Theatre’s support of new work is a beacon and is such a boon to artists during this challenging time. Thanks to the whole team for creating such a welcoming space for us to create our new musical, “Meadows of Stone”.
JIM HODGKINSON • Musician/Composer
Pianist Jim Hodgkinson toured internationally with jazz vibraphonist Ted Piltzecker, appearing as duo guest artists with orchestras, in recordings for NPR and CBC radio, and at Carnegie Recital Hall, New York. As a soloist, Jim performed at the official opening of Canada’s modern Embassy to the United States in Washington. Accompanist/show credits include Saturday Night Fever (Broadway National), Jesus Christ Superstar (Stratford Festival), Vera Lynn, Richard Margison and Cynthia Dale.
Jim wrote music for Little Women (Chemainus Theatre) and Lucia Frangione’s Leave of Absence (Talon Books.) Upcoming projects include arrangements for Drayton Entertainment’s We’ll Meet Again, by Artistic Director Alex Mustakas.