Loud, colourful, sassy, unpredictable and full of heart.
Those adjectives have been used to describe Vancouver’s iconic Elbow Room Café – and now they’re also applying to a new musical that pays tribute to the Davie Street institution.
Elbow Room Café: The Musical is set to run at the York Theatre in Vancouver from March 1 to 12, and a New Westminster actor is one of its stars.
David M. Adams appears as Bryan, one half of the couple who owns the eatery. The other half, Patrice, is portrayed by Allan Zinyk.
The real-life couple has run the café since 1983, growing a reputation for offering a sassy, fun and sarcastic atmosphere along with its brunch food.
“Bryan and Patrice have been the heart and soul of this restaurant that has become a refuge and a safe place for people of all backgrounds,” says a write-up about the show.
Their story inspired playwright Dave Deveau and his husband, director Cameron Mackenzie – who came to develop a close relationship with the two and to think of them as their “gay grandfathers.”
“The relationship that Cameron and I have with the actual Patrice and Bryan, who own The Elbow Room Café, is pretty exceptional – a cross-generational friendship that spawned a big gay musical,” Deveau says.
Patrice and Bryan’s story anchors an eclectic cast of “misfits, drag queens and the perpetually hung over,” as the release says.
The show is on March 1 at 8 p.m. in preview, with opening night at 8 p.m. on March 2. It’s on at the York Theatre, 639 Commercial Dr., until March 12.
See www.thecultch.com for details.
IN A NUTSHELL
What: Elbow Room Café: The Musical, presented by Zee Zee Theatre Company and the Cultch
Where: York Theatre, 639 Commercial Dr., Vancouver
When: March 1 to 12. Shows at 8 p.m. March 1 (preview), March 2 to 4 and March 7 to 11, with 2 p.m. shows on March 4, 5, 11 and 12.
Tickets: Prices start at $20. See tickets.thecultch.com or call 604-251-1363.
Extra: Enjoy a post-show Q&A session after the 8 p.m. shows on March 3 and 7 and the 2 p.m. show on March 5.
