Contributed
After a very successful debut in April 2018 and multiple subsequent performances throughout the West Kootenay region, “An Unconventional Life”, an inspiring musical drama about a young Jewish woman who challenges the status quo, is returning to the stage for a limited East Kootenay tour in April 2023.
The concept for this show originated when Nelson soprano Noémi Kiss asked Kaslo thespian Lynn van Deursen if she could create a theatrical narrative that would link the songs from the movie Yentl (starring Barbra Streisand with music by Michel Legrand) which was adapted from the book The Yeshiva Boy (1962).
Imagine a time when girls were denied a formal education. When they were supposed to stay home, learn the skills of a home maker, get married and raise a family. Imagine if a young girl wanted more for herself. “An Unconventional Life” is the story about such a girl.
Written as if speaking to a young graduating class, they tell her story with spoken word and song. The play examines gender inequality and what it means to challenge boundaries set by society; and one young woman’s journey to find her way in a male dominated world without losing herself.
With financial support from Columbia Basin Trust (CBT) and the Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance (CKCA), Noémi and Lynn are excited to bring “An Unconventional Life” to a wider audience.
Crawford Bay - Sunday, April 16 @ 4 pm - Harrison Memorial Cultural Centre; Fernie - Friday, April 21 @ 7 pm - The Arts Station; Kimberley - Saturday, April 22 @ 8 pm - Centre 64