"Ride the Cyclone is the quintessential modern musical: plenty of black humour tempered by some lovely pathos, and a sweeping survey of 20th-century music" —Andrea Warner, The Georgia Straight [Read more]

"Ride the Cyclone is back and it’s bigger than ever…. The songs are buoyant and the cast enthusiastic enough to make Cyclone more of a celebration of life than a meditation on death" —Erika Thorkelson, The Vancouver Sun [Read more]

"The Cyclone is back and what a ride it is…. There’s more originality and genius in Ride the Cyclone’s 90 minutes than in any half-dozen plays combined that you’re likely to see this year" —Jerry Wasserman, The Province [Read more]

"Stop waiting for the next big thing, because it’s finally here. Ride the Cyclone is not only as good as all the hype, but it’s the most awe-inspiring, truly entertaining, heart-tugging, toe-tapping musical I’ve seen in years" —Richard Ouzounian, Toronto Star [Read More]

"I’ve never been to an opening that’s generated so much excitement…Another pal kept dissolving into tears of joy. Ride the Cyclone deserves this kind of response" —Colin Thomas, The Georgia Straight [Read More]

"A work of pure genius…a finely tuned carnival worthy of any world stage" —Peter Birnie, The Vancouver Sun [Read More]

"One of the strangest, most stylish, and entertaining musicals of recent years…Think Glee (only much smarter) with zombies" —Jerry Wasserman, The Province [Read More]

"Ride The Cyclone is what live theatre is all about: risky, challenging, entertaining, inventive, provocative, funny and wise…Get a ticket to ride this cyclone while it’s still in town. It will make you dizzy with delight" —Jo Ledingham, Vancouver Courier [Read More]

"Cross Glee with a freak show and what do you get? Ride the Cyclone, probably the most uproarious and outrageous piece of musical theatre Canada has ever produced" —J. Kelly Nestruck, The Globe and Mail [Read More]

"Five stars…Not everyone is a “theatre person,” even fewer consider themselves a “musical theatre person,” but really you just have to be a “person” to enjoy this undeniably strange yet completely endearing concert from six deceased choir kids from Uranium, Saskatchewan" —Carly Maga, Torontoist [Read More]

"Imagine Glee with a macabre sensibility and an R rating and you’ll get some inkling of the dark, exhilarating musical comedy Ride the Cyclone. But such comparisons don’t do justice to the wit and imagination of this show" —Martin Morrow, The Grid TO [Read More]

"Sheer theatrical magic…if you can get a ticket, go. Surrendering to Ride the Cyclone is like taking a roller coaster ride, with all the twists, turns and sudden veers into unexpected places" —Drew Rowsome, Fab Magazine [Read More]

"Riotously funny, always surprising and filled with five shows’ worth of great ideas…If your taste inclines toward the weird and wonderful, don’t miss it" —Jon Kaplan, NOW Magazine [Read More]

"Imagine this: you’re nearing the top of a roller coaster, about to go over the edge. That feeling in the pit of your stomach is Ride The Cyclone — a suspenseful, emotional, perilous whirlwind of excitement (with a killer soundtrack)…This soon-to-be cult classic will spin you like a merry-go-round and leave you wanting more" —Theatromania [Read More]

"You simply must go see Ride the Cyclone, the award-winning musical by Victoria’s Atomic Vaudeville that has taken the country by storm" —PINQ, daily gay intelligence [Read More]

 

Audience Comments

"What a terrific and entertaining show—well done. I was disappointed when it ended...."
—Valerie, Surrey

"Great cast—characters were well-developed. Music great. I left smiling and ready to Facebook and tell people to get to this show!"
—Julia

"Really innovative show. The cast are all excellent and the show very slick! Great example of devised theatre and it's great to see something new and not revived. I am sure the show will do very well on tour!"
—Anthony, Vancouver

"Weird and wonderful! The cast was incredible—amazing talent in all of them. I loved it. Great energy"
—Sarah, Vancouver

"WOW! Enjoyed every second and every facet of this, beginning to end. What a marvelous production! I honestly don't really have the words and can't say enough about it. Proud that it was "homegrown" in BC and I'm madly recommending this to people left, right, and centre! Thank you, and congratulations!"
—Kyla, Vancouver

"One of my favourite productions to date. Amazing talent that tells a great story"
—Ashley

"I attended the February 8th performance of Ride the Cyclone. I attended in a wheelchair as I'd been in a car accident a few weeks prior. The staff on site were quick to greet me and my partner and acknowledged me directly, asking whether I wanted to stay in the wheelchair or move to the seat. I was provided the attention I needed and assisted by a friendly usher who helped me stow my crutches beneath my seat before the show. I felt valued as a patron and well taken care of considering my special needs. The show itself was absolutely fantastic and I highly enjoyed it and would see it again in a heartbeat. I commend the Arts Club on such fantastic customer service and attention to detail and will continue to be a patron for many many years to come. I hope to be able to volunteer at some point as well"
—Natalie

"My husband and I attended this play on Sat, Feb 9th. My husband doesn't like musicals; however, he really enjoyed this play! And I as well. We thought it was one of the best plays we've ever seen. The acting, the singing, music, costumes, stage were excellent. We have recommended it. Thank you for an enjoyable afternoon!"
—Suzette, Richmond

"My 13 year old daughter and I saw this unique, highly imaginative musical Saturday night. The voices were awesome, the dialogue and delivery sharp and hysterically funny, the costumes pure delight, and every detail of the set was thoughtful and added to the magic. We left the theatre feeling uplifted which is an amazing feat when you consider that we just spent 90 minutes watching young adults facing their own premature death"
—Julie, Vancouver

"The talent in this show was amazing! The singing was fantastic, and I loved the original script. We were blown away by this production. Very well done!"
—Barb, Coquitlam

"It's a great show, lots of fun, beautifully done! Great singers! We had an amazing evening!"
—Holger

"If this is the new Canadian theatre, bring on a whole lot more. What a brilliant production. Clever, unique story, performed by 6 very talented actor/singers. Thrilled I get to see the show a 2nd time!!"
—Brian, Maple Ridge

"Spectacular voices throughout the cast! The voice of "Jane Doe" has a remarkably unearthly quality. The writing and the songs are uniformly superb, bizarre, hilarious, heart-wrenching, and absurdly brilliant. I had no idea there was such extraordinary singing talent in Canada. Do NOT miss this show!"
—Dale, White Rock

"I now carry gold confetti in my pockets at all times in case I need to throw it on myself or on others at random times. Ride the Cyclone: clever, hilarious, a must-see. These people can sing! And my GOD I want to hire a choreographer to help create MY story now! Loved loved LOVED this production! All the details... the rats' eyes! The voice! The music!! I loved the costumes. Soo well done. Thank you for an amazing theatre experience—inspiring me to act, sing, dance myself... sigh. Brilliant. Thank you!"
—Susanna, Burnaby

"A most enjoyable evening of musical theatre featuring an ensemble of fresh young actors performing in a fast-paced black comedy with wonderfully drawn characters!"
—Gordon, North Vancouver

"Fabulous! Loved it! Beautiful voices and very interesting story. We will tell everyone this is a must see play"
—Susan, Surrey

"This production was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed the presentation. I attended the meet the producers before the show. This helped me to understand this production, and their work a lot better"
—Len, New Westminster

"We loved it! This production was so entertaining, the 90 minutes just flew by! All of the cast members were so talented and captivating. The stage effects and timing were precise, and well orchestrated. One of the best productions we've seen at the Arts Club. Thanks for the entertaining evening!!"
—Lana, Vancouver

"Amazing! See it before it hits Broadway for a long run (and out-of -this-world prices!). Note to (excellent) producers: I am still waiting for the rat to electrocute himself and Karnack—work it in if you can OK?)"
—Fred, Surrey

"This musical was one of the best musicals I've seen. The cast and production are both amazing"
—Kevin, Port Moody

"Broadway Bound! All five of my senses were titillated with raw emotion. This was 90 minutes of oozing talent that left me thoroughly entertained! Brilliant"
—Kathie, Vancouver

"Brilliant! Loved every minute and was delighted to see such a talented young cast on stage and an enthusiastic young audience of school students at the matinee I attended. Thank you Arts Club Theatre Company. The ease of purchasing a ticket, the friendly FOH staff in the theatre, and Bill Millerd sticking his head out of the office as the audience were leaving created a totally satisfied experience. And now the follow up. Good on you!"
—Joanna, Nelson

"This was an excellent, entertaining show. The performers were all good singers and the story was clever and original. The staging was simple, yet effective. This show could go places"
—Patricia, Vancouver

"AMAZING! The laughs never stopped, the characters were well-played, and the time just flew right by! I'd recommend this as a must see musical on the Arts Club lineup!"
—David, Richmond

"11 out of 10!! Fabulous show. Great singing, great characters. Not your average musical—even better!"
—Zoe, Richmond

"This has to be one of the best shows ever seen at Granville Island Stage. We have always been delighted by what we have seen over our years as subscribers but this just blew us away. SUPERB"
—Mary, Vancouver

"A whirlwind tour de force—both thought provoking and full of laughter. Strong voices carry the production from start to finish"
—Robert

"I really enjoy this play for its originality. The acting is excellent and the music is mesmerizing. I will recommend this show to my friends. I will watch it again next year if it comes back to Art Club Theatre Company"
—Linlin

"This show was amazing. I would love to go into detail about the show but, on the off chance someone who hasn't seen it reads this, watching it without knowing exactly what I was in for was the best part. I know we shouldn't trust strangers but trust me buy tickets and go see Ride The Cyclone"
—Chris

"This play was delightful. The talent of the individual characters was amazing. I was sorry when the performance came to an end as I was so enjoying the band and the music and wanting more from the very talented "stars." A great evening"
—Joan, Coquitlam

"A fabulous piece by very professional young people who are not afraid to tackle some thought-provoking and difficult ideas, all the while finding many ways to entertain and delight"
—Sheri, Salt Spring Island

"As a theatregoer, I try to bring my 2 teenaged sons to at least 1 or 2 shows per year (ages 15 and 17). This year we saw The Santaland Diaries (right up their alley), and last night, Ride the Cyclone. Clearly the youngest in the audience, their comments ranged from “interesting,” “that was really good,” to weird,” but they want to come back! For me, I thought it was cleverly written, presented and performed...fantastic. It pulled on many emotions, and I am proud to be part of its birth in B.C."
—Genevieve

"The storyline and twist was quite interesting. Carey Wass has an extremely enjoyable and talented voice—if one can say such a thing. I loved hearing him, as the story teller. The music, the score, the melodies fabulously original. The combination of creative score, haunting melody, and Sarah Jane Pelzer's superb voice and rendition was nothing short of magical. Thank you"
—Celine

"I thought the play was fabulous. There is a medical emergency about halfway through but the staff and cast handled it very professionally and when the play resumed, they didn't skip a beat! I was particularly impressed by the seamless integration of the life stories of the cast members. The singing and choreography were great. Jane Doe's eyes and mannerisms were both eerie and compelling! The humour was a perfect counter to the sad lives of each of the young people. I loved the rats eyes! Karnak was perfect but was one of his eyes supposed to be out?"
—Derek

"! !What a pleasant surprise! ! Great performances by a stellar cast of top material. The audience's reaction underlined what I'm saying. I'd be surprised if it's not extended"
—Martin, Vancouver

"A thrilling ride for the audience as well! Musical theater at its best, with gutsy, emotional role playing, in addition to humor and sensational singing by all. A unique story to make each and everyone ponder their life and how well their time on this earth was spent"
—Daphne, Coquitlam

"I was warned by a friend before seeing this show to "expect the unexpected" –she wouldn't give away whether she actually liked the show or not, so I had no expectations at all. But wow, I can tell you for sure that this show was something else! Incredibly unique—with 7 very different characters (let's include Karnak here), all with incredible, very different voices (LOVED the French prostitute song and Jane Doe in general—creepy!) and incredible harmony. Some parts were a little "other worldly" and I lost touch for a second, but it all came together with a fabulous moral and sensational characterization. Oh, and those black eyes on Jane Doe were freaky!!! Well done, Arts Club—another sensational show!"
—Beck

"I was thrown from a loop de loop thrill ride. Whether it was from the live accompaniment by a traveling band of rats, complete with snare drum. A race of sexual cat people in space to the dream of being a French transvestite prostitute during war times. Numerous transitions done flawlessly without any act breaks. I was compelled to sit at the edge of my seat with my arms in the air holding back any whoos"
—Daryl

Behind the Scenes

Introducing Ride the Cyclone

Jacob Richmond’s Ride the Cyclone rolls its way to a hit

Ride the Cyclone pushes for excellence

Ride the Cyclone opens tonight!

Rides, goats, and other favourite carnival memories

Artistic team

An Atomic Vaudeville production
Presented with the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival
Written by Jacob Richmond
Music and lyrics by Brooke Maxwell and Jacob Richmond
Starring Rielle Braid, Kelly Hudson, Elliott Loran, Jameson Matthew Parker, Sarah Jane Pelzer, Kholby Wardell, Carey Wass
Directors Jacob Richmond and Britt Small
Music Director Brooke Maxwell
Musicians Sebastian Britneff (bass), Kiaran McMillan (guitar), Zack Santella (piano), Andrew Taylor (drums)
Choreography and staging by Treena Stubel
Set Designers James Insell and Hank Pine
Costume Designers Ingrid Hansen and James Insell
Lighting Designer Rebekah Johnson
Sound Designer Brooke Maxwell
Sound Engineer William Porter
Stage Manager Lois Dawson
Transportation Saul Andersen

Downloads

House Programme