The Cultch announces Stupid F*cking Bird, coming April 12-23

A cheeky and contemporary retelling of Chekhov’s classic
comes to The Cultch’s Historic Theatre this spring!

The Cultch is thrilled to present The Search Party’s production of Aaron Posner’s Stupid F*cking Bird, at the Historic Theatre, April 12 – 23, 2023.

Sort of adapted from Chekhov’s The Seagull, Posner’s retelling of the comedic tragedy retains much of the twisted dark humour of Chekhov’s original—complete with complicated love triangles and the titular dead gull—while introducing a modern and North American sensibility to the 1895 masterpiece. With original songs, live music, and irreverent wit this multi-generational tale of unrequited love, missed opportunities, and lost dreams is bitingly contemporary; revealing the danger in our own desires and the eternal (and elusive) pursuit of happiness.

Multi-award-winning American playwright Aaron Posner is known for his reimagined contemporizations of classic plays. In 2013 Stupid Fucking Bird premiered at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Washington, DC. Since then it has gone on to be one of this decade’s most popular American plays with over 150 productions worldwide.

The Search Party is the perfect company to bring this metatheatrical play to Vancouver audiences. Since their initial production in 2019 (Florian Zeller’s The Father), they have steadily gained fans and accolades, winning ten Jessie Richardson Awards since their formation, including Best Production for both The Father (2019) and Hannah Moscovitch’s Bunny (2022). Like these past hits, Stupid F*cking Bird will be directed by Mindy Parfitt, The Search Party’s founder and Artistic Director, and will feature performances by a host of Vancouver’s finest actors—in this case, Kerry Sandomirsky, Kevin McNulty, Nathan Kay, Baraka Rahmani, Jesse Lipscombe, Emma Slipp, and Anton Lipovetsky (also the Musical Director).

WHEN: April 12-23, 2023

APR 12, 13: 7:30 PM – Preview

APR 14: 7:30 PM – Opening

APR 15, 18–22: 7:30 PM

APR 15–16, 22: 2:00 PM

APR 23: 2:00 PM – VocalEye Performance

WHERE: Historic Theatre, 1895 Venables St., Vancouver, BC.

TICKETS: Tickets from $25. Single tickets are on sale now through The Cultch’s Box Office: 604-251-1363 or thecultch.com/event/stupid-fcking-bird

“I’ve found that the questions that [Posner] is asking in Stupid F*cking Bird have become more and more relevant,” says Parfitt. “We are asking ourselves as theatre artists what is the significance of what we are doing? And how is that important? And how are we engaging with one another?” With their production of Stupid F*cking Bird at The Cultch this spring, Parfitt, alongside the cast and designers will dive into those questions head-on.

“Aaron Posner’s irreverent adaptation of Chekhov’s “The Seagull” features modern dress, much direct address, and—as you might surmise from its title—more cussing than usual.”
— The New Yorker

“…a refreshing splash of cool water on dry, well-trod terrain…Stupid Fucking Bird is what you get from a writer who not only adores the material he’s adapting, but understands it precisely.”
— DCist

“You don’t have to know The Seagull to appreciate the liberties Posner has taken with it, but even if you do know Chekhov’s play, you’re bound to be surprised and delighted.”
— DC Theatre Arts

Director: Mindy Parfitt
Playwright: Aaron Posner
Original Music by James Sugg

Cast:
Kerry Sandomirsky as Emma
Kevin McNulty as Sorn
Nathan Kay as Con
Baraka Rahmani as Nina
Jesse Lipscombe as Trig
Emma Slipp as Mash
Anton Lipovetsky as Dev

Creative Team:
Amir Ofek: Set
Itai Erdal: Lights
Anton Lipovetsky: Musical Direction
Jessica Oostergo: Costumes
Rebecca Mulvihill: Stage Manager
Owen Belton: Sound Designer
Principal Intimacy: Intimacy Directors

ABOUT THE SEARCH PARTY:
The Search Party is committed to bringing emotionally powerful and aesthetically rigorous productions to Vancouver’s intimate stages. A text-based theatre with a decidedly modern appeal, the company seeks out stories that explore the intricacies and contradictions in our human connections and experiences.

The Search Party debuted in 2019 with Florian Zeller’s The Father. The production was listed as one of the season’s standout shows in numerous publications. The company’s second offering was the world premiere of Canadian playwright Michele Riml’s The Amaryllis, a co-production with The Firehall Arts Centre in November 2020. The Search Party’s third production was Hannah Moscovitch’s Bunny, which was programmed as part of The Cultch’s Femme Festival in March 2022.

The company has been nominated for 16 Jessie Richardson Awards in the past two years. Their productions have won 10 awards including Best Productions for both years.

ABOUT THE CULTCH:
Since 1973, The Cultch (formally the Vancouver East Cultural Centre) has been one of Vancouver’s most diverse and innovative arts and cultural hubs. The organisation operates three theatrical venues, a gallery, various ancillary spaces in the heart of East Vancouver, as well as our RE/PLAY digital platform that reaches international audiences. The Cultch offers dynamic contemporary programming in theatre, dance, music, and the visual arts, bringing world-class cultural presentations to thousands of citizens each year through its own programming and through providing rental opportunities for community users. Our purpose is to provide a venue for performance that serves a diverse and engaged public and provides space for artistic experimentation and development, building an audience for local companies and presenting cutting-edge national and international work.

Image credit: Jessica Oostergo