A special edition of a storytelling series from Vancouver is making its debut in Richmond for Lunar New Year.
On Feb. 10, community members can dive into an intimate night of personal stories about family and new beginnings told by a diverse group of storytellers.
The Flame: Lunar New Year Edition is a one-night-only event starring award-winning actor and co-creator Deborah Williams, Once Upon a Time actress Beverley Elliott, as well as local storytellers including retired elementary school teacher Wong Wing-Siu, queer multidisciplinary theatre artist Sarvin Esmaeili and sound designer Samantha Sun.
The stories will be told in English with occasional dialogue and songs in the storytellers' mother tongue, with live music by award-winning singer-songwriter Darling Sparrows.
The Flame, now in its 15th season, began in 2009 as a group of 20 people sharing their personal stories. The first event was held in Williams and Bruce Kennedys' eastside Vancouver living room, who founded the event with co-founder Joel Wirkkunen.
"We are thrilled to bring The Flame to Richmond for the very first time. This event has become a cultural phenomenon, celebrating the richness of human experience through the art of storytelling," said Barbara Tomasic, executive artistic director of Gateway Theatre.
"Storytelling is a fundamental part of being human and allows us to gain a deeper connection to others and build understanding. With the diverse line-up of storytellers, audiences are in for a special evening, immersed in moving, real-life stories and heartfelt moments.”
The Flame: Lunar New Year is taking place at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 10. Tickets are $25 per person. To find out more about the storytellers and to purchase tickets, visit the Gateway Theatre website.
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