Hey Viola! Viola Desmond: The Soundtrack of a Life - Performing Arts Trail

The Trail & District Arts Council presents Hey Viola! a musical exploration of Canadian Civil Rights hero, Viola Desmond, as part of the Performing Arts Trail series, on Friday, October 13 at 7:30 pm in The Bailey Theatre.

In Hey Viola! Vancouver songstress and actor Krystle Dos Santos, whose extraordinary commanding, powerful and rich voice, brings to life Viola Desmond by using a dynamic and inspirational live musical soundtrack from the 1930s to 1960s. With the support of musicians Chris Davis, Steven Charles and Jen Lewin, Krystal explores the many facets of this incredible woman through stories and song in a jazz-style cabaret.

Hey Viola! could not be more relevant in this time of Civil Rights, Black Lives Matter, and Women’s Rights movements. As the newest face on Canada’s ten-dollar bill, Viola Desmond's life is an important Canadian story. This multi-faceted person is brought to life through an interactive conversation with the audience. Best known for her courage to stand up to systemic racial injustices in Canada when she refused to leave the whites-only section of Nova Scotia’s Roseland cinema in 1946, she was also a feminist and successful businesswoman as a beauty product icon.

Teaming up to create this work are two immense talents: Tracey Power and Krystle Dos Santos. Tracey Powers, who created Glory, Chelsea Hotel, The Songs of Leonard Cohen and the musical Miss Shakespeare is the co-creator and director. Working with her is Krystle Dos Santos, 2x Western Canadian Music Award winning soul, jazz and R&B singer based out of Vancouver, Canada. With an extraordinary actor, blues, jazz and soul singer and creator of BLAK, exploring Canada’s Black history.

“I feel so honoured to be able to continue to share Viola’s story, now more than ever as we continue to make our way through a time when perspective and togetherness is so important,” stated Krystle Dos Santos. “Viola was such an incredibly driven, intelligent, and strong woman. Her story is an important message to share … audiences really open up to her experience and feel a connection to her as a person through this production.”

The show features iconic songs, including: I Don’t Want to Set the World on Fire, Dream A Little Dream, This Train, On the Sunny Side of the Street, Tomorrow is my Turn, A Kiss to Build a Dream On, A Change is Gonna Come, Sinnerman, Trouble In Mind, Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood, Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around, Smile, Feeling Good, Mississippi Goddam, and I Wish I Knew How It would Feel to be Free.

Watch the trailer https://youtu.be/WdxI3N70pgI .

“Hey Viola! gives us a surprisingly in-depth portrait of an extraordinary woman, a pioneering Canadian entrepreneur and reluctant civil rights hero and martyr…first-rate entertainment, a story of hard-earned hope generously told with artistry and class.” – Vancouver Sun

"Raw, genuine, and emotional"- Broadway World

90 min - no intermission.

Photo by Murray Mitchell.

Single tickets are $30. Under 30 years is $10.

6-show pass $164 or Pick Your Own season by becoming a Patron Member for $25 and get 20% off Trail Arts Council presentations and other benefits. All tickets available online at thebailey.ca, by phone at 250-368-9669, and in person at the Bailey Box Office at 1501 Cedar Ave., Trail.

Hey Viola is made possible thanks to the support of our sponsors The Best Western Plus Columbia River Hotel, Century 21 Kootenay Homes (2018) Ltd., Pharmasave Trail, Teck Trail Operations, and Tourism South Kootenay and our funders the BC Arts Council, BC Touring Council, and the Government of Canada. We also gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia.

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