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“You can always get a ride to rehearsal,” quipped Richmond’s Sarah Sum, who, along with mom Linda Leong Sum, is performing in Heathers: The Musical at the Waterfront Theatre on Granville Island for the month of August.
“Actually we’re pretty close, generally, so it’s not all about the rides,” added Sarah.
This is not the first time they’ve had a family experience on stage. The first opportunity came in 2003 when Linda, Sarah and another daughter, Amanda, were in the cast of The King and I at Gateway Theatre.
“That was fabulous,” said Linda. “It was fun to see the kids perform on stage, and a bonus to actually be up there with them.
“The irony of the whole situation is that one of the other kids from Richmond in Heathers (David Z. Cohen), who plays J.D., was also one of the royal kids in The King and I. So, we’ve kinda come full circle.”
Other Richmond residents in Heathers: The Musical include Annastasia Unger and Ryan Lino.
Linda started her career on stage with high school productions at Churchill secondary in South Vancouver where she graduated in 1981. From there she went on to use her singing talent with a number of charitable groups and eventually got back into theatre.
“I just loved it so much that I continued,” she said, adding getting to be in the same cast as her kids was not a prime consideration when auditioning for parts.
“I didn’t really think about it too much because we started doing shows when they were really small; I think Sarah was seven at the time. And after that they were doing their own thing — they are really passionate about music and theatre. So, I just enjoyed watching them.”
But when the opportunity to try out for Heathers: The Musical, there was always the chance mother and daughter could share the spotlight.
“This was a good show for the both of us to audition for because our ages worked out,” Linda said. “It’s in a high school and I play a teacher, Miss Fleming, and Sarah plays one of the high school students in the ensemble.”
“I am the young ‘republicanette,’” said Sarah who is a Magee secondary grad and is now studying classical voice at UBC’s school of music.
“The show is set in the 80s and I’m supposed to be a former hippy who’s become a high school teacher, well meaning, but oblivious to what’s going on in the school and what the students are actually doing,” Linda said. “She’s really earnest about wanting to help the kids, but not that clued in.”
The story from the cult 1980s film follows the mysterious deaths of high school students belonging to an elite clique, known as the Heathers.
With a busy schedule that started in late June with three rehearsals a week, the long road to opening is eagerly anticipated.
“We have a 16-show run, so it’s quite demanding, but since we share the stage with another production, we have every other day off,” Linda said, adding the unity of the cast is a great help, especially when your daughter is part of it.
“Sarah’s a great help to me,” Lind said. “Her musical abilities are fantastic. It’s good for me to hear her sing on stage.
“Plus, I think everyone on stage in a show like this, you grow to be fairly close,” she added. “You’re rehearsing a lot together for about two months, and when you’re all on stage you have to support each other, regardless what your relationship is off the stage.”
Heathers: The Musical opens Aug. 2 and runs until Aug. 26. Preview performances are on July 28 and 30. It alternates with the production of Green Day’s American Idiot. All shows are at the Waterfront Theatre (1412 Cartwright Street) on Granville Island. For more information, visit online FightingChanceProductions.ca.
