The Law Show is an annual variety show organized by the University of Alberta's law students, and this year marks the 19th year of the show. Law Show 2014, Alawddin, is scheduled for February 7 and 8, 2014, at the Myer Horowitz Theatre.
In Law Show 2014 the audience will follow our hero Alawddin and his faithful monkey friend Abu, as they accidentally discover the resident of the mysterious and magical BlackBerry (that's right, you read that correctly!). Alawddin develops a relationship with the Genie within and uses his wishes to chase the affections of Jasmine and the life he so desperately wants. But the evil Jafar has his own plans for the lamp (I mean BlackBerry), and Alawddin and Jasmine must now rely on their intelligence to beat him. Will the two save their friends and the world of law as we know it? Will Alawddin win the heart of fair Jasmine?
The purpose of the Law Show is to take a humorous look at the law school experience and the legal profession in general. It provides an opportunity for law students to showcase their considerable acting, dancing, musical and vocal talent. Law Show is one of the main institutions that sets the University of Alberta's Law School apart from others. Students, faculty, and staff collaborate in staging a musical production, with all net proceeds benefiting a local charity chosen by the student body. In addition to the excitement in the theater, the law students host a gala and a silent auction, during the intermission on both performance nights, featuring items and services donated by many local businesses. This event is not only for law student, everyone is welcome and encouraged to come out and support the law students, help raise funds for a local charity, and to be entertained by this fun-filled show. Since its inception in 1996, the Law Show has donated more than $250,000 - $300,000 to various charities.
Law Show 2014 has enlisted the assistance of more than 180 students and over 10 faculty and staff, who are working as performers, writers and organizers. The sheer number of volunteers involved in Law Show illustrates the tremendous student spirit and camaraderie that is the hallmark of the University of Alberta Law School.
Each year Law Show relies on the help of law firms and businesses to cover the operating expenses of the show production. This sponsorship allows all of the Law Show's revenues to be directed to the selected charity. This year marks the third, and final, year of Law Show's charitable commitment to the Zebra Child Protection Centre. Edmonton's Zebra Child Protection Centre, the first centre of its kind in Canada, enables our community to respond to child abuse with a professional, compassionate and highly integrated program of healing and justice. In both spirit and amenities, Zebra is a child-centred service, from its playroom, children's art and homemade blankets through its timely support services and its effective and rigorous approach to investigations. http://zebracentre.ca/
The Law Show has raised approximately $60,000 in the last two years and hopes to reach a total of $100,000 by the end of this their third year with Zebra. In addition to the actual show, this year the Law Show organizers are pleased to announce a raffle for a Westjet round trip for two to anywhere that WestJet flies! Raffle tickets are 1/$10 or 2/$15, and will be sold during pre-sale and on the day of the event. All proceeds will be donated directly to the Zebra Centre. Please come out to support the Law Show and contribute to a very worthy cause! The Law Show organizers and participants look forward to entertaining you with this high energy, fun-filled show.
The Law Show would like to thank their sponsors for their generous and kind support: Duncan Craig LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP, Bennett Jones, Field Law, Norton Rose Fulbright, Brownlee LLP, the University of Alberta Alumni & Friends of the Faculty of Law Association, and Westjet.
2014 Law Show Details:
SHOWS: Friday, February 7th 7pm, and Saturday, February 8th. Doors open at 6:30pm and the curtains will be drawn at 7:00pm.
Venue: Myer Horowitz Theatre, SUB, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta
Ticket Sales: 12pm - 2 pm at the Couches from January 28 - February 8. Tickets will be available at the door, although tickets for Saturday will be limited at the door. Law Show Tickets & Information please email: lawshow@ualberta.ca
Price: Tickets will be sold for $20 each. Friday seating is general admission, and Saturday is assigned seating. Tickets can still be bought from 12:00pm - 1:00pm at the Couches (Faculty of Law building) on Thursday February 6th. Tickets can be picked up at this time. Alternately, the Law Show will be running a will call service on the days of the event. If still available, a limited number of tickets will be available at the door. Alternate arrangements can be made by emailing Mike Corbett at macorbet@ualberta.ca.
Raffle: This year, the Law Show organizers are also pleased to announce a raffle for a Westjet round trip for two to anywhere that WestJet flies! Raffle tickets are 1/$10 or 2/$15, and will be sold during pre-sale and on the day of the event. All proceeds will be donated directly to the Zebra Centre.
INTERVIEW WITH
ADEEL MULLA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND MEGAN KHEONG, PRODUCER,
OF THE 2014 LAW SHOW 'ALAWDDIN':
1. For those who have never heard of it before can you explain what the Law Show is and a little about its history?
Law Show is a musical production, an institution at the University of Alberta Faculty of Law, and is the only show of its kind among Canadian Law Schools. The entire show is created and assembled in-house, and is something all of us are extremely proud of. In fact, upper-year students have been busy drafting scripts, composing lyrics, arranging musical scores, and choreographing dance routines since last summer. By now, rehearsals are fully under way, and our singers, dancers, actors and musicians are working hard to put together one heck of a show.
This year marks the 19th year of Law Show, and the final year of our three-year partnership with Edmonton's Zebra Child Protection Centre. The Zebra Centre works to improve the lives of children who have suffered abuse in our community. Since 2002, they have worked with kids and their families as they struggle through the criminal justice system, tailoring their approach and remaining responsive to the unique needs of each child under their care.
Students, faculty, and staff all collaborate together in putting on the show, and it could not be done without the additional support from the legal community in Edmonton and our donors. The relationships we have formed with everyone in this network over the years is something we are all very proud of and grateful for. Please continue to help support Law Show and our worthy cause by sponsoring and attending the show, and by being involved in our silent auction.
2. Can you tell me a little about this year's Law Show, 'Alawddin'? Where did you get the idea from to choose this as an inspiration for the 2014 Law Show?
The Disney classic has been a favourite of mine since I was a child, and the idea just came to me while a few of us were backstage discussing ideas last year. The last few years, the directors of Law Show have gone with themes that have a single, well-known story to use as a backdrop for all the law puns we like to deliver to our audience. One thing that helps make Law Show easier to write (considering all the other random characters and pop culture references we like to throw into the mix) is the presence of magic and fantasy in the basic storyline, which Aladdin and Alawddin have in abundance. Everyone seemed excited at the idea of having fancy costumes, Arabian-themed song/dance numbers, and parodying something from our childhood. The choice was easy really, and we think it turned out pretty well.
3. What should the audience expect this year from the 2014 Law Show?
The whole gamut - acting, singing, and dancing. The band is absolutely phenomenal this year, and we've got some very catchy tunes. The dancers have choreographed some amazing dances. I believe that this year outshines every other year in terms of the number of 'lifts.' It's also always enjoyable (read: hilarious) to see members of the student body transform into monkeys, flying carpets and the like. Overall, the audience can expect a whole lot of laughter and fun.
4. When do preparations for the Law Show begin? Talk me through the different steps/process that each of you go through, from the production side to the theatrical side, to get this show to the stage and ready for a live audience?
Preparations for Law Show begin as soon as the curtain closes from the show prior! The executive is chosen, the Myer Horowitz Theatre is booked and ideas for next year's theme are thrown around before school even ends. During the summer, the script is written. In September, volunteer recruitment is held. Formal practices start in early October, and are held every Sunday up until exams hit in December. When the winter semester arrives, rehearsals are more intensive and, for the two weeks prior to the show, are held daily, usually for upwards of 3 hours a day!
The production executive works hard for the whole of the school year as well. September and October are consumed primarily with promoting sponsorship for the show. Silent auction donation recruitment also begins fairly early one. As the show grows nearer, plans for ticket sales and media promotion commence. The social convenors also begin their preparations for the cast t-shirts and the cast party. The final weeks before the show are a hive of activity as the posters are hung, the tickets sold, and the silent auction and theatre are set up and decorated.
5. What audience are you aiming the show at?
Given Law Students' particular love for puns and legalese, the Law Show is primarily directed towards law students, law faculty and the law alumni. However, a large portion of our audience is also characteristically filled with supportive family members and friends. Overall though, the show contains enough general humour to be entertaining to any viewer, and we welcome anyone interested! So Edmonton please purchase tickets and come and see an entertaining show while at the same time supporting the Zebra Centre, a very worthy charity.
6. Any teasers for the show that you can give us to whet the theatrical appetite of the reader to entice them to come to the show?
We have tried very hard this year to have all aspects of the show fit together in one magical piece. The songs fit the progression of the story, the lyrics are based on what's happening in the show, and the videos all have an appropriate place in the overall production. This is something we felt was very important, and I hope it shows. We also made a few changes in the visual presentation of the music numbers in general, and we hope it makes a difference not only for the cast on stage, but in the overall visual appeal for the audience - we know that most of you come out to support us as friends and family, we want to give you as much bang for your buck as possible.
7. Can you tell us anything about which faculty are involved in the show this year? Any surprise appearances that you can give us some hints about?
For the fourth year in a row, Dean Philip Bryden will be making an acting appearance in the show. It is a privilege to have him participate in our event, and we're thrilled that it is becoming a tradition. However, this year the Dean has a role in the show and will not just be playing himself. But we're going to keep the specifics a secret - you'll have to attend the show to find out!
8. What are the challenges and/or high points for you with a show like Law Show, in particular with 'Alawddin'?
Megan: I suppose that the biggest challenge is coordinating between all of the various directors and committees. There are many individuals who are responsible for one particular section of the show - not just acting, singing, dancing and the band, but also silent auction, marketing, media and promotions, etc. The Director and Producer have the difficult task of ensuring that the overarching vision is achieved. By the same token, the high point is witnessing the show come together. My very favourite part of Law Show is probably the final dress rehearsal on the Friday morning, when we can finally see the show as a coherent whole. The run through is done complete with lights and costumes, the theatre is decorated for the upcoming evening, and the excitement and anticipation in the air is intoxicating.
Adeel: I'll just reiterate what Megan has said, since she's bang-on about both. The biggest challenge is coordinating between everyone's expectations of the show and making sure we put forth the greatest representation of what we as a team want Alawddin to look like on stage. We want to do right by everyone - the audience, the volunteers, the sponsors, the faculty, and the charity. The high point is the two weeks leading up to the show, as all the different portions of the show start to come together and we all get to see what everyone's been working on all this time. New friends are made, the team as a whole becomes more and more cohesive, and a great time is had by all. It all builds and builds until the day of the big show…and the experience is one we'll never forget.
9. What are your main hopes for the show on February 8th and 9th?
Right now, we're both just very hopeful that everything comes together for the nights of the show! The two weeks just prior are always chaotic, and one of the most exciting things as Producer and Director is, as we said above, to watch all the pieces fall into place. We're also very hopeful that we exceed our previous years' donations to the Zebra Centre. It is a privilege to contribute to this organization, and we're hopeful that we can maximize the amount that we're able to donate.
10. Can you tell me a little about the cause that the show is supporting this year, the Zebra Child Protection Centre?
The Zebra Centre is an organization that brings together professional groups with the aim of protecting the interests and well-being of abused children throughout their experience with the criminal justice system. They work with organizations such as Edmonton Police Services, Alberta Children's Services, the Crown, child and family advocates, as well as others, to create a collaborative approach to investigate child abuse claims, protect the victims' rights, and advocate on behalf of the child and their caregivers. The goal is to simplify the process to focus on the best interests of the child and focus on healing and rebuilding. It is an important and necessary organization, which we are happy to support.
11. Is there anything else you would like to share regarding the 2014 Law Show, 'Alawddin'?
The show is on February 7th and 8th at the Myer Horowitz Theatre in the Student Union Building (University of Alberta). Doors open at 6:30pm and the curtains will be drawn at 7:00pm. Tickets will be sold for $20. Friday seating is general admission, and the Saturday is assigned seating. For Law Show Tickets & Information you can email: lawshow@ualberta.ca.
Ticket Sales will be held from 12-1pm at the Couches in the Faculty of Law building. Tickets can be picked up at this time. Alternately, we will be running a will call service on the days of the event. If still available, a limited number of tickets will be available at the door. Alternate arrangements can be made by emailing Mike Corbett at macorbet@ualberta.ca.
This year, we are also pleased to announce a raffle for a Westjet round trip for two to anywhere that WestJet flies! Tickets are 1/$10 or 2/$15, and will be sold during pre-sale and on the day of the event. As is our way, all proceeds will be donated directly to the Zebra Centre. Please come out to support your fellow classmates and contribute to a very worthy cause! We look forward to seeing your bright and shiny faces in the audience.
