★★★★★“a thing of raw and unmissable beauty.” HERALD SCOTLAND

The Belfry closes the season with the incredible multi-award-winning musical, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story.

March 31, 2023

Victoria, BC...From April 18 - May 14, 2023, the Belfry Theatre will present 2b theatre’s Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story by Ben Caplan, Christian Barry, and Hannah Moscovitch. Directed by Christian Barry, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story stars Ben Caplan (The Wanderer), Shaina Silver-Baird (Chaya, violin), Eric Da Costa (Chaim, clarinet & various), Jacques Arsenault (Accordion and keys), and Andy Wiseman (Drumset).

Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story is a tender and delicate tale woven inside a high-energy concert led by the boisterous international Klezmer sensation, Ben Caplan. This musical played for one week during our 2019 SPARK Festival—and that was simply not enough for a show as astounding as this!

“Darkly funny and moving…it’s hard to imagine a more apt time for a production with such a clear moral centre.” THE NEW YORKER

A truly original, captivating, wise and glorious exploration of human resilience and survival. Inspired by the true story of Hannah Moscovitch’s great-grandparents, this triumphant musical has toured internationally, garnering awards across Canada, Australia, and the UK.

★★★★“Richly humorous, wildly entertaining and deeply moving” THE GLOBE & MAIL

Creative Team
Playwright - Hannah Moscovitch
Director - Christian Barry
Songs by Ben Caplan & Christian Barry
Set Design - Louisa Adamson & Christian Barry
Lighting Design - Louisa Adamson & Christian Barry
Sound Design - Jordan Palmer, Graham Scott, Christian Barry & Ben Caplan
Costume Design - Carly Beamish
Assistant Director - Laura Vingoe-Cram
Voice and Speech Coach - Susan Stackhouse
Stage Manager - Jennifer Swan
Apprentice Stage Manager - Carolyn Moon
Production Manager - Louisa Adamson
Sound Engineer - William Fallon
Music Director - Graham Scott
Tour Producer - Rebecca Desmarais

ABOUT 2b
2b theatre company strives to stimulate the mind and awaken the spirit by producing theatre that is innovative and challenging. We create, produce, present, and tour original work nationally and internationally. Our work is part of the evolution of contemporary theatre aesthetics. We are also an incubator, central to a thriving national theatre community, that offers a range of creation, performance, and production opportunities for arts professionals from our region and beyond.

Audience Engagement Events

B4PLAY (In-person + Online)

Saturday, April 15 at 11 am

BMO Studio, 129 Gladstone Avenue

Our live talk show hosted by CBC Radio’s Gregor Craigie and featuring artists from the upcoming show, along with experts from the community, has been designed to provide insight into each Mainstage production.

Guests for the Old Stock B4Play are Ben Caplan (Creator & Performer), Christian Barry (Director & Creator), and Zelda Dean (Managing Artistic Director, Bema Productions).

B4Play is free to attend, ASL Interpreted, live-streamed on Facebook, and available as a podcast on our website.

To reserve free tickets, please call our Box Office at 250-385-6815.

TALKBACK THURSDAY (On Stage)

Thursday, May 4 following the performance

On the third Thursday performance during the run of each show, most (usually all) of the actors return to the stage to answer your questions and provide insight into the play you have just experienced. These Q & A sessions last approximately 20 minutes.

VOCALEYE - Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story

Sunday, May 7 at 2 pm (in-person event followed by a Touch Tour and Social Gathering)

For patrons with low or no vision, we offer one VocalEye performance during most Mainstage productions. Trained Audio Describers provide descriptions of the visual elements of the show, allowing people with low vision to enjoy the theatrical experience without missing any of the details. More information at the Box Office.

Ticket Information

We are offering Pay What You Want tickets for all performances this season. Tickets are available at 250-385-6815 or online at tickets.belfry.bc.ca.

While masks and proof of vaccination are no longer mandatory, we strongly encourage all audience members to wear masks and take all publicly recommended health precautions.

Show Sponsors

Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story is generously sponsored by Peninsula Co-op and Used.ca.

Season Sponsors

The Belfry is generously supported by The Times Colonist and Helijet.

Public Funders

The Belfry is funded by the Canada Council for the Arts, Canadian Heritage, the Province of BC, BC Arts Council, CRD Arts Development and the City of Victoria.

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