When Les and I moved to Comox in the summer of 2006, there was a grand piano in the church. It was removed to my surprise, later in the year: it was being ‘stored’ there, and had only been lent to the church. So we started looking into buying a grand piano. In 2010, Merrilee Cameron and a committee planned a Silent Auction fundraiser that was held at the Best Western Hotel and I gathered a group to perform at the event.
They sang a shortened version of the musical revue, I LOVE A PIANO. Encouraged by Ross Griffith-Cochrane, I contacted some choir members from the church, adding Jackie Lambeth as the “star” as well as a few singers from the community. It was a great success - after all the initial “nerves” with many performing on stage for the first time!
Through the efforts of the Silent Auction, money was raised to buy the Baldwin grand piano that we have been using all these years. It has served us so well. I believe that it cost $10,000 at the time. It was a ‘used’ piano from UVic. Now, due to the aging piano, the pins [which hold the strings in tune], are loosening. The piano needs to be replaced.
There was serendipity involved in the musical revue presented at the silent auction. After I LOVE A PIANO, we were inspired to form the Beach Street Players. In 2011, we presented our first original musical revue at the Florence Filberg Centre as a Musical Dinner theatre. In 2018, Beach Street Players moved to Comox United Church. Over those 16 years, BSP has given back more than $275,000 to the community, with Comox United Church receiving money each year.
There was serendipity involved in taking such an ambitious step, leading to remarkable and unexpected outcomes.
In 2027, the Beach Street Players will present another fund-raising musical revue: SORRY, I’M A CANADIAN, EH! on June 4, 5, 6, 11, 12. See the full list of shows at the bottom of this article.
Beach Street Players shows 2011 to 2027
- 2011MY HEART IS OVER THERE [WW2]
- 2012THE BEST LITTLE SHOW IN THE WEST
- 2013A REALLY BIG TUMBLEWEED SHOW
- 2014STRUTTIN AT THE SPEAKEASY: [Roaring 20’s]
- 2015THROUGH THE STAGE DOOR
- 2016MEET ME AT THE JUKEBOX DINER [Rock and Roll]
- 2017THE BEAT GOES ON
- 2018BOPPIN WITH THE BEACH STREET PLAYERS
- 2019MAD ABOUT MUSIC
- 2020MY HEART IS OVER THERE [WW2 show redone]
- 2021COVID ..no show
- 2022THIS HOUR HAS 22 SONGS: [Covid and Canada]
- 2023SOUND TRACK OF OUR LIVES
- 2024STOP THE WORLD AND START THE MUSIC
- 2025NOW THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT
- 2026THE WORLD NEEDS A SONG
- 2027UPCOMING BEACH STREET SHOW: * SORRY, I’M A CANADIAN, EH!: June 4, 5, 6, 11, 12. (featuring the new Yamaha C7 Grand Piano)