Surrey Now – ‘Math Out Loud’ for Teens

A show calculated to turn teens on to math is coming to Surrey this fall.

Surrey Arts Centre will be a stage for Math Out Loud performances from Oct. 23 to 29, for both school students and the general public, as part of a regional tour.

The 75-minute show brings math to life through music, dance and storytelling, with the hope of inspiring teenagers to consider the importance of math in their lives.

Math Out Loud show will tour three cities in B.C., with weekday performances for high schools and weekend matinees for the general public, including Oct. 27-28 at Surrey Arts Centre. The production will also be staged at Norman Rothstein Theatre in Vancouver and Charlie White Theatre in Sidney.  The multi-media production uses comedy and original music to tell the story of two teenagers, Damon and Kelly, who encounter each other in a dream. Guided by the ‘Wizard of Odds,’ they meet some of history’s greatest figures and math geniuses. Throughout the ‘Mathical Mystery Tour,’ the often-daunting subject is “transformed into an amusing and inspiring journey.”

Math Out Loud is written and directed by Vancouver actor and playwright Mackenzie Gray, who has been in more than 120 films and television shows. He says he was thrilled when asked to write a play that makes math fun, engaging, informative and relevant.

“This production combines the best of both worlds,” Gray said. “From an original score to flash animation, this is a multimedia production that takes the audience on an exciting ride the minute it starts. Not only will the teens be turned on by math, but they’ll embrace it and get excited about it. They’ll also leave with a better understanding of how math plays a part in everything they do.”

Math Out Loud is part of an educational outreach program of Mitacs, a not-forprofit organization that creates and manages research and training programs aimed at supporting the Canadian economy. 

Tickets for weekend matinees are $15 for adults and $10 for children, and are available at the door and online at www. mathoutloud.ca. No-cost school bookings are available for high schools; for details, email bookings@mathoutloud.ca.

Thu Aug 30 2012