The Vancouver Sun from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada • 51

Entertainment The Vancouver Sun, Tuesday, September 23, 1997 I) 1 7 w-to-to Cheers and applause greet VTV's first day! construction workers nearby. At one point he reacted to a loud squeak, made by the wheels of his own crew's camera rolling across the new floor. Three hours of talk shows later, it was time for the noon news. Halkett and her floor director, Jimmy Walsh, spent the final 10 minutes of preparation in rehearsal, literally dashing from one spot of the newsroom to another to keep giving the heavy-on-chrome set a new look. At one point during a taped sequence, with less than five seconds until Halkett was due back on camera live, someone shouted, "Let's get a camera over here!" Halkett, Walker and the camera operator sped to a corner of the newsroom, arriving in place a second before going live.

Halkett acted as if nothing had happened. When the broadcast ended, the newsroom broke into cheers. Perk had been replaced by perspiration, but the spirit was still there. By 5 p.m., the atmosphere in the station's fourth-floor newsroom had reached a true fever pitch. The studio's banks of high-powered computers and plasma graphic displays were work-ingwell enough, butthe airconditioning was not.

As the studio temperature climbed past 30, managing editor Clive Jackson started spritz-ing colleagues' faces with Evian water and chuckled about the tropical conditions. News boss Bob McLaughlin, VTVs vice-president of news and current affairs, pleaded playfully with visitors to let him stand in a drafty spot. Seemingly unaware of the heat, co-anchor Monika Deol strolled toward makeup, the picture of cool composure, "Of all the studios I've visited, this is the closest I've ever felt to the energy and excitement of CITY-TV," the transplanted Torontonian said "There's a natural energy here that I'm really crazy about." Deol said she felt confident about her inaugural newscast. "My job is basically just doing a gig," she said. "We're all focused on doing the bestjobwecan." According to Deol, a former MuchMusic host, she and co-anchor Paul Mennier kept rehearsals to a minimum.

"We don't want to spoil the spontaneity," she said. McLaughlin, whose good-humored comments about life in a construction site have been a staple on VTV promos in recent days, stood at the edge of the news studio bustling with people and the flicker of electronic images and marvelled that a week earlier the room had been completely empty. "It's not just new programs that we're launching here," he said, "but a whole new television station. There's so much technology, all of it new. We're really having to learn on the fly.

"It's going to take us a couple of months to get comfortable with all the new technology," McLaughlin said. "But we've tried to hive off production and editorial so that editorial doesn't get swamped. i "Right now, the biggest challenge we face is keeping calm." Continued from D14 Upstairs in the fourth-floor newsroom, anchor Kimberly Halkett prepared for the first of three brief newscasts (done each half-hour). Aside from an audio glitch, the broadcast went well, and the entire newsroom broke into applause. At 7:30, while Vancouver Breakfast wound down, things heated up on the third floor.

The station's second live show, Gabereau was counting down to its premiere. The gleaming set a glass-topped counter curved in the shape of a shrimp gave it the look of a brilliandy lit sushi bar looked splendid, but all around was the detritus of construction. This floor, like the others, was far from finished; the green room, where guests get their hair and complexion touched up, was an open area behind the live set. Poet Susan Musgrave, here with colleague Marilyn Bowering to discuss the life and death of Robin Skelton, lamented: "It seems like I'm always going on the air to talk about a dead poet." When host Vicki Gabereau the longtime CBC radio personality who's new to television passed by, Musgrave asked her if she was nervous. "I'm freaked," said Gabereau with deadpan panic.

When Gabereau did her intro and the camera lingered on her before cutting to the show's tide sequence, members of the crew exclaimed "Go! Go!" During the first commercial break, MARK VAN MANENVancouuer Sun LIVE AT SIX: VTV anchors Paul Mennier and Monika Deol. Breakfast show a wide-awake change ContinuedfromD14 Haleem is the poster child for caffeine does my voice get like that when I do sports?" he shouted at one point). Together with former Z95 radio jock Ted Schredd, himself no sleeping pill, and the perky Freeman (decaf, they practically defied viewers not to stay awake. Toss in a computer-generated weather map of the Lower Mainland, periodic traffic updates from Sonja Nordahl and a crisply delivered, to- the-point news summary every half hour from ex-BCTV news reporter Kimberly Halkett, and it was hard to believe this was a first-time broadcast. If Vancouver viewers embrace the idea of a morning TV breakfast show and, given the absurdly long commute facing most drivers in the morning, it's debatable whether they will it has to be one that takes its cameras out on to the street, that is truly "inclusive" and "accessible," to use favorite VTV buzz words.

Vancouver Breakfast managed to be both though, to be fair, after just one broadcast it is hard to tell how much of Mon Gabereau turned and waved out the window to her daughter Eve, who lives in the apartment across the street. The person with the toughest task was floor director Kirk Walker, who had to continually shush noise from 1 WiRWH'W 3E3 PUflCHASC MOVIE TICKtTS UP TO 7 DAYS IN ADVANCtl CALL (604)434-2463 FOR DlTAILSl SHOWTIMES FOR FRIDA SEPTEMBER 19 THROUGH THURSDA SEPTEMBER 25 EXCESS BAGGAGE: Daily: 1:55. 4:30. no snow baturaay ana Wednesday. B.C.

Warning: Violence and coarse language. MEN IN BLACK: Nignty: 7:20 SatSun Mat: 2:10 KULL THE CONQUEROR: Nightly: 9:25 C. Warning: Violence and suggestive scenes. EXCESS BAGGAGE: Nightly: 7:30. SatSun Mat: 2 20 AIR FORCE ONE: DTS DIGITAL STEREO Nightly: 7:00.

SatSun Mat: 2:00. SHE'S SO LOVELY: Nightly: 9:30. WISHMASTER: Nightly: 7:15, 9:20. Sat.Sun. 2:15.

AIR FORCE ONE: Nightly: 9:45. B.C. Warning: Frequent violence. TO COPLAND: Nightly: 9:40. B.C.

Warning: Violence and coarse language. TO SUBSCRIBE CALL 33-11-SUN THE FULL MONTY: Presented in THX. Daily: 1:35, 4:00, 7:10, 9:30. B.C. rp.

Warning: Coarse language and nudity. pG WISHMASTER: DTS DIGITAL STEREO Daily: 1:50, 4:30, 7:30,10:00. AIR FORCE ONE: Nightly: 7:10. 9:50. THE GAME: DTS DIGITAL STEREO Nightly: 7:00, 9:45.

Sat.iSun. Wat: 2 00. WISHMASTER: DTS DIGITAL STEREO Nightly: 7:15, 9:20. Sat Sun. Mat: 2:40.

SPRUNG: Nightly: 7:05. 9:20. SatSun Mat. 1:40. MEN IN BLACK: Daily: 1:35.

4:10. WISHMASTER: DTS OIQITAL STEREO Daily: 2:15, 4:25. 7:30, B.C. Warning: Frequent gory violence. AIR FORCE ONE: Nightly: 7:00, 9:40.

day's cappuccino-driven performance was the culmination of eight months of pent-up nervous energy and how much can be sustained over the long haul. The occasional technical glitches carried over into Vicki Gabereau's Gabereau Live! her microphone wouldn't cooperate at first but were hurriedly smoothed over. Gabereau may be new to television, but she has an irrepressible verve that is uniquely her own. When Sarah McLach-lan inadvertently blurted put a detailed description of an African birth ceremony, Gabereau was quick to land on her feet. "Maybe I shouldn't be saying that on TV," McLachlan said.

"Oh," Gabereau said, without missing a beat, "it's a bit late now, isn't it?" Throughout much of the day, VTVs programming resembled a never-ending cavalcade of bimbos, sociopaths and dysfunctional losers: Dini, ABC's The View, Mantel Williams, Sally Jessy Raphael, Leeza, Camilla Scott. There seems to be no end to the number of trolls, sociopaths and psychological misfits that clog up daytime TV. Vancouver Television will never win any awards of distinction based on what it buys from other broadcasters. So far, though, its own locally produced, live programming is a refreshing and welcome addition to Vancouver's rapidly changing television i 1 KULL THE CONQUEROR: Daily: 1:45,4:25. THE GAME: DTS DIGITAL STEREO Daily: 1:30, 4:20, 7:00, 9:40 B.C.

Warning: Suggestive scenes, violence and coarse language. EXCESS BAGGAGE: Nightly: 7:25. WISHMASTER: DTS DIGITAL STEREO Nightly: 7:20, 9:30. Sat.Sun. Mat: 1:45.

FIRE DOWN BELOW: Nightly: 9:55. B.C. Warning: Violence and coarse TO SPRUNG: Daily: 1:40, 4:10, 7:15, 9:35, B.C. Warning: Coarse language and 147 suggestive scenes. SHE'S SO LOVELY: Nighty: 7 10.

Sat Sun Mat: 1:50. 6 C. Warning: Frequent coarse language and violence THE GAME: SDDS DIGITAL STEREO: Daily: 1:30,4:15,7:05,9:50 MRS. BROWN: Daily: 1:45, 7:05. B.C.

Warning: Violence and nudity COPLAND: Nightly: 915. MEN IN BLACK: Nightly: AIR FORCE ONE: Nightly: 9 25. MEN IN BLACK: Daily: 4:45, 9:50. SC. Warning: Violence and coarse language.

PC, MRS. BROWN Nightly: 7:15, 9:35. SPRUNG: Nightly: 7.05. 9:20. SatSun.

Mat. 1:40. THE GAME: DTS DIGITAL STEREO GENERAL ADMISSION ONLY TUESDAY THE GAME: Praswitod In THX and SDDS DIGITAL STEREO. Daily: 2:00. 4:40, 10:00.

No 4:40 or 7:20 show Mon. ana wed. Nightly: 7:00. 9.40. Sat.Sun.

Mat: 1:30. KULL THE CONQUEROR: Nightly: 7:30, 9:40. Sal Mat: 1:35. Sun. 1:35.

4:10. AIR FORCE ONE: Nightly: 7:20, 9 50 WISHMASTER: DTS DIGITAL STEREO -Niohtlv: 7:25. 9:45 I THE GAME: DTS DIGITAL STEREO AIR FORCE ONE: Nightly: 7:10. SatSun. Mat: Nightly: 7:00.

9:45. SatSun Mat: 1:30. 4:30. THE DISAPPEARANCE OF GARCIA LORCA: Niahtlv: 7:15. SafcSun.

Ma 2:00. Sat. 1:15. Sun. 1:15.

4:20. COPLAND: Nightly: 7:00. 9:15. Sat Sun Mat: 1 00. MONEY TALKS: Nightly: 9 25 C.

Warning: Violence and frequent coarse language. THE GAME: DTS DIGITAL STEREO Nightly: 7:00. 9:30. Sal Mai: 1:00. Sun.

Mat: 1:00, 3:40. AL SOUNDS B.C. warning: Violence and 14" theatres suggestive scenes. 7:05, 9:10. 4:00.

EXCESS BAGGAGE: Nightly Sat Mat: 1:05. Sun. Mat: 1:05 AIR FORCE ONE: DTS DIGITAL STEREO Nightly: 9:20. SatSun. Mat: 4:15.

WISHMASTER: Nightly: 7:20, 9:20. Sat. 1 tl lllllrf I ill I 1:20. Sun. 1 3 2U.

I SHE'S SO LOVELY: Nightly: 7:10, 9:05. SatSun Mat: 1:10. THE FULL MONTY: Nightly: 7:30, 9:40. SatSun. Mat: 2:30.

4:40. EXCESS BAGGAGE: Nightly: 7:30. 9:35. 31 669-6000 Granville Mall 434-7711 Metrotown-Bumaby TUX LA, CONFIDENTIAL 1:304:25 7:1510:10 Great JANE Monjuejhu 1:30 425 7:30 10:15 10:15 UA B0. Warning Violence, com language THOUSAND ACRES 1203:50 7:20 9:50 14AB.C.

Warning Coarse language IN 4 OUT 1:101:40 3:30 4:15 7:10 7:40 9.30 10:00 PARENTAL GUIDANCE B.C. Warning Coarse language CONSPIRACY THEORY 1:15 4:05 6:50 9:40 PARENTAL GUIDANCE B.C. Warning Violence, coarse language LA. CONFIDENTIAL 1:004:007:0010:10 I8A B.C. Warning Violence COPLAND 7:20 1:404:207:3510:15 DOUBLE BILL HERCULESGEORGE OF THE JUNGLE HERCULES 1:00 GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE 3:00 Composers.

Everything you wanted to know about classical music but were afraid to ask. THOUSAND ACRES 1204:107:109:40 AIR BUD 1:10 GENERAL INAOUT 1:154507:309:50 HOODLUM 9:45 Granville Georgia 669-4442 'CONSPIRACY THEORY 3:557:00 10:00 Maestro Sergiu Comissiona brings you the Great-West Life Great Composers Series. A rich repertoire of orchestral masterpieces by the greatest composers featuring artists like Vancouver's own virtuoso Corey Cerovsek. Get in the know with the informative pre-concert talks hosted by Brian Tate at 7 pm, free to ticket holders. t.A Coquitiam 464-6600 COPLAND 2:454.50 7:15 I4A B.C.

Warning Violence, coarse language EVENT HORIZON 9:30 iSAB.C.Waming Gory violence HOODLUM 3:00 7:00 B.C. Warning Violence, coarse language, suggestive scenes FIRE DOWN BELOW 9:45 B.C. Warning Violence coarse language G.LJANE 7:109:45 DOUBLE BILL HERCULES7GE0R GE OF THE JUNGLE ERCULES 7:15 GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE 9:15 mm 228-9912 Dunbar S3Cth Ave I THOUSAND ACRES 7209:35 IN I OUT 7.05930 CONSPIRACY THEORY 7.1X3 3:40 IN OUT 9:30 FIRE DOWN BELOW 725 9.50 983-2762 Esolanadei Chesterfield Gershwin G.LJANE 7:109:55 THOUSAND ACRES 7209:45 EXCESS BAGGAGE 7:15 PAREN1AL GUIBAtiCEB.C. Warning Violence, coarse language INI OUT 7 JO 9:35 HOODLUM 9:30 MARCH Celebrate the 'Greatest Hits' of George Gershwin in the 100th anniversary year of his birth. Surrey 581-1716 G.UANE 72010:10 IN i OUT 7:309:45 THE GAME 7:109:50 LA.

CONFIDENTIAL 7.110 10:00 jLangley 533-4551 CONSPIRACY THEORY 7:05 FIRE DOWN BELOW 10:00 LA CONFIDENTIAL 7:009:50 Sibelius OCTOBER 9 11 Vancouver native Corey Cerovsek performs the wild and evocative Violin Concerto. Tchaikovsky NOVEMBER 1 3 International recording star Cho-Liang Lin interprets the master's Violin Concerto. Verdi JANUARY 24 26 The Vancouver Bach Choir joins the Symphony for a spectacular evening. Love, death, treason and jealousy are portrayed with insight and poignancy. Mahler MAY 16 18 Metropolitan Opera star Gary Lakes and acclaimed contralto Linda Finnie debut with the Symphony, performing some of the most lyrical and profound music ever written.

v. 273-7173 Richmond Centre Gi JANE 7:159:55 G.I JANE 1:404207209:55 THOUSAND ACRES 9:30 AIR FORCE ONE 920 DOUBII BILL HERCULESGEORGE OF THE JUNGLE HERCULES Iff 3:00 GENERAL War Wnen young Mm liA B.C. Warrvng frequent violence GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE 3:00 GENERAL EXCESS BAGGAGE 7.25 THOUSAND ACRES 1:10 3:30 7.30 9.45 THE GAME 1:304:157.109:50 WISHMASTER 7:3010:00 JS4 IN I OUT 720 9:40 'THE GAME 7:10950 14A S.C. Waring CONSPIRACY THEORY 1:154:107:0510.00 Season tickets start from just $77 for the 5-concert series and give you a world of exclusive subscriber benefits including priority seating, easy exchanges and our biggest savings. Call 876-3434 to subscribe new Group discounts available.

Sngle tickets at all mmm oAlets. Charge by phone 280-3311. wvwv-cultLrewtxavso 876-3434 All concerts at the Orpheum Theatre at 8 pm. FESTIVAL CIHEMASJgg UM1 HM'r 4 15 7 C5 4 25 MRS. BROWN -K DANCE? 7 00 4 9 15 IN THE COMPANY OF MEN XhU 'sO LOVELY "uES- 05 7 158-20 WI 9 20 OMLY official airlines media sponsors cxxwfi Great Composers Series sponsor Great-West Life o- oirBC.