From Concept to Chorus

Veda Hille on Creating the Soundtrack of East Van Panto

Veda Hille is a familiar name to Cultch audiences, and for good reason! This Vancouver-based musician, composer, and theatre-maker has been creating genre-defying music for over 30 years and is a true East Van icon. With a long history of performing on Cultch stages, Veda is especially known for her work annually on Theatre Replacement’s East Van Panto, where her musical creations help make each show unforgettable.

In this Q&A, Veda gives us a glimpse into her creative process—from choosing songs to parody to collaborating with writers and choreographers.

When do you start collecting songs for the next year’s Panto?

I have a list of potential Panto songs that I add to CONSTANTLY. This year I finally used “Video Killed The Radio Star”; that one has been on the list for about 5 years. So it’s a steady process! And of course, I pay attention to what the biggest songs of the year are, and whether they might work in our show. For example, Chappell Roan was undeniable this year, even though the record came out a while ago.

How do you know you’ve found the right song to parody? 

There are a lot of factors! What does the song need to do in the show: what mood does it have to have? Is it somewhat recognizable? Can I make the chorus into something funny that sounds a bit like the original lyrics? Will it work with just keyboards and drums? And at the heart of it all: will we enjoy playing it 8 shows a week for 7 weeks?  Maybe I’m selfish, but band/cast enjoyment is definitely high up there.

Where do you begin once you receive the first draft of a new Panto script?

I start working with the writers when they give me an outline in the spring. Once I have a sense of the story I can start making suggestions. When I heard that Beauty and the Beast was going to be set at Fujiya I knew that we’d want to do a “sushi character introduction” song, and I started working on that variation of “It’s Tricky” right away. And then, once there is a draft of the script in early summer, I go through it to see whether there are scenes that could become songs instead of dialogue. Of course, I can start looking at the first and last song right away: the opening and closing numbers function in a similar way every year, so I look for the bangers that we need. Sometimes I start to have ideas for next year while we’re still playing the show!

Do you work closely with the Pantos’ writers when working on lyrics?

We go back and forth. There are often very funny and apt things that the writers have put in the dialogue, like in the Library Samba this year: the line “read a little Dostoyevsky” was in the script, and once I realized I could rhyme it with “tasty recipe” I took it for the song. Once I’ve written the song’s first draft there are often requests from the writers or the director to incorporate different story/character elements, so there are a lot of rewrites all through the process, right up until opening.

I also really treasure my relationship with Amanda Testini, our incredible choreographer! I try to make her happy all the time, and if she needs more music for a dance break or has any specific request I make it happen.

Have you ever used a song which had a special or personal significance for you? 

Back in East Van Panto: Pinocchio I used “Solsbury Hill”, which is one of my most absolutely cherished songs from my teen years. I felt nervous about “wearing it out”, but it was a really joyous thing to sing that song every night. So now I am less precious about using songs that mean a lot to me. I still love “Solsbury Hill”!

Do you have any favourite songs from past Pantos? Any favourite refrains or lines?

So many favourites!  “No Control” from Hansel and Gretel, with Dawn and Maiko being rockstars. The opening number from Cinderella, which was a mashup of Rihanna, Beyonce, and Jay-Z. I’ll always remember Josh Drebit coming in through the giant crash doors from the outside world to our world. Teaching the audience “Time Warp” for the finale of Wizard of Oz. Rewriting “Lose Yourself” for Allan Zinyk to sing as the evil Queen in Snow White. I was very proud of that ridiculous Stan Rogers rewrite for Oz too, although I couldn’t sing it to you without looking at my notes. I could go on and on.

Interestingly though, I do usually forget our words within a few months of the show ending. Except for Sia’s “Cheap Thrills”, which I always sing as “No Vegetables” now. 

Do you have a song you are hanging onto for just the right Panto? 

Here are a few from the list!

“Once In A Lifetime”, by the Talking Heads
“Dancing On My Own”, by Robyn
“Total Eclipse”, by Klaus Nomi
“My Way”, by Sinatra

Some Stevie Wonder!