PENTICTON, B.C. — The Tempest Theatre & Film Society is set to host a one-of-a-kind performance that blends poetry, storytelling, and karaoke into an evening of shared nostalgia. Soundtrack: A Lyric Memoir, created and performed by award-winning writer and performer Michael V. Smith, will take the stage at the Penticton theatre on Saturday, November 1, at 7 p.m.
The event invites audiences to take part in a creative and emotional journey through the music that shaped Smith’s youth. Each chosen song from the audience sparks a poem and a personal story, weaving Smith’s memories together with those of the crowd. The result is part performance, part party—an immersive experience that defies easy categorization.
“This is Michael’s first performance at Tempest, and we are honoured to welcome him,” said Tempest Artistic Director Kate Twa. “Even a casual conversation with Michael feels like an event. He has that rare gift of making you feel both seen and expanded. To witness him shape memory, music, and story together in real time is going to be extraordinary. We cannot wait.”
A Living Mixtape of Emotion
The evening will unfold in three distinct sections, each exploring the soundscape of personal and collective experience. Smith describes the performance as a “living mixtape” — one filled with longing, joy, rebellion, chosen family, and the enduring power of music to connect people across time and difference.
Audiences can expect laughter, tenderness, and moments of bittersweet nostalgia, along with opportunities to sing along as the stories unfold. The event promises to capture the intimate magic of shared memory, where the songs of one generation become the emotional inheritance of another.
About Michael V. Smith
Michael V. Smith is no stranger to blending art forms and challenging conventions. A writer, filmmaker, performer, and professor at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus, his creative work spans poetry, memoir, fiction, and experimental film. Smith’s art often explores themes of queer identity, small-town life, and the transformative role of memory.
His 2015 memoir My Body Is Yours was shortlisted for the Lambda Literary Award, earning praise for its raw honesty and lyricism. His most recent book, Soundtrack: A Lyric Memoir, published by Book*hug Press, expands on those themes, merging the rhythms of poetry with the intimacy of confession and the communal energy of live performance.
Tempest Theatre’s Expanding Vision
For the Tempest Theatre & Film Society, Soundtrack: A Lyric Memoir represents another step in its mission to present original, provocative works that bring artists and audiences together. Founded in 2018 by Kate Twa, Ronan Reinart, and Andrea Agur, the non-profit theatre is known for its focus on innovation, intimacy, and bold storytelling.
Located in Penticton’s South Okanagan, Tempest has built a reputation as a creative hub that supports both established and emerging artists. Its 75-seat black box theatre provides an intimate setting for audiences to engage deeply with the performance. Alongside its productions, Tempest offers year-round training opportunities for stage and screen and is increasingly focused on developing new works that blend art forms and perspectives.
An Invitation to Share the Soundtrack of a Life
Following the performance, audience members will have the opportunity to meet Michael V. Smith in the Tempest lounge, where copies of his books will be available for purchase and signing.
For Smith, the evening is not just a performance but a shared experience of storytelling and sound — one that celebrates how music marks our lives and connects us to one another.
Tickets for Soundtrack: A Lyric Memoir are available now through tempest.ca.
Event details:
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Date: Saturday, November 1
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Time: 7:00 p.m. (doors open at 6:30)
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Location: Tempest Theatre & Film Society, Penticton, B.C.
With its mix of poetry, song, and storytelling, Soundtrack: A Lyric Memoir promises to be an evening of reflection, laughter, and connection — a heartfelt reminder that every life, indeed, has a playlist.
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