Smalltown: A Pickup Musical (Family)
By Amiel Gladstone, Lucas Myers
Directed by: Matthew Payne
Arranged by: Brad L'Écuyer
One Act. 70 min. Cast: 10, $10 (12 and under) $17 (adult), BB
Theatre SKAM, Victoria
Sunday, Festival Tent, 3pm
About the Play: Smalltown is a big cast, big talent, brand new musical. Victoria’s award-winning Theatre SKAM has a hit on their hands with this down-home funny show about a small community caught in the crosshairs of a Big Company development plan. Smalltown is the perfect land of mountain greenery and perfect blue lakes. So why has almost everyone left? Just maybe, the Big Company’s promises of a brighter future, a 24-hour 7-Eleven and large cash bonuses for all will save the town. It’s all about holding on for something better.
About the Company: Theatre SKAM was formed in 1995 and is known for their innovation and sense of fun. As well as Smalltown: A Pickup Musical, Theatre SKAM is currently touring Cariboo Buckaroo, a solo piece written and performed by Artistic Producer Matthew Payne. SKAM is currently developing Matthew’s play My Memory’s Not So Good (inspired by 84 year-old patron of the arts Joan Mans and her journey through extended health care). The company is also seeking touring partners for My Three Sisters, written and directed by Amiel Gladstone, and starring three real-life sisters, Camille, Celine and Treena Stubel.
About the Playwrights: Amiel Gladstone is a writer and director. As a playwright, his plays have been produced by Alberta Theatre Projects, the Belfry Theatre, Touchstone Theatre, Caravan Farm Theatre, the National Arts Centre, Western Edge Theatre, and Theatre SKAM. His work has toured internationally to the United States and France and he has a play that's been running in Bucharest, Romania for over a year. He is currently working on commissions for Green Thumb, Solo Collective and Theatre SKAM. He has been a member of the Banff Playwrights Colony as both a playwright and a dramaturge. He is currently a Playwriting Mentor for the Vancouver East Cultural Centre and runs and dramaturges the Vancouver Playhouse E-stage Program. His collection, Hippies and Bolsheviks and other plays was published by Coach House Books in 2007. He has won Jessie Awards for Best Original Script and Body of Work.
Lucas Myers is a writer and performer. A dedicated member of the SKAM killer ensemble, Lucas has performed many roles with the company. His delightful solo shows have been performed at various festivals and theatres across the country. Lucas lives and works in Nelson B.C. with his wife Krista and their two children Frances and Maeve.
About the Director: Mr. Payne (seen here as his character in Caribou Buckaroo) is a founding member of Theatre SKAM and has played numerous roles in that company’s unique production history, including: He in He Said, She Sang and Dave in Louis & Dave. After more than a dozen years as Artistic Associate for SKAM, he moved permanently to Victoria in 2007 and assumed the title of Artistic Producer. Previous directing credits for Theatre SKAM include: various short plays and the sitcom-for-the-stage The Right Lane. Mr. Payne also works as an educator with various groups in Victoria, teaching elementary and college age students.