'It's Just Good Clean East Coast Table-Thumpin' Music'
VANCOUVER - Lauded by audiences and critics alike, The Back Kitchen Release Party takes over the Granville Island Stage this June.
It all began as just a bunch of friends who liked to get together and play music at parties; good old East Coast table-thumpin' music. But there was something about a bunch of West Coast actors obsessed with East Coast culture; a story to be told…so they decided to come up with a show.
And it had to begin with the music. They started having band rehearsals, creating characters, and writing songs that those characters could relate to.
A recurring theme was the idea of Newfoundlanders (or any island people) leaving the rock to make a life on the mainland, and the complicated relationship between freedom and the feeling of belonging somewhere.
Musical director Alison Jenkins explored this in Nice Place and also in I am a Sailor. In a similar vein, Tracey Power's Kate's Song is about saying goodbye, while director Don Noble's The Songline describes an agoraphobic journey across Canada from Newfoundland to British Columbia.
The music of Canadian folk musician Stan Rogers was a huge influence on the group. Noble wrote The Betsy Mae in response to Rogers' Mary Ellen Carter, the story of a boat that just won't stay down, and also paid tribute to Barret's Privateers with a tongue-in-cheek Star Trek version of the song. Rogers even creeps into the show in a medley with Gordon Lightfoot and Bachman Turner Overdrive.
When playwright Trevor Devall was asked about the Newfoundland connection, he said, "I'm a prairie boy, actually, born and raised in Edmonton. I've always been fascinated with the Newfoundland culture, and especially the music. I think it comes from a strong Irish tradition in my family background. Every time I get out to the Rock I feel oddly at home."
This is a show that will have audiences singing and stomping to the music. Don't miss it. See it live at the Granville Island Stage from June 19 to August 2. For tickets or more details, call (604) 687-1644, or visit: www.artsclub.com.
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