When Linda Norris was thinking about writing a fundraising play to be performed at Gibsons United Church, she knew she could draw on material from her own back yard. Gibsons had recently won the world's most liveable community award, and as Norris strolled about town with her dog, she started asking people why they live here.
"Almost 90 per cent of them used the word magic," Norris remembers. "They came for a week and couldn't live anywhere else, or similar stories."
Norris teamed up with writer Marion Crook, who has a long string of publications to her credit including self help books on social issues as well as adventure stories for kids, and the two embarked on a collaborative process for an original musical comedy known as Gibsons' Gold. The title refers to the award - not to anything that one might smoke.
The play opens May 27 (although the first night is sold out already) and runs until June 6. Crook wrote many of the lyrics, and musician Gaetan Bergevin composed the music.
Norris had previously taken on the organization of two Enchanted Evenings at the church, a combination dinner and music event. But with her background in theatre and choreography in Montreal and her experience in writing and directing a play in Ontario, she decided to take on this greater challenge.
"It is probably the best cast and crew I have ever worked with," she said. "Everyone is working hard and helping out as they can."
The plot turns on a group of visitors from abroad who don't understand why their home town was not selected as the best. An act of suspected terrorism takes place that involves local police (played by Melanie Cloutier, Ted Adnitt and Rodney Bessette). Despite the gorgeous scenery in the backdrop, some of the action takes place in a bare jail cell where the performers languish: Niv Harris (who plays a serious executive), Terri Scallon (the United Church's minister) who plays an artsy type, Johanna Rzepa as the organic gardener and Dianna Barton (previously seen in Driftwood's Never Swim Alone and Wonderville). The playwrights are not revealing the story's outcome, but it involves a dramatic entrance including a B.C. ferry and the song that will make us all proud: Are You From Gibsons?
Because it is a play about a true to life community many, of its actual residents were penned into the script - often as a parody of their real personalities.
In the play, the character Wayne Barnett (performed by Duane Burnett), plays an exuberant, social butterfly photojournalist, and there are appearances by the town's mayor, Barry Janyk, and an acting mayor, Bob Curry, as themselves.
In fact, one of the more charming aspects of this production is that anyone can have their one-minute of fame on the stage. The play's promoter, Mary Lou Owen, offers a deal: you pay $100 to be written into the script for one minute and receive a full page ad in the program. The money raised goes to support the many community activities that the church sponsors. Already Tim Hortons has taken up the challenge, and actor George Morice, who works at the Gibsons coffee shop, takes his role as doughnut provider seriously. Gibsons Building Supplies and One Stop Contracting have assisted with set construction; costumes are by Linda McTurk.
Cabaret night shows run May 27 and 28 and again on June 3 and 4 at 7:30 p.m. Dinner theatre is offered on May 29 and June 5 at 6:30 p.m. Matinées are on May 30 and June 6 at 2 p.m. Tickets prices are $15 for shows, $32 for dinner theatre, available at Gaia's Fair Trade, Coast Princess Books, Roberts Creek General Store and Monkeychips.
