Revelstoke’s blend of working town and ski playground, along with the unique individuals that choose to call this city home, is portrayed with hilarious accuracy in the upcoming comedic theatre show, The Revelstoke Project.
Professional actor Lucas Myers of Nelson will perform his entertaining one-man show for two nights this month at the Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre — a show no ski bum, long-term local or temporary blow-in should miss. Showing Thursday, November 24 and Friday, November 25, at 7.30 p.m., entry is by donation. Funds go to the Food Bank and Queen Victoria Helipad Project.
Myers was hired by the Revelstoke Arts Council to create a story that is dynamically Revelstoke. What he has created is an amusing outsider’s take on the Revelstoke insider. Like Revelstoke, his show is a mash-up of genres — part theatre, part musical, part movie and part stand-up comedy.
To get an authentic feel for life here, Myers travelled to Revelstoke over a number of weeks during winter and summer to research. And by research we mean he learned to snowboard, rode a sled, tried his hand at curling, and generally sought out all the intricate stereotypes and clichés that make this community, while filming on a Go-Pro.
“It’s a really great town,” Myers said about Revelstoke. “The thing I find so interesting about it is, it’s not a resort town despite the impact the ski hill has had. It’s really a town that happens to have a resort in it.
“I think the sense of community that Revelstoke has, is so strong and present, and I think that’s what people find so appealing about it. Sure there’s incredible skiing and incredible natural splendour, but there’s a sense of community and warmth in the town.”
In his show, Myers plays multiple characters. The main character, Ryan, is a ski bum from Nelson who has moved to chase love. He lives in a crowded share house with five other guys and works two jobs to afford his cupboard space and mountain lifestyle.
The other characters are the lady who works at the bank and gives relationship advice, the Parks Canada employee, a Canadian Pacific rail worker, an environmental and social activist and the Big Eddy resident who loves his hunting and sleds.
“I tried to hit all the different aspects of what makes up the social fabric of Revelstoke,” Myers said.
Myers has been in the theatre industry since 1998 and has performed in major theatres across Canada and toured internationally to the US, England, France, Switzerland, Mexico, Singapore, New Zealand, and Brunei. He is the artistic direct of Pilot.co.Pilot, a theatre company based in Nelson.
Myers’ passion is writing scripts that mirror people’s experiences, which he describes as observational humour and this special style has Myers in demand around BC.
“I want to make people laugh and, hopefully, make them feel and think a little bit,” Myers said.
Other shows Myers has created previously and toured to Revelstoke are Hello Baby and Deck: How I Instigated And Then Overcame An Existential Crisis Through Home Improvement.
The Revelstoke Project highlights moments that are typically Revelstoke, such as navigating peak-hour grocery shopping and anonymous posts on the The Stoke List. While it’s daunting to making a show about a city’s identity as a non-resident, Myers hopes he has created something that will make people laugh.
“I think for me the saving grace is I can do it through humour and the show is about celebrating all that Revelstoke offers,” Myers said.
The Revelstoke Project is part of Revelstoke’s annual Welcome Week. Performances are on Thursday, November 24 and Friday, November 25, at 7:30 p.m. at the Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre at 1007 Vernon Avenue. Runtime is 90 minutes, plus intermission. Entry is by donation, with monies going towards the Revelstoke Food Bank.
Please activate the YouTube player below to watch watch Myers’ comedic depiction of Randy the Redneck at the Nelson’s Capital Theatre:
