If you go to see Lucas Myers’ Captain Future Saves the Word at the Capitol Theatre this weekend, there’s a chance you’ll get to be a part of the play.
“I ask the kids: ‘What’s your favourite food, favourite clothing? What’s one of the most horrible things that happened to you?’” Myers told the Star.
He then collects all the responses and incorporates them into his literary-themed onstage adventure.
“So I’ll say ‘love is like …’ and then choose one of the responses: PIZZA!”
And the kids go crazy for it.
“They come up to me afterwards and just can’t believe something they wrote down was suddenly instrumental in the actual show. It gives them an incredible sense of ownership. They are so jazzed.”
Future debuted last year as a literacy-themed comedy aimed at youngsters, but Myers said it’s evolved slightly since then. The original conceit — travelling through history to see the evolution of communication — remains intact, but his character has been tweaked a little.
“Instead of being an instructor, Captain Future is more like one of the kids. I realized that he doesn’t read or write because he’s from the future. So instead of him teaching, it starts with him asking ‘What’s so important about reading and writing? What do you use it for?’”
And that’s when he realizes he has a time machine. The following adventure involves two puppets, a rap and will showcase Myers’ skills with a ukulele. And along the way you’ll learn all kinds of stuff.
“Did you know the letter U didn’t exist until the 1600s? It was always a V.”
Myers hopes to use this as a companion piece to his touring solo show Campground, which had three sold-out performances in Nelson.
The Capitol performance of Captain Future is on Sunday at 2 p.m.