Submitted by Kootenay Musical Theatre Society
Doug Jamieson’s last two musical theatre works, Jorinda (Amy Ferguson Institute 2015) and Fastlane to Paradise (Kootenay Musical Theatre Society 2019), were successfully staged at Nelson’s Capitol Theatre without the slightest concern about physical distancing.
Now that a pandemic has arrived — and devastated the performing arts world — staging a new work requires a creative solution.
In response to COVID-19 requirements, Kootenay Musical Theatre Society will present its new production There are Dinosaurs in the Park! with different locations in a park being used for the scenes, which will run simultaneously. For example, the performers presenting Scene One will present that scene several times. The audience, in small groups, will move from location to location as the story unfolds. After Scene One, an audience group will move on to Scene Two at a second location, and so on.
There are Dinosaurs in the Park! promises to be an entertaining and delightful experience for all ages. There is political humour for older folks and wackiness for the younger set. And who doesn’t love dinosaurs?
The dinosaurs in the show are surprisingly contemporary. There are corrupt elections, mob violence, existential angst, environmental travesties, true love and the challenge of raising a family in dangerous times. The telling of the tale will use several forms of masks and puppetry.
Most palaeontologists believe that dinosaur extinction happened due to a comet striking the earth. There are Dinosaurs in the Park! proposes an alternative theory supported by a group of somewhat questionable scientists, that dinosaur extinction happened because they ate too many donuts. When asked for evidence, these ‘scientists’ are quick to point out that donuts do not leave fossils.
There are Dinosaurs in the Park! is a community event. Want to make a dinosaur mask? Or work on a large glowing dinosaur? You are invited to participate under the guidance of artists Myra Rasmussen and Jan Inglis. Perhaps you would like to audition to sing a solo or be in the virtual chorus? Or maybe record some dialogue?
To get involved or find out more, contact composer and author Doug Jamieson. doug@kootenaymusicaltheatre.com.