Doors open on ‘Barn Dance’
NEW WEST STAGING NEW SHOW TUESDAY
In earlier times, they were a staple of Alberta life. Summer brought barn dances, and an opportunity to socialize with neighbours and newcomers.
They can still be found in southern Alberta, but now there’s no need to leave the city. New West Theatre is bringing the time-honoured events’ music and humour to the Yates Centre.
The Lethbridge troupe’s second show of the summer, “Barn Dance” opens a threeweek run on Tuesday. The country-flavoured show will continue Tuesday through Saturday until Aug. 26.
The music is a mix of longtime country music favourites, going back to the 1970s, with some of today’s chart-toppers. Director and choreographer Jay Whitehead says theatre-goers will recognize songs from the era of Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton, as well as the modern stylings of Brad Paisley and Miranda Lambert.
But not much of it is new to Rylan Kunkel, one of a cast of seven. He sang for close to 20 years with family members at the Real Canadian Barn Dance near Hillspring.
It’s his third show with New West, “and this one is the most comfortable,” with so many familiar tunes.
“But there’s one song I had to learn,” he admits, along with some dance steps.
Line and square dancing are part of the production, along with stand-out vocal solos and duets.
“The show has a good breadth to it,” Kunkel says.
“It’s high-energy,” but there are some slow, sentimental songs as well.
It’s that range of emotions that makes country music popular, Whitehead says — and not just in southern Alberta. While its home base is Nashville, Canadian performers like Shania Twain have become country stars on both sides of the border.
Great wooden barns can also be found in the U.S. as well as Canada, and set designer David Barrus has brought that ambience to the Yates.
“He did an amazing job,” Whitehead says, right down to the guitar pegs on the barnwood wall behind the band platform.
The show’s four-piece band, brought closer to the audience, adds further visual energy to the show. Multi-instrumentalist Paul Walker leads the music, with Scott Mezei and Greg Paskuski on guitar and Bente Hansen on keyboards.
Up front, Edmonton-based Andrea Bailey will be making her New West debut.
“She’s a stirring vocalist,” Whitehead says, and she’s worked with New West veteran Kathy Zaborsky in other communities’ productions.
“We’re very lucky she was available.”
She’ll be sharing the stage with Zaborsky and Kunkel, as well as AJ Baragar, Kyle Gruninger, Erica Hunt and Shelby Wilson — all of whom starred in the summer’s first show, “Homegrown.”
Also held over from the July production, Kunkel adds, is the popular “Chase the Ace” draw as part of each show’s 50-50 raffle.
Tickets for “Barn Dance” — the final feature before the Yates closes for nearly a year for upgrades — are available at the Yates box office. The show is set for 7:30 p.m., with 1 p.m. matinees planned for Aug. 12, 19 and 26.