BIG BOOTS TO FILL
Chad Matthews takes starring role as Stompin’ Tom in new producton
Chad Matthews takes starring role as Stompin’ Tom in new production
Skinners Pond’s new Stompin’ Tom Centre has its Tom.
Chad Matthews will play the role of Canada’s iconic singer/ songwriter in a dinner theatre production of “My Island Home: A Stompin’ Tom Story,” this summer.
Stompin’ Tom Conner’s wife and other family members are expected to be in attendance for the July 2 premiere, part of the centre’s Canada Day weekend grand opening celebrations
“I was pretty humbled, actually, to be asked to play the part because it is where he’s from. And it’s quite an honour.” Chad Matthews
“I know I will never fill Stompin’ Tom’s shoes. His boots,” Matthews corrects himself. “I will never fill his boots, but I will try them on for a couple of months.”
The Elmsdale resident said a house party performance of “At the Gumboot Cloggeroo” got him started with Stompin’ Tom songs some 30 years ago.
“It’s going to be pretty nervewracking,” admits Matthews, 44, about that first performance — especially considering who is in the audience.
Comedy writer Erin DunnKeefe describes the work that went into creating the script for the dinner theatre as ‘basically living and breathing Stompin’ Tom.’
“I read and re-read and reread, until I found the quotes I wanted to use for the play.”
While the story is fictional, Dunn-Keefe says approximately 90 per cent of what the main character has to say are Stompin’ Tom’s actual words.
Dunn-Keefe was the writer for 15 seasons of Cousins’ Restaurant dinner theatres in Tignish. Michele Oliver, an owner of the former restaurant, is the director for the new production.
The storyline for the dinner theatre has Mrs. O’Brien (Paul Shea), an exasperated teacher trying her best to get her Westisle history students interested in Canada. She takes them on a field trip to the Stompin’ Tom Centre where they meet Tom.
Joining Matthews and Shea as cast members are three wellknown West Prince singers and performers, Abby Peters, Breanna Harper and Tyler Gallant. They take on roles as Mrs. O’Brien’s students.
Dunn-Keefe says she discovered in her research that Stompin’ Tom has many strong messages for young people that still resonate.
“He really believed in hard work and following your heart. Because of his tough life, he had grit and resilience, but he also had a strong message for our youth: never give up.”
Anne Arsenault, manager of Tignish Initiatives, the development corporation that’s creating the Stompin’ Tom Centre, says Dunn-Keefe’s script is compelling for another reason.
“He told us personally, that’s where he learned his love of Canada, in that schoolhouse, his geography class,” she said. “He wanted to travel across Canada and see more of it, because he was inspired by his geography class.”
The new Stompin Tom Centre is on the grounds of the schoolhouse where young Tom attended classes.
“I was pretty humbled, actually, to be asked to play the part,” said Matthews, “because it is where he’s from. And it’s quite an honour.”
Following the July 2 premiere, My Island Home: A Stompin’ Tom Story dinner theatre will be performed every Tuesday and Thursday night all summer.