As the Flying Arrow Production company gears up to put on their next big show, they’re facing a situation very different from when their last large-scale production hit the stage. Shrek the Musical ran from February 7 to February 15, 2020 and was the first full-length larger-scale musical production by the company in 11 years.
A few short weeks later, the world changed drastically for theatre companies as indoor event spaces shut down, effectively making live theatre impossible.
Now, two years into constantly changing regulations and limitations on gatherings and events, excitement is growing for a new undertaking by Flying Arrow Productions and an increasing number of Revelstoke residents. In June, the production company will dazzle audiences with an outdoor interpretation of the acclaimed musical made up of numbers from 1970’s disco band ABBA. Mamma Mia is sure to get folks jiving in their seats and hopefully provide a sense of normalcy that’s been missing all this time.
Flying Arrow Productions Artistic Director Anita Hallewas believes Mamma Mia is the perfect choice to get audiences back into the groove of live theatre.
“One of the reasons we chose Mamma Mia was because it’s light, it’s a little bit silly — or it’s a lot silly— people love ABBA, people just need light and fluffy at the moment and that’s what Mamma Mia is,” she says.
“We know people need to get out of their houses and we know people need to dig into a project.”
So much more than just entertainment for an audience, Flying Arrow productions truly are community events. The last production involved more than 50 members of the community as cast members, not to mention everyone involved behind the scenes. Interest in Mamma Mia might even surpass Shrek, with over 50 people already signed up for auditions starting February 19.
Despite uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 restrictions, Hallewas is determined that the show must go on. There are backup plans and contingencies built into the entire production to avoid it being shut down completely. The show will be put on outdoors, hopefully avoiding cancellation in the case that indoor venues are closed. Organizers are also planning a stripped down concert-style version of the show in case too much time is lost for rehearsals. An entire theatre will be built outdoors, complete with a stage, lighting, sound system and sporting arena style seating for the audience.
While putting on a show outdoors comes with a whole host of new challenges, it also comes with new opportunities. Hallewas expects that by holding the show outdoors, they’ll be able to host larger audiences so everyone who wants to has the chance to see the spectacle. She is taking inspiration from other theatre companies like the Caravan Farm Theatre, Bard on the Beach and Shakespeare in the Park to create a unique experience for audiences that will go on rain or shine, restrictions or otherwise.
An incredible amount of work is going into ensuring that the show doesn’t get derailed, but Hallewas says the effort is worth it for a community that’s ready to start experiencing live theatre again. She says excitement is building among folks who had a chance to experience Shrek the Musical and those who missed out on the opportunity.
“It’s a lot but I already have a great team of people helping me. Our first production meeting is already this week and we’re going to hit the ground running. Everyone’s so excited and people are ready to see some theatre. There’s a generation of kids out there who have never seen live theatre,” Hallewas says.
In a way, hosting the show outdoors is bringing theatre to the people. Theatre can sometimes feel elitist and intimidating, but Hallewas says that outdoor shows in spaces that are open to everyone are more accessible. Plans are in place to set up the stage in one of the city’s parks and to incorporate a performance of the show in this year’s Canada Day celebrations. Hallewas is also planning for rehearsals to be open to the public.
“We do outreach and we give tickets to the food bank and I want to keep doing more of that, sort of tap into parts of the community that don’t have access to or don’t feel that they are a part of the arts community, because everyone should be,” Hallewas says.
“That would be my hope, that this is the beginning of coming out of the pandemic and a really beautiful community celebration through theatre.”
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