I find when I go to movies or plays set in the 1960’s I tend to almost wish I had been alive during that time. Life was so much simpler in a lot of ways (and not simple at all in others) and Jubilations does a great job of recreating the era of “drag” races, roller skates, drive in restaurants, where the idea of a crime was to crank call the local radio station.
TIt’s graduation night and everyone is hanging out in the parking lot of the popular Mel’s Diner, partying to the sounds of DJ Wolfman Zack (Jim Bell) on the radio. High school sweethearts Ronnie (Alan Wong) and Belinda (Mallory Schellenberg) are dealing with how their relationship will be affected by Ronnie leaving for college. Belinda is working with her best friend Rhonda (Ariel Gerard) and the two spend a lot of time talking about boys. Meanwhile Ronnie’s best friend Dreyfuss (Stephen Keppler), the “smartest kid in town” is trying to figure his life out and falls in with the “cool-a-rues” Tommy (Chris Smallwood) and Toni (Nicola Devine as a drag king!) What unfolds is a sweet story of life in the 60’s as stereotypical characters from high school come to life. The show is loosely based on American Graffiti.
“The same kind of movie goes through every generation,” said Devine. “You had American Graffiti in 1973, The Breakfast Club in the 80’s, Dazed and Confused in the 90’s and the American Pie movies representing this generation. It’s the general idea of people getting out of high school and having to figure out what the hell they are going to do now. Everyone has understood this story at some time in their life.”
The music is universal as well with songs such as He’s a Rebel, The Locomotion and Where The Boys Are - familiar tunes that many, such as Chris Smallwood, loved despite being born decades later.
”My family grew up on this music; my Dad always had 66CFR on as I grew up. It’s fun to have these upbeat songs that I grew up listening to, popping in the tape of the ’Solid Gold Collection‘ from Shell gas stations. The story and stereotypes holds true to everyone.”
It’s a show that will definitely bring back memories for those alive in 62’ but will also bring about recollections from us younger folk.
“I have had more people come up to me in this show than any show I have done, saying ‘This made my night and brought back memories that I never thought I would live again.’ That comes from our older audience, but the younger crowd, it takes a bit for them to get into it. Once they subscribe to the whole idea of being in the 60’s it clicks,” said Smallwood.
Canadian Graffiti is also one of the most interactive shows I have seen at the theatre. There are audience member bits throughout, people are constantly dancing, and the breaks all feature Wolfman Zack playing 50’s and 60’s music over the sound system and taking requests from the audience. The additional cast of servers plays more characters from the era – football players and their zany coach, high school sweethearts, cheerleaders, the cool girls, Dreyfuss’ overbearing and slightly creepy parents, and a foreign exchange student who is quite possibly the ugliest drag queen I have ever seen. Canadian Graffiti is a show that a gay and lesbian audience will enjoy due to some clever jokes, and Devine doing drag for 90% of the show.
”Funnily I think Tommy is probably gay. He’s always hanging off of guys and being all ‘ya wanna talk about it?’” said Devine. “(Playing Tommy) has been fun because it has been all up to me how I make him. As for the drag aspect, my fat suit gets washed once a week and I sweat in it, so it does get a bit ripe sometimes, so I won’t say its fun. It is wonderful in that it is like having a mask on so I can be anything I want and be a completely different person.”
There is a great deal of energy in the room both during the breaks and in the show itself.
“It’s a really fun show, what you put into it is what you get out. If you come in willing to have fun and … the more fun you will have, and the energy bleeds into the audience,” Smallwood concluded.
Canadian Graffiti
Jubilations Dinner Theatre
1002 - 37th Street SW at the Westbrook Mall
Phone: 403.249.7799
