Last year Jubilations Dinner Theatre brought back some old Friends, and now they once again bring back a popular TV show a year after it left the air with Everybody Loves Ray’s Mom, running until June 18th.
It’s Robert Barone’s (Mathieu Remillard) retirement party from the police force, as he and wife Amy (Jessica Hickman) are moving to Moose Jaw. The audience are guests at the OFFF Lodge where Robert and his father Frank (Lew Wetherell) are both members. Also at the party are Robert’s brother Ray (Fraz Wiest), Ray’s wife Debra (Kirsten Harvey) and Ray and Robert’s Mom Marie (Jeanette McDonald). Tackling characters from a popular sitcom that ran for nine seasons isn’t necessarily an easy task, but an enjoyable one says Wetherell.
”Now that Jubilations is targeting the really big popular TV shows as parodies, actors will be forced even more to know what they are doing and do their research for these characters. We have more parameters than doing a show that isn’t so well known. It is nice to have the challenge of keeping the characters true to the original show it is based on. People come to the show expecting that, so it is what you want to give them.” For Wetherell part of the challenge is trying to make his 6’7” frame suit that of the much older Frank. “I am able to play against my size a little bit by using an older posture and make myself look physically shorter then Mathieu even though I am an inch or two taller. I try to be conscious of that when we do scenes together that he looks taller than I do.”
Wetherell sat down with GayCalgary.com along with Mathieu Remillard (also extremely tall) and the lovely Jeanette McDonald after a recent performance to discuss the show. McDonald agreed that performing for diehard fans of the original TV series can be both a blast and a lot of pressure.
”It’s funny to get some of the comments. One lady called in to the box office in Edmonton and voiced her displeasure because Marie was wearing a skirt, and she wouldn’t do that [because] she wears pants. Another time a lady made a comment that I didn’t have manicured nails. You have to deal with the comments, because they are diehards. The people that come to see this show, a lot of them know every little thing about these characters.”
Remilliard, whose hysterically funny portrayal of Robert frequently steals the show, is on his first tour having worked for the companies Celebrations Dinner Theatre in Winnipeg as an additional cast member for over a year. He spoke about the challenge of keeping fresh for the nine month tour.
”It’s a new experience for me so it is all fun and I love it a lot. I am glad to be with the cast I am with; it would have a different feel with anyone else. It will be hard to go back to ad casting when this show is done. The only hard thing about this show is the voice – it is such a different voice than my normal one, that talking like that all night does take a toll.”
For McDonald the highlight is the music – Marie’s rendition of Honky Tonk Woman reportedly brings the house down on a nightly basis.
”I have to admit it is pretty cool. I did that song in my very first show with this company, the same concept where the first part was older and the second part was more raucous. It takes people by surprise and it is a great feeling. As long as I have great tunes I am happy. My passion is singing and that is what I focus my energies on. I can do anything as Marie but when I am singing, Jeanette comes out and that brings me immeasurable joy. I am really enjoying this particular show because I have always been the raunchy rock singer. In this show I get to sing pretty and do songs like Que Sera Sera and Lipstick on your Collar. It is great for me because it showcases both sides of the stick.”
It truly is the cast that makes the show tick – the script isn’t as strong as other Jubilations shows. The energy and enthusiasm of the six talented people on stage as well as the ever stellar additional takes it the show to a level that matches past performances.
“We do have to be serious enough that even if it isn’t the best script we have a lot of pride as performers, and regardless of the show you don’t want to ever come off looking bad, that is a fact. Even if parts of this show aren’t as strong as other shows, it is our job to make sure that our end is taken care of and we can walk away knowing we gave them their money’s worth,” Wetherell concluded.
Everybody Loves Ray’s Mom
Jubilations Dinner Theatre
1002 - 37th Street SW at the Westbrook Mall
Phone: (403) 249-7799
