Want to take a trip in time back to the prohibition era? At the end of this month you can at the Souris Valley Theatre. Speak Easy, an atmospheric cabaret set in the 1920s, is showing at the theatre on July 30. Cheeky, with a bit of danger, the show embodies the spirit of the era.
“It’s an evening of music from the 1920s. The idea is that it’ll transport you to that era,” says Kaitlyn Semple, soloist, actress, creator and director of the performance. “There are lots of songs that people would recognize, but more than the songs, there are actors in character throughout the whole thing.”
The performance revolves around the life of Lillian Fern, a cabaret songstress with big dreams, but working in “a crummy dive,” surrounded by some rough characters. The performance features classic 20s songs, like Let’s Misbehave, The Charleston, and Yes Sir, That’s My Baby, as well as some original scores featuring plenty of witty wordplay and showcasing local talent.
The title of the production is derived from the speakeasy, a secretive establishment from the Prohibition era where alcohol was served, contradicting the law of the time.
A play that focuses on its musical score, Speak Easy will immerse the audience into the 20s through a jazzy soundtrack. The production features the talent of musicians Jack Semple on banjo, Jon Neher on piano and Karl Valiaho on clarinet and saxophone.
There are some interesting twists in store for the audience, that won’t just be onstage. Before anything happens onstage, guests will be invited to a speakeasy themselves. They’ll be brought in through the back doors of the theatre and treated to appetizers and drinks inspired by the 1920s.
For the performance, guests will enter the theatre “backwards,” being escorted over the stage, providing them a unique view, in a secretive tour of the theatre, setting a mischievous mood.
The unique format of the night is meant to shake things up and break with the traditions and conventions of theatre, providing guests with something they can’t find on their laptop or Netflix.
“In order to reinvigorate theatre, you have to do something different. That’s why I’m really excited about Speak Easy,” says Semple. “It’s more than just sitting, listening to music. You become involved in the show.”
Semple says it was a lot of fun producing and performing the production, noting that she grew up in a musical family, and has been singing jazz music since high school. She notes her love of jazz and the musical style’s rise to popularity in the 20s dovetailed together, in a fitting way, in her creation of Speak Easy.
“The music is a crucial part. To be honest, the 20s are hot right now. People are into it. People whose parents listened to music from the 20s are still around, and love it because their parents listened to it,” says Semple. “People of a younger generation are looking into it now, too. The Great Gatsby brought it into pop culture, and people like to dress up like in that time period.”
The show will be on July 30, and the doors open at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at www.sourisvalleytheatre.com, or at Henders Drugs.
