Sweet Ride, the new dinner theatre musical by Flying Fish Theatre, rolls into the Bluenose Lodge this month.
Inspired by Ann Barry’s 2017 memoir of the same name, Sweet Ride recounts the story of four young women who rode their bicycles from Blockhouse, N.S. to Charlottetown P.E.I.. Set at the height of the Second World War, the play recounts the 400 miles traveled on one-speed bicycles, pedaling through blistering heat, torrential rain, breakdowns and a carnival. All with the goal of sitting in the audience at the Don Messer and his Islanders’ live broadcast at CFCY-CBC radio studio.
“I read the book and I loved the premise,” says playwright Laurel Darnell. “It’s a true story and I love the image it presented. Four women riding their bicycles in the middle of the war across the province because they wanted to go to a concert. I loved the idea and I kind of sat on the idea for a while.”
Over time, Laurel and her husband/collaborator Reid Campbell evolved the concept from a one-woman show to a musical extravaganza, featuring eight songs, two actors, two musicians and one period accurate bicycle.
“There’s four women in the story and they meet a lot of people along the way,” says Laurel. “You couldn’t just take off on a vacation during the war. Cars were scarce and gas was rationed. There were German Uboats off the coast. It was a crazy thing to do. The first day, they leave Blockhouse, pick up a friend in Mahone Bay and then ride 65 miles to Bedford Basin.”
Told through songs, vignettes and narration, Sweet Ride recounts the women’s journey to their final destination, Don Messer’s fiddle concert on CBC radio in Charlottetown. While he may not be a household name today, in the mid-century Maritimes, Don Messer was a very big deal.
“He was like Taylor Swift today,” says Laurel. “I grew up seeing Don Messer and his Islanders on television, but before that he was on radio. Toe-tapping lively music a couple of times a week and people were glued to the radio to hear him play. He himself was a very quiet man. But on the fiddle, it was like, the sky’s the limit.”
The music of Sweet Ride features a healthy dose of toe-tapping fiddle, but also features a wide variety of other styles and influences from Gershwin to Sondheim.
When asked which artist they would be most likely to bike to P.E.I. to see today, Laurel replied, “Sarah McLaughlan.” Musical director Reid Campell voted for Randy Newman, and star Teryn Barry chose Colter Wall.
This production of Sweet Ride is a collaboration between Bluenose Lodge and Mahone Bay’s Flying Fish Theatre. Directed by Sue Evans, the Sweet Ride company features Teryn Barry, Reid Campbell, Eilidh Campbell and Laurel Darnell; Set and Property Design by Merrill Heubach; Costume and Construction by Erin Gore, Esther Amiro and Stephanie Vinnedge.
Guests attending Sweet Ride will enjoy a delicious three-course dinner from a menu created by Bluenose Lodge Chef Chris Fergusson. See the menu at www.bluenoselodge.ca
The performances take place on April 10, 11, 12, 13 and April 24, 25, 26, 27 at Bluenose Lodge in Lunenburg. Dinner begins at 6:00 p.m., followed by the show. Tickets for this intimate theatrical experience are $115 + HST (including a 3-course dinner, gratuities and the performance of Sweet Ride). A limited number of overnight packages are available. Inquire when purchasing your tickets. Call Bluenose Lodge: 902-634-8851 or 1-800-565-8851.
