Joanne McQuarrie, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter | [email protected]
Lots of action, twists and turns and witty delivery made 鈥淚 Can鈥檛 Get There From Here,鈥� performed by the Break-A-Leg Theatre cast from Hinton, a treat to watch on Feb. 26.
The production was staged at the Activity Centre, the first time in two years for a live theatre performance in Jasper.
A grant from Canadian Heritage and Arts Jasper allowed Habitat for the Arts Jasper to bring in the Hinton troupe.
鈥淚 was shocked at the number of people who actually came out,鈥� said Marianne Garrah, director of Habitat for the Arts.
Fifty tickets for supper and the show had been sold ahead of time with Garrah noting, 鈥淲e had as many people come to the door for the no-food show. That filled the room quite nicely.鈥�
Don Engerdahl founded Break-A-Leg Theatre 26 years ago and currently serves as the artistic director.
鈥淚f a product is a consistent product, and the overall theatre experience is enjoyable for your patrons, they鈥檒l just keep coming back,鈥� Engerdahl said.
鈥淎 lot of patrons will come to one show, and they keep coming back. They鈥檙e hooked.鈥�
Engerdahl said comedies are a favourite, especially situational comedies.
鈥淭hey can see a friend or family put in a role they don鈥檛 normally do. It鈥檚 all for fun.鈥�
Jasper's Emerson Gibbons opened the show to begin a tale about Arthur Lyman (Engerdahl), a magazine writer who travels to the cozy community of Shadow Falls to look for information about Lillith Mansfield, who had gone missing a while back.聽
As he drove into town, Arthur hit a pothole. The repairs would take a day or two, so Arthur reserves a room at the Mavis Garner Bed & Breakfast, the main setting of the play.
Turns out this B&B gets most of its customers from cars disabled when they hit the pothole on Main Street.
Arthur starts thinking there鈥檚 a scam in this small-town operation and changes his focus from Lillith to writing an expos茅.
Learn more about Break-A-Leg Theatre by visiting
