First Nation Story will Resonate with All
Reviewed by Mary Alderson
On opening nights, Artistic Director Rob Kempson always tells the audience at The Capitol Theatre that the sets are all made in-house and will only be seen here in Port Hope. Well, for the opening night of Rez Gas he could have said the same thing about the musical. It was created at the Capitol where the writing team developed and workshopped it. Like their sets, this production was completely home-grown created by local talent.
A year and a half ago, I attended a reading of it, as they continued to work on the musical. Certainly that reading piqued my interest. Cale Crowe of Alderville First Nation wrote the play with his co-writer Genevieve Adam of Cobourg. Crowe composed the music and wrote lyrics. The story is loosely based on his experiences.
Rez Gas gives us a slice of life on a First Nation, yet it is more than an Indigenous story. The theme is universal – growing up and wanting to get out of your home town, then cutting relationships with family and friends – will resonate with everyone in the audience.
When their car breaks down, Destin (John Wamsley) and his girlfriend Mackenzie (Emma Rudy) end up on the reserve at The Wide Wigwam, the local diner, gas bar, and go-kart track. Mackenzie walks in, but it soon becomes apparent that Destin doesn’t want to be seen there, lurking in the background, hiding behind the menu. But of course, in the small community he is eventually spotted.
Lucy (Nicole Joy-Fraser) is the owner of the diner. She has a tough exterior with a heart of gold. Her son Nolan (Vinnie Alberto) works for her at the restaurant. As well, Wade (Jonathan Fisher), an older resident, works there. Leon (Dillan Meighan Chiblow) hangs out at the diner, and is friends with Nolan, and both were apparently a former friends of Destin’s. Aurora (Michelle Bardach) is the daughter of the reserve’s rich guy, who flaunts her money which comes from their casinos and cannabis shops.
Destin is not welcome at his First Nation. The two other young men, Leon and Nolan, were in a band with him, and felt abandoned when he left to try to make it on his own as a musician in the big city. Old wounds, jealousy and anger resurface and there is a lot of yelling by almost all the characters. Then the plot takes a surprise twist when they find out his girlfriend, Mackenzie, is “that white girl” who arrived at the diner earlier. Mackenzie also has a couple of surprises she shares unexpectedly, adding to the discord. But it is the elder, Wade, who offers his knowledge and puts Destin on the path to resolving issues with his former friends, in a touching scene where Wade gives Destin his traditional drum.
Emmy Rudy is excellent as Mackenzie, achieving her career goal and then figuring out that the work and income were certainly not what it was cracked up to be. Rudy is a former Anne in Anne of Green Gables at the Charlottetown Festival, a role every young female actor in Canada covets.
Other than Rudy, cast members are Indigenous. They have assembled a company of some of best actors in Canada, Indigenous or otherwise. Following in the footsteps of Chief Dan George, Graham Greene or Port Hope’s own Tom Jackson, each actor gives a clear and honest performance.
John Wamsley has been on stage at the Stratford Festival in challenging roles, and he doesn’t disappoint here. As Destin, we feel his frustration and anger, and his desire to live a better life. Similarly, Nicole Joy-Fraser has been on the Stratford stage and Blyth Festival where I saw her talent in both drama and comedy. As Lucy, she makes good use of both skills. Vinnie Alberto starred as Gilbert Blythe in Anne of Green Gables at the Charlottetown Festival, and has been in many roles at the Shaw Festival. A Metis actor, he delights the audience with his comedic abilities as Nolan in Rez Gas, diffusing some of the tension.
Dillan Meighan Chiblow has solid experience in workshopping new shows, so taking part of Leon in Rez Gas must have seemed natural to him. His solid acting skills are evident from the opening scene. Michelle Bardach has graced the Stratford stage in two hit shows and has experience in other prominent theatres. She is a delight as the cocky Aurora. Likewise, Jonathan Fisher has been on stage across Canada. As Wade, an elder, his character’s quiet confidence shines through in a well-rounded role.
All the performers are excellent singers and sang Cale Crow’s score perfectly, from the fast rap to energy-filled show-stoppers and ballads. Kudos to the Music Supervisor Jeff Newberry for the orchestrations and to Music Director Sarah Richardson, as well as the three-piece band.
Sound seemed to be a challenge on opening night. Let’s hope it’s improved with the rest of the run. The band was drowning out the singers, especially with the fast rap numbers (in the style of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony Award-winning musical Hamilton). It is difficult enough to simply keep up when they are speaking so quickly but it becomes that much harder to hear the words when the band seems too loud. At other times the sound just seemed muffled making it difficult to understand lyrics.
We should be proud to have two writers of this calibre – Crowe and Adam – right here in Northumberland County. Credit goes to Rob Kempson and the Capitol Theatre’s Creators’ Unit which assists playwrights with getting their work completed and to the stage. This is the first show to be written, workshopped and reworked at the Capitol, and seen through to fruition.
Rez Gas is very well done. Indigenous director Herbie Barnes deserves credit for this well cast, well directed musical. It is truly an ensemble piece with each actor contributing equally to the production. And while we see what life is like on a First Nation, we are also given a tale that will resonate with everyone, a genuine story about the importance of special relationships that spans all demographics.
Rez Gas continues at the Capitol Theatre in Port Hope until September 7. Tickets are available at the box office by calling 905-885-1071 or visiting https://capitoltheatre.com/
Photo: John Wamsley as Destin and Emma Rudy as Mackenzie in Rez Gas. Photo by Sam Moffatt.
Rez Gas
Music, lyrics and book by Cale Crowe
Book by Genevieve Adam
Directed by Hervie Barnes
Musical Supervision by Jeff Newberry
Music Direction by Sarah Richardson
Choreography by Monica Dottor
Performed by Vinnie Alberto, Michelle Bardach, Dillan Meighan Chiblow, Jonathan Fisher, Nicole Joy-Fraser, Emma Rudy, and John Wamsley
Capitol Theatre, 20 Queen St, Port Hope
August 22 to September 7, 2025
Reviewed by Mary Alderson