From facing an apartment eviction to coming up against a hostage-taker — sometimes life is too unpredictable to call, says the co-ordinator of the next New Art Night.
Red Deer College theatre graduate Andrew McKechnie is artistic director of the local theatre troupe Love and Time Machines, which is putting on an evening of original theatre and film on Friday and Saturday at the Nickle Studio, upstairs at the Memorial Centre.
If there’s a common element tying all the presentations together, it’s that life throws obstacles into people’s paths, said McKechnie.
“Sometimes you’re not equipped to deal with what you have to accept.”
For instance, a troubled young man has a hard time coping, not only with college life but with the disintegration of his relationship with his girlfriend in Out of Control.
The play premiered at the Central Alberta Theatre One-Act Play Cabaret last weekend and continues to be a work-in-progress honed by local playwright Jordan Galloway.
The Hangoverture, a short musical written by McKechnie, is about a group of young partiers who learn about cause and effect when they are evicted after a beer-filled bash.
“They have to decide what to do next,” said McKechnie, who believes a lot of tough lessons are learned in young adulthood.
One of them is that while it’s fine to pursue your dreams, you also need to learn to detour around some roadblocks, he added.
Grave Diggers is a solo performance piece written by Alexi Pedneault, who will act in multiple roles.
As a young man is digging up his mother’s coffin in order to steal her jewelry, his mom’s ghost harasses him and his brother causes further interference.
Tonight We Open Our Door to the Devil is a solo piece written by Jesse Byiers, who will perform all three roles in the production.
McKechnie said it’s about a guy who’s just experienced his worst day ever — and gets more beaten down by life when he enters an elevator with a man who takes him hostage.
As well as these theatrical pieces, there will be a poetry reading by Emily Ursuliak and Elyse Szabo will present a short film.
Admission is pay-what-you-think-it’s-worth as you are leaving, said McKechnie.
Performances are at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, as well as a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday. For more information, call 403-358-1389.
lmichelin@www.reddeeradvocate.com