The Chariot Cities

Written by Harrison Mooney, this piece is a one of those rare but fabulous shows where the ensemble cast is so damn good you can’t fairly highlight only one or two performers. While they’re all trained and talented actors, the singing and musicianship were surprisingly good too.

Director Andy Toth has pulled together a seamless work of art in spite of the narrative jumping from one decade to another and he somehow manages to have evaded that sometimes awkward transition from dialogue to song that can feel artificial in some musical theatre productions.  There’s a tightness to this show that’s felt but not obvious and credit should also go to the production crew under Lois Dawson.

While the dialogue is at times funny and touching Mooney doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to the painful tension that exists in most families but lives right at the surface in this story of a very public family that bears a strong resemblance to a certain much loved US - Canadian family of musicians who’ve lived their struggles on our turntables and digital devices. 

Composer Bryan Binnema’s songs are well written to reflect the characters performing them and really propel the arc of the narrative very well. Jack Stackhouse (played wonderfully by Jeff Gladstone) sings the snort laugh inducing song but I’m warning you right now to take some tissues because I’m pretty sure the whole audience teared up with the gently done Be At Home in Me.  Exquisitely done!