Herringbone
a delightfully upsetting one-person musical
October, 2019
Anvil Centre Theatre, New Westminster
Book by Tom Cone
Music by Skip Kennon
Lyrics by Ellen Fitzhugh
Based on the one-act play by Tom Cone
Starring Luisa Jojic OR Peter Jorgensen
Directed by Kayla Dunbar
Musical Direction by Sean Bayntun
Set & Lighting Design by Sophie Tang
Costume Design & Construction by Jessica Bayntun
Sound Design by Bradley Danyluk
Darkly comic and highly theatrical, Herringbone is an off-Broadway hit set in 1929 in the heart of the Great Depression. It tells the tale of eight-year-old George who is taken under the wing of a vaudeville veteran, becomes possessed by the spirit of his mentor’s vengeful partner, and suddenly shows a remarkable talent for tap dancing! As the play progresses, an epic battle arises over George’s mind, body and soul. It’s a tour-de-force that has one actor singing and dancing as a dozen different characters.
As an extra twist, Luisa Jojic and Peter Jorgensen alternated performances providing the rare opportunity to see if gender affects the story being told.
“Herringbone has been on our radar for years, and we’re excited to bring this strange, highly original Canadian piece to life at the Anvil Centre. I don’t want to give too much away … but at the end of the day, aren’t we all just humans, struggling to cope with the frustrated vaudevillian dwarf inside?” — Katey Wright, Artistic Producer
Herringbone is a vaudevillian ghost story that is intriguing, entertaining, somewhat disturbing, and a must see.
