There are eight million stories in the naked city. The Five Points is going to tell you 86 of them.
Just over a week away and Theatre By The Bay’s long-awaited production The Five Points hits centre stage at the Mady Theatre. From July 21 to July 29 at the Mady Theatre, more than 150 stories collected by the cast of 10 as well as artistic director Alex Dault from people throughout the downtown core will be told.
As daunting a task as it was, Dault explains that inspiration hit him and he couldn’t turn away from it.
“I was walking downtown in a spot I have so many times before and saw a sign that read ‘What Happened To Barrie’”, said Dault. “It was hanging on a caged area that used to be open and would usually have a guy down on his luck sleeping there. I grew up loving this city and finding nearly everything about it amazing, but clearly there were people here who didn’t see it that way. This is a story I felt needed to be told.”
Dault is proud of his birth-city and as a graduate of St Joseph’s Catholic High School carried on to George Brown for their theatre program. Though he and his family now live in Toronto, Dault feels that Barrie is still near and dear to him and loves that it will always have that small-town feel to him.
“The real key to the Five Points play is the fact that you don’t have to be from Barrie to enjoy it,” said Dault. “This is a story or collection of stories that will resonate with people from any small town in Canada. The hope is that folks come out to see and leave the theatre wanting to talk about it, want to discuss it with each other and their neighbours.
The play is based on discussions with people from all walks of life including those who live in shelters, politicians, business owners and those from the suburbs and local malls. While there are so many great stories from people all over the city, Dault recalls a few in particular that are ripe with entertainment.
“The lady at the ticket counter at the bus station,” said Dault. “Her stories are amazing; that woman sees so much. A bouncer from the old Silver Star who we talked to for two hours and every story he tells could have been in the show but we took one and its fantastic. We also speak to Councillor Rose Romita who is a very interesting person and someone who absolutely loves downtown. We also spoke to a gentleman who was homeless for a very long time and was living in a camper van. He is pulling himself out of poverty and has now become an advocate for the homeless plight in the downtown core and is actually the guy who put up the sign on the caged area that started this whole thing. So, there will be stories to make you laugh, cry but most of all feel and want to discuss.”
One of the actors in the play is also a big help to the whole production. Iain Moggach is the Executive Director for TBTB and helped on the project from day one. The first reading of the scripts was back on June 5 at the Creative Space and Moggach is very optimistic after those readings on how The Five Points play will pan out.
“There was so much positive reaction in the room from those readings and great feedback that I really feel that we have a winner here,” said Moggach. “Its somewhat a documentary feel as its real stories about real people but just with some drama as we bring it to life on stage. It’s a great feeling to know that everyone is buying into what we’re doing; from the actors to the rest of the crew. What I’m really hoping is to be walking around town after the play sometime and hearing people discussing the issues that were portrayed in the show, that’s the real goal for me personally.”
While the play will be the finished product for those involved, the gathering of stories was a huge part of the event and the most crucial. 19-year-old Thomas Williams has been in theatre for six years and with TBTB for the last three. Having been in Barrie his whole life, Williams jumped at the chance to be involved with the play.
“I absolutely love Barrie and really admire the amount of different perspectives that everyone has on the city based on their experiences here,” said Williams. “Last year I was a part of We Must Have More Men which was about the city’s contribution to World War I and it was such a deep and personal piece that I knew I wanted to be involved in more topics like it.”
Performing in front of people is becoming second nature to Williams and he is feeling more and more at home on stage with every show he does. This time however, the butterflies weren’t from stage fright being in front of hundreds of people.
“The interviewing process was terrifying,” said Williams. “I’m socially awkward which is something I get to touch on in the play. It was just so scary at first to have to go up to random people on the street and be like, ‘hey, can I interview for you for a play’ and have some people look at me like I was crazy. But it became easier as some folks ended up being very talkative and wanting to tell their story. It was for sure my biggest learning experience in theatre to date.”
The Five Points runs at the Mady Theatre from July 21 to 29 with previews on July 19 and 20. For tickets and information check the website at www.theatrebythebay.com/the-five-points
