Farnsworth Chronicles, 9

As we wait to get slammed with a spring snowstorm, clouds looming in the sky ready to release their treasures, my coffee cup is full and I'm ready to dive into the 9th episode of the Farnsworth Chronicles.  I hope you're enjoying reading along and finding out what it's like behind the scenes of a Keyano Theatre Company production.

Last night was the first time that none of used our scripts and apart from a few minor stumbles, it went remarkably well.  I personally dropped a few lines here and there, but for the most part captured the essentials -  kind of like tossing your swimming suit aside for a swim in the ocean the way nature intended, getting off book is an intensely freeing experience.

I thought it would be fun, less than four weeks away from opening night (April 27th), to give you 10 compelling reasons to buy tickets to Keyano Theatre Company's production of The Farnsworth Invention, written by Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing, Social Network, A Few Good Men) and part of the TELUS Drama Series.

10 REASONS TO SEE FARNSWORTH (in no particular order of import or significance)

1. This is live theatre at its best - a talented ensemble cast of 21, tight scene changes, compelling story.
2. Michael Beamish as Philo Farnsworth is terrific.  A graduate of Keyano who went on to the U of L, Michael has injected great excitement and creativity into our grassroots theatre scene since he moved back to the community.  He's also tall...very, very tall, which provides an interesting picture when he is fighting with little ole me.
3. If reading this script is an unforgettable trip, then seeing it played out in front of your eyes is going to be something else! Aaron Sorkin is a genius.  That will be clear come opening night.
4. There won't be a dull moment.  This play is a race to the finish, a dash to see who will invent television.  You'll get swept up by the intense stakes that were in play in the latter part of the 1920's. 
5. The strength of this production is the great work that is being done by the talented ensemble, actors who fly from left to right, up and down, in and out of a handful of different characters.  They are incredible and so much fun to watch.
6. Everyone deserves to hear the story of how the television came to be so much a part of our lives.  This is an accessible, entertaining, and thrilling piece of history worth experiencing.  You'll be glad you did.
7. Why is there so much advertising on television?  This play takes us back to that watershed moment when this technological advancement became the ultimate device for delivering consumers to advertisers. It has something to do with what happened on October 29th, 1929.
8. Discovering Francis.  Not meaning to be too specific, but being able to watch this talented actor originally from South Africa flip seamlessly through various accents (Russian, American north, American south) is just plain fun.  Incidentally, while he is rehearsing for this show, he is preparing for a Fringe tour of his interPLAY hit Rubbish.
9. The lens we see through.  This play challenges us to imagine life before we had technology and embrace the genius of those who saw the future.  From the genesis of how to actualize electronic television to the genius of imagining the key ignition lock system, from wrapping your brain around fusion to sending man to the moon, "We were meant to be explorers."  The Farnsworth Invention is a tribute to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes, the ones who see things differently.
10. Supporting live theatre is important, and it provides a superior evening out.

There you are.  How did I do?  Convinced yet?  Click here and find the line that says "Purchase Tickets Here" and select your seats.  It's just that easy.  We'll see you at the show.