Thom Currie Brings MAMA'S COUNTRY RECORD COLLECTION to HVT, Oct 24-28

For those who enjoyed Showboat Festival Theatre's Back in '59 at the Hudson Village Theatre (HVT) this past summer, and so many did the box office could barely keep up, the hits just keep on comin'. Thom Currie, the creator and director of that little gem, returns to Montreal with another sell-out show, Mama's Country Record Collection, playing for one week only at HVT from October 24th to 28th, 2012.

Sorting through country music albums in his basement after the passing of his wife, Bruce and his daughter Caitlin (played by Philip Douglas Kerr and Desiree Beausoleil respectively) take a musical journey. The cobwebs get dusted off songs from such iconic names as Conway Twitty, Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn, Glen Campbell, Kenny Rogers and more. For Country and Western die- hards, it's a gold mine but even those not partial to the genre are powerless to resist the urge to stomp their feet and clap their hands as they sing along.

Thom's own mother was a big country and western fan. "She had a huge record collection and I remember hearing the songs on the car radio during our family vacations. My siblings and I couldn't help memorizing the lyrics!" In 2006, he began working on a simple idea of taking those same radio hits and wrapping them around a simple story about a fractured family. "When my mother passed away in the fall of 2009, I finally sat down to create the show in earnest."

Meredith Zwicker, who collaborated with Currie on Back in '59, is back in the saddle as musical director and keyboard accompanist while also providing back-up vocals this time. Warden Bemont created the set, Jim Hawley the lighting design, with costumes and props by Anrita Petraroia, and Peter Sherk, who last worked at HVT for Piaf!, as the stage manager.

The show is written and directed by Thom Currie with musical director Meredith Zwicker and featuring Desiree Beausoleil and Philip Douglas Kerr. Tickets are $27 and $29. For information and tickets, call the Hudson Village Theatre Box Office at 450-458-5361 or visit www.villagetheatre.ca.

Photo Credit: Thom Currie

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