Music
YES Theatre is welcoming acclaimed theatre director and dramaturg Marie Farsi to the Way Out There creative team, where she is leading the development of this new Canadian musical ahead of its world premiere on April 18 at the Sudbury Theatre Centre.
Farsi is a celebrated Canadian director and dramaturg whose work has been developed and presented at theatres across the country, including the National Arts Centre.
Her involvement brings nationally recognized expertise in new play development to this ambitious YES Theatre premiere, said a press release.
Way Out There features music by Canadian composer Anton Lipovetsky and is being created alongside actor, creator, and writer Sara Farb.
The collaboration between Farsi, Lipovetsky, and Farb has helped shape the musical’s distinctive voice – blending the sounds of 90s alternative rock with a mysterious, sci-fi inspired story about family, belief, and the unknown.
Set in White Rock, BC in 1996, Way Out There follows siblings Megan and Jason as they grapple with the mysterious disappearance of their father.
While Megan tries to move forward with everyday life, Jason becomes consumed with the belief that their dad was abducted by aliens – drawing the siblings into a story about grief, imagination, and the search for truth.
“I wanted to develop and direct this new Canadian musical because its story asks big questions about meaning, faith, and purpose while boldly smashing genres,” said Farsi.
“Way Out There brings together the spectacle of musicals, the comforting nostalgia of the 90s, the suspense of a sci-fi thriller, and the very real stakes of starting your life as a young adult.
“Moving between the vastness of the cosmos and the intimacy of a fragile family, the show invites us to consider how we make sense of the unexplainable – whether that’s grief or extraterrestrial life and how we relate to people whose beliefs differ from our own.
“As humans, we’re always searching for truth about ourselves and the world around us, but how much do we really know? “
YES Theatre is proud to offer $35 Theatre for All tickets for this production, helping make live theatre accessible to the entire community.
Audiences can also experience the show early with four preview performances offered at a special discounted rate leading up to opening night starting on April 14.
Tickets are available now at yestheatre.com.