A new play captures the quirks and charm of life on the U.S./Canadian border. “Border Songs,” based on Jim Lynch’s award-winning novel, opens this week at the Claire vg Thomas Theatre in Lynden. The play is perhaps the only one in existence to be set in Blaine, and the characters serve as humorously larger-than-life caricatures of real people that Borderites encounter every day. The play stars Kyle Henick as Brandon, a socially awkward border patrol officer living in Blaine, who must deal with a quirky array of characters, from pot-smoking Canadian tourists to obsessive birders to illegal immigrants. Ten cast members portray more than 20 different characters. The show originally debuted in 2011 at Seattle’s Book-It! Repertory Theatre. Playwright Bryan Willis worked on adapting Lynch’s novel for more than two years. “‘Border Songs’ is one of my favorite novels of all time,” Willis said in a press release. “It’s so rich, well-observed and steeped in our Northwest language and sensibilities.” Director Mark Kuntz co-founded the new Bellingham TheatreWorks alongside Bellingham playwright Steve Lyons. “Border Songs” is the company’s first production. Performances of “Border Songs” will be jumping back and forth between Bellingham and Lynden. The show premiered at the Firehouse Performing Arts Center in Bellingham on June 19. It will debut in Lynden on Thursday, June 26 and run through Sunday, June 29, then return to Bellingham on Thursday, July 3 and Saturday, July 5. The show will close out its run in Lynden Thursday to Saturday, July 10–12. On Saturday, June 28, Jim Lynch will appear for a post-play discussion of the piece. All tickets sell for $15. For more information on show times and exclusive photos of the cast, visit the show’s website at bellinghamtheatreworks.org.
Posted on: Thu, 03 Jul 2014 12:01:07 +0000
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