Moose on the Loose at Theatre West

Written by Dina Morrone. Directed by Peter Flood. Presented by Theatre West. 

                 The Tappino family left their impoverished existence in Calabria, Italy, decades ago for America in search of a better life, like generations of immigrant families before them. They got as far as Way Up Bay, a remote little town somewhere in a frosty part of Ontario, Canada, and they stayed there. And they had kids. And then they had grandkids.

                 Daughter Gina left home to establish herself in the professional world of marketing and now she’s coming home to Way Up Bay to take a year off from work. It’s not a simple vacation. She has a hidden agenda. What could it be?

                 Ironically, the day she arrives, a moose wanders into the Tappinos’ residential neighborhood, and in a town where the most popular television station is The Weather Channel, a moose on the loose is big news. This arouses some concern, as moose can be wild, unpredictable and are downright enormous. So Daddy Giuseppe decides to go after it with a gun. And the local police go after him.

                Because this is a comedy about a large and loving albeit chaotic Italian extended family (sister Carmela has an Anglo husband, brother Bruno has an Indigenous girlfriend), the action will sooner or later wind up at the dinner table. What’s Gina’s big secret? What will happen to Giuseppe? What will happen to the moose? How long will it take the Tappinos to discover that the moose is not the only one who is displaced and confused?

                So, are you a man or a moose?

              While there are plenty of laughs in Moose on the Loose, the play has a bit more on its mind, as it touches on the immigrant experience, and  the desire to preserve the traditions of the Old Country while colliding with (and sometimes melding with) those from other cultures. Can one preserve the heritage of the past while everyone around you is being propelled into a very different future? How does immigration affect the original inhabitants (in this case, the Ojibway) of the region?

SPECIAL DATES:  Sundays April 16 and 30: Talkbacks (Q&A) after the performances.

Friday, April 21: ASL (American Sign Language) interpreted performance.

Sunday, April 23: Sensory Friendly Relaxed Performance –- A Sensory Friendly performance is a theater production that welcomes individuals with sensory needs, including people on the autism spectrum, as well as first-time theatergoers and young children. The show is modified to allow for patron movement, staff and actors are trained to accommodate patron needs, and all patrons are welcome to experience theater in a safe, non-judgmental environment.