BWW Interviews: MAKING LOVE IN A CANOE with Kyle Golemba and Adam White

Making Love in a Canoe is a uniquely Canadian event happening this Monday night at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. It's the brainchild of Kyle Golemba and Adam White, and its goal is to celebrate all the great musical theatre genius we have here in Canada.

The show originally started as a cabaret and has evolved into a quirky and Canadian album which has its official release party this Monday night. Kyle and Adam have amassed an impressive list of Canadian stars to showcase the music from the CD and celebrate all things Canadian.

The CD features the work of 15 Canadian writers including Jonathan Monro, Nancy White and Leslie Arden. Joining Kyle and Adam on stage are Thom Allison, Nathan Carroll, Trevor Patt and emerging artists Camila Diaz-Varela and Joanna Fraser. Copies of the CD will be available for $10 on this night only.

To learn more about the album and about the importance of showcasing Canadian musical work, BWW sat down with Kyle and Adam to talk about the inspiration behind the project and what people can expect on Monday night. Get out your parkas, grab a cold beer and get ready to eat some Timbits while you experience Making Love in a Canoe!

Ok, let's talk Making Love in a Canoe. Tell us what it's all about... Will there be lovemaking in canoes?

KG: Well, it's an all-ages event so there will only be figurative lovemaking...! Making Love in a Canoe originally started as a cabaret, then had a theatrical run, and now it's an album. We released it this summer and thought there was no better way to celebrate than to put together a show with a bunch of talented friends and sing some great Canadian tunes!

What was the inspiration behind this project?

KG: Julain Molnar!

AW: Charlotte Moore!

KG: Are we about to have a showdown over Canadian divas?

AW: Just answer the question.

KG: Right. I was in the Charlottetown Young Company a few years ago and Julain Molnar taught a class that introduced me to all of this great music that didn't have cast recordings. That definitely planted a seed for what eventually became Canoe. Your turn.

A: Charlotte Moore's album Friends of Mine, a collection of all-Canadian material, was my introduction to Canadian musical theatre writers, and sparked my interest. Our show and album are our contribution to the proliferation of this material; which we happen to also really like.

What is it about Canadian music that resonates with both of you? Do you find after working on this project for so long that we have a unique flair or identity present only in homegrown music?

KG: The humour really grabs me. Canadians are really funny people, which I think maybe comes from having to deal with such a harsh climate for so much of the year. Making light of life is a necessity.

AW: I'm always drawn by the intimacy and immediacy in the lyrics of Canadian writers. Be it Joni Mitchell or Leslie Arden, we're good storytellers.

KG: There's something about the songs that draws you in too. It's like "Come on, let's share this story together" rather than "Sit right there because I'm going to belt at you".

Do you think that our work gets recognized outside of Canada as much as it should? Or perhaps more importantly, do you think locally we recognize it as much as we should?

KG: I don't! Canadians often wait for the U.S. to like what we do before we can like it...and we might just be left waiting. I think we would be wise to invest more in our own artists telling our own stories.

AW: I think Canadians aren't very good at trumpeting their own successes. Name three Gemini award winners. Or three Canadian Olympians outside of snowboarding. We're not very brash and bold about ourselves.

KG: I'm having a hard time talking for this long about our own show.

AW: Sorry. Next question?

Who do you have participating on Monday night?

KG: We've got some great guests lined up for the evening. Our good pal and superstar Thom Allison is joining us. The first time I worked with him was on The Drowsy Chaperone and I really wanted to hear him sing "Aldolpho" again.

AW: We also have some young performers on the bill. Nathan Carroll is singing from a new musical we did together at SummerWorks.

KG: Basically we're using this as an excuse to request all of our favourite Canadian songs and singers.

AW: And Camila Diaz-Varela, Joanna Fraser, and Trevor Patt are emerging artists performing a piece from a musical developed in the Canadian Musical Theatre Project at Sheridan College.

Other than the music, will there be any unique 'Canadianisms' we have to look forward to on Monday night? Perhaps some beer and maple syrup for the audience members?

KG: Definitely the bar will be open -I always say the show feels that much more Canadian with a beer in your hand.

AW: Kyle has been known to have Timbits for our guests...

KG: And we never perform Canoe without a trusty Ookpik on the piano. (Google that - they're so cute!)

What would you say is the number one reason for young people to come out and check out your event?

AW: Because you're guaranteed to discover something new!

KG: We are certainly cornering the market on CanCon in Toronto and I think that's really exciting. Number two reason is Adam and I are both pretty cute and entertaining.

AW: And humble.

Finally, what are your all-time favourite Canadian traditions? I know mine - I love throwing on my Roots Canada sweats and having a campfire by a lake in the Muskokas. Pretty much my favourite thing ever. I think every Canuck has that 'one thing' and we want to know yours!

AW: March Break in Florida. A close second would be listening to Joni Mitchell with the windows down on the 401 (when traffic is moving).

KG: I think a solid Canadian evening of mine would be to don a bunnyhug (that's right, a bunnyhug), drink some Saskatoon berry tea, and listen to This is That on CBC.

When and Where?

Making Love in a Canoe

Oct 28th, 2013

Buddies in Bad Times Theatre

Tickets can be purchased in person at the Buddies in Bad Times Box Office on Monday night. For more information, please visit their official website: http://www.makingloveinacanoe.ca/

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