Cariboo Magi production coming to Rosebud Theatre

By Laureen F. Guenther Times Contributor

Cariboo Magi, by Lucia Frangione and directed by Paul F. Muir, is Rosebud Theatre’s Christmas play this season, running Nov. 10 to Dec. 23.
The story begins in San Diego during the 1860s Gold Rush. Fanny Dubeau, a saloon owner, is struggling to keep her business afloat since the gold miners fled north. She encounters a letter addressed to actors who skipped town, and discovers they have a contract to perform in Barkerville, B.C. Fanny decides to form her own acting troupe – a saloon dancer, a disillusioned Anglican minister and a young Canadian of unknown heritage. She’ll take them to perform in Barkerville, make lots of money and save her saloon.
While Fanny’s troupe travels, they rehearse the plays they’ll perform – Hamlet, The Last of the Mohicans, Christmas Carol and a vaudeville show, Fanny’s Frolics.
“Imagine doing that drive in 1870,” Muir said. “Making that journey via paddlewheel steamboat, stagecoach, a sleigh, a camel, walking. Now imagine doing it in the middle of winter. You can imagine all kinds of zany things take place.
“They get up to Barkerville and realize they’re not looking for any of these plays. They’re looking for a retelling of the Christmas story, the whole Jesus, Mary and Joseph Christmas story. So on they go, to try to create a version of the Christmas story, using Hamlet, The Last of the Mohicans, Christmas Carol and Fanny’s Frolics.”
Though Cariboo Magi was produced in Rosebud Theatre in 2002, Muir said this production will feel entirely new because it has a different creative team, including Muir himself.
Hanne Loosen designed costumes and the set. Becky Halterman designed the lighting and Paul Zacharias designed the sound.
“The play is not a musical,” Muir said, “but (Zacharias) has written some incredible music, beautiful music, to go with the show.”
The cast does have two returning actors – Norma Roth and Nathan Schmidt – who played the younger characters in 2002. Now they’re playing the older characters, Fanny Dubeau and William Teller. Zach Running Coyote and Anna Dalgliesh, both Rosebud School of the Arts (RSA) students, will perform Joe Mackey and Marta Reddy.
“Some (audience members) will love it because it’s hilarious to the point of sublime,” Muir said. “And some people will love it because of its heart. Some people will love it because of its relationships.”
He hopes everyone takes away the heart of Christmas.
“The Christmas story, the birth of Jesus, is the beginning of an incredible story of grace, God’s grace for the entire world,” he said. “At the core of this particular story for these characters is this unexpected, undeserved grace. What more could you want at Christmas, than a story about unexpected and undeserved grace?
“The opportunity to be part of telling that story, the Christmas story, to our audience feels like a big honour. Come on out and share this story with us.”
The play is appropriate for families with children about eight years of age and older. You can get Cariboo Magi tickets at rosebudtheatre.com or 1-800-267-7553.