By Mike Renzella
The Haldimand Press
PORT COLBORNE—From the opening moments of ‘Sugar Road’, the new production that kicked off Lighthouse Theatre’s 2022 summer festival season, it’s apparent that the cast on stage is having just as much fun as the audience.
Set at the run-down Sugar Road Amusement Park, the play follows Hannah Taylor, played by Elana Post. Hannah runs the park, with the help of family friend and overworked mechanic Ray Bishop, played by Brad Rudy, and nosy neighbour Caroline, played by Sarah Quick. Several years ago, the park hosted up-and-coming musician Jesse Emberly, played by Jeffrey Wetsch, at a music festival, which led to a memorable, life-altering night together for Jesse and Hannah. Now a decade later, Jesse is coming back to town to play a homecoming show at the Spurs and Hearts festival. Can Jesse and Hannah pick up where they left off, or was it really just one magical night?
Sugar Road is an all-around delight. The show has a healthy mix of big laughs, tender moments, earnest songs, and real heart. It is anchored by Elana Post’s winning performance as Hannah. While the other characters get many moments to shine, it’s Post’s disarming sincerity in the role that brings all those ingredients together.
Playing off Post through many of the show’s funniest moments is Quick, who brings a magnetic comedic energy to her role. Quick had a sold-out audience during the show’s Port Dover run literally howling with laughter – a scene involving her character trying to get out of a tightly zipped sleeping bag may be worth the price of admission alone, as the physical comedy skills on display are top-notch.
Rudy imbues his character Ray with sincere emotion. On one hand, Ray is the archetypal ‘stoic protector’ to Post’s wounded Hannah, but Rudy gives him just the right amount of raw earnestness to give the show a level of heart it may have lacked in his absence.
Lastly, as Jesse Emberly, Wetsch has great chemistry with Post. The pair feel genuine in their scenes together, and Wetsch brings his musical chops with him, making a convincing country music superstar.
The technical production of the show is wonderful as well, with a well-designed set that allows for a multitude of uses through some clever sound and lighting cues, as the show slips in and out of Hannah and Jesse’s memories of that fateful night and back into the present.
To give away any more would be to spoil some of the great surprises the show has in store for audiences. Rest assured, if you want to laugh, loudly and often, then Sugar Road is sure to satisfy.
Directed by Derek Ritschel, with script and music written by Kristen Da Silva, Sugar Road is now playing at the Roselawn Theatre in Port Colborne until June 19 as partof the Lighthouse summer festival.
For tickets or more information, visit
lighthousetheatre.com/
event/sugar-road.
