An uplifting four-hander musical about “coming in"—finding acceptance within yourself and in your community. Set at a three day summer camp for LGBTQ+++ youth called Camp-Us, Us tells the story of a diverse group of camp participants who work together to make the camp a community that offers "whatever (the campers) need." Some are looking for new beginnings, some are struggling to move on from past hurts. But everyone, campers and counsellors are looking for some kind of connection.
Actor 1 (Tenor or mezzo-soprano): Carley
A trans woman, late 20’s, she/her
Actor 2 (Tenor): Damon
Cis gay man, camp counselor 20’s, he/him
Actor 2 Moon Girl
13 year old queer child who cannot sleep, big, white blanket, she/they
Actor 3: (Mezzo-soprano) Jake
20’s, camp counselor, cis gay woman, he/him
Actor 3: Molly
50’s, nurse practitioner/mother, cis, she/her
Actor 4: (Mezzo-soprano) Football Dave
19, head camp counselor, cis gay man, he/him
Actor 4: Burgundy
20’s cis woman, she/her
The existing available score has been created for a 4-voice cast accompanied by solo piano. There is possibility to expand the piano score to include further instruments/orchestrations as required by future production needs.
Note: The initial production saw “Damon” playing Cajon, "Football Dave" playing guitar and “Jake” playing upright bass on select songs as we had those musical talents within the cast. These instruments were played on stage in full sight of the audience and added dimension to characters and set.
Piano
Val Pearson
Val Pearson
Johanna Bundon
Wes Pearson
Wendy Lundgren
Wes Pearson
Jeremy Sauer
An uplifting four-hander musical about “coming in"—finding acceptance within yourself and in your community. Set at a three day summer camp for LGBTQ+++ youth called Camp-Us.
Our new musical Us premiered at the Regina Globe Theatre mainstage February 28, 2018. It won the 2017 winner of the Playwrights Guild Canada Stage West Pechet Family New Musical award—for best new Canadian musical in development.
Jurists Ted Dykstra (Chair), Clara Bullock, Meghan Gardiner, and Peter Jorgensen said the script “had incredible potential, heart, compelling characters, authenticity in both subject and the music. The jury felt it was a story that needed to be told, and was full of voices that needed to be heard. They also noted its big heart, that it came from a place honest and true, and that high school students could really benefit from seeing it.”
And Us is brave, warm, funny, innovative, and inclusive—and earns its high-hearted ending. As Counsellor Damon says: “…the very best way to change our story—the “the World Doesn't Want Us, We're Not Right, so the way to make it better is erase ourselves. STUPID story—is to be HAPPY. And Happy isn't EASY. You have to take it. You have to get up—and grab happiness by the ovaries and squeeze. Because it’s yours—as much as anybody else’s. It’s not the only way—but it's certainly a way. And it takes all of us. Choosing happy. And no one dead.” If you are interested in reading Us, current book and charts are available. Please contact Straybird Productions’ Kelley Jo Burke (Kelley.jo@sasktel.net) or Jeffery Straker (jeffstraker.com).
