Kent Ertman, Shelby Haga and Jon Varus rehearse the Ding Dong on Sunday, Feb. 13. (Photo Courtesy Chris Brown)

By Chris Brown

Opens on Feb. 18

Chaotic comedy: Medicine Hat Musical Theatre gets back to normal with The Ding Dong

Feb 14, 2022 | 1:09 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Medicine Hat Musical Theatre had to cancel an entire season of shows and when they returned in the fall, it was only for scaled-back radio plays.

They return to regularly-scheduled programming this week with The Ding Dong.

Director Lyn Weisgerber says they want people to laugh again with a February comedy.

“We usually try to pick some unknowns or a comedy feature and we’re excited to get back to a little bit of normalcy,” she says. “This show is a physical interaction show so we had to pick actors that were comfortable with that because you can’t do a physical farce with (people) six feet apart.”

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Weisgerber describes The Ding Dong as a classic farce where a couple’s fidelity is put to the test on a madcap night in two Paris hotels. The adaptation of Georges Feydeau’s Le Dindon and shows “how opening the wrong door in the dark of night can lead to mayhem, laughter, and some unlikely revelations about the secret to a happy marriage.”

Thirteen roles are played by six performers, including CHAT 94.5‘s own Jon Varus, who takes on three of the roles – Redillon, Bellboy and Policeman.

He has previous stage credits elsewhere, but this will be his first show with Medicine Hat Musical Theatre.

He says it’s been fun to get back into the theatre with this show.

“It’s super funny, the lines are quick and the pacing has to be really fast so it’s kind of, it’s a little bit of a challenge to work on to because we only had I think a month and a week or so to put it together so it’s been kind of chaotic but that’s the show, it’s kind of chaotic,” Varus says.

“So it’s been lots and lots of fun and the case is great. So whoever comes to see it, it’s going to be good. A super funny, chaotic show that shouldn’t be missed.”

He adds even though there are plenty of options for how to spend an evening in Medicine Hat, there’s one pretty good reason to choose The Ding Dong.

“Something like this is probably not going to come around very often at all if at any time because it’s kind of a period piece, it’s a little bit oddball,” he says. “So like the fact that it’s playing right now is kind of rare. So I would say that if you’re looking for something to do, the theatre is always there, music is always there, the bar’s always there. But this is only around for a couple of weeks.”

There are nine performances between Feb. 18 and March 5.

For more information and to buy tickets visit mhmtheatre.com.