The Best Laid Plans: a Musical runs Sept. 19 to Oct. 3 at The York Theatre, 639 Commercial Dr., Vancouver. Showtimes are Tuesday to Saturday at 8 p.m, with matinees Sept. 20, 27 and Oct. 3 at 2 p.m. $19 Tickets available through The Cultch Box Office: 604-251-1363, tickets. thecultch.com.
The timing is perfect and the plot draws some parallels to one particular election race on the North Shore in the world premiere of the political satire, The Best Laid Plans: a Musical.
Set in Ottawa during the run-up to a federal election, the story centres around Daniel Addison, a speechwriter for the leader of the Liberal Opposition, who wants to rid himself of the political world in favour of a university professor gig.
But before that can happen he's given a Herculean task: find a Liberal candidate to run in an unassailable Conservative riding.
The same strategy, underway in constituencies across the country, is unfolding as well in the Conservative-stronghold West Vancouver riding where the Liberals are running star candidate and former West Vancouver mayor Pamela Goldsmith-Jones.
"It's interesting, isn't it?" says Best Laid Plans actor Nick Fontaine, of art paralleling politics.
The Lower Lonsdale resident, who plays the speechwriter, Daniel, in the show is excited to bring to life Terry Fallis' award-winning novel The Best Laid Plans, which won the 2008 Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour and CBC Canada Reads 2011.
"It's been in the works for four years," says Fontaine of the musical. "When the audition came up I said, I want to see what this is really about, because there is so much buzz about the show."
Fontaine acts opposite Andrew Wheeler who plays the chosen Liberal candidate - a crusty old Scottish engineering professor named Angus McLintock.
Daniel manages to convince a begrudging Angus to throw his hat in the ring, with the promise that he will lose. But their best laid plans go hilariously awry when Angus is elected.
"I won't ruin it for you but there's stuff that happens," says Fontaine with a laugh.
At the heart of the musical is a message that Fontaine figures will awaken those who are disengaged from the political process in this country. He notes there is some ambivalence among Canadians during this election, like they don't feel represented or they worry about strategic voting.
"The musical plays off those themes, like their voice isn't being heard," says Fontaine. "The message is: Hey, go and vote and have your say. And make your voice heard. It's about choice and standing up."
There's one more caveat: the play is not anti-Conservative, explains Fontaine.
"We destroy all-comers. It's a satire on Canadian federal election politics," says Fontaine.
It's been a treat for him to perform alongside Wheeler who Fontaine saw on stage at UBC when he was coming up as an actor.
"I thought, he's so good there's no way I'm ever going to work with him," says Fontaine.
He's equally effusive with his praise for fellow cast members including Patti Allan, a Handsworth secondary alum.
"The cast is crazy talented. We spend the whole day laughing," says Fontaine.
He is no stranger to Best Laid Plans director Peter Jorgensen of Patrick Street Productions who directed Fontaine in Avenue Q mounted at the Arts Club Theatre last year.
"Getting to work with Peter was a total treat.
To get to work with him back-to-back, I'm a little spoiled," says Fontaine.
The Best Laid Plans will kick off the venerable Touchstone Theatre's 40th anniversary season and is the biggest show mounted in their history. The company's all-Canadian mandate has helped launch some of the country's most luminary playwrights and actors.
A graduate of then-Capilano College's Theatre Diploma program, later obtaining a BFA in acting from UBC, Fontaine credits his early years on "very artsy" Cortes Island for fostering his love of music and acting. When he later moved to Campbell River for high school he signed up for "all the bands, and all the choirs and all the acting groups."
Not only is Fontaine an actor, he is also a trained percussionist who sometimes performs double duty on stage and in the pit. Such was the case when Fontaine played Ritchie Valens in The Buddy Holly Story which smashed box office records through six holdovers at Regina's Globe Theatre.
"I'm lending my interpretation of the character to the show and then suddenly you get to hop on the drum kit," recalls Fontaine of the Buddy Holly experience. "That show was an absolute riot."
Asked if he would ever consider working behind the scenes, Fontaine says his path is clear cut.
"I really enjoy acting, acting is where I belong," says Fontaine. "People who write the shows are beautiful architects. As a performer, I take pride in being a really great carpenter and bringing those designs to life."
