Grindstone Theatre is taking it back in time to the summer with Jason Kenney’s Hot Boy Summer: The Musical. No, not back to the 2021 Calgary Stampede where masks were nonexistent. They’re going back to the ’80s.
“It’s an ’80s frat movie plot with all the characters from our current politics,” says Byron Martin, director and writer of Jason Kenney’s Hot Boy Summer: The Musical.
The comedy is set in 1983 at “Alberta University” and student union president Jason Kenney is planning a year-end rodeo-themed party with his frat, Upsilon Cappa Pi. The party planning takes a turn for the worst when Kenney’s enemy, Rachel, intervenes and in no time Dean Trudeau, his friend Deena, and his frat mates are turning against him.
Jason Kenney’s Hot Boy Summer: The Musical was written by Martin and Simon Abbott in six weeks and has been in rehearsal for the last two weeks. The turnaround was quick, but Martin says the hype for the show is encouraging. The show began its run in November and added more shows after selling out.
“The reaction has been very overwhelmingly positive,” says Martin. “In terms of being a theatre creator, it’s not often that it’s that easy to convince people to come to your show.”
The musical stars Donovan Workun as Jason Kenney, Stephanie Wolfe as Rachel Notley, Abby Vandenberghe as Deena Hinshaw, Mark Sinongco as Tyler Shandro and Malachi Wilkins as Justin/Dean Trudeau.
Jason Kenney’s Hot Boy Summer: The Musical runs from November 27 to December 4 at The Orange Hub (10045 156 St. NW). Tickets are $40 and selling quickly.
