ONSTAGE
What: Blackstones & Bathtubs
Where: Nanaimo鈥檚 Port Theatre, 125 Front St.
When: July 2, 6, 7, 8
Tickets: Opening night $5, other performances $18 to $35 (250-754-8550 or )
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To create a musical for Nanaimo鈥檚 sa国际传媒 150 celebrations, Jessica Lowry discovered the holy grail of Bathtub Race footage.
鈥淭his was footage from the original race in 1967, all black and white, showing an actual clawfoot tub. It looked like it was right in the water,鈥� said Lowry, the writer and director of Blackstones & Bathtubs.
The production, having its premi猫re tonight, was commissioned by the City of Nanaimo, which had put out the call for a musical inspired by its 鈥渃ulture and history鈥� to help commemorate sa国际传媒鈥檚 150th birthday.
Blackstones & Bathtubs follows the adventures of four tourists who go back into time to explore Nanaimo鈥檚 history.
A segment on the Nanaimo Bathtub Race includes vintage video of Mayor Frank Ney riding a giant bathtub in Nanaimo harbour.
One scene depicts the four time-travellers cavorting in a real clawfoot bathtub while seven dancers with parasols gyrate to such songs as Wipeout and Row Row Row Your Boat.
鈥淚 definitely want to celebrate this quirky culture. To me, it鈥檚 like the apex of Nanaimo鈥檚 quirkiness sits in these bathtubs,鈥� Lowry said.
She found the bathtub race videos by parsing through 10 discs containing hours of footage from the race in the 1960s, 鈥�70s and 鈥�80s.
Although Lowry grew up in the city, she admits the enduring popularity of the Nanaimo Bathtub race has always been a mystery to her.
鈥淏athtub-racing has always been something I鈥檝e strived to figure out. It is bizarre,鈥� she said with a laugh.
The onstage bathtub features in other scenes. It鈥檚 seen in a miner鈥檚 home and also becomes a Snuneymuxw canoe carrying coal to a Victoria blacksmith.
Blackstones and Bathtubs features a five-piece band playing original music as well as songs by such artists as Leonard Cohen, Diana Krall and Rita MacNeil.
The musical continues at the Port Theatre July 6, 7 and 8.