OKOTOKS — A Juno-nominated singer/songwriter is leaving the comfort of the microphone to step behind the scenes of bigger productions in Okotoks.
Pop alternative artist Maren Ord Burnham is delving into medieval times with her play Feather Pen Fairy Tales, a musical she penned and composed during the past four years. The musical will debut at the Okotoks Alliance Church Feb. 27-29.
“I started writing it when I moved to Okotoks,” she said. “I’ve written so many drafts the story has changed quite a bit.”
The family-friendly romantic comedy, complete with evil villains, silly guards and a toddler for a king, centres around Jack, who must write the kingdom’s best fairy tale in his quest for love and to save his own life.
“When Jack tells his fairy tale it goes into this other mysterious world,” she said. “There’s some pretty soft flowing dramatic music. For the most part the music is very upbeat and fun and festive. You’ve also got your romantic ballads.”
Ord Burnham, who, in 2001, was nominated for a Juno Award for Best New Song, moved to Okotoks four years ago during which time she began working on the play every spare moment she had – and there weren’t many.
“I’m a mom first so I write when my kids are napping or in bed,” she said. “When my kids are all in school I will be able to treat it more like a full-time job. I have two or three more projects on the go after this has completed.”
In 2018, Ord Burnham was one of six winners of the Alberta Playwright Network’s Annual Alberta Playwriting Competition. As a winner, she was paired up with playwright and critic Caroline Russell-King, who she worked with on her play the next six months.
“I was able to meet with her every month for six months and I learned the most I ever had about writing a play just through that time,” she said. “My play was able to shift quite dramatically because I learned way more about character development and plot lines. My forte is music so it’s a new skillset and it’s something I really enjoyed.”
When it came time to getting Feather Pen Fairy Tales on the stage, Ord Burnham rounded up friends and touched base with theatre folks in the Foothills and soon had a volunteer cast and crew of 40 people.
Among them was artistic director Whitney Smith, who’s taught drama at schools in Black Diamond and High River and worked her practicum at Alberta High School of Fine Arts, where she attended school as a teen.
Smith said when Ord Burnham asked for her help with the play, she was eager to lend a hand.
“I mentored her a little bit through her writing process to polish up the play near the end,” she said. “When she decided she wanted to put it on she asked if I wanted to be the director. I would love to see this thing come to life.”
Smith took on the role of directing while Ord Burnham focused on the music side of things.
“We ran the auditions and cast the play together,” said Smith. “It’s been interesting seeing it going from a writing phase to an on-stage phase. I read a lot of revisions and rewrites and now I’m seeing it take shape.”
Smith calls the play a roller-coaster of emotions.
“It has you laughing, it has you crying,” she said. “It’s mostly a comedy, but there’s a depth to it. It’s this goofy over-the-top fairy tale story, but with a really touching and deep undertone. You go through a large range of emotions while you’re watching it.”
Smith said she’s excited to offer something fresh to Okotoks’ performing arts scene.
“It’s an original play which doesn’t happen often in small town theatre,” she said. “We worked so hard. We have such an incredible cast of volunteers and people who have gone over and above to bring this to our community.”
Performances of Feather Pen Fairy Tales take place at the Okotoks Alliance Church Feb. 27 at 7 p.m., Feb. 28 at 7 p.m., Feb 29 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Tickets cost $20 at eventbrite.ca or at the door if seats are available.
To see clips of the play and interviews with cast and crew go to https://www.facebook.com/Feather-Pen-Fairy-Tales-105261627503451/
