Sudbury’s YES Theatre debuts original musical ‘Way Out There’

After a nationwide search for new work, YES Theatre premieres the original musical 'Way Out There' on April 18.

After years of development behind the scenes, YES Theatre is set to premiere its commissioned original production, Way Out There, on April 18. The musical marks a significant milestone for the company, which first began cultivating new work from across the country in 2021.

The project emerged from a nationwide call for fresh concepts, a process that drew dozens of submissions before being whittled down to a single, standout idea.

“We had a call for new ideas – it was nationwide,” said Alessandro Costantini, the show’s producer.

“We had about 75 different projects supplied from that. We would narrow it down to about five pieces that we interviewed. And we asked folks to give us a song and a synopsis. So it was a very, very small seed of an idea. From there, we selected Way Out There.”

Story of family and the unexplained

Set in White Rock, B.C., in 1996, the production follows two siblings on a personal quest.

“(The show) tells the story of these two siblings who are on a search to find their father,” Costantini said.

“It’s sort of like Stranger Things meets X-Files. There’s just like extraterrestrial elements to it. But at its core, it’s about this family and about them sort of working through this really crazy event that happens to them.”

Fresh sound for the stage

The musical’s score draws from a distinct era of rock music, offering a sonic landscape not commonly found in contemporary musical theatre.

“The music is kind of like mid-late 90s rock art, which is really great and exciting because there isn’t currently any musical theatre with that at the moment,” said Samantha Mbolekwa, a North Bay native who returned from the United Kingdom to join the Sudbury production.

Blend of seasoned talent, new faces

With a cast of 10 actors, supported by a live band, the production team placed a strong emphasis on getting the right ensemble together.

Costantini told CTV News that casting is integral to every production, and finding the right fit was especially crucial for this original work.

“There are folks who have been on the stage since they were kids. Now in leading roles, we have new artists like Samantha, James Pattison, another wonderful UK artist who’s now based in northern Ontario,” Costantini said.

“So, it feels really great!”

For Mbolekwa, the opportunity to be part of the production carried personal significance, serving as a homecoming after a successful period abroad.

“I wasn’t sure if I’d move back to Canada because things have been going really well for me in the U.K.,” she said.

“But this opportunity to work here at YES, this year has come about, and it was just a perfect time.”

“It’s near my family and it just really feels like a proper return home. So, it’s been really wholesome,” Mbolekwa added.