For Globus Theatre’s 20th anniversary season, Canadian songstress Leisa Way is returning to Bobcaygeon’s Lakeview Arts Barn to perform Rhinestone Cowgirl — a celebration of the music of American country music legend Dolly Parton that was Way’s debut on the Globus stage almost 10 years ago — with seven performances from October 17 to 21.
Backed by her Wayward Wind Band, Way will perform hits from every era of Dolly Parton’s career, including “9 to 5,” “I Will Always Love You,” “Jolene,” “Two Doors Down,” “Here You Come Again,” “Coat of Many Colours,” “Islands in the Stream,” and “Why’d You Come In Here Looking Like That.”
Rhinestone Cowgirl is not a tribute concert. While Way dresses like Dolly and uses her vocal power and range to sing Dolly’s songs, she also shares facts and anecdotes about Dolly’s life in between the songs, and delivers some of Dolly’s trademark one-liners such as “You folks paid a lot to come here tonight, and frankly I need the money — It costs a lot to look this cheap.”
When developing the show, Way watched over 60 hours of interviews and shows Dolly had done.
“When I opened my Dolly Parton show in 2010, I was so scared,” Way told kawarthaNOW about her transformation into the musical icon. “But my husband said ‘Don’t be scared. The magic of theatre will make you look like Dolly. Go out there and tell her story and have her heart.'”
Over the past 14 years, Way has created 12 musical shows, beginning with Sweet Dreams: A Tribute to Patsy Cline, which she performed at Globus in 2016. She has become a Globus audience favourite, returning year after year to perform many of her other shows such as Oh, Canada, We Sing For Thee!, Across the Pond: The British Invasion, and Opry Gold.
VIDEO: “Rhinestone Cowgirl” by Leisa Way and the Wayward Wind Band (2011)
“I really love the women I perform as — I can’t be them but I can evoke the feeling of them,” Way said. “The costumes and the wigs help a lot. I put them on and I look in the mirror and then I say ‘Okay, I’m this person’.”
Born in Kitchener and raised in Sudbury, Way was passionate about music as a child and, by the age of 16, had already sang solo concerts for Queen Elizabeth, Terry Fox, Teddy Kennedy, and Wayne Gretsky. Her career took off when she was cast as Anne in Anne of Green Gables at the Charlottetown Festival in PEI, a role she performed for six seasons. Since then, she has performed in more than 50 countries, including at major theatres in Canada and the U.S. in various musical theatre roles.
Way credits the success of her own musical shows to the Wayward Wind Band, comprised of Bruce Ley (arranger, pianist, guitarist, vocalist), Fred Smith (lead vocalist, guitarist), Bobby Prochaska (lead vocalist, bassist), Alexander George (violinist), and Don Reid (drummer).
“Without my band I’m nothing,” Way said. “With the Dolly and Patsy shows, I carry the performances by being in front of the audience talking. But this show is not all about me, and that is really a cool thing. It’s been really nice to share. I’m so lucky that I found these guys.”
Rhinestone Cowgirl runs at the Lakeview Arts Barn in Bobcaygeon at 8 p.m. from Tuesday, October 17th to Saturday, October 21st, with additional 2 p.m. matinee performances on Thursday and Saturday.
An optional dinner is available at 6 p.m. before the evening performances. Tickets are $45 for the show only, or $90 for dinner and the show, and are available by calling the Globus Theatre box office at 705-738-2037 or online at globustheatre.com.
Globus Theatre’s 20th anniversary season will continue this fall with the comedy show Girls Night Out (November 4) and the murder mystery A Christmas Story … of Murder (November 15 to 25). From December 5 to 17, Globus Theatre will present its annual traditional British panto, Puss In Boots by Sarah Quick.
This story has been updated to Alexander George rather than Aaron Solomon will perform in the Wayward Wind Band for this show.
