NEWS PHOTO MO CRANKER
Steve Krysak, Andrea Dooling and Tracey Meidinger dance during a rehearsal for "Treasure Island."
cbrown@medicinehatnews.com@MHNBrown
Isaac Risling is going out with a Dame.
He’s been building toward this for a few years and finally the role of a lifetime is his.
Risling will be take on the coveted role of “the Dame” in the annual Medicine Hat Musical Theatre pantomime.
“Ever since I started in musical theatre with MHMT I’ve always being playing a kind of goofy role or stupid role. I’ve been kind of typecast into something goofy so the dame is kind of ‘I finally got it right,'” says Risling.
For those unaware, a pantomime takes a well-known story and turns it on its head through reversed gender roles, naughty humour and local references, among other means.
This year the story is “Treasure Island,” which has nine performances from Nov. 29-Dec. 14.
Risling had smaller roles in the last two pantos – “Robin Hood” in 2017 and “A Christmas Carol” in 2018 – and said there’s much for the performers and the audience to enjoy about the shows.
“You get a lot of crowd reactions and interaction. There’s the terrible, awful, bad jokes, the Dame of course, the candy that’s being thrown out,” he said. “And you have the Saturday adult nights that tends to be a little more chaotic and it’s a night the adults can enjoy away from the kids. I can’t wait for it and for people to see it.”
For Risling the prized role couldn’t have come at a better time. In January he’ll attend film school in Toronto to study acting for TV, film and theatre. He gives credit to MHMT and the people who come out to the shows.
“It really jumpstarted my passion and love for acting. I really found a home in acting and in all the shows I’ve done and the community that comes out just keeps making me love it more,” he said. “I probably wouldn’t be pursuing acting and post-secondary education in Toronto if not for MHMT shows.”
Tickets, showtimes and more information on “Treasure Island” is available at mhmtheatre.com
