Before you buy tickets to go see Lucas Myers’ latest production Campground: A Murder Mystery Comedy in the Woods (with music), you should log on to Facebook and add two of his characters as friends: Justin Case, an urban hipster in fashion frames and Michael Hodgkins, a surly plaid-wearing Albertan. The pair of them have digital incarnations, and fans can follow their posts as they spend August 28 through to early September embroiled in a homicide investigation.
“This is not your typical one-person show,” Myers told the Star. “The story is this kid has gone missing, and he’s been spotted near the campground. What comes out is that each of these characters has interacted with him, but they all have reasons that they don’t want to talk about it.”
Fans can scroll through Case and Hodgkins’ posts for clues, and any comments or likes will show up in the live production when his character Detective Shelly begins investigating. Myers created the profiles earlier this year, posting in-character, and will display them via projection during the show.
“I’ve thrown in video of the missing kid from his phone, and we’ll be using projections for all the social media stuff. At one point there’s a talent show and they’re all posting about it.”
So far the characters have racked up 100 friends apiece, and Myers’ said he’s thrilled by the innovative possibilities of this new form of story-telling. But while creating Campground—his first new full-length production in five years—he’s also returned to some familiar territory.
“In doing this show I’ve realized that there are some archetypes I return to, like the redneck for example, and it’s because they exist, they’re present, everyone’s familiar with them. Take Mike. He’s Albertan, but he’s a different redneck than Randy from Creston. He’s of the redneck phylum but he’s a slightly different animal.”
That makes them relatable to a Kootenay audience.
“These are people we know and people we are.”
Myers said audiences can expect typical murder mystery trappings, but with a uniquely Myersian comedic flair. He will play seven characters over the course of the show, including a “crazy hippy” named Warren, an American named Paul and even his teenage daughter.
The show is a part of murder mystery month, and paves the way for the upcoming Forst Media October 22, 23 and 24 production Murder on the Canadian, also at the Capitol.
Myers has been working non-stop recently, MCing a number of events, touring with his children’s show Captain Future Saves the Word and working on a commission for Revelstoke about mountain culture.
Myers will make an appearance on the debut episode of The LineUp to talk about his show with host Jenna Raider on Sept. 25, and will also make an appearance on the Saturday of the Kootenay Storytelling Festival.
Campground is intended for adult audiences, includes some harsh language, and Myers’ said it’s appropriate for those roughly 16 and up.
Campground will show at the Capitol on October 2 and 3 at 8 p.m.
Tickets are $16 and are available from the Capitol Theatre.
