Two lifelong friends will steal the Port Theatre stage in another heist for the ages.
What started as a show to redeem the piano and prove its status as the greatest instrument of all time, has evolved into a coast-to-coast – and soon to be international – mission.
Nanaimo musicians Patrick Courtin and Nico Rhodes brought Piano Heist to life last spring, with all its absurdity and showmanship, debuting a celebration of every era and genre of keyboard music for the past 300 years.
“I had high hopes for the show; of course, everyone does when you’re creating something new and that you’re passionate about,” Rhodes said.
Although Rhodes has been dubbed as the concert’s creator, he and Courtin are equal collaborators in the project and are both as equally passionate about the instrument. The duo also received help in developing and rolling out the show from Margot Holmes, Joëlle Rabu and Mya Wilson.
“We had a whole community behind us, helping us bring it to fruition,” Rhodes said. “And then we had a whole community respond to it, which is like being in the middle of a giant love sandwich.”
Courtin said since premiering Piano Heist and touring the show in the Maritime provinces last fall, the musicians have received all types of feedback.
“One wonderful response that I heard about from our first show at the Port Theatre was from a friend who works at Long and McQuade and said that a family that saw our show came in and their kid really really wanted a keyboard,” he said.
They also received constructive criticism that helped them adjust and “take it to the next level” while still staying true to the show’s integrity.
“Nobody gets it right the first time … And I’d say there are definitely some new surprises,” Rhodes said.
One of Courtin’s favourite aspects of the show, other than all the “silly, theatrical moments” and getting to perform with a friend he’s known since kindergarten, is finding a balance for audience members who want to enjoy “serious material” and those who just “want to have a good time” with keyboard synth battles. Rhodes agreed, adding that the balance lies somewhere between pure entertainment, like a tribute show, and a piano concerto performance – one where you’ll hear Gershwin or Beethoven, but in an unexpected way.
“If you’ve ever imagined what Mozart might sound like at a hoedown in South Carolina, then you should probably come see the show,” he said.
The duo won’t be alone on stage either, and will be aided by a handful of characters.
One of the characters named DOUGI, a homemade prop they spent approximately 20 cents on, helps them with accompaniment – be it big band, orchestral or funk. DOUGI, which stands for Digital Orchestra Ultimate Gizmo Intelligence, was also named after Rhodes’s first piano teacher and mentor. Two additional characters appear in the show – one who keeps them grounded and is a literal representation of their agent Holmes, and the other who “represents every club owner and marketer who has ever done them wrong.”
“Not to spoil it, but by the end of the show, we talk with the fictional agent and we ask her ‘Did we succeed, are we cool now?’ And she gently tells us, ‘Well, no, you’re still a bunch of nerds,’” Rhodes said. “But we’re just embracing that. For me, it’s about inspiring people to openly share with the world whatever their passions may be. For us, our life passion is the keyboard/piano.”
In addition to stage performances, Courtin and Rhodes have also created school shows for elementary and secondary students, which they would love to perform in Nanaimo when they can, where cheering children have “blown them off the stage” when asked to make some noise.
The Port Theatre show, which takes place Jan. 25 at 7:30 p.m., is just the tip of the iceberg for the tour. For the Island area, there will also be performances in Fanny Bay on Jan. 26, Campbell River on Jan. 27, Sidney on Jan. 28, Powell River from Feb. 2-3, and Tofino on Feb. 4. The duo also has plans to tour more of B.C. as well as Saskatchewan, Ontario, Alberta and the United States.
Tickets for the Nanaimo show can be purchased at www.porttheatre.com, and more information about Piano Heist can be found at www.pianoheist.com.
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