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Published Aug 06, 2024 • Last updated 1 hour ago • 2 minute read
Leduc native Tyler Smith and Cassie Muise’s musical “How to Not Kill a Plant” will debut at this year’s Edmonton Fringe Festival. (supplied)
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A Leduc native is set to debut his new musical at the Edmonton International Fringe Festival, and is excited his local fans and the Leduc theatre community will have a chance to see it.
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Tyler Smith, who grew up in Leduc, lives in London, England as a composer and performer. He cowrote How Not to Kill a Plant with writing partner Cassie Muise. The play will make its theatre debut Friday, August 16, at 1:45 p.m. All eight performances will take place at the festival’s FOH Pro Stage, at the Trinity Lutheran Church (10014 81 Ave, Edmonton).
Smith and Muise describe the musical as a story of grief and growth, with a comedic touch.
The insert in the festival program describes How Not to Kill a Plant this way: “Howard is old. His kids use Facebook Marketplace, hoping to hire someone to help Howard in his beloved greenhouse. Enter Kai: a young, funny, nonbinary person. They’re fast friends, but the question remains: is it safe for Howard to stay independent? Or is he due for a repotting? A story of love, grief, and growth.”
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“I think it’s really important that people feel invited to the show,” Muise said. “We have the senior character Howard, his adult children who struggle in different wats to care for people though they want to, and Kai, who is nonbinary, comes in and connects with Howard on how society views them. It has something different for people of all stages and walks of life. And it’s very funny.”
Smith and Muise have performed at the Fringe Festival in the past, and had a show they produced play there a year ago. However, it has been a while since each has performed at the Fringe, and both act in How Not to Kill a Plant.
“It was the first fringe festival that I knew about. I was asked to be in a show, and didn’t know what it was. I got to be a part of this amazing smorgasbord of shows,” Smith said. “The Edmonton theatre scene focusses a lot on new theatre which is exciting and important.”
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Smith grew up in Leduc performing at music festivals and with the Stageworks Academy of the Performing Arts in Leduc, including a memorable performance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
“That jacket they made, wow,” said Smith.
After studying at MacEwan University, Smith went on to take his Masters in Performing Theatre at the Royal Conservatory of Scotland, where he met Muise. Muise lives in Montreal, and lived three years in Edmonton.
“In Edmonton, the Fringe supporters not just interested in a one-off. They want to interact and talk with you. The generosity of that environment is really appealing in the early stages of a show,” she said.
Smith is really excited to be coming home for this year’s festival, and is looking forward to visiting with family, as well as performing How to Not Kill a Plant in front of the local and Edmonton theatre audience.
The performance schedule for How Not to Kill a Plant is:
Friday, August 16, 1:45 p.m.
Saturday, August 17, 11:30 p.m.
Sunday, August 18, 1:45 p.m.
Monday, August 19, 5:45 p.m.
Tuesday, August 20, 9:45 p.m.
Wednesday, August 21, 1:45 p.m.
Thursday, August 22, 4 p.m.
Saturday, August 24, 9:45 p.m
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