Cory O’Brien, Leisa Way and Bobby Prochaska star in the rollickin’ John Gray Musical ‘18 Wheels’ now playing at Theatre Orangeville. Contributed Photo “Canadians are storytellers,” so says Bobby Prochaska, who is starring with Corey O’Brien and Leisa Way in Theatre Orangeville’s upcoming musical production of “18 Wheels,” written by John Gray, a well-known Globe and Mail columnist.

The musical is based on the lives of truck drivers hauling loads across the highways of this vast land, the stories of their encounters, their loves and the music that accompanies their lives.

For Leisa Way, this musical is close to home, for both her father and her brother are in the trucking business. Her father ran a trucking company and she told me: “...when I was headed to Toronto for an audition or up to Sault Ste. Marie to visit my sister, I would hop an 18 wheeler for a ride with one of his drivers. You see the country with a different perspective from an 18 wheeler – and the drivers are very special people.”

In fact, her brother has owned Wayfreight trucking company since 1992. One of his trucks will be making an appearance in Orangeville and the cast will be sporting Wayfreight caps. Keep it in the family, I always say.

Leisa Way is a well-known singer living in town. She has appeared at the theatre a number of times and is very involved in some of the work of the theatre and other organizations in the community. She is a familiar figure on the arts scene and it is a real treat to have her in this upcoming production.

During my pre-show interview with the cast of three and director David Nairn, Theatre Orangeville’s Artistic Director as well, they all told me that the musical is all about the story telling of the life on Canada’s highways.

“It is very Canadian,” said Mr. Prochaska, “There’s a ‘rootsy’ feel to it. We don’t take nearly enough time to appreciate our own culture.”

Mr. Nairn commented, “It’s great story telling and very presentational in that story telling. It’s about being able to make fun of ourselves and Americans – we are self-deprecating in nature... Every journey has a story and this musical tells some of them.”

Corey O’Brien, who is making his debut at Theatre Orangeville, added: “It is funny, light, heavy and goodhearted.”

They passed their comments around the table: “He’ll

the character] get you.” “But not in a heavy-handed way.” “[The message] comes to you.”

The musical was written some 35 years ago when CB radios were the instrument of communication between truck drivers and other highway travellers. They used CBs to give each other warnings of road conditions, gossip and just to talk on the long way to wherever each was going.

Ms Way told me, “...even now drivers still use the radio

talk to each other ... when you’re driving a long distance

it’s a nice way to pass the time and hear a familiar voice.”

She talked a bit about how drivers meet at the same truck restaurants and that there is friendship among them even though they do not know each other well.

Of course, as 18 Wheels is a musical, much of the conversation centred on the music. There is music to satisfy many preferences. Country is, perhaps, the cornerstone for the music, but gospel, jazz, and blues are also part and parcel

it.

Mr. O’Brien is sure, “I don’t care who you are, you are going to like this music.”

Much of Canadian folk music is about storytelling, they remarked, citing Gordon Lightfoot and Stan Rogers.

Bruce Ley, whose groups, Trouble and Strife and The Bruce Ley Trio, play everywhere and all the time in this area, is Music Director and arranger for the production. Mr. Ley was on stage for the whole time during the production of Mesa a couple of seasons ago, as he and Bob Hewus, playing bass, and Eric Mahar (formerly a member of The Mercey Brothers), who plays guitar, fiddle and harmonica, all will be for 18 Wheels.

For David Nairn, one aspect of this, as with most Theatre Orangeville productions, is that fact “only two people in the show (Messrs O’Brien and Prochaska) don’t live in the area. All the rest are theatre professionals who have chosen to base themselves here, as part of our tremendous arts community.”

Why should people come and see the show? I asked.

And they told me: “They’ll love the music.”

“It’s a great evening out.”

“It’s very celebratory.”

18 Wheels opens tomorrow night (April 9) and runs until April 25. Tickets at the box office and online at www.theatreorangeville. ca.