Award-winning eco-comedy play coming to Pavilion Theatre

Photo: Kamloops Live!

Boomerangst, an award-winning comedy production set in Kamloops, is making its world premiere at the Pavilion Theatre in June.

Boomerangst is about a baby boomer who impulsively forms a retirement commune with his former high school bandmates. The play will also include original rock music.

George Johnson, writer of the play, told Castanet Kamloops that it is a traditional comedy, but he also hopes to spread awareness of the climate crisis through the production.

“It's uplifting and optimistic — that's how I'm trying to get across the environmental issues without overwhelming people or making them feel depressed,” Johnson said.

“I'm trying to show that we can take action on environmental issues, and we can succeed.”

Johnson said he wanted to include Kamloops in the play, as the region has seen the direct consequences of climate change with flooding and wildfires. He said this is the first play he's written that incorporates the local setting.

“We need stories about the environment to help bring about the change, because it's not just physical changes that we need to make, it's emotional changes, psychological changes — our whole attitude towards the environment has to change,” he said.

“[The play] deals with our current situations and how we're going to move forward from this point on, because the extreme weather is not going to change.”

Residents can see the play at the Pavilion Theatre from June 8 to 17. Tickets range from $10 to $30, and one pay-what-you-can show will be available. The event is open to all ages.

Tickets can be purchased at the Kamloops Live! Box Office website.

A song from the play called 'Climate Crisis' is available on all streaming platforms and a music video is on Youtube.