New Waterford Boy features New Waterford homegrown talents Richie Wilcox and Lynn MacIntyre (both from up 12 colliery neighbourhood) along with Sydney drummer extraordinaire Brian Talbot (from Slowcoaster and The Cape Breton Summertime Revue) and two come from away talents - Aaron Collier, from PEI (an islander, at least) who was the keyboardist for The Jimmy Swift Band and Sarah Richardson (from Ontario) who is a lead singer of The Black Rats.

New Waterford Boy played to two sold out crowds in Halifax in May and recently enjoyed a popular two-show stint in Parrsboro, Nova Scotia at Ship’s Company Theatre. This is the first time the show will be performed on Cape Breton and it seems only right that it happens in New Waterford first!

The performance is a kitchen party where Wilcox tells personal tales of being Rita MacNeil’s nephew for a week, conquering first kisses at junior high dances, the inner workings of Canadian Idol (which he took part in Season One) and more as he also belts Cape Breton classic tunes from Allister MacGillivray, the Rankin Family and more songs we all know, all night long. Backed by his band made up of friends, the two act show pays tribute to the traditional Cape Breton culture while making way for the people of Cape Breton today, here and now.

Richie Wilcox is a multi-talented director/singer/actor whose work has been seen across Canada and toured internationally. Wilcox is an Artistic Co-Producer of Heist where he most recently directed Girls! Girls! Girls!, Nation and How Do I Love Thee? and directed and performed in the award-winning The Princess Show.

Wilcox says, “I wanted to make a show that paid tribute to all of the amazing songs and culture of the working man in Cape Breton at the same time as talking about my own personal experiences growing up in New Waterford which, of course, don’t always match up with that stereotypical image. It just makes sense to bring the show home. I tell quite a few stories, many of them filled with humour and laughs, a lot at my own expense, and of course there are some heartfelt moments that can be quite vulnerable, especially in front of a hometown crowd that will know the people, the locations and everything else I’m talking about!”

Wilcox’s childhood best friend, Lynn MacIntrye, also joins him onstage for the show. “Richie and I have been friends since we were 4, we grew up a walk through the field away from each other. Richie surprised me by asking me to join the cast!” MacIntyre admits, “This is the first stage show I have ever done, usually I just sing to my bedroom wall, so I am totally out of my comfort zone here, but being able to share the stage with such a talented group of people is an amazing experience. They all make me feel like a pro up there! We are having so much fun!”

The Heist production of New Waterford Boy plays at the A/V room in B.E.C. on Saturday, September 16 at 8:00 pm and Sunday, September 17 at 2:00 pm. Doors will open a half hour before showtime each day. Tickets are $20 and go on sale September 2. They can be purchased in advance at the New Waterford Pharmasave or purchased at the door the day of the event.

Heist is the brainchild and new creative platform for Richie Wilcox and Aaron Collier. The company is committed to creating, producing, and presenting innovative, genre-bending and queerly playful performances in Halifax and beyond. Further information can be found at www.liveheist.com.