Small Boy Dreams follows the life and struggles of a young boy living in a small down with big dreams. The autobiographical one-man show was written by Kelly Handereck six years ago when he decided to begin writing free flow about his early life.
The play was first introduced to the public from a reading of the script Handereck did at the Grand Theatre in London and a workshop was commissioned of it. Handereck says bringing the play back to the Grand Theatre is a “full circle moment for us.”
Writer, director and producer Kelly Handereck describes the play as an amazing piece of firsts:
“When we think back to the first time in our lives, when we had our first love, our first part-time job, our first hobby and all the first things that come into our lives from the time we are 13 till we’re 30 and how those things fit into our futures and how they inform who we are.”
Kent Evans is the star of this play and graduated from the University of Regina, where Handereck taught, right before jumping into the spotlight. He plays over 25 characters during the hour and fifteen minute show. Handereck describes the play as a drama that will make you laugh.
The advantages of having just one person on the stage, Handereck says, “You can dialogue with the audience like they’re your best friend. People are surprised at the intimacy of a one-man play.”
The play was first shown across the pond when they were invited to present it in England at Rose Buford College. They will be coming to London from the Curtain-Raiser season in Regina, Saskatchewan for a one-week engagement at the McManus Studio Theatre. Handereck says they are also currently in negotiations to make a movie of the play. He says, “It’s been a roller-coaster ride of excitement.”
The play runs from February 24th to 28th and you can buy tickets online or at the Grand Theatre box office.