204FM
204FM is Back!
One Trunk Theatre is currently re-releasing all 5 of our 204FM episodes with support from Manitoba Arts Council. Each Thursday between May 14 and mid June an episode will premiere on One Trunk’s soundcloud and youtube, accompanied by a great introduction by the writing team about how they too are stuck in Winnipeg right now! We all need a good laugh right now, in this time of covid-19 and social distancing, and no-one makes fun of Winnipeg like Winnipeggers! Visit our soundcloud and youtube pages to listen along, and while you do take a stroll around your neighbourhood and share photos of what you find with us by tagging @onetrunktheatre and using #WinnipegBuffet.
Episodes #1-#4 are out now and Episode #5 will be re-released on June 17th, 2020.
Episode #1- Mr Juba’s Wild Ride
Stephen Juba, the 37th Mayor of Winnipeg dreamt of modernizing our town with a monorail. When McKenna does Purple City at the Leg she finds herself in another dimension- one where hers, and Juba’s wildest dreams come true. Plus, there are nuns! JUNO award winning William Prince accompanies the first episode of 204FM by Toby Hughes.
Read more about Episode # 1 with our newsletter
Episode #2- The Artiste
The P. Tobias H. Hughes School for Acting and Believability is newly minted "Boston Earwig's" only hope of escaping Winnipeg's dismal theatre scene and making it big in Toronto. But everything is standing in his way, even Winnipeg transit is bent on busting his bubble. Will Boston escape the monotony of his existence, and get a better performance review than "adequate"? Leaf Rapids perform in this episode by Ross McMillan.
Episode # 3- A Night at the Manitoba Museum
Meet Mable Ferorkie, everyone's favourite grandmother, and hero of Episode #3. When Mable visits the Manitoba Museum, not everything is as it appears in the diorama... Nellie McClung, Winnie the Pooh, Lord Gordon Gordon, Ken Leishman and Frances Cornish join forces with Mable to set the Nonesuch free once and for all. Episode by William Jordan, with special musical guests Red Moon Road.
Episode #4- Booter and the Beast
Meet Dale Wiebe, a man of no real importance. Back in Wininipeg, living in St. James in his parents basement after the economic downturn in Calgary made him lose his house, wife, job and kids. Things are so bad he can't even deal with the least of his worries: his wicked booter. Will Bay days and a Winnipeg social release him from his funk? Find out on 204 FM Episode #4; with musical guest, Joey Landreth!
People have a way of getting stuck in Winnipeg, forever.
In 2016 One Trunk Theatre premiered 204FM a comedy radio series about being stuck in Winnipeg. It was presented together with the West End Cultural Centre and UMFM 101.5 live weekly and released later on radio and online. A new episode debuted every Tuesday from April 26- May 24, 2016 at the West End Cultural Centre in Winnipeg.
Each performance featured an opening set by a guest musical act, followed by the radio play with live sound foley. After the live performance each episode was broadcast on UMFM.
About the story…
In the early 1900s unfortunate and irreversible mistakes bind Hermes, the god of travel, in gold. Now a statue, Hermes is passed from one continent to the next bringing bad luck and a feeling of “stuckness” everywhere he goes. World powers unite and decide the only solution is to send him as far away as possible to a place that no one cares about… a place in the middle of nowhere… Winnipeg, Manitoba. For over a century Hermes has perched atop the Legislature and we call him the golden boy, a statue reeking a feeling of apathy through the city and not letting anyone leave, even after they have passed away. Enter our heroes, regular every day Winnipeggers who feel stuck but are sucked into an adventure exploring the city and end up meeting an infamous cast of characters (from Stephen Juba to the Grey Nuns and from Nellie McClung to Burton Cummings) who give them a new perspective. A hilarious roller coaster ride through time, winters, socials, mysteries and many vacant floors of the Downtown Bay, 204FM is a uniquely Winnipeg buffet, created by top Winnipeg comedians and theatre artists for the citizens of our one great city.
Directed by Andraea Sartison
Written by Gwendolyn Collins, RobYn Slade, Toby Hughes, Ross McMillan and William Jordan.
Performed by the writers, Gord Tanner and guest musicians:
Episode #1 William Prince
Episode #2 Leaf Rapids
Episode # 3 Red Moon Road
Episode #4 Joey Landreth (from The Bros. Landreth)
Episode #5 Carly Dow and Slow Leaves
204FM was made possible through the generous support of the Winnipeg Arts Council with funding from the City of Winnipeg and the Manitoba Arts Council with funding from the Province of Manitoba. The re-release is funded by Manitoba Arts Council.
Photo by Andraea Sartison