Thousand Islands Playhouse in Gananoque has just about the best programming strategy I’ve seen for a small company, especially one serving a remote community without a ton of access to live theatre. Managing Artistic Director Brett Christopher smartly programs all the big fun musicals you’d expect, crowd-pleasers that never fail to slap (this season has both Mamma Mia and Jesus Christ Superstar). Thousand Islands executes this kind of work well, which is important because it’s often an entrypoint for audience members and all art deserves to be taken seriously. But he also programs smaller, less well known, less instantly satisfying work that maybe pushes his audience a little bit. It’s this stuff, the kind of piece that you might catch at the Tarragon Extraspace if you’re an avid theatre-goer in Toronto, that sets Thousand Islands apart from its fellow Ontario Theatre Tour destinations. By platooning the fun and familiar with challenging work in a contrasting style, Christopher’s season goes so much further in capturing a full and rich theatrical landscape for his patrons.

There are generally two productions playing at any given time at Thousand Island Playhouse, their debuts offset strategically so there’s always something new coming soon to one of the two very different stages at the company’s waterfront facility. Somewhat surprisingly, the most recent pairing houses the goofy fun musical in the smaller blackbox Firehall Theatre while the intimate two-hander plays on the conventional proscenium of the Springer Theatre. The spaces work excellently for the two very different but effective productions and further highlight the thoughtfulness of the programming that prioritizes balance and scope over formula.

I will admit that the programming strategy sort of tricked me into seeing Murder for Two, a zany musical whodunit that sounded too silly for my taste. I was coming to town to see Mary’s Wedding, a difficult time and tone-hopping script I’ve rarely seen performed well that was cast uniquely and promisingly with two of my very favourite performers. But it’s a long drive and I’ve come to trust the company’s proficiency so I threw in the matinee mostly just because it was there. That’s the magic of the approach- hook’em with the thing they’re inclined towards and surprise them by nailing the show they didn’t expect to like. In my case, that meant super tight execution of wild farce, genuine emotion rung from the silliest of scenarios, and very fun, memorable songs sung beautifully by two of the hardest working performers around. Scott Pietrangelo and the particularly brilliant Jackson Seib sing, dance, improvise, play countless characters, and even provide their own score with live piano (and sometimes live piano acrobatics) as they navigate their way through an Agatha Christie-style murder investigation. The production is a Neptune Theatre & Festival Antigonish partnership directed by Neptune AD Jeremy Webb and presented by Thousand Islands, all of which is an elaborate way of saying that not only is Christopher programming smartly for in-house productions but he’s doing what all good artistic directors should be doing and going out across the country to see other companies’ work for inspiration and collaboration (I’m excited to return in October for a co-production with Western Canada Theatre). Murder for Two was a great surprise I’m thrilled I didn’t miss on account of not knowing I wanted to see it.

Meanwhile, next door, in the director’s chair himself, Christopher has re-examined Canadian classic Mary’s Wedding by casting actors who are 1) both older than the parts are usually played and 2) not the same age as each other. The change emphasizes the script’s memory play identity while adding a melancholy ever-present reminder that the characters will not get to grow old together. The change also allows for the out-of-the-box casting of Maev Beaty as the romantic young heroine and no play has ever suffered for casting Maev Beaty. She’s sublime, easing beautifully between two roles and jumping through time as she tries to hold on to a fading memory. Beaty shares excellent chemistry with Wade Bogert-O’Brien who brings a charming awkwardness to farm boy turned soldier Charlie and, though some of the usual vulnerability is lost in casting full adults in roles usually played by early twentysomethings, the depth of feeling both performers are able to bring to the roles makes the change completely worth it. Christopher’s direction is swift but patient, dwelling only on the most bracing pauses and allowing the scenes to ramble into each other as our actual memories do. Every transition is elegant, the staging simple but effective at every turn while maintaining the crucial clarity that makes many a Mary’s Wedding less impactful. Jeff Pybus’ lighting and Richard Feren’s standout sound work complete the picture perfectly.

A tricky classic elevated with expert execution and a fun new discovery that receives just as much professional thoughtfulness, the August double bill was perfectly representative of what Thousand Islands is doing really well- apparently everything, at the same time.

Murder For Two sadly closes today (Doubt opens in its place in just a couple days) but Mary’s Wedding plays until September 8th. Get your tickets HERE.