Memorable tumble launches play of skater's life story
| Source: |
Calgary Herald |
| Date: |
March 23, 1999 |
| Author: |
The Canadian Press |
Copyright 1999 Southam Inc.
Kurt Browning's spectacular tumble at the Albertville, France,
Winter Olympics has become one of the most memorable moments in the
figure-skater's career -- it took him right out of the medals.
It's that event playwright Robert Clinton has chosen to begin his
new work: The Caroline Kid -- the Kurt Browning Story, based on
Browning's autobiography, Forcing the Edge.
The play, starring Calgary actor Tony Eyamie, premieres for one
performance in Browning's home town of Caroline on Friday, at the Kurt
Browning Arena, before moving to Edmonton's Kaasa Theatre.
Eyamie plays all 14 characters in the play, including
Browning. Others include skaters Brian Orser and Paul Martini,
Browning's parents and his former coach, Michael Jiranek.
''It really is a tour de force for one person,'' says Thomas Usher
of Prime Stock, which commissioned the play as part of its commitment to
tell the stories of this region.
''It's exactly like figure skating. You have all these people
supporting you but for the four minutes you're out on the ice, that's
it.''
In Eyamie's case, however, he's on stage for about two hours and
while he might not have to worry about a spill, it is up to him to
engage the audience.
Browning was too busy to help with the play, but other family
members have looked over the script and provided feedback.
''The basic comments we got back from Kurt was to keep it fun,''
says Usher.
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