Neptune Theatre kicks off its 2024-2025 season with Dear Rita, celebrating the late Rita MacNeil, Cape Breton’s first lady of song.
We are fully honouring Rita and Cape Breton in this show. – Lindsay Kyte
Halifax Presents contributing editor Mark Robins was live at Neptune Theatre in downtown Halifax for a sneak peek at the show and to chat with co-creator and actor Lindsay Kyte and director Samantha Wilson to learn more.
Co-created by Cape Breton playwright and actor Lindsay Kyte and composer Mike Ross, the duo uses music from MacNeil’s extensive 300-song catalogue, woven together with stories of MacNeil’s life after Kyte was chosen by Rita’s son Wade Langham to develop this show.
“I’m a born and bred Cape Bretoner, but there are parts of Rita’s story that I had no idea about, and we cover them in this show,” says director Samantha Wilson. “Lindsay took a lot of inspiration from Rita’s book, On a Personal Note, and included anecdotes that are deeply compelling and speak not just to how she presented herself professionally but also to who she was behind closed doors.”
For Kyte, authenticity was also imperative in bringing Dear Rita to the stage.
“Cape Breton culture is another character in this show, as it was so important to Rita herself,” says Kyte. “It was very important to Mike and myself and it drove the storytelling. We also made sure the Cape Breton accents were 100% authentic. We are fully honouring Rita and Cape Breton in this show.”
Halifax’s Neptune Theatre presents Dear Rita on its Fountain Hall Stage from July 30 through August 25. Visit neptunetheatre.com for tickets and information.