Grant Tilly: Press

The Christian Republican Fundraiser in Dayton Tennessee

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

The trouble with most Fringe musicals is that they have a witty book and an appalling score. The Christian Republican Fundraiser in Dayton Tennessee turns that cliché on its ear. The book is far from appalling, although it's basically connective tissue between the songs, but ah, what songs!
Grant Tilly knows how to write country-rock, not cheap parody. This show's score is more tuneful than most large-scale Canadian musicals we've snored through in recent years. The man understands melody, harmony, rhythm, and how to fit lyrics to melodies that sit comfortably on the notes and click with satisfying resonance.
The show itself is based on a fairly thin concept: a left-wing band is hired to deliver the music for a right-wing political event and, of course, breaks all the rules. It's pretty simple stuff, with a bit too much melodrama and coincidence, but who cares when the songs are this good? A sizzling hot band, with Jason Chesworth as the sexy, accomplished and charismatic lead singer is all you really need.
Somebody else could sit down with Tilly and help him write a book that was less connect-the-dots and more illuminate-the-people without much effort. What you can't teach is Tilly's gift of writing a song that sticks with you the minute you hear it and happily stays in your ear long after you leave the theatre.
If there's a smart producer out there, they'll match Tilly with a good book writer and wind up with a hit musical.
Happy discoveries. That's what the Fringe is all about.

A crowd-pleasing country-rock musical... . I've had the song "Mormons, Won't You Love Your Gay Children?" in my head since catching it at the Cameron House earlier this week.

CRITICS PICK: NNNN
(The Christian Republican Fundraiser in Dayton Tennessee) "Inspired songwriting and a tight live band make this show a real humdinger."

Combining music and politics with an offbeat love story, Christian Republican Fundraiser is a charming little comedy with some big ideas... Every year, the Toronto Fringe seems to produce a musical that goes on to bigger things. This one looks like an early favourite.

Grant Tilly blew the roof off the Solocentric fundraiser last night

Tilly opens ears and eyes with songs from the folk pop album Before My Eyes from the light, lost-love track Somebody Else to the hilariously tongue-in-cheek My Gods Better Than Your God

Grant Tilly as Ritchie Valens is another standout, providing excitement with an explosive performane of "La Bamba."

(From a scathing review of Bat Boy the Musical, Bathurst Street Theatre, 2005)

Among a mediocre cast, only Caswell -- along with understudy Grant Tilly in four ensemble roles and Jayne Lewis as Dr. Parker's wife Meredith -- provide anything like redeeming performances. (They can also sing, which helps in a musical.)

(From a review of Grease, at Stage West Missisauga)

Grant Tilly is sweetly loopy as Doody, the guy who's clueless about anything more complicated than the four chords he's learned to pick on his guitar

Grant Tilly's (Doody) sweet tone is also pleasing, especially in his solo, Those Magic Changes. His energy on stage is contagious.

AFTERSHOCKS 2001
Ground Zero Theatre

...The indisputable high point is Grant Tilly's musical comedy Why You Should Think Twice About Cloning Yourself. Beginning with a gleefully cynical, Young Canadian-style tribute to the "sanitized, homogenized, Calgary Alberta dream," it tells the tale of Hubert and Yvette, a pair of newly-weds for whom life isn't complete without a baby. When Hubert is tragically rendered infertile by a cycling accident, adoption and sperm donors are out of the question and the couple turns to cloning as the only logical option. Clone Hubert, suggests the bizarre Doctor McCollun, and when the rapidly aging clone is old enough to mate, Hubert's legacy will be there for the taking.
The play features relatively sophisticated musical arrangements for a festival venue like this, and a large skilled cast of singers and musicians. Notable in particular are Reyna Giroux as Yvette and Thomas Wilmut as Hubert- their command of music, comedy, and character development is outstanding. the play is well staged by the playwright himself, with smooth transitions between three locations, and the team has created a gem that shouldn't be missed- but you only have until June 2nd.

(A review of Grant Tilly's Musical "Why You Should Think Twice About Cloning Yourself", 4 out of 5 stars)
Normally we'd caution Fringe-goers against the dreaded "bait and switch". You know: play titles that suggest sex where there is none, comedies that turn out to be melodramas, respected names who end up boring the crap our of their audiences in the name of "art".
In the case of Why You Should Think Twice About Cloning Yourself, the bait and switch game gives the cautionary take a real zing. This energetic and politically incorrect musical is not what it seems- and that's part of the fun.
The show starts off as a golly-gee-let's-put-on-a-show-in-the-barn country and western musical cabaret complete with a line dance opening number as a satirical poke at Alberta's oil economy. It ends in a black comedy exploring the issue of human cloning with the most horrific scenario possible. Whew! These kids pack a lot of material into this thing and it never seems hurried or confused. The juxtapositions between the former and the latter themes are in fact hilarious.
Hubert and Yvette (playwright Grant Tilly and Jenny Anderson) are typical Alberta newlyweds ready to start a family when disaster strikes: Hubert loses his testicals. Adoption is out of the question, as are sperm donors. The only logical answer: Clone Hubert and then use the clone's sperm. No problem for this Catholic couple since the church says there is no "soul" until the sperm and egg meet. Ergo, clones have no soul.
It's not hard to see where this is going. That the various ethical and moral dilemmas invovled with human cloning are explored with a sledgehammer is no problem here. Swell numbers include Happiness is just a family away, There's a Fresh Young Man in the Attic, and You take his Testes, I'll take his Liver, and we'll see What he can Deliver.
A song is worth a thousand words.
The performances are all terrific, especially Jenny Anderson as the seemingly innocent wife, Tilly playing two roles, Guilly Urra as the unscrupulous family doctor and Lyndsey Patterson as the evil cloning scientist.
The science may be dodgy and many of the plot twists completely illogical, but through the absurdity and campy country music theme, a worthy message shines through. The title of the play says it all.

You can follow the link for this one if you want to. I just thought I'd include a review from when I was in University for fun.