Getting to see a new company emerging onto the theatre scene is always exciting; with so much art happening around Toronto, giving it a go in this industry is worth a pat on the back in and of itself. Shifting Ground Collective is one such new company, and their first full production is Adam Gwon’s Ordinary Days directed by Steven Hao. It’s a sing-through musical about four New Yorkers and how their lives inadvertently intertwine. What makes this production unique is that the actors don’t know which character they’ll be playing before the performance, flipping a coin for roles at the beginning of each show. A valiant first attempt at a fully staged musical, Ordinary Days has certainly put Shifting Ground Collective on the map.

There were several elements about the story itself which didn’t quite hit home for me. While I understand that it’s supposed to be a snapshot of every day life, the story lacks a clear beginning, middle, and end; when the house lights went down, I was surprised because it didn’t feel like the play was over. The ending attempts to be satisfactory, but I still felt like something was missing. I also think that the songs lack originality; they sounded basically all the same, and there certainly wasn’t a huge showstopper which I was still humming on my way out of the theatre. While this does seem to be the trend for more modern musicals, usually the story gets you invested in the lives of the characters so the play remains memorable. I felt that Ordinary Days fails to do that. I was far more interested in Deb and Warren’s friendship than I was in Jason and Claire’s relationship, and that was primarily due to Warren’s sweet nature and positivity in a city that’ll crush you. There were two key moments in which I found myself fully entranced and in awe: when Warren and Deb throw the flyers with positive messages from the rooftop, and Claire’s divulging the information about her previous husband’s demise. These moments are a glowing beacon in the play; they are the emotional highlights though they exist at opposite ends of the spectrum, and the cast really shines in those moments.

I also had some practical concerns with how they staged the production. With three rows of staggered seats all on the same level, it was essentially impossible to see anything from the third row. My partner and I chose to sit there as we are both rather tall and didn’t want to block the views of any other patrons who might sit behind us. But as the theatre filled in, I realized I was able to see less and less yet there wasn’t much opportunity for movement. Once the performance got going, I also noticed I was missing a good part of the lyrics, as the piano was totally overshadowing the voices. Only when the actors were facing me could I hear them clearly. The mix might have been good in the middle of the room, but towards the end with the live piano, the piano dominates. I also found the traffic noises in the background distracting; it’s established from the beginning that the story is taking place in New York City, to have car horns blaring under several scenes didn’t feel necessary. At times, I thought it was someone’s phone going off, or an alarm outside, and then in a quieter moment I realized that it was sound effects for the show. I did love the polka dot set pieces which mirror the colours of Warren’s flyers and his observations about the paintings at the art gallery; it gave the show a whimsy which I think it needs. I wish that the actors would have spent more up on top of the boxes or on the movable staircase so that they could be visible to all audience members; while the staircase made for some poignant visuals, I felt it was underused.

The cast of Ordinary Days certainly puts all of their hearts into the performances. It’s a Herculean feat to have to know two full roles, all of the songs, and the blocking, and go into each performance totally unsure of which role they’re going to be playing that night. At the performance I attended, Randy (Lei) Chang played Warren, Kevin Forster played Jason, Shannon Murtagh played Deb, and Colette Richardson played Claire. Chang’s enthusiasm and joy shone through every moment of his performance. With a great voice and an undeniable charm, he was certainly a highlight of the production. Murtagh was likewise perfectly cast as Deb; I saw so much of myself in her character and it made her all the more fun to watch. Her powerhouse voice is put to very good use in this role. Richardson was a demure and reserved Claire, and she deftly took us on her character’s emotional journey. Her voice is beautiful and her acting was impressive; that moment where she talks about her first husband was heartbreaking. Unfortunately, with the strength of the rest of the cast, I didn’t feel like Forester was able to shine. There were times when he wasn’t able to reach the correct pitches for his songs and seemed to lack the same energy of his cast mates. However, he still puts on a good performance, and I wonder how he’d do as Warren. Overall, this cast works beautifully together and I certainly applaud them all for a job well done.

I hope that Shifting Ground Collective comes back even stronger with their next piece; there is such great potential here and I can’t wait to see how they flourish. You only have until Saturday to catch Ordinary Days! Hopefully you’ll have the opportunity to go more than once to see the actors in the reverse roles, too. For more information and tickets, visit: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/ordinary-days-post-opening-tickets-only-tickets-632441067257