It's a Silver Jubilee at Oh Canada Eh?

By Martine Mackenzie

Photos courtesy of Lee Seigel Photography

When Oh Canada Eh? dinner theatre first opened its doors 25 years ago, with the novel concept of an all Canadian dinner theatre, they were given 6 months, yet here they are, having celebrated their silver anniversary on May 17th .

I’m almost ashamed to admit, that as a local, I just never thought of seeing something I deemed as “touristy”. Well, was I ever surprised!

This two-hour show, comprised of 75 songs, extensive choreography, and a trip through Canadian musical history was only rivaled by the hearty meal, full of typical Canadian comfort fare, served by the performers themselves. But where did the whole idea of this song, dance, and dinner come from? Eric Hitchcock, who has been the General Manager of the place for 17 years answered that question for me.

“The original owners, Jim Cooper and Ross Robinson, were both travel agents. Ross spent a year in Australia and found this show called, ‘The Jolly Swagman’, about Australian stereotypes – kangaroos, koalas, crocodile hunters, etc… He had the idea to do something Canadian from about 30 or 40 years ago. He walked into the office of Jim Cooper, who was at that time, operating a travel agency. Jim had a very strong theatrical background and already had a dinner theatre in Montreal which is still running to this day. It’s called ‘Le Festin du Gouverneur’ and opened back in the ‘60s.”

With Ross’s strong background and experience in marketing and sales, and Jim’s passion for and experience with the theatre, being involved in Garden City Productions, it was a match made in heaven. Their brainchild was born in 1994, when the two proudly launched ‘Oh Canada Eh?’, a dinner theatre which would encompass everything Canadian. Their unique idea also had the performers themselves interacting with the audience by not only taking the stage, but by serving the food. Those naysayers that had Oh Canada Eh? closing after 6 months sure have egg on their faces!

Credit for the content of the show itself goes directly to Lee Siegel, who has had a very long and satisfying career in theatre. As Creative/Artistic Director, Lee writes the shows and is the driving force behind every last detail of how each performance unfolds. Lee has been with Oh Canada Eh? for over 20 years. With a passion for theatre and creativity, he began as a performer on the stage for 7 years. From there, he went onto the Stratford Theatre. But bigger things were beckoning, as Lee found himself on Broadway in New York City, where he had the honour of performing at the Tony Awards.

Lee gushes with genuine and heartfelt enthusiasm as he tells me just what to expect in anticipation of my actually seeing the show.

“You will be fully immersed in Canadiana. Log cabin and lumberjacks. Anne of Green Gables, a Mountie…the full Canadian experience. You would have to go coast to coast to see everything you will see in the show.”

A week later, I wasn’t disappointed! The show is absolutely amazing, chock full of local talent. The musical numbers travel from the 1940s through to today, featuring artists such as Oscar Peterson and Ruth Lowe, right up to the Barenaked Ladies and Shawn Mendes. I thought I had a pretty good knowledge of Canadian music but I was very surprised to learn that some of the songs I thought to be American-written, are actually Canadian. The show had me singing along, clapping, and shouting “Eh?”!

To say that the performance is interactive is an understatement. What sets this show apart from any other dinner theatre I’ve been to is the fact that the performers are the servers and your meal is served as the show is in progress. This troupe of professionals doesn’t miss a beat! The one on one contact that the audience members get with the performers lends to an atmosphere of camaraderie, as you truly feel you know this talented group, many of whom have been with Oh Canada Eh? for 10 plus years.

The family-style dinner is delicious and also takes you from coast to coast, bringing all of the flavours of Canada to your table. The beverages menu offers Canadian wine, beer and signature cocktails along with a variety of soft drinks. And of course, the pièce de résistance is the Canadian maple syrup-infused dessert. The long, rectangular tables seat large parties - but have no fear if it’s just a few of you going – you will be sat at a table with strangers who literally become your friends. This all ages show is truly a familyoriented experience.

Lee Siegel didn’t just pen this particular show. The venue also aptly named, “Oh Canada, Eh?” hosts shows year-round, all written by Lee. This 2019 anniversary season features the namesake performance, running now until October 26 th . As they say in the theatre world, “The show must go on”, and on it does, with 5 shows a year, all original Lee Siegel masterpieces. In the last 10 years, the team has put on 40 different shows.

To get the lowdown on what is happening and when, I strongly suggest checking out their website at ohcanadaeh.com. To really appreciate the full effect of this show, you need to get out there and see it. From the beginning, when you are greeted and seated by the performers, through the show and the meal, right down to the end, where as you leave, you are once again met by the performers who bid you a fond farewell, the Oh Canada Eh? experience will leave you wanting more. TM