Meet These Two Men with Their Musical

It might take you to where the corn is as high as an elephant’s eye, where you can pay your “rent”, or let the sunshine in. If it’s to do with Broadway musicals, you may hear what you’re listening for at the Five Points Theatre next month, when local legend Glenn Coulson and theatre dynamo Izad Etemadi become Two Men and a Musical.

Just what songs and from what show they’re sampling is up to them and to you. Coulson, financial consultant by day, fundraiser and talented stage performer by night, likes the idea of not knowing what’s happening till the last minute, much like walking a tightrope with lots of folks watching.

“It’s what we thrive on,” he tells BarrieToday, “Sometimes it’ll be hilarious, sometimes it’ll flop and sometimes it will hilariously flop and that’s where the magic really happens. An engaged audience who are involved in the creation of something that never existed before, that is really special. It's as if we are doing the show all together.”

But, Glenn jokes “Izad and I are the only ones getting paid.”

The Victoria, B.C.-born, Toronto-based Etemadi is perhaps best known for his portrayal of the charming, flamboyant and bearded Persian woman, Leila, in a solo show called Love With Leila, which enjoyed national tours and a run Off-Broadway.

His newest solo show, Kooni, premiered at the 2017 Rhubarb Festival at Buddies in Bad Times and then reached Halifax for the Queer Acts Festival last July. The show is an exploration of life as a gay man in Iran using video and projections to tell the story.

Coulson, dubbed a “renaissance man”, has also been instrumental in various cultural, fundraising and development campaigns, including the drive to help build the Five Points Theatre Centre, raising $1.4 Million.

Coulson also once fronted a band called V.I.P. (Voices in Public), which copped radio industry awards, and even a Genie (this country’s Oscar) for Best Original Song in a motion picture. As movie producer, he had a 2016 hit with Country Crush, with country stars Jana Kramer and Madeline Merlo as well as Sophie Simmons (Gene and Shannon’s daughter)

Glenn and Izad bring enough experience in all modes of performing to assure the audience they’re in good hands. And realistically, there is a certain amount of preparation before the two men step on stage.

“To keep the evening moving along,” continues Coulson, “we have put together a few musical numbers including solos, ballads, duets and even a surprise cameo by a special guest! Now, we can’t tell you exactly what songs we will be doing, but they are all songs that have sparked our love for musical theatre.”

Concurs Izad, “We explored different time periods, genres, styles and learned to appreciate all of them and what they add to the world of musical theatre… from It’s A Bitch of a Living from Spring Awakening to If I Loved You from Carousel to Oh My God, You Guys from Legally Blonde.”

Coulson admits he is more of the Les Miserables/Phantom of the Opera school. “When I saw Colm Wilkinson and Michael Burgess perform I knew I wanted to be on stage. No question. I do love new musical dialogue writing though, it’s extremely clever.

“Nothing beats the end of act one or two in a big musical (no matter who’s putting it on)… still gives me goose bumps every single time.”

Two Men and a Musical hits the stage for one night only, Saturday, May 5 at 8 p.m., at the Five Points Theatre, 1 Dunlop Street West. To learn more, click here.