LAY UP by Riel Reddick-Stevens and Aaron Jan

Book and Lyrics by Aaron Jan

Music and Lyrics by Riel Reddick-Stevens

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LAY UP is in development at Highland Arts Theatre in Cape Breton as the first commissioned winner of the Rita Joe Award.

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After a violent incident ends her dreams of playing ball professionally, former high school champ Sydney Baron, is forced to return to her maritime hometown to regain her ticket to the big leagues. Sydney must wrangle together a group of misfits to defeat the best team in the province, or risk being trapped in Cole Harbour forever.

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LAY-UP is an epic anti-coming of age musical that blends Hip hop, R&B and beatmaking to tell a story exploring “made it out” culture as an athlete of colour. What happens when we do not achieve racialized excellence? How do we need to transform ourselves in our desire to be exceptional?