‘Only the beginning’: Perth County twins write and star in Listowel musical

CTV’s Scott Miller with the debut of a play created and starred in by 17-year-old twins.

Cameron and Tyler Wood are a pair of Perth County twins who have spent the better part of a year writing a musical about fitting in in a small town.

“It’s funny because we’re twins in almost every sense of the way, because we’re good at the same things, and we like the same things, so we just do all the same things,” said Cameron, a Grade 12 student at Listowel District Secondary School (LDSS).

The 17-year-old aspiring artists both wrote “My World is a Fishbowl.” Cameron acts as the main character based in Egan Cove, a fictional small town, not unlike rural southern Ontario.

It premieres Thursday, May 28, at the Black Door Theatre in the twins’ high school.

“It feels really surreal. It feels like I can’t believe that I did this. And, then that I’m watching you do it, and it feels crazy. I’m very proud of you, and I’m proud of you, and I’m proud of everyone, that’s part of it,” say both Cameron and Tyler.

High school students write original plays all the time, according to their teachers, but a musical is another level.

“When I heard that they were doing an original play, I was like, that’s awesome. And, then I heard that they were doing an original musical, and I was like, that’s crazy,” said LDSS teacher Jane Smith.

The musical required more than just the artistically inclined students to pull off. Teachers say everyone from the construction to cosmetology students took part.

“When I think about everything that goes into it, you need people who are into cosmetology and our manufacturing students. Here at Listowel District Secondary School, we have programs for all of those people. And, then we get to bring them all together through a lot of hard work to make magic,” said LDSS music teacher Susan Varillas.

“We had a construction class making different set pieces. The photography class took the headshots. There’s a lot of people that have to come together to make a show like this work, but they did, and I think that’s kind of the magic of theatre, and the magic of this musical,” said Smith.

In addition to Thursday’s premiere, “My World is a Fishbowl” has shows Friday and Saturday as well.

The Wood twins say this may their first original play, but it will most certainly not be their last.

“I keep telling people this is only the beginning, because the next time we’re on the radio, it’s going to be music. Next time we’re on TV, it’s going to be for something else. And, just watch out. Just watch out. I’m writing like, two other musicals right now. I don’t know what for, exactly, but I’m just doing it,” say Cameron and Tyler.