Since it opened way back in 1930, the legendary Harmony Lunch restaurant in Waterloo has survived the Great Depression, a global war and a growing fast-food chain frenzy. This summer, the iconic eatery takes on show business for ten performances of DINE HER, a romantic comedy with a meal and a zombie apocalypse on the side.
Written and directed by veteran Second City comedian Bruce Hunter, DINE HER offers a frighteningly funny twist on the traditional dinner theatre concept. The 60-minute show premiered last year in Toronto earning rave reviews from critics and audience alike.
“Diner theatre is similar to dinner theatre, only it’s faster, cheaper and you still get a belly full of
laughs,” says Hunter, who performed in the original show. “It’s more like casual, comfort food, up close and personal in a cozy old diner, and then the show starts and all hell breaks loose.”
Winner of two Gemini awards and two Canadian Comedy Awards, Hunter has been featured in dozens of TV shows and films, including Atomic Betty, Kid’s CBC, Degrassi, Good Will Hunting, Mean Girls and Puppets Who Kill. Hunter’s company, RealSpace Theatre, expands the performance space beyond the stage to explore how audiences and performers interact with their environment to create a unique theatre experience.
DINE HER was written specifically for diners just like Harmony Lunch. “Not only is it a local landmark with a long, rich history,” says Hunter, “it also offers the perfect setting for this particular style of in-your‐lap comedy.”
DINE HER is co-produced in Waterloo with PrACTical TheACTrics and stars prominent local actors Jennifer Cornish, Trevor Smith Diggins, and Lisa MacNeil.
The show includes a themed menu with three meal options for $40.00. Dinner at 7:00 pm. Showtime 8:00 pm. Tickets available online at eventbrite.ca.
Visit facebook.com/dineher or phone 519-804-2133 for information and group sales. Recommended for mature audiences. Dine Her opens Wed Oct 22 and runs to Friday Oct 31.
It was my severe pleasure to chat with the cast of Dine Her – Jennifer Cornish, Lisa MacNeil, and Trevor Smith Diggins. And to see if my special guest co-host Circus Music’s CJ Allen could finally vanquish his Zombie fears.
Also featured in this podcast The Official Dine Her Music Soundtrack. Special thanks to my good pal JavaJoy aka Joyce Domingo (who is also part of Dine Her Cast) for helping me put this special undead music collection together. To all in the cast – Break a Leg – Don’t Lose One!
Squooches and Brains – Coral FM.
Before I ordered this I noticed it was right between the appetizers and the entrees so I thought that it wouldn’t be enough so I also ordered the Poutine. Food wise the portions were so good that I could have done with just one of the two of these but, I was glad that I did order the Poutine because it was soooooooo good also! I must be Canadian because I have been craving it! The food and the Lake of Bays Brewing Company Sparkhouse Red Ale Cask were both excellent. The dinner portion of the night was excellent! As DJ AdRock reports in the podcast, the evening was a great time as well; mainly spent drinking more of the cask. Make sure to follow @beertownph and @LB_Brewing to find out when Lake of Bays will have a feature cask at Beertown again!
