Rob Ford lookalikes memorized monologues and dressed in red ties Monday to take a crack at landing the lead role in “Rob Ford The Musical: The Birth of Ford Nation,” according to The Toronto Star.
Though there is only one Rob Ford, over 40 hopefuls, mostly blonde with bellies, auditioned to play the scandalous mayor for the musical, which is expected to debut Sept, 16 and run through Sept. 28 at Toronto’s Factory Theatre.
The writers have plenty of material, after Ford admitted to trying crack cocaine and using other drugs while in office. He was also caught on video running over Councillor Pam McConnell at a meeting, uttering profanities at high school students, threatening to kill an adversary, and taking someone’s seat during a Buffalo Bills game.
The musical will chronicle the unashamed mayor’s time in office, and Anthony Bastianon has written ten songs for the production.
“So many people have been caught up on this Rob Ford story and so many people want to say they’re part of it,” he said.
Brett McCaig and and P. Joseph Regan co-wrote the musical, leaving the last few pages blank while Ford is still being treated for alcohol abuse. McCaig said the writers are not “anti-Ford” and won’t be bashing the mayor for 90 minutes.
McCaig told The Globe and Mail that Ford is “Shakespearean,” and reminds him of Falstaff.
“He’s our modern tragic hero,” McCaig said.
Bastianon said they want to show “different sides” of Ford’s story, insisting he is a “three-dimensional character.”
Geoff Stone arrives for his audition for “Rob Ford The Musical: The Birth of a Ford Nation” in Toronto, June 16, 2014. Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, who shot to prominence last year after admitting to smoking crack, buying illegal drugs and driving after drinking, insisted for months he did not have a problem. But last month he said he would take time off to deal with his drinking issues. REUTERS/Mark Blinch