Take a walk down Sunnyside

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 01/02/2016 (3747 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Like many West End and Wolseley locals, you may have walked by the Dark Roast Coffee House located on Langside Street and Sara Avenue and thought, great, a new place to get some joe.

Convincing as it may be, the shop is actually a set for the Toronto-based sketch comedy series, Sunnyside.

With the first season aired, the show has been nominated for five Canadian Screen Awards, including Best Original Music Score for a Series, Best Photography in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series, Best Sound in a Variety or Animated Program or Series, Best Writing in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series, and Best Performance in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series (Individual or Ensemble).

“We’re very excited about it,” creator Gary Pearson said. “I’m really glad that our writers and cast and music have all been recognized and yeah, it’s a good feeling.”

Pearson said the nominations alone are a huge win for the group and that they feel honoured to be mentioned alongside shows such as This Hour Has 22 Minutes and Rick Mercer Report.

“We are up against some terrific people that I have great respect for,” Pearson said. “It’s a bit of an uphill climb because the competition is really stiff but we’re just happy to have the nominations and to be at the top of the Canadian industry.”

Pearson and the core cast spent most of summer 2015 in the West End and Wolseley shooting the second half of season one.

“Whatever comes our way, people in Winnipeg and the crew here and the actors here are all sharing in this as well,” Pearson said. He added that most of the crew was from Winnipeg, as well as some of the supporting actors.

“The Wolseley neighbourhood, I really liked that neighbourhood. That’s the place that if I was to live in Winnipeg, I think that would have a lot of appeal for me,” Pearson said. “There are a few places that are a little rough around the edges, which is perfect for our show, because we saw it as a neighbourhood that had both some rich and poor people, and business people and drug addicts living one another. Not to offend Wolseley, but it was kind of perfect for (the show).”

He added that the area was picked for its likeness to Toronto neighbourhoods, but that it seemed to resonate with areas all over Canada, as well.

“We got response from all across the country who live in neighbourhoods like it because there are parts of Canada where there are different ethnic groups, gay and straight, rich and poor and all kind of jammed together, and that’s what Sunnyside is all about.”

Pearson is unsure whether or not the show will be picked up for another season, but Winnipeg will be the destination once again if it is. He expects that like last year, he’ll see plenty of people coming by the Dark Roast wanting to buy a cup of coffee.

“Our production designer Larry Spittle is a Winnipeg guy and he designed the coffee shop and he did an excellent job so everyone did think it was real,” Pearson said.

The awards will be broadcast on CBC on March 13.

 

Facebook.com/TheMetroWPG
Twitter: @metroWPG