Ali Bryan's "The Crow Valley Karaoke Championships"

Ali Bryan is a writer based in Calgary, Alberta. Her first novel, Roost, won a Georges Bugnet Award for Fiction and was an official selection of One Book Nova Scotia. Her second novel, The Figgs, was released in 2018 and was a finalist for the Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour. She won the 2020 Howard O’Hagan Award for Short Story. She is a Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Arts Awards Emerging Artist recipient. Her debut YA novel, The Hill, was long-listed for the 2021 Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize.

Here Bryan dreamcasts an adaptation of her new novel, The Crow Valley Karaoke Championships:

I'm a big fan of movies with ensemble casts, tight thematic cores and storylines that intersect, surprise and appease. Think Moonstruck, Little Miss Sunshine, The Royal Tenenbaums, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri, Barbie. Think The Crow Valley Karaoke Championships. The story takes place over the course of a single night, the hottest of the year, and the most important. The town is hosting a high stakes karaoke competition to commemorate the one year 'deathversary' of Crow Valley's local hero, Dale Jepson, who died after wildfires devastated the town. The prize? Big money and a chance to represent Crow Valley at the National Championships. But as the competition for vocal supremacy heats up, a prisoner (an arsonist and murderer no less) escapes from the local correctional facility and all of Crow Valley is thrown into chaos.

The story is told from five alternating POVs, each of whom share a connection to Dale. There's Roxanne, honorary karaoke judge, mid-life and Dale's widow. She works for the town and after a year, is still knee deep in grief. She carries his ashes around in a Thermos, talks to him through an empty Tic Tac container and wears a headlamp (the equivalent of leaving a porch light on) in case he comes back. She's unhinged, sarcastic and common. She's Melissa McCarthy.

There's Brett, Dale's best friend. They played ball together and volunteered for the local search & rescue. Brett was always second best and even with Dale gone, he still can't fill his late friend's shoes. Not even one of them. All he wants is to win karaoke. He's a self-deprecating, underachiever with a big-heart. Also, a cheater. Major Will Ferrell vibes, but he's actually Zach Galifianakis or Seth Rogen. Or Owen Wilson.

Next is Val. A prison guard (and former coworker of Dale). She's also Brett's wife. She's at work when the prisoner escapes and spends a good portion of the night trying to maintain her sobriety, which becomes increasingly difficult. Especially when she runs into the escaped convict on the outside. She's crude, tough but vulnerable with a big sense of humour and a broken heart. She's Rebel Wilson or Olivia Colman.

All Molly wants is to be seen as someone--anything--other than "someone's mom" which is a hard task given she's the mother of four boys and runs the town's daycare. Suffering long-term postpartum depression, she really needs a win. She also believes she's the reason Dale died. But boy, can she sing. Empathetic, sad, complex. She could be anyone: Hilary Swank, Michelle Williams, Anne Hathaway, a diminutive Lady Gaga, an up-and-comer with chops making her debut.

Last is Marcel. A young prisoner with daddy issues and big dreams. Gen Z. Handsome, hard, complicated. Everyone I imagine him as, is too old. (Adrien Brody, Adam Driver). I'd love a wildcard here: Barry Keoghan, Pete Davidson or Justin Bieber.

Supporting: Colin Farrell as Gary (Molly's husband), Dan Levy as Silas (Judge #2), Ahmed Magdy as Kabir (karaoke singer) and Gil Birmingham as Norman Blanchard (prison guard).

As for directing, someone with a track record for quirky dark comedy, so it’s a Gen-X toss-up between Jason Reitman, Wes Anderson or Mike White. I’m a huge fan of Mike White. Mike White, are you there?

Visit Ali Bryan's website.

--Marshal Zeringue