Forte Musical Theatre Guild is one of Calgary's best independent theatre companies. Since launching 5 years ago under Joe Slabe with But This Is My Day Job the company has produced some stellar work, including Jeremy De Bergerac which under the name Crossing Swords was recently optioned for an off-Broadway run.

Forte's newest work Touch Me: Songs for a (dis)Connected Age explores the connections we have in an internet age. It features songs written by international and Canadian songwriters, including some from Calgary, and stars Christian Goutsis, Lisa Lennox, Scott Shpeley and Selina Wong with Joe Slabe on piano.

The show works because we can instantly connect (no pun intended) with the subject matter. A song about a girl hopelessly in love but unable to express it in person, just online, entertains early. Lamenting having a lot of “useless Facebook friends” triggers thoughts about how many of our online friends would be there in person if needed? There is even an ode to the dick pic, which everyone has experienced at some time.

I don't want to ruin much of the show because there are so many hilariously truthful moments. I left the Joyce Doolittle Theatre both entertained and thinking about how my connections to the internet have both brought me closer and further away from people. It makes me want to reconnect in person with some friends, instead of just keeping track of them on Facebook.

Touch Me: Songs for a (dis)Connected Age is another home run for Slabe and Forte Musical Theatre Guild.