But I Played One on TV

I’m not a Mennonite, but I once played one on television.

You may recall my two-part series of last April when I wrote about my experience as an extra (along with friends Nettie and Sara) in Episode 4 of the new TV series, Maria and the Mennos. That show is now available to the world.

Maria and the Mennos premiered on YES-TV on January 3. You can live-stream the show for free by going HERE on Wednesdays at 9:30 PM Central and choosing the Ontario channel. Use your computer, though. My fellow extras and I have not succeeded on our phones, smart TVs, or other devices. The show will also be part of the Real to Reel Winnipeg Film Festival February 20-25. The whole season will be available on demand after all episodes have premiered.

Maria, a young Filipino-Canadian woman tries to maintain her own identity as she gets a crash course in pierogies, platz, and prairie living. Set and shot completely here in Manitoba with Manitoba cast and crew, the show stars Victoria Exconde as Maria, Kenton Dyck as her husband Nate, and Erna Peters and Chuck Fefchak as her parents-in-law, Sarah and Hank.

 

Although the house you’ll see (interior and exterior) is actually in Winnipeg, Maria and the Mennos takes place in Winkler. It’s here where Maria finds herself after moving in with her in-laws so that she and Nate can save for a place of their own. She’s a fun-loving, independent woman who likes to take risks and think outside the box. So let’s just say this new life in a conservative Mennonite household is going to take a little getting used to. Crokinole tournaments, Borscht cook-offs, and Karaoke Hymn Sing-offs all provide a steep learning curve for Maria as she tries to adjust to this new life with her old-fashioned family.

 

Given the low budget for this production, I suspected early on that Maria and the Mennos probably wasn’t going to become my all-time favorite show—an inkling confirmed when I finally succeeded in tuning in for Episode 2. My advice? You’ll enjoy the show more if you approach it, not as the next Kim’s Convenience, but the same way you would a community theatrical production where you want to cheer on your co-workers, neighbors, and relatives who have courageously taken to the stage. Apparently, it also really helps if you’re Mennonite and can identify with that brand of humor. 

 

Even so, I’ll probably watch all the episodes. I want to see Maria’s Filipino family, who will no doubt have their own brand of inside jokes. “Our” episode aired on January 24 and I spotted myself a couple of times. Ten hours of my life for five seconds of fame. Seems about right.

 

Meanwhile, maybe I’ll dig out my Mennonite Treasury of Recipes, copyright 1962, and make some tasty treat submitted by Mrs. Jake Wiebe of Steinbach or Mrs. Abe Klassen of Morden, like zwieback or obstkuchen, to snack on during future episodes. Hey, here’s an idea. Maybe the producers of Maria and the Mennos can do a spin-off cooking show called Maria and the Menus.

 

I’ll leave you with a Low-German phrase we can all appreciate. I found it posted on the internet by Benjamin Vogt, so don’t blame me if it’s not your version of the language: “Aules haft en Enj, Bloss ne Worscht nijch. Dee haft twee Enja.” 

 

Translation: “Everything has an end except a sausage. It has two ends.”