Browning's story from ice to stage

This charismatic king of the ice soared as the first to jump a quad, but the four-time world champion also endured humiliating defeat.

And it's the dark moment of Kurt Browning's crushing Olympic loss that serves as the opening of a new, one-man play about the skating hero.

The Caroline Kid - The Kurt Browning Story is a largely positive story that premieres tonight in the skater's hometown of Caroline before beginning a run at the Kaasa Theatre in the Jubilee Auditorium tomorrow.

"We give the story of the Kurt Browning who was Canada's sweetheart,'' said Edmonton's Robert Clinton, who based a significant portion of the play on the skater's autobiography Forcing the Edge. "He is one of the best in the world.''

Directed by Thomas Usher, the story traces Browning's ice life from his first pair of skates at age three to his first world championship and the '92 Olympics.

Browning's script change requests were made, said Clinton, who became a skating fan after researching the story.

"He was most concerned that his sense of humour was represented, his lightness of spirit, the good time he has. That's what he was most concerned about,'' said Clinton, who added he's not sure Browning's touring schedule will allow him to see a performance.

Calgary actor and University of Alberta graduate Tony Eyamie performs all 14 characters of the Red Deer Prime Stock Theatre Company production, including the skater's parents, former coach Michael Jiranek, Brian Orser and Paul Martini.