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After “Hamilton” made an earwormy global phenomenon from the life story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton, no chapter of history can be declared too dour for spangly, heart-on-sleeve musical treatment — though the Winnipeg General Strike of 1919 is still a pretty unlikely candidate. The stage roots of “Stand!” go back further than Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway smash: It’s been 15 years since it first hit Canadian stages under the title “Strike!,” and the eventual film adaptation has the air of a patient, resourceful labor of love, while also showing why the material wasn’t more immediately rushed before cameras. Earnest and plainly felt, this grafting of a cross-cultural romance onto the story of a critical turning point in Canadian workers’ rights doesn’t want for incident and emotional commitment, but Robert Adetuyi’s film does fall a little short on showmanship.

Having bowed on home soil in 2019, “Stand!” received a one-day engagement in U.

"The world changes one heart at a time." Catch the official US trailer for a movie musical version of a stage show about a workers revolt called Stand!, directed by Canadian filmmaker Robert Adetuyi. This Canadian musical is actually about America and a workers strike in 1919. The music, lyrics and score are by Danny Schur (of Made In Winnipeg: The Terry Sawchuk Origin Story) and the film features Lisa Bell’s show-stopping performance of the protest song "Stand!" An immigrant Romeo & Juliet battle for love and a better life during a time of social upheaval, in this musical is set against the true story of the general worker strikes of 1919. The film stars Marshall Williams, Laura Wiggins, Lisa Bell, Gregg Henry, Erik Athavale, Paul Essiembre, and Hayley Sales. This looks like a good story about the workers rising up and fighting back against vile greed and wealth. Maybe it's time we do this yet again!

Les Miserables star attached to period musical Strike!

Samantha Barks, best known for her role in Tom Hooper’s Les Miserables, is attached to star in a feature version of Canadian stage musical Strike!, a Romeo and Juliet style love story set against the 1919 general strike in Winnipeg.

The stage musical’s co-writers, Danny Schur and Rick Chafe, have co-written the script and will produce, with Joseph Novak (Snake River) set to direct.

Currently in development, composer Schur is aiming for a summer 2016 shoot on the production, which also has Alan Doyle (Robin Hood) and Barenaked Ladies frontman Steven Page attached.

Barks is due to play Rebecca Almazoff, the lead female role in the period drama, which follows the illicit love affair between a Catholic man and Jewish woman during the strike.

The British actress, a former Screen International Star of Tomorrow, recently played in war-romance Bitter Harvest and drama A Hundred Streets but Strike! could be her...