I won’t lie, the show I was most hoping would be announced at today’s launch was The Book of Mormon. Obviously I was not the only one. It was the first show announced, and in the opening bars of the music, before a word was spoken, the audience erupted into cheers.

The Book of Mormon (brought to us by Trey Parker and Matt Stone of South Park and Team America fame) will be playing at Mirvish in the coming year. There are a few other shows that I’m personally pretty excited about, like La Cage Aux Folles, and Honeymoon in Vegas.

Below you’ll find more details on the season, and some pictures from the launch to whet your appetite.

Jason Robert Brown treating us to a taste of Honeymoon in Vegas

I was a little surprised to be excited about Honeymoon in Vegas. It came from listening to Jason Robert Brown playing the piano and singing some songs we could expect from the show. It felt like old fashioned jazzy musical fun to me, which is the kind of thing I love.

Mr. Danza making me swoon, singing from Honeymoon

And, yes, I’d decided I wanted to see it *before* they announced the cast would include Tony Danza. That just sweetened the pot. Oh, and made my teenage-self squeal with delight. My 36 year old self couldn’t help noticing he’s even dreamier with salt and pepper hair. Plus, it turns out he can sing, which is a nice added bonus.

The theme this year seems to be musicals that were movies first.

Dorothy and Toto

One of the ‘movie first’ offerings is The Wizard of Oz. In case you’re thinking ‘yeah yeah, been there, done that’ this is the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice re-imagined version, not the standard stage version that’s been around forever.

This one will still have the songs you remember, but with some additional stuff, to make it more ‘stage friendly’. That translates to more big musical numbers, and songs for all the major characters. It probably also translates to a much more fun stage show.

In the ‘from movies’ category, there is also Backbeat, Flashdance, Sister Act, and of course, the aforementioned La Cage Aux Folles and Honeymoon in Vegas.

Sister Act Singers

In fact, of the eight shows on offer this season, only two of them do not have a companion movie. Those are The Book of Mormon, and the greatly anticipated new Canadian musical Bloodless, a Theatre 20 production directed by Colm Wilkinson.

I think this is going to be a pretty great season, might be time to snatch up your season subscription, even if it’s just to guarantee yourself a ticket to The Book of Mormon, which has been sold out on Broadway basically since it opened. It’s going to be a tough one to get a ticket for. Plus you’ll get the bonus of a bunch of other really great looking shows.

See the press release below for details on each show:

DAVID MIRVISH presents

THE 2012-2013 MIRVISH SUBSCRIPTION

THEATRE SEASON

6 Great Musicals

Canadian Premiere THE BOOK OF MORMON

North American Premiere BACKBEAT

Canadian Premiere LA CAGE AUX FOLLES

Canadian Premiere SISTER ACT

World Premiere HONEYMOON IN VEGAS

North American Premiere THE WIZARD OF OZ

Plus Bonus Shows –

FLASHDANCE and BLOODLESS

David Mirvish is delighted to announce the 2012-2013 Mirvish Subscription Theatre Season. The subscription season consists of six shows. In addition, there are two shows off-subscription that will be available to Mirvish subscribers on a priority basis and at special prices.

Background to the Mirvish Subscription

Mirvish subscriptions were first offered more than 40 years ago by “Honest” Ed Mirvish, soon after he bought the Royal Alexandra Theatre. The program has now grown to include three other magnificent theatres in downtown Toronto, in addition to the Royal Alex – the Princess of Wales, the Ed Mirvish, (formerly the Canon), and the Panasonic. The Mirvish subscription has become Toronto’s most popular entertainment choice and draws theatre-goers from all over Ontario and the United States. It’s now one of the largest theatre subscriptions in North America!

The 2012-2013 Subscription Season Shows

(in chronological order)

BACKBEAT

Directed by David Leveaux
Written by Iain Softley and Stephen Jeffreys
Based on the Universal Pictures Film

JULY/AUGUST 2012

DIRECT FROM LONDON

BACKBEAT is the story of how the Beatles ‘became’ the Beatles—when John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Pete Best and Stuart Sutcliffe embarked on their journey from the famous docks of Liverpool to search for success in the seedy red light district of Hamburg.

The compelling triangular relationship between the band’s original bassist Stuart Sutcliffe, the striking German photographer Astrid Kirchherr with whom he fell in love, and his best friend John Lennon, became an intrinsic part of The Beatles’ story—and put them on an unstoppable trajectory onto the world stage.

Directed by the award-winning David Leveaux, BACKBEAT features all-time rock ‘n’ roll classics including Love Me Do, PS I Love You, Twist & Shout, Rock ‘N’ Roll Music, Long Tall Sally, Please Mr Postman and Money—live on stage as performed by The Beatles.

LA CAGE AUX FOLLES
Book by Harvey Fierstein
Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman
Directed by Terry Johnson
Choreographed by Lynne Page

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2012

DIRECT FROM BROADWAY

WINNER! 2010 TONY AWARD^® for BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL

WELCOME TO LA CAGE AUX FOLLES! Winner of three 2010 Tony^® Awards, including the award for BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL, this hilarious new production of LA CAGE AUX FOLLES was the biggest hit of the 2010 Broadway season, leaving audiences in stitches night after night!

LA CAGE starring George Hamilton and Christopher Sieber, tells the story of Georges (George Hamilton), the owner of a glitzy nightclub in lovely Saint-Tropez, and his partner Albin (Christopher Sieber), who moonlights as the glamorous chanteuse Zaza. When Georges’ son brings his fiancée’s conservative parents home to meet the flashy pair, the bonds of family are put to the test as the feather boas fly! LA CAGE is a tuneful and touching tale of one family’s struggle to stay together… stay fabulous… and above all else, stay true to themselves!

With a glorious score of hummable melodies and a dynamite cast featuring the “notorious and dangerous Cagelles,” LA CAGE is an indisputable musical comedy classic… and this extraordinary new version shows you why!
 

SISTER ACT
Book by Cheri & Bill Steinkellner and Douglas Carter Beane
Music by Alan Menken
Lyrics by Glenn Slater
Directed by Jerry Zaks
Choreographed by Anthony Van Laast

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2012

DIRECT FROM BROADWAY

SISTER ACT is Broadway’s feel-amazing musical comedy smash! The New York Post calls it “RIDICULOUSLY FUN,” and audiences are jumping to their feet in total agreement! Featuring original music by 8-time Oscar^®-winner ALAN MENKEN (Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Little Shop of Horrors), SISTER ACT tells the story of Deloris Van Cartier, a wannabe diva whose life takes a surprising turn when she witnesses a crime and the cops hide her in the last place anyone would think to look—a convent! Under the suspicious watch of Mother Superior, Deloris helps her fellow sisters find their voices as she unexpectedly rediscovers her own. A sparkling tribute to the universal power of friendship, SISTER ACT is reason to REJOICE!
 

HONEYMOON IN VEGAS
Starring Tony Danza as Tommy Korman
Book by Andrew Berman
Music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown
Directed by Gary Griffin
Choreographed by Denis Jones

DECEMBER 2012/JANUARY 2013

WORLD PREMIERE

Get ready for Toronto’s biggest new jackpot! HONEYMOON IN VEGAS is an irresistible new musical comedy based on the hilarious film! It tells the story of Jack, a regular guy with an irregular fear of marriage. When his girlfriend Betsy puts the pressure on, Jack finally pops the question and they head to Sin City for a whirlwind wedding weekend! But the moment card shark Tommy catches a glimpse of the stunning bride-to-be, he challenges Jack to a “friendly” poker game that puts an unexpected – and uproarious – hitch in the nuptial plans.

Featuring a book by the film’s original screenwriter Andrew Bergman, a score by TonyAward^®-winner Jason Robert Brown (Parade) and direction by Gary Griffin (The Color Purple), this dazzling new musical has everything from showgirls to show-stoppers to a troupe of skydiving Elvises. Odds are you’re gonna love it!

THE WIZARD OF OZ
Music by Harold Arlen
Lyrics by E Y Harburg
Original Background Music by Herbert Stothart
Additional Music and Adaptation by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Additional Lyrics by Tim Rice
Directed by Jeremy Sams
Choreographed by Arlene Phillips

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013

DIRECT FROM LONDON

“We’re off to see….”

The most magical adventure of them all.

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new production of THE WIZARD OF OZ is an enchanting adaptation of the all-time classic, totally reconceived for the stage by the award-winning creative team that recently delighted Toronto audiences of all ages with the revival of The Sound of Music.

Developed from the ever popular MGM screenplay, this new production contains all the beloved songs from the Oscar^®-winning movie score, all the favourite characters and iconic moments, plus a few surprises along the way, including new songs by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Click your heels together and join Scarecrow, Tin Man, Lion, Dorothy and her little dog Toto, as they journey through the magical land of Oz to meet the Wizard and obtain their hearts’ desires. Watch out for the Wicked Witch of the West and her winged monkeys as you rediscover the real story of Oz in this fantastic musical treat for all the family

THE BOOK OF MORMON
Book, Music & Lyrics by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone
Co-directed by Trey Parker and Casey Nicholaw
Choreographed by Casey Nicholaw

 MAY/JUNE 2013

DIRECT FROM BROADWAY

THE BOOK OF MORMON features book, music and lyrics by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone. Parker and Stone are the four-time Emmy Award-winning creators of the landmark animated series, “South Park.” Tony Award^®-winner Lopez is co-creator of the long-running hit musical comedy, Avenue Q. The musical is choreographed by Tony Award^® -winner Casey Nicholaw (Monty Python’s Spamalot, The Drowsy Chaperone) and is directed by Nicholaw and Parker.

THE BOOK OF MORMON is the winner of nine Tony^® Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone), Best Book (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone), Best Direction (Casey Nicholaw, Trey Parker), Best Featured Actress (Nikki M. James), Best Scenic Design (Scott Pask), Best Lighting Design (Brian MacDevitt), Best Sound Design (Brian Ronan) and Best Orchestrations (Larry Hochman, Stephen Oremus); the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical; five Drama Desk Awards including Best Musical, Best Music (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone), Best Lyrics (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone), Best Director (Casey Nicholaw, Trey Parker) and Best Orchestrations (Larry Hochman, Stephen Oremus); four Outer Critics Circle Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone), Best Actor in a Musical (Josh Gad) and Best Director (Casey Nicholaw, Trey Parker) and the Drama League Award for Best Musical.

THE BOOK OF MORMON features set design by Scott Pask, costume design by Ann Roth, lighting design by Brian MacDevitt and sound design by Brian Ronan. Orchestrations are by Larry Hochman and Stephen Oremus. Music direction and vocal arrangements are by Stephen Oremus.

BONUS SHOWS – Save up to 45%

More Great Shows NOT INCLUDED IN THE 2012-2013 SUBSCRIPTION PACKAGE

Every season we offer our subscribers extra attractions that are not part of the Subscription Package. But subscribers have the best access to tickets at the best prices!

FLASHDANCE
Book by Tom Hedley and Robert Cary
Music by Robbie Roth
Lyrics by Robert Cary and Robbie Roth
Directed and Choreographed by Sergio Trujillo

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2012

PRE BROADWAY NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

The Mirvish Subscription Theatre season is honored to welcome home creative team members and Torontonians Tom Hedley, Sergio Trujillo and Robbie Roth with the North American debut of their new musical FLASHDANCE on its road to Broadway

FLASHDANCE tells the inspiring and unforgettable story of Alex Owens, a working-class girl from Pittsburgh with a dream of becoming a professional dancer. She works by day as a steel mill welder, and a bar dancer at night while aspiring to be accepted at a prestigious ballet academy. When Alex catches the eye of her boss Nick Hurley, their romance shows her the meaning of love and drives her ambition to pursue her dream.

The original Paramount Pictures film was a worldwide smash hit that became a pop culture phenomenon, grossing over $150 million and featuring a Grammy Award-winning soundtrack. FLASHDANCE – THE MUSICAL features a score including the hit songs from the movie, all of which became Top Ten hits on the radio around the world including the Academy Award-winning title song “Flashdance – What a Feeling,” “Maniac,” “Gloria,” “Manhunt,” “I Love Rock & Roll.” In addition to these hits, 16 brand new original songs have been written for the stage by Robbie Roth and Robert Cary.

FLASHDANCE features a book by Tom Hedley (co-writer of the original screenplay with Joe Eszterhas), and Robert Cary, music by Robbie Roth, lyrics by Robert Cary and Robbie Roth and direction and choreography by Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys, Memphis).

BLOODLESS
Book, Music and Lyrics by Joseph Aragon
Directed by Colm Wilkinson
A THEATRE 20 Production

BEGINS OCTOBER 2012

TORONTO PREMIERE

A morbidly entertaining new Canadian musical based on the true story of the West Port murders.

BLOODLESS marks the directorial debut of internationally renowned performer Colm Wilkinson and the launch production of Theatre 20’s inaugural season. A wickedly entertaining musical spectacle, BLOODLESS tells the true story of two 19^th century Irish serial killers who go into business selling corpses to anatomy schools in Edinburgh.

Reminiscent of Sweeney Todd, this raucous, eerie tale of deceit, murder, and mayhem is told in memorable song, macabre humour, and compelling lyrics.

2012-2013 MIRVISH SUBSCRIPTIONS NOW ON SALE

The six-show package is priced at only $129 to $589.

Phone 416-593-4225 or 1-800-771-3933

Subscription Office Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm

Online: www.mirvish.com

Today Canadian Stage‘s Artistic and General Director Matthew Jocelyn announced its 2012/2013 season, the 25th anniversary of the company. “The productions and artists on our stages in 2012/2013 will explore some of the big questions about our human experience while pushing the boundaries of what live theatre can be,” said Jocelyn. “To mark our 25th anniversary, we’ve created a season that brings together the best in Canadian and international theatre and dance. The playbill features a mosaic of today’s most talented and thrilling artists.”

The nine planned projects feature five Canadian productions and five created by artists from Australia, Switzerland, the US, Israel, and Japan. All will play at Canadian Stage’s three venues: the Bluma Appel Theatre, the Berkeley Street Theatre and the High Park Ampitheatre.

Shows at the Bluma Appel Theatre include:

- Tear the Curtain!, an Electric Company production in association with Vancouver’s Arts Club Theatre Company that will run October 7 to 20, 2012. The show is about a jaded theatre critic who falls in love with a screen siren, and is then caught between two warring mob families – one controlling the playhouses, the other the cinemas. Tear the Curtain! blurs the boundaries between film and theatre in this stylish psychological thriller.

- Political Mother, the work of UK-based Israeli choreographer Hofesh Shechter. Part dance spectacle, part rock gig, the show has been called everything from an extended metaphor on political oppression to a “howling beast of a dance show.” There will be a 6 performance run October 24 to 28, 2012.

- The Arsonists, Swiss playwright Max Frisch’s famous post-WWII farce about the human ability to ignore acts of despicable evil. Starring Michael Ball and Fiona Reid, it tells the story of a man who is certain the new tenants in his home are arsonists who have already torched much of his small town. The show runs November 11 to December 9, 2012.

- This, a comedy running from February 3 – March 3, 2013. It is about a group of “30-somethings” navigating their way through death, parenthood and adultery.

- Race, a show written by David Mamet, starring none other than 90210′s Jason Priestley. The show features a wealthy white business-man accused of raping a young black woman, laying bare both a corrupt legal system and racial and sexual rage. It runs April 7 to May 5, 2013.

- The Golden Mean (Live), a dance piece about the “golden mean” – in math, a ratio that both describes and reflects balance and beauty in the cosmos. Choreographed by Marie Chouinard, the show runs May 8 to 12, 2013.

Shows at the Berkeley Street Theatre:

- Speaking in Tongues, an Australian play about four marriages falling into a mess of sex, lies and neglect after a woman goes missing. Working in association with A Company Theatre, this show runs October 29 to November 24, 2012.

- Ignorance, marking the return of Calgary’s Old Trout Puppet Workshop’s to Toronto. A puppet documentary about the evolution of happiness, the show attempts to figure out where it came from, and where it’s gone. It runs November 27 to December 8, 2012.

- Someone Else, A Crow’s Theatre production about a standup comedianne in a creative slump whose marriage comes into question when someone else comes into the picture. Starring Kristen Thomson (also the playwright) and Tom Rooney, the show runs January 7 to February 2, 2013.

In addition, Canadian Stage will also spotlight Japan from February 26 to March 9, 2013 in an international festival. The first week will feature a double bill: an avant-garde hip-hop choreographer Hiroaki Umeda in two pieces, Haptic and Holistic Strata, and two short plays by Oriza Hirata of Android Robot Theatre called Sayonara and I, Worker, featuring both human and robot actors. The second week features Medea, a dance piece by butoh dancer Carlotta Ikeda in a double bill with Hot Pepper, Air Conditioner and the Farewell Speech, a one-act play by Toshiki Okada.

Shows at the High Park Amphitheatre:

- The 30th anniversary of Shakespeare in High Park (formerly Dream in High Park) will feature Shakespeare’s classic A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a family-friendly pay-what-you-can summer long event, running June 26 to September 2, 2012.

To mark the 25th anniversary of the company, Canadian Stage will offer patrons additional savings with subscriptions available at the cost of 25% less than single-ticket prices (as opposed to the usual 20%). In addition, Canadian Stage will introduce Sunday matinees at the Bluma Appel Theatre.

Details:
- 2012/2013 subscriptions on sale February 2, single tickets available in early September.
- 4 show packages starting from $98, 6 show packagaes starting from $144 and 10 show packages starting from $228.
- Subscriptions available by phone at 416.368.3110 or in-person at the Canadian Stage Box Office: Bluma Appel Theatre (27 Front Street East) or Berkeley Street Theatre (26 Berkeley Street).
- full details at www.canadianstage.com

Photo 1: Cast, Tear the Curtain!. Photo by David Cooper.
Photo 2: Political Mother photo by Tom Medwell.
Photo 3: Lucie Mongrain, Carol Prieur in The Golden Mean (Live). Photo by Sylvie-Ann Paré.

From Press Release

In 2011, Theatre Passe Muraille received a 50th anniversary grant from the Metcalf Foundation. The result of which is the 2012 Theatre Passe Muraille Fall Season: Theatre Beyond Walls. Thanks in large part to the vision and financial support of the Metcalf Foundation, TPM has dreamed big and gone beyond the range of traditional theatrical activity to launch this program.

Theatre Beyond Walls is a Toronto building project. TPM has commissioned and is collaborating with emerging, independent and established artists in a diverse program of works that are designed to stimulate and engage people in our city. The projects include site-specific theatre, collective creation, verbatim theatre, guerrilla-style theatre, promenade theatre and theatre which does not yet have a description.

Theatre Beyond Walls is venturing out into our city to find, share and develop Toronto’s stories; ones that explore social justice, sustainability, and the culture in our city. We will have artists in our building exploring creations, while other artists will be taking their works out into the city to reach people where they live and work. Theatre Beyond Walls will be a spider web of intersections between communities, artists and neighbourhoods.

Theatre Beyond Walls has six major productions, as well as a variety of ancillary and complimentary programming. The projects involved in Theatre Beyond Walls have been developing since early 2011 with TPM. It will culminate with three months of artistic celebration, beginning on September 15th with the TPM Community Street Festival. The projects involved in the 2012 TPM fall season are: Fare Game: Life in Toronto’s Taxis—The CN Tower Show (working title)—Queen and Bathurst: The Four Corners—The Toy Box—The Queen Street Project— and The 501-Toronto In Transit. The season kicks off with the Community Street Festival and has two additional programming initiatives— Bring the Buzz: Inside TPM and TPM Everywhere.

TPM is celebrating the creation and development process like never before, assigning a social media tool to each of the six major Theatre Beyond Walls productions. Using Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, Soundcloud, Tumblr and YouTube, TPM will get audiences involved well before the presentation stage. In addition, the artists will be creating blog posts on the comprehensive TPM-dedicated Theatre Beyond Walls webpage.

Artistic Director Andy McKim sees this project as a natural progression from the past four seasons at TPM. “With this initiative, our intention is to further live up to our namesake – Theatre Passe Muraille or Theatre Without Walls. We want to go beyond our walls and we want to lead people beyond their walls. The objective of our project is to bridge the gulf that divides artist & audience, theatre & neighbourhood, creator & community. We want to explore the city, to find its stories and to engage with as many people as possible.”

Theatre Passe Muraille 2012 Season
Theatre Beyond Walls

Fare Game: Life in Toronto’s Taxis
November-December, in the TPM Mainspace
This multi-media piece takes the audience on a journey with Toronto’s taxi drivers and exposes the struggles they face. The taxi industry is on the verge of great change; working conditions are not improving and there is much unrest. Creators and performers Ruth Madoc-Jones, Marjorie Chan, and Alex Williams shine a light on the human face of this often overlooked industry. Follow their creative process and learn more about the project on Twitter (@magicalmudge) or the TPM blog.

The CN Tower Show (working title)
October, in the TPM Mainspace
In 1976, Toronto reached new heights in international notoriety with the completion of the then tallest freestanding structure in the world. The following five years were rife with social, political and cultural change in the city. The CN Tower Show examines that era in comparison with our current city, using personal interviews with our city’s inhabitants as raw material. You can follow the creation process and learn more about the project on Facebook (Architect Theatre), or the TPM Blog.

Queen and Bathurst: The Four Corners
September – December…on the airwaves
The intersection of Queen and Bathurst is one of the most divergent in the city of Toronto. The four cornerstones of this intersection are The Meeting Place, Starbucks, Pizza Pizza and CB2 (an urban concept Crate and Barrel) opening in the former home of the Big Bop. This four-part radio docudrama will examine the culture of this unique area and unearth the stories found within. This project is developed by Lisa Marie DiLiberto and Charles Ketchabaw of FIXT POINT Theatre. Follow their progress on Soundcloud (FIXT POINT) and on the TPM Blog.

The Toy Box
Running September – December in the TPM Mainspace and across the city
Step into The ToyBox, an essentially different kind of space, where young and old can PLAY. Whether you are in grade 5 or grade 50, The ToyBox uses high-tech and low-tech ways to engage with art, technology, and each other by mixing creativity, interactivity and the special sauce that is often missing: FUN. With toys like green screens, projectors, Lego and play-doh; The ToyBox gives you an opportunity to access your IMAGINATION. The Toy Box will travel through the city and settle into four different neighbourhoods, as well as within the walls at Theatre Passe Muraille. Beth Kates and Ben Chaisson are the co-founders of Playground Studios who developed this project. Learn more about The Toy Box on Flickr (Toy Box) or the TPM Blog.

The Queen Street Project
September, performed on Queen Street West
Conceived by Deborah Pearson, the Queen Street Project takes multiple dancers and pairs them with audience members to travel down Queen West. The audience members are wearing headphones through which they hear a soundscape that incorporates text, music, and instructions. As a result a dance begins to take shape-one that only the audience can hear. The Queen Street Project is a response to the large-scale hospital bed-cutting initiative under the Harris government and tells the story of the homeless and citizens suffering from mental illness who make their home on Queen West. Follow the progress of this production on Tumblr (Queen Street Project) or on the TPM Blog.

The 501-Toronto in Transit
November-December, in the TPM Backspace
Examining the culture of the city’s transit system and commuters, Donna-Michelle St. Bernard, Justin Manyfingers, and Bob Nasmith will ride the 501 streetcar in the fall of 2012, and capture the diversity and liveliness of one of the world’s longest streetcar lines through conversations with riders and drivers. The stories will be shared in a production in our Backspace Follow The 501-Toronto in Transit on YouTube (TorontoInTransit) or on the TPM Blog.

Community Street Festival
September 15, at the corner of Ryerson and Wolseley
The kick-off to TPM’s Theatre Beyond Walls season will happen on September 15th with a big party for the community. The Festival will have a wide range of activities, ranging from performance to local food, interactive learning programs, and everything in between. In addition to launching TPM’s Theatre Beyond Walls Season, this Festival is an opportunity to celebrate our city and, more specifically, our Queen West community.

Bring the Buzz: Inside TPM
Mainspace: September & November
Backspace: September, October, & November
Just as we are sending our artists out into the city beyond our walls, we are inviting new artists to join us inside them. Bring the Buzz: Inside TPM is an opportunity to expand upon TPM’s vision of audience dramaturgy that is the lynchpin of the Buzz Festival. This project provides meaningful and tangible support to the artistic community by providing theatre space to emerging and independent artists to develop their art through the engagement of TPM’s core audience.

TPM Everywhere
September – December…all over Toronto
This is an extension of Theatre Passe Muraille’s mandate like you’ve never seen it before.  Theatre Beyond Walls Guerilla Theatre artists will be popping up in different places throughout our city. TPM Everywhere is exciting, provocative and daring – bringing theatre into surprising places and engaging with audiences in sudden and unexpected ways.

Joseph Aragon’s Bloodless: The Trial of Burke and Hare makes its Toronto premiere and Raindogs by Andrew MacBean will be presented in partnership with Sheridan College’s Canadian Music Theatre Project

Theatre 20, Toronto’s artist-led musical theatre company, today announced its inaugural season of production at a press conference and exclusive ticketed cocktail affair, “A Taste of 20: Sample the Season”. The event launches a season which includes two workshops, two full productions, and a series of other events.

Preview performances at the event featured Theatre 20 Founding Artists and Emerging Artist Ensemble with guest artists including Jeff Madden, Tim Howar and Donnie Macphee.

First on the season roster is the Toronto premiere of Bloodless: The Trial of Burke and Hare, by Winnipeg playwright Joseph Aragon. Theatre 20 Founding Artist and internationally renowned performer Colm Wilkinson makes his directorial debut with this delightfully dark true story of the 1829 West Port murders in Edinburgh.

A wickedly entertaining musical spectacle and award-winning fringe festival hit, the show recounts the historical case of two 19th century Irish serial killers who go into business selling corpses to medical anatomy schools. Reminiscent of Sweeney Todd, this raucous, eerie tale of deceit, murder and mayhem is told in memorable song, macabre humour, and compelling lyrics. Theatre 20 will workshop the show in April-May and the full production will run at the Panasonic Theatre from Oct. 16 through Nov. 11, 2012.

Next, Theatre 20 partners with Sheridan College’s Canadian Music Theatre Project on the workshop of Raindogs by Canadian Andrew MacBean. This musical is based on Lanford Wilson’s Balm in Gilead. The show, which was the last project Wilson worked on before his death in March 2011, centres on a young prostitute who meets a somewhat inept drug dealer. Like Balm in Gilead, Raindogs is a moving and gritty look at the junkies, pushers, prostitutes and other freaks that inhabit an upper West Side greasy spoon.

Raindogs‘ workshop will take place during the late spring at Sheridan in conjunction with a comprehensive mentorship program between Theatre 20 Founding Artists and Sheridan Music Theatre Performance Program students. Public performances of the workshop will take place in both Oakville and Toronto. The full production of Raindogs will follow in Theatre 20′s 2013-2014 season.

The season wraps up with Company at Harbourfront Centre’s Enwave Theatre considered by many the show that inaugurated the era of the modern musical. Theatre 20 Artistic Director Adam Brazier re-imagines this beloved show from the international musical theatre canon with Gary Griffin as Creative Consultant. Company, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth, centres on Robert, a single man unable to commit to a steady relationship, the married couples who are his best friends, and his three on-again off-again girlfriends. Set in early-1970s, upper-middle-class Manhattan and told through a series of vignettes in no particular chronological order, each character and scene is linked by the celebration of Bobby’s 35th birthday. It has been 25 years since a professional production of Company has been seen in Toronto.

Other events being held in Theatre 20′s 2012-2013 season include a cabaret of new work by Theatre 20′s Composium members, a sequel to 2011′s popular concert Driven to Score: Celebrating Canadian Musical Composers, and other events to be announced.

Theatre 20′s mandate is to present story-driven musicals by developing new Canadian works and by re-imagining existing repertoire, nurturing the talent of writers and composers and fostering the development of young artists through mentorship and education programs. For more information on the season, visit theatre20.com.

Useful Links

Bloodless: The Trial of Burke and Hare
Playwright Joseph Aragon (http://www.josepharagon.com/)
Director Colm Wilkinson (http://www.colmwilkinson.com/)

Raindogs
Official Site (http://www.theatreworks.net/raindogs/)
Lanford Wilson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lanford_Wilson)
Andrew MacBean (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_MacBean)
Boko Suzuki (http://makingitonbroadway.net/)
Paul Chant (http://www.theatreworks.net/raindogs/creativeteam.html)
Rose Martula (http://www.rosemartula.com/)

Company
Official Site (http://www.mtishows.com)
Director Adam Brazier (http://www.adambrazier.com)

Lucy became a regular contributor to Mooney on Theatre last year and has since become a unique voice on the site; leveraging her wealth of experience as an actor, improv performer, theatre publicity and outreach coordinator and festival organizer.

Lucy will undoubtedly be an incredible asset to SummerWorks as the festival continues its important work developing emerging theatre and arts in Canada.

Congratulations Lucy and best of luck in your new endeavour!

- The Mooney on Theatre Editorial Team

The official release from the SummerWorks blog is below:

The SummerWorks Festival is pleased to welcome Lucy Eveleigh as their new General Manager.

Originally from England, Eveleigh first moved to Toronto in 2001 where she was an actor and improve performer and worked at the Canadian Stage and TAPA (then Toronto Theatre Alliance).

“We are very pleased to welcome Lucy to SummerWorks, who brings a wealth of experience and an exciting new and ambitious energy to the Festival,” says Michael Rubenfeld, Artistic Producer of SummerWorks Theatre Festival.

Eveleigh brings a diverse range of knowledge to the role having worked at Just for Laughs in Montreal where she created and directed a new festival for them, entitled Zoofest. In addition to her work at Pleasance Theatre in London and Edinburgh, Eveleigh recently worked as Director of Marketing and Outreach at Necessary Angel Theatre Company.

“I have been a fan of SummerWorks since I moved here ten years ago,” says Eveleigh, adding, “I’m thrilled to work for a festival that brings so much to Canada. It’s going to be a wonderful challenge and one I am very much looking forward to.”

About SummerWorks

The SummerWorks Theatre Festival is the largest juried festival in Canada, featuring plays and artists from across Canada. Since its inception twenty years ago, SummerWorks has been dedicated to offering artists an avenue to display their work. Under the leadership of Michael Rubenfeld, the Festival’s Artistic Producer, SummerWorks has expanded to include a Music Series, a Performance Bar, Musical Works in Concert, and the S.L.I.P. (SummerWorks Leadership Intensive Program). It has received enthusiastic national acclaim.

The 2012 SummerWorks Theatre Festival will take place from August 9th-19th.

For more information please go to www.summerworks.ca

Harbourfront Centre’s national commissioning prizes

Harbourfront Centre is pleased to issue the fifth Call for Submissions for Fresh Ground new works. Prize-winners will receive funding of up to $20,000 toward the creation and presentation of their projects during Harbourfront Centre’s 2013-2014 season.

A key facet of Harbourfront Centre’s mandate is championing the creation of new artistic works, providing a forum for originality, invention and inspiration. Recognizing that some of the most original and intriguing work being produced across the country today results from artists experimenting across genres and collaborating in untraditional ways, in 2004 Harbourfront Centre launched its national commissioning prize, Fresh Ground new works.

Through this legacy programme, Harbourfront Centre has awarded over $400,000 in prizes toward 19 new interdisciplinary Canadian works created by artists and companies from across the country.

In 2012, a maximum prize of $20,000 will be awarded to each of the winning projects which successfully fulfills the selection panel’s criteria for a new, collaborative artistic creation incorporating more than one discipline or field. As in previous years, the work must be original, never before presented or performed, and be ready for presentation or installation at Harbourfront Centre between September 2013 and June 2014.

Harbourfront Centre is the steward of an extraordinary 10-acre site at the centre ofToronto’s urban waterfront, and the 2013-2014 prize-winning projects will focus on the unique site, its relationship to the surrounding area, Harbourfront Centre’s history and environment and its role as a gateway to the city. Proposals should also demonstrate an understanding of and be complementary to Harbourfront Centre’s mission and vision available on our website. The projects will also engage the widest possible audience, through work that considers diversity (cultural, generational, lifestyle), immediacy, spectacle and emotional resonance. More information on proposal criteria is available at harbourfrontcentre.com/whatson/freshground/.

The Call for Submission deadline is Monday, January 30, 2012. Letters of Intent received after 5:00pm EST on January 30, 2012 will not be considered. 

For more information on Fresh Ground new works, the first 14 award-winning projects and the five projects being presented this season, as well as guidelines on applying for funding, please visit harbourfrontcentre.com/whatson/freshground/.

ABOUT FRESH GROUND NEW WORKS
Since its creation in 2004, Fresh Ground new works has become a catalyst for new Canadian artistic works incorporating more than one discipline or field. Through open national submission calls, Harbourfront Centre has awarded over $400,000 in prize money toward 19 new Canadian commissions. These awards add to Harbourfront Centre’s near-40-year history of commissioning new Canadian works in dance, theatre, music, visual arts and craft.

To date, a generous group of visionary donors have supported the creation of 19 new commissions. We would like to thank the following supporters of the Fresh Ground new works commissioning programme for their leadership and continued support of artists: Peter Allen, William J. S. Boyle, Lionel F. Conacher and Joan Dea, Margaret and Jim Fleck, Michael and Sonja Koerner, Judy and Wil Matthews, George E. Myhal, Sonja Smits and Seaton McLean; and grants from the Canada Council for the Arts and the J.P. Bickell Foundation. harbourfrontcentre.com/whatson/freshground 

ABOUT HARBOURFRONT CENTRE
Harbourfront Centre is a Canadian charity operating the 10 prime acres of Toronto’s central waterfront as a free and open public site. We celebrate the multiplicities of cultures that comprise Canada and enliven the city through the creative imaginations of artists from across the country and around the globe. 

“Without a doubt, this may be the most personal and the most important announcement I have ever made in my professional career,” said David Mirvish, the son of the late patron of the arts, “It is something that has been germinating in my mind for many, many years. But I now finally have the opportunity to act on this idea.”

“Honest Ed” Mirvish was a businessman, philanthropist and theatre owner. Mirvish was known for his flagship business, Honest Ed’s, a landmark discount store downtown, and was instrumental in revitalizing the theatre scene in the city after purchasing the Royal Alexandra Theatre and constructing The Princess of Wales Theatre.

“When I became involved with the theatrical part of my family’s business, my admiration for my father grew even greater, because I understood more than ever how remarkable his theatrical work was,” Mirvish continued. “Running a theatre and producing shows are not easy endeavors. Financially they require very high risk and they need entire armies of people to work cohesively together to create a handmade, delicate and ephemeral product that lives in the moment, but if successful, can stay in all our memories forever.”

“But my father did this and did it without seeking the limelight for himself,” said Mirvish. “He brought great artists from around the world to the Royal Alex. He gave opportunities to young Canadian artists to shine. He helped to build the Toronto theatre community, undoubtedly one of the finest in the world.”

“While my father was alive, I tried many times to find ways to publicly honour him. But he wouldn’t have any of it. As he once joked, he was full of ‘humbility.’ He was just happy to be working at what he loved, and he loved the theatre and the people around it – the actors, playwrights, directors, technicians, musicians, ushers, front-of-house staff, and especially the audience.”

The renaming of the theatre had many notable figures on hand, including the aforementioned mayor, Michael Burgess, Shirley Douglas, Ted Dykstra, Richard Greenblatt, Molly Johnson, Louise Pitre and Camilla Scott. The presentation also included video tributes from Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty and Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

The theatre has gone through several name changes over the years. Originally called The Pantages in 1920, it was renamed The Imperial in 1930, and wouldn’t return to The Pantages until the premiering of The Phantom of the Opera in 1989. In 2001, David Mirvish took over management of the building, entering a sponsorship agreement with Canon to rename the theatre after their brand. As of today, it is The Ed Mirvish Theatre.

To win, you’ll need to show off your pipes; Angelwalk alumnus Justin Bott explains in this YouTube video.

Angelwalk wants you to create a video of yourself singing your favourite show tune and post it on Angelwalk’s Facebook page. Justin will pick a top 5 and then Angelwalk will get their Facebook fans to vote for the winner.

In the mean time, check out Angelwalk’s newest show Off Broadway on Stage, December 7 -11 at the Toronto Centre for the Arts Studio Theatre. ]]> http://www.mooneyontheatre.com/2011/11/30/announcement-justin-time-for-a-musical-angelwalk-theatre/feed/ 0 http://www.mooneyontheatre.com/2011/11/24/press-release-nightwood-theatre-announces-the-new-groundswell-festival-a-national-festival-of-contemporary-women%e2%80%99s-theatre/ http://www.mooneyontheatre.com/2011/11/24/press-release-nightwood-theatre-announces-the-new-groundswell-festival-a-national-festival-of-contemporary-women%e2%80%99s-theatre/#comments Thu, 24 Nov 2011 21:31:31 +0000 Sonia Borkar http://www.mooneyontheatre.com/?p=9084 From Press Release

Toronto, ON – Nightwood Theatre announces an exciting new beginning for its annual play development festival. For 26 years, Nightwood’s Groundswell Festival has been bringing audiences provocative new works in development. The re-envisioned New Groundswell Festival – A National Festival of Contemporary Women’s Theatre, happens over 11 days starting on November 30th and features 3 premiere workshop productions including Governor General’s Award nominee Lisa Codrington’s new play The Aftermath, Jordi Mand’s Between the Sheets and Zuppa Theatre’s acclaimed new work The Debacle (Halifax).

The Festival will also feature a national industry series including an exciting array of masterclasses led by theatre luminaries such as Linda Griffiths, Jillian Keiley, Judith Thompson and d.bi young, as well as provocative dialogues and public readings with national and international artists and creators.

The New Groundswell Festival builds on the success of our 30th anniversary celebrations in 2009 and the 4×4 Festival, which put a focus on the female director. The New Groundswell Festival shifts the focus to the female playwright, and seeks to raise the bar in play creation, investing time and resources to explore work in development via production while aiming to increase the dissemination of women’s work across the country, where female playwrights constitute only 29% of plays produced in Canada.

Nightwood’s historic Groundswell Festival is a nationally recognized forum for the creation and development of theatre by women. The festival boasts impressive alumnae including Morwyn Brebner, Marjorie Chan, Claudia Dey, Ann-Marie MacDonald, Sonja Mills and Djanet Sears. The strength of these voices reflects Nightwood Theatre’s ongoing commitment to the development of artistic excellence among Canadian women theatre artists. We are proud to invite you to join us for The New Groundswell Festival – A National Festival of Contemporary Women’s Theatre.

 The New Groundswell Festival Programming

The Aftermath by Lisa Codrington – Toronto
Directed by Audrey Dwyer
Starring Lisa Codrington and Ijeoma Emesowum
Sets and Costumes by Camellia Koo, Sound by Richard Feren, Lighting by Sandra Henderson

In the face of impending catastrophe and despite widespread evacuation there are simply those that shall not be moved. Inspired by Hurricane Katrina, playwright Lisa Codrington takes us on a harrowing and humorous exploration of survival in The Aftermath taking us to the eye of the storm to reveal the humanity of those left behind.

Between the Sheets by Jordi Mand – Toronto
Directed by Kelly Thornton
Starring Susan Coyne and Christine Horne
Sets and Costumes by Camellia Koo, Sound by Richard Feren, Lighting by Sandra Henderson

What begins as a banal parent teacher interview unravels into a gripping and raw discussion between two women on the brink of disaster. One woman is fighting to protect her family. The other is fighting for the family she always wanted. An exposé on aging, fertility, marriage and midlife crisis, Mand has crafted a razor sharp, rollercoaster ride of high stakes drama.

“What a complex, well crafted, gripping, heart-squeezing, gut-twisting play. Not a false note. Stunning work.” – Lynn Slotkin, The Slotkin Letter

The Debacle by Ann-Marie Kerr and Susan Leblanc Crawford – Zuppa Theatre, Halifax
Actor/Co-creator Susan Leblanc-Crawford
Director/Co-creator Ann-Marie Kerr

Going to scientific extremes a woman attempts to freeze memories of her dying sister and in the process learns the power of letting go. The Debacle is a sad, funny and highly theatrical portrait of a woman facing the inevitable reality of being alone.

“Sue Leblanc-Crawford is a marvelous actress to watch…” – The Coast
“…her physicality is strong and her concentration is fierce; yet, she conveys a warmth, humanity and humour.” – The Chronicle Herald

About Nightwood Theatre

Artistic Director Kelly Thornton, Producer Denyse Karn and Chair Karon Bales.
As Canada’s national women’s theatre since 1979, Nightwood has launched the careers of many of the leading theatre artists in the country. We have won Canada’s highest literary and performing arts awards and more than ever our success proves the need for theatre that gives voice to women and celebrates the diversity of Canadian society. We remain actively engaged in mentoring young women and promoting women’s place on the local, national and international stage.

The New Groundswell Festival Details

DATES: November 30 to December 10, 2011
SHOW TIMES:

Between the Sheets: Wednesday November 30, 8pm; Saturday December 3, 2pm; Sunday December 4, 8pm; Tuesday December 6, 8pm; Friday December 9, 8pm

The Aftermath: Thursday December 1, 8pm; Saturday December 3, 8pm; Monday December 5, 2pm; Wednesday December 7, 8pm; Saturday December 10, 2pm

The Debacle: MEDIA/VIP: Friday December 2, 8pm; Sunday December 4, 2pm; Monday December 5, 8pm; Thursday December 8, 8pm; Saturday December 10, 8pm

INDUSTRY SERIES: PUBLIC AND INDUSTRY PROGRAMMING

Kick Start Reception and Cocktail Party: Friday, December 2, 5-7pm, Nightwood Studio (55 Mill Street, Suite 315), Admission Free

PANEL:
Polyamorous Play Development: Friday, December 2, 3:30pm, Nightwood Studio, PWYC

READINGS:
Quebec Series: Reading of Jennifer Tremblay’s Le Carrousel and Clea Minaker’s Book of Thel: Sunday, December 4, 4pm, Nightwood Studio, PWYC

Write From The Hip readings: Friday, December 9, 7pm, Berkeley Street Theatre Upstairs, PWYC

Judith Thompson’s Big Girl/The F Word (working title) Saturday, December 10, 4:30pm, Nightwood Studio, PWYC

MASTERCLASSES and WORKSHOPS

Kalideography with Jillian Keiley: December 2, 11-3pm and December 3, 10-2pm, Nightwood Studio $150.00

Say it, Shout it, Move it with Judith Thompson: December 5, 6, 10-3pm, Nightwood Studio, $150.00

the sorplusi methodology with d’bi.young anitafrika: December 7, 8, 10-5pm, Nightwood Studio, $150.00

Director as Dramaturg with Nina Lee Aquino: December 9, 11, 10-5pm, $75.00

Visceral Playwriting with Linda Griffiths: December 10, 11, 10-4pm, $150.00

Festival Closing Party
Join us to celebrate the last night of our re-envisioned New Groundswell Festival! December 10, 9pm, FREE

TICKETS

Single tickets on sale now $20.00
Tickets available by calling: 416.368.3110 or www.nightwoodtheatre.net

FESTIVAL PASSES

Festival passes on sale now. Save up to 50% on tickets by calling 416-944.1740×7

The AMY Project (Artists Mentoring Youth) is now accepting 2012 applications from Toronto women ages 14 to 21.

AMY builds the leadership, confidence, and unique voice of young women in Toronto by providing them with performance training, connections to artistic mentors, and access to a professional venue for their final performance. The AMY Project mentorship roster includes some of the top female artists in Toronto who specialize in a variety of disciplines: from dub poetry to opera, from theatrical design to breakdancing.

The AMY Project is a FREE program offered to a diverse range of participants from the greater Toronto area. It runs from January-April 2012. Once a week to start, then twice a week as we get closer to show dates. Participants are provided with TTC tickets, given the opportunity to attend live theatrical performances, share in a weekly meal and earn volunteer hours and cash honorariums for performing.

Most importantly, they are given the opportunity to speak out and share their stories with a public audience.

Read more to find out how to apply before the deadline December 9, 2011:

AMY APPLICATION:

If you are a young woman between 14 and 21 years of age and you’re interested in taking part in The AMY Project please send us the information requested below.

You can send the information to us via email:
info@theamyproject.com

Please feel free to call if you have any questions: 416-819-1612

**Applications are due: Friday December 9, 2011

1. Name

2. Age

3. A reliable phone number

4. Area you live in (major intersection or neighbourhood)

5. How you heard about the program

6. Tell us a little bit about the biggest challenge you have had to face. This can be something you are still struggling with, or something you feel you have overcome. A few sentences to a paragraph is all we ask but you can write as much as you like.

7. Please include a sample of your creative writing (1 PAGE MAX) This can be in any style you want: poetry, song, rap, spoken word, rant, essay, short story, monologue, etc. You can send also send a link to a sound or video file if you prefer.

AMY asks its participants to create. This is your chance to show off your creative skills!