Coming to Toronto Fringe 2009: AfterLife

From Press Release

AfterLife traces the evolution of women by dropping in on a significant day in the life of three different women in three very different eras of time. Ruth, a 1928 Appalachian midwife, would kill for a family. Marion, a 1950’s homemaker, needs to discover her true yogic nature. And Karma, a slowly unraveling film producer, would settle for a bit of sanity. What do these three seemingly disconnected women have in common? Nothing…and everything.

As we move through these three vastly different incarnations, it becomes apparent that we are not only on a journey through one soul’s search for ultimate happiness, but through a brief journey of all women.

AfterLife begs us to question just how many of Ruth, Marion, and Karma’s choices are dictated by their own free will and prejudices? How much of their lives are haunted by pre-existing karmic baggage? What portions of these decisions are decided by societal constraints imposed on them as women during their time period? It’s 2009. Do you know where your karma’s been?

Founded in 2007, SunsetGun seeks to produce theatrical works with a strong emphasis on storytelling and collaboration. The emerging company burst onto the Canadian fringe scene last summer when it premiered AfterLife to audiences in Vancouver and Victoria, BC. The production was welcomed with glowing reviews and garnered a Best Female Performer Award for Ms.Simmons. AfterLife has been invited to seven theatre festivals across the US and Canada in Summer 2009.

AfterLife is a full-length, one-woman play performed by Candy Simmons (Primary Stages, 92nd Street Y’s Makor Center, Carolinian Shakespeare Festival), written by Candy Simmons and Chris Van Strander (winner of a 2008 NoMAA Individual Artist grant and O’Neill Playwrights’ Conference finalist), and directed by Canadian Fringe tour veteran Virginia Scott (director of Ottawa Fringe’s Best Solo Show “Pentecostal Wisconsin”). Active members of the New York City theatre community, this project marks the third creative collaboration between Ms. Simmons and Mr. Van Strander and the first project this team has produced internationally.