Nine Canadian playwrights launch their latest works

By Crystal Wood

On June 21, Playwrights Canada Press launched their collection of Spring 2010 titles at the Rivoli, which included readings from the playwrights in question.

The evening was hosted by Jon Kaplan and Susan G. Cole (NOW Magazine), who provided brief intros of the nine writers featured.  They were, in order, Daniel MacIvor’s One Voice: House and Here Lies Henry, Andrew Moodie’s Toronto the Good, Damien Atkins’ Lucy, David Yee’s Lady in the Red Dress, Anusree Roy’s Pyaasa and Letters to my Grandma, Charlotte Corbeil-Coleman’s Scratch (represented at the launch by actress Monica Dottor), Robert Chafe’s Afterimage, Brad Fraser’s True Love Lies, and Ronnie Burkett’s Billy Twinkle: Requiem for a Golden Boy.

The readings were mercifully brief (Brad Fraser jokingly threatened to throw objects at readers who went overtime), and ranged from hilarious (Burkett’s Billy Twinkle) to touching (Corbeil-Coleman’s Scratch). All of the featured books were on sale courtesy of TheatreBooks, which is also where anyone who wasn’t in attendance can buy them in the future.

The launch provided a nice evening of entertainment for two reasons.  (And I’m obviously not referring to the loud office party that was taking place on the same floor.  Shhh, people are reading!) First, it’s a nice hybrid event for people who enjoy both live theatre and book readings.  It allows the playwrights, often found lurking in the background, a chance to come out and present the works they created themselves.  Second, the bound books give these plays a life outside of whatever limited production they might receive.  If you missed seeing a particular play, or just love it so much you want to read and study it, now you can.