JOSEPHINE, A BURLESQUE CABARET DREAM PLAY – Toronto Fringe 2018 Press Release

From Press Release

Dynamite Lunchbox Entertainment of Orlando will be presenting Josephine, a burlesque cabaret dream play across Canada and The United States on a tour of 7 cities in over 3 monthsThe tour begins in Ottawa and then heads to Toronto for the 2018 Toronto Fringe Festival. Josephine is a one-woman biographical musical that combines cabaret, theatre and dance to tell the story of the iconic Josephine Baker, the first African-American international superstar and one of the most remarkable figures of the 20th Century.

After debuting at the 2016 San Diego Fringe Festival and winning the distinctions of “Outstanding Solo Performance” and “Best Show”, Josephineplayed three sold out runs to rave reviews in hometown Orlando Florida before starting a 2017 North American tour. The first stop was the second largest Fringe Festival in North America, the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival, where it was touted as the “breakout hit” of the Festival, selling out the entire run and receiving 5-star reviews from both major publications. The show then went to Indianapolis Fringe where it won “Best National Production”, “Outstanding Female Performance”, “Audience Choice” and “Festival Top Seller”.  From there, the show was selected by The Soho Playhouse in New York City to be part of the 2017 Fringe Encore series in October, 2017. Josephine was then awarded the honor of the encore series “Outstanding Production” award, and in early 2018 was offered a limited 5-week off-Broadway run at Soho Playhouse, where it sold out shows and received high critical acclaim.

About Josephine Baker- Born in St. Louis in 1906, Josephine Baker achieved only moderate success in the United States, but became an international superstar after moving to France in the early 20’s. She starred alongside white romantic leading men in films in the 30’s, had multiple interracial marriages and homosexual relationships, and performed in men’s clothing before the term “drag” existed in the lexicon. She was also a spy for the French Resistance, a civil rights activist, and the mother of 12 adopted children from 4 continents. Her success in France and Europe often gave her the opportunity to live freely without the racial oppression of her home nation, though she never stopped yearning for acceptance in America.

Producer/Director/co-Creator Michael Marinaccio notes: “In a period of profound division in the world, we are excited to present the story of a woman who broke boundaries of race, gender, and sexuality in a time before America had begun coming to terms with the concept of diversity. You would be hard pressed to find a more remarkable human being than Josephine Baker, and it’s about time that extraordinary women of color like her have their stories known.”

Performer/co-Creator Tymisha Harris adds: “I am thrilled to bring the story of one of the most impactful yet often overlooked figures of the 20thCentury to North American audiences. I hope Josephine’s story brings people together, but telling it has made me realize not only how far we have come, but also how far we have left to go as a society with regards to racial inequality.”

Details

  • Josephine, a burlesque cabaret dream play plays at the Randolph Theatre. (736 Bathurst St.)
  • Tickets are $13, including a $2 service charge. The festival also offers a range of money-saving passes and discounts for serious Fringers.
  • Tickets can be purchased online, by telephone (416-966-1062), from the Festival Box Office at Scadding Court (707 Dundas St. W.), and — if any remain — from the venue’s box office starting one hour before curtain.
  • Content Warnings: Mature language; Unsuitable for minors; Sexual content; Audience participation; Nudity.
  • This venue is wheelchair-accessible through a secondary route. We recommend checking in with the venue box office at least 15 minutes before showtime.
  • Be aware that Fringe performances always start exactly on time, and that latecomers are never admitted.

Performances

  • Wednesday July 4th, 10:30 pm
  • Saturday July 7th, 5:45 pm
  • Sunday July 8th, 3:00 pm
  • Tuesday July 10th, 8:45 pm
  • Wednesday July 11th, 7:00 pm
  • Friday July 13th, 12:00 pm
  • Saturday July 14th, 1:45 pm

Photo provided by the company