All posts by Katee Reid

Katee Reid is an assistant editor at Mooney on Theatre who joined the team in 2018.

ANYWHERE – TORONTO FRINGE 2018 PRESS RELEASE

From Press Release:

This summer, the Toronto Fringe Festival will feature two works by award-winning playwright Michael Ross Albert (Tough Jews, Dora Award nomination– Outstanding New Play), including the world premiere of his newest drama, Anywhere.

When a young businesswoman returns to her AirBnB, she finds that her host has been waiting up for her. What started as a cordial relationship between strangers begins to steadily escalate into a tense and unnerving battle for control. The two women find themselves facing off against each other in a struggle for meaning, connection, and power.

The world premiere production will be directed by David Lafontaine (artistic director, Unit 102). David recently directed the Canadian premiere of Michael Ross Albert’s play, Miss, for which he received the My Entertainment Critics’ Pick Award for Outstanding Direction in the small theatre division.

The cast of Anywhere features two pillars of Toronto’s indie theatre community: Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster(founding member of The Howland Company, resident artist at Soulpepper Theatre Company) and Cass Van Wyck (Therac 25, Unit 102).

With a thrilling new script, and a knockout cast and creative team, the world premiere of Anywhere promises to be an intense and unforgettable Fringe experience.

Details

  • Anywhere plays at the Factory Theatre Studio. (125 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; Sexual content; Realistic violence or gore.
  • The Fringe Festival considers this venue to be wheelchair-accessible.
  • Be aware that Fringe performances always start exactly on time, and that latecomers are never admitted.

Performances

  • Thursday July 5th, 9:30 pm
  • Saturday July 7th, 7:45 pm
  • Sunday July 8th, 4:30 pm
  • Tuesday July 10th, 1:00 pm
  • Thursday July 12th, 12:15 pm
  • Friday July 13th, 11:15 pm
  • Saturday July 14th, 2:15 pm

GENERALLY HOSPITAL – TORONTO FRINGE 2018 PRESS RELEASE

From Press Release:

Let’s get clinical! Generally Hospital is a comedic show about a serious place: the hospital. Impossible rules for newborns, songs about death, and finding love in a room filled with farts – we have you covered for an hour of laughter, tears, and other bodily functions.

Directed by award-winning comedian Leigh Cameron (Second City Mainstage alum, 32 Short Sketches About Bees – 2017 Toronto Fringe Patron’s Pick and Second City Award forOutstanding New Comedy), this sketch comedy revue lifts the veil that shrouds the hospital and lets the audience in on all the weird, wacky, and bewildering things that happen inside.

Producers Ophira Calof and Grace Smith met while completing the Second City Sketch Conservatory Program. During a sketch performance in November of 2017, Calof’s wheelchair tipped over the side of the stage and fell into the audience, resulting in a 2-week hospital stay. The idea for Generally Hospital was borne out of a particularly laugh-filled visit during that stay.“We believe in the power of laughter to ease people into tense and personal subject matter, and as a tool to connect us all and foster empathy,” say Calof and Smith.

Generally Hospital is written and performed by a group of up-and-coming Toronto comedians,all graduates of Second City’s Conservatory. Calof and Smith co-produce the popular monthly All Access Sketch Show, one of the few regular Toronto comedy shows in an accessible venue. They are joined by Alia Rasul (Bad Dog Theatresports), Sabrina Friedman (Only One of us is Jewish), and Devan Islas (Good Judy), with dramaturg Ryan Hughes (Welcome to the Bunker – 2017 Toronto Fringe) and music director Nicole Byblow (Juno Awards Industry Gala).

Generally Hospital is proud to provide a variety of adapted, including a relaxed performance, an audio described performance, and ASL interpreted performance.

Details

  • Generally Hopsital plays at the Tarragon Theatre Extraspace. (30 Bridgman Ave.)
  • 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; Audience participation; Sexual content.
  • This venue is barrier-free. Patrons who use wheelchairs or who cannot climb stairs are seated in the front row.
  • Be aware that Fringe performances always start exactly on time, and that latecomers are never admitted.

Performances

  • Wednesday July 4th, 10:15 pm
  • Saturday July 7th, 2:00 pm
  • Tuesday July 10th, 8:30 pm
  • Wednesday July 11th, 11:15 pm
  • Friday July 13th, 12:15 pm
  • Saturday July 14th, 7:15 pm
  • Sunday July 15th, 3:45 pm

THE GIRL IN THE PHOTOGRAPH – TORONTO FRINGE 2018 PRESS RELEASE

From Press Release: 

Based on a true story set in Mexico, “The Girl in the Photograph” (Quirvan Productions & Chameleon Productions) leads us by the hand as we witness the development of a dangerous romance peppered generously with live acoustic guitar and elements of a telenovela to explore each character’s strength inthe face of manipulation.

More than the sum of its parts, this story alludes to many themes and thought-provoking subjects relevant to a post-#Metoo world: How do we stay strong through manipulation? What is the nature of responsibility and fidelity in romance? How do we gain the strength to seek closure? What does closure even look like? With a predominantly Hispanic cast boasting various up-and-coming television and theatre stars, including Tamara Almeida (The ’94 Club, Heroes Reborn, Good Witch), David Chinchilla (The Expanse, The Handmaid’s Tale, Taken), Andrea Cabeza (Ponysitters Club, Waking, Standby) and Erin Roche (Player in Dear Uncle Wish, Libby in the World Premiere of Blues Bawls) this performance is guaranteed to fuel all theatre-goers to #StartFringeStrong.

To #StartFringeStrong, attend the preview-opening night (Friday July 6th, at 7PM in the Factory Studio Theatre) for discounted tickets and a sneak-peak at the talent. Starring Andrea Cabeza, a two time award winner of the Por Amor al Ar-t Awards in Cancun Mexico (Female Revelation & Best Musical Theatre Actress).

The Girl in the Photograph is lead by creator Andrea Cabeza, and aided by directorial innovators Victoria Urquhart (#ShakesbeersShowdown, Shakespeare-In-Hospitals) and Max Fearon (Hart House Theatre: The Crucible &Titus Andronicus). It is a heartfelt dramatic love-story, based on a true story. It will take you on an emotional roller coaster.

Details

  • The Girl in the Photograph plays at the Factory Theatre Studio. (125 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; Nudity; Sexual content; Unsuitable for minors.
  • The Fringe Festival considers this venue to be wheelchair-accessible.
  • Be aware that Fringe performances always start exactly on time, and that latecomers are never admitted.

Performances

  • Friday July 6th, 7:00 pm
  • Saturday July 7th, 2:00 pm
  • Monday July 9th, 8:45 pm
  • Tuesday July 10th, 10:15 pm
  • Wednesday July 11th, 3:45 pm
  • Saturday July 14th, 5:45 pm
  • Sunday July 15th, 3:45 pm

THE WIN AT LIFE MEGA EXPO – TORONTO FRINGE 2018 PRESS RELEASE

From Press Release:

Comedians Faisal Butt (Sirus XM Top Comic), Amish Patel (Laugh Out Loud), and Morgan O’Shea (Just For Laughs) have gone rogue and quit comedy to pursue the lucrative life as motivational speakers. The Win at Life Mega Expo is having a limited engagement at the Toronto Fringe Festival. Guaranteed to solve all your problems on money, health, and love in 57 short minutes.

With a combined 30 years of stand-up experience, countless festivals and TV credits, the trio decided to call it quits and finally make a difference in people’s life. “I realized that it’s not only about me – it’s about all of us,” says O’Shea with a tawdry smile. “When you make a difference in someone’s life, you really make a difference,” follows Butt.”First you get the money then you get the friends,” exclaims Patel, seemingly out of nowhere. Their enthusiasm is exhausting.

Details

  • The Win at Life Mega Expo plays at Scadding Court (room 4). (707 Dundas St. W.)
  • 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.
  • The Fringe Festival considers this venue to be wheelchair-accessible.
  • Be aware that Fringe performances always start exactly on time, and that latecomers are never admitted.

Performances

  • Thursday July 5th, 7:00 pm
  • Friday July 6th, 7:00 pm
  • Monday July 9th, 7:00 pm
  • Wednesday July 11th, 7:00 pm
  • Thursday July 12th, 7:00 pm
  • Friday July 13th, 7:00 pm

BIKEFACE – TORONTO FRINGE 2018 PRESS RELEASE

From Press Release:

BikeFace is a two-wheeled adventure of Canadian proportions, spinning strange-but-true tales from a ride across the country! There are graveyard groundskeepers, Wild West proprietors, and wanderers with secrets only fit for strangers. This one-woman whirlwind retraces a real-life bike ride from Halifax to Vancouver, uphill and against the wind the whole way

During the Victorian cycling craze, doctors warned women riders they would undoubtedly cultivate “bicycle faces”: becoming over-exerted, wild-eyed, un-sexed vulgarities, with nothing before them but the wide, open road. Over a century later, the Journal of Paediatric Psychology still finds that girls are four times more likely to be warned about dangers inherent in exploration and adventure. This is where BikeFace takes off! It will tickle your funny bone and above all else, ignite your thirst for adventure!

BikeFace is produced by Trailblazing Ladies, in association with the Toronto Fringe. We are interested in telling stories of adventure, exploration, and women who break boundaries.

Details

  • BikeFace plays at the Annex 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.
  • This venue is wheelchair-accessible through a secondary route which requires a staff escort. Check in at the box office at least 15 minutes prior to showtime.
  • Be aware that Fringe performances always start exactly on time, and that latecomers are never admitted.

Performances

  • Thursday July 5th, 6:30 pm
  • Saturday July 7th, 1:45 pm
  • Monday July 9th, 10:45 pm
  • Thursday July 12th, 1:45 pm
  • Friday July 13th, 9:45 pm
  • Saturday July 14th, 2:15 pm
  • Sunday July 15th, 7:30 pm