From Press Release

A JOURNEY TO EXOTIC AND MAGICAL LANDS WITH STORYTELLER, PAPA SAY

Winnipeg, MB (May 28, 2018) – Jazz Haz Productions brings Tales of Foreign Lands and People to the George Ignatieff Theatre for the 2018 Toronto Fringe Theatre Festival’s KidsFest.

Written and performed by Anthony Audain, veteran storyteller, Papa Say, takes the audience on a journey to exotic and magical lands.  They visit a colourful market, a sunny village, and an enchanted forest with a mysterious castle.  Along the way, they meet a little boy with good judgement, a little girl with big dreams, and another little boy with surprising courage in this 45 minute collage of songs, music, and inspiring stories.

Tales of Foreign Lands and People explores the themes of bullying, overcoming obstacles, and working together to find solutions.

“Anthony Audain is Papa Say, a gentle bear of a storyteller, in this pleasant diversion.” Winnipeg Free Press

“Using song, verse, drumming, and pantomime, Audain is a skilled and likeable performer.” CBC

“Tales of Foreign Lands and People reveals good in others.” CNC

“Papa Say tells fine stories with authenticity and heart. The children remembered the characters by their signature actions long after we left the theatre.  Wonderful singing brought the themes home for the adults in the crowd, too.”  Fringe Exchange

Tales of Foreign Lands and People

Written and performed by Anthony Audain. Featuring two songs by Stephen Sondheim. Incidental Music written and performed by Rob Lindey.  Set Design by Nicholas Burns

Box Office:  707 Dundas Street West I www.fringetoronto.com

Tickets:  $11 adults I $5 kids I Recommended for kids 12 and under I Approximately 45 minutes

GEORGE IGNATIEFF THEATRE, 15 Devonshire Place

7 SHOWS ONLY!

Wed July 4 – 6:00 p.m.           Tue Jul 10 – 3:15 p.m.            Sat Jul 14 – 11:45 a.m.

Fri Jul 6 – 3:30 p.m.                Wed Jul 11 – 1:30 p.m.

Sun Jul 8 – 12:15 p.m.           Fri Jul 13 – 10:00 a.m.

Photo of Anthony Audain provided by the company

ytheatre Collective presents

In association with the Toronto Fringe Festival

July 5 – 13, 2018, Trinity-St. Paul’s United Church – Chapel Room

BAKERSFIELD MIST
Written by Stephen Sachs
Directed by David Eden
Featuring Marie Carriere Gleason
and Thomas Gough
DAVID EDEN is a Toronto actor and director, directing The Easter Egg and The Kildeer in Toronto and London (Ont) respectively, and more recently Maggie’s Getting Married and Cakewalk at The Village Playhouse. As an actor, David performed Douglas Coupland’s one-man show Life After God in the Toronto Fringe Festival and across the country.

MARIE CARRIERE GLEASON will be remembered for her recent portrayal of Violet in August Osage County at Alumnae Theatre. She wrote her own Fringe play, First Woman Plural which she toured across the country and the United States. Other roles include Amanda, Private Lives, (The Market Square Theatre, Peterborough); Aurelia Plath, Letters Home, (Helen Gardner Phelan Playhouse); Mrs. Budge, The Kildeer (Alumnae Theatre). Her most recent film work was as the elder Miss Brixil in the feature film Level 16.
“Toronto’s Marie Gleason is a delight.” — Halifax Chronicle-Herald
“With unbounded expressiveness, Gleason is adept at creating distinct and varied Individuals.”
— Seattle Post-Intelligencer

THOMAS GOUGH is a well-known Toronto actor in film, television, and on the stage with a number of companies. He has been recently seen at Hart House as The Nazi Captain, Bent; Polonius, Hamlet; Giles Corey, The Crucible.

“I was incredibly impressed with the comedic timing and physicality of Thomas Gough as Giles.” — Lory Diaz, Torontonicity

“[as the Nazi Captain] brutal and terrifying” — Mooney On Theatre
“Thomas Gough manages to be charming and chilling, often in the same breath.”
— Drew Rowsome, My Gay Toronto

Details for Calendar Listings:
Bakersfield Mist

WHAT:
Bakersfield Mist — Stephen Sachs’ hit dark comedy. Is validation a basic human need?
Maude Gutman, an unemployed, chain-smoking ex-bartender living in a run-down California trailer park, believes the painting she bought in a thrift store for $3 is really an undiscovered masterpiece worth millions. When stuffy New York art expert Lionel Percy arrives to validate the work, the result is a fiery and often hilarious debate over class, truth, validation and the meaning of art. Inspired by true events.

WHO:
Written by Stephen Sachs
Directed by David Eden
Starring Thomas Gough and Marie Carriere Gleason
Presented by ytheatre Collective

WHERE:
Trinity-St. Paul’s United Church – Chapel Room
427 Bloor Street West (Bloor/Spadina), Spadina Subway stop

WHEN:
July 5 at 2:30 PM
July 6 at 7:30 PM
July 8 at 8:30 PM
July 9 at 2:30 PM
July 10 at 5:30 PM
July 12 at 2:30 PM
July 13 at 7:30 PM

HOW:
All Fringe Tickets are $13
Online: https://fringetoronto.com/festivals/fringe/event/bakersfield-mist
Phone: (416) 966-1062
In Person: Fringe Patio, Scadding Court, 707 Dundas St. West, (corner of Bathurst)

Find us online:
Website: https://fringetoronto.com/festivals/fringe/event/bakersfield-mist
Facebook: @bakersfieldmistTO
Twitter: @BakersfieldMis1
Instagram: @bakersfieldmist

Photo of Marie Carriere Gleason by David Eden

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 months. The 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 20^thCentury 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

From Press Release

Cluster Fucked is a fast-paced, angry, hilarious and unnerving romp exploring the industrial production of social identities. Who do they think you are? The show uses verbatim excerpts from industry publications to explore how people are assigned to manufactured social groups (“Asian Sophisticates” for example, or “Urban Digerati” or “Arts and Affluence” or “Silver Linings”) in order to manage and persuade populations.

How does it actually work? Who does it? How is money made? What difference does it make? How do these algorithmic identities influence our own sense of ourselves?

Join us as we play in a world where we are coerced to produce the data that is used to structure our lives in the interests of the largest corporations the world has ever known!

Details

• Cluster Fucked plays at the Tarragon Theatre Solo Room. (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 wheelchair-accessible through a secondary route. Check in at the venue box office at least 15 minutes before showtime, and a staff member will escort you to the venue. Accessible seating is in the front row.
• Be aware that Fringe performances always start exactly on time, and that latecomers are never admitted.

Performances

• Wednesday July 4th, 8:15 pm
• Friday July 6th, 4:45 pm
• Saturday July 7th, 6:45 pm
• Sunday July 8th, 1:00 pm
• Tuesday July 10th, 8:30 pm
• Wednesday July 11th, 10:00 pm
• Friday July 13th, 5:15 pm
• Sunday July 15th, 5:45 pm

Image provided by the company

From Press Release

The 2018 winners of the Paul O’Sullivan Prize for Musical Theatre are thrilled to announce the cast and creative team for the in-development Fringe presentation of The Preposterous Predicament of Polly Peel (Act 1), an extraordinary new Canadian musical by Julie Tepperman & Kevin Wong, as part of the Toronto Fringe Festival July 5 – 15, 2018.

The Preposterous Predicament of Polly Peel (Act 1) explores a family grappling with death through the eyes and imagination of a biology-obsessed eleven-year-old girl.  Originally inspired by acclaimed Canadian painter Paul Peel’s ‘The Young Biologist’, an early incarnation was presented in 2016 at The Art Gallery of Ontario as part of The Musical Stage Company’s Reframed. This reworked Fringe production represents an exciting step in developing a new Canadian musical.

Creators Kevin Wong & Julie Tepperman note ‘ We are overjoyed to have been recognized with the Paul O’Sullivan Prize for Musical Theatre and look forward to showcasing this new Canadian work with such a dynamite Canadian cast. The Preposterous Predicament of Polly Peel (Act 1) has been in development for the past two years and we hope to follow the extraordinary Toronto Fringe musicals that have come before us.’

The exciting principal cast will be led by Toronto’s Hannah Levinson who was recently seen as Small Alison in The Musical Stage Company’s Fun Home, which earned her a Dora Award nomination and a Toronto Theatre Critics’ Award for Best Female Performance in a Musical.  Levinson is joined by Dora Award-winner Richard Lee (The Humans), Donna Garner (Once – U.S First National Tour), Jessica Sherman(Rumspringa Break), Troy Adams (Shrek the Musical – The Grand Theatre/Neptune Theatre), and newcomers Faly Mevamanana, Ben Page, and Alan Cui. 

Behind-the-scenes, Aaron Willis, co-founding artistic director of Convergence Theatre, helms the production as director and dramaturg; Adam Sakiyama provides music direction; Nicola Pantin choreographs; Kelly Wolf provides set and costume design and Michelle Ramsay provides lighting design.

Director & Dramaturg Aaron Willis notes ‘The creation of a new musical is a long and winding road – and presenting the first act of Polly Peel at the Toronto Fringe is a unique opportunity for us to learn more about this piece as Julie and Kevin continue to develop it into a full two-act musical.  This story of the Peel family grappling with a sudden death is remarkable for its exploration of the power of a child’s imagination, and how it affects the process of grieving.  I’m thrilled to be directing this next stage of Polly Peel’s development, and to be working with such a phenomenal team of artists.”

The Preposterous Predicament of Polly Peel (Act 1)will be on stage at the Tarragon Theatre Mainspace, July 5 – 15, 2018. Tickets are $13 and are available online (fringetoronto.com), by phone (416-966-1062) or in person at the Fringe main box office (Fringe Patio – Scadding Court – 707 Dundas Street West).

Details

• The Preposterous Predicament of Polly Peel plays at the Tarragon Theatre Mainspace. (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 Warning: Mature language.
• This venue is barrier-free. Designated accessible seating is in the middle of the auditorium.
• Be aware that Fringe performances always start exactly on time, and that latecomers are never admitted.

Performances

• Thursday July 5th, 8:15 pm
• Saturday July 7th, 5:15 pm
• Monday July 9th, 1:00 pm
• Tuesday July 10th, 10:00 pm
• Wednesday July 11th, 7:00 pm
• Friday July 13th, 3:30 pm
• Sunday July 15th, 5:15 pm

Photo of Hannah Levinson by Sam Gaetz