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GRAMMY AWARD WINNING BROADWAY SMASH HIT @NAC!
GRAMMY AWARD WINNING BROADWAY SMASH HIT
IS COMING TO OTTAWA & OPENING TUESDAY MARCH 13th AT THE NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE!
The tour of the smash hit Broadway revival of WEST SIDE STORY is coming to Ottawa. WEST SIDE STORY will open at the National Arts Centre on Tuesday March 13th. Tony Award-winning librettist Arthur Laurents’ Broadway direction will be recreated for the tour by David Saint, the Associate Director on Broadway. The original Jerome Robbins choreography is reproduced by Tony Award-nominee Joey McKneely (The Boy from Oz, The Life).
The new Broadway cast album of WEST SIDE STORY won the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album on January 31, 2010. The Bernstein and Sondheim score is considered to be one of Broadway’s finest and features such classics of the American musical theatre as “Something’s Coming,” “Tonight,” “America,” “I Feel Pretty” and “Somewhere.”
The new Broadway production began previews at the Palace Theatre on Broadway Monday, February 23, 2009, opened to critical acclaim breaking box office records at the Palace Theatre on Thursday, March 19, 2009, and recouped its $14 million investment after running only 30 weeks. The Broadway production played its final performance January 2, 2011. The musical played 27 previews and 748 regular performances, making it the longest-running production of the groundbreaking musical in Broadway history. The original production, which had held the record, played 732 performances on Broadway.
WEST SIDE STORY features scenic designs by James Youmans (Gypsy), costumes by Tony Award nominee David C. Woolard (The Farnsworth Invention, The Who’s Tommy), lighting by Tony Award winner Howell Binkley (Gypsy, Jersey Boys), sound design by Tony Award nominee Dan Moses Schreier (Gypsy, A Catered Affair) and hair by Mark Adam Rampmeyer (The Farnsworth Invention).
WEST SIDE STORY is written by three theatrical luminaries: two-time Tony Award winner Arthur Laurents (book) and multiple Tony and Grammy Award winners Leonard Bernstein (music) and Stephen Sondheim (lyrics) in his Broadway debut.
WEST SIDE STORY is produced by Kevin McCollum, James L. Nederlander, Jeffrey Seller with Terry Allen Kramer, Sander Jacobs, Roy Furman / Jill Furman Willis, Robyn Goodman / Walt Grossman, Hal Luftig, Roy Miller and Broadway Across America.
Performances times of WEST SIDE STORY at The National Arts Centre are as follows: Tuesday March 13th through Friday March 16th at 8pm, Saturday March 17th and 2 & 8 pm and Sunday March 18th at 2 & 7:30 pm.
Ticket prices for WEST SIDE STORY range depending on performance date and time, seat location and date of purchase. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Monday January 30th at 10 am at The National Arts Centre Box Office, via phone at 1.888.991.2787 or on line at www.ticketmaster.ca.
American Express® Cardmembers have access to some of the best seats in the house for all WEST SIDE STORY performances. Advance tickets are available through Front Of The Line® by American Express January 18-24, 2012.
WEST SIDE STORY is a part of Broadway Across Canada’s 11-12 subscription season.
About Broadway Across Canada:
Broadway Across Canada: Owned and operated by British theatre producer John Gore (CEO) and entertainment industry veteran Thomas B. McGrath (Chairman), Broadway Across Canada, in association with Broadway Across America, presents first-class touring Broadway musicals and plays, family productions and other live events throughout a network of 43 North American cities. Broadway Across America is also dedicated to the development and production of new and diverse live theatre for productions on Broadway, across America and throughout the world. Current and upcoming productions include the Broadway premiere of Irving Berlin’s WHITE CHRISTMAS, Tony Award-winners BOEING BOEING and SPAMALOT, 13 A NEW MUSICAL, WEST SIDE STORY opening on Broadway in 2009, and DORA THE EXPLORER on tour. For more information or to purchase tickets through an authorized agent go to BroadwayAcrossCanada.ca.
“Blood on the Moon” retells the story of James Patrick Whelan’s trial with skill
Review by Wayne Current
Last Thursday, I set off to see Sleeping Dog Theatre’s (in association with the National Arts Centre English Theatre) Blood on the Moon at the Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre (GCTC). Written by Pierre Brault, this show was selected as a last-minute replacement for You Fancy Yourself by Maja Ardal cancelled due to Ardal’s severe illness. Blood on the Moon features Brault as the ghost of James Patrick Whelan, an Irish immigrant who was found guilty of assassinating D’arcy McGee, retelling the story of his trial. Those who are familiar with Brault’s work will not be surprised that this is a one man show with Brault playing all the characters. Brault has built his reputation with these kinds of performances and once again does an admirable job juggling all the roles.
Pierre Brault as Whelan, Photo by Lydia Pawelak
I am always pleased when local writers make an effort to tell Ottawa’s stories and Brault has done a nice job of telling Whelan’s story in Blood on the Moon. I particularly enjoyed the way he weaves in modern local references that Ottawa residents will relate to along with the historical facts of the trial.
Martin Conboy’s lighting design is also quite effective. The various scenes in the play from jail cell, to courthouse, and finally the gallows are all depicted through the use of clever lighting techniques.
Blood on the Moon is a local story skilfully told. It’s a show definitely worth seeing.
It’s important to remember that this show started 13 years ago as an Ottawa Fringe Festival show before touring Canada and Ireland extensively.
This is not surprising, in fact, with so few opportunities to catch independent theatre on main stages, the theatre festivals have become the breeding grounds for the best of independent theatre in the country.
On that note, I’m very pleased that the GCTC is once again offering the Undercurrents festival in February. It’s a perfect opportunity to check out more independent Canadian theatre. Perhaps, some of the shows featured here will move on to main stages or, like Blood on the Moon, tour internationally.
For more information on show times and ticket prices for Blood on the Moon click here
A Midwinter’s Dream Tale: A Very Serious Conversation with AL Connors*
*AL and HM are married, and as such are completely incapable of having a serious conversation
Photo courtesy - Andrew Alexander
HM: AL Connors. First of all, I would like to thank you for joining me in the house that we both live in.
AL: It is a pleasure to be here, as always, Heather Marie.
HM: I wanted to ask you a few questions about “A Midwinter’s Dream Tale”, opening this week at the GCTC, very big deal…
AL: Yup.
HM: Can you give me your basic 140-character summary of what the show is?
AL: #GCTCmwdt is about two clowns on a quest for ice cream who get wrapped up in a Shakespearean mash-up of the characters from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and some of the storylines from “The Winter’s Tale”.
HM: And the two protagonists in this story are…
AL: Two clowns, named Pomme Frites and ‘Restes, played by Scott Florence and Margo MacDonald.
HM: Right. And this isn’t the first time that audiences have seen Pomme and ‘Restes – I wonder if you could talk a bit about the genesis of those two characters.
Photo courtesy - Andrew Alexander
AL: Pomme and ‘Restes were first seen on stage at the 2001 Ottawa Fringe Festival in a show called “The Danish Play” (later re-made as “Shakespeare’s Danish Play”)…but rehearsing Danish Play in 2001, I don’t remember Scott or Margo ever ‘workshopping’ either Pomme or ‘Restes.. I just remember them being Pomme and ‘Restes, and, me trying to keep up as the clown named Landis in that play. So, yeah, Pomme and ‘Restes, to my knowledge, poofed into existence in 2001.
HM: That’s amazing. Midwinter’s Dream Tale takes place in what we’re told is a winter wonderland, but it’s sort of a magical winter wonderland – can you tell me about the world of the play?
AL: Yeah, it’s a land inhabited by fairies. Presumably if you’re familiar with Shakespeare, you’ll start to place the setting in reference to a “Midsummer Night’s Dream” because we’re talking about Oberon and Titania, the King and Queen of the fairies. Oberon suspects Titania of being unfaithful, which is one of the stories from “Winter’s Tale”, and he suspects that she’s been with a mortal, which is presumably Bottom from “Midsummer Night’s Dream”. And it’s been about nine months since that play, so, I guess we’re outside the Athenian woods in a crazy snowy Canadian winter? Kind of? Really, it’s fairyland.
HM: Um, do we want to address the fact that our cat is meowing incessantly?
AL: That depends on what you intend to use this recording for…I was told you were going to transcribe this. But if it’s going to be released, the cat clearly has opinions.
HM: I think she wants to be included.
AL: Yes. There is no reason why she shouldn’t be.
HM: This is the first ever co-production between a Company of Fools and the GCTC – how did that happen?
AL: I don’t really know, honestly. When we produced the show in 2009, Lise Ann and a whole bunch of folks came to see the play. I know that immediately following, Scott or Margo or both had conversations with the Great Canadian Theatre Company that were ‘hey wouldn’t it be great if we could do this big silly show at your house’. And then…14 months of nothing…and then I found out through Scott Florence, who was doing all of the actual wheeling and dealing on behalf of the show, that it was happening. Then we had to hold our tongues (that was in November/December) and not tell anyone about it until April, when the GCTC announced their season. So, that was hard. I told all kinds of people. I was pretty excited.
HM: Well, you are the director of this show…
AL: Yup.
HM: …and you directed it in 2009, and for that work you were nominated for a Rideau Award…
AL: I suppose I was.
HM: …what’s it like to be working as a director at the GCTC?
AL: I’ve had nothing but very positive experiences working at the GCTC – first as sound designer for the Lawyer Play, for Mr. Pat Gauthier’s “The Crucible” – and I feel very fortunate for the opportunity to work on that show; to get to know everyone in the theatre and get to know how that building works, before having to come in as a director. So that experience was great for all sorts of reasons. This time around, yeah… I could totally work there, just, forever. Or at least, I don’t hate it yet. It’s still all fun and exciting and new, and a novelty for me. Everybody’s been very supportive and, I’m sure it helps that the show we’re working on is a big, inclusive, ridiculous affair that is easy for people to get excited about. You know, all the stuff gets moved into the building, and you know that there’s clowns on site, all the time.
HM: So…let’s talk about the fact there are clowns on site all the time. What is it like to direct clowns?
AL: You have to resign yourself to the fact that…um, they’re gonna want to do what they want to do, and so…sometimes you have to ask Pomme and ‘Restes what they want in a scene. It’s great. It’s truly…look, let me put it this way: working with clowns, in real life, as a professional, you’re basically just in a somewhat state of make-believe, all the time. There’s always some play happening when Pomme and ‘Restes are in the room. Period. And you can try to overthink it, which is what I just did – but the bottom line is: when clowns are in the room, at some level, no matter how hard you’re working or how frustrated you are, there’s still some play happening.
HM: Right. So, Midwinter’s Dream Tale is a comedy…
AL: Yeah, I hope so.
HM: …you work a lot in comedy…
AL: I enjoy working in comedy, yes.
HM: Tell me about directing comedy. Who are your influences when it comes to your own brand of comedy?
AL: I have never been asked who my influences are…in any situation…before…
HM: Inquiring minds want to know, AL Connors.
AL: Yeah, well, they’re about to find out. And you know who most of these influences are: I’m a fan of Judd Apatow movies, big fan of Will Ferrell…growing up my folks showed me Monty Python, so, British comedy stuff…um, lately, Stephen Colbert is probably my favourite comedian…that type of political satire is fun…I don’t have it in me to do that kind of comedy, but I enjoy it.
HM: So what kind of comedy are you thinking about when you’re directing Midwinter’s?
AL: I guess if I had to put a label on it, the kind of comedy I’m thinking about is Company of Fools.
HM: Nice.
AL: ‘Cause I’ve worked with them for over 10 years now, and over that time I’ve really come to respect and understand that flavour of comedy – it is pretty unique to that company. And I’ve watched other people try to do it, and have it be a struggle, ’cause it’s a really difficult style of comedy to pull off. Partly because… it’s in the bones of that style of comedy to be accessible. It has to be accessible to the whole rainbow of ages, and, basically we’re forcing ourselves to work within that box – to come up with ways to get the most out of not breaking all the rules. (to the cat) Isn’t that right, kitty?
HM: (to the cat) Kitty, we are doing a very serious interview right now, and you need to respect that. Now be quiet.
So, back to the topic of inspiration…
AL: You really told our cat off. And she listened…is the most impressive thing…I just had to comment on that.
HM: You just have to reason with her.
AL: I guess I didn’t give the cat enough credit.
HM:<ahem> Inspirations.
AL: Yes.
HM: How much have I inspired you, during this creative process?
AL: Um…well…okay…the writing process for the play started in August of 2009, and throughout that Fall, the Fools would have these writing meetings, where we’d get on our feet for some bits and we’d pitch story ideas…we’d get homework where everyone would have to come up with a scene and bring it back. And so I’d come home from some of these meetings, and like, toss ideas around with you, in a similar manner. And, in memory, because I love you, some of those ideas get mishmashed together, and I can’t remember whose idea some things were…
HM: That’s okay. I am just surprised you came up with an answer to that question, cause I was just kidding.
And finally, AL Connors, opening night is this Thursday night…what will you be wearing?
AL: <Sigh> I don’t know. Probably this pinky, pinstripey shirt I have that matches, or at least ties in with, some of the costumes in the show, and then with that, maybe a white tie.
HM: Thank you for this.
AL: Hey, it was my pleasure. I am happy to talk about myself.
A Midwinter’s Dream Tale, a Company of Fools production, opens December 1st at the GCTC and runs until December 18th. Family pricing is available, please see gctc.ca for all the details.
A Review of The Linden House Theatre Company’s: The Circle
Review by Linda Paul
Linden House Theatre Company is performing “The Circle”, a comedy of manners by Somerset Maugham, on October 20, 21-23, and 26-29. The intimate theatre at the Elmwood School is a perfect location for this period piece, which takes place in the 1930s at an English country house.
Elizabeth Champion-Cheney (Sara Duplancic) has arranged a party to reunite her husband Arnold (Corey Reay) with his estranged mother, Lady Kitty (Janet Uren), who ran off with her husband’s best friend when Arnold was only 5 years old. Complications ensue when Arnold’s father (Robin Carter) arrives unexpectedly.
Unhappy in her marriage to the distant and stuffy Arnold, Elizabeth romanticizes Lady Kitty and Lord Porteous’s (Robin Bowditch) great love, for which they sacrificed family, social status and his political career. But reality is far from romantic bliss and the flamboyant Lady Kitty and dissolute Lord Porteous are not what she expects.
This play explores the rules of society in England in the 1930s, especially for women who are dependent on husbands for their status in society. Is acting outside those rules, and choosing passion over practicality worth the consequences?
Corey Reay, Linda Marchand, Sara Duplancic, Alex da Silva, Robin Carter, Robin Bowditch, and especially Janet Uren as Lady Kitty, do a wonderful job portraying the complexities of the characters in this play. The performance is enhanced by a beautiful set and exquisite costumes.
Linden House Theatre Company
Elmwood School Theatre, 261 Buena Vista Road
October 20, 21-23, and 26-29 (7:30pm)
October 23 (matinee performance)
FOR TICKETS CALL: 613-842-4913
APPRAISE of the Theatre: . . . EXIT UP.
[Ken Godmere is an Ottawa-based freelance actor/director with 35 years experience and offered his theatre reviews as an unbiased professional appraisal. www.kengodmere.com]
It was quite a year for Ottawa theatre and quite a year for me in the role of a reviewer. And now, as this new theatre season begins, I have decided not to renew my column commitment with Ottawa Tonite.
Even with some indications that “APPRAISE” may not be what the Ottawa theatre scene wants, it is actually my fresh focus on acting and directing that is driving my decision (performing in a television series pilot with Parktown Productions, creating two films for the Digi60 Festival, developing a new webseries with Tim Anderson, performing a new solo show for a national Fringe tour, and more). I am full-plated. And sated.
To wrap a whole year of experience and experiences, I graciously thank Ottawa Tonite Producer and Editor, Cheryl Gain for such faith and support. A big thanks to the theatre companies, casts, and crews for inviting me and trusting me to review their work. And so much appreciation to the readers and the commenters for sharing in the life of my “APPRAISE of the Theatre” column.
Au revoir, merci, et merde.
>> Ken
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Friday Gladstone Double Bill
One night, two shows, and a cast and a half.
Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps is now playing at the Gladstone Theatre, and as a special treat, Friday night is a double bill!
At 11pm at the Gladstone, following the play, Crush Improv featuring The 39 Steps‘ Richard Hannay (played by AL Connors) will be performing an encore performance of their hit 2011 Ottawa Fringe Festival show Spotlight On…
Spotlight On… is an improv show where the performers improvise scenes inspired by the true-life anecdotes of a guest monologist, and Friday night’s stories will be coming from none-other than the Director of The 39 Steps: Mr. John P. Kelly!
If that wasn’t reason enough to visit the theatre at 11pm Friday, the cast of Crush (2001 ‘Best Ensemble‘ winners: AL Connors, Brad MacNeil and Cari Leslie) will be joined by Uncalled For improv’s Dan Jeannotte and Sex T-Rex‘s Robin Toller and MORE!
If you’re planning on watching The 39 Steps this Friday or have already done so, bring your show program or ticket along and receive HALF OFF the already low price of TEN DOLLARS!
The Gladstone
Friday September 9th, 11pm (ending around midnight)
$10 at the door (cash please) or $8 in advance
http://crushimprov.com for tickets
Here’s a clip from Monday’s Crush show at the Elmdale Tavern to whet your whistle.
http://youtu.be/9Rxl5f9X02g
The Gladstone Theatre 2011 Fall Season Launch!
Post by Kel Morin-Parsons
Friday July 29th was an evening of celebration as SevenThirty Productions and Plosive Productions announced an autumn season of shows
at The Gladstone Theatre. The two Ottawa companies are getting together to bring four great plays to the beautiful Gladstone–and as an added bonus, Phoenix Players will be presenting a show to mark their tenth anniversary.
The Gladstone Theatre Fall Launch
(L) Sterling Lynch (R)Chris Ralph
Plosive Productions, headed by David Whiteley, Teri Loretto-Valentik, and Kel Parsons, debuted last winter with their production of “The Importance of Being Earnest” at the Gladstone; John Kelly’s SevenThirty Productions has brought a number of award-winning productions to Ottawa stages over the years.
(L) Teri Loretto-Valentik and (R) Fiona Currie
Together, these veterans of the city’s arts scene are going to light up the Gladstone this autumn.
Check out the lineup at The Gladstone!
Ottawa Fringe 2011: “Five Lies”, “RaRa!”, “Am I Blue” & “Einstein’s Bicycle” – Everything you need to know in order to get out to the shows!
Ruminations on the relative value of GUARANTEED WISHES vs. SCOT-FREE LIES inspired lawyer Edith Bramwell to compose “Five Lies.” This charming tale traces the rescue and the making of Mark, a troubled soul ready to end it all. (That’s not giving anything away: It’s where we find him at the top of the show.) Rachel Eugster chats with the playwright about what happens when you mix some creative reimagining of the fairy godmother tradition with a slice of (It’s a Wonderful) life.
Samantha Wan (director) and Matthew James Donovan (actor) are the creative duo behind “RaRa!: and the Boifriend that Br3ked Her Heart Up.” The two are recent graduates of the National Theatre School, where ”RaRa!” (which Donavan thinks may be the first installment of a trilogy) started as a ten-minute senior solo project. Wan and Donavan talk to Rachel Eugster about creating a drag show with original songs, and touring it in a suitcase.
Elizabeth Blue is goofy. She’s brave. She’s irresistible. Having worked on the creation of “Am I Blue” for a year, this transplanted Nashville native has brought her one-woman show north across the border from her current home in New York to see what support the Canadian theatre community might offer. (She divulges that this is becoming common practice for folks in the New York theatre community–a creative-brain gain!) The result is a love affair. Maybe not the one the character Blue portrays may be visualizing. But one that should take her places. Rachel Eugster and Elizabeth Blue discuss the show and the creative process.
The program you receive upon walking into “Einstein’s Bicycle” announces that you will experience: “SIX PLAYS about life, the universe, and you know, everything else.” And they kind of are. If you stay attuned to the connections. Honestly, have you ever before seen a program with 77 footnotes (in eensy-weensy foot-notey type)? Alison Cousins gives Ottawa Tonite a peek inside the brains of her father (playwright Lorne Williams) as she shares some of the backstory of this quirky stage collection with Rachel Eugster.
RACHEL EUGSTER is an actor, singer, music director, and a bunch of other stuff. She is currently appearing in Momma’s Boy at the Ottawa Fringe Festival (don’t miss that, either!). Her work as music director can be sampled at the Fringe (and in parks across Ottawa this July) in Salamander Shakespeare Co.’s production of Othello.
All videos courtesy of Kevin Burton
Ottawa Fringe Festival 2011 – The Wet Dreamcatcher: “catches all of your dirty thoughts”
The Wet Dream Catcher
and its slam poet Keeper
Appear at the Fringe.
The ghost of Joni
And a T Rex named Marcel
Show up with RC . . .
. . . for spoken word poems
mixed with hallucination
and threatened species.
Dead cherubim tongue!
An Adelaide blue-tongued skink,
and its dying call.
Fantastic writing
and outrageous imagery:
I giggled throughout.
You may not like it
(Audiences affect it),
But give it a try.
Weslowski on tour:
Five Canadian cities
Watch for him near you.
RACHEL EUGSTER is an actor, singer, music director, and a bunch of other stuff. She is currently appearing in Momma’s Boy at the Ottawa Fringe Festival (don’t miss that, either!). Her work as music director can be sampled at the Fringe (and in parks across Ottawa this July) in Salamander Shakespeare Co.’s production of Othello.
Complex Numbers—An Ottawa Fringe Review
Complex Numbers = No Pants
You know when the writer and producer of a theatre production hands you a condom before the show that you’re not in for a run-of-the-mill Rom-com.
And certainly Nadine Thornhill’s Complex Numbers is anything but run-of-the-mill. It’s smart, funny, sexy, and geeky and has no fear treading deep into the confusing and taboo world of open relationships. Polyamory: check. Intraoffice romance: check. Analingus: check.
But it’s not all about sex, it’s about the people. And here Thornhill as Writer & Producer and Ken Godmere as Director deliver a piece that’s remarkably human whereas others may have been tempted to indulge in prurient exhibition. We watch mathematician/software developer Fiona (Stephanie Halin) and English academic Alex (J.P Chartier) navigate the dark, deep waters of an open relationship (with a little help from a course on the subject as voiced by Jenn Keay.) There are many rules but sometimes rules are broken. Sometimes with consequences.
The script is quick and clever, rapidly switching between intimate discussions about the fine mechanics of relationships to the minutia of mathematical algorithms with ease (and technical accuracy!) Staging is spare and simple and music provides a surprisingly effective means of setting the scene. Tim Anderson is excellent as Dan with great timing and delivery and Ellen Manchee as a female PHB (that’s Pointy-Headed Boss for non-Dilbert readers) gets some of the best laughs as Maggie.
The rapid-fire delivery could be a little smoother at times, and some of the scene cuts, while clever, could have benefited from a better timing. I saw Complex Numbers on its second of six nights so these quibbles can only improve as the cast and production gets into it’s groove.
Complex Numbers is never heavy but nor is it frothy. It’s a frank (perhaps explicit) exploration of couples and coupling and the irregular intersect between love, desire, and commitment. Like it’s namesake mathematical construct,
Complex Numbers is comprised of multiple parts and dimensions that make it work.
Complex Numbers
60 minutes
Ottawa Fringe—Academic Hall
$12
Sunday June 19, 1:30pm
Monday June 20 9:30pm
Wed June 22 8:00pm
Thursday June 23 11:00pm
Saturday June 25 12pm
Sunday June 26 6:30pm
For information and tickets ottawafringe.com/complex-numbers
David Hicks—Ottawa dweller. Marketing consultant. Dad. Dog owner. Handyman. Gadget guy. Photographer. Coffee Drinker. Scotch sipper. [Not necessarily in that order] Blogs at davidhicks.ca and spends too much time on Twitter.
