Theatre 20 is hosting a Blood drive in support of Bloodless TODAY!

THEATRE 20 AND CANADIAN BLOOD SERVICES

HOST "BLOODLESS" BLOOD DRIVE

Manulife Centre, Toronto
Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012
12-4 p.m.


WHO:
Theatre 20 - a new Toronto-based, artist-led theatre company formed to present story-driven musicals by developing new Canadian works and re-imagining existing repertoire. It aims to nurture the talent of writers and composers and foster the development of young artists through mentorship and education programs. Theatre 20's founding artists include such internationally renowned performers as Louise Pitre, Brent Carver and Colm Wilkinson.


WHAT:
A blood drive in support of Theatre 20's inaugural production, Bloodless: The Trial of Burke and Hare. Members of Theatre 20's Founding Artists, Board of Directors and the cast of Bloodless will be joining the cause and donating their blood.

WHERE:
Manulife Centre Blood Donor Clinic
55 Bloor St. W. (Bay & Bloor)
2nd floor - by the movie theatre
Google Map: http://goo.gl/maps/tZdGa
         
WHEN:
Thursday October 4, 12:00pm - 4:00pm

WHY:
The need for blood in the GTA is especially great during Thanksgiving (and most holidays, in fact). The need for supporting new Canadian works and talent is also extremely important to the state of arts and culture in Canada. The "Bloodless" Blood Drive is a great dual cause. We could all be a little more "blood-less" for Bloodless! Those donating blood at any permanent clinic location in Toronto will receive a special discount on tickets to Theatre 20's production of Bloodless: The Trial of Burke and Hare at the Panasonic Theatre this October.

WHAT ELSE:
Canadian Blood Services will also be running a free "What's Your Type" event at the Panasonic Theatre on Saturday, Oct. 20 - patrons will be able to find out their blood type for free (approximately $180 at the doctor's office)!

New Canadian Musical Bloodless at Theatre 20 this Fall

Announcement from Theatre 20 -

Toronto premiere for new Canadian musical by Joseph Aragon.  Theatre 20, a new artist-led musical theatre company known for their dedication to evocative Canadian-made and story-driven work, celebrates the first full production in its history, Bloodless: The Trial of Burke and Hare.

This darkly funny and sinfully entertaining musical by Winnipeg playwright Joseph Aragon (Illuminati: The Musical) opens Oct. 12 at Toronto's Panasonic Theatre (previews begin Oct. 9 with press opening Oct. 11) and runs through the 28th of October.

Set against a 19th century backdrop in Edinburgh, Scotland, Bloodless revisits the true story of two serial killers who manage to make crime pay - literally - when they create a successful business selling their victims to medical schools.

Winner of the "Best of Fest" award (2009) at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival and the "Harry S. Rintoul" award for Best New Manitoban Play, Bloodless is directed by Theatre 20 Founding Artist and Artistic Director Adam Brazier (Passion, Into The Woods), who made his directorial debut in 2010 with Birdland Theatre's Dora Award-nominated production of Assassins.

Completing the creative team are Musical Director Jason Jestadt and Creative Consultant Colm Wilkinson, Theatre 20 Founding Artist and world-renowned performer best known for originating the role of Jean Valjean in the London cast of Les Misérables. Bloodless set and costumes are designed by Beth Kates and Melanie McNeill respectively, with choreography by Associate Director Linda Garneau. Production consultant is Paul Shaw, stage manager is Carolyn Mykytyshyn with Wilson Wong as assistant stage manager.

Theatre 20 is an artist led, story-driven company with a focus on developing and presenting original Canadian musicals as well as re-imagining existing repertoire from both the national and international canons. It is a not-for-profit, registered charitable organization that has been formed not only to create musical works for the stage but also to play an active and positive role within the community. It aims to nurture the talent of writers and composers and foster the development of young artists through mentorship and education programs.

Theatre 20's Artistic Director is Adam Brazier; Founding Artists include Tamara Bernier Evans, Evan Buliung, Brent Carver, Dan Chameroy, Juan Chioran, Ma-Anne Dionisio, Susan Gilmour, Trish Lindström, David Keeley, Nora McLellan, Louise Pitre, Eliza-Jane Scott, Rosie Shaw, Carly Street, Steven Sutcliffe and Colm Wilkinson.

For more information about Theatre 20, or to inquire about development, education, sponsorship and/or volunteer opportunities, visit theatre20.com.

Theatre 20: Artist Led, story-driven.

Check out this video Theatre 20 published to YouTube yesterday.  It is great to see Canadian grown musical theatre with this kind of star power and panache, back in Toronto.

A Word on Dancap's Demise

Sunday morning as I read Richard's Toronto Star article I could not help but feel truly sad that Toronto is lossing Dancap Productions.  The company, which began bringing shows to Toronto audiences five years ago, will wind down its operations after the summer season, and their wildly successful tour of Jersey Boys ends in the fall.

 By all accounts Dancap, and its novice founder Aubrey Dan were just too ambitious. His efforts to establish a second big brand musical theatre entity in Toronto simply failed to turn a profit.  Dan himself said in an exclusive interview with The Star that, "[Dancap] will be stepping back and re-evaluating our involvement in the theatre business."  It is a big loss,  but boy was it fun.

Over the years Dancap has had a few notable successes. No success was a big, perhaps, as Jersey Boys, which ran uptown at the Yonge Centre for two years. The show launched a Canadian cast, made a few stars, and went on to tour the country.  In fact, the tour of Jersey Boys doesn't wrap until October.  A fitting end for the company.

But their were other memorable moments as well. Seeing Next to Normal at the Four Season's with Broadway legend Alice Ripley, stands out.  As does the company's original tour of South Pacific.  But what sticks out most to me, was the excitement I felt five years ago when Dancap burst onto the scene and promised to bring more shows and more variety to Toronto audiences.

Now don't get me wrong Mirvish Productions IS Toronto theatre, and we couldn't be happier that they represent Toronto to the international theatre community, and bring amazing work to audiences here.  But I couldn't help feeling proud of my adopted city when Aubrey decided that Toronto was ready for more big budget theatre.  And I thought Toronto was too.

Unfortunately, Dancap could not make it work.  Who knows where the blame should lie for Dancap's failure, maybe there is no blame to be had.  But it is a sad day in a city that was once considered tops behind London and New York in international theatre rankings.  At this point it might be hard to place Toronto in even the top five theatre cities in North America. Certainly there have not been many out-of-town previews or development of new work with an international audience in the past several seasons.  Those are markers of a thriving theatre industry.  Of course there have been other successes recently.  Theatre 20, with its star power and unique mandate might prove lasting, and Angelwalk and  Studio 180 spring to mind as torch bearers, but they are both decidedly more low key than Dancap.

These are only my opinions,  but not many would argue that it was nice to see a bit more variety in the stuff coming in from out of town.  I don't think Mirvish would have brought Next to Normal or  American Idiot as Aubrey did. They certainly seemed to pass on Tony winner In the Heights  which Dancap produced this season.  Additionally having Dancap around made Mirvish better.  Would Mirvish have gambled on Spring Awakening if Dancap wasn't nipping at their heals? Who knows? Memories of their great shows and enthusiasm will have to sustain us until someone else brave enough comes along to challenge and diversify theatre in Toronto again.

Thanks for the memories Aubrey.  

Theatre 20 announces inaugural season

Press Release:

TORONTO, ON (Monday, Jan. 23, 2012) -- Theatre 20, Toronto's artist-led musical theatre company, today announced its inaugural season of production at a press conference and exclusive ticketed cocktail affair, "A Taste of 20: Sample the Season". The event launches a season which includes two workshops, two full productions, and a series of other events.

Speeches by Artistic Director and Founding Artist Adam Brazier, Theatre 20 Board Chair David Morris, Michael Rubinoff (Associate Dean Performing Arts, Sheridan College), Raindogs creator Andrew MacBean and Founding Artist Colm Wilkinson (Director of Theatre 20's first production) underlined Theatre 20's mandate to present story-driven musicals by developing new Canadian works and by re-imagining existing repertoire, nurturing the talent of writers and composers and fostering the development of young artists through mentorship and education programs. Preview performances at the event featured Theatre 20 Founding Artists and Emerging Artist Ensemble with guest artists including Jeff Madden, Tim Howar and Donnie Macphee.

First on the season roster is the Toronto premiere of Bloodless: The Trial of Burke and Hare, by Winnipeg playwright Joseph Aragon. Theatre 20 Founding Artist and internationally renowned performer Colm Wilkinson makes his directorial debut with this delightfully dark true story of the 1829 West Port murders in Edinburgh.

Theatre 20 will workshop the show in April-May and the full production will run at the Panasonic Theatre from Oct. 16 through Nov. 11, 2012.

Next, Theatre 20 partners with Sheridan College's Canadian Music Theatre Project on the workshop of Raindogs by Canadian Andrew MacBean. This musical, based on Lanford Wilson's Balm in Gilead, features original music by MacBean, Paul Chant and Boko Suzuki, lyrics by MacBean and book by MacBean, Rose Martula and Wilson himself. The show, which was the last project Wilson worked on before his death in March 2011, centres on a young prostitute who meets a somewhat inept drug dealer. Like Balm in Gilead, Raindogs is a moving and gritty look at the junkies, pushers, prostitutes and other freaks that inhabit an upper West Side greasy spoon.

Raindogs was first workshopped as a full-length musical as part of the MAD Fringe Festival at Trafalgar Studios, London, England. It went on to have its first U.S. workshop at Sag Harbour, NY's Bay Street Theatre in October 2010.

The workshop will take place during the late spring at Sheridan in conjunction with a comprehensive mentorship program between Theatre 20 Founding Artists and Sheridan Music Theatre Performance Program students. Public performances of the workshop will take place in both Oakville and Toronto. The full production of Raindogs will follow in Theatre 20's 2013-2014 season.

The season wraps up with Company at Harbourfront Centre's Enwave Theatre considered by many the show that inaugurated the era of the modern musical. Theatre 20 Artistic Director Adam Brazier re-imagines this beloved show from the international musical theatre canon with Gary Griffin as Creative Consultant. Company, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth, centres on Robert, a single man unable to commit to a steady relationship, the married couples who are his best friends, and his three on-again off-again girlfriends. Set in early-1970s, upper-middle-class Manhattan and told through a series of vignettes in no particular chronological order, each character and scene is linked by the celebration of Bobby's 35th birthday. It has been 25 years since a professional production of Company has been seen in Toronto.

For more information on Theatre 20 please click the header!

Preview: Musicals That Fly: Amelia

Up-and-coming, Toronto-based Theatre 20 is thrilled to present, in concert, Musicals That Fly: Amelia: The Girl Who Wants to Fly. This is the story of Amelia Earhart, her meteoric rise to fame, and her mysterious disappearance while attempting a solo World flight. Amelia's story has fascinated playwrights and storytellers for generations.

The production stars Theatre 20 founding artist Eliza-Jane Scott. The story-driven Canadian musical is written by John Gray of Billy Bishop Goes to War fame. This concert is the heart of Theatre 20's Musicals That Fly series.

Amelia: The Girl Who Wanted to Fly is directed is by Sarah Phillips, with Musical Direction by our friend Michael Barber. For more information on tickets click the header. And to learn more about the show visit the P.E.I county website, Festival Players.

We will be in attendance on Monday, October 3rd, for the only scheduled performance of Amelia: The Girl Who Wanted to Fly. The show starts at 8pm at the Panasonic Theatre. You can also purchase tickets here. Or by calling 416.872.1212, and in person at the Mirvish Box Office.