Stage Door News
Stage Door News
October 28, 2011. Barrie, ON... Talk Is Free Theatre (TIFT) is pleased to announce that last season’s critically acclaimed production of Dani Girl, a musical by Christopher Dimond and Michael Kooman, will move to Toronto to be co-presented by Show One Productions in February. This touching, lively and humorous work will preview on February 16, 2012, open February 17, 2012 and run until March 4, 2012 at the Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace.
Dani Girl is by the hottest young duo on the American musical theatre scene, Christopher Dimond (Book and Lyrics) and Michael Kooman (Music). Dimond and Kooman were the recipients of the prestigious Jonathan Larson Award in 2010 and were recently Fellows at the O’Neill Music Theater Conference, as well as the finalists for the 2009 Fred Ebb Award. Previously produced by TIFT last winter, Dani Girl has been recently selected to be part of the prestigious National Alliance for Musical Theater’s 2011 Festival of New Musicals in New York. Every year, the two day festival presents eight new works to industry professionals. Past participants include The Drowsy Chaperone, Thoroughly Modern Millie and Songs For A New World.
Dani Girl follows the story of the precocious nine year-old who finds herself face to face with a life-threatening disease. Simultaneously hilarious and heartbreaking, Dani Girl is a tale of life in the face of death, hope in the face of despair, and the indomitable power of the human imagination.
Reprising her role as Dani is Toronto native and cabaret performer Gabi Epstein (To Life, Harold Green Jewish Theatre; West Side Story Suite, National Ballet of Canada; Bye Bye Birdie and Napoleon, Talk Is Free Theatre; Edges, Acting Up Stage Theatre Co.) and Jonathan Logan (Peter Pan, Neptune Theatre; Dear World, TIFT). Full casting announcement is expected to follow shortly.
Dani Girl will once again be directed by Richard Ouzounian (Toronto Star’s theatre critic and director of TIFT’s productions of Red Fightin’ Blue, Variations on a Nervous Breakdown, Emily and Anyone Can Whistle - in Concert). Musical direction will be by Wayne Gwillim (Shaw Festival, Toronto’s Sound of Music), Set and Costume Design by Christine Barrett (TIFT’s productions of Kiss of the Spider Woman and Trees Die Standing Tall) and Lighting Design by Gareth Crew (TIFT’s productions of Assassins, Variations on a Nervous Breakdown and Do You Turn Somersaults?)
Talk Is Free Theatre (TIFT) is an artist-driven, award winning theatre company based in Barrie, Ontario. The company was founded in 2003 by Artistic Producer Arkady Spivak and has produced over fifty productions concentrating largely on new and neglected work.
Show One Productions is a full service production company presenting concerts with high-profile classical musicians, opera stars, and orchestras, as well as great dance and theatre companies. Formed in 2004 by Svetlana Dvoretskaia, Show One continues its brand of excellence, presenting in Canada’s most prestigious concert halls.
Talk Is Free Theatre and Show One Productions
DANI GIRL
By Christopher Dimond and Michael Kooman
Directed by Richard Ouzounian
Musical Direction by Wayne Gwillim
Starring Gabi Epstein and Jonathan Logan
Sets and Costume Design by Christine Barrett
Lighting Design by Gareth Crew
February 16 – March 4, 2012
Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace
16 Ryerson Ave., Toronto
Monday to Saturday at 7:30PM (except Tuesday); Matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 2 PM
Tickets are $33 plus HST and service fee. They can be purchased through Arts Box Office at www.artsboxoffice.ca or (416) 504-7529 after January 1, 2012. Group tickets and exclusive performances can be booked before December 31 by calling 1-888-792-1949.
For more information please visit www.tift.ca.
2011-10-28
Barrie: Talk Is Free Theatre moves last year’s hit musical “Dani Girl” to Toronto in February 2012