Stage Door News
Stage Door News
TORONTO, October 15, 2012 - Tarragon Theatre proudly presents The Little Years, written by celebrated Canadian playwright John Mighton and directed by the award-winning Chris Abraham. This beautiful and moving drama follows three generations of women, focusing on Kate, a woman trying to find her place in life after her dreams are thwarted as a young girl. The Little Years previews from November 7, opens Wednesday November 14 and closes December 16 in Tarragon Theatre's Mainspace. Tickets range from $21-$53 (inclusive of HST) and are available by calling the box office at 416.531.1827 or by visiting www.tarragontheatre.com .
Growing up in the 1950s, Kate is fascinated by time and space, interests dismissed as unbecoming to a woman of her time. While her brother achieves literary success, her family struggles to reach the brilliant Kate as she grows from precocious teen to troubled woman. An inspiring look at the many ways we touch each other's lives, The Little Years follows the changing lives of three generations of women over 40 years and is a poignant chronicle of a life unlived and unregarded.
The Little Years premiered at Theatre Passe Muraille in 1995. This version was commissioned by the Stratford Shakespeare Festival where it received its world premiere in 2011.
Victor Ertmanis (Castle), Bethany Jillard (young Kate/Tanya), Irene Poole (Kate) and Chick Reid (Alice) reprise their roles from the Stratford Festival production. Joining them for this new Tarragon production are Hannah Anderson (Mary), Ari Cohen (Roger), Giacomo Gianniotti (Norman) and 2012 double Dora Award winner (Outstanding New Play and Performance for Crash) Pamela Sinha (Grace). (Michelle Monteith replaces Jillard for the final week.)
Of the Stratford production, the critics noted:
"polished into a gem. Director Chris Abraham has maximized this minimalist drama's power into a production overflowing with thought and compassion. . . Poole's Kate is particularly exquisite." -J. Kelly Nestruck, The Globe and Mail
"a glowing showcase of Mighton's mind and art." - Robert Crew, Toronto Star
"The Little Years may well be the best new play ever presented at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. . . . Chick Reid gives possibly her best performance ever." - Robert Cushman, National Post
Set and costume designer Julie Fox, lighting designer Kimberly Purtell, and composition/sound designer Thomas Ryder Payne - who all originally worked on the Stratford production - recreate their magic on the Tarragon stage. The stage manager is Bea Campbell.
John Mighton, a 2005 Siminovitch Prize winner for Playwriting and one of the most original voices in Canadian theatre, returns to Tarragon after the acclaimed 2005 production of his Half Life (co-produced with Necessary Angel). His other plays include A Short History of Night, Possible Worlds and Scientific Americans. Mighton is also a fellow at the Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences. He originally wrote The Little Years in 1995, but revised it for a Stratford Shakespeare Festival commission. Mighton was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2010. He is the founder of JUMP (Junior Undiscovered Math Prodigies), a charity that trains teachers to deliver the entire math curriculum in a way that allows all students to succeed.
Director Chris Abraham's credits at Tarragon include I, Claudia (written and performed by Kristen Thomson) and The Patient Hour. Other directing credits include The Matchmaker, The Little Years and For the Pleasure of Seeing Her Again for the Stratford Shakespeare Festival and Antigone and The Lesson for Soulpepper. He is the Artistic Director of Crow's Theatre in Toronto where he has directed Seeds, BOXHEAD, Eternal Hydra (with Factory Theatre), among others and remounted I, Claudia (he also won a 2003 Gemini Award for directing the CBC/Sienna Films version of I, Claudia). He has won Dora Awards for Outstanding Direction for Eternal Hydra and Easy Lenny Lazmon and the Great Western Ascension (Moriah Productions/Go Chicken Go). He is also the recipient of the 2002 Elinor and Lou Siminovitch Protégé Award and past Co-Director of the National Theatre School of Canada Directing Program. He is a recipient of the John Hirsch Director's Award and the Ken MacDougall Award, both given to emerging Canadian directors.
Tarragon Theatre presents
The Little Years
Written by John Mighton
Director: Chris Abraham
Starring: Hannah Anderson, Ari Cohen, Victor Ertmanis, Giacomo Gianniotti, Bethany Jillard, Irene Poole, Chick Reid, Pamela Sinha. (Michelle Monteith replaces Bethany Jillard Dec. 11-16)
Set and Costume Designer: Julie Fox
Lighting Designer: Kimberly Purtell
Composition and Sound Design: Thomas Ryder Payne
Stage Manager: Bea Campbell
Opens November 14 and runs to December 16, 2012 (Previews from November 7)
Tarragon Theatre's Mainspace, 30 Bridgman Avenue, Toronto, M5R 1X3
Tuesday-Saturday at 8pm, Sunday matinees at 2:30pm & Saturday mats Nov 17, 24, Dec 1, 8 at 2:30pm.
Tickets range from $21-$53 with a Pay-What-You-Can 2:30pm matinee on Sat. Dec 8
(Discounts for students, seniors and groups)
Tickets can be purchased through the box office at 416.531.1827 or visit www.tarragontheatre.com
-$13 Rush Tickets available at the door for Friday nights (on sale at 6pm) and Sunday matinees (on sale at 1pm)
Illustration: Chick Reid and Pamela Sinha. ©2012 Cylla von Tiedemann.
2012-10-15
Toronto: Tarragon Theatre presents “The Little Years” by John Mighton November 7-December 16