Stage Door News
Stage Door News
TORONTO (October 1, 2012) Tarragon Theatre proudly presents the 2010 SummerWorks hit Miss Caledonia, written by and starring Dora Mavor Moore and Canadian Comedy Award winner Melody A. Johnson. Produced by Lunkamud in association with Tarragon, Miss Caledonia is directed by Rick Roberts and Aaron Willis, with musical accompaniment and original score by Alison Porter. This acclaimed, virtuosic one-woman-show from one of Canada's most creative talents previews from October 13, opens Wednesday October 24 and closes Thursday, November 22 in Tarragon Theatre's Extra Space. Tickets range from $21-$53 (inclusive of HST) with a Pay-What-You-Can matinee on November 17 and are available by calling the box office at 416.531.1827 or by visiting www.tarragontheatre.com
How does a farm girl in 1950s Ontario escape? She becomes a movie star. And the most proven route to Hollywood in the mid 1950s was to enter as many pageants as possible and to sing, twirl and pivot her way into the hearts of judges.
And so Melody's mother - Peggy Ann Douglas - did just that, as did so many other young gals of her generation - hoping to follow in the footsteps of starlets like Debbie Reynolds and Oprah Winfrey. This transporting memory play looks back at one young, optimistic farm gal, desperate to escape the stall-cleaning, cow-milking, hay-baling drudgery of 1950s life on Rural Route 2. In addition to Peggy's journey for fame, Miss Caledonia also illuminates the lives of one Scottish, Protestant family's will to survive the harsh farming culture of the times as Johnson portrays numerous characters along the way.
Miss Caledonia straddles the worlds of both comedy and drama, complete with the delightful magic of a live fiddler, in a highly successful marriage of great writing, storytelling and acting.
Of the 2010 SummerWorks incarnation, NOW Magazine said: "portrays aspiring actor Peggy's life in 50s Ontario with loving clarity.... Plenty of inspired moments...borders on magical.... characters as moving as they are funny ... sassy violin accompaniment ... talent you shouldn't miss."
The multi-talented Melody A. Johnson is well-known to Tarragon audiences - both as an actor and a writer - appearing in In the Next Room or the vibrator play last season, winning a 2003 Dora Award for her performance in Little Mercy's First Murder and premiering her musical Mimi, co-written with Rick Roberts and Allen Cole, in 2009.
Johnson is a playwright and performer who has presented works from Brantford to Singapore. She is an alumna of The Toronto Second City where she has directed mainstage hits We've Totally (probably) Got This! (currently still playing), 0% Down and Second City for Mayor. Her roles include: 7 Stories/Theatre Calgary/CanStage (Betty Mitchell nomination), Trout Stanley/Factory Theatre, Florence Gibson's i think i can.(YPT/NAC), Our Town/Two Planks and a Passion Theatre (Merritt Award nomination), Blithe Spirit/Soulpepper and Habeus Corpus/CanStage, It's All True, Seven Lears, Swollen Tongues and The Piper/Necessary Angel Theatre. Comedic turns also include An Awkward Evening with Martin & Johnson with fellow Second City alum Bob (The Drowsy Chaperone) Martin.
In the new year, she tours Miss Caledonia to:
Apr. 4-5/13 - Rossland Miners Hall - Rossland, BC
Apr. 7/13 - The Arden Theatre - St. Albert, AB
Apr. 23/13 - Valleyview Home - St. Thomas, ON
May 7-9/13 - River Run Centre - Guelph, ON
May 14-25/13 - National Arts Centre - Ottawa, ON
Tarragon Theatre presents
Miss Caledonia
Written by and Starring Melody A. Johnson
Musical Accompaniment and Original Score by Alison Porter
Directed by Rick Roberts and Aaron Willis
Lighting Designer: Raha Javanfar
Stage Manager: Jessica Severin
Opens October 24 and runs to November 22, 2012 (Previews from October 13)
Tarragon Theatre's Extra Space, 30 Bridgman Avenue, Toronto, M5R 1X3
Tuesday-Saturday at 8pm; Saturday matinees begin October 20 at 2:30pm; Sunday matinees at 2:30pm
Tickets range from $21-$5 (Discounts for students, seniors and groups);
Sat Nov 17, 2:30pm matinee is Pay-What-You-Can (PWYC).
Tickets can be purchased through the box office at 416.531.1827 or visit www.tarragontheatre.com
- $13 Rush Tickets at the door Friday nights beginning Oct. 26 (on sale at 6pm) and Sunday matinees (on sale at 1pm) -
Photo: Melody A. Johnson. ©2012 Rick Roberts.
2012-10-01
Toronto: Tarragon Theatre presents “Miss Caledonia” by Melody A. Johnson October 24-November 22