Stage Door News
Stage Door News
As most of the public is aware, Mary Walsh has developed a serious case of pneumonia. As a result, Theatre Passe Muraille has had to postpone Dancing With Rage until Mary is well enough to perform. Mary was admitted to hospital in St. John’s, Nfld. on March 5 and was hoping to be discharged on March 9. At the end of last week she suffered a minor setback, but she is being examined by doctors today in the hopes of being released.
Currently, performances up to March 17 have been cancelled. TPM's main priority is for Mary to get well and not rush back into travel and performance before she is ready. TPM is maintaining constant contact with Mary and will be cancelling shows on a day-to-day, as needed, basis. There has been an overwhelming response from the public in support of Mary’s speedy and thorough recovery.
In an effort to maintain the spirit of creation within our walls during these trying times, Theatre Passe Muraille is unveiling Dancing Without Mary. This is a series of programming that will take over the TPM Mainstage while we are without the irreplaceable Mary Walsh— programming that will keep her spirit alive in our building.
The primary reason behind this initiative is to animate our space while we are Dancing Without Mary. The secondary reason is more pragmatic. The creation of a new piece of theatre is an expensive process, especially a Canadian production that is developed across provinces. It is an unfortunate revelation, but our cancellation insurance does not cover one-person shows (it only covers cancellation for productions where 3 or more actors are simultaneously ill). In the event of a worst-case scenario, the loss of a complete run of Dancing With Rage would mean a loss of $60,000 for Theatre Passe Muraille. Dancing Without Mary is a chance for Theatre Passe Muraille to fundraise in an attempt to recoup lost costs while we wait for Mary to get better and join us.
The first installment of Dancing Without Mary features plays that are in the Passe Muraille spirit of doing political work; plays much like Mary’s will be once it opens. The plays feature glimpses of two of our country’s most famous Prime Ministers. One play was a long running and celebrated success story for TPM and the other is in its first draft stage of development. On Friday March 16, TPM will be presenting a play reading of Linda Griffiths’ Maggie and Pierre at 7:30. The second play is a reading of Michael Healey's Proud at 7:30 on Monday, March 19.
Maggie and Pierre first premiered at Theatre Passe Muraille in 1980. Linda Griffiths is a long time friend and collaborator with TPM and is reunited with original director and former TPM Artistic Director, Paul Thompson for this project. Linda jumped at the chance to support TPM, “There’s nothing like playing the prime minister to get you up in the morning – when we first did M & P – it was a different world – but one thing stands. Theatre Passe Muraille is a fire-in-the-belly place.”
Maggie and Pierre features three characters. Pierre Trudeau, Margaret Trudeau, a journalist named Henry. Maggie and Pierre takes place from 1974 to 1980. Three characters caught in the battle of reason over passion & passion over reason. A nation is changing, a leader has emerged, so has his nemesis - the beautiful flower child Margaret Trudeau. Henry is caught, he loves/hates Pierre, is in love with Maggie, and loves his country. It's a triangle with a nation at stake. What follows is a mock epic, the story of two fatally attracted idealists.
Proud is the third in a trilogy of award-winning plays about Canadian values by Michael Healey. Proud is about what we actually want out of our politics, and our politicians. One man devotes his entire life to moving the country several millimetres to the right on the political spectrum. Will he succeed? At what cost? A Pygmalion for a country that, until Stephen Harper came a long, had no need for one.
Proud is in a very early draft stage and Michael is only doing a reading of it now because he is a generous soul, who wants to assist Theatre Passe Muraille, the original home of his hit play The Drawer Boy. Proud is being directed by Andy McKim and features Michael Healey, Jordan Pettle, Jenny Young and Jeff Lillico.
Tickets for Linda Griffiths’ Maggie and Pierre and Michael Healey's Proud are $15 with the option to pay $30 and receive a $15 tax receipt. Keep checking the TPM website for information on Mary Walsh’ health, information about donating to TPM and potentially more programming announcements.
2012-03-12
Toronto: In the absence of Mary Walsh, Theatre Passe Muraille schedules all-star readings