Stage Door News
Stage Door News
It is our absolute pleasure to announce the cast for our 2012 Canadian Premiere production of Speaking In Tongues.
Each of these talented artists bring with them an extensive and impressive background in the performing arts and we are so happy to have them on board for this production. With the cast of four being split between two new ensemble members and two returning ensemble members, we are very excited to begin the exploration of this award-winning piece. We hope that you will join us at the theatre this fall to watch these superb individuals bring Andrew Bovell's award-winning play to life.
SPEAKING IN TONGUES
Berkley Street Theatre: Oct. 29 - Nov. 24
a Company Theatre production in co-production with Canadian Stage
Written by Andrew Bovell | Directed by Philip Riccio
JONATHAN GOAD
When Allan and I started the company back in 2005, with the intention of producing Tom Murphy’s A Whistle in the Dark, the first thing we did was approach two actors, Joseph Ziegler and Jonathan Goad. Originally, both played hard to get but finally they relented and the rest as they say is history. That production’s success is the reason that The Company Theatre is still thriving today; a success due to an incredible ensemble, lead by Joseph Ziegler’s Dada and Jonathan Goad’s Michael. Allan enjoyed playing Jonathan’s brother in Whistle so much that he cast him as his brother in the first season of Republic of Doyle and Jonathan has been a regular on the series ever since. I first met Jonathan while we were performing at The Stratford Shakespeare Festival. Jonathan became a mainstay at the Festival, playing iconic Shakespearean roles such as Iago, Pericles, Marc Anthony, Angelo and Hotspur. It is with great joy that we welcome Jonathan Goad back to The Company Theatre
RICHARD CLARKIN
I’m not sure Canada has a more versatile actor than Richard Clarkin. The first ever audition for The Company Theatre, was executed by Richard. It was for the role of Michael in A Whistle in the Dark and although he wasn’t cast he made an indelible impression. Fast-forward to 2007 where we were looking for someone to play Iggy (a completely opposite character to Michael) in our remount of Whistle. Our director Jason Byrne had flown in from Ireland for the auditions and the first thing he asked was, “Is Richard Clarkin coming in to audition?” It had been two years and Jason still remembered how impressed he was by Richard’s work. Sure enough Richard was cast as Iggy proving just how versatile an actor he is. He showed off this enviable trait once again in our 2008 production of Festen where he played the master of ceremonies, Helmut. Whether he's onstage making a meal out of Scar in The Lion King or on screen in the hit Canadian film Goon, you can be sure that Richard will provide a compelling performance full of honesty, intensity and charm.
YANNA MCINTOSH
Arguably the most acclaimed actor of her generation, Yanna has won an impressive three Dora Awards for her outstanding performances. Last year, she also received the inaugural Toronto Theatre Critic's Award for Best Actress for her work in Ruined. Yanna has wowed Toronto audiences with unforgettable performances in Cloud 9, Skylight and The Syringa Tree but my personal favourites were her powerful portrayals of the two iconic title characters in Mary Stuart for Soulpepper and Hedda Gabler for Volcano Theatre. Most recently Yanna has been playing leading roles at The Stratford Shakespeare Festival in such shows as Macbeth, Richard III and last season’s Little Years. She is back at the festival this summer in Elektra and Cymbeline. Having admired her work from afar for many years, we are thrilled to welcome Yanna into our ensemble.
HELENE JOY
I’m pretty sure not many people in Canada can say they have seen the world premiere of Speaking in Tongues in Sydney, Australia in 1996. Hailing from the land down under however, Helene can claim just that; she was a young thespian, just out of the Melbourne Theatre School at the time. Since then she has immigrated to Canada and we couldn’t be happier that she did. Over the past decade Helene has created some of Canada’s most memorable television characters, playing leading roles in Murdoch Mysteries, Durham County and An American in Canada and was rewarded with a Gemini Award for Leading Actress in a Television Drama for her work on Durham County. Helene has performed extensively on stage in Australia but has yet to find the time in her busy television schedule to perform for Canadian theatre audiences. We’re so excited that she has chosen our production of Speaking in Tongues to make her Canadian stage debut. Along with her extraordinary talent, Helene will bring an authentic Australian perspective to our production.
Philip Riccio
Co-Artistic Director
Illustration: Poster for Speaking in Tongues, State Theatre Company of South Australia, Adelaide, 2011.
2012-05-16
Toronto: The Company Theatre announces the cast of “Speaking in Tongues”