Stage Door News
Stage Door News
GCTC is unleashes Ann-Marie MacDonald’s mad-cap masterpiece Goodnight Desdemona, (Good Morning Juliet). The award-winning comedy runs from November 26 to December 15 at the Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre. It is directed by Ann Hodges. Tickets are on sale now at www.gctc.ca.
What if Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies were actually comedies? After a professor steals her thesis, Constance Ledbelly is transported into the Bard’s world of Othello and Romeo & Juliet, where she inadvertently sends his stories in new directions. With an abundance of twists, fights, seductions and wild surprises, Constance engages in a truly hilarious Elizabethan tale of self-discovery.
“This Canadian classic is part battle of the sexes and part classical comedy and will appeal to anyone who likes their Shakespeare shaken, not stirred,” says Eric Coates, GCTC’s Artistic Director.
Margo MacDonald plays Constance Ledbelly who inadvertently changes Shakespeare’s two tragedies - Othello and Romeo and Juliet - into comedies by saving the leading ladies – Desdemona and Juliet. Last season Margo MacDonald appeared as Loretta in GCTC’s production of Fly Me to the Moon and won the Prix Rideau Award for Outstanding Performance. The rest of the cast – Zach Counsil, Pippa Leslie, Geoff McBride and Sascha Cole are all making their debuts on GCTC’s mainstage. Between them they play 16 characters in this funny and touching spoof.
“MacDonald's witty wordplay (bawdy jokes, literary puns, impressive versifying) and her quirkily feminist revisions of Shakespearean story telling make this show great fun.” Chicago Reader
“…one of the cleverest plays ever written.” Georgia Straight
November 26 – December 15, 2013 - Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre. Tickets are on sale now - GCTC Box Office - 613-236-5196 - 1233 Wellington St. West. www. gctc.ca
Media Day – Thursday, November 21 at GCTC, 1:30-3:00 pm – Details to follow in a separate release.
Video – Artistic Director Eric Coates introduces Ann-Marie MacDonald’s Good Night Desdemona, (Good Morning Juliet).
THE CAST
Sascha Cole - Desdemona/Ramona (Mercutio, Servant)
Zach Counsil - Romeo/Iago (Boyfriend, Chorus, Ghost)
Pippa Leslie - Juliet/Student (Soldier of Cyprus)
Margo MacDonald - Constance
Geoff McBride - Professor Night/Othello (Tybalt, Juliet’s Nurse)
THE CREATIVE TEAM
Ann-Marie MacDonald - Playwright
Ann Hodges - Director
Brian Smith - Set and Costume Designer
Jock Munro - Lighting Designer
Steven Lafond - Sound Designer
John Koensgen - Fight Director
Samira Rose - Stage Manager
Jacki Brabazon - Assistant Stage Manager
Performances Times:
Performances begin at 8:00 pm Tuesday – Friday. Saturday performances begin at 4:00 pm & 8:30 pm. Sunday matinee performances begin at 2:00 pm.
Student Rush tickets: $13. Valid student ID required. Tickets can be picked up after noon on the day of performance in person from GCTC Box Office.
Special Performances:
Friday, November 29 – 9:30 pm - Friday Night Fights is a lively debate series presented by GCTC and The Hill Times/Embassy following the play. Friday Night Fights bring opposing views to bear on themes from GCTC’s season. Details to follow.
Sunday, December 1 - Pay-What-You Can - 2:00 pm Matinee.
Friday, December 6 - Talkback – Follows the 8:00 pm performance. Cast members engage in a talkback with audience members who would like to find out more about this play and what it takes to play multiple characters with multiple costume changes.
Sunday, November 8 - noon to 1:30pm (before 2:00pm matinee) – Fearless Women Series
Topic: Write-Hers - Writers share their thoughts and experiences about finding inspiration, staying focused, getting published and their love of writing.
Moderator: Lucy Van Oldenbarnveld, CBC TV Anchor
Panel: Barbara Fradkin, author of The Whisper of Legends (just released ninth instalment of the Inspector Green mysteries)
Luna Alison, spoken word artist, poet, writer, and storyteller
Karen Molson, researcher, filmmaker, published author
Stages & Pages is a program created by the Ottawa Public Library and the Great Canadian Theatre Company. The library creates a recommended reading list to accompany each play.
OPL’s Readers’ Advisory staff have read the scripts for each of the plays, and recommended resources to further the exploration of their themes. Stages & Pages –Good Night Desdemona, (Good Morning Juliet)
The Fritzi Gallery - GCTC invites you to visit the Lorraine 'Fritzi' Yale Gallery in the Upper Lobby of the Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre to view the artwork of five local artists: Claudia Gutierrez, Alisdair Macrae, Janet Mackay, Reid Mclachlan, and Suzan Mandla. The art exhibition entitled Desdemona & Juliet opens on November 25 and runs until February 1.
About GCTC: GCTC is celebrating its 39th season in 2013 – 2014.
“To foster, produce and promote excellent theatre that provokes examination of
Canadian life and our place in the world."
GCTC is committed to the production of new Canadian work and artist development. We continue to commission and workshop new plays by emerging and established playwrights. We mentor emerging companies and artists through our undercurrents festival, master classes, and internships.
2013-11-09
Ottawa: GCTC presents "Goodnight Desdemona (Godd Morning Juliet) Nov. 26-Dec. 15