Stage Door News
Stage Door News
A multi-disciplinary show that explores how far one woman will go to hold onto her childhood dream, and what she is forced to become in that pursuit
TORONTO, ON (March 18, 2014) – With flowers in bloom and spring fever just around the corner, celebrated theatre artist and comedian Melissa D’Agostino invites audiences into a world of mermaids, crones, Disney princesses, and planning a wedding before finding the groom. Integrating folktales, music, improvisation and motion picture, Melissa D’Agostino’s BroadFish explores the lines between reality and fantasy, relationships and romance, and the power of myth and archetypes in our everyday lives. Harbourfront Centre is thrilled to feature BroadFish as part of the 2014 HATCH season on April 19 at the Studio Theatre.
Working in collaboration with top Toronto artists, Melissa D’Agostino plunges into the wild world of female stereotypes to explore traditional attitudes toward relationships, happiness and romance and how they have evolved and degenerated through access to the Internet, social media and technology. Using a blend of classic and modern archetypes like the Crone, the Damsel in Distress and the Bridezilla, BroadFish examines what happens when the promise of a perfect future is dependent on the one thing out of grasp. How far will a person go to hold onto a fairytale?
“This piece is about femininity, stereotypes and gender identification,” suggests D’Agostino. “It’s about fairytales and how we sometimes live our lives in a different reality than the one in which we exist. In this time of economic crisis, gender and class inequality and with a multi-billion dollar wedding industry still booming, I believe these are vital and fascinating issues to explore.”
In the throes of planning her own real-life wedding, D’Agostino has been using Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest as a means to engage with other brides planning for the big day. This online content will serve as the foundation for the BroadFish script and will be an interactive part of the show itself. As a former story editor for the popular reality series Rich Bride, Poor Bride, D’Agostino has witnessed the desperation weddings can create firsthand, and how mainstream and social media are used to manipulate that desperation to sell a fantasy to the masses.
The entry point for BroadFish is Miranda, a single Pisces ready to find Mr. Right. After visiting an astrologist who reveals the ideal day for her to get married (April 19), Miranda decides to begin planning her wedding without a groom in sight. Miranda is based on an actual woman, Anita Chakraburtty, who did this very thing in 2012 and was widely mocked and chastised for her choices on the Web. In a society where we use the Internet for vulnerable pursuits, like dating, the anonymity of the Web makes it easy for others to dismiss those pursuits far more viciously than they might in person. D’Agostino questions identity in BroadFish, searching for the intersection between who we are online versus who we are in real-life, and in our fantasies.
Melissa D’Agostino is an award-winning actor/writer/producer who has received widespread acclaim for shows featuring her character Lupe ( Lupe: Undone and A Very Lupe Xmas). She has worked with The Canadian Stage Company, Nightwood Theatre and The Young Centre (Luminato). She was nominated for a Canadian Comedy Award in 2009 and made NOW Magazine’s ‘Artists to Watch’ list in 2011. Melissa’s team of HATCH collaborators offer a wealth of experience and creative influence to BroadFish, from Dora award-winning director and lighting designer Rebecca Picherack to award-winning Indie Filmmaker Matt Campagna, to the experienced dramaturg Adam Lazarus, and Dora award-winners Monica Dottor and Waylen Miki to name a few.
Tickets for BroadFish and other HATCH 2014 projects are available via Harbourfront Centre’s Box Office. Patrons can call 416-973-4000, visit 235 Queens Quay West and/or go online for all ticket inquiries.
For full company and performance information, including photos, videos and details surrounding this year’s HATCH season, please visit harbourfrontcentre.com/hatch, and connect with the season on Facebook and Twitter using #HatchTO. For a weekly update on the progress and creative process of each 2014 HATCH project, visit praxistheatre.com. Follow Melissa D’Agostino and BroadFish on Twitter using @MelissaDags or @FishBride.
ABOUT HATCH:
Celebrating its tenth year, HATCH is a key initiative in Harbourfront Centre’s mission to develop local artists and their unique practices. Curated by Michael Wheeler and Aislinn Rose, the 2014 HATCH residency and mentorship programme provides resources and professional assistance to a new generation of engaging and innovative contemporary artists.
Photo: Melissa D’Agostino. ©2014 Matt Campagna.
2014-03-18
Toronto: "BroadFish" looks into the wedding industry and online identity on April 19 #HatchTO