Stage Door News
Stage Door News
Toronto, ON (Thursday, March 27, 2014) - Theatre 20's highly-anticipated production of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's Company will play the Berkeley Street Theatre Downstairs from June 21 to July 13, 2014. Artistic Board Chair Adam Brazier today announced the creative team and revealed that the role of "Robert" will be played by Theatre 20 Founding Artist Dan Chameroy.
Theatre 20 held four days of auditions for the role, meeting with nearly 50 incredibly talented Canadian actors including Chameroy to play the charming and commitment-phobic bachelor Bobby.
The creative team for the production features Director Gary Griffin, Musical Director Scott Christian, Choreographer Marc Kimelman, Set and Costume Designer Beth Kates and Lighting Designer Stephen Ross. Both designers were part of Theatre 20's inaugural production, Bloodless: The Trial of Burke and Hare. Christian was a member of Theatre 20's inaugural Composium and Music Director of both the 2012-13 and 2013-14 Emerging Artist Ensemble. Gary Griffin is Associate Artistic Director at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, a preeminent interpretor of Sondheim's work, and a frequent director at the nearby Stratford Festival.
Company, said by many to have launched the age of the modern musical, centres on Robert, a single man unable to commit to a steady relationship, the married couples who are his best friends, and his three on-again off-again girlfriends. Set in upper-middle-class Manhattan and told through a series of vignettes in no particular chronological order, each character and scene is linked by the celebration of Bobby's 35th birthday.
An honest, witty, sophisticated look at relationships, Company is as contemporary and relevant as ever (seen with the recent hit revivals on Broadway and the West End as well as its transfer to movie theatres). It features a brilliant, energetic score containing many of Sondheim's best-known songs (including "Another Hundred People," "The Ladies Who Lunch" and "Being Alive").
Chameroy will also host the April 27 edition of Theatre 20's monthly cabaret series, The Company We Keep at Alleycatz Live Jazz Bar & Restaurant. The entire Company cast will host the May 30 cabaret. Single Cabaret Tickets are only $25. Six-Cabaret Subscriptions ($100) are available for purchase until March 30, 2014. More information and tickets for sale at theatre20.com.
Tickets to Company go on sale to Theatre 20 donors on Monday, March 31, 2014 and to the general public on Monday, April 14, 2014. This production also features 15 premium audience seats on stage at Bobby's birthday party! Ticket prices range from $30-$89 and will be available online at canadianstage.com, by phone at 416-368-3110 or in person at the Canadian Stage Box Offices.
Company will be on stage at the Berkeley Street Theatre Downstairs (26 Berkeley Street), previewing June 21-25, and running June 26-July 13, 2014. Performances run Tuesday through Saturday at 8 p.m. with matinees on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. Free post-show talkbacks will occur after select Thursday evening performances.
Full casting for Theatre 20's Company will be announced next week. For more information please visit http://www.theatre20.com.
Facebook: Theatre 20
Twitter: @theatre20; #T20company
DAN CHAMEROY BIO
Dan's career has spanned the country and a large body of work from Shakespeare to musicals. He is no stranger to Toronto audiences, most recently joining Soulpepper's ensemble, appearing as Harry Van in Idiot's Delight. He received a Dora Award for his portrayal of Gaston in the Mirvish production of Beauty and the Beast and was nominated for his performance in Into the Woods (Canadian Stage). He has been a crowd favourite as the beloved Plumbum appearing in five Ross Petty Holiday Pantos. Other selected theatre credits include: Wanderlust, The Winter's Tale, Pentecost, Oklahoma!, Camelot, Cymbeline (12 seasons Stratford Festival); The Barber of Seville, Farther West (Soulpepper); The Arsonists, Side by Side by Sondheim, Rock & Roll (Canadian Stage); A Funny Thing Happened....Forum, The Drowsy Chaperone, Les Misérables, Miss Saigon (Mirvish Productions); The Magic Fire, High Society (Shaw Festival); Anything That Moves (Nightwood); Theatre Aquarius, Citadel Theatre, Talk is Free, MTC, Theatre Calgary, Neptune Theatre. Dan has an extensive career as a voiceover actor and in 2003 he released a solo recording entitled "Me". Company will mark the fourth collaboration between Gary and Dan. They worked together at the Stratford Festival on West Side Story, Camelot and Outside Looking In, a concert with Cynthia Dale. Currently Dan is in rehearsal at Soulpepper where he will be seen as Cronshaw in Of Human Bondage from April 15 though May 17, 2014.
GARY GRIFFIN BIO
Gary is Associate Artistic Director at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater where he has now directed six Sondheim productions: Road Show, Gypsy (starring Theatre 20 Founding Artist Louise Pitre), Follies, Passion, A Little Night Music, Sunday in the Park with George and Pacific Overtures, as well as many other productions of both plays and musicals. Broadway directing credits include The Color Purple and The Apple Tree. London credits include Pacific Overtures at the Donmar Warehouse (Olivier Award for Outstanding Musical Production and Olivier nomination for Best Director) and his work at Chicago theaters has earned him eight Joseph Jefferson Awards for directing. Other directing credits include: West Side Story, Evita, Camelot and 42nd Street (Stratford Festival); and Oklahoma!, The Merry Widow, The Mikado (Lyric Opera of Chicago).
ABOUT THEATRE 20
Theatre 20 is an artist led, story-driven company with a focus on developing and presenting original Canadian musicals as well as re-imagining existing repertoire from both the national and international canons.
It is a not-for-profit, registered charitable organization that has been formed not only to create musical works for the stage but also to play an active and positive role within the community. It aims to nurture the talent of writers and composers and foster the development of young artists through mentorship and education programs.
At the core of Theatre 20's "artist-led" structure is the Artistic Board, made up of both Founding Artists and other artists in the Canadian theatre community.
For more information about Theatre 20, or to inquire about development, education, sponsorship
and/or volunteer opportunities, visit theatre20.com.
2014-03-27
Toronto: Dan Chameroy to head Theatre 20's "Company" June 21-July 13