Stage Door News
Stage Door News
Toronto, ON (Wednesday, April 23, 2014) - Theatre 20's Artistic Board Chair Adam Brazier today announced the final piece of the Company casting puzzle - Sarah Slean will join the all-star cast in the role of "Marta".
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. This Tony Award-winning show has not been seen in Toronto in almost 30 years.
Multiple Juno & Gemini Award-nominated singer, songwriter, musician, poet, visual artist and actress Sarah Slean joins already-announced Theatre 20 Founding Artists Dan Chameroy as charming and commitment-phobic bachelor Robert, Brent Carver, David Keeley, Nora McLellan, Louise Pitre, Eliza-Jane Scott, Carly Street and Steven Sutcliffe. This incredible roster of some of the best names in Canadian theatre, music and film continues with Jeff Lillico, Marisa McIntyre, Nia Vardalos, as well as two real-life spouses of other cast members, Christine Donato and Joe Matheson.
Directing the production is leading Sondheim interpreter Gary Griffin (Associate Artistic Director of the Chicago Shakespeare Theater) with Music Director Scott Christian and Choreographer Marc Kimelman. The Creative Team also includes Lighting Designer Stephen Ross, Set & Costume Designers Ken MacDonald and Michelle Tracey and Stage Manager Chris Porter.
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").
Tickets are now on sale to the general public. This landmark production features 15 audience seats on stage at Bobby's birthday party! Ticket prices range from $30-$89 and are available online at canadianstage.com, by phone at 416-368-3110 or in person at the Canadian Stage Box Offices (26 Berkeley Street or 27 Front St. E.).
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. (except for Friday, July 4th where there will be no performance and Sunday, July 6 where there will be an added 8 p.m. performance) 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.
Chameroy will also host the upcoming 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. More information and tickets for sale at theatre20.com.
For more information please visit http://www.theatre20.com.
Facebook: Theatre 20
Twitter: @Theatre20; #T20company
ABOUT SARAH SLEAN
Described as "one of the most compelling acts Canada has to offer", (TIME Magazine) and nominated three times for her country's top music prize (The Juno Awards), multi-faceted Canadian singer/songwriter/pianist Sarah Slean seems to be hitting her stride. With her latest release, the ambitious double album "Land & Sea", Slean has created what The Montreal Gazette calls "a masterpiece".
Equal parts hooky songster and elegant maestro, Sarah's latest opus is a dazzling study of contrasts. Land is a big, warm, gleeful spasm of unabashed pop/rock full of Slean's signature lyrics, big voice and powerful piano chops, produced by East Coast icon Joel Plaskett, and mixed by Big Sugar's Gordie Johnson and Vic Florencia (Nelly Furtado). Sea is a collection of nine cinematic, orchestral jaw-droppers, four of which were scored for 21 strings by Sarah herself. With the help of renowned producer/film composer Jonathan Goldsmith (Jane Siberry, Bruce Cockburn/Away From Her, Casino Jack) and award-winning engineer Jeff Wolpert (Loreena McKennitt) Sea is "an awe-inspiring panorama of the mature poet and musician" containing "echoes of Gustav Mahler, Leonard Cohen and Kurt Weill" (Toronto Star)
Over her 14-year career, with 9 recordings released in over 10 countries worldwide, Slean's music has borrowed aspects of cabaret, rock, pop, and orchestral: all knit together by the startling poetry of her lyrics, virtuosic piano-playing, and that voice: "a 19th century Kate Bush" (CBC) into a style that is uniquely hers. She has appeared on the TEDGlobal stage, on the national TV show Taratata in France, at numerous festivals, in concert halls with six different eminent orchestras, and in venues across Europe, Scandinavia and the US. In addition to headlining theatres across Canada, Sarah has also opened internationally for such artists as Rufus Wainwright, Bryan Ferry, Alanis Morissette, Andrew Bird, Feist, Chris Isaac, Paula Cole, Ariane Moffatt, Buck 65, Daniel Lanois, Indigo Girls, Ron Sexmsith and Hawksley Workman.
ABOUT THEATRE 20
Theatre 20 is a Toronto-based, artist-led theatre company formed to present story-driven musicals by developing new Canadian works and by re-imagining existing repertoire. It aims to nurture the talent of writers and composers and foster the development of young artists through mentorship and education programs. For more information about Theatre 20, or to inquire about development, education, sponsorship and/or volunteer opportunities, visit theatre20.com.
Photo: Sarah Slean.
2014-04-23
Toronto: Sarah Slean joins Theatre 20's all-star production of Sondheim's "Company" – tickets now on sale