Stage Door News
Stage Door News
JUNO-award winning singer-songwriter Hawksley Workman can now add “critically acclaimed playwright” to his long-list of impressive achievements. The God That Comes is a 2b theatre company production, created by Hawksley Workman and Christian Barry, it premiered at Alberta Theatre Projects and is presented by Tarragon Theatre from June 3-29, 2014.
This is an old story, a story about a soldier king, his mother, and a new god. The city’s slaves, women and outlaws climb the mountain to drink and worship through abandon; for this new god is the god of wine, sex and ecstasy. Created and performed by Canadian sensation Hawksley Workman, The God That Comes is wine-soaked rock and roll theatre at its most Bacchanal.
The God That Comes won two 2013 Betty Mitchell Awards (aka The Bettys) which honours outstanding achievement in Calgary’s professional theatre community. Winning “Outstanding Production Of A Musical”, and “Outstanding Sound Design Or Composition”, the show also received 2 other nominations; one for “Outstanding New Play” and a special nod for Workman in the “Outstanding Performance By An Actor In A Comedy Or Musical” category. It has also recently been named by the Globe and Mail as one of the five shows to see this spring/summer!
2B Theatre has been touring The God That Comes all over the country and the world, with great critical success, including: Denmark and The Netherlands, Pittsburgh, Banff, Vancouver, Whitehorse, Ottawa, Edmonton and after Tarragon will head to Stratford.
“Hawksley Workman writhes and grinds, drips and squeals as he plays the God of ecstasy and wine in a fun and feisty
retelling of the ancient Greek Tragedy, The Bacchae.”
***1/2 (Out of 4) – The Globe and Mail
“The next big thing.”
– Toronto Star
“It’s a tour de force performance that mesmerizes with its deft wit and razor sharp humour…”
**** (out of 4) – Calgary Sun
“Workman is a charismatic talent, a 21st century showman, a raconteur and wit who also happens to be a masterful
musician.”
– Calgary Herald
“Workman mesmerizes both musically and theatrically…What truly stands out is Workman’s slyly sexy performance and
2b’s brilliantly creative theatrical imagery.”
– The Coast, Halifax
Perhaps best known as a singer, songwriter and performer, Hawksley Workman is also a successful producer, poet, multi-instrumentalist, and member of indie band Mounties. A staple of the Canadian arts scene for close to 15 years, he boasts a catalogue of solo releases currently 14 strong, showcasing his now signature spectrum of sonic influence, from cabaret to electro-pop to anthemic rock and plenty in between. The accolades he’s amassed include JUNO nods and wins and widespread critical acclaim.
Workman’s most recent release is the soundtrack to The God That Comes– a theatrical tribute to the Greco-Roman god of wine and ecstasy that benefits beautifully from Workman’s peerless panache and vivacity. While his songwriting has long sprouted from an epiphanic kind of effortlessness, with the majority of his songs written, recorded, and ready for consumption within 24 hours, theatre aches for a more elaborate approach. “In theatre, people like to exist in a state of constant process,” Workman shares. “I’ve always thought of songs as little organic gifts, and taken them as they come, whereas in theatre, we were focused on minutiae at all times. It was interesting accommodating my desire to kind of mess around as I saw fit.”
Christian Barry is a director, dramaturge, writer, and designer from Halifax, and a founding member and artistic co-director of 2b theatre company. Christian holds a B.A. (Honours) in Theatre from Dalhousie University, and is a graduate of the directing program at the National Theatre School of Canada.Christian directed part two of The Mill cycle, which won the 2010 Dora Mavor Moore award for Outstanding Production (independent). He was also nominated for the Outstanding Director Dora that year. He has won two Theatre NS Merritt Awards for Outstanding Direction (eight nominations), one for Outstanding New Play, and one for Outstanding Lighting Design. He has also received more than 15 Merritt Award Nominations total in several diverse categories. Christian received the 2008 Halifax Mayor’s award for an Emerging Artist, and the 2006-7 Urjo Kareda residency grant here at Tarragon.
Christian has directed award-winning shows that have toured nationally and internationally. Selected directing credits for 2b theatre company: The God that Comes (Alberta Theatre Projects, Magnetic North, PuSh Fest, Tarragon Theatre, Noorderzon), The Story of Mr. Wright (Globe Theatre, Regina), Homage (Magnetic North and Luminato Festivals), Revisited (World Stage Festival, Free Fall – The Theatre Centre, Theaterformen Hanover, PuSh Festival, Intrepid Theatre), The Russian Play (Western Canada Tour), East of Berlin, Manners of Dying, and Cherry Docs (Eastern Canada tour). Other selected directing credits: El Camino or the Field of Stars (Plutonium Playhouse and VideoFag), 59 Minutes (Suburban Beast), and The Laramie Project (Dalhousie University).
In addition to Hawskley and Christian, The God That Comes has a stellar production team. Sound designer Jesse Ash, sound operator Todd Lumley, choreographer Monica Dottor, lighting designer Leigh Ann Vardy, co-set designer Louisa Adamson, and costumes by Dana Osborne. The stage manager is Kate Porter.
Inspired by Euripides’ tragedy The Bacchae, The God That Comes breathes life into the 2400 year-old drama, superbly fusing the feel of a live rock concert with theatre and should not be missed!
Tarragon Theatre proudly presents a 2b theatre company production
The God That Comes
by Hawksley Workman & Christian Barry
conceived & directed by Christian Barry
Live music & performance by Hawskley Workman
sound design Jesse Ash
set design Louisa Adamson & Christian Barry
choreography Monica Dottor
sound operation Todd Lumley
lighting design Leigh Ann Vardy
costumes Dana Osborne
stage management Kate Porter
production management Louisa Adamson
June 3 to June 29, 2014
Tarragon’s Mainspace, 30 Bridgman Avenue, Toronto
Tuesday-Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 2:30pm
Tickets: $40
For tickets, call Patron Services at 416.531.1827 or visit www.tarragontheatre.com
Photo: Hawksley Workman. ©2013 Trudie Lee.
2014-04-29
Toronto: Hawksley Workman unleashes "The God That Comes" June 3-29