Stage Door News
Stage Door News
Graham Abbey, Artistic Director of the Groundling Theatre Company today announced a remount of their sold-out show of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale along with a new gender-twist production of Measure for Measure. Both shows will be presented at the historic Winter Garden Theatre from January 19-February 19, 2017 and star Stratford’s best, including Tom McCamus (Seminar, The Seagull, King John, Antony And Cleopatra) Michelle Giroux (The Merchant of Venice, Love’s Labours Lost, The Importance of Being Earnest, A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Brent Carver (Evangeline, Romeo and Juliet, As You Like It) and Lucy Peacock (The Diary of Anne Frank, She Stoops to Conquer, The Beaux Stratagem, Hay Fever). Tickets ranging from $29-$79 go on sale Tuesday, November 28th through Ticketmaster.ca or by calling 1-855-622-2787. For more information visit groundlingtheatre.com.
Audiences for both shows will experience Shakespeare like never before with seating on the beautiful and historic Winter Garden stage, with the theatre house serving as the backdrop. True to the company’s name, a limited amount of Groundling seats are available for patrons who wish to watch Shakespeare in its most natural form.
“We are delighted to bring Shakespeare back to the city and to the magical venue that is the Winter Garden,” said Graham Abbey. “The success of our sold-out production of The Winter’s Tale last year confirmed our belief that there is an appetite for Shakespeare in the city and throughout the year. We are so pleased that the theatre is alive and well in Toronto.”
Directed by Graham Abbey and executive produced by Robert Richardson and produced by Anna Kajtar, both The Winter’s Tale and Measure for Measure star Stratford’s crème-de-la crème. Performing two characters back to back, the actors will star in the following roles, respectively: Tom McCamus as Leontes and Angelo; Michelle Giroux as Hermione and Isabella; Lucy Peacock as Paulina and Duchess; Brent Carver as Autolycus/Antiogonous and Lucio; Roy Lewis as Camilo and Provost; Patrick Galligan as Polixenes and Escalus; Mark Crawford as Clown and Elbow; Sarena Parmar as Perdita and Julieta; Charlie Gallant as Florizel and Claudio; Steven Sutcliffe as Old Shepherd and Pompei; and Karen Robinson as Cleomenes/Dorcas and Mistress Overdone/Mariana.
Written near the end of his career, and considered to be one of Shakespeare's greatest masterpieces, The Winter's Tale chronicles the descent of Leontes, King of Sicilia into a world of jealousy, murder and conspiracy when he falsely accuses his queen Hermione (Michelle Giroux) of an infidelity with his oldest friend Polixenes (Patrick Galligan). Upon receiving news that his wife and young son have died under the strain of public humiliation, and believing his newborn daughter to be not his own, the vengeful King orders the child to be abandoned on the remote shores of Bohemia. When divine intervention plants the seeds of forgiveness and rebirth, the possibility of faith is reawakened.
Measure for Measure is one of Shakespeare’s darker comedies thought to have been written at the height of his career just before a string of classic tragedies which include Othello, King Lear and Macbeth. The story begins with the Duke of Vienna, in our production a Duchess (Lucy Peacock), who decides to cede power to her deputy Angelo (Tom McCamus) in an effort to restore order and law to a society thought to be overrun with depravity and sexual licence. As one of his first ordinations, Angelo sentences a young man Claudio (Charlie Gallant) to death for fornication outside of marriage. Isabella (Michelle Giroux), Claudio’s sister and a nun in training, goes to Angelo to plead for her brother’s life. In response to Isabella’s plea for mercy Angelo offers her an impossible bargain; Claudio’s freedom in exchange for Isabella’s chastity. What follows is a struggle for justice and vindication in the face of extraordinary abuses of power and authority which seem torn from the headlines of our present day newscasts.
About Groundling Theatre Company
Founded in 2011 by acclaimed stage, TV and film actor Graham Abbey, Groundling Theatre Co. is a new Toronto based theatre company committed to producing imaginative, original and accessible productions of Shakespeare’s plays as well as works inspired by Shakespeare.
2016-11-22
Toronto: Groundling Theatre Company presents two Shakespeare plays in rep January 19-February 19