Stage Door News
Stage Door News
After successful productions in Edmonton, Saskatoon and Toronto, Beth Graham’s powerful family drama, The Gravitational Pull of Bernice Trimble, comes to Ottawa, running from September 20 to October 9. In her GCTC debut, Director Adrienne Wong leads a cast of newcomers to the company. Deena Aziz, Rachelle Casseus and Adrien Pyke are all making their GCTC debut, while Manon St. Jules returns after captivating audiences in The Boy in the Moon in 2014.
The plot takes flight when Bernice calls a family meeting to tell her three children she has early onset Alzheimer’s. But she only tells Iris, her middle child, the real secret. Now Iris is in charge of putting a life-altering plan into motion in this touching story about life, memories and the perfect casserole.
“This play balances the tragedy and comedy of every family’s struggle when it comes to an impasse. In this case, the hurdle of Alzheimer’s disease forces each person to see where they fit in the universe of Mom. It’s a powerful story, told with a delicate touch.” says Eric Coates, GCTC’s Artistic Director.
In addition to three productions in the last two years, The Gravitational Pull of Bernice Trimble is part of Prairie Theatre Exchange’s 2016-17 season — making it one of the most in-demand plays in Canada. It was a finalist for the 2015 Governor General’s Literary Award and received the Gwen Pharis Ringwood Award for Best New Play from the Alberta Literary Awards.
Other Events: GCTC will also be partnering with the Alzheimer’s Society of Ottawa and Renfrew County to present two different panels. The first panel, as part of our standard post-show talkback on September 29th, will field questions from the audience. Panelists will tackle some of the issues related to Alzheimer’s and the themes presented in the play.
On October 2 at 1pm, GCTC will be hosting a second panel discussion with the Alzheimer’s Society of Ottawa and Renfrew County to encourage deeper engagement with the play and the themes involved. Moderated by GCTC Artistic Director Eric Coates, panelists will speak from personal experience and delve into the effects of living with Alzheimer’s and memory-related conditions.
Performances Times
Performances begin at 8:00 p.m. Tuesday –Friday. Saturday performances begin at 4:00 p.m. & 8:30 p.m. Sunday matinee performances begin at 2:00 p.m. Pay-what-you-can performance on Sunday, March 6 at 2:00 p.m. and a post-performance talkback will take place on the main stage on Friday, March 11.
Tickets
Tickets are on sale now at GCTC’s Box Office at 1233 Wellington West at Holland, 613-236-5196 or www.gctc.ca. Regular ticket price range: $38 to $55. Rush Tickets $15 for students; $33 for adults. Tickets can be purchased in person from the GCTC Box Office after noon on the day of performance. Valid student ID required for Student Rush.
The Fritzi Gallery
From September 20 to October 9, the Great Canadian Theatre Company (GCTC) and The Ottawa School of Art (OSA) will present Tightrope, a dual-artist exhibit featuring the work of diploma Andie Clinton and Josh Sullivan at the Lorraine “Fritzi” Yale Gallery. A vernissage, with an opportunity to meet the artists, will take place Tuesday, September 20th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. GCTC’s partnership with the Ottawa School of Art is supported by Cube Gallery.
About GCTC
GCTC celebrates its 42nd season in 2016–17 we continue to foster, produce and promote excellent theatre that provokes examination of Canadian life and our place in the world. Now at the beginning of a 3-year strategic plan, GCTC aims to increase the diversity on it stages, diversify its audiences and deepen their experience. GCTC also continues to embrace artistic risk and to ensure a wide range of theatrical experiences.
Photo: Beth Graham. ©2013.
2016-09-12
Ottawa: New GCTC season opens September 20 with "The Gravitational Pull of Bernice Trimble"