Stage Door News
Stage Door News
Richard Rose, Artistic Director of Tarragon Theatre, is excited to announce the Canadian premiere of Girls Like That in the Mainspace this April. The season closes with this dynamic, harshly funny new work from former RBC Tarragon Emerging Playwright’s Prize-winner, Evan Placey, following a series of critically acclaimed productions in Europe. In its Canadian premiere, Girls Like That is directed by Tarragon’s Assistant Artistic Director Esther Jun. Girls Like That runs in Tarragon’s Mainspace April 17 - May 27, 2018 (opening April 25).
Girls Like That is an explosive new play that explores the evolution of feminist consciousness and modern female friendships in the wake of advancing technology. A naked photo of Scarlett goes viral. Rumours spread across smartphones like wildfire and her reputation becomes toxic, threatening to shatter the clique of girls she has grown up with. But how long can Scarlett remain silent? And why isn’t it the same for boys?
This is a story about girl-on-girl cyber bullying in high school that triggers a deeper examination of the complexity of modern female friendship and evolving definitions of feminist conscious as it’s been considered through recent decades.
Placey returns home from the UK with Girls Like That, asking audiences uncomfortable questions about the evolution of feminist conscious and exposing issues of gender equality. Why is a boy who’s naked photo makes the rounds a hero while a girl is vilified? Why is a girl a slut and a boy a hero? And who is perpetuating these identities? Often uncomfortable and honestly articulated, this is a play for teenagers living in an age of sexting and snaps - and parents watching it unfold.
“Evan Placey’s writing shrewdly sheds light on a contemporary conversation about female relationships, feminism and bullying,” notes Richard Rose. “We’re excited to bring Girls Like That and the conversations it sparks to Canadian audiences for the first time.”
The Canadian premiere of Girls Like That features an all female cast of Cynthia Jimenez-Hicks (Studio 180’s RBC Emerging Playwright, THEATRE: fu-GEN Theatre Company), Nadine Bhabha (FILM: Holiday Joy, Imposters; Trained at York University), Lucy Hill (THEATRE: Neptune Theatre, Imperial Theatre, Bad Dog Theatre), Tess Benger (THEATRE: Shaw Festival, Soulpepper, Canadian Stage), Rachel VanDuzer (THEATRE: Theatre Erindale), Shakura Dickson (THEATRE: Soulpepper, Obsidian Theatre, Cahoots Theatre, Outside the March) and Allison Edwards-Crewe (FILM: A Witches' Ball). Written by Evan Placey (Writers’ Guild Award for Girls Like That, RBC National Playwriting Competition Award for Mother of Him, THEATRE Canada: Scarberia at Young People’s Theatre; THEATRE UK: National Theatre, Out of Joint, the Unicorn, NYT and Stratford East), with direction by Tarragon’s Assistant Artistic Director Esther Jun (THEATRE: Soulpepper, Stratford Festival, Shaw Festival, Obsidian Theatre) and choreographed by Alyssa Martin (Artistic Director of Rock Bottom Movement, Toronto Dance Theatre’s Emerging Voices Project Resident, Kenny Pearl Award, DANCE: Ryerson University; THEATRE: Next Stage Theatre Festival, Citadel Theatre Young Musical Company).
Girls Like That runs April 17 - May 27, 2018, opening on Wednesday, April 25.
Girls Like That (Canadian premiere)
Mainspace
written by Evan Placey
directed by Esther Jun
choreographed by Alyssa Martin
featuring Tess Benger, Nadine Bhabha, Shakura Dickson, Allison Edwards-Crewe, Cynthia Jimenez-Hicks, Lucy Hill & Rachel VanDuzer
April 17 - May 27, 2018 (opening Wednesday, April 25)
Girls Like That is an explosive new play that explores the evolution of feminist consciousness and modern female friendships in the wake of advancing technology. A naked photo of Scarlett goes viral. Rumours spread across smartphones like wildfire and her reputation becomes toxic, threatening to shatter the clique of girls she has grown up with. But how long can Scarlett remain silent? And why isn’t it the same for boys?
CAST + CREW
written by Evan Placey
directed by Esther Jun
choreographer Alyssa Martin
set designer Shannon Lea Doyle
costume designer Ming Wong
lighting designer Kaileigh Krysztofiak
sound designer Miquelon Rodriguez
dialect coach Diane Pitblado
assistant director Helen Monroe
stage manager Marinda de Beer
apprentice stage manager Troy Taylor
starring Tess Benger, Nadine Bhabha, Shakura Dickson, Allison Edwards-Crewe, Cynthia Jimenez-Hicks, Lucy Hill & Rachel VanDuzer
Showtimes are Tuesday - Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 2:30pm, and select Saturdays at 2:30pm.
Tickets range from $22 - $60 and can be purchased online at www.tarragontheatre.com, or by phone at 416-531-1827. Discounts are available for seniors, students and groups and arts workers. Patrons under 35 & arts workers visit www.tarragontheatre.com/tarragon22.
Tarragon offers the most flexible subscription packages in the city with savings of up to 40%, allowing patrons to choose their productions, change their dates free of charge, and offering many different price points to suit all schedules and budgets. Visit the website or call Patron Services today for more information.
Rush tickets are sold for $20 cash only, in person at the theatre two hours before showtime. This year Tarragon will also be offering online rush tickets at varying discounts, 24h prior to the show. Both Rush ticket options are subject to availability.
For more information on Tarragon’s events and activities, visit www.tarragontheatre.com/calendar.
Photo: Saskia Muller, Brittney Wilson and Thia McDowell. ©2017 Jim Ryce.
2018-03-23
Toronto: The Tarragon Theatre presents the Canadian premiere of "Girls Like That" April 17-May 27