Stage Door News
Stage Door News
Graham Abbey has announced Festival Players' full lineup for the 2018 theatre season that will run from July-September in Picton and Wellington. In his first season officially at the helm as Artistic Director, Abbey has assembled some of Canada’s finest actors, playwrights, directors and designers to bring five different shows to life in Prince Edward County this summer.
“I am absolutely thrilled to announce this extraordinary company of artists who will come to play with us in The County this season,” commented Abbey. “From iconic Canadian recording artists, to classical theatre and Broadway veterans, we have assembled a stellar line-up of stars from our great Canadian stages, re-imagining award-winning Canadian scripts in a brand new Studio Theatre and two historic County venues.”
The 2018 season kicks off in July with a one-night-only event, Songbook: Steven Page with the Art of Time Ensemble. Page, founder and former leader of the legendary band Barenaked Ladies, joins Toronto’s highly inventive ensemble for an evening of seminal songs by Randy Newman, Radiohead, Elvis Costello, Barenaked Ladies, Leonard Cohen, Page himself, and more. These gems are reimagined and reinvented by some of Canada’s greatest writers in classical, pop, and jazz, and delivered by a defining voice in contemporary rock. Songbook is chamber music for the modern era. Festival Players is thrilled to work in association with The Regent Theatre to present this exiting event.
In July, the village of Wellington becomes home to the members of the Festival Players Academy for Young Actor Training. Eleven young actors have been given the extraordinary opportunity of working with acclaimed Actor/Director, Bruce Dow, through two weeks of intensive professional training that will culminate in two showcase performances on July 21. The Academy includes two local actresses, Kelli-Ann Maycock and Fiona Dodsworth, along with youth from Kingston, Peterborough, Toronto and Southwestern Ontario.
On July 26, 27 and 28, Dow then takes to the stage himself at the Wellington United Church in the premiere of his new comedic, yet touching one-man-musical, A Funny Proposition. Having mastered the fine art of cabaret, Dow invites you to join a poor, lost soul traveling along the highway of life as he comes face-to-face with those events we can never anticipate. Heralded as fearless, intimate and energetic, Dow’s melodic performances are not to be missed.
The season continues to heat up on August 1st as Festival Players opens the doors to their new Studio Theatre on Main Street Wellington with a new production of Michael Healey’s award-winning drama The Drawer Boy. The beautifully reimagined and expanded Studio Theatre will play a vital role in the future growth of Festival Players by broadening its scope and ability to attract unique programiming while providing a space for community arts activities. Directed by Graham Abbey, The Drawer Boy will feature Canadian theatre veterans Benedict Campbell (Over 25 seasons at the Stratford Festival and Shaw Festival, National Arts Centre) and John Dolan (Stratford Festival, four-time Dora Award nominee) performing on the intimate Studio Theatre stage. A truly iconic Canadian script, The Drawer Boy won the Dora Award, Chalmers Award and Governor General’s Award for best play. This production will run until August 18th, with a special appearance by playwright Michael Healey on Monday August 13th for a script reading and Q&A.
Festival Players heads back to Picton from August 22nd to September 2nd, 2018 as The Regent Theatre plays host to a two-week run of the international smash hit play Blind Date starring Christy Bruce as the vivacious and hilarious Mimi. Experience all of the exhilaration and excitement of new love as Mimi goes on a blind date with a different man every night – plucked right out of the audience! Festival Players is thrilled to host two added special performances of this brilliant fusion of clown, improv, theatre and social experiment featuring creator Rebecca Northan as Mimi to celebrate Blind Date’s 900th show.
To round out the season, from September 4th – 23rd, Festival Players brings together an incredible cast and artistic team to create a new production of Daniel MacIvor’s A Beautiful View. This production, helmed by acclaimed director Andrea Donaldson (Tarragon Theatre, Nightwood Theatre), and featuring Maev Beaty (multiple Dora Award-winner, Stratford veteran) and Liisa Repo-Martell (Gemini Award-winner, Stratford, Souplepper) will play at the Studio Theatre in Wellington. A Beautiful View is one of MacIvor’s most celebrated plays: full of warmth, wisdom and a quirky sense of humour that reveals the contours of the close relationship between two women. Click HERE for the list of confirmed talent to date and their bios.
Festival Players is most grateful to our sponsors including the 2018 Season Presenting Sponsor, Huff Estates Winery, who are joined by Production Sponsors BMO Financial Group and Elizabeth Crombie Royal LePage ProAlliance Realty and The Grange of Prince Edward. The Season is supported in part by The Government of Canada, The Government of Ontario, The Ontario Arts Council, Prince Edward County, and The Great Waterway.
Tickets for all events are on sale now and range from $36-$42 with senior and youth pricing as well as subscription packages available. Tickets for Songbook: Steven Page and the Art of Time Ensemble as well as Blind Date are also available through the Regent Theatre Box Office at www.theregenttheatre.org.
ABOUT FESTIVAL PLAYERS
Festival Players of Prince Edward County is the region's professional summer theatre company, having presented a variety of live theatre experiences in unique County locations for the past 12 years. 2018 marks veteran actor, director and producer Graham Abbey’s first official season in the role of Artistic Director.
Festival Players 2018 Season Includes:
Festival Players Presents
Songbook: Steven Page with the Art of Time Ensemble
Featuring Steven Page (singer), Benjamin Bowman (violin), Andrew Burashko (piano), Peter Lutek (saxophone), Joseph Phillips (bass), Rob Piltch (guitar), and Rachel Pomedi (cello)
Thursday, July 12th, 2018 - 7:30 pm
The Regent Theatre, 224 Main Street Picton
Presented in association with The Regent Theatre Presents
Festival Players Presents
A Funny Proposition
Created and performed by Bruce Dow
The Wellington United Church, 243 Main Street Wellington
The Drawer Boy
By Michael Healey
Directed by Graham Abbey
Starring Benedict Campbell and John Dolan
August 1st – August 18th, 2018 - 7:30 pm with 2:00 pm matinees
With special appearance by playwright Michael Healey on August 13th
The Studio Theatre, 310 Main Street Wellington
A Festival Players Production
Festival Players Presents
Blind Date
Starring Christy Bruce
A Spontaneous Theatre creation by Rebecca Northan
August 22nd to September 2nd, 2018 - 7:30 pm
The Regent Theatre, 224 Main Street Picton
Presented in association with The Regent Theatre Presents
A Beautiful View
By Daniel MacIvor
Directed by Andrea Donaldson
Starring Maev Beaty and Liisa Repo-Martell
September 2-September 23, 2018 - 7:30 pm with 2:00 pm matinees
The Studio Theatre, 310 Main Street Wellington
A Festival Players Production
Ticket Information:
Single tickets $36-$42
3-Ticket Subscriptions Available for $116
Senior and Youth Pricing Available
Tickets are available through the Festival Players Box Office:
www.festivalplayers.ca / 613-476-1991 / boxoffice@festivalplayers.ca
Phone sales are available between 12-5pm weekdays. In person service begins mid-June.
Tickets for Songbook: Steven Page with the Art of Time Ensemble and Blind Date are also available through the Regent Theatre Box Office:
www.theregenttheatre.org / (613) 476-8416;28
Open Monday to Saturday 12pm-3pm
Social Media for Festival Players:
Twitter/Instagram: @FestivalPlayers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/FestivalPlayers
2018-05-17
Wellington: The full 2018 summer season of the Festival Players of Prince Edward County is announced