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Posts Tagged ‘Festival Players’

AMELIA EARHART IN OTTAWA

Saturday, September 10th, 2011

amelia-earhart-goes-to-ottawa For the month of September, Ottawa is going to see a lot of Amelia Earhart. Eliza-Jane Scott stars as iconic aviatrix Amelia Earhart in this new musical, written by John Gray (who wrote the well-known Billy Bishop Goes to War). After another successful run of the show in Prince Edward County this past summer, the Festival Players production of Amelia: The Girl Who Wants to Fly begins September 13th and runs through to October 2nd, 2011, at the Great Canadian Theatre Company in Ottawa.

In 1930’s America the celebrity machine of the day created an idol whose image resonates even now, 70+ years after her death. Amelia Earhart…Why did she want to fly? Where did she come from and how did she become who she was? Gray’s examination of this infamous figure is part biography, part romance, part comedy and part musical. We’re taken along for the ride. And what a thrilling ride it is.

“What an honour, truly. The talent onstage and behind the scenes is immense. The play is a love letter to history, steeped in nostalgia of the period. ” says Artistic Director Sarah Phillips who heads this production. “Of course we all know the name, Amelia Earhart – but what do we know of her really? It’s been fascinating bringing John Gray’s version of this celebrity flier to life.”

The group brought together to work on this show isbrilliant: Eliza-Jane Scott (Festival Players, Stratford Festival, Stage West) plays the title role of Amelia Earhart, Karin Randoja (Buddies in Bad Times, Caravan Farm Theatre, National Arts Centre) plays her earth-bound sister Midge and Steven Gallagher (Grand Theatre, Canadian Stage Company, Driftwood Theatre Company) her publicist turned husband. The trio is joined onstage by music director and pianist Michael Barber (Theatre Aqaurius, Mirvish, Stratford Festival) and Sarah Phillips, Artistic Director of Festival Players, directs.

Amelia: The Girl Who Wants to Fly plays from September 13th – October 2nd, 2011 at the Great Canadian Theatre Company. Check out the GCTC the website for schedule details, www.gctc.ca.

Media contact: Sarah Phillips or Lisa Sterling
sarah@festivalplayers.ca or lisa@festivalplayers.ca
613.399.5677

Playwright Leanna Brodie Stars in The Book of Esther

Tuesday, July 19th, 2011

Mt. Tabor Playhouse, Prince Edward County, Ontario

leanna-brodie1

Leanna Brodie has never been onstage in one of her own shows before. But all that is about to change. The playwright, who penned the audience favourite Schoolhouse, produced by Festival Players in 2009, is excited about performing in her own piece. 

 

“I’m not sure what I expected, acting in my own play,” laughs playwright Leanna Brodie. “I can now see that the part of your brain that acts out stories is not the same part that makes them up from scratch! I don’t even think those parts of the brain know each other’s address! But I can tell you one thing: when I’m up there, talking to Roger or Abbee or Mark or Gord, everything gets very still in my head, because all of my attention is on them and on getting what my character wants from them. I’m not acting their parts, only my own. And that’s kind of wonderful, just being one piece of the story.”

 

The Book of Esther is a heart-warming play, challenging and humourous. June 1981. Toronto’s first Pride Day. The farm crisis. Charles and Di. Everything’s changing, including 15-year-old Esther, who has just run away from home. In this intensely personal exploration of the urban/rural divide, a stoic farmer, his conservative Christian wife, a middle-aged gay man in Toronto and a young street hustler are thrown together with one thing in common…Esther. Esther Dalzell. And yep…it’s a love story.

  

Joining Ms. Brodie on stage this summer are veteran Stratford actors, Gordon Miller and Roger Shank and newcomers/youngsters Abigail Fernandes and Mark Rotil. Director Brad Rudy, also familiar to Stratford and Blyth audiences, takes the helm.

For ticket and schedule information about the 2011 season visit www.festivalplayers.ca or call 613.471.1991/1.866.584.1991.

AMELIA EARHART IN PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY

Friday, August 6th, 2010

eliza-jane-scott-as-amelia-earhart_web

Prince Edward County, ON, (July 28, 2010): For the month of August, Prince Edward County is going to see a lot of Amelia Earhart. The Festival Players production of Amelia: The Girl Who Wants to Fly begins August 4th and runs through to August 28th. Eliza-Jane Scott stars as iconic aviatrix Amelia Earhart in this new musical, written by John Gray (who wrote the well-known Billy Bishop Goes to War). The show opens on Wednesday, August 4th at 6:30pm, playing under a grand tent in the fields behind the Waring House in Picton.

In 1930’s America the celebrity machine of the day created an idol whose image resonates even now, 70+ years after her death. Amelia Earhart…Why did she want to fly? Where did she come from and how did she become who she was? Gray’s examination of this infamous figure is part biography, part romance, part comedy and part musical. We’re taken along for the ride. And what a thrilling ride it is.

“What an honour, truly. The talent onstage and behind the scenes is immense. The play is a love letter to history, steeped in nostalgia of the period. ” says Artistic Director Sarah Phillips who heads this production. “Of course we all know the name, Amelia Earhart – but what do we know of her really? It’s been fascinating bringing John Gray’s version of this celebrity flier to life.”

The group brought together to work on this show is brilliant: Eliza-Jane Scott (Festival Players, Stratford Festival, Stage West) plays the title role of Amelia Earhart, Karin Randoja (Buddies in Bad Times, Caravan Farm Theatre, National Arts Centre) plays her earth-bound sister Midge and Christopher Sawchyn (Canadian Stage, Citadel, Canadian Opera Company) her publicist turned husband. The trio is joined onstage by music director and pianist Michael Barber (Theatre Aqaurius, Mirvish, Stratford Festival) and Sarah Phillips, Artistic Director of Festival Players, directs.

Amelia: The Girl Who Wants to Fly plays from August 4th – August 28th. Check the website for schedule details, www.festivalplayers.ca. Tickets can be purchased in person at Books & Company, 289 Main St, Picton, by phone at 613.471.1991, 1.866.584.1991 or online at www.countytix.ca. Seating is limited so it’s best to purchase in advance.

Media contact:
Sarah Phillips or Yorrick da Silva
sarah@festivalplayers.ca
yorrick@festivalplayers.ca
613.399.5677

Local Residents are Maple Winners!

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009

resizeforblogWinning ballots were drawn following the recent Maple in the County festival held on March 28 & 29 in Prince Edward County and prizes were presented on Monday, April 20, at Flowers N’ Such by representatives of Taste the County and Festival Players of Prince Edward County.

Congratulations to Kerry Reynolds and Lynda and Don Hopkins, winners of a Maple in the County gift basket containing an assortment of delicious maple goodies, food and wine.

Also congratulations to Diane Hubbs, winner of a Festival Players of Prince Edward County Flex Pass. Diane will enjoy three plays in July and August; Ship of Fire, Schoolhouse and Colours in the Storm.

You can pick up your Festival Players Flex Pass at the Festival Players of Prince Edward County office located at 15786 Loyalist Pkwy., Bloomfield, 613.399.5677.

If you would like to participate in Maple in the County 2010 please contact Grace Nyman, Taste the County, 613.393.2796 or grace.taste@bellnet.ca.

Theatre Lovers Take Note

Thursday, December 4th, 2008

festivalplayerslaunchLast night I attended the Festival Players of Prince Edward County 2009 Season Launch at Books & Company. On hand were actors and musicians from the troupe who entertained the crowd with excerpts and songs from the three plays planned for next summer. In the pipeline are: Ship of Fire, Colours in the Storm and Schoolhouse. The line up looks great and the plays are scheduled to run for a longer period of time (July 8 to August 23, 2009) than last year.

It is so wonderful to see the bounty of talent that there is in the County. I’ve decided to include a Flex Pass on my Christmas list. At $67 (25% off the price of three regular tickets), it’s a great deal! (To get your own, or for more information, head to the box office at Books & Co. in downtown Picton.)

Wishing Festival Players much success for the upcoming season!