NEW IDEAS FESTIVAL 2010: Week Three Program
WEEK THREE: Wednesday March 24 to Saturday March 27, 2010
- SLEEPER by Anna Ross • Directed by Tom Haxell
- WHO IS LIESERL? by Flora Stohr-Danziger • Directed by Annie MacMillan
- HEAT by Michael G. Wilmot • Directed by Florence Ballard
- PRISONERS by Trina Brooks • Directed by Andrew Freund
- BUFF by Catherine Frid • Directed by Daniella Marchese
STAGED READING: Saturday March 27 at Noon
- WEIGHTLESS by Kelsey Blair • Directed by Ramona Gilmour-Darling*
ENVIA! A New Show Each Week
- ENVIA! BAR by Kelly DuMar • Directed by Jessica Beaulieau
THE SHOWS: March 24 - 27, 2010
ENVIA! Bar
A performance artist probes her raison d'être by performing her quirky, spontaneous, poignant, energetic and hilarious pseudo-improvisational autobiography in three theatrical scenes from her unusual life.
| Playwright: | Kelly Dumar |
| Director: | Jessica Beaulieu |
| Stage Manager: | Catherine Owen |
| Cast: | Briana Templeton |
| Running Time: | 10 Minutes |
Biographies
KELLY DuMAR Playwright, ENVIA!
Kelly DuMar is a playwright, psychodramatist and Playback Theatre Artist from Boston whose plays have been produced around the U.S. She is developing her series of comic monologues into a one-woman show: ENVIA! Autobiography of a Performance Artist. Most recently, Kelly's short romantic comedy, No Strings, about two misfits who meet their soul mates in a parking garage by reading oil spots like Rorschach ink blots, has been performed in Boston and NYC - it's also a short screenplay. Kelly's full-length drama, Weekend at the Dreaming Cloud, won the Susan McIntyre Play Festival, Yellow Taxi Productions, 2008. Go to: www.diarydoor.typepad.com/stagedoor
JESSICA BEAULIEU Director, ENVIA!
Selected Credits: High Fidelity (Assistant Director), Politically Correct Bedtime Stories (Director, Playwright), The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine (Ernestine), Conjoined Skins (Co-director), The King Stag (Director), A Dream Play (Stage Manager), Aria da Capo (Lighting Designer). Jessica is a graduate of the University College Drama program and the Artistic Director of The Pheasant Pluckers Mates Theatre Company. Last summer, she directed and adapted Politically Correct Bedtime Stories for the Toronto Fringe Festival, which was selected as the Patron's Pick and Best of the Fest. She also performs weekly improv shows with Vanguard Comedy Theatre. Jessica's ultimate goal: To shake Jack Nicholson's hand.
CATHERINE OWEN Stage Manager, ENVIA!
Catherine Owen recently graduated from the University of Toronto's University College Drama Program. She is thrilled to be working as a mate of the Pheasant Plucker again. Previous Plucker's credits: Stage management for Gozzi's The King Stag and The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine by Leah Cherniak, Robert Morgan and Martha Ross and stage management for the 2009 Toronto Fringe hit Politically Correct Bedtime Stories. Other selected credits: Stage management for the red light district's Le Misanthrope directed by Johanna Schall, Ivona, Princess of Burgundia, and Titus Andronicus; stage management for Theatre Recap's Witch Hazel and The Last Lighthouse; stage management for Islet production's How Sweet it is.
BRIANA TEMPLETON Envia, ENVIA!
Briana Templeton is a Toronto based theatre artist and recent graduate of the University of Toronto's University College Drama Program. She is a co-founder of the Pheasant Plucker's Mates theatre company and has performed in their productions of Politically Correct Bedtime Stories and The King Stag. Other recent stage credits include: Guantanamo Hotels & Resorts (Pandemic Theatre), Ivona, Princess of Burgundia (The Red Light District), I <3 Future (Il Piccolo Teatro di Milano), Methusalem; or The Eternal Bourgeois (The Red Light District), The Robbers (UCDP).
SLEEPER
Sleeper challenges the boundaries between the conscious and the unconscious, the real and the imagined. Five patients. One doctor. A clinical study examining the question: do we share a collective unconscious? When we dream, do we dream alone?
Sleeper: (L-R) Candi Zell, Warren Bain, Merryn Renshaw, Rylan O'Reilly & Cassie Muise • Photo by Blair Kay
| Playwright: | Anna Ross |
| Director: | Tom Haxell |
| Stage Manager: | Blair Kay |
| Cast: | Warren Bain Allison Cantalini Evan Dowling Cassie Muise Rylan O'Reilly Merryn Renshaw Candi Zell |
| Running Time: | 20 Minutes |
Sleeper: (L-R) Candi Zell, Warren Bain, Merryn Renshaw, Rylan O'Reilly & Cassie Muise • Photo by Blair Kay
Biographies - Sleeper
ANNA ROSS Playwright, Sleeper
Anna is a Drama Specialist from the University of Toronto. Recently, her play Baby Shower won at a festival of short plays at Theatre Acadia. She is very excited to see Sleeper on the Alumnae Theatre stage and thanks the actors, director, and stage manager for all of their hard work. In addition to playwriting, Anna acts in film/television and theatre. Some of her recent credits include principle roles in Theatre Etobicoke's The Amorous Ambassador and Vinsha Productions feature-length film The Strip Mall, as well as a lead role in Poculi Ludique Societa's A Child Shall Be Born.
WARREN BAIN Actor, Sleeper
Warren is thrilled to join the cast of Sleeper as Patient Four. Theatre credits include Jack in Funny Business: The Musical (Good Company); Adam in Far From The Heart (Sheatre); Lucentio in The Taming of the Shrew, Provost in Measure for Measure (St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival); The Chaplain in Mother Courage (RTS); Janitor in Gameshow: The Musical (Toronto Fringe Festival 2008 / Diesel Playhouse). He is a graduate of the Ryerson Theatre School BFA-Acting Program, is an alumni of Wexford School of the Arts and is one part of the Bain & Bernard Comedy duo (bainandbernard.com). Upcoming: Malcolm in Macbeth (SLSF).
EVAN DOWLING Actor, Sleeper
Evan is a recent graduate of the Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts and has been keeping busy ever since thanks to the training and support he's received. He'd like to thank his friends and family for constant support and for pushing him to better himself every day.
TOM HAXELL Director, Sleeper
Tom Haxell is a director/actor who resides in Toronto. Previous work includes: A Glendale Christmas (Director, Dodo Productions), The Three Birds (RTS), Mother Courage (RTS), Dark City Street (Hamilton Fringe) and Waiting for Godot (H&H Productions). Tom is very proud to be given the chance to debut this new work by Anna Ross. He would to thank his family and friends for their continued support.
BLAIR KAY Stage Manager, Sleeper
Blair Kay is a Toronto-based writer-actor-director who also dabbles in music, photography and conveniently enough, stage management. A proud graduate from the University of Guelph's Theatre program, Blair has written, directed and produced three of her own productions in Guelph, including two one-acts (FLUSH!, I Heart You) and a collective creation (Surviving Fantomina). Last May she was awarded the J Percy Smith Prize, which was presented to her by Christopher Plummer. She recently appeared in Dating Yourself (Write NOW! Festival). Upcoming shows include a modern musical adaptation of Shakespeare entitled The Dream, at the Walmer Centre Theatre in April.
CASSIE MUISE Actor, Sleeper
Cassie is very excited to be a part of Sleeper. Originally from Nova Scotia, she is a proud graduate of the Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts. Select credits include: The Vagina Monologues (Vday Toronto), Curious and Unusual Deaths (Discovery Channel), Beauty and the Beast (Silvermist), and Mad Mission to Mars (Kennedy Space Center). She would like to thank: the cast and production team for their hard work and for being awesome, Anna for sharing her new idea, and a special thank you to her family, who always help make her dreams come true.
RYLAN O'REILLY Actor, Sleeper
Rylan is a recent graduate of the Ryerson Theatre School and is thrilled to be part of the New Ideas festival. Some of Rylan's past credits include roles in Mother Courage and Her Children, A Midsummer Nights Dream, Bent, Tales From the Vienna Woods, Clown, Of Mice and Men, Babel Rap, Maggie Among Misery and The Three Birds. Rylan would like to thank the whole cast and crew for a wonderful theatre experience.
MERRYN RENSHAW Actor, Sleeper
Merryn is excited to be part of the New Ideas Festival and to work with Tom again for the first time since high school! Merryn is a graduate of the University of Windsor's BFA Acting program and has also trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (London, UK). Enjoy the show!
CANDI ZELL Actor, Sleeper
Acting is Candi's passion in life. She has performed in numerous Toronto Fringe Festival productions, films, voice recordings and television productions, including YTV's System Crash, and TV Ontario's membership campaign. Candi was privileged and honoured to play the rewarding and memorable role of Hanna in The Book of Ruth. Some of her other favourite theatre roles include Boo Levy in The Last Night of Ballyhoo, Marilla in Anne (of Green Gables), and Claire in Kiss the Moon Kiss the Sun. Candi is thrilled to be playing Patient #1 in Sleeper. She thanks Tom for giving her this wonderful opportunity and everyone involved in the production for their help and support.
WHO IS LIESERL?
Einstein's first wife, Mileva Maric, has a fall. While in the hospital, the injury to her head causes her troubled mind to reveal a hidden secret. A sympathetic young nurse fights for her, to help solve the mystery.
WHO IS LIESERL?: (L-R) Monica Nunes & Aileen Taylor-Smith • Laura K. MacDonald & Monica Nunes • Laura K. MacDonald, Franz Robinow, Aileen Taylor-Smith & Monica Nunes • Photos by Anne MacMillan
| Playwright: | Flora Stohr-Danziger |
| Director: | Anne MacMillan |
| Stage Manager: | Carol Brailey |
| Cast: | Laura K. MacDonald Monica Nunes Franz Robinow Aileen Taylor-Smith* |
| Running Time: | 35 Minutes |
Biographies - Who is Lieserl?
FLORA STOHR-DANZIGER Playwright, Who is Lieserl?
Born in Namibia, lived in South Africa, moved to Toronto for a postgraduate scholarship. After 20 years as a child psychologist devote my time to writing and painting. The NIF produced four previous plays (Finale, My Red Feather Boa, Not A Still Life, Eulalie and the Great March). Who Is Lieserl? was developed in the New Play Development group with invaluable dramaturgical input from Molly Thom and supportive input from fellow members. Special thanks to director Annie MacMillan for her patience, generosity and long distance involvement. Member of Playwrights Guild and The Arts and Letters Club of Toronto.
CAROL BRAILEY Stage Manager, Who is Lieserl?
Carol is thrilled to be making her stage management debut with Who is Lieserl?. She recently became a member of Alumnae Theatre and was a scenic painter on the set of Hay Fever. By day Carol manages the project management office for an organization implementing Canada's cancer control strategy. She is very excited to learn more about theatre life and thanks Annie for her guidance and support on this production. Mondli: my joy, thank you!
LAURA K. MacDONALD Actor, Who is Lieserl?
Laura is delighted to be a part of the wonderful Who is Lieserl? cast in her first appearance on the Alumnae Theatre stage. A recent graduate of the University of Toronto Mississauga and Sheridan College Theatre and Drama Studies program, Laura has been busy exploring the theatre and film worlds of Toronto. Some favourite credits include Monique in Bonjour la, Bonjour, and Edith in A New Life at Theatre Erindale; Anne in A Freckle Flicker, at the Toronto Fringe and Daughter in her one woman show Hello, My Name is Daughter.
ANNE MacMILLAN Director, Who is Lieserl?
Annie is very pleased to have the opportunity to direct this fascinating historical play by the charming Flora Stohr-Danziger. Some of Annies credits: Directed On Tour Off Broadway (SSDC), Serge Sirois' Apple Trees in Bloom (UBU Rep). Series of plays at Neighbourhood Playhouse, NY several plays for The Womens Project, NY. Villager Award: O'Neil Sea Plays. Mimi's Story (PAL). Wrote City Streets After 9/11 for Pen & Brush, NY and Adventures of M. Maurice, Dragon Memories. Wrote Bells are Ringing (Alumnaes Write Now). Played leading roles at LORT, Broadway, Kennedy Centre, PDG, Coconut Grove, NJ Shakespeare, Guthrie, UK & National Tours.
MONICA NUNES Actor, Who is Lieserl?
Monica is very happy to be a part of Who is Lieserl? and to be involved with the New Ideas Festival for the first time. Recently, she performed in draft89's John/Yoko Bed Piece at the Toronto Centre for the Arts. Offstage, Monica thinks about the links between arts and community health and is currently completing internships at Jumblies Theatre and Mixed Company Theatre.
FRANZ ROBINOW Actor, Who is Lieserl?
Franz is happy to be Mr Besso in Who is Lieserl? (Week Three) and Premier Krushchev in The Flying Avro Arrow for New Ideas. New York credits include Jean Louis, a French thug in NBC-TV's Search for Tomorrow; Robert, a Russian KGB Agent, in ABC-TV's One Life To Live; Gottschalk's father in The Great Gottschalk with Ben Vereen (dir. Tom O'Horgan). Toronto, previously: several Hart House roles such as the Doctor in The Father, the Priest/Undertaker in A Scent Of Flowers. He has worked with directors Bob Gill, Bill Glasgow, and David Gardner. Played the Bachelor in a Russian production of The Marriage (Zhenitba).
AILEEN TAYLOR-SMITH* Actor, Who is Lieserl?
Aileen has performed and directed in theatres in Ontario, New Brunswick and Manitoba as well as being seen and heard on TV and radio. She has worked at The Crest, Hart House, Red Barn, Phoenix, Sudbury, Barrie, Windsor theatres and Huron Country Playhouse where she acted and directed for more than 10 summer seasons. She considered herself retired until New Ideas Festival offered this exciting opportunity to become Mileva Maric Einstein.
HEAT
Two young people stumble under a highway overpass groping and grasping at each other looking for a 'quickie'.
| Playwright: | Michael G. Wilmot |
| Director: | Florence Ballard |
| Stage Manager: | Kate Peters |
| Cast: | Hugh Buller David J. Phillips Margaret Thompson Michael Wilmot |
| Running Time: | 10 Minutes |
Biographies - Heat
MICHAEL G. WILMOT Playwright, Heat
Michael lives in London, Ontario and has been writing for a number of years now after spending nearly twenty years on air at various radio stations. He began by writing material for Jay Leno's Tonight Show monologue and Kevin Nealon's Saturday Night Live Weekend Update segment, then moved into playwriting when his first one-act play won numerous awards at the London One Act Festival and was nominated for a Brickenden Award in the 'Outstanding Original Script' category. Since then his works have been presented in New York City, Toronto and London England. In June of 2010, his play Love Shack will debut at the Port Stanley Festival Theatre. Michael is a member of the Playwrights Guild of Canada. He is very proud to have his work chosen for this year's New Ideas Festival.
FLORENCE BALLARD Director, Heat
Florence Ballard is an accomplished improviser having worked with The Loose Moose Theatre in Calgary, Spilt Milk in Victoria, Vancouver Theatre Sports and Second City Toronto. She trained at UVic and then worked in Theatre Inconnus Shakespeare Repertory Company for six seasons. Most recent theatre projects include: Iphigenia at her Funeral and Southern Belle at New Ideas, The All Nude Winston Churchill Review at The Poor Alex, Scary Stories at the Workman Theatre, and Comedy of Errors for Repercussion Theatres Canada and US tour. Writing credits include The Secret Self Loathing of Florence Nightingale, Crayons Never Lie, Bottoms Up and Biological Clockwork Orange.
HUGH BULLER Actor, Heat
Still relatively new to Toronto, this is Hugh's first year performing at the N.I.F. He was previously seen on Alumnae's mainstage as Mr. Denny in Pride and Prejudice. Prior credits in Ottawa: the title role of The Cripple of Inishmaan (Tara Players); Le Chevalier Danceny in Third Wall Theatre Company's production of Dangerous Liaisons, and Jansen in Halo (New World Theatre Company). Hugh trained at Canterbury High School for the Arts, and took a brief but in-depth course focused on the works of Shakespeare at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He briefly attended George Brown College, and most recently has been branching out into film, taking classes at the Sears and Switzer Acting Studio.
KATE PETERS Stage Manager, Heat
Kate is privileged and decidedly mad to be stage managing two plays for this year's New Idea Festival. Last year she displayed similar insanity when she stage managed two Fringe shows, one of which won Patrons Pick and the other of which was good! Kate is honored to be working closely with both her talented directors, Valary Cook and Florence Ballard, and especially excited to be working with the author of Catcher, Mike Johnston. It is a stage manager's dream to work with good actors who are professional and courageous and Kate wants to send special love to Margaret for her daring and integrity. A special thank you to her new cast members, Hugh Buller and Peter Higginson. She considers herself most fortunate to work with some of the best new and seasoned talent NIF has seen in years.
DAVID J. PHILLIPS Actor, Heat
David received a BFA in Acting from the Theatre Program of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. That was in 1978. After a season or two of playing very thin, very quirky, very young men, there fell the Dark Years, from which he emerged to find himself a scholar of communications, media, and information studies. He is now Associate Professor of Information at the University of Toronto. He's happy to be returning to the New Ideas Festival.
MARGARET THOMPSON Actor, Heat
Margaret is a graduate of The Central School of Speech and Drama (London, UK) and Concordia University's BFA Theatre Performance program (Montreal). Most recently, she appeared in John/Yoko Bed Piece at the Toronto Centre for the Arts. Selected theatre credits: Iphigenia in Iphigenia at her Funeral (Alumnae Theatre), Hastings in Richard III and Rosalind in As You Like It (Shakespeare in the Square), Cassandra in The Trojan Women (Canopy Theatre Company), Juliet in Romeo & Juliet (directed by Alexander Marine of the Moscow Art Theatre) and Joyce in the London (UK) premiere of John Mighton's Possible Worlds. In addition to acting, Margaret has worked as Morris Panych's Script Supervisor on Benevolence (Tarragon Theatre) and has recently made her directorial debut with Lonely House: Songs of Kurt Weill (Mezzanine Toronto). Margaret is delighted to be back at the New Ideas Festival and would like to thank the Alumnae Theatre, Florence, Kate, Hugh & David for their continued support through this journey
PRISONERS
What happens when two people as opposite as can be, with wildly different life experiences and views, are locked up together in a prison cell during wartime? Gretchen and Michael must decide whether to face death with honour or fight like hell against it.
| Playwright: | Trina Brooks |
| Director: | Andrew Freund |
| Asst Dir/Stage Mgr: | David Suszek |
| Cast: | Carlos Finch Doug Mclauchlan Joanne Williams |
| Running Time: | 25 Minutes |
Biographies - Prisoners
TRINA BROOKS Playwright, Prisoners
Trina spent most of her theatre career on the stage as an actor in Toronto and theatre school in London, England. She recently switched to writing to bring to the stage the characters she wanted to see and to tell the stories she wanted to hear. Prisoners is the piece closest to her heart, and she is thrilled to see it make its way to the stage.
CARLOS FINCH Actor, Prisoners
Carlos was born in Toronto and raised in Toronto and NYC. A graduate of York University, he has also studied with Ginger Howard Friedman and the very talented staff at Big Voice Studios. Theatre credits include the Beast (Beauty and The Beast) and One (In Transit). Carlos is thrilled to be a part of this fantastic production. A big thank you to his family and friends for nurturing and encouraging his dreams. Paciencia y Fe!!!
ANDREW FREUND Director, Prisoners
Andrew's credits as a director include Vote by Ballot by Harley Granville Barker (2004 Shaw Festival Director's Project); Farewell to the Theatre by Granville Barker (Vox Theatrix Co-Op); Continuum by Stephen Near and Random by Victoria Dawe (Alumnae New Ideas); Cymbeline (ACT-CO THEA Award for Best Director) and Marvin's Room (Amicus Productions, Toronto). Andrew has spent a season at the Shaw Festival including assistant director of Man and Superman and four seasons at the Stratford Festival including assistant director of Elizabeth Rex by Timothy Findley. Andrew holds an MBA, BFA and BA.
DOUG McLAUCHLAN Actor, Prisoners
Doug is a very lucky actor. Once again he is working with a superb ensemble. He began and continues to perform as his silent clown, Komuso. Over the last fifteen years on the Fringe circuit he has produced as writer and performer eight shows in ten cities from Austin to Manotick. This summer he will hit five cities finishing in July in Toronto and Hamilton with his play, Saucy Jack. Be sure to see it!
DAVID SUSZEK Assistant Director/Stage Manager, Prisoners
After a long hiatus from stage management, David goes full circle to the start of his theatre journey. Between these two points, he has acted (selected include Puzzled Man at New Ideas, Living with RIck at the Fringe, The Seagull at SummerWorks), done improv (That Friday Show), clowned (Clown Chowder), and written and directed (The Spirituality of Man, Bad Dog Theatre). David is happy to be learning some new directing moves from Andrew and happy to be working with this talented ensemble.
JOANNE WILLIAMS Actor, Prisoners
Joanne holds a degree in Drama and English from Queen's University and works for Prologue to the Performing Arts and The Canadian Stage Company. She has directed The Vagina Monologues (Queen's, 2004) and a staged reading of You Are Here, and acting coached for Single Thread Theatre in Kingston. Acting credits include Prisoners (playing in the 3rd week of the New Ideas Festival), Ritual Refuge (SummerWorks Performance Gallery), A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant, & A Prayer (VDay Toronto 2009), Veronika Decides to Die, (Darkroom Theatre), and the experimental film Milo. Other credits include stage manager for Dirty Girls (Toronto Fringe 2009) and A Little Patch (New Ideas Festival 2009). Thanks to Norman, Liz, and the cast for their skill and openness; and to the producers for their dedication.
BUFF
In this hilarious romp through Canadian-US relations, ageism and sex, the Smithsonian has a relic that a Canadian history buff will sacrifice everything to repatriate.
| Playwright: | Catherine Frid |
| Director: | Daniella Marchese |
| Stage Manager: | Naomi Priddle Hunter |
| Cast: | Pat Hawk Zoe Ludski |
| Running Time: | 10 Minutes |
Biographies - Buff
CATHERINE FRID Playwright, Buff
Catherines plays include Over the Edge (Arts and Letters Club), Dead Cat Bounce (Unhinged Festival), The Tango Player (InspiraTo Toronto 10-Minute Festival), Fetish and Quest (Asphalt Jungle Shorts), and The Mess (She Speaks, for International Womens Day). Her one-act drama Greater Good was selected by 6th@Penn Theatre in San Diego, California, for inclusion in their Human Rights Play Festival. Catherines monologue Us and Them has been published in Thirtysomethings: Mother-Daughter Monologues, ICWP Press (2009). Upcoming productions: Dead Cat Bounce (Toronto Fringe), GuineaPigging (Alumnae Theatre).
PAT HAWK Actor, Buff
Pat is a new member of the Alumnae Theatre. A newly retired teacher, she is looking forward to having more time to devote to all things theatrical. The New Ideas Festival marks Pat's debut with the Alumnae. “I've been playing to a sometimes difficult audience five days a week for the last twenty years plus. I've become pretty good at improv, and of course lots of daily drama.” A former member of Cabbagetown Players, Pat's roles included Jessica in Jitters, Nurse in Seven Stories, and a favourite role, Ellen in Wake - a lovely two-hander by Canadian playwright David Witticombe. Pat is thrilled to be back on stage. Oh yeah, she also does a great Bronx accent!
ZOE LUDSKI Actor, Buff
Zoe is a Transmedia Artist who collaborates with technicians, musicians, actors, dancers, puppeteers and painters throughout North America. Recent work includes; Sound Design and Foley for The Penelopiad (Nightwood Theatre), Director of the Algoma Fa:l Festival Opera Project (Canadian Opera Company) and the role of The Road in Home and Away (U of T). Zoe is writing several scripts and is excited to put down her pen and get back on her feet. (www.ludski.com)
DANIELLA MARCHESE Director, Buff
Daniella is an emerging theatre practitioner in Toronto. She graduated from the University College Drama Program at U of T and the Arts Administration/Cultural Management Program at Humber College. Committed to arts education, she taught Drama and developed educational programming for Avenue Road Arts School and the Canadian Opera Company. Recently, Daniella directed The Four Minute Mile for Pivotal Arts Inc. and she will direct Theatre Symbiosis' production in this summer's Fringe Festival.
NAOMI PRIDDLE HUNTER Stage Manager, Buff
Naomi has been active with the Alumnae for more years than she cares to count. An Actor/Fight Director/Director-in-Training/Stage Manager, along with any crew jobs going except Sound Op under her belt, she's been there, done that and has several t-shirts! Naomi served as Production Stage Manager for the initial five seasons of the New Ideas Festival and more recently was ASM/crew for The Memory of Water here, on the mainstage. With Eastside Players, she has just finished producing Mary Stuart. Last season, she appeared as Miss Archie in Waiting in the Wings with Eastside, and as Mrs. Reynolds/Townsfolk in Alumnae's production of Pride & Prejudice.
Staged Reading + Talkback: Saturday March 24 at Noon
WEIGHTLESS
A pound is a common measurement until youre the one being weighed. Weightless is a series of monologues which explores characters daily negotiations with their bodies and how that affects the people, and relationships, around them.
| Playwright: | Kelsey Blair |
| Director: | Ramona Gilmour-Darling* |
| Stage Manager: | Sonja Seiler |
| Cast: | Claire Acott Tracey Beltrano David Borwick Lada Darewych Judy Da Silva Tom Haxell Amy Myers David J. Phillips |
| Running Time: | 60 Minutes |
Biographies - Weightless
KELSEY BLAIR Playwright, Weightless
Kelsey graduated from U.B.C. with a degree in Film Studies and is currently pursuing a Masters in Cinema Studies at the University of Toronto. Most recently: short films Crossing Teas (writer/director), Technology and Education (director) and publishing credits in Glossolalia, Writer's Block, and Inscribed.
CLAIRE ACOTT Actor, Weightless
Claire is a graduate of the joint Sheridan/UTM Acting program and L.A.M.D.A. Recent credits include: Emilia in The Bard's Betrayal, Tina in Pieces (Smashing Bat Theatre); Sorceress in Aladdin, Bertha the Evil Stepmother in Cinderella (Solar Stage Children's Theatre); Olivia in Twelfth Night (Candy Factory Theatre).
TRACEY BELTRANO Actor, Weightless
Tracey graduated from The American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Favourite roles include Frenchy (Grease) for Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company, NH, Susan (Say No More) for InspiraTo Festival; Rusty understudy (Footloose) for Paradox Performers; and Carbon Films' short film TIFF Talent Lab, Bed Bugs.
DAVID BORWICK Actor, Weightless
Favourite roles include Victor Prynne in Private Lives (Village Playhouse), and an ACT-CO/THEA-winning turn as Will VanHorne in Outlaw (Markham Little Theatre). A sometime jazz crooner and swing dancer, he even manages to practice a little employment law between plays.
LADA DAREWYCH Actor, Weightless
It's been a few years since Lada's last appearance at NIF, but she is thrilled to be back! Recent credits include both Olivia AND Maria in Twelfth Night (CTP) and in Musical of Musicals the Musical! (Bluewater). Up next: producing Fairy Tale Ending (2010 Fringe, Kids Venue). Love to K!
JUDY DA SILVA Actor, Weightless
Judy appeared in A Very Different Place in Week One of New Ideas - her Alumnae Theatre debut. She comes from a varied background of science, health science and English academia, and has studied as a musician for over 35 years, and as an actor on and off for over 17 years. Previous theatre credits include the role of Hippolyta, in Brampton's Flower City Theatre Festival production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, where she was also assistant director and musical director, and played various musical instruments in the production; and an accordion-wielding widow and musical director in The Taming of the Shrew. She would like to thank Peter, Julia, Miranda, Laura and Aidan for their love and support.
RAMONA GILMOUR-DARLING* Director, Weightless
Assistant Director: Freedom 85 (Theatre Orangeville), Forever Plaid (Thousand Islands Playhouse), The Sisters Rosensweig (Harold Green Jewish Theatre Co). Actor - Theatre: The Drowsy Chaperone, Les Miserables, Anne of Green Gables, Perfect Pie. TV: Big Comfy Couch. Upcoming: Forever Plaid (Victoria Petrolia Playhouse), Blood Brothers and Up the River (Thousand Islands Playhouse)
TOM HAXELL Actor, Weightless
Tom is also directing the play Sleeper by Anna Ross for the New Ideas Festival. Previous credits include: Bain and Bernard: You've Never Seen Anything Like It (Bain & Bernard), A Glendale Christmas (Director, Dodo Productions), and The Three Birds (Ryerson Theatre School).
AMY MYERS Actor, Weightless
Amy is a graduate of the University of Windsor's BFA acting program. Selected credits include: Daisy in That Summer (University Productions), Mindy in Canadian Christmas at the Cottage (Theatre Blarney) and Alligator in Alligator Pie (Touring Players).
DAVID J. PHILLIPS Actor, Weightless
David received a BFA in Acting from the Theatre Program of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. That was in 1978. After a season or two of playing very thin, very quirky, very young men, there fell the Dark Years, from which he emerged to find himself a scholar of communications, media, and information studies. He is now Associate Professor of Information at the University of Toronto. He's happy to be returning to the New Ideas Festival.
SONJA SEILER Stage Manager, Weightless
Sonja is a performer, playwright, and composer. Currently she is continuing work on her musical The Highwayman, which enjoyed a successful in-concert workshop performance at the Toronto Centre for the Arts last spring.
*Appearing with the permission of Canadian Actors' Equity Association
ALUMNAE THEATRE COMPANY
70 Berkeley Street
Toronto, Ontario • M5A 2W6
Phone: 416-364-4170
Email: contactus@alumnaetheatre.com
New Ideas 2010: newideas@alumnaetheatre.com
