Monday, April 19, 2021.
From the Mint Theatre.
A PICTURE OF AUTUMN
April 19- June 13
“N.C. HUNTER’S BEAUTIFUL, SHAMEFULLY NEGLECTED COMEDY WAS PERFORMED ONLY ONCE IN LONDON IN 1951, AND RECEIVES ITS AMERICAN PREMIERE HERE… IT’S ABOUT AN AGING, ONCE PROSPEROUS FAMILY LIVING IN AN AGAING, ONCE GRAND MANOR, AND THE ECHOES OF CHEKHOV ARE UNMISTAKABLE, IF SUBDUED AND ANGLICIZED. IT’S A BIG, GENEROUS PLAY, EXQUISITELY WRITTEN, BOTH FUNNY AND TOUCHING.”
The New Yorker
A Picture of Autumn made its debut on February 11, 1951 in a one-night ‘try-out’ performance presented by the Repertory Players, at the Duke of York’s Theatre on London’s West End. Despite promising reviews, the play was never picked up. Instead, Hunter enjoyed great success with his plays Waters of the Moon, A Day by the Sea and A Touch of the Sun, which dominated the West End throughout the fifties. Meanwhile, A PICTURE OF AUTUMN gathered dust until our acclaimed production—the play’s first in over 60 years.
Helen Cespedes and George Morfogen in A PICTURE OF AUTUMN by N.C. Hunter, directed by Gus Kaikkonen. Photo by Richard Termine.
To read the program, or learn more about the play and production, visit our Production Archives.
To see Video of our EnrichMint Speakers, visit our EnrichMint Video Archives.
Wednesday, April 21, 2021.
From Soulpepper.
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 PLAYS
EIGHT-WEEK GUIDED TOUR OF THE GLOBAL THEATRICAL CANON
Soulpepper Theatre Company is incredibly pleased to announce the release of a new collection of artistic programming: Around the World in 80 Plays, an eight-week global adventure of audio dramas, in-depth documentaries from CBC Ideas, and cultural celebrations. Audiences across the country, and around the world, are invited on a rich theatrical global guided tour with works from Canada, Russia, Italy, Argentina, India, Iran, Jamaica, and Nigeria. Around the World in 80 Plays departs April 21, 2021, landing in new destinations weekly. Subscription passports, single tickets, and information available at soulpepper.ca/80plays.
The eight-week global adventure begins:
April 21, starting at home here in Canada with Margo Kane’s inspiring play Moonlodge, a story of self determination, resilience, and the colonial tragedies that shape our society today, directed by Jani Lauzon. From there audiences are transported to Russia to enjoy Anton Chekhov’s masterpiece,
April 28. The Seagull, (Russia) which was just weeks away from premiering at Soulpepper this time last year, once again directed by Daniel Brooks.
Dates closer to the time:
Luigi Piandello’s metatheatrical play Six Characters in Search of an Author, directed by Daniele Bartolini. Italy.
The Walls From Argentina’s fearless playwright Griselda Gambaro comes, directed by Beatriz Pizano, to warn audiences about the dangers of turning a blind eye in the fight for justice.
Hayavadana by Girish Karnad, Travelling onward to India, in a piece produced in association with Why Not Theatre, Girish Karnad’s witty play fuses ancient mythology with contemporary sensibilities, directed by Miriam Fernandes.
The Parliament of Birds by Guillermo Verdecchia, From Iran. directed by Soheil Parsa, adapted from the Persian poem, The Conference of the Birds, by Sufi poet Farid ud-Din Attar.
She Mami Wata & the PxssyWitch Hunt. Jamaica, by playwright, director, and performer, d’bi.young anitafrika fuses memoir, music, and myth while embodying Jamaica’s decolonial traditions of African-storytelling-derived dub poetry and dubbin.
Death and the King’s Horseman destination of Nigeria on June 9, audiences are invited to experience Wole Soyinka’s Nobel Prize-winning play based on true events, produced in partnership with the Stratford Festival, and directed by Tawiah M’Carthy.
Toronto is uniquely poised to celebrate the rich tapestry of stories and cultures that make up this city, and Around the World in 80 Plays will celebrate over 60 artists coming together to share their stories, their culture, and their art. Each audio drama features a full cast, original sound design, and is recorded and produced by award-winning audio producer Gregory Sinclair (CBC Radio, Audible).
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 PLAYS
From the CREE & SAULTEAUX NATIONS representing CANADA
MOONLODGE
By Margo Kane
Directed by Jani Lauzon
Hope, healing, and hitchhiking. Taken from her family by the government, Agnes grew up away from the support of her community. Unable to change her past, Anges follows the voice inside her, journeying across America to where the women gather, helping her find herself, her history, and her family. An inspiring story of self-determination, and the colonial tragedies that shape our society today.
Moonlodge is performed by Samantha Brown. Sound Design and Composition by Wayne Kelso.
Content Warning: This play contains scenes of sexual violence and distressing situations.
Moonlodge premieres April 21, 2021.
“Margo Kane’s play Moonlodge was written at a time where there were very few, if any, stories by Indigenous writers on our stages. This is a story of Indigenous children torn from families, stripped of cultural understanding and identity, searching for answers, navigating the harmful and stereotypical images of in popular media, but mostly it’s a story of resilience and the incredible mothers, sisters, aunts, and grandmothers who continue to survive with humour, dignity, and honour so that our children have a future,” said Jani Lauzon, Director.
Wednesday, April 21, 2021, 7:00
From Young People’s Theatre,
Right Here, Write Now Online Play Festival (21 and 23). Three short plays by contemporary playwrights Tai Amy Grauman, Marie Beath Badian and Luke Reece are live-streamed on those dates at 7PM, followed by a Q&A with the playwright. All of the info is here in case you want to take a look:
https://www.youngpeoplestheatre.org/shows-tickets/right-here-write-now-2/
Thursday, April 22, 2021. 7:30 pm
Postcards From My Balcony.
A sneak preview of a new short film |
Watch the film – all 10 ½ minutes – and tickle your ears with live music from special guests Deanna H. Choi and John Millard (what joy), artful conversation, and jokes (likely not artful). Travelling, sneezing, writing and tweezing – Postcards from my Balcony follows blind writer Alex Bulmer as she returns from the UK to Canada while a pandemic erupts. She writes postcards under quarantine – little big thoughts sent out to the world. Register below – admission is free (donations always welcome)! We suggest, if you have them, bring your best headphones. Hope you can make it! Alex, Leah, and The Common Boots Team Who Made Postcards from my Balcony – the film? Writer and performer – Alex Bulmer Director – Leah Cherniak Cinematographer and Editor – Ben Roberts Cinematography Assistant – Aidan Barnes Production Designer – Cristal Buemi Animators – Cristal Buemi and Alba Mediba Sound Designer and Original Composition – Deanna H. Choi Original song: Above the Birds by John Millard This film was made possible thanks to generous funding from the Canada Council for the Arts Digital Originals program, Red Dress Productions, Common Boots Theatre and numerous generous private donors. Register! This gathering is free, but registration is required. Sign up today! |
Thursday, April 22, 2021, 7:00 pm
From Young People’s Theatre
Right Here, Write Now Online Play Festival (21 and 23). Three short plays by contemporary playwrights Tai Amy Grauman, Marie Beath Badian and Luke Reece are live-streamed on those dates at 7PM, followed by a Q&A with the playwright. All of the info is here in case you want to take a look:
https://www.youngpeoplestheatre.org/shows-tickets/right-here-write-now-2/
Thursday, April 22, 2021, 7:30 PM
The Royale
FREE – BEGINS APRIL 22!
THE ROYALE
PRIVATE REELS: FROM THE LCT ARCHIVE
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PRIVATE REELS: FROM THE LCT ARCHIVES will allow audiences the opportunity to experience past, award-winning LCT productions in full.
Broadway on Demand / Directions
Recorded during a performance with the resulting excerpts used for promotional purposes, it was never intended that the productions would be shown in their entirety. The newly edited footage of the performances will give viewers the opportunity to revisit or discover these LCT shows in full.
THE ROYALE
Begins Thursday, April 22 at 7pm ET
Streaming FREE on Broadway on Demand
When is a play about a boxer not really about boxing? When it’s the 2016 Obie and Drama Desk Award-winning THE ROYALE! The play is about the life of the outsider in America as much as it is about charismatic African-American boxer Jay “The Sport” Jackson. The stylized and stunning conception of Marco Ramirez was realized by director Rachel Chavkin.
Stream our production of THE ROYALE (2016, Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater), by Marco Ramirez, directed by Rachel Chavkin, featuring McKinley Belcher III, Khris Davis, Montego Glover, John Lavelle, and Clarke Peters.
86 minutes runtime.
Watch a brief montage of scenes from THE ROYALE. Register above to stream the full production!