Canadian Stage announces groundbreaking 2013.2014 season

For immediate release: Tuesday, November 27, 2012 Hi-res photography available in the Image Gallery: https://www.canadianstage.com/media

Canadian Stage announces groundbreaking 2013.2014 season Featuring work by Robert Lepage, new productions of a 5-star hit from London and award-winning plays from Broadway, and productions helmed by four of Canada’s leading female artists Kim Collier, Jackie Maxwell, Jennifer Tarver and Crystal Pite Toronto, ON – Canadian Stage today announced the details of the people and productions featured in the 2013.2014 season, programmed by Artistic & General Director Matthew Jocelyn. Showcasing artists from Canada and around the world, the season celebrates groundbreaking and new work from the leading directors, playwrights, choreographers and theatre collectives. Celebrating Canadian Stage’s mandate to present contemporary, multidisciplinary theatre and dance that spans a variety of performance styles, the upcoming season continues to share world-renowned work with audiences through innovative productions and powerful pieces from the best story tellers working today. Thirteen productions will be featured at Canadian Stage’s three venues, the Bluma Appel Theatre, the Berkeley Street Theatre and the High Park Amphitheatre. “The 2013.2014 season at Canadian Stage already has us dancing with excitement,” said Jocelyn. “I’m proud to bring the work of four of Canada’s most exceptional female artists, Kim Collier, Jackie Maxwell, Jennifer Tarver and Crystal Pite to our largest stage, alongside Robert Lepage, Stan Douglas, Chris Haddock and Akram Khan, four internationally acclaimed creators. This season, Canadian Stage will explore extraordinary texts, breathtaking choreography and an important, unorthodox musical. We continue to revitalize the Berkeley Street Theatre with vibrant programming, and are honoured to continue our collaboration with York University by giving our joint MFA program an important place in the season. Finally, after bringing productions from around the world to Toronto, we will be at the root of a multidisciplinary spectacle that will premiere in Canada before embarking on an international tour.” Jennifer Tarver will direct a new production of Venus in Fur, the Tony Award nominated play that Vogue Magazine called “smart, sexy, hilarious”. International phenomenon Robert Lepage will return to Canadian Stage with a new version of his iconic 1980s hit, Needles and Opium. The Shaw Festival’s Jackie Maxwell will bring the Canadian premiere of London Road, the 5-star musical documentary, to life alongside musical director Reza Jacobs. Canadian Stage Resident Artist Kim Collier’s latest project, co-created with renowned visual artist Stan Douglas and award-winning screen writer Chris Haddock (best known as the creator of Da Vinci’s Inquest and current writer and co-executive producer of Boardwalk Empire), will have its world premiere at Canadian Stage. Called Helen Lawrence, this new media and performance art piece uses newly patented CGI technology and will tour internationally following its Toronto run. Two dance-based works round out the programming at the Bluma Appel Theatre, including Canadian dance luminary Crystal Pite’s new piece The Tempest Replica and 1|C a n a d i a n S t a g e : 2 0 1 3 . 2 0 1 4

the critically-acclaimed DESH from superstar dance creator Akram Khan, recently celebrated for his choreography in the Opening Ceremony of the London Olympics Games. As part of the upcoming season, Canadian Stage’s partnership with York University continues with the inaugural participants of the York University MFA Program in Stage Direction in collaboration with Canadian Stage, Ted Witzel and Ker Wells, directing two productions each. The landmark initiative, designed to support the development of directorial talent for the national and international stage, is a two-year program that allows students to integrate studio work at York with involvement in artistic projects at Canadian Stage, offering highly specialized, advanced training in large-scale theatre directing. Canadian Stage and York University are pleased to announce the incoming participants, selected by jury, who will begin the program in September 2013: Estelle Shook, former artistic director of the Caravan Farm Theatre, and Matjash Mrowzeski, an internationally recognized choreographer based in Montreal who trained at the National Ballet School. The ongoing revitalization of the Berkeley Street Theatre programming continues with the presentation of two original creations, a new production model and ongoing partnerships. Opening the season at the Berkeley Street Theatre will be two productions by Sarah Berthiaume, a rising star of Quebecois theatre, whose work has been produced in Paris and Berlin. The Flood Thereafter, directed by Ker Wells, and the English-language premiere of Yukonstyle, directed by Ted Witzel will be presented for the first time in English outside of Quebec in partnership with Hopscotch Collective and York University. Crow’s Theatre returns to Canadian Stage, coproducing Winners and Losers created and performed by Marcus Youssef and James Long and directed by Chris Abraham, with two of British Columbia’s most provocative companies, Theatre Replacement and Neworld Theatre. Tribes, a jarringly emotional play that won 2012 Drama Desk and New York Theatre Critics Circle awards, gets its Canadian premiere from Canadian Stage in collaboration with Theatrefront, with a new production directed by Daryl Cloran. The Company Theatre will also return to the Berkeley Street Theatre with a yet to be announced production. For the first time in more than 20 years, Canadian Stage will present two Shakespearean productions in repertoire at the High Park Amphitheatre, pairing one of Shakespeare’s earliest comedies, The Taming of the Shrew, and his powerful tragedy, Macbeth. Helmed by Witzel and Wells, respectively, and presented in collaboration with the Theatre Department in the Faculty of Fine Arts at York University, the productions will run on alternating nights under the stars as part of this favourite summer tradition. 2013.2014 Subscriptions are on sale beginning November 28, with 4-show packages starting from $98, 6-show packages starting from $144 and 10-show packages starting from $228. Subscriptions may be purchased by phone at 416-368-3110 or in-person at the Canadian Stage Box Office: Bluma Appel Theatre (27 Front St. E.) or Berkeley Street Theatre (26 Berkeley St.). Single tickets will be on sale in May 2013. Full details on the productions, casting and subscription packages are available online at www.canadianstage.com. In addition to the work presented on stage, Canadian Stage continues to support the artistic community through a variety of professional development initiatives and investments in artistic creation. The company offers artistic and learning opportunities for children, youth, educators, young professionals and adults in schools and communities year-round. Full 2013.2014 season playbill and show details continued below

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Canadian Stage is supported by: BMO Financial Group, CIBC, TD Bank Group, Scotiabank, RBC Foundation, Sun Life Financial, Manulife Financial and One King West Hotel & Residence, The Hal Jackman Foundation, The Brian Linehan Charitable Foundation, The George Cedric Metcalf Foundation, The Joan and Clifford Hatch Foundation, The Henry White Kinnear Foundation and the John McKellar Charitable Foundation. The company is also supported by The Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, the Toronto Arts Council and the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage.

About Canadian Stage: Founded in 1987 with the merger of CentreStage and Toronto Free Theatre, Canadian Stage is one of Canada’s leading not-for-profit contemporary theatre companies. Under the direction of Artistic & General Director, Matthew Jocelyn, the company presents multidisciplinary theatre with a focus on emerging performance styles that integrate theatre with other artistic mediums such as dance, film, visual arts and more. Sharing innovative and vibrant theatre from Canada and around the world, the company stages an annual season of work at three major venues (the Bluma Appel Theatre, the Berkeley Street Theatre and the High Park Amphitheatre) and runs a series of artist development and education initiatives, as well as youth and community outreach programs. For more information visit www.canadianstage.com Facebook: Canadian Stage Twitter: @CanadianStage For more information or interview requests, please contact: Ashley Ballantyne, rock-it promotions, inc., at 416.656.0707 ext. 111 or [email protected] Kylie McGregor, rock-it promotions, inc., at 416.656.0707 ext. 104 or [email protected]

At the Bluma Appel Theatre Venus in Fur A Canadian Stage production September 29 to October 27, 2013 By David Ives Directed by Jennifer Tarver A young actress is determined to land the lead in a new play based on the classic erotic novel Venus in Fur. During her audition, she gets caught up in an electrifying game of cat and mouse with the director, blurring the line between fantasy and reality. The hottest ticket on Broadway last year, this brilliant and unexpected showdown of the sexes was nominated for the Best Play Tony Award.

DESH An Akram Khan Company production presented by Canadian Stage October 31 to November 2, 2013 Choreographed and performed by Akram Khan North American premiere A new dance piece from Akram Khan, masterful choreographer and performer (and featured artist in the 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony). DESH, meaning “homeland” in Bengali, follows one man as he explores the fragile fluctuations of life in an unstable world. This Olivier Award-winning production features stellar collaborators, including Oscar-winning visual artist Tim Yip (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon).

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Needles and Opium An Ex Machina production presented by Canadian Stage November 22 to December 1, 2013 Written and directed by Robert Lepage One of Canada’s most renowned figures in performing arts, Robert Lepage creates a new production of his acclaimed Needles and Opium. Presented as a hypnotic series of vignettes, this fascinating one person show explores the complex relationships between displacement, drug addiction and the creative drive, as revealed through the lives of Parisian poet/filmmaker Jean Cocteau on his way to America, and American jazz legend Miles Davis during his stay in Paris in 1949. The most startling technical wizardry at the service of a true emotional journey.

London Road A Canadian Stage production and Canadian premiere January 19 to February 9, 2014 By Alecky Blythe and Adam Cork Directed by Jackie Maxwell; Music Director Reza Jacobs In 2006, the everyday life of the quiet town of Ipswich was shattered by the discovery of the bodies of five women. Playwright Alecky Blythe recorded extensive interviews with the residents of London Road and turned them into an intelligent, startling, and raw piece of theatre set to music by Tony Award-winning Adam Cork. Having captured the heart of England last year, this 5-star musical documentary reveals the ways in which even the darkest experiences can inspire a community.

Helen Lawrence A world premiere and Canadian Stage production with the Banff Centre March 9 to March 30, 2014 Conceived by Stan Douglas Written by Chris Haddock and Stan Douglas Directed by Kim Collier and Stan Douglas World-renowned visual artist Stan Douglas, acclaimed screenwriter Chris Haddock, and award-winning theatre and film director Kim Collier collaborate to create a production that is at the frontier of new media use in performance art. Inspired by post-war film noir, Helen Lawrence intertwines theatre, visual art, live-action filming and computer-generated recreations of historical sites in a beautifully crafted fresco of postwar Vancouver, and a suspenseful whodunit tale. It’s another mixed media masterpiece brought to life by the director of 2012’s Tear the Curtain! and 2011’s Red.

The Tempest Replica A Kidd Pivot production presented by Canadian Stage May 7 - May 11, 2014 Choreographed and directed by Crystal Pite In her new dance piece inspired by Shakespeare’s The Tempest, award-winning Canadian choreographer Crystal Pite stages a game of revenge and forgiveness, where reality dances with imagination. Integrating stunning visuals, projection and an original score, The Tempest Replica is a testament to Pite’s skill as an image-maker and 4|C a n a d i a n S t a g e : 2 0 1 3 . 2 0 1 4

storyteller of rare distinction. After the success of 2011’s Dark Matters comes another theatrical and inventive dance creation.

At the Berkeley Street Theatre The Flood Thereafter A Canadian Stage production in co-production with the Hopscotch Collective in association with the Theatre Department in the Faculty of Fine Arts at York University September 22 to October 6, 2013 By Sarah Berthiaume Translated by Nadine Desrochers Directed by Ker Wells Part portrait of small-town Canada and part timeless fable, The Flood Thereafter is a magical play by Sarah Berthiaume, a rising star of Quebecois theatre. Every day, twenty-year-old June does an abrupt strip show in the gritty Emotions bar with all the men of the town watching and weeping. June’s relationship to the men stretches back to the sirens who ensnarled the mariners of ancient Greece, but when a young stranger arrives in town the tide begins to turn.

Yukonstyle A Canadian Stage production in co-production with the Hopscotch Collective in association with the Theatre Department in the Faculty of Fine Arts at York University October 13 to October 27, 2013 By Sarah Berthiaume Translated by Nadine Desrochers Directed by Ted Witzel Three unlikely roommates are enduring the harsh Whitehorse winter as the 2007 Robert Pickton murder trial plays out on the TV. One of them, a young métis man, confronts the mystery of his missing native mother’s identity while his father suffers from liver failure. Yukonstyle is a play for the new generation of Canadians who are less concerned with what it means to be “Canadian” than they are with how to get by in this country of mountains, bison, fast food, serial killers, and snow.

Winners and Losers Produced by Theatre Replacement and Neworld Theatre, in association with Crow’s Theatre Presented by Crow’s Theatre in association with Canadian Stage November 10 to December 8, 2013 Written and performed by Marcus Youssef and James Long Directed by Chris Abraham Winners and Losers is a staged conversation that embraces the ruthless logic of modern-day capitalism, and tests its impact on our closest personal relationships. Theatre artists and long-time friends Marcus Youssef and James Long sit at a table and play a game they made up called “winners and losers,” in which they name things and people — Pamela Anderson, microwave ovens, Goldman Sachs, their fathers — and debate whether, from their perspective, these things are winners or losers. As the conversation unfolds, the competition quickly begins to have an unanticipated cost.

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Tribes A Theatrefront production produced in association with Canadian Stage February 2 to March 2, 2014 By Nina Raine Directed by Daryl Cloran Starring Holly Lewis, Dylan Trowbridge, Patricia Fagan, Joseph Ziegler, Nancy Palk Billy is deaf but his unconventional family has tried to raise him as part of the hearing world. It’s not until he meets Sylvia, a young woman on the brink of deafness, that he finally discovers what it means to be heard. Winner of the 2012 Drama Desk and New York Theatre Critics Circle awards, Tribes is an intelligent, provocative, and jarringly emotional play that gets its Canadian premiere at Canadian Stage.

The Company Theatre April 6 to May 4, 2014 A new production from The Company Theatre, our Berkeley Street partners who presented 2012’s Speaking in Tongues and 2011’s The Test, will round out the season. Show details to be announced.

At the High Park Amphitheatre Shakespeare in High Park: The Taming of the Shrew and Macbeth A Canadian Stage production in collaboration with the Theatre Department in the Faculty of Fine Arts at York University July 2 - September 1, 2013 By William Shakespeare Directed by Ted Witzel and Ker Wells Next summer as part of Shakespeare in High Park, see Shakespeare’s powerful tragedy Macbeth and early comedy The Taming of the Shrew under the stars. Both works will be playing outdoors throughout the summer on alternate nights for the first time in more than 20 years. This pay-what-you-can event is one of Toronto’s favourite traditions.

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