Tony Winner Gabriel Ebert, Izzie Steele, Euan Morton & More to Lead THE HEART OF ROBIN HOOD in Toronto

David Mirvish in co-production with the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, and by arrangement with Barry and Fran Weissler, have announced the cast of the Canadian premiere production of THE HEART OF ROBIN HOOD by David Farr, directed by Gisli Örn Gardarsson.

THE HEART OF ROBIN HOOD begins performances in Winnipeg at the John Hirsch Mainstage November 12 and runs through December 6. Following the Winnipeg run, the Toronto performances begin at the Royal Alexandra Theatre December 23 and run through March 1, 2015.

Rehearsals for THE HEART OF ROBIN HOOD began this week in Toronto.

Tony Award-winning American actor and singer Gabriel Ebert will star as the legendary hero Robin Hood. Gabriel starred in Harvey Fierstein's Casa Valentina on Broadway this past spring. Gabriel is best known for originating the role of Harry Wormwood in the Broadway production of Matilda the Musical, for which he won the 2013 Tony Award-winner for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. He won the OBIE for his performance in Amy Herzog's 4000 Miles in 2012.

Theatre, television and film actress Izzie Steele will star as Marion. Izzie has performed in many of the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey's productions including: Playboy of the Western World, Henry V Part 1, All's Well That Ends Well, Midsummer Night's Dream, Taming of the Shrew, and Romeo and Juliet. Film: Stockholm, The Letter.

Scottish actor Euan Morton will star as Prince John. Euan is known for his celebrated Olivier/Tony & Drama Desk nominated performance as Boy George in Taboo (2002 West End & 2004 Broadway productions). Broadway: Cyrano de Bergerac, Sondheim on Sondheim. Off-Broadway: Measure for Pleasure (Public Theatre, Obie Award), Tony Kushner's Brundibar (New Victory) and Howard Katz (Roundabout).

Toronto based, Christian Lloyd will star as Pierre. Christian has starred in many local productions including: Chicken Grease is Nasty Business (2014 Summerworks), Amadeus (CanStage/Citadel/Naples), Twelfth Night (Soulpepper), Platonov (Soulpepper), Romeo and Juliet (CanStage).

Rounding out the cast are Anna Bartlam, Richard Clarkin, Jeremy Crawford, Zachary Eisenstat, Paul Essiembre, Amariah Faulkner, Troy Feldman, Jason Gosbee, Martin Julien, Tristan Mackid, Katelyn McCulloch, Meguire McRae-King, Carson Reaume, Sarah Schenkkan, Stephen Michael Spencer, Darcy Stewart and Tate Yap.

Essential to THE HEART OF ROBIN HOOD are Parsonsfield, a new bluegrass and roots band that has already received great acclaim from such prestigious sources as The New York Times. The band members, Chris Freeman, Antonio Alcorn, Max Shakun, Harrison Goodale and Erik Hischmann, will be integral to the telling and staging of the story, providing songs written specifically for the show.

Every legendary hero has to start somewhere. In THE HEART OF ROBIN HOOD, playwright David Farr presents a wildly imaginative, theatrically dazzling new spin on the familiar fable.

First, forget everything you ever knew about Robin Hood. In this reimagining, Robin (Gabriel Ebert) and his unmerry gang of cutthroats steal from the rich, but it's never occurred to them to give anything back to anyone. But when wicked Prince John (Euan Morton) threatens all, bold Marion (Izzie Steele) steps in to protect the poor and transform a thuggish Robin from hood to good.

First staged at the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2011 and at American Repertory Theatre (A.R.T.) in Cambridge, MA., in 2013, critics have cheered the eye-popping, athletic and endlessly inventive production from acclaimed director Gisli Örn Gardarsson, which explodes off the stage to take place in front, above and on all sides of the audience. The production features swashbuckling, acrobatics, comedy, drama, cross-dressing, trap doors, aerial work and original music played by on-stage musicians, the acclaimed Connecticut-based roots band, Parsonsfield.

Farr and Gardarsson previously collaborated on the acclaimed staging of Kafka's Metamorphosis, at BAM in 2010 and at the Royal Alexandra Theatre this past February.

THE HEART OF ROBIN HOOD is written by David Farr, music and lyrics by Parsonsfield, scenic design by Börkur Jónsson, costume design by Emma Ryott, lighting design by Björn Helgason, sound design by Jonathan Deans & Garth Helm, creative consultant, Walter Bobbie, associate direction/choreography by Selma Björnsdóttir, direction by Gisli Örn Gardarsson.

Photo by Walter McBride