NewSCRipts Reading At South Coast Repertory Features THE CANADIANS By Adam Bock

The second of three Monday evening new-play readings at South Coast Repertory for the 2018-19 season will be The Canadians by Adam Bock. The NewSCRipts reading of this SCR commission, on Monday, Dec. 10, at 7:30 p.m. (Julianne Argyros Stage), is directed by Jaime Castañeda. Tickets are available at www.scr.org.

The story follows 23-year-old Gordy, who was born and raised in Port Alison, Manitoba, but has never left. Life is good there: there's the ice hockey, the jambusters from Tim Hortons and even the finer things-like the secret pottery class he's taking with his friend, Brendan. Gordy's got a good job, too, working for the town's mayor. Still, there's not much escape. But then, opportunity knocks and Gordy gets the chance to go on a cruise. It'd be his first time outside of Manitoba and Gordy isn't sure if he should go. But he's thinking yes. He's definitely thinking yes. This is a play about everyday moments, finding your voice-and the small chances that lead to big changes.

Bock is a playwright best known for A Small Fire, The Receptionist, The Drunken City, The Thugs, and Swimming in the Shallows. He writes both comedy and drama, blending whimsical surrealism with dark and painful exploration of character. Charles Isherwood described A Small Fire as "a theatrical combo plate that proves unusually satisfying ... raucous, funny and unexpectedly touching."

Bock has had plays produced at prestigious theatres including Manhattan Theatre Club, Playwrights Horizons, Soho Rep, Second Stage Uptown, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater and Yale Repertory Theatre. He has received numerous honors including an Obie Award, San Francisco Bay Theatre Critics Circle Award, Clauder Prize, Will Glickman Award and Guernsey Award, as well as nominations for Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle awards. Bock has been a resident playwright at New Dramatists and an artistic associate at Shotgun Players and Encore Theatre.

SCR Associate Literary Director Andy Knight is the dramaturg. The NewSCRipts series is generously supported by Honorary Producer Elaine J. Weinberg.

Tickets are $16, plus a $2 handling fee. Complete information is available online: www.scr.org.

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