Alumnae Theatre to Kick Off 2013 FireWorks Series Next Week

The Alumnae Theatre Company will present the first annual FireWorks Series. This is a brand new effort by the Company to showcase its homegrown talent in a further development beyond the very popular New Ideas Festival. Three full-length plays developed in-house will be staged in the Alumnae Studio Theatre from November 13 to December 1, 2013, and supporting events will allow audience members to engage with the dramaturgical process and intellectual themes.

Roundtable discussions from actor/instructor M. John Kennedy (on Gloria's Guy), public relations and social media manager Helen Androlia (on Theory), and historian Alanna McKnight (on Measure of the World) occur on Sundays at noon throughout the series, and on the final Sunday a talkback with all three playwrights entitled Playwrights Speak is also available as a free event.

The three shows selected for the inaugural FireWorks series are:

THEORY by Norman Yeung directed by Joanne L. Williams
A young professor of film theory is threatened by an anonymous mystery student.

GLORIA'S GUY by Joan Burrows directed by Anne Harper
How long can a girl hold a grudge? Or can an old flame burn bright? A comedy/drama about forgiveness, redemption and maybe even love!

MEASURE OF THE WORLD by Shirley Barrie directed by Molly Thom
Peru 1736: French scientific ambition meets mestiza cunning and a grand quest is swamped by personal obsessions.

THEORY stars Suzette McCanny as Isabelle; Hanan Younis in the role of Lee; Jamie Johnson will be playing the role of Omar; Chris Whidden will appear as Richard; Janice Yang as Safina, Andre de Carvalho is playing Jorge, and Youness Tahiri will playing the part of Davinder. Theory is written by Norman Yeung; directed by Joanne L. Williams and stage managed by Mikaela Dyke and Lisa Polivka.

GLORIA'S GUY stars Robert Meynell as Guy; Anna Douglas as Gloria; Liz Best in the role of Jessie, Jennifer Monteith in the part of Peggy; Sangeeta Wylie will playing Leslie; and Erin Jones in the part of Eva. Gloria's Guy was written by Joan Burrows. Director by Anne Harper was assisted in her direction by Stephanie Williams. The show will be stage managed by Edgar Chua.

MEASURE OF THE WORLD stars Jessica Zepeda as Florenza; Jason Thompson in the role of Pierre Bouguer; Michael Vitorovich as Charles De La Condamine; and Paul Cotton will be playing the part of Louis Godin. Measure of the world was written by Shirley Barrie. Director Molly Thom was assisted by Sarah Kohal. The show is staged managed by Adriana Dmitiri, assisted by Rhona Bennett.

The set and light design for all three productions was completed by Ed Rosing. Sound design for Fireworks is by Gabrielle D'Angelo. Costumes for the series were designed by Bec Brownstone.

Roundtable Discussion Bios:

Gloria's Guy - with M. John Kennedy

What makes a play a comedy? How do the various artists involved make you laugh? A professional actor, director and playwright discuss the particulars of creating comedy on stage from their unique, and sometimes disparate, perspectives.

M. John is a professional actor and writer for stage and screen. He is also a faculty member at The Randolph Academy where he teaches Scene Study, Improvisation, Clown and Commedia Dell'arte. He has studied comedy and collective creation extensively with companies such as Bluemouth, NaCL in New York and The Second City.

Measure of the World - with Alanna McKnight
Measure of the World tells the story of three men and their search for greatness. Join historians and the playwright as they discuss the influences at work around the men on their quest, including the role of women and politics in 18th century South America.

Alanna McKnight is an historian, currently pursuing a PhD in Communications and Culture, a joint program between York and Ryerson. She holds undergraduate degrees in Costume Studies from Dalhousie, History at York, and also holds a masters in history from York, and a certificate in Archival Studies from George Brown. She has experience Working Theatre through costuming with the Canadian Opera Company and Stage West. Though her academic career has taken her away from theatre, her heart never left it.

Theory - with Helen Androlia
The internet has provided us with an opportunity to connect with each other and explore new ideas. It has, however, also provided an environment for humanity's baser instincts to flourish unchecked. Social media professional Helen Androlia talks to playwright Norman Yeung about his work 'Theory', and the crossing of lines - the line between beliefs and agendas, online personas and offline lives, and where obsession crosses into to the public light.

Helen Androlia is a social media strategist, digital creative and community manager working for DraftFCB Toronto. With an eclectic background with experience spanning the technology sector to fine arts and culture (and everything in between) Helen creates engaging social media experiences for a number of large brands. A featured speaker at this year's PodCamp, Helen is also a keynote speaker at Mesh Marketing 2013.

CAST AND CREW BIOS FOR FIREWORKS:

THEORY

THE CREW:

NORMAN YEUNG, Playwright
Norman's play "Pu-Erh" was nominated for four Dora Awards, including Outstanding New Play. "Pu-Erh" was a Herman Voaden National Playwriting Competition Finalist. His performance piece "In this moment." premiered at Scotiabank Nuit Blanche. His opera "Black Blood" was presented at Tapestry New Opera Showcase. He was a member of Canadian Stage's BASH! artist development program, fu-GEN's Kitchen Playwrights Unit, and Tapestry New Opera's Composer-Librettist Laboratory (LibLab). He holds a BFA in Acting/Theatre from UBC and a BFA (Honours) in Film from Ryerson University.

Joanne L. Williams, Director
Directing credits include Anthony MacMahon's Wild Dogs on the Moscow Trains (2013 SummerWorks), Matt Sarookanian's Then He Wakes Up (2012 Toronto Fringe), Sarah Cody's Finally: An Epic Cycle (2011 Toronto Fringe), and Norman Yeung's Theory (2010 SummerWorks). She has directed pieces for the last 4 years at Alumnae's New Ideas Festival, incluing a staged reading of Theory in 2010. She serves on Theatre Ontario's Board of Directors, the Artist Advisory for Artscape Youngplace and is the Artistic & Company Manager at Canadian Stage.

LISA POLIVKA, Stage Manager
Lisa is pleased to be back at the Alumnae Theatre after having stage managed Orpha and Beatrice (NIF 2012), Blondie (InspiraTo 2012), The Year My Father Became a Saint (Big Ideas 2013) and Lullaby for the Abandoned (NIF 2013). Select performing credits include: The Year My Father Became a Saint and ABC (Script Scrap 2013). Lisa has performed in and worked backstage in theatre productions, written poetry, sculpted out of stone, been a production assistant on short films and focused on English literature for 4 years at York University. In her spare time, Lisa likes traveling at high altitudes, drinking iced coffee, and listening to Prince.

THE CAST:

ANDRE DE CARVALHO, Jorge
Andre De Carvalho was born and raised in S. Miguel Island in Portugal. After graduating from college, he enrolled in a theatre course in Lisbon. Acting became his passion and since then he has been involved in many projects in Theatre, Film and TV. Recent theatre credits include: "Terrorism" by the Presnyakov Brothers and "Blue Room" by David Hare. In January 2013 he decided to move to Toronto to continue to pursue his acting career. He is actively seeking exposure in both film and theatrical projects.

JAMIE JOHNSON, Omar
Jamie is a graduate of the M.F.A. Theatre program at York University. He is an actor and playwright and has done most other jobs in the theatre, as well. His play FALLING recently received a workshop reading in the New Ideas Festival at Alumnae Theatre. He, also, loves to strum his ukulele. Recent Acting Credits: Leonato in Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare Bash'd), Major Metcalf in The Mousetrap (Lower Ossington Theatre), Saunders in Lend Me A Tenor (The Village Players), Polonius in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (Hart House) and Leonard/Lulabelle in Nobody's Perfect (Theatre Etobicoke).

SUZETTE MCCANNY, Isabelle
Suzette McCanny has been seen most recently at Alumnae Theatre as Kay in The Ghost in the Secretary at the 2013 InspiraTO Festival and as Cassandra in The Trojan Women. She originated the role of Isabelle in a staged reading of Norman Yeung's Theory directed by Joanne L. Williams at the New Ideas Festival in 2010. Suzette directed and produced a short film called 9 9 . 7 % and will be performing in a new play called The Basement at The Downstage this spring.

YOUNESS TAHIRI, Davinder
Youness recently had the opportunity to perform in "Comedy of Sorrows" (Hybrid Theatre) in NYC, one of the first theatrical responses to the Egyptian revolution. Beforehand, he spent most of his time travelling back and forth from Morocco. He has graduated from The Neighborhood Playhouse in NYC and is excited to make his Canadian theatrical debut. When he isn't acting, he likes to skydive, play soccer, and volunteer with homeless youth organisations. He aspires to use his art to promote human rights and freedom.

Ciri - Davinderst
Janice Yang
discussion board? discussing on the discussion board?HRIS WHIDDEN, Richard
Gratiano, The Merchant of Venice (Ale House Theatre); Will, One Side of An Ampersand (Toronto Fringe); Fabian, Twelfth Night (Ale House); Macbeth, Macbeth (Ale House). Recent graduate of Ryerson Theatre School - credits include: Piper, The Piper; Shalimov, Summerfolk; Red, Welcome! To Hell; Andrew Wiseman, The Book of Wiseman.

JANICE YANG, Safina
Janice has worked with Ravi Jain and Maev Beaty in Canadian-Stage's Young Artist Program, the A.M.Y Project with Claire Calnan in SummerWorks'12; her latest work was in Tavistock Arts' TEMPO as the character of Judy. Janice's film credits include "Trois Nuits et Une Mort" directed by Stephane Dirschauer. Her biggest screen role was a principal role opposite both Josh Lucas and Callum Keith Rennie in the Canadian-American drama, "The Firm."

HANAN YOUNIS, Lee

Hanan Younis is so excited to be part of the production of Theory. She has worked with the director, Joanne L. Williams, for V-day a few years back and was ecstatic to have the opportunity to work with her again. Hanan studied Comedy Script writing and Performance at Humber College and has done performances at Second City, Yuk Yuks and was part of a film that won a Canadian Comedy Award for best short. She is also part of a local sketch troupe called The Boom. You can also find her in a spoken word comedy duo called "definition of knowledge" that can be seen at different Comedy Clubs around Toronto.

NICOLE RATJEN, Assistant Director
Nicole Ratjen is an international theatre artist born and raised on the West coast of Canada. She holds a BFA from York University and further continued her training at The International Theatre School of Jacque Lecoq in Paris. As an actor and director, Nicole has performed and devised in productions that have taken her across Canada and throughout Western Europe. Whilst living in Berlin, Nicole completed a directorial internship at the Volksbuhne Berlin, and an artistic residency at The Direktorenhaus, creating original site specific performances.Nicole is currently working on Polar Opposites for The Next Stage Festival in January 2014

MIKAELA DYKE, Stage Manager

Mikaela Dyke is from St. John's, and has been working in theatre for over 10 years. Both her dramatic work and her comedy have brought her to stages across Canada and the USA, and her acting has been called 'intense', 'honest', and 'shattering'. Recently, she has been touring her award-winning solo shows, Epic Pitch and Dying Hard. She thinks theatre is an amazing collaborative medium and enjoys working on and off stage.

Gloria's Guy

THE CAST:

ANNA DOUGLAS, Gloria
This is Anna's Alumnae Theatre debut. Select theatre credits include: The Kennedy Center, DC (The Comedy of Errors), SacRed Fools, CA (Absolutely Filthy), Circle X, CA (The Chinese Massacre [Annotated]), Temple Theatre, MI (Courtship), Shanklin Theatre, IN (The Winter's Tale, As It Is In Heaven), Towne Centre Theatre, TN (You Can't Take it With You). Film and TV: Played, Buried Treasure, Three Twenty-Five AM. www.annalouisedouglas.com

ROBERT MEYNELL, Guy
Robert has returned to the theatre after several years of performing in university lecture halls teaching Canadian politics. He trained at Second City and with Tom Todoroff and was most recently seen in the role of Harvey in the Ottawa Little Theatre production of The Wisdom Eve. Robert fondly remembers attending plays at Alumnae Theatre as a boy with his aunt Sheila Shotton, and is thrilled to be a part of this production.

LIZ BEST, Jessie
Liz appeared in the Canadian premiere of the Dora Award nominated show, A Man of No Importance and was in the original production of Muhammed of Yorkville at Summerworks. Other theatrical roles include: Nana in For the Pleasure of Seeing Her Again, Joanne in Company and Beverly in The Shadowbox. She has appeared in many commercials, film and television roles in Canada and the United States and can currently be seen on City TV's Meet The Family.

JENNIFER MONTEITH, Peggy
Jennifer is excited to be making her Alumnae Theatre debut in "Gloria's Guy" but vigorously denies that 40 is middle-aged! Previous credits include Anya (Reluctant Dragon), Cinderella (Cinderella), Lady Gertrude (Ideal Husband), Loretta (Melville Boys), MacBeth (Shakespeare's Greatest Hits). Jennifer has studied Shakespearean acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (London, England); contemporary acting with Sears & Switzer (Toronto) and during the day successfully pretends to be a banker.

SANGEETA WYLIE, Leslie

Sangeeta is excited to be making her Alumnae Theatre debut in Gloria's Guy. She studied at Stella Adler Studio of Acting (NYC), and trains in New York, Vancouver, and Toronto. Selected credits, Theatre: Inherit the Wind (Scarborough Theatre Players 2013), One Night (Toronto Fringe 2012); Film/TV: Nikita (2013), Tower (2012), and various television commercials. Sangeeta co-wrote, produced and directed her first original play, dis-connect.com (Playground Productions 2013) as a workshopped production.

ERIN JONES, Eva
Having been a part of the New Ideas Festival in Ashes to Ashes, Erin Jones is pleased to now be a part of Almunae's Fireworks Series. She is privileged to work with talented people across the GTA, having last appeared in Looking with Scarborough Players. She performed in Apartment 3A for which she received an ACTCO nomination for Best Actress. She also has also had the pleasure working with Village Players and the Scarborough Theatre.

THE CREW:

ANNE HARPER, Director
Anne's directing experience includes Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Dangerous Obsession, The Winslow Boy, Cause Celebre and Tartuffe (at The Village Playhouse) as well as Act 2 of Gloria's Guy for the New Ideas Festival in 2012. She was most recently seen on stage in NIF 2013 "Two Actresses" and 2013 Toronto Fringe "Jesus Jello". She is delighted to be able to direct the full version of this 'homegrown' play.

STEPHANIE WILLIAMS, Assistant Director
Could there ever be a more fitting venue for the Fireworks Festival than an old fire hall? Stephanie is beginning to know this theatre inside and out as she hones her directing skills. She enjoys working with the middle aged, although she herself would say "I'm not middle aged." Recent credits include: Inspirato, New Ideas Festival. Stephanie is a proud graduate of the Fanshawe College Theatre Program.

EDGAR CHUA, Stage Manager
This is Edgar's second foray into the Stage Management world, following his behind-the-scenes debut during the Gay Play Day's production of the Rice Queen of Cabbagetown. Edgar is glad to be amongst kindred spirits of the theatre arts and looks forward to working on many more productions - but first, he has a show to run!

Measure of the World

THE CREW:

MOLLY THOM, Director
Credits include: Measure of the World is the fifth collaboration between writer Shirley Barrie and director Molly Thom: Beautiful Lady, Tell Me...(4TH Line Theatre), The Pear is Ripe, (Alumnae) Revelation and Possession (New Ideas), with a sixth in development I Am Marguerite. Other favourites: her own play, The Bush-Ladies (NAC/Tarragon/Artword Theatre), Ronald Weihs's The Gambler (Beggarly Theatre/Artword), and the Toronto premiere of Carol Shields' Thirteen Hands. She is the resident director of Shoestring Opera and co-founder of the New Ideas Festival.

SHIRLEY BARRIE, Playwright
Shirley Barrie started writing plays for the Wakefield Tricycle, a theatre company and later a theatre (The Tricycle) which she started with Ken Chubb in London, England. Recent productions include Beautiful Lady Tell Me...(2007) and Queen Marie (2012) at 4th Line Theatre. At Alumnae her one-act Revelation, originally produced in 2001, was one of two past favourites chosen to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the New Ideas Festival earlier this year, and I am Marguerite was read at 2013's Big Ideas. She is also a story editor for film and television projects. www.shirleybarrie.ca

SARA KOHAL, Assistant Director
As a new member of the alumnae theatre company this is Sara's first production as assistant director, and she has found it to be an invigorating experience. Having recently moved from England, she is looking forward to being an active member of the alumnae. Although Sara is a scientist by trade, she has been acting and directing in TV and theater since the age of 13 and describes it as her "true love"."

ADRIANA DIMITRI, Stage Manager
Adriana recently graduated from York University's Undergraduate Theatre program, specializing in Stage Management. She is a Production Assistant at the Canadian Opera Company, and her most recent credits include being a Production Intern at Venue13 for the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Management Intern at the Indy Convergence 2013 in Indianapolis this past May, as well as Stage Managing TEDx YorkU.

THE CAST:

PAUL COTTON, Louis Godin
Paul is delighted to be performing at the Alumnae Theatre for the first time. Recent appearances include the role of Felix in "The Odd Couple" with the Scarborough Players and Dan in "Rapture" with the East Side Players. Paul has been involved in the theatre for over 20 years, dividing his time between Toronto and New York City. Some of his favourite roles include Billy Bibbit in "One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest" and Al in "The Baby Dance".

Jason Thompson, Pierre Bouguer
Jason spent seven years studying various forms of physical theatre. He received the inaugural Tim Simms Cream of Comedy award in 1996. Jason has toured North America and Europe with various Fringe productions. Other credits include The Hollow (Canadian Stage), Antony and Cleopatra The Theatre Elusive), and The Wilkinsons (Country Music Television), and 'A Woman Of No Importance' at Alumnae Theatre.

JESSICA ZEPEDA, Florenza
Jessica is a proud Canadian-Salvadorian Mestizo, with a Torontonian heart. After graduating from Humber Theatre's Performance Program, Jessica has worked with Roseneath Theatre, NYC's Loco7, and Alameda Theatre Company. Jessica also takes the time to learn the production side of theatre and has worked on Chile Con Carne and Salome's Clothes as a Producing Assistant. Currently, Jessica is performing in Pop UP Theatrics's Long Distance Affair: Buenos Aires, and interns at Aluna Theatre.

MIKE VITOROVICH, Charles De La Condamine
Selected Alumnae Theatre credits include: Mr. Mamatee in The Killdeer, Roy in COSI, Richard in You Are Here and Daisy in Baby With the Bathwater. Other Selected credits include: Ferdinand in The Tempest (Alchemy Theatre), Smirnov/The Bear in The Chekhov Vaudevilles (U of T Graduate Studies Program) and Cliff in Jesus Jello (ZAW Theatre).

Opening Night & Gala: Wednesday November 13, 2013

Performance Dates: Wednesday November 13 - Sunday December 1, 2013

Schedule: Wednesday - Saturday 8:00pm; Sunday matinee at 2:30pm

Playwrights Speak on Sunday December 1st, at 4:00pm
Roundtables are Sundays at 12:00pm

Tickets: Series Pass (all 3 shows, Roundtables & Playwirghts Speak) $50; Individual Tickets $20; Roundtables free with show ticket or pass or $10.00 at the door, Playwrights Speak is a free event.

PWYC THEORY: Thursday, November 21,2013,
PWYC GLORIA'S GUY: Wednesday, November 27, 2013
PWYC MEASURE OF THE WORLD: Thursday, November 28, 2013

May be purchased online for Thu/Fri (except opening night)/Sat at www.alumnaetheatre.com. Location: Alumnae Theatre, 70 Berkeley Street (SW corner with Adelaide), Toronto. Box Office: 416-364-4170 (box 1) or e-mail reservations@alumnaetheatre.com. For cash purchases, Box Office opens one hour prior to each performance. Please note: Alumnae box office does not accept credit or debit cards.

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