Louise Pitre To Star In Toronto's 'THE TOXIC AVENGER', Previews Begin 10/20

Dancap Productions Inc. has announced the Canadian Premiere of THE TOXIC AVENGER, an eco-monster musical comedy based on the 1984 Lloyd Kaufman classic cult film. The Canadian production will take place at The Music Hall (998 seats) on Danforth Avenue, currently undergoing renovations to accommodate the show.

Previews begin Tuesday, October 20, 2009, OPENING HALLOWEEN!
Saturday, October 31, 2009 at THE MUSIC HALL 147 Danforth Avenue, Toronto. Tickets go on sale Friday, August 7th.

The Toronto Star reports that Mamma Mia star and Tony Award nominee Louise Pitre will star in the production.

Melvin Ferd the Third wants to clean up Tromaville, the most polluted town in New Jersey (just off Exit 13B on the Turnpike). Foiled by the on-the-take mayor's bullies, Melvin is dumped into a vat of radioactive toxic waste, only to reemerge as THE TOXIC AVENGER, New Jersey's first superhero.

Toxie, is a seven-foot mutant freak with superhuman strength and a heart as big as Newark. He's out to save New Jersey, end global warming and woo the prettiest, blindest librarian in town, in a toxic love story with an environmental twist. THE TOXIC AVENGER features an on-stage rock band and such memorable songs as Thank God She's Blind, You Tore My Heart Out, Big Green Freak, Hot Toxic Love and My Big French Boyfriend.

"Dancap is pleased to be moving into The Music Hall, with the intent of becoming an active member of an already vibrant community," remarked Dancap Productions President Aubrey Dan. "The Danforth Business Improvement Area has been wonderfully supportive and welcoming. Dancap's production of THE TOXIC AVENGER should create considerable additional business for the area's well-established restaurant and retail scene, furthering our goal of enhancing the cultural life of Toronto. I hope you will join us for "Dancap on the Danforth!"

Louise Pitre has had a career rich with success and nobody will argue that this is only the beginning. Pitre's awards include the DORA Mavor Moore AWARD in Toronto, the National Broadway Touring Award in New York, a special award from the San Francisco Theatre Critics Circle, a New York Theatre World Award and a Tony nomination for her role as Donna Sheridan in Mamma Mia!, the ABBA inspired musical that took Canada and the United States by storm.

In 2001, after wowing audiences in Toronto, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, Pitre made her Broadway debut when Mamma Mia! opened at New York's Winter Garden Theatre. Holding the lead role for 2 years on Broadway enabled thousands of spectators to witness the best that New York has to offer, Louise Pitre as Donna Sheridan.

In addition to dazzling audiences on Broadway, Pitre released All of My Life Has Led to This, a CD featuring two French songs composed by Pitre. In 2005, Pitre released Shattered, her 3rd full-length CD. Shattered is a musical journey of heartbreak songs that Pitre sums up as cathartic. Famed producer Fred Mollin and legendary singer-songwriter Jimmy Webb both played integral roles in the making of Shattered. Pitre also boasts a successful concert career, performing as a solo artist with accompanist Diane Leah, George Koller and Tom Jestadt, and as a guest artist with various symphony orchestras. In addition, the multi-talented performer is currently collaborating with her husband, actor Joe Matheson, and Diane Leah on a new musical.

The Ontario native who graduated from the University of Western Ontario with (A) bachelor's degree in music education, had planned on a sensible career as a high school music teacher - until she landed a role in a musical revue during her final year at the university and was bitten by the acting bug. In 1980, Pitre moved to Toronto, and for three years used her considerable typing skills (an impressive 100 words a minute) to support herself while building her singing and acting career. By 1990, she was a favorite in Toronto's theater community, playing the role of Fantine in Les Misrables to critical acclaim in Montreal (bilingual production), Toronto, and Paris, and appearing on the Paris cast recording of the long-running musical.

Pitre was catapulted to national fame in 1992 when she portrayed legendary French singer Edith Piaf in three different productions of Piaf. She also earned accolades for her work in Jacques Brel Is Alive And Well And Living In Paris; I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change; The World Goes 'Round; Blood Brothers; Tartuffe; Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?; The Roar of the Greasepaint, The Smell of the Crowd; Applause; and Rock 'n' Roll. Throughout her distinctive career, Pitre has been honored with three of Toronto's prestigious Dora Mavor Moore Awards for her titanic performances in Mamma Mia!, Piaf, and Blood Brothers.

THE TOXIC AVENGER, winner of the 2009 Outer Critics Circle Award for Best New Off-Broadway Musical, continues at New World Stages in New York where the show celebrated its 100th performance on July 3.

THE TOXIC AVENGER features music and lyrics by David Bryan (Memphis, keyboardist and founding member of Bon Jovi), and book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro (I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change; Memphis, All Shook Up; Over the River and Through the Woods). The Dancap Production will feature a Canadian cast and band, and will be directed by Tony Award-winner John Rando (Urinetown, The Wedding Singer).

For more information visit, www.toxicavengertoronto.com.

Photo by Craig Brockman

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