David Mirvish is delighted to present an expanded and reworked new commercial production of this year's Fringe festival hit MY MOTHER'S LESBIAN JEWISH WICCAN WEDDING, at the Panasonic Theatre beginning November 7, 2009.
This original Canadian musical comedy became the toast of the 2009 Fringe of Toronto Theatre Festival when it played in July at Bread & Circus, a relatively new venue located in a tiny Kensington Market storefront.
Written by David Hein and Irene Carl Sankoff, MY MOTHER'S LESBIAN JEWISH WICCAN WEDDING is that rare theatrical success story: a show that seemingly came out of nowhere and created intense buzz as soon as its first showing ended, resulting in crowds lining up for hours to secure tickets to its remaining Fringe performances.
Explains
David Mirvish: "When members of my staff saw the very first performances of this hilarious and touching musical, they reported back to me with such enthusiasm that I even took my out-of-town guests to a performance. At the performance we attended the crowd went wild, and they had good reason to do so. There is no doubt this is a special work from exciting, new musical theatre voices. We feel privileged to play a part in bringing the work to a bigger audience.
"It doesn't often happen that a show leaps straight from its fringe beginnings and lands in the mainstream. The last time it happened was 10 years ago with a little show we discovered (also at the Toronto Fringe) called THE DROWSY CHAPERONE, which we helped to develop over a workshop and several productions. And everyone knows what eventually happened with that show."
THE STORY
MY MOTHER'S LESBIAN JEWISH WICCAN WEDDING tells the story of a mother and son. The mother feels lost in life, wrestling with her identity. A new job brings new opportunities and with it a chance to truly find herself ... discovering her sexuality, rediscovering her faith, and eventually coming out to her teenage son, ex-husband and homophobic Jewish mother.
MY MOTHER'S LESBIAN JEWISH WICCAN WEDDING is for every mother who has ever come out to her son as a lesbian ... and a Jew. It is for every girlfriend who has met her future lesbian in-laws ... at Hooters. And it is for everyone who's ever been in love.
MY MOTHER'S LESBIAN JEWISH WICCAN WEDDING features sensational songs that run the gamut from heartfelt ("If You Love Me") to hilarious ("You Don't Need a Penis" and "Don't Take Your Lesbian Moms to Hooters."), to educational ("A Short History of Gay Marriage in Canada").
THE BACKSTORY
MY MOTHER'S LESBIAN JEWISH WICCAN WEDDING is based on a true story. The musical's beginnings came two years ago, with what's now its title song. David Hein, an award-winning singer/songwriter, wrote the song as a gift to his mother, about her real-life wedding. Quickly becoming a crowd favourite, David performed the song as he toured across North America. In Alberta it challenged small-town homophobic misconceptions and in America it galvanized a cheering audience of lesbians who are still denied the right to marry.
Convinced the story of his mother's journey would make a good theatrical work, David and his wife, Irene Carl Sankoff, began writing the musical in January 2009. They stitched together the stories that everyone asks them to tell: what life is like with two moms, including the seven parents at their wedding; the "facts of life" talk that Irene received from her in-laws; and how David's mom first came out to him.
THE NEW PRODUCTION
The new production of MY MOTHER'S LESBIAN JEWISH WICCAN WEDDING at the Panasonic Theatre will be expanded and reworked to include new songs, more characters, a larger cast and a bigger band. Like the original, it will be directed by Andrew Lamb, and will star Shaw and Stratford festival veteran Lisa Horner as David's mom.
More casting details and ticketing information will be announced soon.
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