Rehearsals for THE SACRIFICE ZONE Begin at Theatre Gargantua

Toronto's acclaimed Theatre Gargantua (TG) started rehearsals this week for its world premiere of The Sacrifice Zone, marking the Canadian debut of Australian playwright Suzie Miller of The Uncertainty Principle and the culmination of the company's tenth cycle of work. Directed by Jacquie P.A. Thomas, Artistic Director of Theatre Gargantua, The Sacrifice Zone is a dynamic investigation into the harrowing pursuit of justice after a fatal explosion in an industry town dedicated to resource extraction. The Sacrifice Zone opens November 14 and runs to November 30 (previews November 13) at the Factory Studio Theatre.

Gargantua is pleased to announce that Michelle Polack, who previously performed with the company on its Raging Dreams in 1996, rounds out the acting ensemble of Ciara Adams, Joel Benson, Pam Patel, and Michael Spence who were previously announced. Playwright Suzie Miller arrived from Sydney, Australia on Monday to join the company for continued development and rehearsals.

Real world issues of individual, corporate and environmental responsibility come to the fore in The Sacrifice Zone's multi-layered story of a man and a woman who struggle to come to grips with the tragic loss of their partners and the consequences of their pursuit of justice. The Sacrifice Zone uses a compelling mix of Theatre Gargantua's trademark highly physical, imagistic style coupled with technology and music, including live foley by John Gzowski, to explore the human cost incurred in a complicated bid for justice. Rounding out the design team are set designer Michael Spence, lighting designer Laird Macdonald and costume designer Sheree Tams. The stage manager is Tracy Lynne Cann and the production manager is Rae Powell. The Associate Producer is Yolanda Ferrato.

Theatre Gargantua is a Dora-winning, creative ensemble, producing ground-breaking movement-Theatre Projects in two-year cycles. At the heart of its mandate and artistic activity is the desire to create compelling, multidisciplinary theatrical works and to enrich the artistic development of theatre practitioners. An artist-driven company, Artistic Director Jacquie P.A. Thomas founded Theatre Gargantua in 1992. Thomas was honoured with a 2013 Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and has been nominated for 10 Dora Mavor Moore Awards for artistic contributions to the company while the theatre itself has garnered 28 Dora nominations. Past works directed by Thomas for Theatre Gargantua include IMPRINTS, e-DENTITY (which went on to be included in Mirvish Productions' subscription series), fIBBER,Raging Dreams, (nod), Phantom Limb and THE EXIT ROOM. Her select credits outside Gargantua include the Ossetynski Actors Lab in Los Angeles, Roy HArt Theatre in France, The National Theatre of Greece and the Gardzienice Theatre Association of Poland. 2013 marks the 21st season for Theatre Gargantua and The Sacrifice Zone marks its 10th cycle of work.

The Uncertainty Principle, established in both Sydney, Australia and London, UK, creates work incorporating novel theatre forms underpinned with dynamic and narrative text. The company is led by multi-award winning playwright Suzie Miller who was a writer in residence at Sydney's Griffin Theatre in 2012 and has worked with international directors in five countries, and twice been attached to The National Theatre in London. Miller's work includes Caress/Ache (developed at The National Theatre in London), JUNE, Infidelity, Driving Into Walls (Sydney Opera House - 2013), Transparency (nominated by the Irish Times and other Irish newspapers as 'best of' 2009), SOLD and Reasonable Doubt (NY Fringe Festival's Excellence in Playwriting Award), among others.

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