Young People's Theatre Presents Exhilarating New Take on SNOW WHITE for the Holidays

Young People's Theatre will present its holiday production - a fresh and humorous adaptation of Snow White by Greg Banks, directed by Aurora Browne (co-creator and star of CBC's Baroness von Sketch Show) in its Canadian premiere. Nudging the classic toward a more timely interpretation, this clever twist is a two-actor take on the beloved fairy tale that is fun for the whole family. Snow White is presented on the Ada Slaight Stage Nov. 21, 2022 - Jan. 7, 2023.

Rotating performances throughout the run, Snow White's double cast features comedian and actor Ken Hall (The Umbrella Academy, People of Earth) with Amanda Cordner (Sort Of, Baroness von Sketch Show), and JD Leslie in her YPT debut with YPT Artistic Director Herbie Barnes. Each duo morphs into 14 characters with lightning quick switches, retelling the story of Snow White, all seven dwarves, the prince, queen and her madcap crew.

"This fun and heartfelt adaptation of Snow White is right up my alley," says Director Aurora Browne, who is making her YPT directorial debut. "I'm kind of in love with the cast, and I'm so excited to be delving into all the elements of multiple characters and physical storytelling with them. I want the kids in the audience to be really taken with the authenticity of the story, and I want the inner child of their parents and grandparents to be equally caught up in the honesty and humour of the play."

With a background in improv, Artistic Director Herbie Barnes is excited to help bring this version of Snow White to life on stage. "This ingenious interpretation is truly unconventional," he says. "It will be a joy for the whole family to experience together this holiday season."

Additional credits include: Set Designer: Brandon Kleiman; Costume Designer: Laura Gardner; Lighting Designer: Siobhán Sleath; Sound Designer: Emily Porter; Auntie-in-Residence: Kelly Brownbill; Stage Manager: Katerina Sokyrko; Assistant Stage Manager: Krista MacIsaac; ASL Interpretation: Rogue Benjamin, Amanda Hyde, Gaitrie Persaud-Dhunmoon and Talia Wall-DiGiuseppe.

Snow White

By Greg Banks

Directed by Aurora Browne

Music Composed by Victor Zupanc

Originally commissioned and produced by Children's Theatre Company

Produced by special arrangement with Plays For New Audiences

Aurora Browne is proud to be one of the co-creators, writers, executive producers, directors and stars of CBC's multiple Canadian Screen Award-winning Baroness von Sketch Show. In 2019, Aurora appeared as the co-host of CBC's The Great Canadian Baking Show Season 3. In addition, she has appeared on Run the Burbs, Nurses, The Writer's Block, Man Seeking Woman, Orphan Black, The Gavin Crawford Show, InSecurity, and Corner Gas among others.

Aurora was also a co-creator, co-writer, executive producer and co-star of the hit web series Newborn Moms, which appeared both on CBC's and ABC's digital channels. An alumni of The Second City Toronto Main Stage, Aurora has been nominated for many Canadian Comedy Awards for her work in Toronto's red hot live sketch and improv scene. She was a nominee for the 2000 Tim Sims Encouragement Fund Award and in 2008 won the Canadian Comedy Award for Best Female Improviser. Aurora is a long-time member of the award-winning Toronto theatre company Videocabaret.

Based in the U.K, Greg Banks has been working as an actor, writer and director since 1979. His work has taken him from Singapore to Seattle via Moscow, New York and the Arctic Circle. Whilst building a reputation for making and touring new work in small scale venues throughout the UK in the 80's, his work has also been seen in the West End and at the New Victory on Broadway. In more recent years he has focused on producing theatre for young and new audiences. Since 2003, alongside his work in the U.K. Greg has been a guest Director/Writer at The Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis, where amongst others he has directed his own adaptations of Huck Finn, Antigone, Robin Hood, Pinocchio, Jungle Book, Snow White and The Hobbit. Greg's not new to Toronto - his play Spirit Horse, produced by Roseneath Theatre, has toured extensively in Canada since 2007 (presented at YPT in 2016), but he is very excited that YPT has chosen to produce his adaptation of Snow White.

Herbie Barnes is an accomplished playwright, performer, director and arts educator whose 30-year career spans stages across North America. Herbie officially began his tenure as Artistic Director at YPT in October 2021. An Anishinaabe theatre artist from Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation on Manitoulin Island, Herbie was among the generation of young Indigenous artists in the 1990s breaking down barriers to forge professional careers in Canadian theatre. Barnes was raised in Toronto. His theatre career began in 1989 with Debajehmujig Theatre Group, touring Ontario with the first run of Drew Hayden Taylor's Toronto at Dreamer's Rock. Since then he has collaborated with some of North America's largest theatre companies and was nominated for a John Hirsch Director's Award.

Amanda Cordner is an actress, clown, dancer, singer, theatre creator, playwright and filmmaker who graduated from York University with a BFA in Theatre and has not looked back. Amanda was named one of Canada's Rising Screen Stars by NOW Magazine in April 2022 and was one of NOW's Top Ten Theatre Artists of 2018. As a television performer, Amanda has garnered enthusiastic reviews for her breakthrough performance as 7ven in the hit CBC/HBOMax television series Sort Of (ACTRA Nomination for Outstanding Performance - Gender Non-Conforming or Female). She is also featured in Station Eleven, My Loving Stalker, Slo Pitch, The Expanse and Baroness von Sketch Show. As an audio book storyteller you can hear her in The Beguiling (Zsuzsi Gartner) and Burning Questions (Margaret Atwood). Her play Body So Fluorescent (co-created with David Di Giovanni) debuted at SummerWorks, (awards for Outstanding Production, Play, and Direction) and she continues to partner with independent theatre companies and performance artists. Recently, Amanda teamed with the renowned Baroque Orchestra Tafelmusik as the solo Actor/Narrator in The Gull, the Raccoon & the Last Maple, which was streamed internationally. During the hiatus from Sort Of, Amanda dove into the world of video games and her varied and energetic performances will be featured in games set to debut in 2023.

Ken Hall is a Canadian Comedy Award Winner (Best Breakout Artist) and multiple CCA nominee. He is also one half of the award winning sketch/improv/clown duo 2-MAN NO-SHOW along with his comedic soulmate Isaac Kessler. Ken has appeared on Conan and has had the pleasure of working for Cirque du Soleil. Ken teaches improv, clown and public speaking at The Second City. You can catch Ken on TBS's People of Earth as Jeff the Grey.

Scarborough native and graduate of the University of Windsor's BFA Program, JD is thrilled to be making her YPT debut! Upon her graduation, JD has developed a background in devised/physical theatre, playwriting, and has trained with Factory Theatre's Factory Mechanicals (2018.19) and The Second City's Bob Curry Fellowship (2019). JD would like to thank her mother, Camille, Cadence, and #BBFA for their love and support. JD's theatre credits include: The Spectator's Odyssey - O'dell'Inferno (DLT Theatre); Cordelia in Queen Goneril (Her Words Festival, 2021); Soothsayer in Portia's Julius Caesar (Hart House Theatre); Kia in Elbow Room (TO Fringe Festival 2019); Newmarket National Ten Minute Play Festival; and Swing in Is God Is (Obsidian Theatre). Film & TV: Good Witch; The Anniversary. Other: Like We Used To (Roseneath Live Streams, 2022); Definition (Diaspora Dialogues, 2022).

Young People's Theatre (YPT) has launched the next stage in the company's 57-year history, co-led by Artistic Director Herbie Barnes and Executive Director Nancy Webster. This new era also marks the unveiling of YPT's expanded and renovated theatre complex, more than 10 years in the making. As Canada's largest and oldest professional theatre for young audiences, the company produces and presents a full season of theatre and arts education programming, serving approximately 150,000 patrons annually. With the purchase of a multi-use building across the street from its historic theatre, YPT 161 Studios, YPT has expanded its footprint, increased its accessibility, refreshed its lobbies, and upgraded the theatrical equipment capabilities of its 450-seat Ada Slaight Stage and 115-seat Studio. United in vision, the two facilities now anchor the corner of Front and Frederick Streets in downtown Toronto creating Canada's largest theatre complex for young people. Learn more.

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