OLD STOCK Announces Full Cast
By: Julie Musbach Oct. 09, 2018
This autumn OLD STOCK: A Refugee Love Story, a humorously dark folktale mixed with a high energy klezmer concert, tours the UK. Taking a divisive comment by a Canadian politician as a starting point, 2b theatre company and their director Christian Barry, acclaimed playwright Hannah Moscovitch and musician Ben Caplan created a show to explore what 'old stock' really means in a country founded by immigration.
Inspired by the real-life story of Moscovitch's great-grandparents, Chaim and Chaya, immigrating to Canada in the early twentieth century, this Klezmer-folk music-theatre hybrid is inspired by the true stories of two Jewish Romanian refugees immigrating to Canada in 1908. How can you love after being broken by the horrors of war? It's about those who get out before it's too late, and those who get out after it's too late.
Written by acclaimed Canadian playwright Hannah Moscovitch and winner of the Herald Angel Award and Scotsman Fringe First, OLD STOCK: A Refugee Love Story thrilled audiences at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2017 and is touring the UK following a hugely successful run in New York, Edmonton in Canada and Mayfest in Bristol.
Throughout history refugees have fled natural disasters, war and political unrest and the topics of immigration and migration, refugees and asylum seekers, remain an issue that splits society. With passionate rhetoric on both sides of the debate, dirty tricks, dog whistle tactics, fake news and a rise in nationalism, isolationism and protectionism - sometimes a reminder of the past is a lesson for the future. However primarily, this is a love story, and about the triumph of the human spirit.
The company is comprised of genre-bending Klezmer sensation Ben Caplan as our narrator The Wanderer, Dani Oore as Chaim (also playing the clarinet and other instrument), Mary Fay Coady as Chaya (also on Violin), they are accompanied by Graham Scott on keyboard and accordion and Jamie Kronick on drums.
Ben Caplan is best known as a singer-songwriter and musician. He has released two albums to critical acclaim and actively tours with his band in twenty-eight countries. Caplan's third studio album, also called Old Stock, is out now. Ben initial experiences as a performer and director were in the theatre, OLD STOCK was his return to theatre after a ten-year hiatus.
Dani Oore's collaborates across disciplines and traditions. He is featured in over 20 specials for CBC and Bravo and improvises the lead role in a forthcoming comedy film directed by Jasmine Oore. Dani's debut record has been released and he earned JUNO and ECMA nominations and an award for his records with Jerry Granelli and with Sageev Oore.
Mary Fay Coady is an actor, writer and Alexander Technique teacher. Mary Fay's production of The Perfection of Man won Best Comedy at the Atlantic Fringe in 2013. In 2014, she premiered her original show Tender Beast at Queer Acts and won Best Theatre Actress in The Coast's Best of Halifax poll.
Graham Scott on keyboards and accordion is also a music producer and composer, stylistically chameleonic and a keen collaborationist from New York City.
Jamie Kronick has with Ben Caplan since 2015, he has performed over 400 shows across 29 countries. Kronick's own musical outlet, Scattered Clouds explores darker, more experimental musical elements via dense brooding rhythms and layering of precise, textured noise. Jamie is also a photographer, his fine art and editorial photography focuses on the relationship between subject and environment, creating portraits that reveal personality through place and the individuality of each sitter.
Nominated for six Drama Desk Awards including: Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Director of a Musical, Outstanding Music, Outstanding Book of a Musical, Outstanding Set Design, Outstanding Lighting Design
Ben Caplan has also released his new album Old Stock, featuring music from the show. He will also be performing in the UK in September
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