Ensemble Theatre Company Announces Return Of Summer Festival With MARJORIE PRIME and PASS OVER

Ensemble Theatre Company (ETC) returns to the stage with two pointed and powerful plays: Marjorie Prime and Pass Over, June 15 to July 2, 2022 at Waterfront Theatre (Granville Island). Forming the backbone of a festival that also includes ancillary films and outreach events, the two dramas - one a science fiction exploration of memory and technology; one a radical re-writing of Beckett's Waiting for Godot - are deeply relevant works selected for their vital commentary and profound insight on the human condition.

Written by award-winning playwright Jordan Harrison, Marjorie Prime, a 2015 Pulitzer Prize finalist, explores poignant issues of memory, grief, aging, depression, and our relationship with technology through the story of an ailing 86-year-old who spends her final days interacting with a computerized version of her deceased husband. Set in 2062, the "elegant, thoughtful and quietly unsettling drama" (NYT) combines the near-future science fiction of Black Mirror with the moody family drama of Chekhov into a work that raises significant questions about our dependence on technology, our family relationships, and the way we define self though memory.

Directed by Shelby Bushell, the cast includes Gai Brown (Marjorie), Carlen Escarraga (Walter Prime), Tariq Leslie (Jon), and Bronwen Smith (Tess).

Hailed as a "surreal and morbidly funny existential drama" (Variety), Pass Over, by playwright Antoinette Nwandu, transplants Beckett's Waiting for Godot to Chicago's South Side where two young African-American men wait out the night under the constant threat of violence. This radical rewriting of the modern classic unflinchingly confronts racism and police violence, but does so with a deft and witty hand - weaving morbid existential humour and abundant brainy references into its clever criticism. Since its world premiere at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theater in 2017, the work has enjoyed frequent stagings - including the honour of being the first full-length play to re-open on Broadway following the first wave of the pandemic in August of 2021.

Directed by Omari Newton, the cast includes Chris Francisque (Moses), Kwasi Thomas (Kitch), and Alex Forsyth (Mister/Ossifer).

In addition to the main stage festival, ETC will host a series of film screenings and engagement events to further explore the content and themes addressed in the productions. Event dates and details will be regularly updated at: ensembletheatrecompany.ca

Early Bird Offer: Festival Passes are now on sale through May 31. Festival Passes to both productions, include access to all events, and are $75 plus applicable service fees (value of $100) at: ensembletheatrecompany.ca

Single tickets are currently available from $25 plus applicable service fees at: ensembletheatrecompany.ca

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