MOVIN' ON UP 2015 Set for Aug 22 at CBC

Staircase Theatre and CJSF Radio presents Movin' On Up-Staged Readings. In its second year, Movin' On Up will feature two new one act plays by local, emerging (and very talented!) playwrights, Christopher Cook and CJ McGillivray.

Christopher Cook's play, Strip, explores gender assumptions, the meaning of recovery, how to love strangers (i.e. family), and the perfect wedding - which may or may not involve an abandoned Vegas casino and a female Elvis impersonator. CJ McGillivray's play, Rogue Horizon centers on the relentless bond between runaway sisters who will undoubtedly find blood on their hands.

The two plays will be directed by rising directing star, Brian Cochrane and will feature the acting talents of Yoshie Bancroft, Georgia Beaty, Deborah Williams, Allan Morgan and Emmelia Gordon. Movin' On Up-Staged Readings takes place at the CBC Studio 700 on August 22nd, 2015.

Movin' On Up will feature not only a reading of these two brand new plays, but also a silent auction boasting over $2000 worth in prizes, catering from some of the city's top caterers, a bar and sweet 70's tunes, to get you movin' and shakin' after the readings. Not only that -- the evening will be hosted by local stand-up comedian Adam Pateman!

Strip, by Christopher Cook: What better occasion to stage your daughter's intervention than the night before she marries her dream... bride? In Vegas? Cassandra is determined to give her daughter, Jena, the perfect wedding - and if the whole thing's under 500 bucks, that's an added bonus. But can she keep Jena away from the, ahem, party table? And can she keep the fiancée - who just so happens to be the most successful female Elvis impersonator on the strip, thanks for asking - away from the mic? No matter the budget, it's bound to be a good show.

Rogue Horizon, by CJ McGillivray: A dysfunctional runaway finds herself carelessly stranded on the side of an unfamiliar road. Every passing car could mean rescue or perhaps something vile and dangerous along the highway. Her only company is an endearing but uptight sister who cannot understand why she was dragged kicking and screaming halfway across the country. What happens when push comes to shove and the sisters undoubtedly find blood on their hands?

Staircase Theatre presents Movin' On Up-Staged Readings, directed by Brian Cochrane on Saturday, August 22nd at 7pm at CBC Studio 700, 700 Hamilton Street. Tickets: Pay What You Can at the Door (suggested $10) or reserve a seat by pre-booking here. For more information, visit www.staircasetheatre.com or follow on Facebook.

Christopher Cook's writing credits include Quick Bright Things, presented as part of 2014 Write Mind play reading series (Delinquent Theatre); The Better Parts of Mourning, presented at the 2011 Clean Sheets Festival (The Frank Theatre Company); Compassion for Killers, a one-man show (Whirlwind Theatre Productions); You'll Probably Come Back, presented as part of the 2010 Cultivating the Fringe Award hit Wicked Shorts (Alley Theatre). Christopher received his theatre training from Concordia University, in Montreal, and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

Through her studies at Capilano University, CJ McGillivray fostered a passion for script development & unconventional narratives. Some of her recent endeavours include the raunchy black comedy, Blood Orange Scotch Seawater, developed under the mentorship of Dave Daveau (1st place in the 2012 IGNITE Theatre Festival). She was honoured to receive a scholarship of excellence from The Arts Club for her psychological thriller, Pity Old Flame, written during her final year of The Arts Club LEAP Playwriting Intensive under the mentorship of Shawn Macdonald. Recently, she wrote the intimate drama, White Picket Fence, created during her playwriting residency at Delinquent Theatre. CJ McGillivray's playwriting mentors also include Hiro Kanagawa and Amiel Gladstone. She is amember of The Wet Ink Collective and enjoys seasonal writing intensives with Jane Heyman alongside a collective of emerging female voices.

Staircase Theatre is focused on the idea that theatre should stimulate the mind and the soul- with class, charm and polish. We provide intelligent, contemporary theatre and are committed to bringing emerging and established artists together for opportunities to learn and grow- and to share that with the community. Past shows include AR Gurney's Love Letters, Jessie-Award winning Peter Sinn Nachtrieb's Hunter Gatherers, Stewart Lemoine's Cocktails at Pam's, Lanford Wilson's Home Free, Evelyn Strange, and Will Eno's Oh the Humanity!

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