The Firehall Arts Centre Announces Cancellation of THE MOTHERFUCKER WITH THE HAT

The Firehall Arts Centre announced today the cancellation of The Motherf**ker with the Hat, which was scheduled to be remounted in January 2017 in association with Haberdashery Theatre.

The production would have involved the original cast and creative team from the successful 2016 run, with a budget based on a one-week rehearsal period. When advised that two of the five actors would no longer be available for the 2017 run, it was determined that it would not be possible to recreate a strong production of the work as over two-thirds of the play would have needed to be reworked, triggering the need for a three-week rehearsal period, additional technical rehearsals, and materials and fees needed to re-costume new cast members.

In making this announcement, Artistic Producer Donna Spencer stated, "Stephen Adly Guirgis has written a very important and dramatically well-structured play that speaks to the impact of addiction on all of the characters' lives. These same issues are very relevant to Vancouver and the inner city neighbourhood in which the Firehall Arts Centre resides. When we chose to produce the play with our partners, it was indeed these issues that we felt needed to be heard by our audiences."

"The Firehall and our colleagues at Haberdashery Theatre have heard the concerns that were expressed by the Latino theatre community regarding the casting of two of the roles in the production and, should a new production of the work be undertaken in the future, will approach the casting and auditioning for the work in a different manner."

"At this time, I would like to thank our colleagues at Haberdashery Theatre and the cast and creative team from the January 2016 production. All of their work was of very high caliber, garnering the production a Jessie Award nomination for 'Outstanding Production - Large Theatre' and nominations for 'Outstanding Performance in a Lead Role' for cast members John Cassini and Lori Triolo."

The Firehall Arts Centre is currently considering other projects to replace this production, and in doing so will continue its long-standing commitment to creating and supporting work that is reflective of the cultural pluralism of Canada. Many fabulous, ground-breaking works involving Indigenous artists, as well as artists from diverse cultural heritages, have been supported through the Firehall's thirty-four years of bringing important plays and dance performances to Vancouver audiences. Playwrights and theatre, dance, and inter-disciplinary companies who have projects that may be of interest to the Firehall Arts Centre's audiences are encouraged to contact Donna Spencer.

About Firehall Arts Centre:

Located in a heritage fire station built in 1906, for more than 30 years the Firehall Arts Centre has been producing eclectic seasons of theatre, dance, and interdisciplinary performance that reflect cultural and social diversity of contemporary Canadian culture.

In its 2016/17 season, the company will produce and present such dynamic works as: Hong Kong Exile's Room 2048, whose primary creators Milton Lim, Remy Siu, and Natalie Gan will develop the production, in part, through an in-house residency; Theatre Passe Muraille's ELLE, an exploration of how First Nations were integral in saving the lives of those who came to Canada unprepared for extreme weather, and featuring the work of Severn Thompson and Jonathan Fisher; Mary Vingoe's Governor General Award-nominated Refuge, telling the story of a young Eritrean refugee who seeks refuge in Canada without success; and The Mars Hotel & Kwan Yin, a dance theatre collaboration between dumb instrument Dance's Ziyian Kwan and cellist Peggy Lee.

For full season listings and tickets, please visit www.firehallartscentre.ca

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