|
|
|
|
|
| Media Advisory |
For Immediate Release |
|
|
Hart House Theatre Announces
its 90th Anniversary Season 
Toronto, Ontario - Hart House Theatre, the University of Toronto's Performing Arts Leader, is proud to announce its 90th Anniversary Season featuring the return of the smash-hit, Jerry Springer-The Opera opening September 24th, 2009.
This season offers Hart House Theatre's first ever remount of a blockbuster hit with Jerry Springer-The Opera. Directed by Richard Ouzounian, this rude, crude and controversial opera wowed audiences in January 2008; selling out for its closing week and leaving audiences chanting "JERRY, JERRY, JERRY!". (more details below)
Following in October, Hart House Theatre presents Shakespeare's most beloved comedy, A Midsummer Night's Dream. Through its tradition of producing exciting, accessible classics, Hart House Theatre has become a downtown destination for large Shakespearean productions that are affordable, well-performed and have high production value. (more details below)
Once again, Hart House Theatre has secured the rights for the Canadian Premiere of a cutting-edge musical. Opening on January 15th, 2010, High Fidelity - a salute to the novel and film of the same name - is sure to speak to the 20 somethings today as it did through John Cusack and Jack Black. (more details below)
To close the season, Hart House Theatre presents Arbitrary Angle Productions' Robertson Davies: The Peeled I, a solo performance starring Canadian gem K. Reed Needles. (more details below)
The 90th Anniversary Theatre Season is Sponsored by:
|
Jerry Springer-The Opera
Back by Popular Demand, Return of the Canadian Premiere
Music by Richard Thomas Book and Lyrics by Stewart Lee and Richard Thomas Directed by Richard Ouzounian Sept 24 - Oct 10, 2009  3 Week Run (11 performances) Week 1: Thurs to Sat @ 8pm Week 2: Wed to Sat @ 8pm Week 3: Wed to Sat @ 8pm
Tickets: Adults $25, Students & Seniors $15
$10 Student Tickets every Wednesday Night!
Recommended for mature audiences only
Back by popular demand after performing to sold-out houses last January, Jerry Springer-The Opera has something that will offend and delight almost everyone at every turn. This British Blockbuster has all the elements that one has come to expect from the Jerry Springer Show including the world's worst sexual deviants in front of a bloodthirsty and carnivorous studio audience. Richard Ouzounian (best known in theatre circles as the top critic for the Toronto Star) returns to direct this ground-breaking production that was so well received by his colleagues in January.
The opening act is such a continual 'hoot' that at one point I was laughing so hard, I uncontrollably broke wind. -Ontario Arts Review
The Hart House production is polished - you get what the fuss is about. -The Globe and Mail
The 20-odd twenty-somethings careering around the stage and auditorium appear to have stumbled into the deep humanity that lifts Thomas' show from easy satire into something both raunchy and noble at the same time. -The Toronto Star
From men in diapers, tap dancing Ku Klux Klan members, to Jesus, and Adam and Eve, the show is not for the faint of heart but leaves audiences chanting "JERRY, JERRY JERRY!" |
A Midsummer Night's Dream
By William Shakespeare
Directed By Jeremy Hutton
Nov 20 - Dec 5, 2009
3 Week Run (11 performances)
Week 1: Fri & Sat @ 8pm
Week 2: Wed to Sat @ 8pm
Week 3: Wed to Sat @ 8pm + Sat @ 2pm
Additional Matinee Performances TBA
Tickets: Adults $25, Students & Seniors $15 $10 Student Tickets every Wednesday Night!
In the autumn, Shakespeare's most widely performed comedy comes to Hart House Theatre. By far the sexiest of his plays, A Midsummer Night's Dream depicts the multiple trysts and high-jinx of lovers as they meet in a forest over-run with fairies. While the fairies taunt and titillate the lovers in the forest, a group of well-meaning, but talentless commoners rehearse a play to be presented to the aristocracy of Athens. Under the direction of Jeremy Hutton (Director of King Lear and Arcadia last season) the show is sure to be high-energy and full of tongue-in-cheek humour that will tease and thrill Hart House Theatre audiences.
|
 High Fidelity
Canadian Premiere
Music by Tom Kitt
Lyrics by Amanda Green
Book by David Lindsay-Abaire
Based upon the novel by Nick Hornby
Directed by Mark Selby
Jan 15 - 30, 2010
3 Week Run (11 performances)
Week 1: Fri and Sat @ 8pm
Week 2: Wed to Sat @ 8pm
Week 3: Wed to Sat @ 8pm + Sat @ 2pm
Tickets: Adults $25, Students & Seniors $15
$10 Student Tickets every Wednesday Night!
Hart House Theatre continues the tradition of producing Canadian Premieres of cutting-edge Musicals. High Fidelity (a musical based on the novel and film of the same name) tells the story of a young man in 'quarterlife crisis' - he's a young adult who gets dumped by his girlfriend, has no money, a cruddy apartment, his job has no upward mobility and he can't seem to get off downward spiral that is taking him nowhere. Through his love of music, he grows out of his self-centred view of the world and finds happiness.
Songwriters Tom Kitt and Amanda Green comment: "The wit, humour and humanity of Nick Hornby's characters and story naturally lends itself to musical treatment. It is a socially acute contemporary love story about people who are obsessed with, and define themselves by pop music and culture. The hero's life is a soundtrack and the big moments are songs." (Playbill 2006).
The original score includes styles from pop music, blues and rock ballads with nuances in the flavour of Bruce Springsteen, the Beastie Boys, the Indigo Girls, Aretha Franklin and Guns N' Roses. Director Mark Selby, a Toronto based Musician and Theatre Artist, leads the production team after mentoring under Richard Ouzounian on Hart House Theatre's Blockbuster Hit Jerry Springer-The Opera. |
Hart House Theatre presents Arbitrary Angle Productions'
Robertson Davies: The Peeled IScripted and Directed by John Krisak Starring K.Reed Needles Mar 3 - 6, 2010 1 Week Run (4 performances) Wed to Sat @ 8pm
Tickets: Adults $25, Students & Seniors $15
$10 Student Tickets every Wednesday Night!
Through anecdotes, lectures and readings, the story of Robertson Davies is told using his own phrasing and references to his greatest literary achievements. This one-man show is performed by K. Reed Needles; whose family connection to Hart House Theatre goes back 5 generations and who was recently awarded the 2008 Brickenden Award for Outstanding Actor for his portrayal of Davies in this piece.
When Robertson Davies: The Peeled I played at London's Grand Theatre, the critics had this to say:
You should rush down and buy a ticket. Now. John Krisak's script and direction and K. Reed Needles' one-person tour-de-force present an insightful, cheerful, learned, witty and spirit-seeking tribute/voyage to Robertson Davies... I am totally impressed by Reed's command of thousands and thousands of beautiful words over two acts divided into nine scenes. -James Reaney for the London Free Press
K. Reed Needles is excellent as Davies. By the end one couldn't help but regret that we have no one like Davies around any more...to undermine our ongoing obsession with everything that's new while dreadfully unaware of what has gone before...Krisak's play and Needles' performance are welcome reminders of the master we had in Davies. -Christopher Hoile for Stage Door
|
|
Season Subscription Prices
Adults
5Play Subscription $100 (includes Candide)
4Play Subscription $80 (with or without Candide)
3Play Subscription $60 (3 of 4 Plays in HHT's Season, without Candide)
Students & Seniors
5Play Subscription $60 (includes Candide)
4Play Subscription $48 (with or without Candide)
3Play Subscription $36 (3 of 4 Plays in HHT's Season, without Candide)
Candide
University of Toronto Faculty of Music presents Candide at the MacMillan Theatre
Feb4-7 Thurs-Sat 7:30pm & Sun 2:30pm matinee (4 performances)
Bonus Show
Each 5Play or 4Play Subscriber receives 1 complimentary ticket for Canopy Theatre Company's outdoor production of Romeo & Juliet. July15-Aug1 Philosopher's Stage at Philosopher's Walk (value = $10 adults / $8 students & seniors)
Exchange Privileges
Hart House Theatre's Season Subscribers are the only patrons who are allowed to exchange their tickets for another performance of the same Season show, up to 24 hours in advance (in person or by phone), pending availability.
(5Play and 4Play Candide tickets may be exchanged, through the UofTtix Box Office, up until Dec 5th when A Midsummer Night's Dream closes).
Bring a Friend Discount
Subscribers may buy extra tickets (no maximum) for their friends to join them, at the 4 Plays in Hart House Theatre's 2009-2010 Season, for $2 off of regular priced single tickets. (The Bring a Friend Discount is not available for Candide as this discount is for single tickets only).
Free Mailing
Up until 2 weeks before each Play, tickets may be mailed to Subscribers for no charge. |
|
About Hart House Theatre
Hart House Theatre, established in 1919, is the University of Toronto's Performing Arts Leader. Since its inception, the theatre's unique mix of young professionals, alumni and students has garnered the theatre a reputation as not only a cultural destination for the UofT Community, but one for all of Toronto.
|
|
Tickets
UofTtix Box Office
416.978.8849
|
|
|
Hart House Theatre
Andrea Wasserman
Marketing Coordinator, Performing Arts
416.978.8381
|
|
|
|
Include information on trademarks here in fine print.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
