Richard Ouzounian News

Toronto Theatre Critic's take to the stage this Sunday in a special benefit performance of You're A Good Man Charlie Brown, with proceeds going to The Actor's Fund. Featuring Kelly Nestruck, Robert Cushman, Glenn Sumi, Sheila McCarthy and Melody A. Johnston, the show also includes BWW's own Kelly Cameron as one of the Snoopy's. In this special feature, she talks about her hidden desire to be force to be reckoned with on-stage, setting the bar a smidge above terrible, and humbly requests that you throw bones in lieu of tomatoes.

Producers Bill Kenwright, The Really Useful Group, David Mirvish, Troika Entertainment & Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures present the all-Canadian cast of the North American premiere of Andrew Lloyd Webber's new stage adaptation of THE WIZARD OF OZ, which opened on December 20 at the Mirvish Theatre.

So you think you want to be a writer? Well, here's your chance to see if you have what it takes to become a published author.

Just in time for Halloween, the first national tour of the new musical The Addams Family, will make its Seattle premiere tonight, October 24-November 11, 2012 at The 5th Avenue Theatre. Based on the bizarre and beloved family of characters created by legendary cartoonist Charles Addams, this smash Broadway hit brings the darkly delirious world of Gomez, Morticia, Uncle Fester, Grandma, Wednesday, Pugsley and, of course, Lurch to spooky and spectacular life.

Just in time for Halloween, the first national tour of the new musical The Addams Family, will make its Seattle premiere October 24-November 11, 2012 at The 5th Avenue Theatre. Based on the bizarre and beloved family of characters created by legendary cartoonist Charles Addams, this smash Broadway hit brings the darkly delirious world of Gomez, Morticia, Uncle Fester, Grandma, Wednesday, Pugsley and, of course, Lurch to spooky and spectacular life.

The national tour of the new musical THE ADDAMS FAMILY, based on the bizarre and beloved family of characters created by legendary cartoonist Charles Addams, will make its Orange County premiere on December 18 at Segerstrom Center for the Arts as part of the Broadway Series.

Full casting has been announced for the upcoming national tour of THE ADDAMS FAMILY, a new musical based on the bizarre and beloved family of characters created by legendary cartoonist Charles Addams, which will make its North Texas premiere October 2-21, 2012, presented by Dallas Summer Musicals at the Music Hall at Fair Park.

A celebration of the life of John Neville will be held in Stratford today, July 15. Mr. Neville, who was Artistic Director of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival from 1986 to 1989, died on November 19. He was 86.

On Sunday July 8th, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR's Chilina Kennedy will bring 'What You Find In A Bottle' to the Metropolitan Room at 7pm. Special guest stars will include Paul Nolan and Josh Young, with Rick Fox, Michele Fox, Kevin Ramessar and Jaz Sealey playing in the band.

On Sunday July 8th, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR's Chilina Kennedy will bring 'What You Find In A Bottle' to the Metropolitan Room at 7pm. Special guest stars will include Paul Nolan and Josh Young, with Rick Fox, Michele Fox, Kevin Ramessar and Jaz Sealey playing in the band.

A celebration of the life of John Neville will be held in Stratford next month. Mr. Neville, who was Artistic Director of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival from 1986 to 1989, died on November 19. He was 86.

The winners of the second annual Toronto Theatre Critics' Awards are in, and BWW is thrilled to bring its readers the entire list. Stand-outs include The Toronto Fringe hit Kim's Convenience (now playing for a second time this season at Soulpepper) and Atomic Vaudeville's Ride the Cyclone. The awards were determined by critics from The Globe and Mail (J. Kelly Nestruck), The Grid (Martin Morrow), National Post (Robert Cushman), NOW Magazine (Glenn Sumi) and the Toronto Star (Richard Ouzounian).

Today, the still Broadway-bound production has released an official statement noting that "The PRINCE OF BROADWAY company and creative team has been informed that production on the show will continue without Dancap's involvement. Further details will follow shortly."

It was announced today in a story by The Star's Richard Ouzounian that Aubrey Dan was no longer involved as producer in the upcoming Prince of Broadway, and that there were not plans for future Toronto shows beyond the 2012 Season. Dancap Productions has been producing commercial theatre in Toronto since 2007, when it exploded onto the scene with a strong freshman season. Shortly thereafter the company produced the Canadian production of Jersey Boys, which ran for two years and played to over two million people. Since Jersey Boys closed Dan has faced an uphill battle, and has made the decision that 2012 will be the company's final season.

Soulpepper Theatre Company is one of the most successful theatre companies in Canada, and growing every day. What began as a group of twelve actors who wanted to tell classical theatre stories has grown into one of the largest theatre companies in Toronto and one of the most well respected in the country. They've enjoyed many sold-out productions in the last few years, and have been responsible for the growth and development of new Canadian works, including the smash hit Kim's Convenience, which has arguably been the most talked-about Canadian play of the last twelve months.

Talk Is Free Theatre (TIFT) and Show One Productions are thrilled to announce that Dora Award winner Jeff Madden will be joining the cast as Rafe in the upcoming Toronto production of Dani Girl, by Christopher Dimond and Michael Kooman. A touching, humorous and inspiring tale, this dark, original musical comedy follows a young girl's battle with cancer. Dani Girl runs until March 4, 2012 at the Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace.

Dani Girl opened last night at Theatre Passe Muraille after a successful run at Barrie's Talk is Free Theatre last year. Directed by the Toronto Star's Richard Ouzounian, the show about a nine year old girl battling leukemia stars Gabi Epstein, Jeff Madden, Jonathan Logan and Amanda Leblanc. Heartfelt, funny, poignant and touching, Dani Girl is a show that will make you think as much as it will make you laugh. Best of all, it is an original and new musical, something the theatre community has been seeing less and less of. Overall, it is a celebration of life, love and the triumph of the human spirit.

Jeff Madden is best known to Toronto audiences for portraying the lead role of Frankie Valli in the original Canadian cast of Jersey Boys. Now, he's taking on a very different role in Kooman and Dimond's DANI GIRL, opening tonight. Jeff talks to BWW about the challenges associated with the new role, working with Richard Ouzounian and why young people should come see Dani Girl.