VIGIL, THE PRINCE OF HOMBURG & More Set for Talk Is Free Theatre's 2014-15 Season

Today, Artistic Producer Arkady Spivak announced plans for Talk Is Free Theatre's upcoming season. It will include a wide range of new and forgotten classics from the world repertoire, as well as a visit from an original Canadian musical.

The season will begin on November 6 with Vigil, written by Morris Panych and directed by Kelly Thornton. Starring Jennifer Phipps and Alex Poch-Goldin, Vigil is a poignant dark comedy about an extended visit between Kemp, a lifelong misfit, and his bedridden elderly aunt. It will run until November 15, 2014.

Kristen Thomson's riveting I, Claudia will be given a new production by Director Mitchell Cushman, starring Amy Keating. Performed entirely in mask, I, Claudia is a hilarious and heartbreaking journey into the raw psyche of an extraordinary girl with a lot on her mind. It will play from November 27 to December 6, 2014.

Iconic Canadian choreographer James Kudelka will make his theatre directing debut with a rarely revived classic The Prince of Homburg. Written by Heinrich von Kleist in 1809, shortly before his suicide and not performed until 1821, it follows the heroic commander of the Prussian cavalry, the Prince of Homburg, who dreams of victory, glory and fame. But reckless disobedience during a crucial military operation leads the Prince into his greatest battle yet. His fate becomes the subject of an intricate cat-and-mouse game in which the Elector, bombarded with pleas for mercy by his generals and his niece, offers to quash the sentence if the Prince himself can prove it was unjust. The Prince of Homburg will be performed between January 29 and February 7, 2015.

It will be followed by Stationary: A Recession-Era Musical, in a production from Vancouver's independent company Delinquent Theatre. With Book and Lyrics by Christine Quintana, Music by Mishelle Cutler and Rap Lyrics by Brad Cochrane, Stationary...is directed by Laura McLean with additional direction by Chelsea Haberlin. It explores the lives of eight young people at a moment when big dreams meet reality checks. Performances will take place from April 8 to 11, 2015.

After starring in this season's Floyd Collins co-produced with Patrick Street Productions, Daren Herbert will return as Littlechap, the central role in the seldom seen Stop the World - I Want to Get Off!. Written by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse, this allegorical musical is set in a circus ring and chronicles an Everyman's rise to success as countered by the instability of his private life. Stop the World...features a number of hit songs, including What Kind of Fool Am I?, Gonna Build a Mountain and Once in a Lifetime. Making his directing debut, the production will be helmed by Josh Epstein. It will run between May 21 and 30, 2015.

Further casting, information on new work development and touring plans will be announced at a later date.

"Next season in Barrie will feature plays that are highly impactful on the forms and styles of theatre they represent", explains Spivak. "But my equal goal was to find plausible, meaningful contexts for some of the best national artists. This included increasing representation of female writers and directors as well as offering two directing debuts, among others".

All performances will be held at the Mady Centre for the Performing Arts at 1 Dunlop St. in Barrie, Ontario. Early-bird subscription and group rates are available until June 30, 2014. Single ticket sales begin on July 2, 2014. More information and tickets are available at www.tift.ca or (705) 792-1949.