THE UNIT: New Québec Plays Ready For The Stage- Professional Reading 9/20-23

After great success last year with the inaugural project, Infinithéàtre presents the second cohort of the Québec English-language Playwrights' Unit (The Unit). This rich roster of uniquely Québec plays is poised for programming in theatres across the country. The Unit, under the guidance of dramaturge and playwright Alexandria Haber, is proud to announce that after a year in development there will be seven staged readings from September 20-23. Readings take place at Centaur Theatre, The Segal Centre for Performing Arts, MainLine Theatre and Espace Freestanding Room. All events are free, with donations gratefully accepted.

Since last September, seven passionately talented Québec playwrights, sponsored by different English-language Québec theatres, have been intensively crafting early drafts of their plays into production-ready scripts. Members take part in bi-monthly group dramaturgical sessions and in addition, their projects also benefit from the one-on-one attention of Haber's honed skills. These original works, reflecting varied communities and diversity, are now ready for the culminating four-day festival of staged, public readings brought to life by guest directors and gifted actors.

From Guy Sprung, Artistic Director of Infinithéàtre, "We are delighted to offer Montréal audiences insight about an exciting variety of new work. Our playwrights have each developed distinct, special plays. I am looking forward to hearing them read in front of a live audience as well as the discussion and crucial feedback that follows each reading."

The plays were handpicked by an independent selection committee. This year's stories include the making of a school shooter; a 1960's generation gap illuminated with groovy music; exploring the depths of beauty; queer, sci-fi, dystopian love; street harassment horror-comedy revenge; a business meeting of biblical proportions; and a surreal tribute to a grandmother. Plays for 2018's The Unit are: Trench by Alexandra Maynard, Prequel: An Old Testament Comedy in Two Acts by Joel Yanofsky, The DMZ by Ned Cox, Dead Animals by Jesse Stong, City³ by Kyle Croutch, Vagilantes: A Grand Guignol, Sort Of by Ronit Rubinstein, and Extra/Beautiful/U by Michaela Di Cesare. Here's a word from the playwrights: bit.ly/2os4vG8

For dramaturge Alexandria Haber, The Unit is a wonderful setting where playwrights enrich their scripts by working with fellow playwrights, incorporating and giving feedback. "Working this way is very supportive and encouraging, allowing for everyone to move their scripts from good to better to audience ready, which is what the readings are a testing ground for. Everyone's goal is the same: to make great theatre by starting with an amazing text."

The Unit is run by Infinithéâtre, providing a window of input from the sponsoring theatres and aims to garner interest from artistic directors across Québec and Canada for future programming. Playwrights must be from Québec or be an Indigenous writer from anywhere across Canada.

Infinithéàtre's The Unit, cohort 2, staged readings

Thursday, September 20 to Sunday, September 23, some evenings at 7pm and matinees at 2pm

At Centaur Theatre, The Segal Centre for Performing Arts, MainLine Theatre and Espace Freestanding Room

Dates, venues and times for each of the seven plays is below and here

RSVP suggested: theunit2.eventbrite.ca or call 514 987-1774 ext. 104

Trench by Alexandra Maynard

MainLine Theatre, Minimain Space-Thurs, Sept 20th @ 2pm

3997 St. Laurent Blvd

Prequel: An Old Testament Comedy in Two Acts by Joel Yanofsky
The Segal Centre-Thurs, Sept 20th @7pm
5170 Côte-Ste-Catherine

The DMZ by Ned Cox
Espace Freestanding Room-Fri, Sept 21st @ 7pm
4324 St. Laurent Blvd - 3rd Floor

Dead Animals by Jesse Stong
Centaur Theatre-Sat, Sept 22nd @ 2pm
453 St. François-Xavier

City³ by Kyle Croutch
Centaur Theatre-Sat, Sept 22nd @ 7pm
453 St. François-Xavier

Vagilantes: A Grand Guignol, Sort Of by Ronit Rubinstein
Centaur Theatre-Sun, Sept 23rd @ 2pm
453 St. François-Xavier

Extra/Beautiful/U by Michaela Di Cesare
Centaur Theatre-Sun, Sept 23rd @ 7pm
453 St. François-Xavier

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