Maev Beaty News

With the new Tom Patterson Theatre taking shape on the banks of the Avon River, the Stratford Festival is thrilled to announce key casting as it builds the acting company for its monumental 2020 season.

The Stratford Festival is celebrating the World Premiere of Michael Healey's adaptation of Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur's THE FRONT PAGE at the Festival Theatre. A beloved American satire set in 1920's Chicago, THE FRONT PAGE tells the story of journalists in a courthouse pressroom doing whatever they need to do to get their story while at the same time being the only potential failsafe against political corruption at a time when the seedy Chicago subculture was in full swing. Directed by Graham Abbey, this adaptation is updated to include more diversity among the characters. It is a knee slapping night at the theatre whilst also providing a seemingly timeless commentary about the flaws and biases of the criminal justice system.

The Front Page, one of the great satires about the world of journalism, hits the stage in Stratford today, under the direction of Festival veteran Graham Abbey. Written by former Chicago reporters Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur, and newly adapted by Canadian playwright Michael Healey, this comedy-drama is now in previews at the Festival Theatre and will officially open on Thursday, August 15.

Artistic Director Aislinn Rose announced The Theatre Centre's 201920 programming today at one of the company's signature (and delicious) community meals. The focus of the year ahead is on the idea of "reckless generosity".

At a press conference held May 28 in the Davies Takacs Lobby of the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre, the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA) announced 282 nominations for the 40th Anniversary Dora Mavor Moore Awards, which recognize excellence in professional theatre, dance and opera in Toronto. On Tuesday, June 25 at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, 49 Dora Mavor Moore Awards, the Silver Ticket Award and the Jon Kaplan Audience Choice Award will be presented.

In a new production of AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY, director Jackie Maxwell guides a 13-person cast through the highs and lows of the Weston family during a family tragedy. In Maxwell and the ensembles' capable hands, Tracy Letts's delicate balance of comedy and cruelty is presented as fully as possible.

Nightwood Theatre's Board of Directors are thrilled to announce Andrea Donaldson as the new Artistic Director. With nearly 20 years of professional experience, Andrea has been a vibrant presence in Toronto's theatre scene. She has worked as a playwright, actor, and producer but most significantly she has focused her career on Directing and Artistic Direction with a strong emphasis on new play development and nurturing women's voices. Andrea will assume her new role in May 2019. Kelly Thornton will remain Artistic Director until April 30, 2019.

What happens when you put eight accomplished singers, two dynamic actresses, and a back-up band that steals the show more than once? You get UNCOVERED: JONI MITCHELL & CAROLE KING.

Artistic Director Antoni Cimolino has announced key casting for the 2019 season, including Michael Blake as Othello and Amelia Sargisson as Desdemona in the season opener, Othello, one of Shakespeare's greatest and best-known tragedies.

In 2013, long-time friends, Hannah Moscovitch (Bunny / Stratford Festival) and Maev Beaty (Mouthpiece / feature film) began work on a project about motherhood. What started as an exploration of mothers took a very personal turn when both women became mothers themselves. Suddenly, they were experiencing what they were writing about; an investigation became a confessional.

The 2018/19 year marks two milestone anniversaries for The Theatre Centre, the 40th anniversary of the organization's founding, and the 5th anniversary of moving into their permanent home. For 40 years, The Theatre Centre has been committed to investing in artists and developing new work and new ways of working. Moving into a permanent home 5 years ago allowed the organization to further that commitment and start to redefine what a theatre can mean to its community.

How can a life be described when the only constants are a name and a poem? In Soulpepper's production of ORLANDO, the title character struggles with existentialism and a fixation on death - something that seems to constantly elude them.

April is Shakespeare month! Marking both his birthday and passing on April 23rd, BroadwayHD, the premiere streaming platform for live theater, is highlighting its definitive collection of Shakespeare's productions.

Expect Theatre's PlayME - the podcast that transforms Canadian plays into audio dramas - announces the launch of the PlayME Network, a new broadcast arm that will partner with some of Canada's leading theatre companies from across the country. PlayME Network will feature shows from PlayME partners' regular seasons, transformed into audio dramas. Founding PlayME Co-Artistic Directors Laura Mullin and Chris Tolley are pleased to announce that the inaugural PlayME Network partners are Toronto's Tarragon Theatre, Factory Theatre and The Musical Stage Co.; Ottawa's Great Canadian Theatre Company; Edmonton's Citadel Theatre and Newfoundland's Artistic Fraud.

DAUGHTER, the most talked about show of the 2016 SummerWorks Performance Festival, will have its mainstage premiere at The Theatre Centre, November 7-19, 2017.

DAUGHTER, the most talked about show of the 2016 SummerWorks Performance Festival, will have its mainstage premiere at The Theatre Centre, November 7-19, 2017.

The Stratford Festival midseason openings are upon us, and first up was Director Chris Abraham's much anticipated production of Moliere's TARTUFFE at the Festival Theatre. The translation by Ranjit Bolt (with some updates to reflect current politics) finds the perfect tone and allows a French satire from 1664 to feel incredibly (almost frighteningly) relevant right now. An excellent company, led by the fantastic Tom Rooney had the audience absolutely howling. This is definitely one to see!

At one of their very popular community meals yesterday, The Theatre Centre made its first programming announcement for 2017/2018 with a continued focus on Residency work, supporting artists, and filling the role of culture and community hub for the neighbourhood and beyond.

The 38th Annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards for the 2016-2017 season were handed out in a star-studded ceremony in Toronto on the evening of Monday, June 26 at the Elgin Theatre of the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre, hosted by acclaimed actor and musician Raoul Bhaneja, a Maple Blues Award winner and Gemini, Dora and Canadian Comedy Award nominee.

Stratford Festival's Artistic Director, Antoni Cimolino is directing one production this season and it is Richard Brinsley Sheridan's THE SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL. Mounted on the Avon Theatre stage, this production boasts a fabulous company and a commentary on society that is far from outdated.