As The Toronto Fringe Celebrates Its 30th Anniversary, Debbie Read Celebrates Working Every Single One

When Debbie Read did her first Toronto Fringe Festival in 1989 as a house technician, she didn't realize she would be back every year for the next 29 years. Since that first Toronto Fringe, Debbie has gone from house technician to front of house staff, to volunteer. Along the way she has also produced and designed lights, but mostly - she stage managed: and she has never missed a single year. Her presence at the festival year after year is a sign that the Toronto Fringe builds loyalty not only among festival patrons, but also among the staff and volunteers that make the festival run.

So what drew her back again this year? Debbie says the opportunity to see friends, work on interesting projects and be a part of a huge festival is what compels her. This year, Debbie will be stage managing the latest musical by Dora and Canadian Comedy Award nominee Scott White (Top Gun! The Musical, The Giant's Garden). The show premieres on the main stage of Factory Theatre on July 4th, the opening night of the Toronto Fringe. Asked to describe this year's project, she says that COMPULSION is a dark, fast-paced musical that combines the suspense of a Hitchcock thriller with the pace of a contemporary television hospital drama. The plot explores the darker side of love. COMPULSION was the runner-up for this year's Paul O'Sullivan Musical Theatre Prize. And as for Debbie's personal compulsion - she loves to gather office supplies. As a stage manager, that's a compulsion that comes in handy.

COMPULSION features; Matthew Bradley (Rock Of Ages, The Wedding Singer, Boys In the Photograph), Kate Madden (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Of Human Bondage), Dale Miller (Falstaff, James And The Giant Peach, Les Miserables) Michelle Nash (Evil Dead The Musical, Disenchanted), Sara Stahmer (Les Miserables, I Love You, You're Perfect Now Change, ) and Kristi Woods ( The Drowsy Chaperone, Legally Blonde). Text and Music Direction will be by Dora nominee Scott White. Movement Direction and Staging will be by Dora nominee Viv Moore with Stage Management by Debbie Read.

This is a 60 minute show with no intermission.

Ticket Prices: $11 (plus $2 service charge)

Tickets on sale now and are available by phoning the Fringe Box Office at (416) 966-1062 or at https://fringetoronto.com/festivals/fringe/event/compulsion

For more information see the production website www.compulsiontofringe.weebly.com

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