On Stage

The 76th Season will be marked by a varied program. The four-play subscription series begins in October with a relatively new play by a Canadian author, Robert Ainsworth. "Frozen Dreams” is a warm hearted comedy about life on the streets and the relationships created there. It will be directed by Alan Quinn, who we last saw directing at our One Act Play Festival in June. Although Alan is a relatively new face around GLT, he comes to us with a great deal of experience. Not only does he direct, but he has served on the adjudication committee with ACT-CO for many years and has been involved with their festivals as well.

Although not part of our subscription series, the next production to appear upon our stage in Nov/Dec is "Alicia in Wonderland”, a wonderful Christmas performance. You will want to bring the whole family out to this fun filled show, written by local talent, Don Macrae with music by Ted Blackbourn. GLT’s renowned director, Jeff Dakin assures us that there will be surprises galore as the modern Alicia encounters some very unusual creatures in her version of Wonderland. This show is to be purchased separately and offers many matinees to make it more accessible to the entire family.

In February the theatre’s second main stage show and Western Ontario Drama League Festival entry this year is "Picasso at the Lapin Agile”. Written by Steve Martin and directed by Gerry Butts, this fast moving comedy is sure to make you smile. There has been much controversy in the States over this particular play, as parents of students in a high school drama course tried to have it banned. They objected to the adult themes and content. In response to their concerns Martin wrote to them saying that the students knew that the "questionable behaviour sometimes evident in the play is not endorsed, and their suggestion that his play was about "people drinking in bars and treating women as sex objects" was like saying Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' was "about a castle". But do come and judge for yourselves, was Martin right?

Although this year we do not have a Shakespearean production to revel in, our third play of the series in April is that wonderful old chestnut by Tennessee Williams, "The Glass Menagerie”. It is to be directed by one of our very talented Shakespearean directors, Tony de Ciantis, whom you may have seen at the successful Faery Fest presentation of "Midsummer Night’s Dream,” in the park this past summer.

According to Wikipedia, "The Glass Menagerie” is William’s first great "memory play." It was reworked from one of his short stories "Portrait of a Girl in Glass" and was published in 1943. Many critics have noted that it is really an autobiographical play about Williams's own life, "the characters and story mimicking his own life more closely than any of his other works”. So come out and get to know this world famous author, as he reveals his own dreams and disappointments through "the domestic anguish of the fading Wingfield family as they await the arrival of a "Gentleman Caller" to redeem Laura, a woman as fragile as the glass animal figurines she cherishes.”

The final show in the subscription series in May/June is an exploration into the depths that mankind may sink as well as the heights of compassion that he may achieve. "The Laramie Project” written by Moises Kaufman and the members of the Tectonic Theater Project is to be directed by Joe Brenner. This play has from its time of conception, inspired grassroots efforts throughout the world to combat homophobia. It is often used in schools as a tool for teaching about prejudice and tolerance, hate crimes and violence. Veteran director Joe Brenner (GLT last season’s Cemetery Club) will take us on a journey, drawing upon hundreds of interview from residents of Laramie, and the experiences of the theatre group that conducted them. This play is sure to be a life changing experience for all. You are bound to leave with more questions than you will have answers, but after all that is what good theatre is about, challenging your comfort zone, making you want to do something about it, and hopefully going out there and making the world a better place because of those efforts.