File - Shakespeare in Action

February 2014 Hamlet
The Shakespeare Challenge:
Twelfth Night
In support of access to the arts – community champions step into the spotlight at the historic Arts & Letters Club of Toronto. Sonnets by Kids for Valentine’s Day
Send a sonnet-­‐o-­‐gram to your loved one. One of our Shakespeare Kids will recite it over the phone. March & April 2014 Double Tragedy:
Romeo & Juliet
Macbeth For more information or to book visit: www.shakespeareinaction.org
Shakespeare in Action is a member of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres and engages, under the terms of the Canadian Theatre Agreement, professional Artists who are members of the Canadian Actors’ Equity Association. Kaleb Alexander (Hamlet) — Photo: Shakespeare in Action By William Shakespeare Edited and Arranged by Thomas Morgan Jones Conceived by Michael Kelly and Thomas Morgan Jones Directed by Michael Kelly Fight Direction by Simon Fon Lighting Design by Mikael Kangas Set and Costume Designs by Lindsay Anne Black Stage Management by Maureen Callaghan Apprentice Stage Management by Kaitlin Cheel Production Management and Sound Design by Andrew Clemens Starring: Kaleb Alexander, Timothy Askew, Kerry Ann Doherty, and Miriam Fernandes December 2-6, 2013
Proudly Artistic Company in Residence at Central Commerce C.I.
Shakespeare in Action
Artistic Director: Michael Kelly General Manager: Shemina Keshvani Education Co-­‐ordinator: Laboni Islam Box Office Co-­‐ordinator: Hannah Cherrett Administrative & Marketing Assistant: Jennifer Ierullo Mask Construction: Lindsay Anne Black, Tiffany Chan, Hannah Cherrett, Jennifer Ierullo, Laboni Islam, Ben Lee, Genie MacLeod, and Rosemary Richings Board of Directors: Mat Howard (Chair), Alia Hussey (Deputy Chair), Daniel Fischlin (Treasurer), Suzanne Manvell (Secretary), Julia Mcleod, Ora Ross, and Michael Kelly (Non-­‐voting Member) Administrative & Production Interns: Tiffany Chan, Ben Lee, Genie MacLeod, Dianne Oliveira, and Rosemary Richings Volunteer: Nina St. James Thank You: Chris Bolton, Ines Buchli, Joel Charlebois, Kim Haladay, Iwona Kurman, Tara Mohan, Kevin Parkin, David and Ann Powell (Puppetmongers), Arnold Witt, the Custodians at Central Commerce, The Betty Oliphant Theatre, The George Lunan Foundation, Mary-­‐Margaret Webb Foundation, Roseneath Theatre, Theatre Direct, and York University 416-703-4881
www.shakespeareinaction.org
Hamlet
Cast
KALEB ALEXANDER (HAMLET): Kaleb Alexander studied at York University's acting conservatory program. Recent credits: Dirty Butterfly (Bound 2 Create), Delicacy (Brouhaha), Family Story (Birdtown and Swanville), Six & Eight (b-­‐Current). Kaleb is happy to be returning to work with a great cast and crew at Shakespeare in Action. He would most like to thank the love and support of his partner through the good times and the bad. TIMOTHY ASKEW (CLAUDIUS, GHOST, POLONIUS): Timothy Askew is an actor and director He received a Bachelor’s Degree in Acting and Theatre Arts from the University of Akron, and an MFA in Theatre Directing from York University. Tim was a founding member of New World Performance Laboratory (NWPL), a physical theatre company based at The Cleveland Public Theatre. In 1999, Tim was a member of the inaugural Stratford Shakespeare Festival Birmingham Conservatory for Classical Theatre Training. Subsequently, Tim spent 11 seasons at Stratford as Associate Director, actor, casting associate, and fight captain. In 2009 and 2010, Tim served as Program Coordinator to Bob White and Robert Blacker in Stratford’s Dramaturgy and New Play Department. Most recently, Tim directed an abridged Julius Caesar by W. Shakespeare, and ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore by John Ford at York University. In January of 2013 Tim wrote and directed an adaptation of Francis Beaumont’s The Knight of the Burning Pestle for Theatre@York. Previously, Tim directed Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd, and the Toronto premiere of Kander & Ebb’s Curtains at the Al Green Theatre; Patrick Marber’s Closer, an adaptation of Shaun Tan’s graphic novel The Arrival, Euripides’ Alcestis, Shakespeare’s Merry Wives of Windsor, and Tadeusz Slobodzianek’s Our Class also at York University. KERRY ANN DOHERTY (GERTRUDE, LAERTES, GRAVEDIGGER, COUTIER): This is Kerry Ann's debut performance with Shakespeare in Action. Selected credits include Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, Olivia in Twelfth Night, Hamlet, All's Well That Ends Well, Maid for a Musket and Trouble on Dibble Street (St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival), The Great War, Laurier, and Canadian Pacific Scandal (Video Cabaret), Spelling 2-­‐5-­‐5 (Carousel Players) And Up They Flew (Theatre Columbus), Intimate Exchanges (Theatre & Co.), Much Ado About Nothing (Can Stage), Love and Larceny (Thousand Island Playhouse), A Midsummer Night's Dream and Romeo and Juliet (Theatre by the Bay). Kerry Ann was nominated for a Dora Mavor Moore Award for her performance as Mary Lane in Reefer Madness...the Musical! (BareArse Productions) and a Sterling Award for Dreamland: Saturday Nights (Shadow Theatre). MIRIAM FERNANDES (HORATIO, OPHELIA, OSRIC): Miriam Fernandes is a Toronto-­‐based actor, creator, and arts educator. Acting credits include: The Biographer (Tango Co.), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Speakeasy Productions), The Bundle (Edward Bond Festival), and Macbeth (The Classical Theatre Projects). Miriam has worked in various capacities with Why Not Theatre, Soulpepper Theatre Company, Groundwater Productions, and Roseneath Theatre. She is currently an artist in residence at Theatre Passe Muraille where she is developing her first one-­‐
woman show, Cat and Mouse. In September of 2011, Miriam co-­‐founded The Pomegranate Project with Sarah Brose. The Pomegranate Project is an arts education initiative that connects students in Toronto, Canada to students in Mumbai, India through dance, theatre, and filmmaking. The Project focuses on the themes of peace, community, and connection. Miriam is a graduate of York University’s Acting Conservatory program. Hamlet in 84 Words
or Less
(Plus 6 Potentially Useful
Facts)
Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. Hamlet is troubled – his father has died, his mother (Gertrude) has married his uncle, and his uncle (Claudius) has taken the throne. Hamlet Senior, now a knowing ghost, informs Hamlet that he was m urdered by Claudius. Hamlet vows to take revenge, adopts an antic disposition, and spends an enormous amount of time thinking. One suicide, accidental poisoning, and four stabbings later, the truth comes to light, leaving Denmark a little less rotten than when we started. Hamlet is Shakespeare’s longest play – over 4000 lines. It is believed that Shakespeare performed the role of the Ghost at the Globe Theatre. In 2009, David Tennant took on the role of Hamlet in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production. Tennant also played Barty Crouch Jr. in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, as well as the Tenth Doctor in Doctor Who. One can only wonder what Hamlet would have done with a vial of polyjuice potion…or a Tardis. The word revenge (and its variants) appears 13 times in the play. There are m any parallels between Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Disney’s The Lion King. Consider the roles of Hamlet Senior/Mufasa, Claudius/Scar, and Hamlet/Simba. A Great Quote: — to thine own self be true; And it m ust follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man — (Polonius, 1.3) SIMON FON (FIGHT DIRECTOR): With over 400 professional credits stretching across Canada from Stratford to Yellowknife, Simon specializes in all areas: Weaponry, Aerial Flying, Unarmed Combat (Eastern and Western). Most recently Simon has worked on Dora winning projects THE MILL, HAMLET (Necessary Angel), WHEN WE WERE BIRDS. Executive Director and Founder of RIOT A.C.T. earning 17 nominations and 8 awards in their past 4 years including Simon for Male Action Performer of the Year 2009 AOF Festival – California. Recently -­‐ Cruel & Tender for CanStage and The Great Gatsby for The Grand. www.simonfon.com and www.riotact.ca MIKAEL KANGAS (LIGHTING DESIGNER): Mikael designs lights for dance, drama, musical theatre, opera, galleries and events. Mikael’s recent work includes: Aladdin (Mirvish/Disney, PA), CATS (Mirvish, ALD), Spring Showcase 2013 (George Brown Dance), Next to Normal (LOT), the Buddy Holly Story (LOT), Merry Widow (Opera York), NINE (Randolph). Mikael has designed for many companies and institutions in Toronto and participated in the Banff Centre for the Arts lighting design internship for two seasons. Mikael has assisted at Mirvish, Tarragon Theatre, the National Ballet School of Canada and Banff Centre amongst others. Mikael is a recent graduate of Ryerson University and an associate member of the Associated Designers of Canada. THOMAS MORGAN JONES (EDITING AND ARRANGEMENT): Thomas is a Toronto-­‐based director, playwright, dramaturge, instructor, and movement coach. His productions have received seven Dora Mavor Moore Awards and three nominations, he received the 2011 Dora Mavor Moore Guthrie (Stratford Festival), and has been nominated twice for the John Hirsch Award (2008 & 2011) and for the Pauline McGibbon Award. He has collaborated with companies including: Theatre Direct, Stratford, Theatre Passe Muraille, Cahoots, Theatre Rusticle, Buddies, Carousel Players, Theatre Jones Roy, The CULTCH, The Charlottetown Festival, Cia Enviezada (Brazil), and many others. He holds a B.A. from the University of Guelph, an M.A. from the University of Toronto, and recently trained with SITI Company in NYC, Madrid, and Paris. He is currently playwright in residence with Shakespeare in Action, an artist educator in residence with YPT, and an associate artist with Theatre Direct. Charles and Mary Lamb, Tales from Shakespeare. (Philadelphia: Henry Altemus Company, 1901) 128 MAUREEN CALLAGHAN (STAGE MANAGER): Maureen works as both stage manager and educator. Recent theatre credits include: Yukonstyle (Canadian Stage Company); The Belle of Bonavista Bay, With Cruel Times in Between and The Sinking of the S.S. Ethie (Gros Morne Theatre Festival); Yankee Tavern and My Fair Lady –The High School Project (The Grand, London); War of the Worlds (Art of Time Ensemble); Semele (The Canadian Opera Company ); The Auction (Westben Arts Festival Theatre); The Neverending Story (Roseneath Theatre/YPT) and Cosi Fan Tutti (The Banff Centre). Maureen is also one of the resident concert managers for Tafelmusik. Artistic Team
MICHAEL KELLY (DIRECTOR): Michael is an actor, director, producer, teacher, and arts educator. He is the Founder and Artistic Director of Shakespeare In Action. His innovative work with Shakespeare has attracted local, national and international media attention with features on TVO’s Imprint, Canada AM, and C.B.C.’s Sunday Morning and As It Happens. His credits include directing numerous contemporary and Shakespearean plays as well as teaching master classes for the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival and Shakespeare's Globe, London. Michael is part-­‐time Faculty member at York University in the Theatre Department. He has taught acting at George Brown College, Randolph Academy for the Arts, and the National Youth Drama School in New Zealand. His current projects include “Readers’ Theatre Shakespeare for Kids Library Club,” a free arts and literacy program for children in Toronto Public Library, and the recent Shakespeare Fight Club in collaboration with the Young Street Mission. Michael has also recently directed Shakespeare Alive, Shakespeare's Shorts and Suddenly Shakespeare for Shakespeare in Action. LINDSAY ANNE BLACK (SET AND COSTUME DESIGNER): Lindsay Anne has designed sets and costumes for theatre and dance of all sizes, independent and commercial, both scripted and devised. Selected projects include: Evil Dead: The Musical (Starvox), Dinner at Seven-­‐Thirty (Theatre Rusticle), Night Of The Living Dead Live (Nictophobia Films), Chile Con Carne (Alameda Theatre), Laws Of Motion (Small Elephant), This Must Be The Place: The CN Tower Project, (Theatre Passe Muraille); HOMEbody (Shannon Litzenberger Dance); and Sia (Cahoots Theatre Projects). She has led workshops at Tarragon Theatre and Canadian Stage, as well as in high schools and at drama festivals. Two of her costumes have been on display at the Design Exchange, and she was the recipient of the 2007 Pauline McGibbon Award, as well as five Dora Award nominations, though never a bride. ANDREW CLEMENS (PRODUCTION MANAGER AND SOUND DESIGNER): Andrew has been involved with the technical sides of SIA’s Double Tragedy for the past 2 seasons (Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth) as well as their annual Shakespeare Challenge, and is thrilled to return as Production Manager. Having trained in multiple production disciplines, Andrew has enjoyed a multi-­‐faceted career. He has been Sound designing for various shows throughout Toronto; Handle With Care (Toronto Kids Fringe, 2013) A Midsummer’s Nightmare (St Lawrence Shakespeare Festival, 2012) Scrooge: A Cratchet Carol (St Lawrence Shakespeare Festival, 2011) Red Light Winter (Another Theatre Company, 2011). Alternately, Andrew has also had the pleasure of Musical Directing and Composing at Ryerson Theatre School since his graduation; Cerulean Blue (Upcoming 2014), Piper (2013). He has also worked with Theatre 20, working with artists such as Adam Brazier and Jake Epstein while Musical Directing the Emerging Artist Ensemble in The Story Begins: Celebrating Songs from Story-­‐Driven Musicals. (The Panasonic Theatre 2011). Andrew does regular audio production work for Canada’s National Ballet School, lighting production work for the Ryerson Theatre, and was a Venue Technician for the St. Vladimir theatre, with the Toronto Fringe Festival (2013).