BEST PICTUREWritten by Kurt FitzpatrickDirected by Jeff Culbert

Starring Tara Travis, Jon Paterson, and Kurt FitzpatrickInspired by Kennedy Goodkey

Media Contact: Jon PatersonRibbitRePublic Theatre

780-504-7372Jon@RibbitRePublic.com

RibbitRePublic.comPRESS PHOTOS

THE OSCARS GET ROASTED AT THE VANCOUVER FRINGE FESTIVALFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – AUGUST 2016

EDMONTON, AB – Celebrating 16 years on the Fringe Festival circuit, the award-winning RibbitRePublic Theatre returns to the Vancouver Fringe Festival with Best Picture, a comedic romp through all 88 Best Picture Oscar winners.

Written by ten-year Fringe veteran Kurt Fitzpatrick (The Last Straight Man In Theatre, Hooray for Speech Therapy) Best Picture pays homage to every Best Picture winner, from Wings to On the Waterfront to Silence of the Lambs, and while every film gets its turn to be lampooned, how it plays out is anything but linear. “You have Laurence Olivier and Woody Allen fighting over Annie Hall” - says Fitzpatrick.

This summer marks the third year of Best Picture, which means, of course, an ever-evolving script to keep pace with Hollywood's annual awards show, with Fitzpatrick eagerly anticipating the winner. “Last year, I had this whole scene written for Boyhood” He chuckles. “This year, I'm glad Spotlight won because otherwise I would have just bitten Jon on the back” referring to the bear-saga The Revenant.

Best Picture features Fitzpatrick and Jon Paterson (Hockey Night at the Puck & Pickle Pub, BoyGroove) with Tara Travis (Til Death, The Shakespeare Show).

Paterson, Fitzpatrick and Travis intheir rendition of “Ben Hur”

Paterson and Fitzpatrick astwo-headed Clark Gable

Travis featured on the cover of the Vancouver Fringe program!

CREATIVE TEAM RICH IN FRINGE EXPERIENCE

The creative team includes director Jeff Culbert, who directed Jayson McDonald’s acclaimed solo shows Underbelly and Magic Unicorn Island. Paterson, Travis, and Fitzpatrick are all Fringe Festival veterans, having toured for years in both solo and multiple cast productions. Travis is well known in Vancouver with her performances in Til Death, Searching For Dick and The Unfortunate Ruth, Fitzpatrick played Victoria Fringe ten years ago with Rebel Without a Niche, and Paterson appeared in the Vancouver Fringe Best-of-Fest winning Hockey Night at the Puck & Pickle Pub and BoyGroove.

Originally from Edmonton, RibbitRePublic Theatre has been touring the North American Fringe Festival circuit since 2000, best known as the purveyors of the Fringe hits BoyGroove, Letters in Wartime, Grimmer Than Grimm, House, Pilk's Madhouse, among others. This summer RibbitRePublic will present four different productions, with Best Picture stopping in seven cities.

PRAISE FOR BEST PICTURE

“Hilarious and will appeal to film buffs and comedy fans alike"

Vancouverscape

"Two thumbs up"Orlando Weekly

“More than enough humour to raise anyone's spirits"

Now (Toronto)

SHOW TIMES AND INFORMATION

PERFORMANCE WORKS, 1218 CARTWRIGHT STREET, GRANVILLE ISLAND.

SEPT 9 – 8:35 PMSEPT 11 – 6:05 PM

SEPT 12 – 6 PM

SEPT 13 – 9:15 PMSEPT 16 – 6:45 PMSEPT 17 – 7:45 PM

VISIT RibbitRePublic.com/BestPicture FOR TICKETS AND INFORMATION