media release...audience-favourite a brimful of asha; and the only ontario stop for piya behrupiya...

Media Contact:Katie Saunoris, Publicist 416.203.6264 x.146 [email protected]

SOULPEPPER 2016.2017 A 20TH-ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION WITH 20 CANADIAN PLAYS; A NEW SOLO SERIES; SEVEN 0RIGINAL CONCERTS; TOURING; & A NEW YORK FESTIVAL

Toronto, ON – August 2, 2016: Albert Schultz, Founding Artistic Director of Soulpepper Theatre Company, today announced artistic programming from September 2016 to August 2017, including 20 plays written or adapted by Canadians, four mainstage works from international playwrights, seven original concerts, a full lineup of holiday programming, a new Solo Series, productions to tour across Canada, and confi rmed programming for Soulpepper in New York in the summer of 2017.

“I’m excited to share our 20th anniversary season,” said Schultz. “It’s amazing how far we’ve come together. What began as a two-play summer season at Harbourfront Centre has become the largest and most active theatre company in Toronto, performing to audiences year-round in our beloved Young Centre for the Performing Arts. Over the next twelve months Soulpepper will share a robust season of work that looks at where we’ve come from as a country and where we are heading as a nation. We’ll present exciting work with community partners, and revisit some of our Signature works that have shaped our company. And we will share those stories with our Toronto community, but also through digital recordings, broadcast, and on tour – across Canada and abroad.”

To mark Canada’s sesquicentennial celebrations in 2017, Soulpepper’s summer shows will explore two of the defi ning events of Canadian nationhood: Confederation and the First World War. Shows include Vern Thiessen’s WWI drama Vimy, and the return of Billy Bishop Goes to War with its creators John MacLachlan Gray and Eric Peterson reprising their roles one last time.

The company’s 2017 summer programming also includes an epic collection of work from Toronto’s lauded VideoCabaret capturing the era of Confederation in four tragicomic one-act plays, presented in two parts. Michael Hollingsworth’s CONFEDERATION PART I: Confederation & Riel and CONFEDERATION PART II: Scandal & Rebellion tell the essential stories of Canadian history in a milestone year for the country, all with the stunning stagecraft of VideoCabaret’s award-winning ensemble.

While Soulpepper supports Canada’s 150th Anniversary celebrations with a full theatre schedule at home, a full company of artists will also be touring to New York City to present a festival of programming throughout The Pershing Square Signature Center on 42nd Street, designed by Torontonian Frank Gehry. “Soulpepper on 42nd Street: Canada Crosses the Border” will be one of the largest concentrations of Canadian artistic expression in New York from June 29 through July 29, 2017. With full use of the Center, Soulpepper will showcase and enhance the relationship between cities, countries, and artists with a rich celebration of Canadian talent, presenting: Kim’s Convenience, Of Human Bondage, Spoon River, Alligator Pie, A Brimful of Asha (Why Not Theatre), (re)Birth: E. E. Cummings in Song, and a selection of Soulpepper Concerts and Cabarets with guest artists. Soulpepper will also conduct outreach initiatives aimed at youth and new immigrants, as well as masterclasses, play readings and workshops aimed at building stronger connections with the New York arts community. More info to be announced.

Soulpepper’s 2016.2017 programming is a mix of Canadian and international voices, plus touring stops across Canada. 2017 marks the 75th birthday of playwright Michel Tremblay, and Soulpepper celebrates with his landmark work Hosanna, which resonates loudly in the aftermath of the Orlando nightclub shootings. Hosanna runs in rep with Noises Off by Michael Frayn.

In October and November, Soulpepper celebrates Diwali with a pair of shows from South Asian artists: Why Not Theatre’s audience-favourite A Brimful of Asha; and the only Ontario stop for Piya Behrupiya (Twelfth Night) from India’s The Company Theatre, performed in Hindi with English projections.

In November, Soulpepper is the fi rst major theatre company to present the Dora Award-winning musical Chasse-Galerie, produced by KABIN and the Storefront Theatre.

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December marks the return of the Soulpepper Family Festival, a holiday mix of theatre, concerts, and magic shows. Free family programming as part of Winter Waves returns in January. For the second year in a row, the company will expand holiday programming beyond its home the Young Centre for the Performing Arts to include the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts where new this year, the Festival opens with the beloved holiday story It’s a Wonderful Life, written for the stage by Philip Grecian, based on the fi lm by Frank Capra. The Family Festival also includes: Michael Shamata’s classic adaptation of Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol; Soulpepper’s Alligator Pie; A Very Soulpepper Christmas concert; Magicana’s new Hocus Pocus with David Ben; and Rose, a new musical presentation from Slaight Family Director of Music Mike Ross and Sarah Wilson based on Gertrude Stein’s The World Is Round.

Programming in January of 2017 begins with The Last Wife by Kate Hennig directed by Alan Dilworth, originally produced by the Stratford Festival, with its original cast. A series of Soulpepper Signature productions follow, including: Ins Choi’s Kim’s Convenience; Vern Thiessen’s award-winning adaptation of W. Somerset Maugham’s Of Human Bondage; and a revival of Soulpepper’s celebrated musical Spoon River adapted by Mike Ross and Albert Schultz.

Soulpepper’s new Solo Series running from March through May features four diverse and distinct works from Canadian artists: Cage, a world premiere from Diego Matamoros, Lorenzo Savoini, and Richard Feren; Crawlspace, from Karen Hines; CRASH from Pamela Mala Sinha; and I’m Doing this For You, by Haley McGee.

Also in May, Soulpepper presents The Gospel at Colonus directed by Albert Schultz, a groundbreaking and musical work conceived and adapted by Lee Breuer with music by Bob Telson.

RARE Theatre Company returns to Soulpepper in May of 2017, with a new original work, Wildfi re. Created by Judith Thompson and the RARE ensemble, and directed by Thompson, this world premiere will explore the boundaries of love for people with Down syndrome.

Music programming at Soulpepper in 2016.2017 starts off with a new addition to the Manhattan Concert Cycle this fall - Manhattan: Midtown - 42nd Street and Broadway, before a restaging of the full Manhattan Concert Cycle in March of 2017. Soulpepper also brings back its signature production of (re)Birth: E. E. Cummings in Song next spring, plus two new concerts: True Patriot Love: A Concert celebrating Canadian classics; and Porgy & Bess in Concert on the Gershwins and their greatest work.

Soulpepper’s Canadian touring initiatives also continue in 2016.2017 with stops in seven provinces, including a Western Canada tour of Alligator Pie this fall (Persephone Theatre, Saskatoon, SK; Vertigo Theatre, Calgary, AB; Manitoba Theatre For Young People, Winnipeg, MB); Kim’s Convenience at Halifax’s Neptune Theatre in January, 2017 and stops to be announced; and Pamela Mala Sinha’s CRASH touring in Ontario this winter, with stops to be announced. Soulpepper’s production of Spoon River is currently playing at the Charlottetown Festival, PEI, until August 20, and its Signature Production of The Odd Couple travels to the Capitol Theatre in Port Hope, ON this October.

Subscriptions are on sale as of August 2 at 1 p.m. Single tickets for the unveiled 2016.2017 season go on sale to the public on August 12, 2016. In celebration of the company’s 20th anniversary, all StagePlay (under 30) and Arts Worker tickets have been lowered to only $20. A new Student Sesquicentennial Package off ers tickets to six productions for only $150 or less.

Soulpepper’s 2016 season continues this summer with productions of Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, The 39 Steps based on the Hitchcock fi lm, and the Canadian Premiere of Father Comes Home From the Wars (Parts I, II, III) from Suzan-Lori Parks, plus four performances of a new concert experience, Taking the A Train Uptown Manhattan - Harlem.

Visit soulpepper.ca for more details or call the Young Centre Box Offi ce at 416.866.8666.


SOULPEPPER PROGRAMMING: SEPTEMBER 2016 - AUGUST 2017

Noises OffMichael FraynDirected by Ted DykstraCalled the funniest farce ever written, this classic comedy proves what happens onstage is just the tip of the iceberg. Opening night is just hours away as a misfi t company of actors juggle their lines, love lives, and plates of sardines. The cast includes Oliver Dennis, Raquel Duff y, Matthew Edison, Christopher Morris, Oyin Oladejo, Anand Rajaram, Brenda Robins, Myrthin Stagg, and David Storch.

Noises Off runs from September 21 to October 22. 2016. Opening night is September 29.

HosannaMichel Tremblay. Translated by John Van Burek and Bill Glassco.Directed by Gregory PrestThis seminal Tremblay work is celebrated in English Canada as much as it is in French Canada. Hosanna returns from the biggest night of her life, dressed as Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra. What follows is a harrowing, and often hilarious and revelatory, journey towards identity. The cast: Damien Atkins and Jason Cadieux.

Hosanna runs from September 23 to October 15, 2016. Opening night is September 27.

SOULPEPPER CELEBRATES DIWALI:

Soulpepper and Why Not Theatre PresentPiya Behrupiya (Twelfth Night)The Company Theatre (India)William ShakespeareTranslated by Amitosh NagpalDirected by Atul KumarSince its premiere at Shakespeare’s Globe in London, England, this high-energy, musical adaptation of Twelfth Night has been a runaway success in India and around the world. Witness a joyful take on mistaken identities, romance, and unrequited love, from India’s esteemed The Company Theatre. In Hindi with projected English translations.

“Fun? Defi nitely. Accessible? Completely, even if you didn’t speak the language.” – The GuardianPiya Behrupiya runs for four performances from October 27 to 29, 2016.

Soulpepper Presents A Brimful of AshaWhy Not TheatreRavi Jain and Asha JainDirected by Ravi JainAfter winning over crowds around the globe, this audience-favourite returns. Soulpepper Associate Artistic Director Ravi Jain shares the stage with his mother, Asha, to tell their true (and very Canadian) story of generational and cultural clash. Mother and son present very diff erent sides of the same story, with touching and hilarious results.

“Pioneering in its intimacy and unapologetically heartwarming” - The New York TimesA Brimful of Asha runs for fi ve performances from November 1 to 5, 2016.


Soulpepper PresentsChasse-GalerieProduced by KABIN and The Storefront TheatreBook adapted by Tyrone SavageMusic and Lyrics by James SmithDirected by Tyrone SavageBased on one of Canada’s most beloved folk tales, the original Dora Award-winning musical Chasse-Galerie follows the adventures of four coureuses des bois stuck deep in the Québec forest on New Year’s Eve. The four woods-women, pining for warmth and their loved ones, strike a deal with a mysterious stranger who off ers to enchant their canoe to fl y back to Montréal. The catch: make it back before dawn, or pay the devil’s price.

«««« “An enjoyable, foot-stomping piece of theatre.” – NOW Magazine

Chasse-Galerie runs from November 11 to November 26, 2016. Opening night is November 12.

SOULPEPPER FAMILY FESTIVAL:

A Christmas CarolCharles Dickens. Adapted by Michael Shamata.Directed by Michael ShamataSoulpepper’s beloved production of A Christmas Carol has become a Toronto holiday tradition. Follow Ebenezer Scrooge as he is visited by three ghosts who help him understand the importance of charity in the holiday season. The cast includes Kawa Ada, Kevin Bundy, Daniel Chapman-Smith, Eleanor Guy, Stephen Guy-McGrath, John Jarvis, Tangara Jones, Jordan Pettle, and Soulpepper Founding Member Joseph Ziegler.

Recommended for ages 8+Playing at the Young Centre for the Performing ArtsA Soulpepper Signature Production

««««“Couldn’t possibly be better.” – Toronto Star

A Christmas Carol runs from December 2 to December 24, 2016.

It’s a Wonderful LifeWritten for the stage by Philip Grecian. Based on the f ilm by Frank Capra.Directed by Albert SchultzA cherished holiday classic is reimagined as a 1940s live-radio broadcast as the Soulpepper ensemble presents the beloved story of George Bailey and the intervention of his guardian angel one fateful Christmas Eve. The cast includes: Derek Boyes, Oliver Dennis, Raquel Duff y, Michelle Monteith, Gregory Prest, and Soulpepper Founding Members Diego Matamoros and William Webster, and members of the 2016-2018 Soulpepper Academy.

Recommended for ages 8+Playing at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts in the Bluma Appel Theatre

It’s a Wonderful Life runs from December 9 to December 24, 2016. Opening night is December 15.


Magicana in association with Soulpepper PresentsHocus PocusWritten by David Ben and Patrick WatsonDirected and Performed by David BenSpoken word, cinema, sleight-of-hand; the old, the new, the beautiful and the mysterious: it’s all Hocus Pocus. World-renowned magician David Ben returns to Soulpepper’s Family Festival with his ever-evolving exploration of spellbinding illusion and wonder. Ancient mysteries with modern twists for all ages performed in an intimate salon-like setting.

“David Ben is a sleight-of-hand wizard and a brilliant entertainer.” – Toronto Sun

Recommended for ages 8+Playing at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts

Hocus Pocus runs from December 1o to December 31, 2016. Opening night is December 14.

Rose (a concert presentation)Adapted by Mike Ross and Sarah WilsonLyrics by Sarah Wilson, Music by Mike RossBased on The World Is Round by Gertrude SteinDirected by Albert SchultzA rose is a rose is a rose… but who is Rose? In this whimsical new musical presentation based on Gertrude Stein’s children’s book The World Is Round, nine-year-old Rose has some big questions, and not a lot of answers. With the help of her best friend Willie, and her dog Love, Rose takes a magical journey to discover her place in the world.

Recommended for ages 8+ Playing at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts

Rose runs on December 16, 17 and 22, 2016.

A Very Soulpepper ChristmasGuests of all ages are invited to a family concert celebrating the sounds of the season from around the globe. Featuring Mike Ross leading an all-star lineup of Toronto’s best musicians.

Recommended for ages 6+Playing at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts in the Jane Mallett Theatre

A Very Soulpepper Christmas runs on December 20, 2016 for two shows only (2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.).

Alligator PieCreated and Directed by Ins Choi, Raquel Duffy, Ken MacKenzie, Gregory Prest and Mike Ross Poems by Dennis LeeAlligator Pie, an original Soulpepper production and Dora Award-winner, brings the celebrated children’s poems of Canada’s Father Goose, Dennis Lee, to vibrant theatrical life. The cast includes: Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster, Peter Fernandes, Hailey Gillis, Qasim Khan, and Jennifer Villaverde.

«««« “[An] amazing hour of music, poetry and sheer theatrical invention.” – Toronto Star

Recommended for ages 3+ Playing at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts

Alligator Pie runs from December 27 to 31, 2016.


Winter WavesFree family programming transforms the Young Centre through music, theatre and interactive experiences. January 6, 7, 8, 2017.

Recommended for ages 3+Young Centre for the Performing Arts

The Last Wife Kate HennigOriginally produced by the Stratford FestivalDirected by Alan DilworthWar is on the horizon – in France and in the home of Henry VIII and his new wife Katherine Parr. Sex, violence and women’s rights shape a humorous and powerful contemporary take on the tumultuous relationship that sculpted a dynasty. The cast includes Maev Beaty, Sara Farb, Jonah Q. Gribble, Gareth Potter, Bahia Watson, and Soulpepper Founding Member Joseph Ziegler.

The Last Wife runs from January 20 to February 11, 2017. Opening night is January 24.

Kim’s Convenience Ins ChoiDirected by Weyni MengeshaSoulpepper Academy alumnus Ins Choi’s hilarious and touching play set in a Regent Park Korean convenience store has been winning over audiences from coast to coast. The journey of a fractured but loving family confronting the future and forgiving the past is a Toronto classic in the making. The cast includes Paul Sun-Hyung Lee.

A Soulpepper Signature Production

«««« “There are many reasons to cheer...join the celebration.” – Toronto Star

Kim’s Convenience runs from February 8 to 25, 2017.

Of Human BondageVern ThiessenBased on the novel by W. Somerset MaughamDirected by Albert SchultzSoulpepper’s acclaimed Dora Award-winning production returns! Of Human Bondage is an epic tale of obsession, lust, and the pursuit of beauty, commissioned by Soulpepper and adapted for the stage by Governor General’s Award-winning playwright Vern Thiessen. The cast includes Oliver Dennis, Raquel Duff y, Soulpepper Founding Member Stuart Hughes, John Jarvis, Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster, Jeff Lillico, Michelle Monteith, Gregory Prest, Paolo Santalucia, and Sarah Wilson.


“Achingly beautiful…An eerily gorgeous production” –The Globe and Mail

Of Human Bondage runs from February 23 to March 11, 2017.

Spoon RiverAdapted by Mike Ross & Albert SchultzComposed by Mike Ross


Based on Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee MastersIn Soulpepper’s award-winning adaptation of Spoon River, Edgar Lee Masters’ poems of the dead are brought to vibrant life. The residents of a sleepy mid-west graveyard return to share their funny, gritty, and touching memories to curious passersby. It’s a moving piece of original music theatre that is ultimately an uplifting celebration of life. The cast includes Oliver Dennis, Raquel Duff y, Soulpepper Founding Members Stuart Hughes and Diego Matamoros, John Jarvis, Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster, Jeff Lillico, Michelle Monteith, Gregory Prest, Mike Ross, Paolo Santalucia, and Sarah Wilson.


«««« “A magical, musical celebration of the power of theatre.” – Toronto Star

Spoon River runs from March 31 to April 15, 2017.

SOULPEPPER SOLO SERIES:

CageCreated by Diego Matamoros, Lorenzo Savoini & Richard FerenThe stage, any stage, even the one within our head, is a cage... that defi nes, limits, reveals. What is visible and invisible, sounds and the silence that makes sound possible, all co-existing. The ordinary and the miraculous. Our human zoo. Performed by Soulpepper Founding Member Diego Matamoros and co-created with designers Lorenzo Savoini and Richard Feren, Cage asks us to re-think, and re-experience what it is to see and hear and be.

World PremiereCage runs from March 11 to March 25, 2017. Opening night is March 21.

Soulpepper PresentsCrawlspaceCreated and Performed by Karen HinesA perfect little coach house turns into a real life nightmare in Karen Hines’ comic, Kafkaesque tale about the darker side of home ownership. Inspired by true events, Crawlspace moves past “cautionary” as it snakes through the brutal battleground of Toronto real estate, decorative twig orbs and the transcendence of the human soul.

Limited seatingMinimum Age is 19, ID RequiredOriginally produced in Toronto at Videofag, September 2015Crawlspace runs from March 23 to April 8, 2017. Opening night is March 28.

CRASHWritten and Performed by Pamela Mala Sinha Directed by Alan DilworthAfter the loss of a loved one, a woman must face the shattering memories of a past trauma. CRASH is the fractured unraveling of memory; blending projections, myth, and dance into a riveting narrative about family, faith and love.

CRASH runs for fi ve performances from April 26 to 29, 2017. Opening night is April 27.

Soulpepper PresentsI’m Doing This for YouCreated and Performed by Haley McGee


Directed by Mitchell CushmanBlending storytelling, live-art and improvisation, I’m Doing This for You is a big romantic gesture made by a woman for a man. He’s an aspiring stand-up comedian with a birthday to celebrate, and you, the audience, are the gift (it’s a surprise). Funny, uncomfortable, and daring, McGee explores the extremes a person will go to in the name of not being alone.

Minimum Age is 19, ID RequiredI’m Doing This for You runs for fi ve performances from May 3 to 6, 2017. Opening night is May 4.

Soulpepper PresentsWildfireRARE Theatre CompanyCreated and Directed by Judith ThompsonWildfi re, a new play by Judith Thompson with the RARE ensemble, explores the boundaries of love for people with visible diff erences, and the ways in which they struggle with societal judgement. When a millennial male with Down syndrome falls for someone who does not have Down syndrome, questions are raised about exploitation, ethics, and the nature of love. Performed by the cast of 2013’s ground-breaking RARE, Wildfi re is a blend of confession, heartbreak, and joy.

World PremiereWildfi re runs from May 2 to 20, 2017. Opening night is May 3.

The Gospel at ColonusConceived and Adapted by Lee BreuerMusic Composed by Bob Telson Directed by Albert SchultzThis ground-breaking Obie Award-winning work reinterprets the Greek myth of Oedipus into a Pentecostal Gospel musical, to stunning theatrical eff ect. Parables come to life as the Chorus spins a spellbinding yarn of one man’s search for redemption.

The Gospel at Colonus runs from May 5 to June 3, 2017. Opening night is May 11.

Soulpepper PresentsThe History of the Village of the Small Huts, 1861-1885 VideoCabaretMichael HollingsworthCanada/2003-2007

VideoCabaret spectacularly conjures the era of Confederation in four tragicomic one-act plays, presented in two parts.

CONFEDERATION PART I: Confederation & Riel

Confederation: John A. Macdonald masterminds the deal-making that leads to the fi reworks on July 1, 1867. In a Montreal hotbed of anti-confederationists, Wilfrid Laurier meets Louis Riel.

Riel: Macdonald plans to turn the west into one big Ontario. Riel and Métis leaders collide with surveyors, and religious radicals plot terror; Laurier is spurred to act on his multi-cultural and secular ideals.

CONFEDERATION PART I runs from June 9 to August 19, 2017. Opening night is June 17.


CONFEDERATION PART II: Scandal & Rebellion

Scandal: Business barons compete to own the hottest technology – the railway lines – and Macdonald is caught trading contracts for donations. Member of Parliament Riel is prevented by fanatics from taking his seat; MP Laurier falls for his best friend’s wife.

Rebellion: Riel joins with Gabriel Dumont and Big Bear whose fi ght for land claims is met with military action and mass starvation. With Laurier protesting, Macdonald allows the execution of Riel, and the Last Spike is hammered.

CONFEDERATION PART II runs from June 23 to August 19, 2017. Opening night is June 29.

VimyVern Thiessen Directed by Diana LeblancA group of Canadian soldiers convalesce in a fi eld hospital after facing the horrors of Vimy Ridge in this striking WWI drama from Governor General’s Award-winning playwright Vern Thiessen. As the soldiers battle with their memories of the past, a young nurse from Nova Scotia tends to their wounds both obvious and concealed.

Vimy runs from June 29 to August 5, 2017. Opening night is July 11.

Billy Bishop Goes to War Written & Composed by John MacLachlan Gray with Eric Peterson Directed by Ted DykstraThe story of irreverent hero and Canadian WWI fl ying ace Billy Bishop remains one of the most critically-acclaimed Canadian plays of all time. Returning to Soulpepper in celebration of Canada’s 150th anniversary, Canadian acting legend Eric Peterson and award-winning writer and composer John MacLachlan Gray reprise their iconic two-man stage play that has captivated audiences for decades.

Billy Bishop Goes to War runs from July 1 to August 5, 2017. Opening night is July 10.

SOULPEPPER ON 42ND STREET: CANADA CROSSES THE BORDERSoulpepper heads to New York City for four weeks of programming from June 29 through July 29, 2017 at The Pershing Square Signature Center, at 480 West 42nd St, designed by Torontonian Frank Gehry. The Soulpepper festival will be one of the largest concentrations of Canadian artistic expression in New York in the year of Canada’s 150th. With a full company of artists, and full use of the Center, Soulpepper will showcase and enhance the relationship between cities, countries, and artists with a rich celebration of Canadian talent.

The company will present a Festival of award-winning work: Kim’s Convenience; Of Human Bondage; Spoon River; Alligator Pie; A Brimful of Asha (Why Not Theatre); (re)Birth: E. E. Cummings in Song; and a selection of Soulpepper Concerts & Cabarets. More details to be announced.

SOULPEPPER MUSIC: 2016.2017 CONCERTSEach original Soulpepper Concert revolves around a time, place, or artist crafted by a team of incomparable performers. The Concert Series is led by Slaight Family Director of Music Mike Ross.


Manhattan: Midtown - 42nd Street and BroadwayFrom Grand Central Station to Times Square and up Broadway to the Brill Building, Host Albert Schultz and Slaight Family Director of Music Mike Ross explore the history and musical abundance of a neighbourhood at the “centre of the universe.”October 31, November 3, 4 & 5, 2016.

Manhattan Concert CycleDue to audience demand, the full Manhattan Concert Cycle returns, featuring Albert Schultz as conductor on an unforgettable journey through the history, culture, and rhythms of the original neighbourhoods of Manhattan. Led by Slaight Family Director of Music, Mike Ross, and an all-star lineup of talent.

Vol. 1: Downtown – The Melting Pot: Immigration, innovation, vaudeville, organized crime, and the birth of American song. March 4, 18, 2017.

Vol. 2: Midtown – 42nd Street and Broadway: Grand Central Station, Times Square, Broadway and the Brill Building. March 7, 18, 2017.

Vol. 3: Uptown – To Harlem: 52nd Street, Central Park and the Harlem Renaissance. March 10, 18, 2017.

True Patriot Love: A ConcertSlaight Family Director of Music Mike Ross leads a company of stellar artists through a celebration of Canada’s diverse musical off erings that have been our nation’s gift to the world.April 11, 13, 15, 2017.

(re)Birth: E. E. Cummings in SongConceived by Mike Ross for the Soulpepper Academy. Created and Developed by Ins Choi, Tatjana Cornij, Raquel Duff y, Matthew Kabwe, Ken MacKenzie, Gregory Prest, Karen Rae, Mike Ross, Jason Rothery, and Brendan Wall.An original Soulpepper collective creation based on the legendary American poet, essayist, painter, and playwright E. E. Cummings, this compelling and humorous musical exploration of Cummings’ extensive canon is an ode to the depth and imagination of his work. It’s an innovative, immersive and highly theatrical perspective on one of the preeminent creative voices of the 20th century. May 17-20, 2017.

Porg y & Bess in ConcertThe Gershwins blended folk tunes with classical opera to create what has become one of the most enduring works of the 20th century. The stories behind this legendary work, and iconic song writing, are brought to life by a company of Toronto’s leading jazz, blues and gospel singers.May 27 & 30, June 1 & 3, 2017.

SOULPEPPER CABARET SERIESThese intimate musical showcases feature fresh and exciting talent, as well as intimate groupings of artists from Toronto’s diverse musical community. Tickets are only $25 ($20 for students). Visit soulpepper.ca for programming updates throughout the year and check out Soulpepper’s Cabaret Podcast, available on iTunes and SoundCloud.

SOULPEPPER ON THE ROADSoulpepper’s Canadian touring initiatives also continue in 2016.2017 through seven provinces, with a Western Canada tour of Alligator Pie this fall (Persephone Theatre, Saskatoon, SK; Vertigo Theatre, Calgary, AB; Manitoba Theatre For Young People, Winnipeg, MB); Kim’s Convenience at Halifax’s Neptune Theatre in January, 2017 and stops to be announced, and Pamela Mala Sinha’s CRASH touring in Ontario this winter, stops to be announced. Soulpepper’s production of Spoon River is currently playing at the Charlottetown Festival, PEI, until August 20, and its Signature Production of The Odd Couple travels to the Capitol Theatre in Port Hope, ON this October. For more information visit soulpepper.ca.


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Located in its multi-venue home, the Young Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto’s Distillery Historic District, Soulpepper is Toronto’s largest not-for-profi t theatre company. Founded and guided by artists, under the leadership of Artistic Director Albert Schultz and Executive Director Leslie Lester, Soulpepper has an integrated mission which includes: industry-leading youth outreach initiatives; the Soulpepper Academy, Canada’s only multi-year paid professional training program for theatre artists of all disciplines; and a year-round diverse repertory season which is grounded in the classics and committed to the creation of new works, new forms, and innovative practices.

Tickets to Soulpepper productions are available by calling the Young Centre Box Offi ce at 416.866.8666 or by visiting soulpepper.ca. Tickets for Soulpepper 2016 productions range from $25 to $96. Tickets for Soulpepper Concerts & Cabarets start at $25; Reduced tickets for Soulpepper productions are available for arts workers. Tickets deals for 18-30 year-olds are available at stageplay.ca. StagePlay is sponsored by TD Bank Group. The $25 Rush Ticket / $5 Youth Rush program is sponsored by Sun Life Financial. Ticket prices include a Young Centre facility fee, service charge and HST. Pricing is subject to change.

Soulpepper gratefully acknowledges annual operating support from the Ontario Arts Council, the Toronto Arts Council, and the Canada Council for the Arts. Soulpepper is pleased to recognize the donors of transformational gifts to its Creative Capital Campaign: The Michael Young Family Foundation; The Slaight Family; The Government of Ontario; Gail Drummond and Bob Dorrance; Kevin and Roger Garland; Eleanor and Francis Shen; Ada Slaight; and Richard Wernham & Julia West.

Support for all Music Programming is provided by the Slaight Family through the Slaight Family Music Program. Mike Ross is the inaugural Slaight Family Director of Music.

Lead Support for the Soulpepper Academy is provided by the Michael and Karen Vukets Family Foundation, with additional support from the RBC Foundation and Hal Jackman Foundation and the Canada Arts Training Program at the Department of Canadian Heritage.

Soulpepper gratefully acknowledges support for “Soulpepper on 42nd Street: Canada Crosses the Border”. Lead Sponsors: The Government of Ontario; the Young/Schultz Venture Fund; & Susan & Hans Brenninkmeyer. Major Sponsors: Shawn S. Cooper; TD Bank Group; Deb Barrett & Jim Leech; & Eleanor & Francis Shen. Sponsors: Joe Natale & Melissa Martin; The Sculthorpe Family; Gretchen & Donald Ross.

Soulpepper is grateful for the Major Sponsorship Support of:TELUS – Lead Sponsor Youth OutreachScotiabank – Lead Sponsor Soulpepper City Youth AcademyBMO – Lead Sponsor Project imagiNationCIBC – Lead Sponsor Soulpepper Family FestivalTD Bank – Lead Sponsor Stage Play and Studio SeriesSunLife – Lead Sponsor Rush Program

Support for 2016 Soulpepper Programming is provided by:Eli and Philip Taylor for Twelve Angry MenPolar Securities for JittersDiane Blake and Stephen Smith for Incident at Vichy Leede, Jones, Gable: Soulpepper’s Spoon River at the Charlottetown Festival

Support for 2016.17 Soulpepper Programming is provided by:BMO for VideoCabaretSolo Series Sponsor: TDThe Drummond-Dorrance Family Artistic Development Fund & The Garland Imagination Fund & BMO Financial Group for Cage


Connect with us:FACEBOOK.COM/SOULPEPPERTHEATRETWITTER: @SOULPEPPERYOUTUBE.COM/SOULPEPPERTHEATRESOUNDCLOUD.COM/SOULPEPPERTHEATRE

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media release...audience-favourite a brimful of asha; and the only ontario stop for piya behrupiya...

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