Theatre Bassaris

The Season Opener Party

November 6, 2011 in News

To celebrate the launch of their 2011/2012 season, Theatre Bassaris is throwing a shindig!

This evening of divine delights will feature the musical stylings of The Rival Boys and Darren Eedens, drinks, dancing, prizes, and who knows what else.

Entrance is by donation (5$ suggested), and the bar will be open for business all evening long.

Come on out and support emerging artists, learn about the great productions Bassaris is showcasing this season, and trip the moonlight fantastic.

November 26th at 8:30 PM EST

Read the rest of this entry →

No Comments »

Filling a Void

October 30, 2011 in Artist Blogs, Wade Noble

I often worry that the transition from a young student idealist into a working professional
is just a series of small sacrifices until we turn into something we never thought we
would be. This is especially true if you’re planning a career in the arts. Allow me to
clarify. You’ve just graduated and unless you’re exceptionally talented or exceptionally
lucky you don’t land your dream job right out of school. For many of us we don’t land
a job at all. So you take what you can get, you take whatever is offered to you. For me
it was working in a kitchen in the heart of the financial district. Now, if you know me
you’ll know I’m not a huge fan of the financial district or the people who work there. But
I digress, the point is the job was a small sacrifice I had to make if I wanted to eat and
pay my bills. That one sacrifice leads to another and before you know it you’re thirty and
haven’t read a play since theatre school.

What I was fortunate enough to learn is that if you want to do the projects you’re
passionate about, you have to do them yourself. There seems to be a void in between
arts school and the professional world where many artists get discouraged or distracted
and end up giving up. This is something I want Theatre Bassaris to eventually try and
correct. I imagine this company will be an entity that has the ability to hire and facilitate
the production of passion pieces by young emerging artists. The 2011/2012 season is
exactly that. We have two world premieres we are producing that were both originally
created in theatre school. Our published play is Reasons to Be Pretty by Neil Labute. It’s
being directed by an incredibly talented young woman who has assembled a disgustingly
talented creative team that includes four Bassaris veterans. Needless to say, I am super
stoked about this year and what the future has for our young company and the up and
coming artists it supports.

No Comments »

Towards a digital theatre

October 29, 2011 in Artist Blogs, Matt Marshall

Being the sole Theatre Bassaris producer located outside Toronto, some people wonder what this company founder is up to out on the west coast and just how my work can relate to theatre.

Projection mapping at the Virtual Theatre Lab

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Joris Weijdom from Utrecht School of the Arts’ Virtual Theatre Lab. His work is geared towards bringing together high-tech like game engines, augmented reality, motion tracking and projection mapping as a performance engine for the arts. Some of my more dogmatic peers will dismiss the use of technology on the stage as if it detracts from the human drama, but, in reality, we lead digital lives and technology has become a major component of the human experience.

More so, projection mapping and game engines might provide powerful new tools for theatre companies – even emerging ones – to create and execute theatrical space in imaginative and immersive new ways where epic, magical spaces can be created in the smallest Fringe venue using nothing but a little technical know-how and a lot of creativity.

Interactive tools like infrared light or the Kinect also make this virtual theatre space an interactive one and not merely a bunch of fancy special effects. Making these virtual theatre spaces alive allows the possibility of the unexpected. Interactive technologies also allow live actors (or audiences) to have dialogue with the virtual space opening the door for radically new and important theatrical experiences. Kinect and motion tracking doesn’t need to be seen one way either: the data from these tools lend themselves to abstract interpretations as well.

A cube from the Pixel Dreams installation.

One of my latest works, Pixel Dreams, is an interactive at installation but a key part of the aesthetic is its performativity. These interactive, immersive cubes literally put users inside a game engine by projection mapping in-game cameras to the cube and allowing the user to interact with the world. Obviously an immersive digital experience for the one user inside, but because the projections show up on both sides of the cube the outer shell becomes a performative canvas to be witnessed by an audience. In many ways, the cubes are big digital puppets.

Looking at technology on the stage in this light makes the virtual theatre seem very real. We can create whole new expressions of the human heart.

No Comments »

Reasons to be Pretty by Neil LaBute

October 25, 2011 in Featured, Past, Productions

February 15-19, 2012 – Red Sandcastle Theatre, Toronto

February 15-19 @ 7:30pm, Tickets $10
Valentine’s Day PWYC Preview, February 14 @ 7:30pm

Red Sandcastle Theatre
922 Queen St East
Toronto, ON

Following the “Shape of Things” and “Fat Pig”, “Reasons to be Pretty” by Neil LaBute is the final installment in his trilogy focusing on modern day obsession with physical appearance. We follow four young, working-class friends and lovers who become increasingly more restless and dissatisfied with their dead-end jobs and relationships.

Directed by Erin Kehoe

Assistant Directing Jamie Maczko
Stage Management by Ruby Bantok
Set and Costume Design by Alex Mancini
Lighting and Sound Design by Travis Lahay

Featuring: Sarah Brose, Rob Renda, Andrew Loder, Sarah Jurgens

Cast and Crew Bios

Erin Kehoe is a recent graduate of York University’s Acting Conservatory. After a brief hiatus from “the scene”, Erin is back and ready to rock. Recent acting credits include The Herald (Marat/Sade dir.Leah Cherniak), and John (A Play About the Other Play dir. Claire Calnan). She has had the pleasure of directing Danny and the Deep Blue at Hamilton’s 2010 Fringe Festival (WildSound Productions).

Jamie Maczko received his BFA in acting from York University.
Select Stage credits include: Macbeth in “Matchbox Macbeth” (NOW Magazine Top 10 Shows of 2010) Directed by Matt Walker (Litmus Theatre), Fred in “Saved” (2011 Toronto Fringe Festival Best of Venue at Factory Studio Theatre) Directed by Jack Grinhaus (Bound to Create Theatre), Marat in “Marat/Sade” Directed by Leah Cherniak (Theatre@York), Kennedy in “Table Talk” Directed by Ross Manson (Theatre@York in association with Volcano Theatre), and Danny in “Danny and the Deep Blue Sea” Directed by Erin Kehoe (Wilsound Theatre). Upcoming:
Film/TV/Voice credits include: “A Girl Named Jack” at The Canadian Film Centre, “Flashpoint” on CTV/CBS, and “Afghanada” on CBC Radio 1.

Rob Renda is a young motivated theatre artist and aspiring Fight Director. A recent graduate of York University’s Acting Conservatory earning a BFA, his past theatre credits include: Capitano in The Travelling Salesman and His Magical Suitcase of Desire (Awarded Best of Fringe Festival 2011, dir. Teodoro Dragonieri) Witch/Banquo in Matchbox Macbeth (Awarded NOW Magazine’s Top 10 Theatre Productions of 2010, dir. Matthew Thomas Walker), Kokol in Marat/Sade (dir. Leah Cherniak), Joel in Table Talk (dir. Ross Manson), Ferdinand in The Tempest (dir. Paul Muir), Sir Toby in Twelfth Night (dir. Glen Gaston), Theramine in Phedre (dir. Heather Davies) and The Cab Driver in The Blue Room (dir. Alan Dilworth). Rob is also a certified Intermediate Actor-Combatant with Fight Directors Canada, working towards his Advanced Level next spring. Rob would like to thank his family, friends, and everyone who has taught him a life lesson throughout the years. I could not have done it without you.

A recent graduate of York University’s B.F.A program, Sarah Brose is particularly interested in collaborating in the development of original works with a strong social conscience. Recent endeavors include Anne Ratcliffe in The Witch of Edmonton, Old Woman in Ti-Jean and His Brothers, Marie-Sol in The Naked Ethnographer as well as performing in the 2011 Toronto Clown Festival. Current projects include bringing together arts and education with The Pomegranate Project and directing Miriam Fernandes in her original piece Cat and Mouse, recently featured in Theatre Passe Muraille’s Buzz Festival. Sarah is excited to join Theatre Bassaris and investigate her very own Reasons to be Pretty.

‘Reasons to be Pretty’ is Andrew Loder’s third production with Theatre Brassaris since leaving the York University Acting Conservatory. He would like to thank his family and friends for their love and continued support. Recent Credits Include: Theatre: Coulmier –Marat/Sade (York University), Michael- Table Talk (Volcano /York University), Bottom – A Mid Summer Night’s Dream (York University), Chuck Willey- The Jeremy Hinsman Project (Bound2create), Pete-Saved (Bound2Create/ Theatre Brassaris). Film/TV: Pte. Bird – Storming Juno (E1/History), Steve- Until You Break (Medlar Productions).

Sarah Jurgens is an actor, creator, and clown. She most recently finished shooting her first feature film, Two Hands To Mouth and is currently working on the production of Sasha Singer-Wilson’s play, Little Tongues (the blood projects). Her most recent credits include Two Hands To Mouth (Black Walk), Lost Girl (ShowCase), Edward (Major St. Productions), The Penelopiad (Nightwood Theatre’s Director Summit Workshop), and The Bewitched (Theatre@York). You also might see her clowning around the city as the vivacious and incredibly awkward LouLou the clown from time to time. Sarah has a BFA in acting from York University.

Ruby Bantock is an emerging queer theatre artist based in Toronto. She is a recent graduate of York University’s BFA Theatre program where she received training in Playwriting and Stage Management but finds herself working in all aspects of the theatrical realm. Some of her recent credits include: Asst. Director for Bordeaux (Pathos Theatre), Stage Manager/Production Manager for the 18 Monks Collective’s Anthology of Endurance, Artistic Director of the 2011 playGround Festival (Theatre@York), Playwright/Performer for The Ashley Plays and Telling Tales Out Of School (Judith Rudakoff).

Production Photos

Photography by Lauren Passander

No Comments »

Early Retirement by Laurel Brady

October 24, 2011 in Featured, Past, Productions

December 8-10 – Unit 102, Toronto

376 Dufferin St.

About

Directed by Brendan Brady
Starring: Alex Rubin, Laurel brady, Melissa Lepp, Cailin Bator
Stage Management by Jackie Comor
Set and Costume Design by Jackie Comor
Lighting Design by Tracie Burgess
Hair and Make-up by Jessice Panetta

Co-Produced with Girls & Bicycles Productions

“Early Retirement” is a contemporary tale of a young woman, Abigail, who makes a dramatic life choice to move into a nursing home to escape the perils of a broken heart. By doing this, she hopes that she can skip a head and miss the unhappy parts of life. Unfortunately for Abigail, escape isn’t as easy and relaxing as she dreamed. Her codependent best friend Penny works at the home and insists that she not run from her problems. To make matters even worse for Abby, a crotchety old patient named Henry is constantly pestering her and will not let her wallow in peace. Abigail is one bingo game away from a total break down, and only an in-depth look at her soul will help her out of this predicament. Early Retirement is a dark comedy that will leave you wishing for the inevitable day when your children leave you at the old folks home.

Laurel Brady is a Toronto Based theatre artists, finishing up her final year at York University specializing in the Devised Theatre program . During her time there, she co-created and performed in several new works including Anthology of Endurance, and Idealism of the Unknown which was later performed in the Paprika Festival. She performed in Never Swim Alone at Vanier Theatre and Weight Loss World at the Toronto Fringe Festival. On the side, Laurel works as a literary assistant in hopes of honing her craft as a writer. Early Retirement is Laurel’s first full length play. She has enjoyed the writing of this show, creating its world and living inside the character of Abigail. She is so thankful for all the support her friends and family have shown her throughout this experience. Laurel is interested in creating art that is brave, honest, and funny. Humour is the best medicine and helps make the most unfortunate circumstances bearable.

Brendan Brady is a Toronto based Artist and Entrepreneur who works within Film, Television and Theatre. He has produced Music videos and short films for the last 4 years. He is the Creator of FILMS IN BLOOM a film and video festival for emerging filmmakers as well as the New Media Producer for David Brady Productions successfully conceptualizing and producing interactive content for “Yonge Street- Toronto Rock & Roll Stories”. On the side Brendan continues to perform in films and Theatre as an actor which is where his first love lies.Brendan is passionate about creating art that is both artistically challenging and commercially viable. Be it Documentary or Comedy films and television shows to creating colourful characters on stage.