The most theatre-filled month of the year is now happening.
If there was ever a time when you thought about checking out some live theatre in Fredericton, there has never been a better opportunity than right now. No amount of excuses or prior commitments could possibly bar you from taking in at least one show this month (that is, if there was ever a time when you thought about checking out some live theatre). And if there wasn’t a time when you thought about checking out some live theatre in Fredericton, why not take a chance this month? There’s a lot of great art happening.
For starters, there are five different productions happening at five different venues (totaling 13 performances) that include first-time readings of new works, two separate political dramas, a dramatic comedy and a holiday ballet. There is also a workshop with one of the country’s leading Shakespeare and voice coaches and a reading of selected works from an award winning female playwright.
The month begins with the latest installment from Next Folding Theatre Company’s Live Audio Workshop Series where new scripts by Canadian artists are workshopped and then read and recorded in front of a live Fredericton audience. This year’s featured scripts include Andrew Titus and Jeremy Fowler’s Seeds, Sarah Higgins’ [Sign], and Brandon Hicks’ An Event in Donahue Field. The Live Audio Workshop Series is sponsored by Picaroons and will take place at the Charlotte Street Arts Centre on Wednesday November 4, 2015, beginning at 7 p.m.
“It’s amazing how many people come out to a show when there’s beer involved,” said NFTC’s Artistic Director Ryan Griffith.
Read This Play Was Recorded Before a Live Studio Audience for more information on the works included in this year’s series.
Live Audio Workshop Series | November 4, 2015 | Charlotte Street Arts Centre | 7 p.m.
Theatre New Brunswick have three events coming up this month beginning with their third Studio Fridays event of the season. The Studio Fridays series offers an opportunity for theatre lovers to meet and engage in conversations surrounding the company’s season and topics related to the works presented. This month, in advance of Watching Glory Die, Artistic Director Thomas Morgan Jones will join together with members of the theatre community to read selections from the work of Canadian playwright Judith Thompson.
Following Studio Fridays, TNB welcome celebrated Stratford Festival alumni Cathy MacKinnon for a weekend Shakespeare and Voice Intensive workshop. “What a great privilege it is for us to be able to bring Cathy to Atlantic Canada,” said TNB Artistic Director, Thomas Morgan Jones. “As a voice and Shakespeare coach for almost a decade at one of Canada’s leading classical theatres, The Stratford Festival, her impact on performance in Canada has been astonishing. She is a hugely gifted teacher, and we are so excited to bring her knowledge and her energy to Atlantic Canada.” More information on this and other workshops is available here.
TNB round out their month of public events with a four-show run of Mulgrave Road Theatre’s production of Watching Glory Die, a play written by Judith Thompson and based on the life of New Brunswick teen Ashley Smith. This will be the third production at the company’s new theatre, 55 Whiting Road, Fredericton.
Studio Fridays | November 6, 2015 | TNB Studio Theatre | 7:30 p.m. | By donation
Watching Glory Die | November 12-15, 2015 | TNB Studio Theatre | 7:30 p.m. | Buy Tickets
Theatre St. Thomas will stage their second production of the season November 18-21, 2015 at the university’s Black Box Theatre. Under the direction of Robin Whittaker, associate professor of drama, Trudeau and the FLQ is a timely political tale inspired by the October Crisis of 1970. This is the Maritime premiere of Michael Hollingsworth play which debuted in 1996 at Toronto’s Theatre Centre.
“This is a theatre company and an aesthetic I’ve idolized for years, on both visceral and intellection levels,” says Whittaker. “This will be a unique experience our audiences (and our actors!) will be talking about for years.”
Trudeau and the FLQ | November 18-21, 2015 | Black Box Theatre, STU | 7:30 p.m. (Sat. matinee 2 p.m.)
Brief Interviews with Hideous Men is the next production from one of Fredericton’s most creative theatre companies – Nasty Shadows, a company known for challenging the conventions of traditional theatre through the use of alternative venues and progressive storytelling. This upcoming production features many familiar faces long associated with the Fredericton theatre community, delivering a unique adaptation of short stories written by David Foster Wallace.
Watch and listen as 18 different men, played by 7 actors, reveal their innermost thoughts and give confessions that might very well cause a therapist or clergy to run from their respective positions of enquiry. Join us and be part of the SUPPORT GROUP who bears witness to these HIDEOUS MEN as they try to explain, justify, con, and make sense of the world as they each see it … however tilted, narrow or askew that perspective might be.
WARNING: This show contains words and discussions that may offend certain people — use your imagination!
Brief Interviews with Hideous Men | November 26-27, 2015 | Marshall d’Avray Hall, UNB
Dance Fredericton’s holiday production of The Nutcracker is definitely worth marking on your calendar. The Fredericton Playhouse ranked one of last year’s shows from this annual production among the top three attended events of last season. This year will no doubt continue to provide audiences with another high calibre holiday experience.
Presented by Dance Fredericton and featuring guest soloists, Alanna McAdie and Yosuke Mino from Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet Company. The Nutcracker is a full-length ballet which showcases original choreography created for Dance Fredericton, elaborate costuming and the classical score by Tchaikovsky.
This fairy tale ballet opens with the festive Victorian party scene on Christmas Eve in the Stahlbaum home and later follows Clara and the Nutcracker Prince on their journey to the Land of the Sweets. In the Magical Kingdom they are feted with delightful dances from around the world, including the stunningly beautiful pas de deux of the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier. This timeless classic will delight audiences of all ages.
While including this show on a list of theatre performances may be a considered a stretch in some regards, STU Reviews chose to list it among this year’s theatre events and well, that’s good enough for us. We recommend following their blog to keep current on future theatre events.
The Nutcracker | November 28-29, 2015 | The Fredericton Playhouse | Buy Tickets
Believe it or not, these aren’t even all the theatre groups currently producing theatre in this town. Despite being an action packed month, groups like Solo Chicken Productions, Theatre UNB, Blind Faith Productions, Hot Garbage Players, Notable Acts, and others just happen to not be performing this month, which is probably a good thing considering the amount of shows already in the works. Do yourself a favour and go see a show!
Download a PDF of this month’s Grid City Magazine theatre calendar.
