L-R: Darryl Avalon Hopkins as Angus, Robert Wyatt Thorne as Men, Renee Hackett as Women, and Deidre Gillard-Rowlings as Myra*

Last night was the Opening Night of Theatre Newfoundland Labrador’s production of Tempting Providence! 

We had a packed house last night, to celebrate the first night that this beautiful production has set foot in the County. We would like to say a special thanks to Mark Henry & Lynne Ellis of Fields on West Lake (Venue Sponsor) whose lovely refurbished barn serves as a beautiful backdrop to this magical piece.  Also, thank you to Rosehall Run (Marquee Sponsor), Scout Design (Creative Sponsor), Michael Grills Photography (Photography Sponsor), JB Printing (Print Sponsor), Picton Home Hardware (Elemental Stage Sponsor), and Angeline’s Inn and Restaurant (Tempting Providence Opening Night Sponsor), and to all who came out and enjoyed! 

Tempting Providence is playing July 26-30, 2010  at 8pm, ONLY! With 2pm matinee performances daily from July 27-30. Please book your tickets in advance to avoid disappointment. 

Tempting Providence, by Robert Chafe. Myra Bennett, a young British nurse, arrives on the rugged shores of Newfoundland in 1921. No roads, no electricity, no doctors for miles. She signed on for a year and stayed for a lifetime. A spell-binding tale of strength and heroism told with humour and elegant simplicity. 

To get tickets please call the Box Office at 613-471-1991/1-866-584-1991 or visit us in person at 289 Main Street, Picton (inside Books & Company). Want those tickets RIGHT NOW!? You can also buy safely and securely online via www.countytix.ca 

Get into the spirit of all things Newfoundland!

East & Main Bistro in Wellington is hosting “A Scoff & a Yarn” (A Newfoundland-themed, three course, pre-show dinner) for $35 on Wednesday, July 28, Thursday, July 29, and Friday, July 30. Click here for menu.

Reservations for the 5:30pm sitting are recommended, in order to have plenty of time before the 8:00pm performance of Tempting Providence. 

From the Farm Cooking School  is sponsoring this dinner/show event and applauds the local farmers and producers who’ve helped to make these exquisite meals possible. A portion of the dinner sales from the night will be donated to Festival Players

This show is a MUST see! It’s been adored by audiences all across the world and now it’s your chance to enjoy Peter Colley’s masterpiece in your very own backyard!

Check out I’ll Be Back Before Midnight… TONIGHT AT 8PM (July 22), TOMORROW NIGHT AT 8PM (July 23), or SATURDAY NIGHT AT 8PM (July 24 – Closing Night).

BUT…

If you can’t make it to I’ll Be Back Before Midnight, we would love to see you at Tempting Providence!

Festival Players is thrilled to be hosting Theatre Newfoundland Labrador’s production of Tempting Providence, FOR ONE WEEK ONLY, at Fields on West Lake (15786 Loyalist Parkway, Bloomfield, K0K 1G0).

Tempting Providence, by Robert Chafe, is about Myra Bennett, a young British nurse, arrives on the rugged shores of Newfoundland in 1921. No roads, no electricity, no doctors for miles. She signed on for a year and stayed for a lifetime. A spell-binding tale of strength and heroism told with humour and elegant simplicity.

Tempting Providence runs from July 26-30, 2010 ONLY! Get your tickets now to avoid disappointment.

The Box Office can be reached at 613-471-1991 or 1-866-584-1991. Buy online TODAY via www.countytix.ca .

Sherri McFarlane as Jan Sanderson PHOTO CREDIT: Michael Grills Photography

Festival Players would like to thank all who attended Opening Night on June 30th.

Our fourth season launched last Wednesday, with the first show of the season, I’ll Be Back Before Midnight by Peter Colley.

I’ll Be Back Before Midnight plays June 29 – July 24 at Mount Tabor Playhouse in Milford (MAP).

Get your tickets today to avoid disappointment, and bring a friend.. or two.. depends on how chicken you are!

For tickets please call, email or visit the Box Office at 613-471-1991/866-584-1991, boxoffice@festivalplayers.ca, or 289 Main Street, Picton (inside Books & Co.).

Or buy your tickets ONLINE TODAY! Visit www.countytix.ca.

John Dolan as George Willowby PHOTO CREDIT: Michael Grills Photography

The roles have been cast, the set has been constructed, the rehearsals have been completed, and now we arrive at Opening Night.
.
Tonight is the night, I’ll Be Back Before Midnight opens tonight at Mount Tabor Playhouse in Milford with a SOLD OUT 8:00pm performance!
.
Reviews studded with headlines like “This one’s really a scream“ and “Don’t be afraid to scream out loud“, critics claiming “I just watched the second act through the shielding fingers of my right hand” (N. Reed, Vancouver Sun) and declaring that “No amount of praise seems excessive…you’ll either be shivering in your seat or rolling out of it with laughter” (A. Salanti, New York Theatre Voice) – high praise abounds for  I’ll Be Back Before Midnight. Peter Colley is a master. His skill at drawing the audience along, from laughter to screams and back again, is evidenced by the longevity of this play and by the sheer volume of productions it’s received since its premiere. I’ll Be Back Before Midnight has been described by the Globe & Mail as the most popular stage play in Canadian history. It has been produced in 27 countries, 48 of the 50 states in the U.S. and every province in Canada, breaking box office records along the way.
.
I’ll Be Back Before Midnight runs from June 29 – July 24, 2010 at Mount Tabor Playhouse, Milford (Map).

Dubbed ‘Canada’s most produced play’ by the Globe & Mail, this crowd-pleasing show is full of twists and turns. It’s an action-packed psychological thriller with all the ingredients for a memorable night out. A couple from the city rents a house in the country so that the wife can recover after a breakdown – but their dream of quiet soon becomes a nightmare. There are ghosts, guns, and things that go bump in the night. People are not what they seem and things don’t go as planned. This show is not recommended for children (or the faint of heart).

“It’s great entertainment that’s for sure,” says Artistic Director Sarah Phillips who helms this production. “I don’t want to give anything away of course but it’s pretty scary stuff!”

The talent onstage for this production is stellar. John Dolan (Stratford, Blyth, Tarragon) plays the ‘farmer next door’, who seems nice enough; John Cleland (Shaw, Canstage, Theatre Passe Muraille), plays the suspicious husband; Sherri McFarlane (Shaw, Elgin, YPT), the anxious wife and Tracey Ferencz (Canstage, Thousand Islands, Shaw), the sultry sister.

I’ll Be Back Before Midnight plays from June 30 – July 24. Click here for schedule details. Tickets can be purchased in person at Books & Company, 289 Main St, Picton, by phone at 613.471.1991 or online at www.countytix.ca. Seating is limited so it’s best to purchase in advance.

“Books & Company has been supporting Festival Players since its inception and we’re grateful that we are, once again, taking up residence in their lovely space. They’re a go-to spot for arts and culture in the County. It’s great to be a part of that atmosphere. They’ve hosted our Playwrights Reading Series for the past couple of years and people always remark on the space upstairs, and the store, and the café. We’re lucky to have this kind of venue, and these kinds of supporters, right here in Picton,” says Artistic Director Sarah Phillips.

New this season, theatre-goers are not only going to be able to purchase tickets in person, via phone and by email but a new online purchasing system is going to make it easier than ever for people to get tickets to the shows they want! The ticketing site, www.countytix.ca will be live on May 21^st and Festival Players shows will be the first events for sale. Other events in the community will be sold via countytix as well starting this summer. Contact boxoffice@festivalplayers.ca if you’d like to know more about this service.

The 2010 season runs from June 29 – Aug 28 and the first show of the season is the classic Canadian comedy-thriller, I’ll Be Back Before Midnight by Peter Colley. This show is a hoot, and will scare the pants off you! The show plays at Mt. Tabor Playhouse in Milford. Next up is Tempting Providence by Robert Chafe playing at Fields on West Lake.  Presented in partnership with Theatre Newfoundland Labrador, it’s a heart-warming tale of a young British nurse arriving on the shores of Newfoundland in 1921. Chafe expertly captures the nuances of the people and the place and this production is an exercise in elegance and simplicity, taking the audience along on a memorable journey. The final show of the season, playing under a grand tent at the Waring House in Picton, is the new musical Amelia: The Girl Who Wants to Fly by John Gray. The play charts the rise and tragic fall of Amelia Earhart, iconic aviatrix and celebrity. As audiences have come to expect, these shows will be expertly executed, starring actors and musicians coming to us from the national and international stage.

There are many ways to add to the fun with Festival Players. Check out their website at www.festivalplayers.ca for information about bringing your group to a show, taking advantage of pre-show menus at various local restaurants, enjoying an accommodation package at a local establishment and much more.

Box office opens 10am, Friday May 21^st

Books & Company, 289 Main Street, Picton

Box Office phone: 613.471.1991 or 1.866.584.1991 

–  30 –

Contact: Yorrick da Silva or Sarah Phillips       613.399.5677

yorrick@festivalplayers.ca or sarah@festivalplayers.ca

This will be your last opportunity to buy a Flex Pass before the season opens. After June 29th we will only be doing single/group ticket sales.

Be sure to take advantage of the discounted price and get your Flex Pass today! 

But what is a Flex Pass you ask? Flex Passes are just that: flexible! A Flex Pass is redeemable for 3 regularly-priced tickets in the 2010 season.  So, you can take two friends with you to see a show, or enjoy all three shows in the season by yourself, or see the same play three times if you really want to. Whatever works for you!

Plus, Flex Pass buyers get first crack at the dates before single tickets go on sale to the general public on May 21st.

Give us a call at 613-399-5677 or email  info@festivalplayers.ca to order your pass today! Or purchase safely and securely online via the PayPal button below.

Each of the photos represents one of the three different shows in our summer season and were shot at three different locations in the County.

I’ll Be Back Before Midnight, was shot at none other than Macaulay Heritage Park in Picton. We were given access inside the  historic 18th century home and to the grounds of the old St. Mary Magdalene Parish Cemetary.

Tempting Providence,  was shot at the cliffs and the shores of the island to give the image the whole Newfoundland/maritime essence the show has.

And last,  Amelia was shot at Picton’s very own historic airbase, CFB Picton. The deteriorating surroundings and hauting atmosphere of the retired airbase was the perfect place to capture our aviatrix.

Check out Rene Dick’s blog (from Scout Design) for his behind the scene photos from the shoots!