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.
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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!
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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.
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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 

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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!

John Gray, celebrated playwright and composer, is coming to town as part of the Festival Players Playwrights Reading Series. Gray’s new version of his musical Amelia: The Girl Who Wants to Fly, plays in the 2010 season. Gray will be at Books & Company in Picton, on Thursday, April 29^th at 7pm. Admission is free and there will be a wine and cheese reception. 

Halifax-born, Vancouver-based playwright and composer John Gray is best known for his award-winning and internationally acclaimed musical about a World War I flying ace, Billy Bishop Goes to War. Gray recently reprised his original role in that show, with co-creator Eric Peterson, over two sold-out runs at Soulpepper Theatre in Toronto. 

Come meet the playwright, and be treated to a preview of the show itself. Eliza-Jane Scott, who starred in both Ship of Fire and Colours in the Storm in 2009 and who will take on the title role in Amelia this year, will perform a brief excerpt from the play. 

Gray has garnered many prestigious awards for his work, including Dora Mavor Moore Awards for Rock and Roll, and the Los Angeles Critics Drama Award, the Governor General’s Award, and the Chalmers Canadian Play Award for Billy Bishop Goes to War. He has won several National Magazine Awards and penned a popular series of Victorian mystery novels. Gray was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2000. A legend in Canadian theatre, he will regale you with tales sure to amuse and inform. 

Amelia is the story of the meteoric rise and mysterious disappearance of the legendary Amelia Earhart, pioneering aviatrix. Earhart rose to unimaginable heights, literally and figuratively. This new musical re-imagines her transformation from the “girl next door” to the iconic first woman in flight. Inspiring, insightful and entertaining. It’s part biography, part love story, part thrill of the flight – and chock full of wonderful music. 

For more information: 613.399.5677 or www.festivalplayers.ca 

Playwrights Reading Series Thursday, April 29, 7pm
With Amelia playwright John Gray
Books & Company, 289 Main Street, Picton 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Festival Players Celebrates!

 Prince Edward County, ON, (March 19, 2010): Festival Players has received a $75,000 grant from the Ministry of Tourism’s Celebrate Ontario 2010 program.
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Ontario’s festivals and events are major economic drivers for communities across the province. They enrich local communities and increase tourism and tourist spending. Celebrate Ontario 2010 is an $11 million program to help festivals and events of all sizes reach new audiences and invigorate local economies. 
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With this funding Festival Players will extend the playing season to 8 weeks, allowing greater exposure to both local and visiting audiences. They will also purchase and install ticketing software which will allow patrons of various live events across Prince Edward County (including but not limited to Festival Players events) to purchase their tickets conveniently in advance and online. The company will also purchase a tent to house its outdoor shows.  
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“This is incredibly good news for us. We are truly looking forward to working with businesses and organizations in the region to promote Prince Edward County as a tourist destination in Ontario, and to make a Festival Players performance a go-to event on any visit. 50% of our audience is comprised of visitors. We’re grateful to be provided the opportunity, through the Ministry of Tourism, to improve all aspects of our patrons’ experience, from ticket buying to show schedule to venue environment,” says Artistic Director, Sarah Phillips.
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The 2010 Festival Players season runs from June 29 – August 28, 2010 in venues across the County. Check the website for more details at www.festivalplayers.ca. Flex Passes are still a great deal. Buy them now and beat the HST

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Contact: Yorrick da Silva or Sarah Phillips, Festival Players of Prince Edward County 
613.399.5677, yorrick@festivalplayers.ca, sarah@festivalplayers.ca

Treat yourself to a pre-show bite from the Milford Bistro, Portbella, the Duke of Marysburgh Pub, Angéline’s Restaurant, or Currah’s Cafe! For more information and menu details click  here.