L-R: Christopher Sawchyn as G.P. & Eliza-Jane Scott as Amelia Earhart*

This is just a reminder to all, if you haven’t yet seen Amelia: The Girl Who Wants to Fly by John Gray, get down to the Waring House and do so! 

There are only 2 weeks left (12 performances) before this show closes and you don’t want to miss it!

You can get your tickets today from  the Box Office, 613-471-1991/1-866-584-1991, or visit us at 289 Main Street, Picton (inside Books and Company).

NEED those tickets right this second? Get them right now, safely and securely, online at www.countytix.ca !

Amelia: The Girl Who Wants to Fly is playing until August 28, 2010 outdoors, under a grand tent at the Waring House in Picton (Hwy 33 & CR-1)!

Synopsis: Amelia Earhart rose to unimaginable heights, literally and figuratively. This new musical from the writer that brought us Billy Bishop Goes to War, re-imagines her meteoric rise from the “girl next door” to the iconic first woman in flight. Inspiring, insightful and entertaining.

*Photo Credit: Michael Grills Photography

Eliza-Jane Scott as Amelia Earhart*

Last night was the official Opening of Amelia: The Girl Who Wants to Fly by John Gray. The SOLD OUT performance was enjoyed by all, followed by a magnificent reception courtesy of the Waring House.

Festival Players would like to thank all who came out for the night!

If you haven’t got your tickets to see Amelia, Midge and G.P. please do so! This fantastic musical, written and composed by John Gray, will get your toes tapping and your hips moving!

Get your tickets today from Rick and friends at the Box Office, 613-471-1991/1-866-584-1991, or visit us at 289 Main Street, Picton (inside Books and Company).

NEED those tickets right this second? Get them right now, safely and securely, online at www.countytix.ca !

Amelia: The Girl Who Wants to Fly is playing August 3-28, 2010 outdoors, under a grand tent at the Waring House in Picton!

Synopsis: Amelia Earhart rose to unimaginable heights, literally and figuratively. This new musical from the writer that brought us Billy Bishop Goes to War, re-imagines her meteoric rise from the “girl next door” to the iconic first woman in flight. Inspiring, insightful and entertaining.

*Photo Credit: Michael Grills Photography

Eliza-Jane Scott as Amelia Earhart*

Tonight is the official Opening Night for the third and final production of our 2010 season, Amelia: The Girl Who Wants to Fly by John Gray.

Festival Players is excited to celebrate the opening with a SOLD OUT house for this evening, but we woud love to see you there on another night, or maybe at a matinee!

Amelia: The Girl Who Wans to Fly: Amelia Earhart rose to unimaginable heights, literally and figuratively. This new musical from the writer that brought us Billy Bishop Goes to War, re-imagines her meteoric rise from the “girl next door” to the iconic first woman in flight. Inspiring, insightful and entertaining.

Amelia: The Girl Who Wants to Fly is playing from August 3-28, 2010, outdoors under a grand tent, at the Waring House in Picton!

To book your tickets please contact the Box Office at 613-471-1991/1-866-584-1991 or visit us at 289 Main Street, Picton (inside Books and Company).

Wants to get those tickets RIGHT NOW? Hop on to www.countytix.ca and buy your tickets online, safely and securely!

*Photo Credit: Michael Grills Photography

L-R: Karin Randoja as Midge, Christopher Sawchyn* as G.P. & Eliza-Jane Scott* as Amelia

For the month of August, Prince Edward County is going to see a lot of Amelia Earhart. The Festival Players production of Amelia: The Girl Who Wants to Fly begins August 4th and runs through to August 28th.

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

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

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