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