Jillian Keiley – Artistic Director
2017-18 Season King of the Yees Robert Lepage in 887 Onegin - the musical …and more!
M I LT O N L I M , A N D R E A Y U
WOR LD - CLAS S TH EATR E PACKAG E S STARTI NG F ROM
/ P H O T O - E M I LY C O O P E R
$20
P E R P LAY SU BSCR I B E TODAY!
nac-cna.ca/englishtheatre
There is nothing better than good conversation.
Over a cup of tea, over a drink, over the supper table, I love the tennis match of argument and learning that comes from hearing someone else’s point of view and offering my own. This season gives you great sparks to ignite conversation with provocative productions selected to inspire lively discussion. In Sir John A: Acts of a Gentrified Ojibway Rebellion, best friends from the reserve go on a mission to steal Sir John A. Macdonald’s bones in retribution for the theft of sacred First Nations objects 50 years earlier. In carried away on the crest of a wave, we examine the 2004 tsunami from both North American and Asian perspectives. Up To Low asks you about forgiveness in a story set in our own backyard. In the hilarious King of the Yees, your assumptions about what goes on in Chinatown are both challenged and confirmed. All these and many more we offer you all these and many more as fuel for impassioned dialogue and the exchange of ideas. We recognize Ottawa as a town of intelligent, engaged and opinionated theatregoers. We know you’ll be drawn in by our political, funny and courageous stories, and trust you’ll have lots to talk about long after the curtain goes down.
Jillian Keiley N A C E N G L I S H T H E AT R E A R T I S T I C D I R E C T O R
P H O T O - M AT T B A R N E S
SUBSCRIBING IS YOUR BEST VALUE From $20 per play B E ST P R I C E S Subscribe and save 15% or
F R E E T I C K ET E XC HAN G E S
M O R E T I C K E TS? M O R E SAV I N G S!
more off regular ticket prices. The
If your plans change, so can
Subscribers save up to 15%
more you buy, the more you save!
your tickets. Subscribers pay
off regular ticket prices when
Subscribe to the entire season of
no exchange fees.
purchasing additional tickets
theatre and save 30% or more off
Visit nac-cna.ca/exchange for
to NAC music, theatre and
regular ticket prices.
instructions on how to exchange
dance performances!
your tickets.
B E ST S E ATS Select your seats before tickets go on sale to the general public.
E XC LU S IVE O F F E R S Subscribers enjoy discounted parking rates, invitations to special events and GORDON KING PHOTOGRAPHY
exclusive presale opportunities for popular NAC events.
Subscribe in 3 easy steps.
1
SE LECT YO U R P L AYS
2
C H O OS E YO U R S E ATS
3
CO NTAC T US
O N L I N E : nac-cna.ca/englishtheatre B Y P H O N E : 613-947-7000 x620, or 1-866-850-ARTS x620 / Monday to Saturday / 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. I N PE RSON:
NAC Welcome Centre (to June 30, 2017) Chambers Building 54 Elgin Street (at Queen Street) Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
NAC Box Office (opens July 1, 2017) 1 Elgin Street See nac-cna.ca/visit for new Box Office hours as of July 1st.
The 2017/18 season is made possible in part by the NAC Foundation Donors’ Circle.
1
Daren A. Herbert, Hailey Gillis
Trey Anthony
P H O T O - M AT T B A R N E S
T H E A T R E S E R I E S S E P T 1 3 - 30 N A C T H E AT R E OPENING NIGHT F R I D A Y, S E P T E M B E R 1 5
Onegin B O O K , M U S I C A N D LY R I C S B Y
Veda Hille and Amiel Gladstone BASED ON THE POEM BY
AND THE OPERA BY
Pushkin
Tchaikovsky
JILLIAN’S NOTES:
DIRECTED BY
Every now and again,
Amiel Gladstone
I see the first scene of a show and I’m so impressed that I watch the rest of the show waiting to see if I can be talked out of programming it. From the first note to the very last, Onegin had me hooked.
PRODUCED BY
The Musical Stage Company (Toronto) in collaboration with NAC English Theatre
KIN -A- L F E-O CA SI ON M U
Onegin is a hip new take on Alexander Pushkin’s tale of unrequited love, set against the backdrop of 19th century Russia. With inventive choreography and a sharp, 21st century sensibility, Onegin’s sweeping and romantic story is one for the ages – as authentic today as it was nearly two centuries ago. Featuring a raucous and uplifting score by creators Veda Hille and Amiel Gladstone, this show is the very definition of passion. Lubov! A breathtaking experience… you really felt a part of what was happening onstage. Vancitybuzz
2
S U BS C R I B E TO DAY
nac-cna.ca/englishtheatre
6 13 - 9 4 7 - 7 0 0 0 x 6 2 0
D
Milton Lim, Andrea Yu
P H O T O - E M I LY C O O P E R
T H E A T R E S E R I E S N DI EN B Y ND M E D MI CO
King of the Yees
G
O C T 2 5 - N O V 11 N A C T H E AT R E OPENING NIGHT F R I D A Y, O C T O B E R 2 7
BY
Lauren Yee DIRECTED BY
JILLIAN’S NOTES:
Sherry J. Yoon
This show is a riot. I won’t ruin the surprise for you,
A Gateway Theatre Production (Richmond, BC)
but I will tell you that it did surprise me and it never let
Mid-rehearsal: two actors playing Lauren and Larry deliver their lines. All is well until the real Larry wanders onstage. When the real Lauren – who is seemingly also the playwright – leaps up from the audience, chaos ensues. From stage to backstage to audience and back on stage again, this play within a play bulldozes the fourth wall on a wild ride through a North American Chinatown, and one big generation gap.
up, not once. It’s simply a delight, and I’m thrilled to welcome Gateway Theatre’s fantastic production from Richmond, BC to the national stage.
Jaw-droppingly funny... satirizing western stereotypes of Chinese culture while lovingly sending up some actual, traditional Chinese customs. Georgia Straight
S U BS C R I B E TO DAY
nac-cna.ca/englishtheatre
6 13 - 9 4 7 - 7 0 0 0 x 6 2 0
3
Robert Lepage
PHOTO - ERICK LABBÉ
T H E A T R E S E R I E S J A N 1 0 - 27 N A C T H E AT R E OPENING NIGHT F R I D A Y, J A N 12
887
Ex Machina / Robert Lepage
D– RL O ED W WN O N E RE AG RY ST D R ZA WI
WRITTEN, DESIGNED, DIRECTED AND PERFORMED BY
Robert Lepage JILLIAN’S NOTES:
I consider myself lucky to be born at a time when I get to experience Robert Lepage’s work live on stage. Unquestionably, 887 joins the league of his best. Fifty years from now, if I last that
An Ex Machina Production (Québec) With visual storytelling that will take your breath away, 887 is celebrated theatre-maker Robert Lepage’s autobiographical journey through his childhood, in a Quebec that is just beginning to awaken to its own promise. Unable to memorize a poem he must recite at an event, Lepage uses the “memory palace” technique, assigning stanzas to the familiar rooms of his childhood home. But re-opening the doors reveals more inside each room than just the poem he put there.
long, I’ll be able to impress
Amazing, resonant storytelling, beguiling us at every turn... demands to be seen.
young theatre lovers when
The Globe and Mail
I say, “I saw Robert Lepage live. And more than once!”
4
S U BS C R I B E TO DAY
Commissioned by the Arts and Culture Program of the Toronto 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games. In co-production with Le Lieu Unique, Nantes, La Comète - Scène Nationale de Châlons-en-Champagne, Edinburgh International Festival, Aarhus Festuge, Théâtre de la Ville-Paris, Festival d’Automne à Paris, Romaeuropa Festival 2015, Bonlieu Scène Nationale Annecy, Ysarca Art Promotions Pilar de Yzaguirre, Célestins, Théâtre de Lyon, SFU Woodward’s Cultural Programs, on the occasion of Simon Fraser University’s 50th anniversary, Vancouver, Le Théâtre français du CNA, Le Théâtre du Nouveau Monde, Montréal, Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre, Canadian Stage, Toronto, Le Volcan-scène nationale du Havre, The Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York, The Bergen International Festival.
nac-cna.ca/englishtheatre
6 13 - 9 4 7 - 7 0 0 0 x 6 2 0
David Yee
P H O T O - M AT T B A R N E S
T H E A T R E S E R I E S
carried away on the crest of a wave BY
David Yee
MAR 21 – APR 1 N A C T H E AT R E OPENING NIGHT F R I D A Y, M A R C H 2 3
HT UG G O N I TH OK V O A PR AM DR
DIRECTED BY
JILLIAN’S NOTES:
Kim Collier
I remember the tsunami of 2004 – the lonely dread
An NAC English Theatre Production
of knowing that the world had collapsed on one side
One afternoon, seven countries, nine stories. Directed by Siminovitch Prize laureate Kim Collier, carried away on the crest of a wave was the 2015 winner of the Governor General’s Award for Drama. David Yee’s stunning play explores the far-reaching impact of the massive 2004 tsunami, in which millions of lives were changed forever in a fury of water and debris, but kept afloat by the serendipity and hope that connects us all.
Christmas on the other. David’s play brings that feeling into sharp relief for me; he articulates and encapsulates our disconnect, while pulling at the strings that tie
Be prepared to be hit by and possibly carried away on the crest of a wave…
us together.
a richly nuanced, far-ranging show. mdtheatreguide.com
S U BS C R I B E TO DAY
while we were celebrating
nac-cna.ca/englishtheatre
6 13 - 9 4 7 - 7 0 0 0 x 6 2 0
5
PHOTO - SARAH HOY
T H E A T R E S E R I E S M AY 1 - 19 N A C T H E AT R E OPENING NIGHT F R I D A Y, M A Y 4
Up to Low
TAR HE NG RI IR T TIC S MA Y A D DR M E CO
BY
Brian Doyle A D A P T E D F O R T H E S TA G E A N D D I R E C T E D B Y
Janet Irwin JILLIAN’S NOTES:
I first saw this local masterwork just across the canal at Arts Court. There’s an impressive group of artists who live and work right here in Ottawa and this dark and exuberant piece showcases their great talent, telling a story close to their hearts.
6
S U BS C R I B E TO DAY
An NAC English Theatre Production Based on the novel by Ottawa’s beloved Brian Doyle, Up to Low is the whimsical story of twelve-year-old Tommy, traveling with his father and volatile family friend Frank, as they follow the road from Lowertown all along the Gatineau River. Filled with deserted farms, midnight rows upriver, a pretty girl and brilliant Ottawa Valley-inspired music, Up to Low is the story of a young boy’s journey to manhood, sure to entertain anyone who calls the national capital region home. Up to Low is captivating, heart-warming, and above all, magical… definitely a show worth seeing for the whole family. onstageottawa.com
nac-cna.ca/englishtheatre
6 13 - 9 4 7 - 7 0 0 0 x 6 2 0
Sir John A: Acts of a Gentrified Ojibway Rebellion
PHOTO - ANDRÉE LANTHIER
O C TO B E R 3 - 14
Mr. Shi and His Lover
PHOTO - SIMON MA
P H O T O - M AT T B A R N E S
Drew Hayden Taylor
Sal Capone: The Lamentable Tragedy of
Jordan Cheng
JAN UARY 3 - 13
ENR G GE IN ND E A B E R OP R E AT E TH
APR I L 10 - 21
BY
MUSIC BY
Drew Hayden Taylor
Njo Kong Kie
DIRECTED BY
TEXT BY
DIRECTED BY
Jim Millan
Wong Teng Chi
Diane Roberts
An NAC English Theatre Production
DIRECTED BY
On the eve of the sesquicentennial, Bobby Rabbit has unfinished business with Canada’s first Prime Minister. His grandfather’s medicine bundle lies languishing in a British museum, so Bobby sets out to secure the bargaining chip he needs in this funny and bittersweet story about finding your purpose, knowing when to hang on, and when to forge a new path. IVE AT C O DY OV PR M E O C
Omari Newton
P HO PE R H I AT E D I TH BR HY
Produced by Sal Capone Productions (Vancouver/Toronto)
Tam Chi Chun A Macau Experimental Theatre/ Music Picnic/Point View Art Association Production (Macau/Toronto) Based on a true story that rocked the diplomatic world, this elegant musical drama chronicles the story of a respected diplomat and a Chinese opera star – lovers who find themselves caught in a web of deceit. When the opera star is revealed as a spy – and a man – the two must face the prospect of their mutual downfall. Performed in Mandarin with English surtitles.
S U BS C R I B E TO DAY
BY
After the police shooting of Sammy the DJ, a close-knit music crew struggles to come to terms with the tragedy – personally and professionally. Does the show go on or do they seek revenge? Sal Capone’s seismic hip-hop beats and powerhouse performances use grace and wit to raise a mighty fist to prejudice, homophobia and injustice.
nac-cna.ca/englishtheatre
6 13 - 9 4 7 - 7 0 0 0 x 6 2 0
7
SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE The more you buy, the more you save! Subscribers save 15% or more off regular ticket prices. FU LL E IG HT SE R I ES
SAVE
30%
OR MORE*
Onegin / King of the Yees / 887 / carried away on the crest of a wave / Up to Low Sir John A: Acts of a Gentrified Ojibway Rebellion / Mr. Shi and His Lover / Sal Capone S E A T L O C A T I O N
A B C D
Regular Performances
Adult
$ 363
$ 328
$ 269
$ 185
Senior 337 305 249 171
Preview Performances Adult/Senior 218
T H E AT R E S E R I E S Onegin / King of the Yees / 887 / carried away on the crest of a wave / Up to Low
SAVE
25%
OR MORE*
S E A T L O C A T I O N
A B C D
Regular Performances
Adult
$ 285
$ 248
$ 184
$ 94
Senior 266 231 172 88
Preview Performances Adult/Senior 162
STU DIO SE R I ES Sir John A: Acts of a Gentrified Ojibway Rebellion / Mr. Shi and His Lover / Sal Capone
SAVE
20%
OR MORE*
STUDIO PERFORMANCES ARE GENERAL ADMISSION
Regular Performances
Adult
Senior
$ 111 104
Preview Performances Adult/Senior 77
8
S U BS C R I B E TO DAY
nac-cna.ca/englishtheatre
6 13 - 9 4 7 - 7 0 0 0 x 6 2 0
N A C T H E AT R E S E AT I N G C H A R T BALC ONY
A ORCHESTRA
B C D
S TA G E
C R E AT E YO U R O W N S E R I E S
SAVE
15%
OR MORE*
Create a custom-made theatre experience by choosing plays from the Theatre and Studio Series. Choose 3 plays - save 15% or more. Choose 4 or more plays - save 20% or more. Prices shown are per play. A B C D
S E A T L O C A T I O N
T H E AT R E S E R I E S
Regular Performances Adult - 3 plays
$ 65
$ 57
$ 42
$ 22
Adult - 4 + plays
61
53
40
20
Senior - 3 plays
61
53
40
20
Senior - 4 + plays
57
50
37
19
Preview Performances Adult/Senior
STU DIO SE R I ES
37
PERFORMANCES ARE GENERAL ADMISSION
Regular Performances Adult - 3 plays
$ 40
Adult - 4 + plays
37
Senior - 3 plays
37
Senior - 4 + plays
35
Preview Performances Adult/Senior
28
PAYM E NT PLAN - this offer is only available to NAC subscribers (see page 16 for details). Seniors are persons 65 years or older. Photo ID is required as proof of age. Studio and Preview seating are General Admission. Prices include HST and facility fee. A portion of the fee supports creation in the performing arts.
S U BS C R I B E TO DAY
nac-cna.ca/englishtheatre
6 13 - 9 4 7 - 7 0 0 0 x 6 2 0
9
2017-18 SEASON PREVIEW
AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE
TALK BACK
OPENING NIGHT
PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN
Stay in your seat after the performance to enjoy an informal question and answer session with the artists. POINTS OF VIEW
Experience our productions through an encounter with two special guests offering unique perspectives on the show.
Onegin
NAC Theatre September 13 - 30
M O N
T U E
W E D
T H U
F R I
S A T
S U N
SEP 11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
25
19
7:30 PM
26
7:30 PM
7:30 PM
20
7:30 PM
27
7:30 PM
7:30 PM
21
7:30 PM
28
7:30 PM
7:30 PM
22
7:30 PM
29
7:30 PM
Sir John A: Acts of a Gentrified Ojibway Rebellion
23
24
2:00 PM 7:30 PM
2:00 PM
30
OCT 1
2:00 PM 7:30 PM
NAC Studio October 3 - 14
M O N
T U E
W E D
T H U
F R I
S A T
S U N
OCT 2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
8:00 PM
10
8:00 PM
King of the Yees
T U E
OCT 23
24
6
31
7:30 PM
7
7:30 PM
Mr. Shi and His Lover M O N
T U E
JAN 1
2
8
S U BS C R I B E TO DAY
8:00 PM
11
8:00 PM
8:00 PM
12
8:00 PM
8:00 PM
13
2:00 PM 8:00 PM
8:00 PM
2:00 PM 8:00 PM
14
15
F R I
S A T
S U N
28
29
NAC Theatre October 25 - November 11
M O N
30
10
12:45 PM 2:00 PM 7:30 PM
9
8:00 PM
W E D
25
7:30 PM
NOV 1
7:30 PM
8
7:30 PM
T H U
26
7:30 PM
2
7:30 PM
9
7:30 PM
27
7:30 PM
3
7:30 PM
10
12:45 PM 2:00 PM 7:30 PM
4
5
2:00 PM 7:30 PM
2:00 PM
7:30 PM
2:00 PM 7:30 PM
11
12
F R I
S A T
S U N
6
7
13
14
NAC Studio January 3 - 13 W E D
3
8:00 PM
10
8:00 PM
nac-cna.ca/englishtheatre
T H U
4
8:00 PM
11
8:00 PM
6 13 - 9 4 7 - 7 0 0 0 x 6 2 0
5
8:00 PM
12
8:00 PM
2:00 PM 8:00 PM
2:00 PM 8:00 PM
887
NAC Theatre January 10 - 27 M O N
T U E
W E D
T H U
F R I
S A T
JAN 8
9
10
11
12
13
15
22
16
7:30 PM
23
7:30 PM
7:30 PM
7:30 PM
17
18
7:30 PM
7:30 PM
24
25
7:30 PM
7:30 PM
carried away on the crest of a wave
7:30 PM
19
7:30 PM
26
7:30 PM
S U N
14
12:45 PM 2:00 PM
2:00 PM
20
21
27
28
7:30 PM
2:00 PM
NAC Theatre March 21 - April 1
M O N
T U E
W E D
T H U
F R I
S A T
S U N
MAR 19
20
21
22
23
24
25
31
APR 1
S A T
S U N
14
15
26
27
7:30 PM
7:30 PM
28
7:30 PM
7:30 PM
29
7:30 PM
Sal Capone: The Lamentable Tragedy of M O N
APR 9
16
Up to Low
T U E
10
8:00 PM
17
8:00 PM
W E D
11
8:00 PM
18
7:30 PM
30
7:30 PM
12:45 PM 2:00 PM 7:30 PM
2:00 PM 7:30 PM
2:00 PM
NAC Studio April 10 - 21
T H U
12
8:00 PM
19
F R I
13
8:00 PM
20
2:00 PM 8:00 PM
8:00 PM
8:00 PM
8:00 PM
2:00 PM 8:00 PM
21
22
NAC Theatre May 1 - 19
M O N
T U E
W E D
T H U
F R I
S A T
S U N
APR 30
MAY 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
14
7:30 PM
8
7:30 PM
15
7:30 PM
7:30 PM
9
7:30 PM
16
7:30 PM
7:30 PM
10
7:30 PM
17
7:30 PM
S U BS C R I B E TO DAY
7:30 PM
11
7:30 PM
18
7:30 PM
12:45 PM 2:00 PM 7:30 PM
12
13
2:00 PM 7:30 PM
2:00 PM
19
20
2:00 PM 7:30 PM
nac-cna.ca/englishtheatre
6 13 - 9 4 7 - 7 0 0 0 x 6 2 0
11
EXPRESS YOUR PASSION
FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS! As you wait for the curtain to rise, take a look around. The seats are filled with people just like you – people who love the arts. Many have chosen a special way to share what is so important in their lives.
Imagine the joy that comes with giving children the chance to develop their own passion for the arts. Express your love for the arts. Share your passion. Send your donation to the National Arts Centre Foundation or make a gift online at nacfoundation.ca.
Imagine inspiring new compositions, plays and choreography while keeping the magic of performance alive on Canada’s stage.
Connect with NAC English Theatre Friends of English Theatre The audience-led community of NAC theatre enthusiasts, volunteers and supporters. fetnac.org
TICKET POLICIES G R O U P & C O R P O R AT E PA C K A G E S
CO N D IT I O N S O F SAL E
Available for parties of 10 or more. For details call 613-947-7000 x634, or email grp@nac-cna.ca.
Subscription series are purchased and issued subject to the policies, rules and regulations of the National Arts Centre. All remittances except post-dated cheques will be deposited immediately upon receipt, without guaranteeing acceptance of order as requested.
PAY M E N T P L A N
No refunds or credits except in the case of cancellation of a performance. Everyone - including children and infants - must have a ticket to be admitted to performances.
W I T H S P E C I A L T H A N K S TO
H O T E L PA R T N E R
O F F I C I A L R A I L PA R T N E R
MADE P OS S I B LE W ITH S U P P ORT F ROM
Dr. Kanta Marwah Endowment for English Theatre
12
TEXT - J U LI E FLETCH E R
N A C E N G L I S H T H E AT R E 2 0 1 7- 2 0 1 8 S E A S O N PA R T N E R S
/
Programs and artists are subject to change. The information in this brochure was complete and accurate at the time of printing.
DESIGN - TÉTRO
Pay for your subscription in three installments, either with post-dated cheques or by credit card, with each payment covering one third of the total price of your order. The first third will be payable upon subscribing, the second processed June 23, 2017, and the last July 21, 2017. This program is available through to the end of June 2017.
Canada is our stage. THE NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE CELEBRATES CANADA’S 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF CONFEDERATION WITH EXCITING PROJECTS AT THE NEWLY TRANSFORMED NAC, AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY CANADA SCENE The biggest celebration of music, dance, theatre, circus, visual, media arts, and more | June 15 – July 23 THE 25TH GOVERNOR GENERAL’S PERFORMING ARTS AWARDS GALA Celebrating Canada’s highest honour in the performing arts | June 29 NATIONAL TOURS NAC Orchestra Canada 150 Tour English Theatre’s Tartuffe to Newfoundland and Labrador French Theatre’s Gabriel Dumont’s Wild West Show to Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg and Saskatoon ENCOUNT3RS A landmark commission that unites 3 outstanding choreographers with 3 exciting composers GRAND RE-OPENING July 1, 2017
Design by architect Donald Schmitt and featuring imagery from Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s Sophia Less in Going Home Star – Truth and Reconciliation
SUBSCRIBE TODAY
nac-cna.ca/englishtheatre 613-947-7000 x620
D A R E N A . H E B E R T, H A I L E Y G I L L I S
/
P H O T O - M AT T B A R N E S