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Oct 30, 2018

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Soulpepper Rings in the Holiday Season with a Flurry of Fun Programming

The Annual Family Festival Returns with the Debut of Soulpepper’s Most Ambitious Show Ever and Holiday Favourites this Winter.

Soulpepper Rings in the Holiday Season with a Flurry of Fun Programming
Toronto, ON – October 30, 2018:  Soulpepper Theatre Company celebrates the joy of the holiday season with the fifth annual Family Festival, presented by CIBC, starting December 7, 2018. For the first time, the Festival will expand all the way into February 2019, providing more opportunities for families to share the love of theatre together. From a yuletide classic to a circus performance, this year’s programming offers festive favourites the whole family can enjoy.

Returning by popular demand is the holiday classic A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens adapted by Michael Shamata, with Joseph Ziegler returning as Scrooge in his 11th year in this role, running December 7 to 24; and audience favourite J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan from Bad Hats Theatre adapted by Fiona Sauder and Reanne Spitzer, which will transport the theatre to Neverland December 8, 2018 to January 5, 2019. Families with small children can enjoy a special circus performance for Soulpepper’s youngest audience with TWEET TWEET!; and art lovers can immerse themselves in a new collaboration with the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO).

Rounding out this year’s Family Festival lineup is the highly-anticipated World Premiere of Soulpepper’s fully original musical Rose. Soulpepper is a company known for large scale artistic undertakings and investing in the creations of new work. Three years in the making and based on Gertrude Stein’s little known children’s book The World Is Round, Rose will be the company’s biggest, most ambitious production to date. Created by writer/actor Sarah Wilson and Slaight Family Director of Music Mike Ross (co-creator of Spoon River, Critics’ Pick – New York Times), this inspiring and whimsical new musical runs from January 17 to February 24, 2019.

Soulpepper’s Family Festival will take place at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts.

Tickets to Soulpepper productions include Free bypass-the-line entry to the Toronto Christmas Market at the Distillery Historic District, running November 15 to December 23, 2018, making Soulpepper tickets your perfect start to a seasonal day-out of shopping, dinner and show.

For more details, visit soulpepper.ca or call the Young Centre Box Office at 416.866.8666.

SOULPEPPER FAMILY FESTIVAL:
 
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
Charles Dickens
Adapted by Michael Shamata
Remount directed by Joseph Ziegler


Soulpepper’s beloved production of A Christmas Carol has become a Toronto holiday tradition. Follow Ebenezer Scrooge as he is visited by three ghosts who help him understand the importance of charity in the holiday season. Newcomer Antoine Yared (Stratford Festival, Groundling Theater) joins the beloved cast which includes Kaden Boland-Trowbridge, Kevin Bundy, Daniel Chapman-Smith, Stephen Guy-McGrath, Maggie Huculak, Tom Hulshof, John Jarvis, Tangara Jones, Clara Kushnir, Eponine Lee, Ellora Patnaik, Krystin Pellerin, Jordan Pettle, and Soulpepper Founding Member Joseph ZieglerA Christmas Carol is designed byAlan Brodie (Lighting), John Ferguson (Set & Costumes), Julie Fox (Ghost Costumes), andLyon Smith (Sound).

Recommended for ages 8+

A Christmas Carol runs from December 7 to 24, 2018.

Soulpepper Presents
PETER PAN
Bad Hats Theatre
J.M. Barrie
Adapted by Fiona Sauder & Reanne Spitzer
Music by Landon Doak
Arrangements by Nathan Carroll & Company
Directed by Severn Thompson
 
Pirates. Lost Boys. A ticking crocodile. The fantastical audience favourite is back! J.M. Barrie’s classic story about the boy who would never grow up is given a lively musical reimagining for kids and kids-at-heart. The cast includes Jocelyn Adema, Graham Conway, Landon Doak, Matthew Finlan, Richard Lam, Lena Maripuu, Matt Pilipiak, Victor Pokinko, Fiona Sauder, Tal Shulman and Reanne Spitzer. Peter Pan is designed by Ken MacKenzie (Lighting) and Amy Marie Wallace (Set & Costumes).
 
Winner - Dora Awards for Outstanding Production, Outstanding Ensemble, & Outstanding Direction
 
Recommended for ages 3+
 
Peter Pan runs from December 8, 2018 to January 5, 2019. There will be Relaxed Performance settings on December 15 and 19.
  
Soulpepper Presents
TWEET TWEET!
Femmes du Feu
Directed by Monica Dottor
Created and Choreographed by Lindsay Goodtimes, Holly Treddenick & Monica Dottor
 
TWEET TWEET! is a feast for the eyes and ears. Two little birds asleep in their nests high in a magical tree awake and discover each other and a wondrous world around them. Together they hop, flit, swoop and fly to the sounds of music and nature. An aerial arts and circus creation for young children performed in an intimate forest-like setting. Performed by Lindsay Goodtimesand Holly Treddenick, designed by Kelsey Carriere (Set), Monica Dottor (Sound), Tanis Sydney McArthur (Costumes).

Commissioned by Wee Festival.
 
Recommended for ages 0-5 and their caregivers.
 
TWEET TWEET! runs December 28 and 29, 2018.
 
ROSE
Music and Book by Mike Ross
Lyrics and Book by Sarah Wilson
From Gertrude Stein’s The World is Round
Directed by Gregory Prest


An original Soulpepper musical three years in the making.
 
Meet Rose, a quiet kid from the town of Somewhere, who sees the world a little differently. To discover her place in the world she must embark on the adventure of a lifetime and conquer the mountain that stands in her way. See just how high Rose can go in this whimsical and inspiring new musical from Sarah Wilson and Mike Ross, co-creator of Spoon River (Critics’ Pick – New York Times). Cast includes Troy Adams, Michelle Bouey, Paul Braunstein, Alana Bridgewater, Frank Cox-O’Connell, Oliver Dennis, Raquel Duffy, Peter Fernandes, Hailey Gillis, Scott Hunter, Raha Javanfar, John Millard, Sabryn Rock and James Smith. Rose is designed byLorenzo Savoini (Set & Lighting), Alexandra Lord (Costumes), Kaitlyn MacKinnon (Sound) and Monica Dottor (Choreographer).

Recommended for ages 5-105

The World Premiere of Rose runs from January 17 to February 10, 2019. Opening night is January 23. There will be Relaxed Performance settings on January 27 and February 2.
 
AGO/SOULPEPPER RESIDENCY
In partnership with the Art Gallery of Ontario
 
Great art inspires great performance. The canvas comes to life when members of the Soulpepper ensemble take up residency at the Art Gallery of Ontario (317 Dundas St. W) with pop-up performances throughout the European galleries, culminating in a featured performance in the Walker Court.
 
Free with general admission to the AGO. Dates and times to be announced. For details visit: Soulpepper.ca/Family.
 
FIRST STORY BUS TOUR
Presented in collaboration with First Story Toronto
 
Toronto’s lands and waterways have been a crossroads for thriving nations since time immemorial. Jon Johnson and First Story Toronto lead an interactive bus tour of Indigenous landscapes that activate stories of accomplishment, struggle, and resilience. This remarkable experience sold-out in 2017, and returns with a new journey and new stories for 2018.
 
Departs from and returns to the Distillery District. 3 hours (depending on traffic).
 
Recommended for ages 12+
 
First Story Bus Tour runs December 8, December 14 and December 15 at 1:00 PM.

Soulpepper is grateful for the Family Festival 2018 season support of:
Presenting Sponsor: CIBC
The Government of Ontario through the Celebrate Ontario program.
The Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund
 
Discounted accommodation rates are available through The Silver Hotel Group, Soulpepper’s Hotel partner.
 
Located in its multi-venue home, the Young Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto’s Distillery Historic District, Soulpepper is Toronto’s largest not-for-profit theatre company. Founded and guided by artists, Soulpepper has an integrated mission which includes: industry-leading youth and community outreach initiatives; artist training and mentorship programs; and a year-round diverse repertory season which is grounded in the classics and committed to the creation of new works, new forms, and innovative practices. Tickets to Soulpepper productions are available by calling the Young Centre Box Office at 416.866.8666 or by visiting soulpepper.ca

The artists and staff of Soulpepper and the Young Centre for the Performing Arts acknowledge the original caretakers and storytellers of this land - the Mississaugas of the New Credit, the Haudenosaunee, the Anishinaabe, and the Wendat First Nations. We commit to honouring and celebrating their past, present and future.

Soulpepper believes all people have a right to express their individuality, to experience creative freedom, to feel safe at all times, and to be treated with dignity and respect.

Soulpepper gratefully acknowledges annual operating support from the Ontario Arts Council, the Toronto Arts Council, and the Canada Council for the Arts. Soulpepper is pleased to recognize the donors of transformational gifts to its Creative Capital Campaign: The Michael Young Family Foundation; The Slaight Family; The Government of Ontario; Gail Drummond and Bob Dorrance; Kevin and Roger Garland; Ada Slaight; and Richard Wernham and Julia West. Support for the Soulpepper Academy is provided by the RBC Foundation, and the Canada Arts Training Program at the Department of Canadian Heritage.

Soulpepper is grateful for the major sponsorship support of:
Scotiabank – Soulpepper & City Youth Academy
Lead sponsorship support of:
CIBC – Soulpepper Family Festival
TD Bank – StagePlay + ASL Interpretation
Sun Life Financial – MyPlay Program
.