WTF

Annual General Meeting

2011-04-08T00:56:00.001-06:00

Performance Date : 4/19/2011, 7:00 pm

Everyone is invited to the FUT in the HAT Annual General Meeting Tuesday April 19th at 7PM in the Library

Where? Medicine Hat Public Library Address: 414 First Street SE
When? April 19, 2011 at 7:00 pm

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Mrs Brown

2011-02-27T23:22:00.010-07:00

Performance Date : 3/22/2011, 7:30 pm

Performers in Last Tuesday's reading of Brendan O’Carroll's Mrs. Brown
Sandra Craven, Val Turcotte, Deb Hoefling, Darlene Dee, and Grant Bray as Mrs. Brown.

Sandra Craven, Grant Bray as Mrs. Brown , Deb Hoefling, Val Turcotte, and Darlene Dee.

Move over Dame Edna — Mrs. Brown is in town!

Our next Reader's Theatre will be at From Scratch on March 22 and we have an exceptional treat in store for you. We are going to introduce Mrs. Brown to Medicine Hat! And she is sure to make an impression.

Writer Brendan O’Carroll channels his mum’s sense of humor and brings to life a simple Irish mother who tells it like it is, with hilarious consequences. Are you sure you’re ready for Mrs. Brown? She’s got a bit of a potty mouth on her!

The howlingly hilarious Mrs Brown, created by Brendan O'Carroll and enjoyed by millions when she became a hit internet youtube phenomenon.

Have a look at the clip below if you haven't watched one yet! If you are at work you might like to wait till you get home to have a look at it.

On the Red Stage at FROM SCRATCH, a truly a unique and amazing food experience that you can find at 677B South Railway St. S.E. Check them out for lunch or dinner anytime; your host China Loughlin will make you feel at home whenever you drop by. She has a great line-up of entertainment booked for you.

Have supper first if you like, and then enjoy the madcap meanderings of Mrs. Brown. Our readers productions are stripped-down, un-staged, and maybe a bit more intimate than what you are used to. The experience is between the performers, the audience, and the playwright's words. All this happens Tuesday March 22, 7:30 pm at FROM SCRATCH. Tickets are only $5.00 and are available at the door.

Shirley Valentine

2011-02-11T01:44:00.000-07:00

Performance Date: 2/22/2011, 7:30 pm

Our first Readers Theatre of 2011 is also going to be our first performance in our new venue! We are very excited about appearing on the Red Stage at FROM SCRATCH, a truly a unique and amazing food experience that you can find at 677B South Railway St. S.E. Check them out for lunch or dinner anytime; your host China Loughlin will make you feel at home whenever you drop by. She has a great line-up of entertainment booked for you.

And FUT is on that line up starting on Tuesday, February 22 with Shirley Valentine.

Shirley Valentine is a one-character play by Willy Russell. An hilarious monologue by a middle-aged, working class Liverpool housewife, it focuses on her life before and after a holiday abroad that changes her way of thinking about herself. Mrs. Joe Bradshaw is the former adventurous vibrant Shirley Valentine longing to get out. Her hopes and self-confidence shattered by school, marriage and life, she is reduced to talking to the kitchen wall while preparing her husband’s evening meal. Shirley dreams of drinking a glass of wine in a country where the grape is grown as she fries up his ‘chips and egg’. Out of the blue, her ‘feminist’ friend offers her a holiday in the sun. With great trepidation and a heck of a lot of soul searching, Shirley finally seizes the opportunity and flies off for a fortnight in the Greek Islands! Once there she finds the love, joy, wonder and passion she left behind in her youth.

From Scratch & The Red Stage

Have supper first if you like, and then enjoy this wonderful story. Our readers productions are stripped-down, un-staged, and maybe a bit more intimate than what you are used to. The experience is between the performers, the audience, and the playwright's words. All this happens at 7:30 pm at FROM SCRATCH. Tickets are only $5.00 and are available at the door.

Here on the Flight Path

2010-11-22T22:06:00.002-07:00

Performance Date: 11/23/2010, 7:30 pm

As part of our Readers Theatre series, FUT in the Hat presents HERE ON THE FLIGHT PATH at the Prickly Pear Cafe downtown on Tuesday, November 23 at 7:30 pm. Here on the Flight Path is written by Norm Foster and is a comedy, guaranteed to make you laugh. Tickets are only $5.00 and are available at the door. Come early and have supper if you like. Come and see what "Barenaked Theatre" is all about!

Purchase Tickets

Sitting on Paradise

2010-09-27T00:39:00.000-06:00

Performance Date: 9/28/2010, 7:30 pm

Our first Readers Theatre of the 2010-2011 season is ready to make you howl at one of the funkiest venues downtown, the Prickly Pear Cafe on 2nd Street.

Our Bare-Naked Reader's Theatre nights are performed the last Tuesday of every month . We call it Bare-Naked Theatre not because of the lack of any clothes, but because the production is stripped-down, un-staged, and maybe a bit more intimate than what you are used to - the experience is between the performers, the audience, and the playwright's words.

We kick of our season this Tuesday night with some madcap musings on the eternal question of materialism vs spiritualism.

Have supper first if you like, and then enjoy this comedic romp by the Governor General's Award-winning playwright Eugene Stickland. Sitting on Paradise tells the tale of a nature-loving developer and his would-be Wild Man buddy as they plot to build a New Age development in an as-yet unspoiled tract of forest.
But first they have to convince the developer's hard-nosed materialist wife.

Find out how a man gets things done; Discover how much stuff you really need; and marvel at the most peculiar couch transaction ever. All this happens at 7:30 pm at the Prickly Pear. Tickets are available at the door only.

2010 - 2011 season Auditions

2010-09-01T01:12:00.003-06:00

Audition Dates : 9/13/2010, 7:30 pm 9/14/2010, 7:30 pm

The summer was spent busily politicking to halt the proposed give-away of the City of Medicine Hat Cultural Centre. The College administration has decided that it finds the Visual Communications department an inconvenient obstacle to their scheme to build a new sports building. Happy to spend dollars on the proposed sports complex, the college is less willing to spend their money on the VisCom students; so they cravenly made a play on the Cultural Centre. Embarrassingly, the College admin has tried to spin this as "support" for the Visual Communications program. It would be damn near comedic if it weren't so appalling! The Cultural Centre was built with your tax dollars for the use of our cultural organizations - let us hope that our Aldermen can stay true to the people they are meant to represent, and will not betray the trust of the civic leaders who founded one of THE MOST SUCCESSFUL of Medicine Hat's cultural institutions.

But now that fall begins to colour the landscape the FUT in the HAT is gearing up for our 2010- 2011 Season. We will be kicking our season off with the successful raw and unplugged Reader's Theatre, performed the last Tuesday of every month at the Prickly Pear Cafe. We call this Bare-Naked Theatre, not because of the lack of any clothes, but because the production is stripped-down, unstaged, and intimate as all heck. The experience is between the performers, the audience, and the playwright's words. And we promise to call the next day if you need us to.

In the new year we will be premiering a new play, set in Medicine Hat and based on a ground-breaking court decision. Supper Waltz is written by Shirley Roll Tucker, who grew up in Medicine Hat and has her own history with local theatre. We hope you will all stay tuned for further news on this production as February nears

Auditions September 13 &; 14; 7:30 pm at the Cultural Centre

To get the ball rolling we are planning mass auditions for the winter season to be held September 13 and 14. On those days we hope everyone will show up at 7:30 pm at the Cultural Centre (That is, if we haven't been kicked out!) Remember, part of FUT in the HAT's mandate is to provide a welcoming space for new faces and to give everyone a chance - so don't be shy about coming out.

We will be auditioning for 5 Raw Readers' Theatre pieces and one full stage production.

The Readers' Theatre pieces are:
Sept. 28 -- Sitting on Paradise; a comedic romp by The Governor General's Award - winning playwright Eugene Stickland
Oct. 26 -- Private Peaceful ; the Edinburgh Fringe Festival sell-out by Michael Morpurgo adapted by Simon Reade
Nov. 23 -- Here on the Flight Path by Norm Foster
Jan. 24 -- Mrs. Brown The howlingly hilarious character created by Brendan O'Carroll and enjoyed by millions via the hit internet youtube phenomenon. Have a look at the clip below if you haven't watched one yet!
Mar. 22 - Shirley Valentine by Willy Russell

Feb 24 -26 Mar 3 -5 a new script, Supper Waltz by Shirley Roll Tucker.
We will be work-shopping this production October 16 and 17 with Eugene Stickland and rehearsals will start at the beginning of January. Casting will take place at the September auditions and actors will be expected to attend the October workshop.

The Children's Hour

2010-04-07T23:21:00.018-06:00

Performance Date: 4/7/2010, 7:30 pm

‘Children’s Hour’ not for children

AMANDA STEPHENSON

astephenson@medicinehatnews.com

The Medicine Hat College Players and the FUT in the Hat theatre group have come together to tackle the dramatic classic, “The Children’s Hour.” Written by Lillian Hellman in 1934, the play is based on the true story of two school teachers wrongly condemned for lesbianism in 19th century Scotland because of the lie of a spiteful student. Today, the play is recognized in theatre circles as a masterpiece, although its subject matter shocked audiences when it debuted. “She (Hellman) probably would have got the Pulitzer Prize for it, but because of the topic, some of the people on the committee didn’t want to give it to her,” says FUT in the Hat’s Karen Cunningham, director of the upcoming production.

The script of “The Children’s Hour” is very dramatic, full of high emotion with very little humour. It makes for a real challenge for the actors, but Cunningham says it’s exactly the kind of thing FUT in the Hat members enjoy. “We like the stuff with the meat,” she says. “Stuff that’s got a story behind it, that’s going to make you stop and think and give the actors a real challenge to

discover who they need to be on stage.”

The partnership between the College Players and FUT in the Hat is something that started this year. College students contributed to FUT in the Hat’s reader’s theatre series over the fall and winter, and this time around, FUT in the Hat is lending a hand to the college group. Two of the 13 roles in the play will be filled by FUT in the Hat members.

“Often for me at the college, the difficulty is finding older actors to play the older roles. It’s not naturalistic to have someone who’s 17 playing somebody who’s 60,” says Charlie Wilson,

drama instructor at Medicine Hat College and technical director for “The Children’s Hour.” “It’s also great to be able to combine the strengths of the two groups — I have a lot of new students who have an interest in theatre, which is fantastic, and she (Cunningham) has a lot of experienced actors who have something to give.”

“The Children’s Hour” will be performed April 7, 8, 9, and 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the Medicine Hat

College Cultural Centre Black Box Theatre. Tickets are $15 and available through the Esplanade Box Office, www.tixx.ca, or at the door if available. Doors open at 7:15 p.m.

Due to its subject matter, the play is not recommended for children.

© Copyright by Medicine Hat News.com

Purchase Tickets

The Children's Hour

2010-03-04T00:13:00.013-07:00

Performance Date: 4/7/2010, 7:30 pm

Dashiell Hammett brought the true story of two school teachers wrongly condemned for lesbianism by the lie of a spiteful student to Hellman's notice. Her play has earned its place as one of the enduring works of the American Theatre. While it was shunned by the Pulitzer Prize selection committee for drama, the outrage at the play's exclusion for that award sparked the creation of the Drama Critics Circle award to honour her achievement.

Join College Players and Fut in the Hat as they bring their own adaptation of this highly emotional charged drama of two teachers plight. At the Cultural Centre, Black Box Theatre with four nightly shows starting Wednesday, April 7 through to Saturday, April 10 at 7:30 PM. Cost to see this highly acclaimed drama is $15.00 + S/C, GST

***Mature content not recommended for children.***

Purchase Tickets

And The Winner Is

2010-02-20T18:39:00.024-07:00

Performance Date: 2/23/2010, 7:30 pm

FUT in the Hat’s next show a real ‘Winner’
Alex McCuaig
amccuaig@medicinehatnews.com
It might be February and the flowerbeds are still covered in snow but award season is in full bloom with the fruit of the coveted Academy Awards waiting to be picked. And with that timely segue, FUT in the Hat theater group is presenting “And The Winner Is,” a Mitch Albom play about one man’s attempt to secure himself an Oscar.
Albom is best known for his book and subsequent play, “Tuesdays with Morrie,” along with his work as a sports journalist for the Detroit Free Press.
This will be the last of the four Barenaked Theatre plays performed by the company at the Prickly Pear Cafe and FUT artistic director Karen Cunningham expects it to be a sold-out show.
Directed by FUT president Julie Tracey and starring well-known local thespians Grant Bray and Jim Rissling, the play will be a stripped-down version performed in its essence with actors reading lines.
“There are no costumes or sets, it’s just a readers theatre style,” said Cunningham.
“It’s an opportunity for us to do more. A (regular) show takes three months, (each) readers theatre takes us three rehearsals.” But that’s not to say quality suffers with good crowds filling up the cozy confines of the Prickly Pear.
“We’ve found that venue has been really pleasant for the audience because they can sit back and relax and have something to eat or drink a fancy coffee,” said Cunningham. “But it’s limited seating so you have to get there early.” She added the group’s show is just an addition to a long and distinguished history of live theatre in the city. “There have been theatre groups in the
city going back to the founding of Medicine Hat — it has always been here.”
This is the 10th year for the theatre group formed in response to the need for a company dedicated to non-musical performances. Over the past decade the group has performed such plays as “The Vagina Monologues” and” Tommy Douglas: The Arrows of Desire.”
The one-night only show is on Feb. 23 beginning at 7 p.m. The regular Prickly Pear opening hours will be extend past the usual 4 p.m. closing until the end of the play. Tickets are $5 available exclusively at the door.

© Copyright by Medicine Hat News.com

MARION BRIDGE

2007-01-05T00:42:00.004-07:00

a beautifully realized tale of loss, healing and humor
Grievous loss, self-pity and yearning are the starting points in Daniel MacIvor's soul-searching play, Marion Bridge. Three troubled sisters return home to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia to care for their dying mother and find they have everything and nothing in common.
The women discover what they have in common and what sets them apart. Each sister has her own niche in the family; there's the failed actress with a troubled past, the responsible sister who has become a nun, and the recluse who stayed in their small-town home. While their relationships are hashed out, the audience gets a better look at the family as a whole.
Reunited by the imminent demise of their ailing mother, the three sisters are forced to view one another as no longer adolescents but grown women.
In playwright McIvor’s sure and steady writing, the women are revealed through both comedic and dramatic touches ; the script is literate, charming and very, very funny.

It performs at the Black Box Theatre in the Cultural Centre 7:30 pm February 1, 2, 3 & 8, 9 10. The production will be directed by Artistic Director Karen Cunningham and features three highly acclaimed Hat actresses: Julie Tracey, Clare Lapinksie , and Jamie Petro.

TICKETS: $15

Available THREE ways:
In person: at ESPLANADE Box Office or Mall Outlet
Online: at Ticket Central:

By phone: on the Ticket Hotline: (403) 502-8777
Buy your tickets online NOW by clicking this link:

http://www.tixx.ca/

EDITORIAL

2006-08-22T12:23:00.001-06:00

Monologue this

By Leah Prestayko

Medicine Hat News Aug 15, 2006, 05:12

For anyone who thought a production of The Vagina Monologues was merely an opportunity for cheap sex jokes and man bashing, they couldn’t be more wrong.The production is just as its name reflects, a series of monologues all having to do in one way or another with vaginas.Uncomfortable with the word? Get over it. Half the world has one.Without a doubt the production contained sexual references. Most importantly, it offered up a number of lessons the entire world should be reminded of.The hardest hitting of the monologues concerned a woman from Kosovo who was raped repeatedly for seven days by soldiers using a variety of instruments. It wasn’t an easy story to hear, even as told by an actress in the comfort of the Black Box Theatre. The audience on Saturday night was silent aside from some squirming in chairs brought on by the uncomfortable nature of the material.Unfortunately, there are too many parts of this world where rape is used as a systemic tactic of war. A number of Hatters come from parts of the world where this is true. Now, thanks to The Vagina Monologues, other Hatters have a better understanding of what it’s like to endure such grievous living conditions. They may not be the kind of living conditions we think of on a day-to-day basis: car payments, clothing costs and groceries. It has to do with personal safety, self worth and survival on the deepest levels.At the same time, it was mentioned that 500,000 women are raped in the United States each year. That’s children raped by family members or trusted friends, elderly women raped by caregivers, women of all ages raped by strangers, friends and even their own lovers.Think of the population of Medicine Hat and multiply that pretty much by 10. That’s a lot of women. In one year. It’s incomprehensible. Now make it a strategy of war.Some may say Fut in the Hat was brave to stage The Vagina Monologues, that may or may not be true. What Medicine Hat should be, regardless of the show’s intent, is grateful.

The Vagina Monologues continues this weekend with shows on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Leah Prestayko is an associate editor with The News. Contact her at lprestayko@medicinehatnews.com.

Vagina Monologues

2006-08-12T09:50:00.002-06:00

Vagina monologue speak through laughter

By TENILLE TELLMAN

Aug 11, 2006, 01:07

Whether it was hair or angry genitals, Fut in the Hat’s production of Eve Ensler’s the Vagina Monologues rubbed the audience the right way.A full house roared with laughter and gasped in disbelief as monologues based on women’s life experiences were portrayed by three of Medicine Hat’s most talented - and brave - actresses.Undertaking a show based on a topic so rarely discussed, the women held their heads high and belted out theories and ideas about what their vagina would wear, what they might say if they could talk and how they smell.On a simple set with limited props, each woman shone in their own individual way.Gail Jansen was strong and captivating as she depicted an older woman talking about her experiences ‘down there.’ During transitions, she was natural and calm before transforming into a frightened young girl being raped by an older man.Janine Matwe caused full belly-laughs as she depicted a woman exploring her vagina for the first time or speaking on her vagina’s behalf to say how angry it was. Probably the most memorable part of Matwe’s performance was her demonstration of the varying levels of moans a woman could make.Maddona DeRuigh flipped sassily through a dictionary to find words to explain her favourite way to describe ‘down there,’ after she re-enacted a woman’s concerns about her body hair.During the intermission, the audience visited the Greenroom, which showcased displays from organizations relevant to some of the issues, including the Sexual Abuse Recovery Committee, the HIV/AIDS Network and the Phoenix Safe House. Six anonymous artists created the Busy Joyful Vagina, a large piece of artwork displayed for audience members to have a photo taken with to benefit Saamis Immigration Services.While the strength of the women’s performances carried the show, there were some technical shortcomings in the opening night of the production. Crew members could be heard talking in the back, which sometimes distracted from a lone character sitting in the spotlight. Little known facts displayed on a screen between scenes were not visible for most of the audience stuck sitting in the two rows of seats on the left wing.The two hour production cruised by quickly and sent the audience home with serious issues to think about.The topic alone, accompanied by some foul language, does not make this show appropriate for all ages, but anyone older than 18 years of age should definitely attend.The Vagina Monologues continues August 11 and 12 then starts with a second cast from August 17-19.

© Copyright by Medicine Hat News.com

THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES

2006-07-05T20:33:00.007-06:00

The Vagina Monologues is an episodic play written by Eve Ensler. It premiered Off-Broadway in 1996 and won an Obie Award. She originally starred in it, playing all the various women who share their views about their vaginas with the audience. The production has been staged internationally, and now finds its way to the Medicine Hat stage courtesy of FUT in the Hat
"Spellbinding, funny, and almost unbearably moving. . . . Written with a bluntness that is nevertheless intensely lyrical, it is both a work of art and an incisive piece of cultural history, a poem and a polemic, a performance and a balm and a benediction."
--Variety
"Frank, humorous and moving . . . a compelling rhapsody of the female essence. Ultimately, Ensler achieves something extraordinary."
--Chicago Tribune
At the CULTURAL CENTRE
7:30 pm
August 10, 11. 12 & 17, 18. 19.

Tickets :$15.00
• in person, ESPLANADE Box Office or Mall Outlet
• online, at Ticket Central: http://www.tixx.ca/
CLICK HERE TO BUY NOW:

Mesa

2006-04-09T01:13:00.002-06:00

FUT theatre takes Hatters on
a charming little trip to Mesa
TENILLE TELLMAN

Medicine Hat News

Fut in the Hat Theatre Guild took about 50 Hatters on an incredible and charming trip to Mesa, Arizona on Wednesday night.

With only two actors on stage for the majority of the production, Doug Curtis' heartwarming comedy unfolded as 34-yearold Paul, played by Mike Waskalik, drove his wife's 93-year-old grandfather Bud, played by Grant Bray, to his retirement trailer in Mesa.

Using a simple set in a small and intimate theatre, the play was a animated through creative facial expressions and a white screen in the background which occasionally flashed images relevant to the location the two were driving through. The set also allowed for easy transitions between scenes which prevented the actors from losing the audience's attention.

It soon became difficult to decipher if humour was found in the clever and witty script or the chemistry between the two performers. Either way, the audience chose to settle in, enjoy the ride, and laugh along the way.

Waskalik played a struggling artist whose values and interests easily contradicted those of a stubborn senior. Bray was comedic and convincing in his voice, expressions and comments, but his dialogue touched Paul on a more personal note. As Bud was simply eager to get to the retirement trailer for what he believed could be his last trip, Paul opened his mind and ended up learning more about himself.

Along the way, the two met David Stewart, who played a customs officer, security guard and cowboy at different locations. Though brief, every character Stewart played was memorable and kept the audience laughing.

The cast and crew showed dedication and commitment not only to learn the lines, but to take a small production and make it into an unforgettable show.

News Story

2006-04-09T01:08:00.001-06:00

Take a trip to Mesa

from the MEDICINE HAT NEWS Mar 22, 2006

Fut in the Hat is taking theatre goers on a trip to Arizona.The theatre company’s latest production, Mesa, is the story of a man named Paul who agrees to drive his wife’s 93-year-old grandfather, Bud, to his retirement trailer in Mesa, Ariz.“It’s about his search for himself,” director Karen Cunningham said of Paul’s journey. “He’s kind of lost his inner self and travelling with this old man he starts to find out who he is.”Due to the old man’s age, Bud expects this to be his last trip to Arizona. His reflections on life help Paul’s quest for life’s answers.“There’s a lot of poingancy there.”There’s humour, too.“You can imagine taking a 93-year-old man on a trip, he ends up having some experiences he hadn’t expected.”Those experiences teach him a great deal.“Inside that old husk there is still a human being inside with feeligns and needs,” Cunningham said.And not only do those experiences teach him about Bud, but about himself, too.The play has been described by those who have seen it as “charming,” the director said.Written by Calgarian Doug Curtis, the play stars Grant Bray as Bud and Mike Waskalik as Paul. While the actors may be familiar to local theatre lovers, Cunningham said the play’s set calls for something different.“It’s the most simple set I’ve ever seen.”The primary elements of the set are two lawnchairs, Cunningham said, noting the play calls for it to be that way. The lawnchairs are used as props for the seats of the car, beds in a hotel and, of course, as lawnchairs at Bud’s holiday spot.The theatre company hopes to use a projector to cast images up on the backdrop to add context to the scenes.Mesa will be staged in the Black Box theatre in the Cultural Centre on March 23-25 at 7:30 p.m., and March 25-26 with 2 p.m. matinees. Tea and cookies will be served at the matinees.Tickets are $15 plus GST and available at The Esplanade box office, online at www.tixx.ca or by phoning 502-8777. Tickets for opening night are already sold out.

Mesa

2005-12-19T22:26:00.005-07:00

“Mesa is a road trip worth taking. Check it out. Bring your grandparents.” Martin Morrow, FFWD Magazine

by Doug Curtis

WED. January 22 - Sold Out

Thur. 23 – Fri. 24 - Sat. 25 at 7;30

Matinees Sat & Sun 25 & 26 at 2:00 pm

Black Box Theatre Cultural Centre

Written by Doug Curtis and first performed in 2000 at the
One Yellow Rabbit High Performance Rodeo in Calgary, MESA is based on a True Story.

Paul, an out of work artist, is asked to drive his wife's 93 year old Grandpa 'Bud' from Calgary to his retirement trailer in Mesa, Arizona. Paul dreams of a great adventure in the American desert. Bud wants Denny's and Motel 6. This is Bud's final year in Mesa, and Paul is his Chauffeur.

Paul and Bud spend 5 days together, navigating the predictable turnoffs on the Interstate, while discovering their need for each other: hopes, dreams , lives, and experiences all become shared.

Directed by Karen Cunningham, and Starring Grant Bray as “Bud” and Mike Waskilik as “Paul”; this play will touch the heart of any age.

"A road map to the heart... nearly everything about Mesa is odd and surprising. It's lack of sentimentality, it's perspective on the exotic, it's reaction to America, it's sense of humour... a beautifully written play." Edmonton Journal

“Brilliantly written...Mesa is a warm, wonderful, and funny play.”
St. Thomas Times-Journal

“Heartfelt and funny.”
Edmonton Sun

TICKETS: $15 +s/c + gst

Available THREE ways:

In person: at ESPLANADE Box Office or Mall Outlet

Online: at Ticket Central:

Buy your tickets online NOW

by clicking this link:

www.tixx.ca

By phone: on the Ticket Hotline: (403) 502-8777

Reviews

2005-10-26T07:58:00.000-06:00

Play portrays the life of controversial politician
by PETER CRNOGORAC
Medicine Hat News
Tommy Douglas "The Arrows of Desire," a one-man play by B.C. actor John Nolan was deep, dynamic and funny. But at times it was also drawn out and propagandic -- what better way for a play discerning the life of one of the most controversial and misunderstood figures in Canadian political history.
Nolan began the play, which was shown at the Esplanade on Wednesday night, by just simply walking on the stage.
Nolan, a short man like Douglas, was fiery in his speeches, which was one of Douglas's secret weapons.
Nolan began with a quick history of Douglas's early years. He was born in 1904, and left Scotland for Winnipeg as a young boy.
Douglas and his family briefly went back to Scotland during the First World War but returned to Winnipeg with his family as a 14-year-old boy.
Nolan told how at the age of 19 Douglas became a preacher and through a friendship with a fellow pastor, J.S. Woodworth, became involved in politics by joining the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation; the precursor of the NDP.
Some of the most interesting areas of the play were the years from 1944 to 1960 when Douglas led the CCF as Saskatchewan premier.
However, here was where the play felt like it was bankrolled by Jack Layton and the New Democrats.
The next 20 minutes was a diatribe on how successful the party was in Saskatchewan and how it could do no wrong.
If you are not a New Democrat or a socialist follower then you may have felt left out of the loop at times.
Nolan himself was a stellar talent, and a quick wit, such as Douglas is said to have been. At one point in the play, while moving from a desk to a table, a lighting mistake was made and Nolan was left in the dark.
"Get back into the light," he said, not breaking from the Douglas character. "One of the hardest things in life is to get back into the light." If the audience didn't see the lighting mistake then no one would have noticed the line was a free-running dialogue.
Another disappointment to the play was that it was one dimensional. One-play acts are difficult, and Nolan deserves accolades, but some of the funniest and most interesting parts in the play involved prerecorded
voice-overs of actors -- maybe Nolan? -- as opposition members of parliament.
Also whenever Douglas was involved in an election, a cheesy 1940s style boxing announcer would call out the champion and challenger. When describing Douglas, he would say things like "In this corner the Judas turncoat, wearing commie red..."
Another problem with the play was that it was too long. It came in at just under two and a half hours.
Beside these little points the play was a monumental success.
Douglas "The father of Medicare" is a rock solid Canadian hero. He was a fighter and a family man. He was anti-war and fully for humanity. Nolan shows all his sides in "The Arrows of Desires," and more.

A FUT FIRST

2005-08-31T20:58:00.003-06:00

FUT Brings The Greatest Canadian
to Medicine Hat

Imagine spending an evening with Tommy Douglas!

FUT in the HAT is extremely proud to participate in the ESPLANADE Gala Opening by bringing to our newest stage a one-man performance that has been gaining wide attention across the country. TICKET INFORMATION can be found at the end of this article.

On October 25 plan on coming out to see TOMMY DOUGLAS: The Arrows of Desire. A Phantom Poet Production: written & performed by John Nolan, noted Canadian actor and playwright, is an exploration of Douglas’s life, beliefs, passions, battles, dreams and humanitarian accomplishments during 44 years as Premier of Saskatchewan and Member of Canada’s Parliament in Ottawa.

John Nolan brings Tommy Douglas alive again in this provocative and poignant portrayal of the life of The Greatest Canadian. This feature-length play captures the life and essence of one of Canada's greatest citizens and humanitarians. It is a theatrical tribute to celebrate the memory of a man whose humanitarian vision was ahead of his time. Tommy Douglas had a colourful history throughout Saskatchewan, serving as a Baptist Minister, federal MP and Premier. Of course, he was also named Canada's greatest Canadian in the Fall of 2004.

“In words, intonation, stories and passion Nolan recreates the magic of Tommy.” His work is the only definitive full length dramatic biography of Tommy Douglas known to exist. It is new. It is original. It is pure Douglas - a theatrical tribute to one of the most important Canadian statesmen. “Freedom, like peace, is indivisible. I must protect my neighbour’s rights in order to safeguard my own.” – T.C. Douglas

From the website of the PhantomPoets Touring Theatre Company of Canada; . .. "The original script, TOMMY DOUGLAS: The Arrows of Desire, was written by Canadian actor and playwright, John Nolan, following 15 years of study, research, writing, writing and rewriting as he pared down 81 vibrant years to a workable feature-length play. The title in part, is taken from a line in William Blake's poem, "Jerusalem" which Douglas quoted on many occasions."And further explains the performance as ". . .an exploration of Douglas's life, beliefs, passions, battles, dreams and humanitarian accomplishments during 44 years as Premier of Saskatchewan and Member of Canada's Parliament in Ottawa." For more information on the play itself please visit PhantomPoets.com . At the right is an image of John Nolan in performance as TC Douglas.
October 25,

8 p.m.
The Greatest Canadian
Tommy Douglas :

Arrows of Desire
Main Performing Arts Theatre
Tickets :
$14+s/c

($16 at door)
On sale

9 am Monday, September 19, 2005 and are available:
• in person, ONLY at City Hall Information Kiosk, Main Floor, City Hall, 580 First
Street SE
• online, at Ticket Central: www.tixx.ca
• by phone, ONLY at Ticket Hotline: (403) 502-8777
Presented by Fut in the Hat Theatre Guild

For more information on this play and the the entire slate of ESPLANADE GALA WEEK Events check the above site (WWW.TIXX.CA) or proceed to the the Esplanade website at www.esplanade.ca

AUGUST PRODUCTION

2005-06-29T00:26:00.001-06:00

SELF HELP

Norm Foster's romp about the Self-Help industry was called "a sensational black hearted farce" by the Hamilton Spectator, and is Fut's offering for our Summer production.

A hilarious comedy about a married couple of second rate dinner theatre actors who recast themselves as nationally renowned self-help gurus. Their lives unravel in a farce as they try to conceal a body and hold on to their falsely won fame.

"Hilarious from beginning to end." - Kitchener Waterloo Record Running August 4, 5, 6, and 11, 12, 13 at 7:30 pm in the Black Box Theatre at the Cultural Centre, you can pick up your tickets at Our Flower Shoppe, Attitudes Hair, or Cafe Mundo for $15.00 a seat.

Suburban Motel

2005-06-29T00:04:00.002-06:00

Suburban Motel all about quality
By LEAH PRESTAYKO
Medicine Hat News
The only problem with the debut production of Suburban Motel: Problem Child was the weak crowd size.
But as director Karen Cunningham said in introducing the play, "It's about quality not quantity."
The production itself was all about quality and is sure to bring in larger crowds as word gets around.
One of George F. Walker's six one-act plays set in the same suburban motel room, Problem Child tells the tale of a couple, who are a little more than down on their luck, and their struggle to get their infant daughter back from social services.

Starring Jim Rissling as RJ and Clare Lapinksie as Denise, the play looks at the division of the world -- at least as it is seen by RJ and Denise -- between the lucky and the unlucky, the haves and the have-nots. At the same time, some of the characters face the struggle of determining whether they should or shouldn't give two hoots about anything.
Running through the play is the theme of justice, what it is, what it means to different parties and how it feels to be without it.
As RJ and Denise meet with the social worker responsible for their case, their situation only proceeds to go downhill, a situation they bring upon themselves.
RJ spends much of his time watching daytime talk shows, concerning himself more with the problems of the shows' guests than with his own problems. At one point he ironically says the TV characters need a reality check. He does his best to keep Denise optimistic and positive, only to see her continually shoot down his efforts.
Rissling's portrayal of RJ is one any director would dream of; he brings sincerity and a genuineness to the character. Lapinskie played her role well, at times with such clarity a viewer would do anything to help her get her child back.
The two other characters in the play, though just as important to the story and the quality of the show, were Phillie, the drunken hotel manager played by David Stewart, and Helen, the social worker played by Carol Beatty.
Stewart's character brought levity to an otherwise dark play and great laughter from the crowd. The story would be much less enjoyable without him.
Beatty brought with her the traits everyone expects to find in the stereotypical social worker and played the role to a tee, she brings the moderate, reasonable, polite values her character pushes for to the stage with ease.
Though a somewhat heavy play, it was none the less one worth watching. Paired with the more humourous Suburban Motel: Criminal Genius, the Fut in the Hat production of two of Walker's plays is guaranteed to be enjoyed by all who enjoy live theatre and can handle a fair bit of foul language. (Criminal Genius, the second play to hit the stage, could not be viewed and reviewed in time for deadline.)
The audience will especially enjoy the intimate setting of the Cultural Centre's Black Box Theatre perfect for this play, it's like sitting at the edge of the motel room.