THEATRE NEWS: Special cast to mark Shaw Fest's 50th
10 Nov'10

JOHN COULBOURN - QMI Agency

For its 50th anniversary season, the Shaw Festival is planning something memorable next summer. Just how memorable, in fact, seems evident in major casting announced Wednesday in Toronto by artistic director Jackie Maxwell, as she vowed to not only slate the Fest's golden past, but launch it into what she sees as a golden future as well.

"We have a lot to say that we want to share with an ever-growing and diversifying public," Maxwell told guests assembled at the St. Lawrence Market Kitchen for the announcement. The company for next year's season on the Festival, Royal George and Court House stages includes a lot of familiar names, both from recent seasons at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Festival and from seasons past.

Leading off the list is the casting of Benedict Campbell and Deborah Hay as Henry Higgins and Eliza Doolittle respectively in the Shaw Festival's first-ever production of Lerner and Loewe's MY FAIR LADY, adapted from Bernard Shaw's PYGMALION, and directed by Molly Smith.

Meanwhile, Michael Ball will headline opposite Hay and Robin Evan in a new production of Shaw's HEARTBREAK HOUSE, directed by erstwhile artistic director Christopher Newton, while Steven Sutcliffe and David Schurmann will be featured in director Morris Panych's production of J.M. Barrie's THE ADMIRABLE CRICHTON. Sutcliffe will also be featured in playwright Michael Healey's re-working of Shaw's ON THE ROCKS, opposite Peter Krantz, under the direction of Joe Ziegler, while Ric Reid, Mary Haney, Thom Marriott and Corrine Koslo will be featured under Maxwell's direction in the Canadian premiere of Lennox Robinson's DRAMA AT INISH -- A COMEDY.

Julie Martell, meanwhile, will essay the title role, opposite Mark Uhre, in the world premiere of MARIA SEVERA, a new musical written by Jay Turvey and Paul Sportelli, also directed by Maxwell. Gina Wilkinson will direct Claire Jullien, Nigel Shawn Williams and Wade Bogart-O'Brien in a new production of Shaw's CANDIDA, while Moya O'Connell, Gray Powell, Koslo and Jim Mezon will be featured in Tennessee Williams' CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF, directed by Eda Holmes.

For lunchtime fare, Lorne Kennedy will reprise his acclaimed performance in the title role of Ferenc Molnar's THE PRESIDENT, under the direction of Blair Williams (who will also appear in HEARTBREAK HOUSE); in the Studio space, Philip Akin will direct Kevin Hanchard and Nigel Shawn Williams in Suzan-Lori Parks' TOPDOG/UNDERDOG; and Peter Hinton will direct an ensemble that includes Donna Belleville, Tara Rosling, Graeme Somerville, Peter Millard and Wendy Thatcher in Andrew Bovell's WHEN THE RAIN STOPS FALLING.

Also included in next year's ensemble: Guy Bannerman, Neil Barclay, Anthony Bekenn, Kyle Blair, Norman Browning, Andrew Bunker, Krista Colosimo, Diana Donnelly, Saccha Dennis, Sharry Flett, Patrick Galligan, Jonathan Gould, Patricia Hamilton, Martin Happer, Patty Jamieson, Gabrielle Jones, Catherine McGregor, Patrick McManus, Marla McLean, Laurie Paton, Melanie Phillipson, Ken James Stewart, Jay Turvey, Nicole Underhay, William Vickers and Jenny L. Wright.

Maxwell also announced plans for a two-day theatrical forum, titled The Speed of Ideas, July 23 and 24, featuring critic Michael Billington and playwrights Parks and Tony Kushner (ANGELS IN AMERICA), as well a commemorative book titled Shaw Festival -- The First 50 Years, written by Leonard Conolly.

Tickets for the 2011 Shaw Festival go on sale to the general public Jan. 10 at www.shawfest.com.