THEATRE NEWS: Theatre opens door to new Buddies
17 APR/11

JOHN COULBOURN - QMI Agency

Clearly, they are making new friends down at Buddies in Bad Times, even while they stay in touch with a few of their old friends. And in a 2011-12 season announced Monday, artistic director Brendan Healey seems to have figured out a way to showcase the theatre’s connection with both.

The new season begins with Healey’s own take on Jean Genet’s THE MAIDS, translated by Martin Crimp and starring Diane D’Aquila, Ron Kennell and Maria Ricossa.

Once the smoke has cleared from that production, Buddies welcomes a host of new friends, starting with Studio 180 Theatre’s production of Larry Kramer’s seminal work, THE NORMAL HEART, directed by Joel Greenberg, and starring Alex Poch-Goldin, Sarah Orenstein, Mark McGrinder and Mark Crawford.

Modern Times Stage Company’s production of HALLEJ, is next up, written by Soheil Parsa (who also directs) and Peter Farbridge (who joins an extensive cast that also features Stewart Arnott and Steven Bush).

A new year starts Nightwood Theatre’s production of Margaret Atwood’s THE PENELOPIAD, directed by Kelly Thornton, which will be followed, after a break to accommodate the annual Rhubarb Festival, by Native Earth’s production of free as injuns, a retelling of DESIRE UNDER THE ELMS, written by Tara Beagan, directed by Ruth Madoc-Jones and featuring James Cade.

Buddies then teams up with Candles are for Burning to present the English Canadian première of Olivier Choinière’s BLISS, translated by Caryl Churchill and directed by Steven McCarthy. Buddies founder Sky Gilbert and his Cabaret Company’s production of DANCING QUEEN, written and directed by Gilbert, follows with LOST LOUNGE, by Split Britches, rounding out the ambitious season.

Passes (eight tickets for $130, four tickets for $85) are currently on sale at Buddies.