TORONTO, March 16, 1998 -- Canadian theatre veteran John Van Burek directs Theatre@ York's mainstage production of Shakespeare's magical fantasy The Winter's Tale, opening Tuesday, March 24 at York University.

The story of a king's irrational jealous rage and its consequences, The Winter's Tale combines high drama, low comedy and romantic love in a rich theatrical feast that moves from the winter of estrangement and bitter loss to the summer of reconciliation and renewal.

For all its fairy-tale quality, director Van Burek sees The Winter's Tale as a very human play.

As he points out, it is human error that leads to tragedy in the play. And it is the power of human love and the faith in human goodness that set things right.

"It reminds us of how redemptive life can be", he says. "It shows that it is possible to overcome mistakes and make amends."

Van Burek's directing credits include more than eighty productions across Canada and in England and France. The founding artistic director of le Theatre francais de Toronto, he is best known in Canada as translator and director of the work of Quebec playwright Michel Tremblay, including, most recently, Marcel Pursued by the Hounds at Toronto's Tarragon Theatre. He is equally at home in the classical repertoire, having worked extensively with the plays of Moliere and other classics of the French stage.

For Van Burek, this background makes the transition to Shakespeare a natural.

"I like plays that deal with big ideas", he says, "and plays that rely on the strength of language".

Directing The Winter's Tale at York lets Van Burek indulge both these passions, as well as a third: teaching.

The production stars the second year graduate and fourth year undergraduate acting classes in York University's Theatre Department. Lighting, costumes and sets are designed by students in the fourth year production stream.

"I love working with students", Van Burek says. "It's wonderful to see people discovering what they're capable of".

Van Burek previously worked with Theatre @ York in 1994, when he directed Ted Talley's Terra Nova as the first Garth Drabinsky Artist-in-Residence. This year, in addition to directing the cast of 23 in The Winter's Tale, he is enrolled in York's graduate theatre program as a playwright.

The Winter's Tale previews Sun. Mar. 22 and Mon. Mar. 23 and runs Mar. 24 to 28 at 7:30 p.m. with matinees Wed. Mar. 25 and Fri. Mar. 27 at 1:00 p.m. Performances take place in Burton Auditorium at York University, 4700 Keele St. Admission is $10, students and seniors $7, group rate $5. Previews are PWYC on Mar. 21 and $4 on Mar. 22. For tickets, please call the Box Office at (416) 736-5157.

For more information, please contact:

Brigitte Kleer
Public Relations, Faculty of Fine Arts
tel. (416) 736-2100, ext. 77143
email: bkleer@yorku.ca