Theatre@York presents the edge of the theatre world Feb. 7 to 10 in the Joseph G. Green Studio Theatre during its annual fringe-theatre festival, playGround. Well known for its uncurbed spirit and risk-taking mindset, the festival is just the ticket for adventuresome theatre-goers looking to experience something fresh and unique.
Now in its 14th season, playGround is a collection of new, experimental plays, plays-in-progress, works "ready in the wings," and promising performance projects, all conceived, written and performed by up-and-coming playwrights, directors and actors from all levels of York's undergraduate theatre program.
Mounted alongside Theatre@York's mainstage productions, playGround serves as an incubator for student creativity, presentation and production development. It is a crucial step in the development process, especially for playwrights who have an opportunity to see an audience's response to their new works. For patrons, the festival offers a glimpse of the creative process and a chance to experience brand new works which are the cornerstone of Canadian theatre.
"PlayGround rides the rollercoaster of taste, offering the audience an exciting and diverse theatrical experience through comedy, drama and everything in between," said artist directors Andrew Cheng and Maya Rabinovich.
Seventeen new plays will be showcased over four days and in two series.
Series A, running Feb. 7 & 8, at 7:30pm and again Feb. 10 at 1pm, features nine performances:
Just Like Pirandello Blues | Written and directed by Glyn Bowerman |
| Jigsaw | Written by Natalie Frijia Directed by Zohar S. Romm |
| Two Hundred and Forty Seconds | Written and directed by Diana Skelhorne-Gross |
| in the garden | Written and directed by James Fanizza |
| a boy and his bear | Written by Andrew Gaboury Directed by Nathaniel Brettle |
| Spare Change | Written by Natalie Shmulik Directed by Emma Byrne |
| The Willhelm Agenda | Written and directed by Simon Esler |
The Cyclical Existence of You | Written by Trevor Haldane |
| The Valentine | Written and directed by Chris Rouse |
Series B, running Feb. 9 & 10 at 7:30pm and again Feb. 8 at 1pm, features eight performances:
| Letters to my Grandma | Written by Anusree Roy Directed by Dawn Nearing |
| Cigar Box | Written and directed by Adam Crisman |
| Stay of the Nation | Written by Shari Lava Directed by Taylor Graham |
| Little Red | Written and directed by Chris Rouse |
| Waiting for the Go | Written and directed by Joe Vermeulen |
| The Cuckoo | Written by Helen Androlia Directed by Dahlia Katz |
| Scene for Two Friends in a Crisis | Written and directed by Christopher Douglas |
| playITforward | Written and directed by Erin Fleck, Lara Stokes, Natalie Frijia, Christine Pellerin, Nathaniel Brettle and Leif Conti-Groome |
Admission is $5. For tickets, call the box office at 416-736-5172, ext. 3.