From a media release - a look ahead at Factory Theatre's upcoming season:
“It’s a great thrill to welcome Ronnie for the Toronto premiere of his latest creation—featuring 36 marionettes—and to present this entertaining and daring offering for our audiences,” says Factory’s Artistic Director, Ken Gass, “Burkett’s imaginative theatrical vision has transformed the meaning of ‘puppetry’ and his work continues to have a profound effect on both Canadian and international theatre. One of the world’s greatest puppeteers is back home at the Factory.”
Billy Twinkle is a middle-aged cruise ship puppeteer who dazzles audiences with his Stars in Miniature marionette niteclub act... until he is fired by the cruise line. As Billy contemplates a watery demise, his dead mentor Sid appears as a ghostly hand puppet forcing Billy to re-enact his life as a puppet show and rekindle
the passion for a life that sparkles. (Please note - this production is for audiences 14 years of age and older.)
Previews run September 24 – 26, the opening is on September 28 and the closing is on October 24, 2010. Factory’s Mainspace Theatre’s show times are Tuesday – Saturday, 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m., with the exception of the Sunday, September 26, 7 p.m. preview. Billy Twinkle tickets range between $25 and $48, with Factory subscription packages ranging in price from $70 to $190.
BILLY TWINKLE: Requiem for a Golden Boy, which premiered at Edmonton’s Citadel Theatre on October 23, 2008 before touring the United Kingdom and Australia, returned in March 2009 for shows in Calgary, MontrĂ©al and, now, Toronto. Reviewers heartily agree that this play is one of Burkett’s best: “Ronnie Burkett is simply one of the geniuses of world theatre and a Canadian cultural treasure…superb intelligence, marvelous craft and delicious humour of a masterful artist.” The Province, Vancouver; “Billy Twinkle brings us a world class master at the peak of his powers." The Edmonton Sun; and, “Ronnie Burkett’s Theatre of Marionettes is one of the great wonders and joys of the modern theatre world and this show, one of Burkett’s most personal, is surely one of his best-ever. Full of compassion, humour and technical virtuosity, this is an extraordinary creation.” Manchester Evening News, UK.
The play was commissioned by The Citadel Theatre (Edmonton, Canada) and co-commissioned by Canada’s National Arts Centre (Ottawa, Canada), The Vancouver East Cultural Centre (Vancouver, Canada), The Arts Centre (Melbourne, Australia), Sydney Opera House (Sydney, Australia) and barbicanbite09 (London, UK). Ronnie Burkett Theatre of Marionettes was formed in 1986 and celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2011/12.
Factory’s 41st Season is one of variety and diversity:
RONNIE BURKETT’S BILLY TWINKLE: REQUIEM FOR A GOLDEN BOY LAUNCHES FACTORY THEATRE’S 2010/2011 SEASON
Toronto, ON – Wednesday, August 4, 2010… Returning from an acclaimed international tour, and now
launching Factory’s 41st season, BILLY TWINKLE: Requiem for a Golden Boy, created and performed by Ronnie Burkett, 2009 recipient of the prestigious Elinore and Lou Siminovitch Prize in Theatre, opens on September 28, 2010 for a limited run. BMO Financial Group proudly sponsors this season’s opening production.“It’s a great thrill to welcome Ronnie for the Toronto premiere of his latest creation—featuring 36 marionettes—and to present this entertaining and daring offering for our audiences,” says Factory’s Artistic Director, Ken Gass, “Burkett’s imaginative theatrical vision has transformed the meaning of ‘puppetry’ and his work continues to have a profound effect on both Canadian and international theatre. One of the world’s greatest puppeteers is back home at the Factory.”
Billy Twinkle is a middle-aged cruise ship puppeteer who dazzles audiences with his Stars in Miniature marionette niteclub act... until he is fired by the cruise line. As Billy contemplates a watery demise, his dead mentor Sid appears as a ghostly hand puppet forcing Billy to re-enact his life as a puppet show and rekindle
the passion for a life that sparkles. (Please note - this production is for audiences 14 years of age and older.)
Previews run September 24 – 26, the opening is on September 28 and the closing is on October 24, 2010. Factory’s Mainspace Theatre’s show times are Tuesday – Saturday, 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m., with the exception of the Sunday, September 26, 7 p.m. preview. Billy Twinkle tickets range between $25 and $48, with Factory subscription packages ranging in price from $70 to $190.
BILLY TWINKLE: Requiem for a Golden Boy, which premiered at Edmonton’s Citadel Theatre on October 23, 2008 before touring the United Kingdom and Australia, returned in March 2009 for shows in Calgary, MontrĂ©al and, now, Toronto. Reviewers heartily agree that this play is one of Burkett’s best: “Ronnie Burkett is simply one of the geniuses of world theatre and a Canadian cultural treasure…superb intelligence, marvelous craft and delicious humour of a masterful artist.” The Province, Vancouver; “Billy Twinkle brings us a world class master at the peak of his powers." The Edmonton Sun; and, “Ronnie Burkett’s Theatre of Marionettes is one of the great wonders and joys of the modern theatre world and this show, one of Burkett’s most personal, is surely one of his best-ever. Full of compassion, humour and technical virtuosity, this is an extraordinary creation.” Manchester Evening News, UK.
The play was commissioned by The Citadel Theatre (Edmonton, Canada) and co-commissioned by Canada’s National Arts Centre (Ottawa, Canada), The Vancouver East Cultural Centre (Vancouver, Canada), The Arts Centre (Melbourne, Australia), Sydney Opera House (Sydney, Australia) and barbicanbite09 (London, UK). Ronnie Burkett Theatre of Marionettes was formed in 1986 and celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2011/12.
Factory’s 41st Season is one of variety and diversity:
- BILLY TWINKLE: Requiem for a Golden Boy, is created and performed by Ronnie Burkett - September 24 to October 24, 2010 (previewing September 24 - 26; opening September 28), Mainspace;
- Ali & Ali: The Deportation Hearings, by Camyar Chai, Guillermo Verdecchia (director) and Marcus Youssef, is a Neworld Theatre production produced by Cahoots Theatre in association with Factory Theatre - September 28 to October 17, 2010 (previewing September 28; opening September 29), Studio;
- the World Premiere of Bethune Imagined is written and directed by Ken Gass - November 13 to December 12, 2010 (previewing November 13 - 17; opening November 18), Mainspace; (Bethune pictured in 1905)
- the acclaimed Eternal Hydra by Anton Piatigorsky is directed by Chris Abraham and produced by Crow’s Theatre in association with Factory Theatre - January 22 to February 13, 2011 (previewing January 22 - 26; opening January 27), Mainspace;
- the World Premiere of Brothel #9 by award-winning Anusree Roy is directed by Nigel Shawn Williams - February 26 to March 27, 2011 (previewing February 26 - March 2; opening March 3), Mainspace;
- Performance Spring, a festival of groundbreaking works from the national scene, including CrossCurrents, a showcase of new works, runs March 31 – April 24, 2011, Mainspace and Studio; and,
- the Revival of Zadie’s Shoes, a smash hit by Adam Pettle is co-directed by brothers Adam and Jordan Pettle - April 30 to June 5, 2011 (previewing April 30 - May 4; opening May 5), Mainspace.
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