Anything to Declare? (May 18-27, 2017)

STAGE CENTRE PRODUCTIONS

proudly present the fifth and final play of their milestone 40th season

  

Anything to Declare? 

A chaotic and wacky farce by Maurice Hennequin and Pierre Veber

Translated and adapted by Greg Leaming

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“Side-splittingly funny… The utterly ridiculous is also utterly hilarious. From start to finish Anything to Declare? had me giggling.” ~ The Mancunian, 2014

*8are c y, a boulevard comedy that is This is a funny,

Directed by Tony Rein 

Producer: Michael James Burgess

Stage Manager: Lorraine Kimsa

Set Design: J. B. Pierre Rajotte

Lighting by Clay Warner

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With Tommy Boston, Katherine Cappellacci, Michael Chodos, Kate Coursey, Robert Glen, Jennie Garde,

Jen Hashimoto, Catherine Linehan, Kalen Malan, James Marshall, Pierre Rivard, Lindsay Woodford and Michael Yaneff

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“Panic is the chief ingredient…. as the emergencies mount for a bashful bridegroom, his hypocritical father-in-law, a frustrated former suitor and a de-pantsed camel dealer.” ~ San Francisco Chronicle

The Dupont family is thrilled that their naïve young daughter has married Count Robert de Trivelin. However, upon returning from their honeymoon, it is made clear that the young bridegroom has yet to consummate the marriage, and indeed seems to be suffering from a psychological block brought on by a border crossing guard yelling out “Have you anything to declare?” at a particularly inopportune moment. The hapless count’s in-laws give him a three-day deadline by which to do his duty. If he fails, his bride will be handed over to a rival suitor!

With such a short time left to meet his mother-in-law’s demands for a grandson, or at least the promise of one, the count seeks the assistance of Zeze, a courtesan who is passing herself off to her clientele as a prominent artist and nicknames her clients after famous painters.  The entire Dupont family manages to parade through Zeze’s salon and back to the Dupont home, along with a sobbing ex-suitor of the bride, a camel dealer of unknown origin, and a maid desperate to break ties with Zeze and start a career of her own. As the clock continues to tick away, a chaotic race to consummate the marriage results in everyone learning just a little bit more than they might have wanted to!

Yes, the play is all about sex — but sex in a world of old-fashioned innocence where young women remain chaste until their wedding night and husbands would do anything — including a visit to a ‘working girl’ — to prove how much they love their wives. But it’s a French farce, of course, which means that innocence is wrapped in a wacky story of misplaced pants, mistaken identities, and a whirlwind of zany characters running in and out of lots of doors.

Anything to Declare?, with its bawdy innuendo, utterly absurd situations, and sparkling characterizations, will have Stage Centre audiences laughing until the final curtain!

“Improbable situations, mistaken identity, stylized performances and verbal dexterity on themes of various levels of sophistication.” ~ Stage Magazine, 2012

 May 18 – 20 & May 24 – 27, 2017: 8:00 p.m.

May 21 & 27, 2017:  2:00 pm Matinee

 “Great fun!” ~ Michael Billington, The Guardian, 2007

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For further information please contact 416-299-5557

Stepping Out (March 16-25, 2017)

STAGE CENTRE PRODUCTIONS

proudly present the fourth play of their 40th season

“A surefire winner.” ~ New York Daily News

Stepping-Out-Banner

 

A delightful and heart-warming comedy

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“You’ll stand up and cheer.” ~ WABC-TV

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Directed by Lorraine Kimsa 

Producer, Stage Manager and Set Designer: Todd Davies

Lighting by Jaime Farley   

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With Astrid Atherly, Cathy Condie, Brad Emes,

Willene Falconer, Judy Gans, Jennie Garde, Heather Goodall, Nikki Hogan, Isabel Hornstein and Cindy Platten

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“… a character driven plot… mixed with comic and dramatic moments… an excellent show with laughs and poignancy along the way.” ~ The Theater Mirror

 

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This well-loved comedy charts the lives of seven women and one man attempting to tap their troubles away at a weekly dancing class. Initially all thumbs and left feet, the group is just getting to grips with the basics when they are asked to take part in a charity gala.

Over the course of several months we meet the group, and all of them have a story to tell. There’s haughty Vera, mouthy Maxine and uptight Andy; bubbly Sylvia and shy Dorothy; eager Lynne and cheerful Rose, and, of course, Geoffrey. At the piano is the dour Mrs. Fraser and spurring them all on, the ever-patient Mavis, a former professional chorus girl, who tries her hardest to teach the bumbling amateurs some terpsichorean skills.

The original production opened at the Duke of York’s Theatre, London, in 1984 and ran for almost three years. It was awarded the Evening Standard Award for Best Comedy. Stepping Out played on Broadway in 1987 and has been staged successfully world-wide by both professional and amateur companies. A new production plays at London’s Vaudeville Theatre between March and June this year.

Stepping Out was produced as a film in 1991, directed by Lewis Gilbert, and starring Liza Minnelli, with Julie Walters who was nominated for a BAFTA Award.

Stage Centre Productions are offering a highly entertaining version of this well-loved favourite, one not to be missed.

“A funny, slick show which leaves you with a warm glow.” ~ The British Theatre Guide

 

March 16 – 18 & March 22 – 25, 2017: 8:00 p.m.

March 19 & 25, 2017:  2:00 pm Matinee

 

“Constantly simmers with laughter.” ~ Sunday Express

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Stage Centre Productions’ fourth play of the 40th season at the Fairview Library Theatre, Stepping Out opens on Thursday, March 16, 2017 and runs until Saturday, March 25, 2017. Please call the Box Office at 416-299-5557 to reserve tickets or book on line through http://www.stagecentreproductions.com.

DATES:  March 16 to 19 (Thursday to Sunday) and March 22 to 25 (Wednesday to Saturday)

MEDIA/VIP OPENING:  Thursday, March 16, 2017 at 8:00 p.m.

TIMES:   Performances begin at 8:00 p.m., except the matinees on March 19 and 25, which begin at 2:00 p.m.

 

TICKETS:  Adults $30 Seniors/Students $25   To order tickets call 416-299-5557 or click http://www.stagecentreproductions.com.

LOCATION: Fairview Public Library Theatre, 35 Fairview Mall Drive, North York, steps away from the Don Mills Subway Station on the Sheppard Line. There is plenty of free parking in the Fairview Mall parking lot. Both wheelchair access and hearing devices are available.

Stage Centre Productions, a full repertory theatre company founded in 1977 and dedicated to presenting a wide cross-section of plays, usually offers five productions each season. We are now celebrating our 40th season with Entertaining Angels (September 29 to October 8, 2016), The Best Man (November 24 to December 3, 2016), Strictly Murder (January 26 to February 4, 2017),Stepping Out (March 16 to 25, 2017) and Anything to Declare? (May 18 to 27, 2017). This season is the sixth under Artistic Director Michael James Burgess, who brings many years of experience to the company.

 

The company constructs all the sets, costumes, wigs and properties required for each production at its rehearsal workshop in Scarborough.

 

For more information about Stage Centre Productions check out our website at http://www.stagecentreproductions.com.

For further information please contact 416-299-5557

Strictly Murder (Jan 26 – Feb 4, 2017)

Strictly Murder by Brian Clemens

April 1939. An English couple, Peter and Suzy, are living in Provence in idyllic isolation, far, it seems, from the rumblings of the coming war. Their peace is shattered from within when Suzy discovers she has been betrayed: Peter is not the man he claims to be! Is he in fact a ruthless killer on the run? When a Scotland Yard detective arrives, events become even more complicated and frightening. Lies, subterfuge and murder make this fast-moving thriller a dark and disturbing roller coaster of bluff and double bluff. “…an intricate, interesting and enigmatic story… plenty of intrigue and suspense…” ~ British Theatre Guide

The Best Man (Nov 24 – Dec 3, 2016)

The Best Man by Gore Vidal

William Russell, the former U.S. Secretary of State, is a wit and scholar with high liberal principles, beloved of the eggheads and suspected by practical politicians. Joseph Cantwell is a ruthless and hard-driving young man, a dirty fighter who lets no scruples stand in the way of his ambitions, and Arthur Hockstader is an ex-President, who loves politics for their own sake, admires a rough-and-tumble battler more than a chivalrous one, and is determined to have the final say in the selection of his party’s candidate. Cantwell has got hold of papers indicating that his rival once suffered from a mental crackup, which he is all set to use. Then his scrupulous antagonist comes across some incriminating evidence about Cantwell… “Well-crafted and witty with surprises, reversals, pungent character sketches, satire, worldly wisdom and juicy roles for all concerned.” ~ New York Magazine

Entertaining Angels (Sept 29 – Oct 8, 2016)

Entertaining Angels by Richard Everett
From September 29 to October 8, 2016

A North American premiere!

As a vicar’s wife in an English country parish, Grace has spent a lifetime on her best behaviour. Now, after the death of her husband Bardolph, she can enjoy the new-found freedom of being able to say and do exactly what she wants. But the return of her eccentric missionary sister, Ruth, together with some disturbing revelations, forces Grace to confront the truth of her marriage. Set in a lush vicarage garden, the play is filled with sharp-edged comedy and probing wit. A very English comedy with some real emotion… scratch the surface and you’ll find interesting undercurrents rippling the water… Adultery, miscarriage, divorce and deception interestingly handled all, are just some of the problems that writer Richard Everett beds down among well-received jokes… This is a sure-fire hit…” ~ London Evening Standard