BLYTH, ON – The wildly popular premiere production of The New Canadian Curling Club, the story of an unlikely group of would-be athletes who face off against local prejudice to become a true team, has been extended for an additional five shows, after a run of sold-out shows and waiting lists for tickets.
“There has been such incredible demand from patrons who missed out on getting tickets to this show that we had to bring it back,” said Gil Garratt, who is the artistic director of the Blyth Festival.
“They’ve heard from friends, from family, from grinning co-workers just how funny and how touching this show is, and then they’ve been disappointed to find we’re sold out. Now, we’re happy to be able to offer tickets for limited mid-September show dates,” he said.
The New Canadian Curling Club new dates are: Tuesday, Sept. 18 at 8 p.m.; Wednesday, Sept. 19 at 2 p.m.; Thursday, Sept. 20 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Friday, Sept. 21 at 8 p.m. Then the show must close.
Written by Mark Crawford, the story takes place in a small town that tries to welcome sponsored Syrian refugees to their community with a free, introductory “Learn to Curl” program, open exclusively to newcomers to Canada. In addition to a young Syrian girl, everyone who signs up has come to town from all corners of the globe, each with their own story. But the night before the very first class, the woman from municipal Parks & Rec who organized the outreach event falls and breaks her hip, and so the duty to teach these newcomers how to sweep hard falls on the custodian/Zamboni driver, Stuart, a former champion curler himself, and unfortunately, a man with some unsavoury opinions about immigrants in Canada.
What follows is the perfect combination of comedy, cantankerousness, and crashing granite, as this unlikely group of would-be athletes face off against local prejudice to become a true team, and compete in the most prestigious local bonspiel: the highly coveted Highlander Cup.
The New Canadian Curling Club is directed by Miles Potter and performed by Matthew Gin, Marcia Johnson, Lorne Kennedy, Omar Alex Khan and Parmida Vand. Creative team for The New Canadian Curling Club is: Steve Lucas, production designer; Michelle Bohn, costume designer; and Verne Good, sound designer. Stage management by Heather Thompson and Katerina Sokyrko.
Reserve your seats for this heart-warming story by calling the Box Office at 519.523.9300, Toll Free 1.877.862.5984 or online at blythfestival.com.
Blyth Festival acknowledges the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Foundation, the Ontario Arts Council, Season Sponsor Sparlings Propane, and Season Media Sponsor CTV.
The New Canadian Curling Club is generously co-sponsored by McGavin Farm Equipment Ltd. and Edward Fuels (Production Sponsors) and AM920 CKNX, Classic Rock, and 107.1 The One (Media Sponsor).
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AT A GLANCE
THE NEW CANADIAN CURLING CLUB | Extended Sept. 18 to Sept. 21
Written by Mark Crawford
Directed by Miles Potter
TICKETS: $40 orchestra | $36 balcony | $15 youth | (Previews: $18 adults | $15 youth)
BOX OFFICE: 519.523.9300 | Toll Free: 1.877.862.5984 | Online: www.blythfestival.com
SOCIAL MEDIA
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Blyth Festival is a professional theatre that enriches the lives of its audience by producing and developing plays that give voice to both the region and the country. The Festival produces a repertory summer season of exclusively Canadian theatre, with an emphasis on new work. The Blyth Centre for the Arts, including the Blyth Festival, was founded in 1975.
Cutline:
The New Canadian Curling Club is extended for five additional shows, Sept. 18 to Sept. 21. Marcia Johnson as Charmaine Bailey, Matthew Gin as Mike Chang, Omar Alex Khan as Anoopjeet Singh, Parmida Vand as Fatima Al-Sayeed, and Lorne Kennedy as Stuart MacPhail in the play written by Mark Crawford and directed by Miles Potter. Creative team: Steve Lucas, production designer; Michelle Bohn, costume designer; Verne Good, sound designer; Heather Thompson, production stage manager; and Katerina Sokyrko, assistant stage manager. Photo by Terry Manzo.
For more information:
Heather Boa
Director of Marketing
519.523.9300 x209