Nov 2013 • Issue 10What’s inside:God of Carnage: Tale of the Tape .Cock .................: Tale of the Tape

.......Alumni Spotlight: Mark Uhre..................Studio 180 IN CLASS

....Give Back through Studio 180

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A Messa" from Our Core A#$tic TeamWith this issue we focus on the familial – chatting with members of the God of Carnage team about the lengths they’ll go to defend their children and touching base with members of Studio 180’s extended family, including students who have taken part in our IN CLASS workshops and a familiar face from a past production. Of course if you’re reading this we already consider you part of the family, and we hope you enjoy this glimpse of what’s to come in 2013/14.

Where are your manners?by Mark McGrinder

“You shouldn’t let her lie there like that.”

That was the suggestion offered by an older gentleman as he noted my child lying on the floor of the Dufferin Mall. The prone three-and-a-half year old is not a new sight to me. This is a typical and frankly very effective procrastination technique that I have learned is best dealt with through a mixture of patience and disinterest.

“I’m sorry?” I said, having been focused on the recumbent rather than on the solicitous senior.

“You shouldn’t let her lie there like that,” he repeated.

“Oh,” I managed before countering, “You shouldn’t wear that shirt with those pants.”

“Excuse me?” said the man, looking more than a little offended.

“Oh, I’m sorry, “ I offered. “I thought we were giving out unsolicited advice.”

It wasn’t really like me. I’d argue it wasn’t even me. It was a manifestation of some sort of primal parental instinct triggered in defense of both my child and my sense of self.

“Clearly you have parenting skills that put us to shame, we hope to improve, but in the meantime, please bear with us.” (ALAN, from God of Carnage)

That reversion to our basic (or perhaps more accurately, our baser) instincts when it comes to our children is at the heart of God of Carnage, Yasmina Reza’s rollicking comedy of manners, which Studio 180 presents as part of Mirvish Productions’ Off-Mirvish Subscription series this month at the Panasonic Theatre. [See P2 ]

THEATRE THAT PROVOKES PUBLIC DISCOURSE AND PROMOTES COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

The cast of God of Carnage. From left, John Bourgeois, Sarah Orenstein, Linda Kash and Tony Nappo. God of Carnage and Cock photos in this issue by Cylla von Tiedemann.

IN THIS CORNER... GOD OF CARNAGE The battle – Two couples meet to discuss a recent playground altercation between their eleven-year-old sons.

The combatants – Alan (John Bourgeois) and Annette (Sarah Orenstein) vs. Michael (Tony Nappo) and Veronica (Linda Kash).

The style – Dark and funny; it’s a satire.

The arena – Proscenium. “A living room. No realism. Nothing superfluous” (from the stage directions for God of Carnage).At the Panasonic Theatre, 651 Yonge St, Toronto.

The box office – 416-872-1212, or 1-800-461-3333

Reveling in the razor-thin divide between civility and savagery, Reza’s play invites questions about the ways in which we misplace our manners where our offspring are concerned – so we asked our creative team if they’ve ever doffed civility in the name of family.

“When the girls were very little, we lived in a corner house on a road with a hairpin turn,” explains John Bourgeois, who plays Alan, a corporate lawyer forced into a discussion with the parents of a child his son has struck on the playground. “Cars regularly tore around the bend,” he continues, “and parents took turns monitoring the kids while keeping an ear out for racing cars. One day, while the kids were safely indoors, I was cleaning out my van in the front of the house. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a low slung Bimmer screeched around the corner, swerved out of control, mounted the sidewalk, and missed taking out my neighbour’s gate by a millimetre. I took off after it, yelling and screaming, the air blue with my profanities. Somehow, I’d managed to grab a bag full of old tennis balls from the van and began hurling them at the car. Several found their target. The driver, a man I judged to be of my own years, stopped and got out.”

“When you’re brought up with a kind of John Wayne-ish idea of virility you don’t want to settle this type of problem with a lot of yakking.” (ALAN, from God of Carnage)

In Bourgeois’ recollection, “there followed a spirited debate on road safety in residential neighbourhoods, at the end of which, frustrated by his refusal to accept responsibility, I hauled off and pasted him with a tennis ball smack dab in the kisser. We then wrestled in that sort of clumsy way that middle-aged men with mortgages, families and something to lose tend to do. Ultimately he got in his car and drove off – but not before I peppered his car with one last tennis ball.”

Armed with indignation and tennis balls, Bourgeois’s reflexive response in defense of his children was one of action. But inaction can be its own ruthless form of defense, as God of Carnage director Joel Greenberg explains. “At one of my daughter Jessica’s early gym meets, I was in charge of music for the floor routines. Jess was about to compete on beam and I held off turning on the music

for another competitor because I thought it might distract Jess. The head coach tried to get my attention several times, as the young floor gymnast stood in

puzzled anticipation, but I feigned blindness and deafness until Jess completed her routine, which she did brilliantly. For some odd reason, I was never asked to take care of the music for the floor routines again.”

Gymnastics’ loss is our gain. But what is it about our children that makes us forget our manners? And just how far are we willing to go?

“I can’t keep this bullshit up any more. I am not a member of polite society. What I am and always have been, is a fucking Neanderthal.” (MICHAEL, from God of Carnage)

Tony Nappo makes his Studio 180 debut in the role of Michael, a role tackled in the original Broadway production by the late James Gandolfini, and Nappo’s own recollection of parental overkill wouldn’t seem out of place on an episode of The Sopranos. “Just last week

my daughter’s dentist suggested that she be put under to take her braces off. She tends to yell a lot and move around while he’s working and he has no patience with her at all. I asked him to step into the hallway and explain to me if there was any risk in putting her under and he said there was a risk but it was less than one percent.” As Nappo tells it, he was abundantly clear about his feelings on the situation. “Now, here is how this is gonna go,” Nappo instructed.

“If there is any risk to my daughter at all, it isn’t happening. I don’t give a shit if this is unpleasant for you. I am not gonna put my daughter under for your in’ convenience. So either you will do it or I will find someone else who will

do it. We pay you a lot of in’ money to do this shit. It’s not like you’re doing us a favour here.” Nappo’s description of the dentist’s reaction is as understated as his tirade was emphatic. “I don’t think, from the look on his face, a lot of parents generally talk to him this way.”

We all go a little mad sometimes.

The “carnage” of Reza’s play is social decency. As the pleasantries of bourgeois civility give way to a barrage of parental pettiness, repressed relationship rage, and a

potent mix of self-importance and self-preservation, we delight in just how completely decorum has been relinquished and, if we’re honest, wonder at our own capacity for such surrender. ■

AND IN THIS CORNER... COCKThe battle – When a man and his boyfriend break up, and the man meets a lady, choices must be made.

The combatants – John (Andrew Kushnir); John’s boyfriend, M (Jeff Miller); John’s girlfriend, W (Jessica Greenberg); and M’s dad, F (Ian D. Clark).

The style – Punchy comedic drama.

The arena – In-the-round. “No scenery, no props, no furniture, and no mime” (from the stage directions for Cock). At the new Theatre Centre, 1115 Queen St W.

The box office – 416-872-1212, or

Mark Uhre is no stranger to sounding a call to revolution...

In our 2010 production of Parade, Uhre’s fiery Tom Watson asked the people of Atlanta, “Where will you stand when the flood comes?” In 2013, Uhre sounds another battle cry as the idealistic young revolutionary Enjolras in Mirvish Productions’ stirring new

take on Les Misérables.

So what does he do when he’s not corralling collective discontent into action? A quick visit to markuhre.com reveals that his artistry is not limited to his soaring voice. “As a visual artist,” Uhre confides, “inspiration for creating often comes from the work of fellow artists in the theatre.”

A. Small (at left) depicts famous missing person and theatrical impresario Ambrose Small, who is thought to haunt the halls of London’s Grand Theatre.

“I got my professional career started at the Grand in 1992,” says London native Uhre. “As a kid I loved hearing the theatre ghost stories about Ambrose Small.” ■

DID YOU KNOW? Studio 180 is partnering with Mirvish Productions this year in more ways than one. Our Studio 180 IN CLASS workshops are available to school groups attending Les Misérables, for an even more in-depth experience of the play.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

A. Small by Mark Uhre (markuhre.com)

studio 180 in classWe’re excited about 2013/14 and our ever-expanding programming. We’re equally excited about the future of the inspiring high school students with whom we’ve worked. Here’s a bit of insight into our IN CLASS program, from some of the people who know it best.

Paige Fisher Graduate of: Fletcher’s Meadow High School | Currently: in first year at Carlton University, pursuing a BA with a major in Global Politics | Really into: Theatre, politics and spoken word poetry“What has stuck with me the most is the notion that the main goal of conversations, or even debates, about ‘big issues’ is not to achieve consensus; rather it’s simply to try to see the world from someone else’s point of view. We don’t all have to agree, but when we take the time to really listen to those

around us we not only get a better understanding of their world but of the world in general.”

Scott Gallant Graduate of: Streetsville Secondary School | Currently: in first year of the Acting for Camera and Voice program at Seneca College | Really into: Acting, philosophy and sports“The best part about working with Studio 180 is not only that they will touch on topics that are avoided in your day-to-day life, but the actors are just as excited to work with you as you are with them. They interact with you on a personal and equal level and are extremely interested in your thoughts and discussing those thoughts.”

Rahul Gujral Graduate of: Streestville Secondary School | Currently: Taking a year off to work before continuing with his education | Really into: The book Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson, spoken word poetry and writing“I think it’s cool that Studio 180 chooses to perform plays that deal with a social issue that is relevant to our current society while still being able to effectively entertain an audience.” ■

STUDIO 180 THEATRE

Core Artistic TeamJoel Greenberg, ARTISTIC DIRECTORDerrick ChuaJessica GreenbergMark McGrinderKimwun PerehinecGeneral ManagerKesta Graham Development Officer Byron AbalosDevelopment MentorAnne FrostAdministrative Assistant Jenna HarrisIN CLASS Artist Educators Jessica GreenbergMark McGrinderKimwun PerehinecBoard of DirectorsColleen Blake, CHAIRElizabeth Robertson, TREASURER Amanda Kennedy, SECRETARYRichard ArchboldLinda BarnettLorne FoxDavid JachimowiczMarcia McClungJennifer ReynoldsDon Shipley

Advisory CouncilGwen & Richard HarveyAllen MacInnisNada RistichNoreen Taylor & David StainesEleanor WachtelHelen Zukerman

Education Advisory CommitteeChristine CorleyPatty JarvisAmanda Kennedy Marsha LegaultEmma MunroJeff StevensonLesley Tumber

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AUDIENCE CORNERGet a snapshot of what’s been happening on our Facebook, Twitter and blog pages at studio180theatre.com/audience-corner.

THE ZUKERMAN FAMILY FOUNDATIONThank you for helping us build community through theatre:

Paige Fisher

GIVE BACK THROUGH STUDIO 180 Studio 180’s artistic and educational programming engages people more fully in the world, through the experience of live theatre. If you share the belief that theatre has the power to change lives and transform communities, please support our year-end fundraising campaign and help us meet our $10,000 goal by December 31, 2013!Studio 180 is happy to welcome its 2013/14 season partners! Hudson’s Bay Company has partnered with us as our God of Carnage Clothing Sponsor and the J.P. Bickell Foundation has become a sponsor of our Studio 180 IN CLASS education program. They join our Season Sponsor, Bank of Montreal, as valued members of our growing family.

AND, thanks to artsVest Toronto, Studio 180 has been granted $7,500 in corporate matching funds. If you’re connected to a company that believes in investing in communities and the power of art, your company’s contribution can be doubled! For more information, visit our website or contact Byron at byron@studio180theatre.com. ■

J.P. Bickell Foundation

Jenna Harris and Byron Abalos lead our recent West Queen West walking tour for some of Studio 180’s donors and loyal supporters.