GCTC PRESENTS ULTIMATE IDENTITY CRISIS ONSTAGE WITH A NUMBER

Media Release
Ottawa, ONJanuary 17, 2007

Acclaimed British playwright Caryl Churchill's A Number plays at the Great Canadian Theatre Company (GCTC) in Ottawa, January 30 – February 18. Given the controversial topic of cloning and its impact on society, and the large number of people in Ottawa working in life sciences, A Number is sure to generate considerable debate.

Lise Ann Johnson is pleased to present the work of playwright Caryl Churchill as part of her inaugural season as artistic director at GCTC: “Churchill, who spent her youth in Montreal, is internationally renowned for the compelling subject matter and rich, experimental literary style of her works.” Caryl Churchill has been writing since the 1970s and has numerous landmark dramas to her credit, including Top Girls (1982), Fen (1983) Serious Money (1987), and The Skriker (1994). With A Number, she won the London Evening Standard Award for Best New Play in 2002. “I have long been a fan of Churchill’s work. She is the most consistently-provocative dramatist in the English-speaking world. I love her ability to grapple with society’s most urgent questions. A Number stares the 21st Century’s ultimate dilemma straight in the face: Where is technology taking us? What is an individual? Does nature trump nurture? A Number is a perfect match to GCTC’s important mandate to provoke examination of Canadian life and our place in the world.”

The GCTC production of A Number is directed by Charles McFarland and stars veteran actors Todd Duckworth as men who discover they are clones, and Barry MacGregor as their father who must explain choices that he has made. The GCTC creative ensemble also includes set and costume designer Brian Smith, lighting designer Guillaume Houet, stage manager Kevin Waghorn and apprentice stage manager Erin Finn. The assistant director is Nick Gilmore. Visit www.gctc.ca and click the Artist Blog for Todd Duckworth’s behind-the-scenes entries.

A Number previews January 30 and 31, and opens Thursday, February 1, 2007. Previews and matinees are $23 per person and evening show tickets are $33 per person. Students and seniors pay preview/matinee prices. The 2-play Flexpass subscriptions for the 2006/2007 season’s three remaining plays are available until February 18. A $2 surcharge on every ticket supports GCTC’s new Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre. For information about ticket sales during performance weeks, or about making a donation, visit in person at 910 Gladstone Street Monday – Friday, noon – 6:00 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., and Sunday noon – 4 p.m., or call (613) 236-5196.

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A Number's Media Call: Photo and video media are invited to attend the media call on Wednesday, January 24, 2007, 2:30 p.m. - 4 p.m. Call (613) 236-5192, ext. 229 to confirm appointment time.

 

 

Public Service Announcement - Ottawa, ONJanuary 4, 2007

Tickets are available to see acclaimed British playwright Caryl Churchill's A Number playing at the Great Canadian Theatre Company (GCTC) in Ottawa, Ontario. A Number is directed by Charles McFarland and stars Todd Duckworth as Bernard, the son who discovers he is a clone, and Barry MacGregor as Salter, the father. The show previews January 30 and 31, opens Thursday, February 1, and runs until February 18, 2007. For ticket information, including subscriptions, visit online at www.gctc.ca, in person at 910 Gladstone Street Monday – Friday, noon – 6:30 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., or call (613) 236-5196.

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Media Contact:

Laurie Murphy
Communications Manager
Great Canadian Theatre Company
910 Gladstone Avenue
Ottawa, ON K1R 6Y4
(613) 236-5192 x 229
publicity@gctc.ca

Coming soon:Caryl Churchill's A Number. Call the Box Office for details at (613) 236-5196.