GUINEAPIGGING
by Catherine Frid

Directed by Molly Thom
April 15 - 30, 2011

Science runs amok, as a young woman in search of a cure joins a drug-testing study with a ragtag group of human guinea pigs, all willing to gamble their health for the chance to earn big bucks. The world premiere of a black comedy by Alumnae Theatre Company member Catherine Frid.

GuineaPigging - Writer's Press Release: Download Here
GuineaPigging - Director's Press Release: Download Here
GuineaPigging - Eye Weekly's interview with playwright Catherine Frid: Link

TICKETS

Performance Dates
Friday April 15 - Saturday April 30, 2011
A talkback with the writer, director & cast follows the Sunday Matinée, April 17.

Performance Times
Wednesday to Saturday: 8:00 pm
Sunday Matinée: 2:00 pm
Box Office opens one hour before performance time

Admission Prices
Wednesday: 2-for-1
Thursday, Friday & Saturday: $20
Sunday Matinée: PWYC
CASH ONLY! Box Office does not accept credit or debit cards

Reservations
Email: reservations@alumnaetheatre.com
Phone: 416-364-4170 (Box 1)

GUINEAPIGGING: Cast Biographies

ARFINA ABDOURAHIME, Glenda
Actress and writer, Arfina would describe herself as passionate for the Art: she fell in love with theatre at eight years of age. Theatre is less a stage for her than it is a home. Having played on it in so many different places (Paris/Toulouse/England), she has brought her humor and her energy to Toronto where she feels more than ever the shiver and the reassurance that comes from being on stage. There is no comedy without drama, and no small roles - only small actors. It’s with all of her guts that she brings the character of Glenda to you.

LIONEL BOODLAL, Dev
Lionel began his training as an actor in 2007 at the Cindy Tanas Actors’ Studio in Toronto. In that time he played a variety of roles that broadened his range and deepened his horizons. He then went on to train with Bruce Clayton at the Professional Actors’ Lab. Most recently, Lionel played the both the female role of Chic and male role of Barnette simultaneously in Crimes of the Heart. Other theatre credits include Errol in All or None. He made his feature film debut in a lead role as Fynn in Dead Genesis.

CHANTALE GROUX, Analisa/Nurse
Chantale has kept busy at Alumnae with past shows including: Talking Heads and The Memory of Water. Her children's theatre production Stories Come to Life have been keeping English and French speaking kids happy for 12 years all across Ontario. And if that wasn't enough, she's been seen having some fun on the sets of TV shows that include Cold Blood and The Wilkinsons and ads for Capital One and BC Lions. Thanks Molly for your patience and creativity. This play, like the lab, has been a wild ride!

KRISTA MARCHAND, Hannah
Alumnae debut. Theatre credits: Dangerous Corner, A Midsummer Night's Dream (awarded: Best Actress - Puck), Angels in America, Suburban Motel, Dracula. Film credits: The Kate Logan Affair, Annulment, Breath, Team Epic, Alone With Her. Other: Vancouver Film School, Lyric West, John Strasberg. Krista is excited to join the Alumnae family and be a part of this Canadian premiere. Special thanks: the Marchands, Debie McGuin, and Mairtin O'Carrigan - thanks for giving a rat's crap, err…

CHRIS REID, Wayne Hurley
Chris' recent credits include Wait Until Dark, A Number, Crimes of the Heart and The Odd Couple. He won a THEA Award for his performance in Vinci and he was named Best Actor in the Oakville Drama Series for his roles in The Winslow Boy and 'ART'. He would like to thank Molly, Cate, and the terrific cast and crew for making this such a great experience.

LAURA VINCENT, Chris Abbott
Alumnae must be sick and tired of Laura by now. This is her fifth production here in two years, and she feels blessed to keep on being invited back. Just before this show she was in The Real Inspector Hound and before that she played the role of Hamlet in a gender-reversed staging with the Socratic Theatre collective, of which she is a founding member (www.socratictheatre.com). Other Alumnae credits are Palace of the End, The Abortion Monologues and Closer. Her next show will be the Ismene Project, also with Socratic Theatre, the proceeds from which will go to breast cancer support organisations. Please check it out: theismeneproject.com

MICHAEL VITOROVICH, Larry
So Great.

TIM WALKER, Bogdan
Tim likes to act. He says he won three Oscars, but he didn’t write it down. So we are assuming that he meant three Razzies and he is just too embarrassed to say so. Tim is ridiculously funny, and the Bogdan accent ages him by ten years. He, in turn, ages his producers by ten years by not turning in his headshot and bio on time. Or ever. If you like Tim, tell him. If you don’t, throw fruit.

GUINEAPIGGING: Production Team Biographies

CATHERINE FRID, Playwright
Catherine recent plays include Homegrown (SummerWorks Festival), Dead Cat Bounce (Toronto Fringe, Unhinged Festival), Buff (New Ideas Festival, Arts & Letters Club), and The Mess (Arts and Letters Club, She Speaks). Upcoming: Dead Cat Bounce (Guelph Little Theatre), Solitary (InspiraTO Festival). She is very grateful to the cast and crew of GuineaPigging who have given their talents and enthusiasm to this play, to the Alumnae Theatre, and especially to Molly Thom who has supported GuineaPigging for two years. Thank you for coming to the show and please let me know what you think at csfrid@yahoo.com.

MOLLY THOM, Director
Molly is a Toronto director, dramaturge and writer, best known as the author and director of the much-loved play about Canadian pioneer writers, The Bush-Ladies. Directing credits include Shirley Barrie’s Beautiful Lady, Tell Me… for 4th Line Theatre, Millbrook; The Gambler by Ronald Weihs for Beggarly Theatre/Artword Theatre; and for Alumnae, Caryl Churchill's Fen, Pam Gems’ Camille, Timberlake Wertenbaker's The Love of the Nightingale, the Quebec feminist collective, La nef des sorcières, and now proudly Cate Frid’s GuineaPigging. Her Toronto premiere of Carol Shields' Thirteen Hands appeared on the Best of Lists of the Toronto Star, NOW Magazine and CBC Radio. She is the resident director of Shoestring Opera and co-founder of the Alumnae Theatre’s New Ideas Festival.

TABITHA KEAST/PJ HAMMOND, Co-Producers
In 1999, Ms. Hammond and Ms. Keast left behind a successful career with a traveling circus where they had performed their signature act, “Drinking Lattes and Smoking”, for many years to very bored audiences. Arriving at Alumnae Theatre, their unique talents were quickly put to use: PJ has taken out the recycling on many occasions, and Tabitha can often be found wiping down the bathroom sink. Sometimes the Alumnae Board of Directors puts a slightly bigger project in their hands. This year it’s GuineaPigging, and both PJ and Tabitha feel very, very grateful to be a part of it.

ANGUS BARLOW, Sound Designer
A freelance musician/engineer/sound designer, Angus has been working with the Alumnae Theatre for almost 10 years. Sound designs include: Lettice and Lovage, Summer and Smoke, A Lie Of The Mind, Perfect Pie, Wit, Closer, A Delicate Balance and, most recently, every show this season.

RAZIE BROWNSTONE, Head of the Props Team
A longtime member of Alumnae Theatre, Razie has worked on and off stage in many capacities: from actor to treasurer; costumes and props mistress; to producing and assistant stage managing. Professionally, she has appeared in movies, commercials, music videos, and has done video game voice-over. Most recently she appeared onstage (and as a bilingual voice-over!) in Neale Kimmel's short play Letting Go in the New Ideas Festival. First love: Alumnae Theatre.

JENNIE GRIMARD, Costume Designer
Jennie has been dabbling in theatre for a few years and has worn many different hats throughout her journey. She started out as an actor (Cecilia in Sam Sheppard's Simpatico/Red Mill Theatre) but then soon found that behind the scenes is where all the action happened. She has since directed and produced a couple of pieces for the Toronto Fringe Festival, directed Chance in 2009's New Ideas Festival, and costume designed at the Alumnae Theatre. By day, she is a graphic designer/illustrator and instructor at Humber College.

STACY HALLORAN, Stage Manager
Stacy has been a member for decades and sometimes feels like she was born and bred in the bowels of Alumnae’s basement, she spends so much time here. As a Stage Manager, her chief attributes are everlasting calm, a sense of humour, blocking notes that mean something, and the ability to follow the movements of multiple props at the same time.

ED ROSING, Set and Lights Designer
Canadian born, Ed received his higher education at Western Reserve University, Cleveland Ohio, Yale Graduate School of Drama, and the Central School of Arts, London, England. A very few selected credits: Of Mice and Men (Scarborough Players) Set design; Act-Co nomination for Best Set Design for Brighton Beach Memoirs; Set (Teatron Theatre) Sweeney Todd, Lighting (Alexander Singers). Recent productions for the Alumnae: Private Lives (Director), Pride & Prejudice (Lighting), Hayfever (Head Scenic Artist), You Are Here (Set & Lighting), Hedda Gabler (Set). Upcoming: TBA. Ed is delighted to work with Molly and such a superb cast in the world premier of such a fun play!

LAURIE WILLIAMS, Assistant Director
Laurie is so happy to be back doing theatre again and so grateful to this wonderful organization and all the people who keep it alive and create the opportunities. It has been great fun and great learning to be part of this premiere production of GuineaPigging! Thank you very much Molly for allowing me to be part of it all. Congratulations to everyone involved for your MANY hours of hard work and commitment. Theatre remains as magical as ever.

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ALUMNAE THEATRE COMPANY
70 Berkeley Street
Toronto, Ontario • M5A 2W6
Phone: 416-364-4170
Email: contactus@alumnaetheatre.com