FIREWORKS  FESTIVAL  2019

If the Shoe Fits

BY GENEVIEVE ADAM 
​​
Produced by Molly Thom and Liz Best
​Directed by Heather Keith

November 20 - 24, 2019  
​in the Studio Theatre

​About If the Shoe Fits:
Once upon time, there lived a brave knight who wasn’t aging well. Bored with domestic drudgery, he accepts an impossible commission from his Prince: find the mysterious woman who fits into the glass slipper.

In his search for this reluctant Cinderella, he faces pig farmers, Molière, and his own marital breakdown, as he learns the difference between fitting into a shoe, and actually consenting to wear it. 

​A deconstructed Cinderella farce with a decidedly feminist bent.

2019-2020  Alumnae Season
The Heidi Chronicles
FireWorks Festival 2019
​Belle Darling Klondike Queen
Grief Circus
If the Shoe Fits
The Trip to Bountiful
New Ideas Festival 2020
In the Next Room (or the Vibrator Play)

Watch the Video Trailer!
Click on the white arrow below to view.

Trailer by Nicholas Porteous

If the Shoe Fits
Reviews 
"...hilariously charming, bawdy deconstructed Cinderella story"

"Excellent work from the ensemble in this fast-paced, sharply funny fairy tale for modern times "
​
"Fairy tale favourites collide, with a contemporary feminist twist"

- LIFE WITH MORE COWBELL

Opening Night Party! 
​Wednesday Nov. 20, 2019
Join us in the Lobby after the show to celebrate the Opening Night of If the Shoe Fits. Tasty treats will be served!

Post-Matinee show Talkback!
​Saturday Nov. 23, 2019
​Join us for a 'Talkback' with the Director/Cast/Playwright, after the Saturday Matinee performance.

​Accessibility
The Festival is held in Alumnae Theatre’s 3rd floor walk-up studio which is not currently wheelchair accessible.

Photos by Bruce Peters

Genevieve Adam, Playwright
Genevieve Adam’s first play Deceitful Above All Things premiered at SummerWorks 2015 and won several accolades including Outstanding New Play, Outstanding Production, and Best Emerging Artist. Her second play Bedsport, premiered at NNPF in 2017, and her third play New World at the Future Theatre Festival in that same year. Her most recent work Dark Heart was named by the Toronto Star as one of the best stage productions of 2018.

Heather Keith, Director
Heather is a film and theatre director, teacher, and actor. She earned her BFA in Theatre Arts from Concordia University, Montreal, and her MFA in Theatre Directing from Ohio University. Some highlights in her career include being a founding member of Les Goons Theatre Troupe, Assistant Directing at the Blythe Festival and Victory Gardens in Chicago, and directing her own play I Am Love. Heather directed Frances and Marybeth and Mourning After the Night Before at Alumnae in the New Ideas Festival both of which went on to successful runs at Factory Theatre and the Fringe Festival.

ACTORS

Chris Coculuzzi, Sir Eglantine
Chris has been working with Alumnae Theatre since 1999 when he participated in his first New Ideas Festival. The last production he was involved with was Molly Thom's direction of Shirley Barrie's I Am Marguerite, portraying the older brother of the title character (2015). And the year before he was the lead Thomas Mendip in Christopher Fry's The Lady's Not for Burning, directed by Jane Carnwath (2014). More recently Chris played Petruchio in a Toronto Fringe Festival production of The Taming of the Shrew, directed by Nicole Arends (2019). This is his first time participating in Fireworks.

Jennifer Fahy, Amandine, (Dini)
Jennifer was most recently seen at the Toronto Fringe Festival, playing Gloria Rathburn in The Ashes of Forgotten Rain. Previous acting credits include; Lu in Strings and Amber in Shifting Emojis (InspiraTO Festival 2019), Patient Griselda in Top Girls (Alumnae Theatre), Claire in Welcome Wagon (InspiraTO Festival 2018 - Winner of the Blue Show People's Choice Award and the Jury Award for Best Overall Play), Malabelle the Wicked Witch in Beauty and the Beast (Nags Players).

Marina Gomes, Nora
Born in Toronto, Marina is an Artist/Artist Educator who aspires to create innovative, thought-provoking and entertaining theatre! Holding a BFA-Acting degree from the University of Windsor, Marina is excited by physical theatre, and has performed original work throughout Canada. Recent acting credits include: Amy, The Pigeon (FireWorks Festival 2018), Lexi, Lexi and the Flying B’s (Toronto Fringe) and Tara, Eraser (Eraser Theatre) which was nominated for Outstanding New Play, Outstanding Production, and Outstanding Ensemble for the 2019 Dora Mavor Moore Awards.

Chantale Groulx, Virginie, (Nini)
Last seen at Alumnae as Gertrude in the hilarious production of Steve Martin’s The Underpants, Chantale has gravitated to the bawdy, comic and strong female roles like Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Amanda in Noel Coward’s Private Lives. Happy as well on screen—some commercials include Capital One and B.C. Lions. ​​

Sophie McIntosh, Felicite, (Liss)
Sophie is a graduate from the University of Ottawa with a Specialization in Theatre – Acting. There, she took part in many University productions, as well as Ottawa’s Fringe Festival. Since moving to Toronto to pursue her acting career, Sophie has
performed at The Factory Theatre (The Woods Are Dark and Deep), all the while discovering the world of film and TV.

Mark McKelvie,  The Prince
Mark is a full-time student in his fourth year at Ryerson University, where he is finishing up his journalism degree. Although musical theatre has always been his passion, he has fallen in love with getting to act in plays. Selected credits include Jack Kelly in Ryerson Musical Theatre's production of Newsies, Stevens in Dogfight: The Musical (First Act Productions) and Failed (Toronto Fringe Festival 2019). ​​

Erik Mrakovcic, Ned
Erik is a Toronto actor and a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada. Some of his recent theatre credit guides include; The Clinic at Tarragon Theatre, Lover Lover for the Toronto Fringe, Still Still Still for the Third Wheel Festival, Motherland at Alumnae Theatre’s FireWorks 2016 and Tideline with the Canadian Rep Theatre.

Eugenia de Jong, Narrator
Born  and raised in Toronto, Eugenia's favourite things to do include: listening to True Crime podcasts and cheering on the Raptors. She also really likes snakes. Catch her in her upcoming Second City Graduate show next year.

PRODUCTION  TEAM

Lisa Kovack, Assistant Producer
Lisa has been active within the Alumnae theatre family since she performed in Stepping Out four years ago. Since then she has been performing and volunteering and is now dipping her toe into the producing world, and thanks Alumnae for the opportunity to learn.

James Langevin, Composer
For over a decade James has been a dance class pianist for the National Ballet School and a frequent guest accompanist for the National Ballet of Canada. He is both a composer and arranger, and has created soundscapes for the Toronto Fringe Festival, Ryerson Act 2 Studio and Alumnae Theatre.  In 2014 James signed a recording deal with the music licensing service Premium Beat to record works by Chopin, Mozart, Debussy and Shostakovich for use in media projects. Among his recorded works are a full-length ballet CD and a disc of classical recordings.

​Leslie Ann Walcott, Stage Manager
Leslie Ann's love of theatre began in high school when the creative arts group performed The Music Man.  She has been involved in choirs over the years and picked up stage managing while working on seasonal dramatic productions where she dealt with all aspects of stage production.  She prides herself in administration and enjoys the organizational aspects of putting a production together from the first reading to the last current call.  Born and raised in Toronto, Leslie Ann’s been a perpetual dog owner since four months of age.

​Neila Lem, Assistant Stage Manager
Neila is a passionate character actor who is ASM for the first time. In Alumnae’s New Ideas Festival Neila appeared as Granny Wave, a shopkeeper and retired environmentalist, and has appeared in Buddies in Bad Times Rhubarb and the mainstage production of the Youth Elders Project both in 2017, as well as in numerous Act2, Ryerson productions, the last of which was a clown and mask show.

​Erin Mackie, Props
Years ago, Erin crossed the country as a stage manager and ASM with companies including Vancouver Playhouse, Citadel Theatre, Banff Centre, Canadian Stage, Theatre Direct Canada, Saidye Bronfman Centre, and Atlantic Theatre Festival, plus a stint in Beijing.   Here in Toronto, she has worked at the CBC, TVO, and Discovery Channel, and is currently the Director of Production at Guru Studio.  Erin attends as many cultural events as she can, and volunteers with Heritage Toronto.

​Margaret Spence, Costume Design
Margaret has taken many off-stage roles at Alumnae Theatre over a 60-year association. None exercises her creative bent as much as costume design. She is enjoying this latest production and the opportunity it affords for creating period costumes. Prior to this, her designs have been seen in many Alumnae shows. Among them, Lady Windermere’s Fan, The Love of the Nightingale, Private Lives, The Lady's not for Burning, Blood Relations and last season's The Importance of Being Earnest.

​​Stella Rossovskaia, Costume Assistant
Stella is a passionate theatre lover and new to the diverse world of Alumnae Theatre. Growing up in the Soviet Union, she learned from the classics: "Theatre begins from a coat rack," Stanislavsky.  "People should be beautiful in every way..." Chekhov. She says: “Whenever I try a new role in my life, I feel like Cinderella trying if the shoe will fit and if the magic of transformation will happen again.

​Nancy Stewart, Costume Assistant /Dresser
After 24 years teaching the next generation, I embarked on a life-changing journey to act.  Four years later I am a proud member of Act2 Studio, Alumnae Theatre and the Passionate Players. I have worked with inspiring, creative people, made many friends and volunteer within the theatre community.  I made my stage debut with a lead role in The Reading Circle for NIF 2019.  I look forward to playing a character who shares some Alumnae history at the 2019 open house.

Joan Burrows, Dramaturge
Joan has won awards at both ACT-CO and Theatre Ontario Festivals for her work as a director, stage manager and playwright. She is a member of Playwrights Guild of Canada (her play credits include: Staff Room; The Photograph; Gloria's Guy; Willow Quartet; Four Hours). This summer her Willow Quartet Musical, was nominated for the Tom Hendry Award in 2018, was premiered at the Theatre on the Ridge Festival. As a dramaturge, she has previously worked with the Alumnae Theatre's Fireworks Program with Liz Best on Surrender, Dorothy (2017) and Romeo Ciolfi on Animal (2018).

FireWorks Festival Team 2019

Molly Thom, Co-Producer
Toronto director, dramaturge, writer and sometime actor, she is best known as the author, director, and producer of The Bush-Ladies (NAC, Tarragon Theatre, Ontario tour, Artword Theatre). She has directed many plays for Alumnae, most recently Shirley Barrie’s I Am Marguerite in 2015, and last appeared on stage as Hecuba in The Trojan Women in 2012. She is the co-founder of Alumnae’s New Ideas Festival and the resident director of Shoestring Opera. This is the fourth year Molly has produced the FireWorks Festival.

Liz Best, Co-Producer
Liz is an actor, playwright, director and producer, last seen at Alumnae in The Pigeon, Fireworks 2018. Her own play, Surrender, Dorothy, was premiered at FireWorks 2017. "Fireworks is a team effort of 50+ people, with a passion for theatre and a desire to create. Producing these last two years, providing opportunities to actors just out of a theatre school, and working with young, female directors and playwrights has truly been joyous.” 

Teodoro Dragonieri, Set Design
A multi-disciplinary artist and educator who has developed acclaimed programs for all levels of education. He has led workshops, given lectures, performed and shown his artwork internationally. Teodoro is artistic director of Zanni Arte, a company dedicated to promoting inter-disciplinary arts and fostering the use of masks, in theatre and education. He is the recipient of the Theatre Ontario Michael Spence Award and The Harold Award (from Toronto’s Independent Theatre and Dance Communities). Stage Design for Alumnae Theatre: Antigone, Omission, Top Girls, Impressionism and The Heidi Chronicles.

Liam Stewart, Lighting Design
Liam is a Director with a Camera, a Lighting Designer in the Theatre and has a passion for creativity. Liam works in the Film industry as an Electrician, laying cable and powering lights. He learns from the best on set, bringing new insight to the stage. Constantly testing equipment to create new emotions and atmospheres with light. He also enjoys leisurely strolls through the park and writing short films.

Mona Zaidi, Marketing
Mona is an award-winning South Asian-Canadian writer/director. Her 2017 adaptation of Richard III was awarded top prize at  the 2017 Shakespeare Film Festival by five-time Academy Award nominee Sir Kenneth Branagh. Her 2018 short film The Table With 1000 Chairs was screened in Cineplex movie theatres across Canada and gained over 1 million views online. Mona’s most recent project is a series of film/stage productions adapted from masterworks of world literature.

Suzanne Courtney, Graphic Design
Suzanne loves creating art for the theatre. She also loves to act. Shows include; Pride and Prejudice, A Lie of the Mind and The Pear is Ripe for Alumnae, and to write plays in New Ideas, Inspirato and Nuit Blanche.

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