Why Not Theatre's world premiere of I'm So Close‰Ý opens March 23

Why Not Theatre presents the world premiere of I'm So Close‰Ý

Part of The Theatre Centre's Free Fall 2010

in partnership with Harbourfront Centre's World Stage

Opens Tuesday March 23 to Saturday, April 3, 2010

Toronto, March 1, 2010- Winner of the Spotlight Award at the 2008 SummerWorks Festival in Toronto and named by NOW Magazine as an Outstanding Ensemble in its "best of the fest" list, I'm So Close‰Ý is a newly devised, physical, tragic-comedy conceived and created by Toronto-based Why Not Theatre's award-winning international ensemble: Ravi Jain (Canada - who the Toronto Star named one of "2010's People to Watch"), Katrina Bugaj (United States) and Troels Hagen Findsen (Denmark).

The trio have collectively written, direct and star in this world premiere running March 23-April 3 at The Theatre Centre as part of its annual Free Fall Festival, in partnership with Harbourfront Centre's World Stage, and will tour directly afterwards to the Tremors festival in Vancouver for April 2010.

Part of the Theatre Centre's 2-year Residency Program, I'm So Close‰Ý has been substantially reworked since its 2008 Summerworks and Dublin Fringe incarnations (under the title I'm So Cose It's Not Even Funny) where it garnered much acclaim:

"impressively talented in their chosen genre of physical theatre" - Sunday Independent (Dublin)

" a collage of absurdist meditations on human strictures like time, technology... The company peppers the performance with delightfully unpredictable stage stunts..." -Now Magazine.

I'm So Close‰Ý is a heartbreaking love song, droned out by the hum of the technological landscape that is bringing us together and pushing us apart.

Steve, an inventor driven to make the world a greener place, is on the cusp of a breakthrough that could be a "game-changer" for the industry. As Steve finds himself plunged into the fast-paced world of billion dollar business, with a new IVA - "Indian Virtual Assistant" - named Raj who works in New Delhi, his success propels him to dive more and more into his iPhone and to drift further and further away from his wife Stella.

We are living in a world where we are more connected than we have ever been. Technology allows us to communicate instantly across oceans, and develop relationships with those who we have never even met. But at what cost? As techological advances hit the market at an accelerating rate one has to ask: how connected are we really?

Why Not Theatre's acclaimed productions include The Prince Hamlet and Spent, among others. Additionally, Co-Artistic Director Ravi Jain directed Greenland by Nicolas Billon for SummerWorks 2009 where it won the SummerWorks Prize for Outstanding Production and NOW Magazine's Audience Choice Award.

Why Not Theatre ranges from entirely devised work to theatrical adaptations and revivals of classic texts. By combining various media with explosive physical energy, Why Not Theatre creates stories that inspire alternative visions of existence.

Why Not Theatre presents the world premiere of I'm So Close‰Ý

Created as part of The Theatre Centre Residency Program.

Written by, directed by and starring Ravi Jain (Canada),

Katrina Bugaj (United States) and Troels Hagen Findsen (Denmark)

Co-writer and Dramaturgy by Nicolas Billon (Canada)

Lighting design by Gina Scherr (U.S.), Sound design by M.L Dogg (U.S.)

Costume design by Kelsey Hart (Canada), Projections designed by Jamie Nesbitt (Canada)

Part of The Theatre Centre's Free Fall Festival, in partnership with Harbourfront Centre's World Stage.

Opens Tuesday March 23 and runs to Saturday, April 3, 2010

Tuesdays through Sundays as follows during the festival:

Tuesday, March 23, 8pm; Wednesday, March 24, 8:30pm

Friday, March 26, 7pm; Saturday, March 27, 9pm

Sunday, March 28, 2pm

THEREAFTER:

Tuesday March 30 - Saturday April 3 at 8pm

The Theatre Centre, 1087 Queen Street West

Tickets: $20 (Discounts for students, seniors, groups, equity) with Sunday Pay-What-You-Can Matinee.

Box Office: 416-973-4000 or online at http://www.theatrewhynot.org/