Geordie goes West with The Jungle Book tour!

"A must-see...an endearing story featuring the right mix of humour and suspense." - Kathryn Greenaway, Montreal Gazette

October 7, 2009 (MONTREAL) - Geordie Productions heads out this Friday to tour its 2008 smash hit, The Jungle Book to Western Canada with 39 performances scheduled in Edmonton and Winnipeg.

Rudyard Kipling's classic collection of short stories, adapted by Tracey Power and directed by Dean Patrick Fleming, premiered on Geordie's Montreal Mainstage in May 2008. Hailed a success by audiences and critics alike, the production was recognized with 3 MECCA nominations, and was the winner in the category for Best Costume Design. With a series of sold-out shows at the D.B. Clarke Theatre, it played to over 5,500 children, teachers and grown-ups from the Greater Montreal area. Now, with tour dates in Edmonton's The Citadel Theatre (October 17 - November 1) and Winnipeg's Manitoba Theatre for Young Audiences (November 6 - 15), it will have the opportunity to reach nearly 20,000 new audience members.

Although Geordie has a strong history of presenting traveling plays to communities across Quebec and Eastern Canada - for over 28 years the Geordie School Tour travels over 27,000km annually, and has performed in the Far North and the U.S. - this will be the first time the company will tour a Mainstage production that has been designed specifically for a fully-equipped major venue.

"Being able to tour a production of this scale, both in technical set-up and stage requirements, is a tremendous opportunity. We are honored that our colleagues from across Canada have invited us to perform on their stages so that this show can be shared with many more Canadians outside our Montreal community." - Dean Patrick Fleming

Design team include: Lighting Design by Ana Cappelluto; MECCA-nominated Sound by percussionist Kristie Ibrahim; MECCA-nominated Set Design by Amy Keith; MECCA award-winning Costume & Mask Design by Susana Vera. Stage management is provided by Melanie St-Jacques.

The touring cast features many of the same accomplished actors from the original production: Glenda Braganza, Chip Chuipka, Paula Jean Hixson, and Oliver Koomsatira, who received the Elsa Bolam Award for Best Emerging Artist in his portrayal of Mowgli; with new cast members Alain Goulem and Mike Payette.

THE JUNGLE BOOK | Adapted by Tracey Power | Directed by Dean Patrick Fleming
Raised by a pack of wolves and other creatures of the wild, Mowgli is still growing and learning his true nature. When Shere Khan, a Bengal tiger, threatens the way of the jungle, Mowgli must find the courage that sets him apart from his friends and family.

The Citadel Theatre, Edmonton
Box Office: (780) 425-1820
October 17 - November 1, 2009

MTYP, Winnipeg
Box Office: (204) 942-8898
November 6 - 15, 2009

Geordie Productions gratefully acknowledges The Canada Council for the Arts, and the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, for their financial support of this tour.

MAÏTA at Geordie

Geordie Productions presents Maïta on the Mainstage!

MONTREAL - Geordie Productions is proud to present Maïta, by Esther Beauchemin, produced by the Théâtre de la Vieille 17 and the Théâtre de Sable in collaboration with the Théâtre Française at the National Arts Centre. Maïta is presented in an English translation by Henry Gauthier at the D.B. Clarke Theatre from March 13 to 22, 2009. Directed by Robert Bellefeuille, this poetic marionette production about freedom and hope is appropriate for adults and children age 7 & up.

ABOUT THE PLAY | Originally produced in 2000, Maïta comes to Geordie after an extensive tour in three different languages that has brought it across Quebec, Canada, to the United States and even Mexico. The production was last seen in Montreal in 2002 for an extremely successful French-language run at La Maison Théâtre. Esther Beauchemin won the Christine-Dumitriu-Van-Saanen Prize at Toronto French Book Fair for the script, and the production was a finalist at the 2003 Soirée des Masques for best production for young audiences, sound conception and original text.

THE STORY | Maïta, the daughter of a puppet maker, is sent by her father to work in a factory in order to pay off family debts. Before leaving his 8-year-old daughter, he bestows upon her Issane, a precious puppet on which Maïta's mother has sewn 1461 pearls, one for each day until her father will come for her. Since she knows how to read and write, Maïta becomes indispensable to Wunan, the factory foreman. Maïta works hard, but when night falls she recounts the tale of Issane - The Princess of Light - through shadow puppetry to the other children, and counts the days until she will finally gain her freedom.

GEORDIE'S VOW OF SILENCE | In honour of the true events that inspired this play, Geordie will be participating in Free the Children's "Vow of Silence" campaign. Free The Children is a Canadian charity and the world's largest network of children helping children through education, with youth involved in its innovative education and development programs in 45 countries. Beginning at 3pm on March 5, 2009 Geordie will join people around the world in remaining silent in support of those who are unable to speak up themselves. For more details, please visit www.iamsilent.com

Maïta | Written by Esther Beauchemin | Produced by Théâtre de la Vieille 17 and the Théâtre de Sable and in collaboration with the French Theatre of the National Arts Centre

STARRING: Esther Beauchemin, Roch Castonguay, Henry Gauthier, Marie-Thé Morin, Nathalie Poiré; STAGE DIRECTION: Robert Bellefeuille; PUPPET DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION: Josée Campanale; STAGE MANAGEMENT & LIGHTING: Jean Hazel

PERFORMANCES: March 13 - 22, 2009| Opening night: March 13 at 7:00pm |

Weekend Family Performances: Mar. 14 & 15 at 3pm; Mar. 21 & 22 at 1pm & 3pm | School Matinées: Mar. 17 - 20, 10am & 12pm

VENUE: D.B. Clarke Theatre, Concordia University Hall Building | 1455 de Maisonneuve W.

TICKETS:(ON SALE NOW): $13.50 children, $16 adults; $15 seniors; all prices include tax

AGE RECOMMENDATION: Children age 7+ and adults of all ages | 60 minutes

BOX OFFICE and INFORMATION: (514) 845-9810 or www.geordie.ca

Geordie Productions brings in the clowns with David Holman’s Peacemaker

Montreal, January 16, 2008 – Geordie Productions is proud to present Peacemaker – a whimsical and fun-filled play by David Holman, onstage as part of Geordie’s Montreal Mainstage Series at the D.B. Clarke Theatre from February 15-24, 2008.

Interactive and visually-striking, Peacemaker will draw you into a fantastical world of circus fun, complete with puppetry, juggling and dance, while exploring such themes as community, friendship, prejudice and peace. Peacemaker takes theatre out of the box with an ending determined by audience participation, encouraging children and adults alike to put their peace-making skills to the test and watch their ideas come to life on the stage.

Simp and Franny are two young clowns from the Land of Red, and Bluey is a champion juggler from the Land of Blue. For years their two communities have been separated by a closely-guarded wall. But when a red juggling ball is tossed over the wall into the Land of Blue, Simp, Franny and Bluey must face their fears and begin breaking down the barriers keeping them apart. Dodging the vigilant gaze of Mr. Man, the watch-keeper of the wall, the three new friends set about undoing the years of prejudice and fear that have divided the Reds and the Blues and start taking steps towards making peace.

The Peacemaker cast and crew includes some of the hottest names on the Montreal theatre scene: Director Alain Goulem, a popular face on TV and stage, and director of last year’s acclaimed Housekeeping and Homewrecking; Designer Ana Cappelluto, record-holder for the most MECCA awards; and Michel Perron, a perennial on the Montreal stage and winner of last year’s Les Masques award for Best Supporting Actor, playing Peacemaker’s Mr. Man.

Rounding out the cast of clowns are Audrey Finkelstein, a veteran of the Dell’arte Company; Mike Hughes, Founding Member of the Uncalled For Improv Troupe and a Geordie favourite (A Giraffe in Paris, Charlotte’s Web); and Gemma James-Smith, recently nominated for a Betty Mitchell Award for Vincent in Brixton (Alberta Theatre Projects). The creative team includes: Nelly Savova, Costume Design; Troy Slocum, Sound Design; Sarah Yaffe, Lighting Design; and Luciana Burcheri, Stage Manager.

David Holman is an internationally renowned children’s playwright who has written more than seventy works for stage, radio, film and opera. First performed in 1996, Peacemaker has been staged in over 13 countries. Geordie’s own production gives the A-list design team full reign with their creativity to build the imaginary worlds of Reds and Blues on Geordie’s Mainstage in an elaborate and unique presentation to delight audiences of all ages.

About Geordie Theatre Productions

Geordie is a professional theatre company that has presented live English-language theatre for young audiences for over twenty-five years. Based in Montreal, Geordie’s School Tour travels extensively from the Far North to all across Quebec, Ontario and the Maritimes, bringing many communities their only opportunity to see live theatre. Geordie's Montreal Mainstage Series presents both well-loved classics and exciting new work by contemporary Canadian playwrights to families and school groups at the D.B. Clarke Theatre in downtown Montreal.

Peacemaker | By David Holman | Directed by Alain Goulem

PERFORMANCES: February 15 – 24, 2008 | Opening night: Feb. 15 at 7:00pm | Weekend Family Performances: Feb. 16 at 3:00pm; Feb. 17, 23, 24 at 1:00pm & 3:00pm

VENUE: D.B. Clarke Theatre, Concordia University Hall Building | 1455 de Maisonneuve W, Montreal. Metro Guy Concordia

TICKETS: $13.50 children, $16 adults; $15 seniors; all prices include tax | Group rates available

AGE RECOMMENDATION: Children ages 4+ and adults of all ages | 60 minutes

BOX OFFICE and INFORMATION: (514) 845-9810 or www.geordie.ca

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MEDIA CALL: Thursday, February 14 at 2pm | CONTACT: Siu-Min Jim at (514) 845-9810 or publicity@geordie.ca

Geordie Productions Inc. 4001 Berri, Suite 103. Montreal, QC. H2L 4H2 Tel: 514.845.9810 Fax: 514.845.3634 info@geordie.ca www.geordie.ca