The opening act : Canadian theatre history, 1945-1953 / Susan McNicoll.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

McNicoll, Susan.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Theater--Canada--History--20th century.

Theater.

Actors.

History.

Canadian drama.

Canada.

Canadian drama--History and criticism.

Actors--Canada--History--20th century.

Physical Description:

327 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm

Place of Publication:

Vancouver : Ronsdale Press, [2012]

Summary:

The Conventional opinion is that professional Canadian theatre began in 1953 with the founding of the Stratford Festival. But how could this be, Susan McNicoll asks, when the majority of those taking the stage at Stratford were professional Canadian actors. To answer this question, McNicoll delves into the period to show how in fact Canadian professional theatre began just after the Second World War when a host of theatre people decided that Canada needed its own professional theatres. Drawing on personal interviews with many of the actors and directors active in the period after the war, McNicoll explores the role of such companies as Everyman in Vancouver, the New Play Society in Toronto, the Canadian Repertory Theatre in Ottawa, Théâtre du Nouveau Monde in Montreal, and many more. With some 50 b&w photos and selections from McNicoll's numerous interviews with such luminaries as Christopher Plummer, Joy Coghill, Amelia Hall and Herbert Whittaker, The Opening Act succeeds in recreating this period of dynamic new beginnings in Canada's professional theatre. Book jacket.

Contents:

Chapter 1 The Beginnings of Canada's Theatre Renaissance 7

Chapter 2 Everyman Theatre 21

Chapter 3 Totem Theatre & Theatre Under the Stars 43

Chapter 4 The Little Theatre Movement & the Dominion Drama Festival 77

Chapter 5 Radio Drama & Jupiter Theatre 91

Chapter 6 The New Play Society 107

Chapter 7 The Ottawa Stage Society & the Canadian Repertory Theatre 125

Chapter 8 Hart House & the Straw Hat Players 155

Chapter 9 The International Players, the Peterborough Summer Theatre & the Niagara Falls Summer Theatre 171

Chapter 10 Ontario Summer Theatres Including the Red Barn Theatre, the Midland Players & Melody Fair 191

Chapter 11 English Quebec Theatre 207

Chapter 12 French Quebec Theatre 229

Chapter 13 The Earle Grey Players & Stratford 257.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

155380113X

9781553801139

OCLC:

697933141

Publisher Number:

99948877008