Newmarket International Festival the first to hit stage indoors!

A scene from an earlier Newmarket International Festival of One Act Plays by the “VUTC Young Company” performance. This Saturday, Sept. 11, the” VUTC Young Company” will present ‘Gilda’, a play by local Newmarket Playwright Rod Urquhart. The Festival runs three days, starting Thursday, Sept. 9th with the ‘Coming Out of Covid Vac-Scene Gala’.
Photo by Greg King

In the planning stages for more than two years, the upcoming Newmarket International Festival of One Act Plays hits the stage early in September and by all accounts, will be the very first ‘live, indoor theatre’ performance in all of Ontario!

If you’ve been stuck at home for what seems like forever, plan to attend this prestigious Festival at the magnificent Old Town Hall Theatre on Sept. 9, 10 and 11. Limited indoor seating. All Covid protocols will be followed for each presentation to ensure the safety of all patrons.

Starting off this wonderful one act play festival will be the official, ‘Coming Out of Covid Vac-Scene Gala’ on Thursday, Sept. 9 starting at 6:30 p.m., with drinks, appetizers, plenty of socializing and then upstairs, three very special performances, one a World Premiere by a Canadian playwright Renee Baillargeon and two more World Premieres by a Disney writer in Hollywood. This Gala will definitely be the place ‘to be’ this early September. Tickets are a mere $50 for a spectacular night of fun and entertainment!

Over the next two nights, Friday Sept. 10 and Saturday Sept. 11, you will be treated each night to two not-to-be-missed plays from playwrights from around the world. In fact, the Very Useful Theatre Company, the producers of the Festival, received more than 110 plays from all around the world and narrowed them down to eight of the very best plays this universe has to offer! And you are getting the opportunity to see them all right here in Newmarket!

Plays on the Friday and Saturday night come from locales like San Francisco, New York – even one dramatic comedy from Australia. And this Festival boasts six female directors – including VUTC Creative Director Mary Rose Talani —  one non-binary director and one male director – so it’s an eclectic mix to bring out the very best in theatre.

And, on the Saturday afternoon the VUTC Young Company matinee, Director Kira Rosenbloom will bring to life the World Premiere of the play ‘Gilda’, by local Newmarket playwright Rod Urquhart, based on a book by Ole Madsen, music by Kira Rosenbloom and lyrics by Rod Urquhart. This massive spectacle has a cast of 15 young actors and it’s a musical with adult humour to boot!

A three-night pass for the entire Festival, which is in co-operation with the Rotary Club of Newmarket,  is only $75, including the Gala on the Thursday night; $50 for the ‘Coming Out of Covid Vac-Scene Gala’; $20 for Adults and $15 for Seniors and Students on the Friday and Saturday night and also Saturday afternoon.

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