Two Planks poised once again to move 'Off the Grid'

Two Planks and a Passion Theatre’s artistic director Ken Schwartz has announced the cast for its 2008 Theatre Off The Grid season at the Ross Creek Centre for the Arts.

Featuring 12 performers and two outdoor productions, the 2008 season builds on the success of the award-winning debut for the Theatre Off The Grid series, 2007’s production of Rick Chafe’s The Odyssey, which won the Merritt award for Outstanding Production in 2007, among others.

The 2008 season features Thornton Wilder’s Our Town set in the forest surrounding the centre, as well as the world premiere of Ami McKay’s Jerome-The Historical Spectacle performed around a large pond. Both productions will be performed during daylight hours in July and August at the Ross Creek Centre, which is set on 186 acres of farmland overlooking the Bay of Fundy.

The cast for the 2008 season includes members of the Zuppa Circus Theatre Ensemble Ben Stone, Sue Leblanc-Crawford and Alex MacLean, who are in residence during the summer of 2008. Joining them are returning performers from last year’s Theatre Off The Grid offering, including Katie Swift, Chris O’Neill, Ryan Rogerson, and Merritt-Award winners Graham Percy and Burgandy Code.

Gracing the stages of the outdoor theatre for the first time are Alexis Milligan, Stewart Legere, Simon Henderson and Dora winner Melody Johnson.

Denyse Karn is designing costumes for the productions, Allen Cole returns as musical director, and artistic director Ken Schwartz returns as director.

“We’re tremendously excited to have assembled once again such a talented group of people. Last summer’s great success for our Theatre Off The Grid concept was in so many ways a tribute to the dedication and talent of many of these people, and we look forward to the contributions of the many new faces we’ll have with us this season,” Schwartz said.

“Creating work at Ross Creek is different from any other experience I have had. The sense of camaraderie and inspiration you get as an artist working there has to be experienced to be understood. I can’t wait to get started.”

Our Town opens July 2 and Jerome-The Historical Spectacle opens Aug. 2. For further information, visit www.twoplanks.ca or call the box office at 1-888-895-4545.

- Submitted