Liverpool, NS – A palpable excitement is in the air as the town of Liverpool

makes final preparations for the 9th biennial Liverpool International

Theatre Festival (LITF 2008). Months of planning and hard work will

culminate on May 14 when the highly anticipated festival opens at the

historic Astor Theatre. The festival will take place from May 14 - 18 and,

with performances from renowned theatre troupes from around the globe, is

sure to offer something for everyone.

Artistic Director Chris Heide has scoured the world amateur theatre scene to

present an unprecedented line-up of first time visitors. From Yarmouth to

Inverness, Nova Scotia’s best community theatres will also be showcased.

Theatre groups from around the world will compete for prizes in the

following categories: Best International Production, Best Canadian

Production, Best Director, Best Visual Presentation, Best Actor/Actress,

Best Supporting Actor/Actress, and the ever-popular People’s Choice Award.

This year, LITF 2008 is also pleased to announce a new award, “Best Original

Script," to honour outstanding playwrights.

In addition to enthralling performances from Asia, Europe and North America,

two of this year's more intriguing entries hail from the Middle East. The

Al-Khareef Theatre Troupe from Damascus, Syria is centered on performers

Nawar Bulbul and Ramez Alaswad. Working together to evolve their own

performance material, Bulbul and Alaswad have developed a new creation, “The

Solitary.” The Open Theater from Jerusalem, Israel meanwhile, is a company

new to international festivals, bringing celebrated American playwright

Arthur Miller’s modern classic, “A View From the Bridge.”

From Europe come two dynamic companies. The Theatre Association Partizanske

from Slovakia has had tremendous success with “The Dreams, Wings and

Hurricane Dog” by Jozef Krasula and Ivan Hanzlik. This was presented in

Glasgow, Newcastle, Birmingham and London in 1997 and, more recently, in

Holland, Germany and Spain. The company also toured Switzerland, Mexico,

Japan, Denmark, Finland, Germany and Yugoslavia and was featured at the

AITA/IATA festival of amateur theatre in Turkish Ankara and at the XII World

Amateur Theatre Festival in Monaco. THAG-Theater Fellbach from Germany

presents the Festival’s only musical, “Bluebird,” an adaptation after Lola

Blau with music from Georg Kreisler and John Kander. Like others new to the

festival, THAG-Theater Fellbach is a veteran of touring.

Internationals performing in English include the Blackwood Little Theatre

from Gwent, Wales and the Port Tobacco Players from Maryland, USA. Blackwood

presents “Fancying Sheep” by Vic Mills, a finalist in the Wales amateur

competition in 2007 and winner of the ‘Crawshay Cup’ for best new writing.

Representing the USA will be the Port Tobacco Players from Maryland.

However, their entry has a distinctly Canadian origin. “Never Swim Alone”

was written by Cape Breton's Daniel MacIvor. MacIvor, a playwright, actor,

and director in theatre and in film, is likely our province’s most

frequently produced playwright, with scripts in almost continual rotation in

theatres across Canada. “Never Swim Alone” is a haunting experience that

takes audiences through a gambit of emotions as they witness the lives of

two lifelong friends who have based their relationship on petty competitions

while avoiding the dark secrets of their past.

Alongside the international roster, five equally impressive Nova Scotia

companies have been invited. Since LITF is the province’s principal

celebration of amateur theatre, it is fitting that the Theatre Arts Guild

(TAG) of Halifax makes an appearance. Founded in 1931, TAG is Canada’s

oldest community theatre. It will present Harold Pinter’s “The Lover.” Also

from Nova Scotia, Wolfville's Red Rock Theatre Company will present “The

Loner” by Dean Taylor, and The Yarmouth Drama Society will contribute “I

Ain't Dead Yet!” by Christopher Heide. A new voice from Cape Breton, the

Centre Stage Players of Inverness, brings "Cobbler, Stick to Thy Last" by

Kay Hill.

Finally, the host company, Winds of Change (WOC) of Liverpool, returns with

a presentation of Act 1 from "Voices from the Titanic” by Pat Cook. WOC

captured Outstanding Canadian Production for “A Promise is a Promise” at

LITF 2006. They have traveled across Canada and internationally, receiving

critical acclaim and awards for their work.

The director of the Sarwanam Theatre Group of Nepal, Ashesh Malla, will be a

unique presence at the 2008 Liverpool International Theatre Festival. Mr.

Malla will present an example of his work as part of the opening ceremonies

for LITF on the evening of May 14.

This year, the festival is privileged to feature Martha Irving and

Christopher Shore as adjudicators for this internationally acclaimed event.

Martha Irving is an acclaimed actor, teacher and director who has earned

vumerous disctinctions including the Best Theatre Actress Award (2006) by

The Coast Magazine. In Nova Scotia, she has worked for Neptune Theatre,

Ship's Company, Festival Antigonish, Atlantic Theatre Festival, and Mulgrave

Road Co-op.



Christopher Shore is a well-known professional actor and playwright. The

Executive Director of Theatre Nova Scotia, he has more than 19 years of

experience in the artistic and administrative aspects of professional

theatre. A graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada’s acting

program, Shore has appeared in theatres across Canada such as the Tarragon

Theatre, Theatre Passe Muraille, The Globe Theatre, Persephone Theatre, and

The National Arts Centre to name a few.

Further information on the LITF 2008 lineup can be found at the website

www.litf.ca www.litf.ca> . Click on the TIX HUB button to be

redirected to online booking. Tickets are also available through The Astor

Theatre by phone (902.354.5250) or at the Box Office (open Monday to Friday

10 a.m. - 4 p.m).