2024 season announced at Headmaster’s Forum, Ridley College, where The Foster Festival makes its new home at The Mandeville Theatre
Thursday, November 9, 2023 (St. Catharines, ON) – Artistic Director Emily Oriold announced the Foster Festival’s upcoming season from the Headmaster’s Forum at Ridley College, Thursday afternoon. Along with the programming she confirmed the renowned school as the new home of The Foster Festival for the foreseeable future. Its main season programming will be produced this summer at Ridley’s beautiful Mandeville Theatre.
“We are looking forward to returning to the Mandeville Theatre at Ridley College for our 2024 Mainstage Summer Season,” said artistic director Emily Oriold. “We have programmed three works by the incomparable Norm Foster and have chosen these pieces because they all explore the theme of family,” continued Oriold. “Family has long been at the centre of storytelling, regardless of time period, location, and culture.”
The Festival will showcase two Foster world premieres: Those Movies, running July 4th -14th, directed by Lisa Horner, and Whit’s End, running July 25th– Aug 4th, directed by Jamie Williams. Lisa Horner is returning to The Foster festival following her beautiful direction of last year’s critically acclaimed production Jenny’s House of Joy. “I am so thrilled to be returning to the Foster Festival next year directing the world premiere of Those Movies. What an incredible opportunity to bring Norm’s new work to life for the first time!” said Horner.
Jamie Williams, The Foster Festival’s artistic associate, many will know from performances in Here on The Flight Path (2016) and The Writer, (2019), as well as his direction of The Foursome (2022), and Foster Festival readings Widow Wonderland (2021), and Whit’s End (2023). “It’s great to be back with The Foster Festival, in my own ‘backyard’, continuing as Artistic Associate. I can’t wait to begin rehearsals for this laugh out loud comedy in which I’m sure we’ll all recognize ourselves in the foibles, miscommunications, and misunderstandings of this wonderfully and comically dysfunctional family,” said Williams. “Once again our programming successfully reflects the lives of our audiences, probably the most compelling aspect of Norm’s work.”
Rounding out the Festival’s 2024 summer season is the 40th anniversary of the beloved and highly requested production of The Melville Boys, running Aug 15th -25th, the 1984 play that established Norm Foster in the Canadian theatre world, and internationally, won the 1988 Los Angeles Drama-Logue Award. Emily Oriold, herself, will be taking the director’s chair for this milestone production. “The Melville Boys was the first Norm Foster play I ever saw. It was at The Blyth Festival and I was all of 19 years old, ready to head off to theatre school. This play changed the course of my life and the experience I had watching The Melville Boys, in that theatre at 19, is why The Foster Festival exists today. It means so much to me personally to be directing this 40th anniversary production,” said Oriold.
The 2024 season programming also includes some exciting new developments. In accordance with its mandate, The Foster Festival has initiated its new play development program, developing new Canadian comedies by playwrights other than the company’s namesake. After reading 72 submissions of new plays from across the country, the Festival has selected three (3) new works to feature in their first annual Fostered Playwrights Festival April 5-7 at Hernder Estates Winery, a weekend of professionally performed and directed readings of the scripts. The 2024 selections include Time and Tide by Jody Stevens McCluskey (NS), Mechanically Inclined by Steve Ross (ON), and Go for Gold, Audrey Pham by Camille Pavlenko (AB). All three (3) will be developed and workshopped with Norm Foster and the Festival creative team, and one of the three (3) will be produced as the fourth production of the Festival’s 2024 season in November, running Nov 14-24 directed by Jamie Williams.
Along with its full production programming, patrons are invited to celebrate Norm Foster’s 75th Birthday Bash fundraiser in February 2024, an evening of music and party pieces performed by Foster Festival favourites and friends of Norm Foster. Food, drink, laughter, and perhaps a bit of friendly roasting of Canada’s favourite playwright will take place all in support of the Foster Festival and its ongoing Local Hero Program enabling those with financial, social, or other barriers to attending live theatre, the complimentary opportunity to enjoy one of its productions.
And not to be missed is the Foster Festival’s fall fundraiser The Happy Funny Amazing Comedy Night Sept 28th, where attendees will enjoy a live performance of the Happy Funny Amazing podcast hosted by comedian and writer Joanne O’Sullivan along with a cadre of comedians from the GTA and Niagara regions. Another night of raucous laughter in support of The Foster Festival’s Artistic Programming and Play Development Program.
Finally, capping the Festival’s 2024 season, The Foster Festival will be presenting a professionally staged reading of its newly adapted Canadian version of Dicken’s A Christmas Carol in partnership with the St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre from Dec 11th-15th. “In commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the Welland Canal Company and the construction of the Canal itself, we are taking Dickens’ beloved holiday ghost story and setting it in 19th century St. Catharines at the time of the Canal’s build,” said Williams, who is also adapting the piece. A Niagara Christmas Carol is a uniquely Canadian take on the traditional story of Ebeneezer Scrooge’s redemption will be directed by Lisa Horner, performed by some of your favourite Foster Festival personalities at the St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canal Centre.
For more information about The Foster Festival 2024 season or to subscribe or purchase tickets to their productions or other events please visit www.fosterfestival.com or contact their box office at 1-844-735-4832 x.3 or email: [email protected].
THOSE MOVIES
by Norm Foster (world premiere)
July 4 – July 14, 2024
Produced at The Mandeville Theatre, Ridley College
Directed by Lisa Horner
Set Design by Beckie Morris
SYNOPSIS
Harry and Patrick are best friends. Patrick needs somewhere to stay for a few weeks, so he moves in with Harry. Harry works at the local Hospital as the north barrier gate operator and he has recently drummed up the courage to ask the south barrier gate operator, Millie Bell, out on a date. She’s expected to arrive at Harry’s apartment any minute. Millie’s cousin Chelsea is visiting from out-of-town and Millie does not want to leave Chelsea alone at home. Suddenly the couples find themselves on a double-date. Patrick worries that the evening will unfold like one of “Those Movies” and Chelsea is going to fall head over heels for him. Is Patrick right? Will the evening unfold like one of “Those Movies?” A heartwarming tale about how love can surprise you and be found in unexpected places…perhaps not always in the romantic sense.
WHIT’S END
by Norm Foster (world premiere)
July 25-Aug 4, 2024
Produced at The Mandeville Theatre, Ridley College
Directed by Jamie Williams
Set Design by Beckie Morris
SYNOPSIS
Whit is a letter carrier a week away from retirement. He and his partner Nikki, a retired fiduciary, have plans for a fresh start in Kelowna. Nicki, retirement, and Kelowna are unknown to Whit’s children Steven, a 33-year-old pharmaceutical rep, and Erica, a keyboard player in a Montreal dining establishment, who he has invited home to share his exciting news. Stephen and Nicki are expecting news of an entirely different kind. A comedy of errors ensues in this delightfully funny Foster play about love and family as each character examines the meaning of commitment.
THE MELVILLE BOYS
by Norm Foster (40th anniversary)
Aug 15-25, 2024
Produced at The Mandeville Theatre, Ridley College
Directed by Emily Oriold
Set Design by Beckie Morris
SYNOPSIS
Perhaps Norm Foster’s most famous play! The Foster Festival celebrates the 40th anniversary of the play that launched Foster’s career as a playwright back in 1984. A relaxing weekend trip full of fishing, football, and beer is on the agenda for the Melville brothers, Owen and Lee. But weekend plans are suddenly thrown for a loop when the boys meet two attractive sisters, who inadvertently change more than their agenda. In this modern Canadian classic, Norm Foster offers a lighthearted comedy full of vigour about brotherhood, family, and the unexpected.
WORLD PREMIERE OF NEW PLAY
from our Fostered Playwrights Development Program
Nov 14-24, 2024 (TBA June, 2024)
Directed by Jamie Williams
Still in development, this play will be selected from one of three plays- Time and Tide by Jody McClusky Stevens, Mechanically Inclined by Steve Ross, or Go For Gold, Audery Pham by Camille Pavlenko– from our Spring “Fostered Playwrights Festival” to receive a full production in our Nov 2024. Both our Playwrights Festival and a fully produced production of a new work will occur annually moving forward. The Foster Festival is fully committed to fostering Canadian playwrights and providing them with an opportunity for development and, potentially, a professional production of their work.
A NIAGARA CHRISTMAS CAROL
by Charles Dickens
Dec 11-15, 2024
Produced at St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canal Centre
Adapted by Jamie Williams
Directed by Lisa Horner
SYNOPSIS
A unique adaptation of a classic holiday tale! In commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the Welland Canal Company and the construction of the Canal itself, Dickens’ beloved holiday ghost story has been set it in 19th century St. Catharines at the time of the Canal’s build. Join The Foster Festival for a staged reading of A Niagara Christmas Carol, a uniquely Canadian take on the traditional story of Ebeneezer Scrooge’s redemption, adapted by Jamie Williams, directed by Lisa Horner and read by some of Foster Festival’s favourite personalities.
-30-
About The Foster Festival
The Foster Festival, established in October 2015, is the only Canadian theatre festival to celebrate the work of a living playwright. Norm Foster is the most produced playwright in Canadian history, with his nearly 80 plays receiving an average of 150 productions each year across Canada and internationally. On December 31, 2016, he was named an Officer of the Order of Canada. The fully professional Foster Festival has attracted some of the best artists in Canada and this year will produce 3 World Premieres as part of its 4 play season. In addition to its performance season, The Festival’s Local Hero Program provides complimentary access to its productions to those community members unable to attend live arts due to social or economic barriers partnering with Bethlehem Housing and Support Services, Community Living St. Catharines, Pelham Cares, Project Share and the Walker Family Cancer Centre. Through Mentorship programs the Festival has provided professional opportunities and experience to emerging artists and technicians. It endeavors to raise awareness about arts work amongst the community youth and inspire further post-secondary education in the realms of design, technology, and administration within the theatre arts industry.