Copy That Nov 6th – Dec 8th, 2019

creative team

Jamie RobinsonDirector

Rachel ForbesSet and Costume Design

Jareth LiLighting Design*

Thomas Ryder PayneSound Designer

Simon FonFight Director

Robin MunroStage Manager

Andie ChristiansenApprentice Stage Manager

Copy That written by Jason Sherman

cast

Emma FerreiraMaia

Janet-Laine GreenElsa

Jeff LillicoDanny

Tony OforiColin

Richard WaughPeter

Tarragon Theatre is an active member of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT), the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA), and engages professional artists who are members of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association under the terms of the Canadian Theatre Agreement.

Copy That was commissioned and first produced by Tarragon Theatre, Richard Rose Artistic Director, in November, 2019.

*Made possible through the Lighting Designer Project, in memory of John Reginald Stammers: former lighting designer for Tarragon Theatre and Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet, teacher and friend. The Lighting Designer Project is generously supported by J. Sergei Sawchyn.

Welcome to the world of network television where making stories is a team sport. You are invited to peek beyond your screens and witness the inner workings of the writers’ room, an entertaining hive of personalities that decide what it is that you, the viewer, get to see.

From the junior writer, to the senior showrunner, to the top executive: the clash of characters on this stage reveals just how provocative and contentious any team can be when creativity and values mix. It’s everyone for themselves, and if that’s too hot to handle, then change the channel or turn off your streaming device, but don’t pretend the issues no longer exist.

Everyone has a story to tell, but the question is, whose story will you hear? Jamie Robinson

director’s pitch

Tarragon Theatre acknowledges the land we are meeting on is the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.

We are grateful to work in this meeting place of Toronto as part of this community, on this territory.

I started writing Copy That a number of years ago, and came back to it thanks to George Youssef, who created the Bill Glassco Playwrighting Residency here at the Tarragon; and Richard Rose, who made me its first recipient. I am grateful to them both. Jason Sherman

playwright’s note

performers and creative

Andie Christiansen - Apprentice Stage ManagerFor Tarragon: DebutSelected Credits: The Magic Flute, Die Fledermaus, La Cecchina (Glenn Gould School) Orphee+ (Against the Grain Theatre) Don Giovanni (COSI) Dance Masters (Banff Centre) Push! (Panamania) Gash! (Summerworks)

Rachel Forbes - Set and Costume DesignerFor Tarragon: DebutSelected Credits: In The Abyss (Citadel&Compagnie/Political Movement)A Streetcar Named Desire (Soulpepper), Victory (Shaw Festival), Pomegranate Opera (Independent/Buddies in Bad Times), The Brothers Size (Soulpepper), Fences (Grand Theatre), School Girls (Obsidian Theatre), The Bridge (Neptune Theatre/2b Theatre), Choir Boy (Centaur Theatre), Risky Phil (Young People’s Theatre)Upcoming: Million Billion Pieces (Young People’s Theatre), Serving Elizabeth (WCT), Fences (Centaur Theatre)Other: rachelforbesdesign.com

Janet-Laine Green - Elsa For Tarragon: Peace River CountrySelected Credits: Old Love, Love Letters, Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf, Bordertown Cafe, The Graduate, The Vagina Monologues, A Streetcar Named Desire, Transit Of Venus, To Grandmother’s House We Go. Produced and directed under Briefcase Productions -Menopositive The Musical, Medea, Pillow Talk, Pajama Games. Selected Film & Television: Christmas Duets, Captive, Born To Be Blue, Wolves, This Life [series regular], She’s The Mayor[series lead]This Is Wonderland [series regular], Murdoch Mysteries, Niagara Motel. Janet-Laine has appeared in over seventy films.

Emma Ferreira - MaiaFor Tarragon: DebutSelected credits: Pygmalion (Guild Festival Theatre), Measure for Measure, Much Ado About Nothing (Canadian Stage) Other: Emma is Honoured to be making my Tarragon debut telling this story with this group of incredible individuals.

Simon Fon - Fight DirectorFor Tarragon: Midsummer (A Play With Songs), YagaSelected Credits: With over 600 professional credits in TV, Film and Stage stretching from Broadway to Stratford and coast to coast, Simon specializes in all areas: weaponry, aerial flying (NAAFED certified), unarmed combat (Eastern and Western). Simon has coached and performed with actors ChristopherPlummer, Rachel McAdams, Martin Short, Billy Connolly, and Colm Feore to name a few.

performers and creative

Jareth Li - Lighting Designer For Tarragon: DebutSelected Credits: Hilot Means Healer (Cahoots Theatre), Ring of Fire (Citadel Theatre), The Wolves, Punk Rock, Lemons… (The Howland Company), Iphigenia and the Furies, Black Boys (Saga Collectif), Prairie Nurse (Factory and Thousand Islands), Chautauqua (Pearle Harbour Presents), Yellow Rabbit (Silk Bath), Risky Phil (YPT), The Winter’s Tale, Portia’s Julius Caesar (Shakespeare in the Ruff). Upcoming: Casimir and Carolin (The Howland Company), Serving Elizabeth (Western Canada Theatre), Three Women of Swatow (Tarragon)Other: Member of the Associated Designers of Canada. Online @jareth.li

Janet-Laine Green (cont.) Upcoming: Plays in MexicoAwards: TV Week Award -Best Actress . Nominated eleven times for film ,TV, and theatre. Other: Janet is thrilled to be doing this play at the Tarragon. This one is for my husband.

Jeff Lillico - DannyFor Tarragon: Little Mercy’s First Murder. Selected Theatre: Soulpepper (including The Signature Theatre - 42nd St, NYC), Chicago Shakespeare Theater, The Shaw Festival, The Stratford Festival, Canadian Stage, Theatre Passe Muraille/Tapestry Opera, Factory Theatre, Buddies in Bad Times, The Musical Stage Company, Mirvish/Studio180, YES Theatre, The National Arts Centre, Theatre Panik, Theatre Calgary, Alberta Theatre Projects, Theatre20, GEVA Theater (Rochester, NY), & The Charlottetown Festival.Selected Film & Television: On The Basis Of Sex, Designated Survivor, The Rocky Horror Picture Show (2016), Flashpoint, Murdoch Mysteries, Copper, & short films: Separation, The Ticket & Muse Room. Upcoming: Jason in Lynn Nottage’s 2017 Pulitzer Prize–winning play Sweat for Theatre Aquarius.Awards: Dora Award for The Light in the Piazza. Dora nominations for Tom at the Farm, The Glass Menagerie, & Our Town. Named one of NOW Magazine’s Top Ten Theatre Artists for 2007. Other: Jeff’s honoured to be back at Tarragon after a 17-year hiatus. Time, how it flies.

performers and creative

Thomas Ryder Payne - Sound DesignerFor Tarragon: Hamlet, This Is War, The Little Years, The Small Room at the Top of the Stairs, Golden Dragon, Forests, Hush, Rocking The Cradle, If We Were Birds, Alias Godot, Léo. Selected Credits: Othello, The Matchmaker (Stratford), La Ronde, Kim’s Convenience, Ghosts (Soulpepper) Someone Else, Another Africa, The Middle Place (Canadian Stage)Awards: 12 Dora nominations and 2 awards.

Tony Ofori - Colin For Tarragon: BunnySelected Credits: Actually (Obsidian Theatre), Miss Julie, A Doll’s House (Quarter Century Theatre Company), Gash (Egro Pink Fest workshop), Control Damaged (Call Me Scotty Workshop), Let’s Go (Theatre Passe Muraille), Bonds Beyond (Glass Reflections Theatre Collective), The Model Apartment (Toronto Centre for the Performing Arts/Harold Green Jewish Theatre), Lost (Toronto Centre for the Performing Arts). Selected Film & Television: Bad Kids( Winner of the UTM Film fest), Love Thong ( Winner of the Boston International’s Film Festival), American Gods ( Amazon Prime/Star TV), Supergirl (CTV), Dreams(Film). Upcoming : Serving Elizabeth (WCT)Other: Tony is a graduate of Humber’s Theatre Performance con-servatory and York University’s BFA program.Tony is also a record-ing artist for the hip hop group Iambic. Tony is extremely excited to take you all on this new adventure. Find out what’s next for Tony by visiting tonyofori.com

Robin Munro - Stage ManagerFor Tarragon: New Magic Valley Fun Town, Theory, Mustard, Marine Life, Much Ado About Nothing, Waiting Room, An Enemy of the People, The ValleySelected credits: Five seasons with Nova Scotia’s Two Planks and a Passion Theatre; Mikveh (HGJTC); Amadeus, I, Claudia (Talk Is Free Theatre); Incident at Vichy, Twelve Angry Men, I’m Doing This For You (Soulpepper); Macbeth: Walking Shadows (Shakespeare in the Ruff); Little Women (Theatre New Brunswick); S/W, The Charge of the Expormidable Moose (One Little Goat Theatre).Upcoming: This Was the World

performers and creative

Jason Sherman - PlaywrightFor Tarragon: The Message; Remnants; It’s All True; Patience; The Retreat; Three in the Back, Two in the Head.Selected Credits: After the Orchard (National Arts Centre); The Brothers Karamazov (Stratford Festival); Reading Hebron (Factory); The League of Nathans (Theatre Passe Muraille).Selected Film and Television: The Best Laid Plans (CBC); We Were Children (APTN); Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures (TMN); ReGenesis (TMN); Jonestown (History).Awards: Governor General’s Award for Drama (Three in the Back, Two in the Head); Chalmers Award (The League of Nathans and Patience); Canadian Screenwriting Award, Radio (Afghanada).

Jamie Robinson - DirectorSelected Direction credits: Scotian Journey (Black Theatre Workshop), 365 Days/365 Plays (U of T), She Stoops to Conquer and Romeo & Juliet (Guild Festival Theatre, also as Artistic Director). Selected Theatre acting credits: Much Ado About Nothing and Measure For Measure (Canadian Stage in High Park), Risky Phil (Young People’s Theatre. Dora Award Winner, Outstanding Performance), Gas Girls (New Harlem Productions. Dora Award Nomination), Title role in Richard III (Metachroma Theatre. META Award nomination), and four seasons at the Stratford Festival. Selected Film & Television acting credits: Hudson & Rex (Rogers), Private Eyes (Global), In Contempt (BET), Celeste in the City (ABC), and a recurring role on Condor (DirecTV). Other: Jamie has been a Toronto-based professional artist since 1997 as an actor, director, producer and teacher. Jamie holds a Masters Degree in Theatre Directing/Teaching from York University, and is a professor of acting at York University and University of Toronto Mississauga. jamierobinson.ca

Richard Waugh - PeterFor Tarragon: Patience, Lawrence and Holloman. Selected Credits: 10 Seasons at the Shaw Festival, 30 years of film, TV and game console appearances. Selected Film and Television: Schitt’s Creek, Working Moms, Designated Siurvivor, Queens Gambit and Madame CJ Walker.Other: Richard is pleased beyond compare to return to the Tarragon stage after 20 years. He wouldn’t want it to be anywhere else.

THANK YOU TARRAGON DONORS!

Tarragon Theatre is extremely grateful for the support of our donors. Your gifts support not only our outstanding professional theatrical productions, but also contribute directly to our important play development programs and our innovative outreach and youth initiatives.

CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION SUPPORTERS

$50,000+BMO Financial Group

$20,000 - $49,999Azrieli Foundation*

$10,000 - $19,999The Bulmash–Siegel FundThe Catherine and Maxwell MeighenFoundationRBC FoundationScotiabank GroupThe Wuchien Michael Than FoundationThe Youssef-Warren Foundation

$5,000 - $9,999The John McKellar Charitable FoundationTD Bank GroupTELUS Friendly Family FoundationMcCarthy Tétrault FoundationThe Stavro Family Foundation

Up to $4,999AnonymousAVIV Mediterranean RestaurantThe Paul Butler and Chris BlackFoundation at Toronto FoundationThe Butterfield Family FoundationThe Dudley Family FundIrving L. Rosen FoundationJackman FoundationLSRK FoundationRacioppo Family FoundationThompson Family Foundation

INDIVIDUAL DONORS

Premiers ($5,000+)AnonymousSherri & William AppellJames Buchanan & Julia RobertsonLaura Dinner & Richard RooneyJefferson & Sally MappinJohn & Kay McKellarPauline G. MorrisJ. Sergei SawchynIvor W. & Kristine ThompsonGeorge & Susan YoussefTamara Zielony

Ambassadors ($2,500 - $4,999)Anonymous (2)Shira HartDoug Heighington, Elsinore - DCH FundCarolyn McIntire SmythNoel MowatJohn & Maire PercyElaine Stavro

Advocates ($1,000 - $2,499)Anonymous Neville AustinChris Black and Paul ButlerAdam Bryk & Melony DuranovichGwen Burrows & Adam RedishRoyce Charles-DunneJane & Bob ClappCatherine & Stephen ClarkLaurie ClarkMarsha J. CoppJanet DewanSandra Dudley & Ronald YoudRoy England

*in support of Charlotte: A Tri-Coloured Play with Music, presented in partnership with Theaturtle

Advocates ($1,000 - $2,499) (Cont)Graham and Sheila EwartBruce Geddes & Eugenia PiliotisCarol GreyeyesGillian & Ron GrahamC. M. LangloisDon & Marjorie LenzLarry E.S. LubinKit & Barbara MooreFäggie & Curt OliverElizabeth Driscoll & Duncan ReithRobert SherrinRoss & Ann StuartMichelle Strom & Tom BerendAndrea Vagianos & Zis ParrasHalina & Kurt von dem HagenBerta Zaccardi & Craig Robertson

Collaborators ($500 - $999)AnonymousWalter M. & Lisa Balfour BowenKrishna BalkissoonAlan & Helen BillingBrenda BrooksEd Cabell & Roy ForresterJordan CaplanSusan Carlyle & David SouthenCarolyn and Hugh ClelandRobert ElgieJudy & Richard EllenTom Flemming

Collaborators ($500 - $999) (Cont.)Margaret FoxSteve Garmaise & Sue Rebick John & Susan GoddardKamala-Jean GopieDavid Hamilton & Charis WahlMargaret HawthornRichard & Susan HornerBarbara Jacob Christopher Johnson Rebecca H. JosephRita & Gabor KandelKen Kessler & Martha ParrottHarriet & Andrew LyonsChristie MacInnesJean & Paul McGrathJohn & Sandra McManusRuth MillerBill & Donna PorterSara Richardson & Graeme S. ThomsonSkip & Patricia ShandMary SheppardIvor M. & Renee SimmonsMaureen Simpson & Almos TassonyiRobert H. ThomsonBeth WeintropKeddy WilliamsJudith H. WinstonJoanne WordhamHersh Zeifman

If we have made any errors in the spelling, listing or omission of your name please accept our apologies and contact:Courtney Fiddis, Director of Development at 416-536-5018 x 243 or courtney@tarragontheatre.com

Individuals recognized for donations made between July 2018 and October 2019.

thanK yoU tarragon donors!

HOSPITALITY SPONSOR MEDIA SPONSOR MEDIA SPONSOR

Tarragon Theatre has been Canada’s home for groundbreaking contemporary plays since 1970.

Since its inception, Tarragon has created, developed and produced new plays by home-grown artists as well as significant works from the world stage. Tarragon assists over 30 emerging and established playwrights each year through residencies, grants, dramaturgical support, and training programs. Since its founding, over 190 works have premiered at Tarragon and over 500 scripts have been created and workshopped, receiving The Trillium Book Award, as well as 34 nominations and 11 wins for the Governor General’s Literary Award.

TARRAGON THEATRE STAFF

RICHARD ROSEARTISTIC DIRECTOR

ANDREA VAGIANOSMANAGING DIRECTOR

Joanna FalckLiterary Manager

Courtney Ch’ng LancasterAssistant Artistic Director

Gerry EganProduction Manager

John ThomsonTechnical Director

Kathleen JohnstonHead of Wardrobe

Shaw ForgeronInterim Head of Props

Andrew ChuteHead Carpenter

Jennifer LawsMainspace Technician

Lindsay JenkinsExtraspace Technician

Courtney FiddisDirector of Development

Cameron JohnstonDirector of Marketing & Communications

Natasha ParsonsDirector of Patron Services

Nicola BenidicksonAdministrator

Danielle BourgonManager of Education and Community Engagement

Octavian TurcanFacilities Manager

Kirk ThomsonCo-Manager of Patron Services

Samantha VuCo-Manager of Patron Services

Danielle MorganPublicist

Emma WalkerBookkeeper

TARRAGON THEATRE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Elaine Stavro PresidentAdam Bryk TreasurerAnne BermonteNaomi BrownJames BuchananBrendan DellandreaKamala-Jean GopieJenny Gumbs

John D. McKellar, Q.C.Suzanne MurphyJoan PierreKatherine PollockLaurence SiegelHeather YamoahWalter Yim

Written by Anosh Irani

“Mothers, what makes it so hard to accept they might not love us?”

A Clown, a Trapeze Artist, a love triangle, a one-man tour-de-force performance.

WATCH as Felix the clown takes you on a journey from cradle to grave.

WITNESS a life of chance haunted by inevitable fate.

MARVEL at Buffoon, a heartbreaking, tragic, and hilarious tale of a clown finding love at the circus.

Coming soon in the ExtraspaceBuffoonNov 12 - Dec 15, 2019

Copy That had three workshops during development:

March 29, 2018 with Leah Doz, Araya Mengesha, Noah Reid, Brenda Robins, Richard Waugh, directed by Richard Rose

June 25, 2018 with Leah Doz, Kevin Hanchard, Daniel Maslany, Richard Waugh, Jennifer Wigmore, directed by Richard Rose

June 15, 2019 with Janet-Laine Green, Emma Ferreira, Jeff Lillico, Tony Ofori, Richard Waugh, directed by Jamie Robinson

worKshops

Buffoon photo featuring Anand Rajaram by Jim Ryce.

Copy That photo featuring Richard Waugh by Jim Ryce.

416.531.1827Tarragon Theatre30 Bridgman Ave, TorontoM5R 1X3

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