Get Naked In Toronto

No, I'm not talking about Hanlan's Point. You can't get there right now anyways with the city strike and all. No, I'm talking about this:

Bare (a Rock Opera) is FINALLY premiering in Toronto! I've loved the album and the illegal tracks from the New York Off-Broadway productions for so long, so it'll be finally nice to see it live for the first time. The musical by Jon Hartmere & Damon Intrabartolo is about two Catholic School boys who fall in love. Maybe it's a cliched story but it still gets me everytime I listen to it (though maybe it helps that I went to an all-boys Catholic High School).

Newcomer WatersEdge Productions will put it on at the Hart House Theatre starting next week from July 17th to Aug. 1st 2009. Get tickets here.

I don't know how this young upstart theatre company will do but I caught their special Pride Benefit Cabaret Night they did during Pride Week and the cast was pretty good and the leads in particular, Graham Parkhurst (Jason) and Wade Muir (Peter) had great voices and were cute as buttons. Their harmonies together were superb especially considering they were singing other musical songs (not Bare songs).

Renee Stein who will play Claire, Peter's mom, was the definition of a stage veteran and a class act. Her voice was proof of years of experience and it sounded spectacular.

Nichola Lawrence, who will play Sister Chantelle, blew the house down and will be a voice to reckon with.

Plus amongst the talented cast, some of the behind-the-scenes folks did some song and dances too, and were just as talented as the performers that were going to be on stage. Musical director Chris Tsujiuchi has a beautiful voice and some dancing skills to match. Assistant Director Ryan Blair and Assistant Stage Manager Brett Kelly are adorable and could have easily been mixed into the cast.

Here's more of the details:

July 17 - August 1

13 performances

July17 FRI 8pm
July18 SAT 2pm MATINEE & 8pm

July22 WED 8pm
July23 THURS 8pm
July24 FRI 8pm
July25 SAT 2pm MATINEE & 8pm

July29 WED 8pm
July30 THURS 8pm
July31 FRI 8pm
Aug1 SAT 2pm MATINEE & 8pm

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Tickets
general admission

$35 / $25 students & seniors

Group Rate (10 or more people) $20
Available in person or by phone (416) 978-8849

Same Day Rush Tickets $15
- A very limited number of Rush Tickets will be available in person only, on the day of each performance, when the UofTtix Box Office opens at 11am.
- Rush Tickets for each performance will only be sold on the same day as that performance.

Warning
Recommended for mature audiences only, due to coarse language & adult situations

Age Restriction
Children under 12 years old will not be admitted

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BARE is a pop-rock musical about the coming-of-age of five high school seniors at a Catholic boarding school.

Knowing their stay in this insular world is drawing to a close, each of them question where they are in their lives and what the future holds in store.

Answers are sought in the church confessional and in less formal venues including a stage, a rave, and a well-locked dorm room.

The story focuses in on a secret love affair between two boys, Peter (played by Wade Muir) and Jason (Graham Parkhurst).

Though Peter is ready to tell the world about their relationship, Jason fears the repercussions.

BARE is the beautiful and moving story about love, fear, acceptance, and finding yourself.

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WatersEdge Productions is an independent, professional theatre company committed to staging socially conscious plays and musicals, while also giving young artists an opportunity to perform in a professional environment. BARE will be the company’s first production in Toronto, since moving from the Niagara Region.

BARE is a contemporary new musical that tells the story of a group of students at a Catholic boarding school struggling to find their own voices in a modern world. They are forced to confront coming of age, coming out, and coming to terms with the expectations of parents, peers, and the Church. Following in the footsteps of RENT and Spring Awakening, BARE's story is told through its ceaseless and haunting rockscore.

BARE received its world premiere staging at the Hudson Theatre in Los Angeles, CA in 2000 and has since been produced off-Broadway in 2004. A two-disc cast recording was released in 2007 to rave reviews, earning BARE a new audience and cult following.

This production will be the first time BARE is staged professionally in its entirety and marks its Canadian debut.

This ground-breaking production is brought to the stage with up-and-coming director Brian Gregory-Waters (BMT's Jesus Christ Superstar, The Who's Tommy) leading a young cast of
performers from across Canada.

Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com