Monday, 4 July 2011
Moving Day!
Get Excited! We're moving into the Palmerston Library Theatre today! Only 2.5 more days to wait for The Bright Idea's opening night. (well, opening early evening!) Thursday at 5:45pm.
Saturday, 2 July 2011
Tuesday, 7 June 2011
Monday, 6 June 2011
Ton O' Fun Productions Company Bios- ohhh ya
Robin Sharp (director)
Robin Sharp is a writer / director for film and theatre who was born and raised in downtown Toronto, Canada. After majoring in drama at Etobicoke School of the Arts and film production at York University, in 2005 Robin co-directed a documentary about the 100 year history of the Bloor Cinema in Toronto. 'The Bloor' premiered in time for the theatre's centennial, and went on to win awards at YoungCuts and UofT Film Festival for best documentary.
The following year Robin wrote, produced and directed two original plays for the Toronto stage. High Art, a sex farce, opened in June at The Rivoli in Toronto. Lick Her, a dark comedy, opened in December at The Centre for the Arts to three sold out performances.
Robin also directed the first ever shadow-cast of the film Blue Velvet for the 2009 Toronto Fringe Festival. Eye Weekly gave it a four star review, writing that the show "(extended) the life of the classic 80’s film with profundity and passion." He is currently in post-production of his debut feature film as a writer / director, a christian sex comedy called The Missionary Position.
Aidan Black Allen (producer/ actor 'Bethany')
Aidan Black Allen is an actress and comedian originally from Bloor West Village in Toronto. After graduating from Concordia University’s Theatre Performance Program, she returned to Toronto to work in sketch, improv, tv, film and theatre.
Aidan is a graduate of the Second City Conservatory, a member of the Canadian Improv Showcase and acts regularly in bars and theatres across the GTA.
Previous to ‘The Bright Idea’ Aidan has produced two highly successful plays, ‘Lick Her’ and ‘Playdate’, both at the Centre for the Arts.
At the Toronto Fringe Festival she has acted in ‘A Memory, a Monologue, a Rant and a Prayer’ (2008) and ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf’ (FringeKids 2010). Aidan has many children’s shows under her belt, including a 2 month North American tour with Mad Science. She teaches after school drama programs with Arts Express and is the Drama Director at Banbury Kids Camp.
Kelly Preeper (actor 'Amelia')
Kelly Preeper is a native of small town Nova Scotia, who has been performing ever since an ill-advised attempt at imitating Anne of Green Gables led her to fall off the roof of a shed.
A graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, she has appeared in numerous stage and film projects in Halifax, Toronto and New York City, and has toured the US doing musical theatre for young audiences (Aladdin and the Magic Lamp, Babes in Toyland).
She has also co-directed and co-starred in the feature film dead saints, as part of Waving not Drowning productions. Kelly is thrilled to be part of the cast of The Bright Idea.
Kris Kadas (actor 'Sean Shadowson')
Kris Kadas is an actor/writer who was raised in downtown Toronto. After majoring in Literature at U of T Kris fell back into his passion for acting appearing in two productions for the 2009 Fringe Festival; shadow casts of both Blue Velvet and Jurassic Park.
The following year Kris once again took to the Fringe stage in the slasher horror comedy "Oh, It Is Love". Currently Kris organizes events for The Toronto Underground Cinema that highlight the best of what independent Toronto artists have to offer.
The following year Kris once again took to the Fringe stage in the slasher horror comedy "Oh, It Is Love". Currently Kris organizes events for The Toronto Underground Cinema that highlight the best of what independent Toronto artists have to offer.
Jillian Larkin (writer/producer/actor 'Nancy Nightlight')
Paphavee Limkul (Poe) (Set and Lighting Designer)
Jillian is thrilled to be part of FringeKids! She is a graduate of Concordia University's Theatre program and The Second City's Conservatory program.Jillian is an actor, improviser and playwright. She fell in love with children's theatre while teaching drama and improv for 5 years at City of Toronto Summer Camps, where she was able to write and direct children's shows weekly!
Jillian also taught after-school workshops for at-risk youth in Montreal.Selected theatre credits include Events on the Calendar; An Improvised Soap Opera, Jehanne of the Witches, Playdate (which she wrote and produced),as well as the 2010 Toronto Fringe production S&P and Sega Geniuses vs. The World. As part of the improv troupe Sega Geniuses, Jillian performed at the 2010 Del Close Marathon in New York City.
Paphavee Limkul (Poe) (Set and Lighting Designer)
Originally from Bangkok, Thailand, She came to Canada to pursue her dream as a theatre designer, starting from training as a lighting technician work-study at The Banff Centre from March 2007 to April 2008. She finished her Master degree on Set and Lighting design from University of Victoria, BC. in March 2010 and moved to Toronto.
Niloo Ravaei (co-stage manager)
Niloo Ravaei is currently studying Film Production and Screenwriting at York University. Although academically focused on film, she has always harbored a soft spot for theatre as well and has written, directed and managed plays at a high school and university level. Her most notable endeavours to date include the stage management of Queen’s University’s productions of ‘Lysistrata’, ‘Seven Stories’ and ‘Androcles and the Lion’ and the production of the short experimental film ‘The Price of Consumption’. Niloo is currently working on a narrative short, ‘No Tears, Just Spit’, a novella, ‘Sinclair’, and is in the process of starting her own production company, ‘Blueline Pictures’. This is Niloo’s first time participating in the FringeKids Festival, but it definitely won’t be the last.
Tuesday, 31 May 2011
The Bright Idea
'Shadowland' has now become 'THE BRIGHT IDEA'
Ton O' Fun Productions and the Toronto Fringe Festival proudly present:
THE BRIGHT IDEA
written by Jillian Larkin
directed by Robin Sharp
produced by Aidan Black Allen and Jillian Larkin
stage managed by Niloo Ravaei
costumes and props by Helen Kotsonis
lighting by Poe Limkul
featuring: Aidan Black Allen, Kris Kadas, Jillian Larkin and Kelly Preeper
Bethany is babysitting. Amelia is awake. But it's bedtime! To soothe her sister to sleep Bethany makes a bunny shaped-shadow puppet. Shockingly, Sean Shadowson appears; A Shadowman from Shadowland. He has to get home. He needs their help and yours too! Only terrific teamwork can illuminate the solution. You better believe it'll be a blast along the way.
About the production:
‘The Bright Idea', staged by new production company 'Ton O' Fun', presents a story about two sisters who learn the value of teamwork by helping a shadowman, lost on earth, get back to his home, shadowland. It includes a bit of improv, shadow puppetry and live musical accompaniment as well as elements of classic physical copmedy.
The play started out as a ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ concept, and there are still many audience participation moments where the kids gets involved in helping Sean get home. The play also has the advantage of being the most succinct of the FringeKids shows this year, it runs at a 30 minute length.
There are a number of Fringe veterans in the cast, both Aidan (Bethany), Kris (Sean Shadowson) and Jillian (Nancy Nightlight) appeared onstage in the 2010 festival. Robin (director) helmed the hit shadowcast of Blue Velvet for the 2009 festival.
There’s no Dorothy, but we believe kids of all ages will enjoy the story of Sean and shadowland, and come away with message that there’s no place like home, and there’s no place like the 2011 FringeKids program for thoughtful and funny family entertainment.
Ton O' Fun Productions and the Toronto Fringe Festival proudly present:
THE BRIGHT IDEA
written by Jillian Larkin
directed by Robin Sharp
produced by Aidan Black Allen and Jillian Larkin
stage managed by Niloo Ravaei
costumes and props by Helen Kotsonis
lighting by Poe Limkul
featuring: Aidan Black Allen, Kris Kadas, Jillian Larkin and Kelly Preeper
Bethany is babysitting. Amelia is awake. But it's bedtime! To soothe her sister to sleep Bethany makes a bunny shaped-shadow puppet. Shockingly, Sean Shadowson appears; A Shadowman from Shadowland. He has to get home. He needs their help and yours too! Only terrific teamwork can illuminate the solution. You better believe it'll be a blast along the way.
About the production:
‘The Bright Idea', staged by new production company 'Ton O' Fun', presents a story about two sisters who learn the value of teamwork by helping a shadowman, lost on earth, get back to his home, shadowland. It includes a bit of improv, shadow puppetry and live musical accompaniment as well as elements of classic physical copmedy.
The play started out as a ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ concept, and there are still many audience participation moments where the kids gets involved in helping Sean get home. The play also has the advantage of being the most succinct of the FringeKids shows this year, it runs at a 30 minute length.
There are a number of Fringe veterans in the cast, both Aidan (Bethany), Kris (Sean Shadowson) and Jillian (Nancy Nightlight) appeared onstage in the 2010 festival. Robin (director) helmed the hit shadowcast of Blue Velvet for the 2009 festival.
There’s no Dorothy, but we believe kids of all ages will enjoy the story of Sean and shadowland, and come away with message that there’s no place like home, and there’s no place like the 2011 FringeKids program for thoughtful and funny family entertainment.
Wednesday, 30 March 2011
Ton O' Fun is on the web!
Welcome to the official blog for Ton O' Fun Productions!
Things are rapidly coming into formation for our show 'Shadowland' (working title) which is debuting at FringeKids this summer.
I've been doing a lot of producing work and Jill is hard at work writing a hilarious script. I'm so excited and motivated by the qualified people I've been meeting today to fill out our crew. Genuine, easy going and experienced, the applicants for the Stage Manager and Lighting positions have really exceeded my expectations.
The Fringe for me this summer is starting to feel like summer camp. I love being surrounded by so many artists and feeling their energy, drinking until the wee hours in the beer tent and watching theatre boundaries being pushed in so many productions.
Often as an artist, especially this time of year when auditions are limited, you can start to feel helpless. Always waiting by the phone for a call back or a job and the heartbreak of missing out on a really exciting project- it can make you feel completely out of control of your career and destiny.
Working on this show with Jillian, who I trust completely and find so talented, I feel like I have a purpose. By next week we will have our crew. The show is slated to be completely written by April 8th and at the end of the month we will be holding auditions- so stay tuned to find out more about these opportunities!
We will also be holding a fundraiser in the near future and I promise it will be an evening you don't want to miss. Thank you for your interest in our company. We love theatre and love YOU for reading!
- Aidan
Things are rapidly coming into formation for our show 'Shadowland' (working title) which is debuting at FringeKids this summer.
I've been doing a lot of producing work and Jill is hard at work writing a hilarious script. I'm so excited and motivated by the qualified people I've been meeting today to fill out our crew. Genuine, easy going and experienced, the applicants for the Stage Manager and Lighting positions have really exceeded my expectations.
The Fringe for me this summer is starting to feel like summer camp. I love being surrounded by so many artists and feeling their energy, drinking until the wee hours in the beer tent and watching theatre boundaries being pushed in so many productions.
Often as an artist, especially this time of year when auditions are limited, you can start to feel helpless. Always waiting by the phone for a call back or a job and the heartbreak of missing out on a really exciting project- it can make you feel completely out of control of your career and destiny.
Working on this show with Jillian, who I trust completely and find so talented, I feel like I have a purpose. By next week we will have our crew. The show is slated to be completely written by April 8th and at the end of the month we will be holding auditions- so stay tuned to find out more about these opportunities!
We will also be holding a fundraiser in the near future and I promise it will be an evening you don't want to miss. Thank you for your interest in our company. We love theatre and love YOU for reading!
- Aidan
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