As seen in Inside Toronto

Arts

Edgy and experimental productions at Bad Dog Short Play Festival
Third annual event showcases works by new artists, writers

JOANNA LAVOIE
Oct. 12, 2006

A unique festival of short plays, designed to highlight new artists and writers by giving them a comfortable forum for presenting new material, kicks off Monday at Greektown's Bad Dog Theatre.
The third annual Bad Dog Short Play Festival, which runs Oct. 16 to 22, will feature an array of innovative theatre productions.

Among those showcasing their work in the 10-day festival are two outspoken local playwrights, June Morrow, writer and performer of Miss April Day's School for Burgeoning Strippers, and Tracey Nolan, who will present her one-act solo short, Letters to Liam, are taking part in the festival.

Morrow, a Danforth resident who divides her time working as a journalist, web producer, standup comedian and singer, has loosely based her latest one-woman production on the experiences she had working as a stripper at some of the city's most infamous establishments.

The play takes a light-hearted look at Morrow's (a.k.a. Miss April Day's) somewhat scarlet past working in the adult entertainment industry. The distinguished Miss Day is sure to offer theatre-goers a clear snapshot of life as an exotic dancer from beauty tips, sales techniques, customer management and legal issues, not to mention a few unmentionables.

Miss April Day's School for Burgeoning Strippers will run Wednesday, Oct. 18 and Saturday, Oct. 21 at 8 p.m.

Leslieville's Nolan, a self-proclaimed bon vivant, got the inspiration for her latest work, Letters to Liam by a letter written to her friend's newborn. Exploring the balance between work and life, Nolan's play shares the story of a unique cross-generational bond.

A followup piece to Nolan's first solo show, 29 Forever, Letters to Liam will be staged Friday, Oct. 20 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 22 at 2 p.m.

The other plays that will be staged at the Bad Dog Short Play Festival are Retro Continento by Andrew Borkowski, Ana and Bea by Paloma Nunez and Kevin Whalen, Broken Speech by David Lam and Tony Diamanti, Memories of Nostalgia by Rob Baker and Alex Hatz, F... You Cancer! By Robert Hawke and Michael Cohen, Gravestone Posse by Sam Agro, Paul Koster, Jorge Moreira, Rhonda Riche, Tracy Shea-Porter, Dave Till, Scott Watkins and Cary West, Roommates Or: How to Live With Those You Hate by Matthieu Alepin and Dean Buchanan and Cassandra by Briana Brown.

Visit www.baddogtheatre.com for more details about the Bad Dog Short Play Festival.

For Immediate Release

For Immediate Release

Letters to Liam plays 2006 Bad Dog Short Play Festival
October 20th and 22nd

Toronto. August 19, 2006. Moments Notice Entertainment will present Letters to Liam, a new one act solo comedy from Tracey Nolan as part of the 10-day Bad Dog Short Play Festival, October 16th through 22nd.

Inspired by a letter written to her friends’ newborn, Tracey Nolan’s Letters to Liam explores the concept of “work/life balance” through the relationship a neurotic, urban 30-something develops with a creature that’s still unable to hold up his own head.

Tracey Nolan is an alumnus of the Second City Conservatory and a familiar face to Toronto audiences. She has also appeared at The Chicago Centre for the Performing Arts where she was invited to perform in 2001. Tracey’s numerous credits as Producer and Host include Laughs, a weekly comedy showcase, which the Toronto Star called "The Best in Free Comedy".

Letters to Liam is Directed by award winning playwright and Bad Dog favourite Ron Fromstein. It marks the follow up to Tracey’s first solo show, 29 Forever.

Now in its 3rd year, the Short Play Festival brings fresh, exciting theatre of all kinds to the Bad Dog Theatre, which has been called a “hub for the local scene” by Eye Magazine.

For more information on Letters to Liam contact:
Tracey Nolan
(416) 778-4990, misstraceynolan@hotmail.com

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