May 2, 2013…
Calling all pinball wizards! The Stratford Festival invites you to be a
part of history. On Thursday, May 16, the Festival will be in Toronto
to host Pinballapalooza, an exciting event to celebrate the opening of
its much-anticipated rock musical,
Tommy.
One hundred pinball machines will fill the main lobby of First Canadian Place in an official
GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS
attempt to log
the greatest number of pinball machines being played simultaneously at a
single venue.
An all-day occasion, the event will feature free game
play, exclusive
Tommy ticket deals through an on-site pop-up box office and spectacular live performances by
Tommy cast members Robert Markus, Paul Nolan, Gabriel Antonacci and
Matthew Armet.
“Tommy is the biggest musical we have ever mounted in Stratford,” says Executive Director
Anita Gaffney, “and what better way to celebrate it than by
throwing a larger-than-life pinball tournament that would impress even
Tommy, the pinball wizard himself.
“Hosting
the event outside of Stratford gives us a rare opportunity to showcase
our theatre to a wider audience – an audience we hope to see more of
with the help of Stratford
Direct, our new daily return bus service between Toronto and Stratford.
Whether you are a pinball pro, a theatre fan or you just happen to be
in the area, come on out and help us make history!”
For those who cannot attend, the Festival offers two other opportunities to practise your pinball moves: a
Tommy-inspired pinball machine found at different locations in Stratford throughout the season and a virtual pinball game at
http://tommypinball.com
EVENT: Pinballapalooza
Date: Thursday, May 16, 2013
Location: First Canadian Place, 100 King Street West, Toronto
Time: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Attempt time: 12:40 p.m.
Live performances: 12:15 p.m. and 1:15 p.m. on the Waterfall Stage
Admission and all game play is free. For more information on the event, please visit: www.stratfordfestival.ca/pinball
Based on The Who’s 1969 concept album of the same name,
Tommy tells the story of a young man who, despite having lost the
faculties of speech, sight and hearing, becomes a pinball virtuoso –
and the centre of a celebrity cult. In a new production helmed by its
original Tony Award-winning director,
Des McAnuff (who co-wrote the show with The Who’s Pete
Townshend), the explosive rock opera features such unforgettable hits as
“Pinball Wizard,” “See Me, Feel Me,” “Acid Queen” and “We’re Not Gonna
Take It.”
Set to start previews on Saturday, May 4, at the Avon Theatre, the production features
Robert Markus as Tommy, Jewelle Blackman as the Gypsy, Kira Guloien as Mrs. Walker,
Jeremy Kushnier as Captain Walker, Paul Nolan as Cousin Kevin and
Steve Ross as Uncle Ernie.
Set Designer
John Arnone, Choreographer Wayne Cilento and Costume Designer David C. Woolard, key members of the original creative team, have reunited for this production to join Musical Director and Supervisor
Rick Fox, Lighting Designer Howell Binkley, Sound Designer Andrew Keister, Projection Designer
Sean Nieuwenhuis and Fight Director Steve Rankin.
Tommy is sponsored by Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation. Production support is
generously provided by Richard Rooney & Laura Dinner and by the Ontario government.
Support for the 2013 season of the Avon Theatre is generously provided by the Birmingham Family.
Stratford
Direct is the new daily return private bus service between Toronto and
Stratford. Departing once daily from May 1 to 25 and October 1 to 20 and
twice daily from
May 27 to September 29 (on performance days only), the round trip costs
only $20.
Support for Stratford Direct is generously provided by The Peter Cundhill Foundation.
The Stratford Festival’s 2013 season runs until October 20, featuring
Romeo and Juliet, Fiddler on the Roof; The Three Musketeers,
The Merchant of Venice, Tommy, Blithe Spirit, Othello,
Measure for Measure, Mary Stuart, Waiting for Godot, Taking Shakespeare, and
The Thrill, along with more than 150 events at The Forum.
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