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SKYDIVE at Centaur Theatre Company this November (Montreal, Oct. 20, 2008)

10-30-2008 08:07 PM CET | Arts & Culture

Press release from: Centaur Theatre Company

Actors James Sanders & Bob Frazer soar above the floor for the whole duration of SKYDIVE. Photo: Tim Matheson.

Actors James Sanders & Bob Frazer soar above the floor for the whole duration of SKYDIVE. Photo: Tim Matheson.

Centaur Theatre Company presents
SKYDIVE
A Realwheels production
Written by Kevin Kerr
Directed by Roy Surette & Stephen Drover
Starring Bob Frazer & James Sanders
Aerial Choreography by Sven Johansson

NOVEMBER 11 – DECEMBER 7

Directed by Centaur Artistic Director Roy Surette and Stephen Drover, SKYDIVE was originally presented at the 2007 PuSh International Performing Arts Festival in Vancouver and was an instant success with critics and audiences alike. The show garnered five nominations for Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards (including Outstanding Production and Critics’ Choice for Innovation) of which it captured three: for sound design, direction and aerial choreography! SKYDIVE also received a nod from the Canadian Institute for Theatre Technology, taking home the 2007 Award of Technical Merit in recognition of the complex technical elements that are at the heart of the show. It is also considered to be an important contribution to disability arts: featuring a professionally trained quadriplegic actor (James Sanders) performing on par with his able-bodied counterpart (Bob Frazer), the play opens the door to normalizing disability both on-stage and off.

With breathtaking aerial choreography (both performers soaring above the floor for the entire length of the play), cinematic action sequences, and a cheeky soundtrack of ‘80s pop, SKYDIVE is a celebration of the power of imagination in the pursuit of the universal dream to fly. The story of the play unfolds in the 30 seconds of a skydiving free-fall. In the stretched out perception of time in a crisis, the story travels back in time to the events that led up to the jump. Morgan, a gregarious front man for an ‘80s cover band, decides to help his reclusive agoraphobic brother, Daniel, escape his spiraling descent into fear-bound paralysis by introducing his newly invented (and perhaps ill-conceived) therapy technique that involves jumping from an airplane in order to face one’s fears. But while coaching Daniel in the practice of “Lucid Dreaming” as a means of building his confidence for the jump, he unexpectedly opens a Pandora’s Box of childhood memories both comic and traumatic, which begins to reveal clues to their falling-out as adults, and perhaps the opportunity to finally close the widening gap between them.

Founded by James Sanders in 2003, Realwheels is a professional theatre company whose goal is to create and produce world-class art that deepens the audience’s understanding of the disability experience. During his third semester in theatre school in 1990, James Sanders became a quadriplegic from a spinal cord injury. After a year of rehabilitation he returned to school to complete his training. What was far more profound than the physical changes he needed to adapt to were the shifts in perceptions he experienced from his peers and instructors. For the first time in his life he was being told what he could or could not do before he even tried. He quickly learned that the attitudinal barriers he would experience as a person with a disability would be much more difficult to navigate than the physical barriers. He set out to change this. In 1998 James finished his studies and graduated as valedictorian from Simon Fraser University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts (Theatre). Following James’ vision, the company set out to normalize disability through innovative storytelling. In a little over four years since its inception, Realwheels has achieved a solid professional reputation as a successful creator and producer of theatre. (www.realwheels.ca)

SKYDIVE features aerial choreography by Sven Johansson (with ES Dance Instrument Operators: Jethelo E. Cabilete, Christopher Frary, Shane Snow, Lee Vincent), Set Design by Yvan Morissette, Lighting Design by Adrian Muir, Sound Design by Alessandro Juliani and Meg Roe and Costume Design by Keith A. Parent. It is stage managed by Angela Beaulieu with assistant Jethelo E. Cabilete. Technical Director is Jayson McLean and Touring Technical Director & Lighting Director is Cody Stadel.

For video preview go to: www.centaurtheatre.com/skydive

TICKETS:
514.288.3161 or
www.centaurtheatre.com

Previews: November 11 & 12
Opening: Thursday, November 13
Closing: December 7
Evenings: Tuesday to Saturday at 8pm*
*Except Thursday December 4 at 7pm
Sunday 7pm: November 23
Matinees: Saturdays - 2pm: November 15, 22, 29 & December 6
Sundays - 2pm: November 16, 30 & December7
Wednesday - 1pm: November 19

-30-

CENTAUR THEATRE COMPANY - 40th Anniversary Season

Centaur is a not for profit organization whose mission is to create, develop, produce, and present plays and other theatrical explorations from the local, national and international repertoire – the whole, instilled with a vibrancy and relevancy that relates directly to contemporary human experience. We are guided in our efforts by a philosophy of staying “in the moment”, always remaining current with world theatre innovation and presenting a dynamic mix of theatrical form and content drawn from the classical, modern and cutting edge range.

It is also our mission to foster the spirit of, and participate in, theatrical collaboration with the International, national and Quebec theatre community at large - with an emphasis on Montreal. We adhere to a mandate of presenting the plays of Montreal playwrights, in addition to other Canadian writers.

As well, it is our undertaking to implement and employ outreach initiatives and programs that will assist in the development of Montreal theatre artists and audiences.

Our goal is to maintain a clear community, national and international identity, and finally, our responsibility is to carry out all of the above through the conscientious management of our business affairs.

Centaur Theatre Company
453 St. François-Xavier
Montreal (Quebec) Canada
H2Y 2T1

Press Contact: Kika Armata, Director of Communications
(514) 288-1229 or kika@centaurtheatre.com

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