Artword Theatre, “You Are What You Do”: Oct. 16-19, 23-26
You Are What You Do, opening Friday, October 17, launches the Artword @ The Pearl theatre season. Artword Theatre’s first production in its new home at The Pearl Company, You Are What You Do is an original musical play based on true stories of the lives of working men and women. Written and directed by Artword’s Artistic Director Ronald Weihs, You Are What You Do is a high-spirited ensemble production, with a cast of six plus two musicians, that uses songs, mime and inventive staging to celebrate the energy and imagination of real people.
The production previews Thursday October 16, opens Friday October 17 and runs to Sunday October 26, with shows Thursday to Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2:00 pm, at The Pearl, 16 Steven Street, Hamilton. To reserve, call 905-524-0606. Tickets $15, seniors and students $10, Thursdays are pay-what-you-can, Sunday matinees all tickets are $10. Running time is about 90 minutes.
For tickets, phone the Artword box office number: 905-548-0341 and leave a message. Someone will get back to you shortly. Or call The Pearl Company, 905-524-0606. www.artword.net www.thepearlcompany.ca.
Back in 1994, You Are What You Do was Artword Theatre’s first production in its first home on Portland Street in Toronto. After 12 years of intense activity in Toronto, Artword has moved to Hamilton and teamed up with The Pearl Company. Artword’s co-founders, Ronald Weihs and Judith Sandiford, chose You Are What You Do as a fitting way to inaugurate their new home in Hamilton.
“This is the kind of theatre we like to do. We use an ensemble approach in which the actors and musicians together interpret the life of the people around them. We believe in a theatre that is full of fun and theatricality, while it deals with things that matter.” says director Ronald Weihs.
You Are What You do is the first of four productions planned for the 2008-2009 season. The second is Rascals and Numskulls, a family musical telling the story of Hamilton’s first settler, Robert Land, scheduled for late November. In March 2009, Charly Chiarelli is presenting Sunamabeach, the latest in the continuing saga of a Sicilian in Hamilton, begun with Cu’Fu? and Mangiacake. Like the two earlier plays, which originated at Artword Theatre in Toronto, Sunamabeach will be directed by Ronald Weihs. Tobacco Troubadour, a new play based on the songs and stories of J.P. Riemens (of J.P.Riemens and The Barflies), about growing up in Ontario’s tobacco country, is scheduled for April 2009.
Artword Theatre was created by playwright/director Ronald Weihs and painter/designer Judith Sandiford in 1993 as a haven for independent artistic activity. In 1999, Artword moved from 81 Portland Street next door to 75 Portland Street, converting a clothing factory into a handsome arts complex, with two theatre spaces and an art gallery. This second Artword flourished for seven years. In addition to housing Artword’s own productions, Artword provided a home for independent theatre companies, dancers, musicians and visual artists.
