Back To Artword Productions 2002-2003

		Artword Theatre (main) September 18 to Oct 13, 2002 FILLER UP! A delicious and hilarious new play about loving food too much Written and performed by Deb Filler Wed- Sat 8 pm; matinees Sat & Sun 3 pm; and Sun 7 pm ARTWORD THEATRE 75 Portland St. (one block east of Bathurst, south of King) Box Office: 416-872-1212 or 1-800-461-3333 Also available on-line: www.ticketking.com Tickets $20 - $30 (Previews Sept 18-22 $20) (plus three more shows Oct 18 to 20, Fri and Sat at 8 pm and Sun at 3 pm)

For Immediate Release Contact: John Karastamatis 416-593-0351 ext. 519

Smouldering Masterpiece Theatre presents FILLER UP! a new comedy about love and food. The show previews September 18 to 22, officially opens on Tuesday, September 25 and runs to October 13, 2002 at Artword Theatre.
FILLER UP! is written and performed by Deb Filler, a comedienne who hails from New Zealand by way of New York. Deb has now made Toronto her home. Her last show, PUNCH ME IN THE STOMACH, was a smash hit around the world, touring festivals and major cities. It was also made into an award-winning film and broadcast on PBS and CBC.
Critics have raved about Deb’s comic and dramatic talents, calling her a cross between Tracey Ullman and Jackie Mason.
In her new show, Deb tells the story of a woman named Deb. Deb’s father was a talented baker who did not have the heart to throw out the day’s unsold baked goods. So he brought them home to his family. Deb and her mom looked forward to these scrumptious goodies, but the father was always complaining that the women in his life were gaining too much weight.
And so begins Deb’s struggle to reconcile her love of good food with her body image. The story touches upon many issues -- the relationship between parents and children, our love/hate affair with food, our striving to find our unique places in the world where we are loved for who we are.
Deb the performer tells this story beautifully. She plays 27 different characters. And throughout the course of the show she bakes a loaf of delicious challah bread -- which she shares with the audience at the end of the show.
FILLER UP! was developed in various workshop performances in New York, Washington, Boston, Baltimore and Wellington, New Zealand. The final product will be unveiled in August 2002 at the prestigious Edinburgh Festival. It then makes its way home to Toronto for its North American premiere.
FILLER UP! is directed by Molly Thom, whose THE BUSH-LADIES was a critical and popular success in two separate runs at the Tarragon Extra Space and Artword Theatre.
SEPT. 18 TO OCT. 13, 2002 Performances Wed- Sat 8 pm; matinees Sat & Sun 3 pm; and Sun 7 pm
ARTWORD THEATRE 75 Portland St. (one block east of Bathurst, south of King)
Box Office: 416-872-1212 or 1-800-461-3333 Also available on-line: www.ticketking.com Tickets $20 - $30 (Previews Sept 18-22 $20)
Official web site: www.fillerup.ca
"Extraordinary work." Village Voice
"A complete chameleon. Exhilarating and liberating." The Independent, London
"Filler taps into the same vein of self-deprecating attitude as the great comics. It’s the humour of survival and it’s never been more aptly applied." New York Newsday