We’re just thrilled that Eastern Front Theatre co-founder, Mary Vingoe, was awarded the Portia White Prize on October 24th, 2009. Mary has made an extraordinary contribution to theatre in HRM, Nova Scotia and Canada. We look forward to what is still to come!

“Eastern Front is always looking for meaningful community outreach opportunities that tie into the thematic content of our productions,” said Burke, “In Extinction Song, a seven-year-old boy takes the audience on a vivid journey into his imagination as he deals with a difficult home environment.  The incredible service provided by Kids Help Phone is a perfect match for this play.

There are a number of student matinees scheduled during the run of Extinction Song featuring a talk back session with Kids Help Phone representatives.  As well, David Zinck, Head of Fine Arts at Dartmouth High School is organizing a visual arts response to the play, encouraging his students to create and exhibit student artwork relating to the theme of alcoholism and its affects on youth.  The presentation of the play at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia is prompting us to encourage a visual arts response to the work.

 About Kids Help Phone  

 This year marks Kids Help Phone’s 20^th Anniversary. For the past two decades, Kids Help Phone has been at the forefront in providing help and hope through its phone and web counselling services, earning the respect and trust of kids across Canada. When young people feel like there’s nowhere to turn, when parents, schools and social services are unavailable, closed, backlogged or simply not accessible for any reason, Kids Help Phone is there. Young people know that when they reach out to Kids Help Phone, any time of the day or night, they’ll be connected with a professional counsellor who can provide immediate, kid-friendly insight, help and direction on a wide variety of concerns that are important to them.

 Last year, Kids Help Phone counsellors connected with kids in almost 3,000 Canadian communities more than 2.2 million times. In Atlantic Canada alone, Kids Help Phone helped kids in need from 435 communities, 345,671 times on the phone and online in 2008. By continuing to reach out to kids in meaningful and innovative ways, Kids Help Phone will remain a trusted part of kids’ lives for many years to come.

On September 30th, October 1 and 2, writer David Overton, composer Zachary Florence, and director/dramaturg Scott Burke met in Halifax to continue work on The Passion of Adèle H, first commissioned by Eastern Front Theatre in March of 2008.  This latest round of development follows up on the results of a two week workshop at the Charlottetown Festival in September of 2008.

The Background to a Magnificent Obsession

In 1863 Adèle Hugo, the youngest daughter of the great French poet and patriot Victor Hugo, ran away from her home on the Isle of Guernsey to follow a young English officer, a Lieutenant Pinson, to his new post in Halifax.

The young, inexperienced Adèle fell deeply in love with Pinson and most likely became his mistress for a short time on Guernsey.  She wanted desperately to marry him, though her father disapproved.  Although Pinson was probably not a bad sort, no worse than most, he wasn’t very serious.  The fact that his affection waned is a circumstance that Adèle was ill equipped to understand or accept.

Well known to the Halifax theatre community, David Overton has enjoyed a lengthy career as a playwright, director and educator.

Zachary Florence recently trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts in the Postgraduate Directors Course.  He is a past Associate Playwright at CanStage, and a brilliant composer.

The newest draft of The Passion of Adèle H will receive a development workshop in 2010.

God’s Middle Name has been named one of five finalists for  the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia Masterworks Award for the second year running.  The play was originally produced by In Good Company and features the work of many Eastern Front Theatre artists.  God’s Middle Name received its World Premiere at the 2006 SuperNova Theatre Festival.

Many thanks to all of In Good Company’s supporters, and Nominator, Claudia Buckley.

For more information visit www.nsmasterworks.ca

Read about it in the Chronicle Herald at

http://thechronicleherald.ca/ArtsLife/1144363.html

Photos:  Jennifer Overton & Réjean Cournoyer 

Photo Credit:  Denyse Karn

Our first show of the season, Ron Jenkin’s award winning Extinction Song premiered at Edmonton’s Citadel Theatre in March 2009.  The show won Edmonton Theatre Awards (Sterlings) for Outstanding New Play and Outstanding Production.

Here are a couple of photos of Ron Pederson portraying seven-year-old James in the Citadel Production:

To catch Ron in Extinction Song mark your calendar November 15 to 29.  November 15 is a special $10.00 preview – and you can book that online right here on this site.  Opening Night is Tuesday, November 17 at 8pm.

Photos:  Ron Pederson  Courtesy of Citadel Theatre

Photo Credit:  Epic Photograpy

Eastern Front Theatre announces 2009-2010 Season

Halifax, NS – Artistic Producer Scott Burke announced today Eastern Front Theatre’s Playbill for the company’s 17th Season and the return of the SuperNova Theatre Festival.

“Prepare to be moved… highlights the fact that Eastern Front is returning to its roots as an itinerant company that engages a variety of performance venues,” said Burke, “as well as our desire to transport our audience with productions that provoke laughter, engage the intellect, and stir the emotions.”

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We are delighted to launch our brand new website as we announce our new season.  We’ll post to the blog to let you know what’s going on here at Eastern Front Theatre and we look forward to reading your feedback.