Theatre Outré ready for a busy new season

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Theatré Outré has a year packed full of fun back in their home base of Did‘s Playhaus, downtown.

 

After two shortened seasons thanks to Covid -19 lockdowns, the local alternative theatre troupe, have adapted by doing everything from performing online and taking Impromptu’s improv nights into people’s backyards. And in between shut downs, there were able to have one personalized show for individual audience members in the space.

 

Castrati (Kathy Zaborsky) and Didi D’EDada  (Jay Whitehead) Are excited about Theatre Outré's new season. Photo by Richard Amery

 But now, they are excited to be back home, with proper health and safety precautions.

 

“Last year was difficult. We had a really short season. And that never would have been possible without our volunteers and our community,” said Theatre Outré general manager David Gabert, who excited to have two full length original  plays in  the Didi’s Playhaus Space and a Theatre for young Audiences production on Casa.

 

“We’re excited. It’s been a  difficult year. But this year, instead of the dances we’re going to feature weekly events  including improvisational shows , drag shows and cabarets,” he said.

 

 Due to the small size of the venue, they will be limiting  their audiences ti half capacity and offer the option of streaming the shows online for those still not comfortable being in public for in person performances.

Audiences will be asked to wear masks on premises and perform a wellness screen before entering.

 

 The first performance is  Theatré Outré co-artistic director  Jay Whitehed’s penned play “333” about three people  at the epicentre of the Toronto Bathouse Raids in 1981.The featured actors are Halifax’s  Gary Williams, a frequent collaborator with Theatré Outré and newcomers Edmonton’s Andres Moreno and Lethbridge’s John Tasker. Co Artistic director Kathy Zaborsky will be directing the show, which will run Sept. 28-Oct. 2, 2021.

 

“It’s a really powerful story,” Gabert said.

Zaborsky and Whitehead ’s reimagined A Christmas Carol featuring two prominent  drag members  Didi d’ Edada (Jay Whitehead) and  Castrati (Kathy Zaborsky) plus Erica Barr, Katie Fellger, Deonie Hudson and David Gabert.

 

“ A Very Didi Christmas Carol” will run in late November.

 Covid meant Theatre Outré had to cancel their 2019-2020 production of the Sissy Duckling, an adaptation of Harvey Fierstein’s children’s book about Elmer “a zany fellow that walks to the beat of his own drum and is about to teach his family and entire flock that being different is a-Ok.”

 

 But “A Sissy Duckling” lives at casa in March 2022 to accommodate schools.

 Nicola Elson adapted the book into a musical which she will be directing. It will feature local performers Rylan Kunkel, Erica Barr and Calgary’s Greg Wilson and Shannon Murphy.

 

 Barr will be busy this year with Theatre Outré she is also part of Drunk Improv, which returns to Didi’s Playhaus, Sept. 4 for its fourth season. Drunk Improv is a version of Whose Line is It Anyway mixed with a drinking game. The show features prominent Theatre Outré members Erica Barr and Jay Whitehead and David Gabert and special guests performing a variety of sketches and songs plus host Deonie Hudson.

 

Renown local drag community members Castrati and Didi d’Edada will also be hosting regular drag shows in Didi’s Playhaus.

 There will also be lip sync roulette, cabaret performances and Naked Monologues.

 

 Didi‘s Playhaus is a private club, but memberships will be available at the door. Some events are definitely adult themed so they are restricted to individuals 18 and up.

 

“And  our improvised soap opera Gommorrah will be back too. We do two of them a year, so this will be our tenth season. We’ve been everywhere— in space, on the Love boat, and in Downton Abbey. it‘s always a lot of fun,” Gabert said.

 

“We know  Covid has been tough on everyone, so admission to the weekly events are pay what you can,” Gabert said.

“ We’re really excited to be back in front of live audiences. You really miss something when the events are online. It will be really powerful to be in front of people again” Gabert continued adding tickets are limited and tickets must be purchased in advance through http://www.theatreoutre.ca/

The first Theatre Outré Show is Impromptu’s Drunk Improv, this Saturday, Sept. 4 


— By Richard Amery, L.A. beat Editor

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