MEDIA RELEASE 31/15 Antoni Cimolino’s star-studded production of The Alchemist begins previews July 31, 2015… Featuring a powerhouse cast led by Jonathan Goad, Stephen Ouimette and Scott Wentworth, Artistic Director Antoni Cimolino’s hilarious production of Ben Jonson’s The Alchemist begins previews Saturday, August 1, at the Tom Patterson Theatre. Written by one of Shakespeare’s greatest contemporaries, this is the story of three con artists – Face, Subtle and Dol Common – who set up shop in the house of Face’s temporarily absent master, Lovewit. With Subtle posing as a doctor learned in alchemy – the phony “science” of synthesizing the Philosopher’s Stone, a substance that supposedly could turn base metals into gold – the trio attract an ever-growing stream of dupes driven by greed, vanity and lust. But it’s not long before events start to spin comically out of their control. With Mr. Goad as Face, Mr. Ouimette as Subtle and Mr. Wentworth as Epicure Mammon, the production also features Wayne Best as Surly, David Collins as Lovewit, Randy Hughson as Tribulation, Steve Ross as Drugger, Brigit Wilson as Dol Common and Antoine Yared as Dapper. “The Alchemist is one of the world’s greatest comedies,” says Mr. Cimolino. “It always seems relevant to our modern world, perhaps because it explores greed, corruption and dishonesty – old-fashioned values that endure. It has been a great pleasure working with the Festival company on the language of Ben Jonson, the most accomplished of Shakespeare’s contemporaries. His rhythms and sensibilities are very different from, and yet very complementary to, those of Shakespeare. After our recent and exciting adventure of Bartholomew Fair, it’s been thrilling to explore further into Ben Jonson’s world.” Mr. Cimolino has had great prior success with Jonson’s work, bringing a deft hand to the North American première of Bartholomew Fair in 2009, one of that season’s hottest tickets. The Alchemist has already been extended three times, as demand for tickets continues to outstrip supply. Artistic credits for The Alchemist include Designer Carolyn M. Smith, Lighting Designer Steven Hawkins, Sound Designer Thomas Ryder Payne and Fight Director John Stead. Corporate sponsor for the 2015 season of the Tom Patterson Theatre is BMO Financial Group. Production support is generously provided by Sylvia D. Chrominska, Dr. Dennis & Dorothea Hacker, Diana Tremain and Barbara & Chip Vallis. Support for the 2015 season of the Tom Patterson Theatre is generously provided by Richard Rooney & Laura Dinner. The production is dedicated to the memory of former company member Edward Atienza. The Alchemist Forum Highlights The Stratford Festival Forum is a series of activities and events, including fascinating talks, interactive presentations, concerts, comedy shows and performances, that offer theatregoers a unique opportunity to delve further into the ideas and issues raised by the 2015 playbill and its theme of Discovery: That Eureka Moment. Themes related to The Alchemist will be explored through several Forum events, including: ñ Table Talk: The Alchemist Thursday, August 6, 5:30 to 7:15 p.m. Buffet dinner followed by a talk on The Alchemist by Ted McGee. ñ The Brilliance of Ben Wednesday, September 9, 10:45 a.m. to noon Studio Theatre Get inside Ben Jonson’s singular satire with writer and scholar Alexander Leggatt and artists from The Alchemist. ñ Greed and Gullibility in Jonson’s World Wednesday, September 16, 10:45 a.m. to noon Studio Theatre Robert Cushman explores the recurring themes of social corruption, cheats and gulls in the work of Ben Jonson with readings by members of the company. Sustaining support for the Forum is generously provided by Kelly & Michael Meighen and the T.R. Meighen Family Foundation. Support for the 2015 season of the Forum is provided in memory of Dr. W. Philip Hayman. Stratford Direct, the daily return private bus service, now offers two routes: Toronto to Stratford and Detroit to Stratford. The Toronto bus costs $20 round trip, departing twice daily from May 4 to September 19. The Detroit bus costs $40 round trip, departing once daily from May 26 to September 19. Both routes are available on performance days with some exceptions. Stratford Direct is generously sponsored by the Peter Cundill Foundation. The 2015 season, which runs until November 1, features Hamlet, The Sound of Music, Carousel, The Diary of Anne Frank, The Taming of the Shrew, She Stoops to Conquer, The Physicists, The Alchemist, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Oedipus Rex, Possible Worlds, The Last Wife and The Adventures of Pericles. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit stratfordfestival.ca or call 1.800.567.1600. Cast (in alphabetical order) Understudy……………………………….. Graham Abbey Ensemble………………………………….. Marion Adler Ensemble………………………………….. Sean Arbuckle Surly………………………………………. Wayne Best Lovewit…………………………………… David Collins Ensemble………………………………….. Victor Ertmanis Face……………………………………….. Jonathan Goad Dame Pliant……………………………….. Jessica B. Hill Tribulation………………………………… Randy Hughson Ensemble………………………………….. Claire Lautier Kastril……………………………………... Jamie Mac Subtle……………………………………… Stephen Ouimette Drugger…………………………………… Steve Ross Ensemble………………………………….. Stephen Russell Ensemble………………………………….. E.B. Smith Ensemble………………………………….. Jane Spidell Epicure Mammon…………………………. Scott Wentworth Ananias……………………………………. Rylan Wilkie Dol Common……………………………… Brigit Wilson Dapper…………………………………….. Antoine Yared Artistic Credits Director……………………………………. Antoni Cimolino Designer…………………………………… Carolyn M. Smith Lighting Designer…………………………. Steven Hawkins Sound Designer…………………………… Thomas Ryder Payne Fight Director……………………………... John Stead Producer…………………………………… David Auster Casting Director…………………………… Beth Russell Creative Planning Director………………... Jason Miller Assistant Director…………………………. Graham Abbey Assistant Designer………………………… Alison Marshall Assistant Lighting Designer………………. Jareth Li Associate Fight Director…………………... Geoff Scovell Fight Captain……………………………… Wayne Best Stage Manager…………………………….. Julie Miles Assistant Stage Managers…………………. Bruno Gonsalves, Crystal Skinner Production Assistant………………………. Gregory McLaughlin Production Stage Managers……………….. Michael Hart, Janine Ralph Technical Director………………………… Sean Hirtle -30- PHOTOGRAPHY Production photos of The Alchemist: http://www.stratfordfestival.ca/imagegallery/imagegallery.aspx?id=29213 Headshots: http://www.stratfordfestival.ca/imagegallery/imagegallery.aspx?id=14315 .