Canada Travel News - Toronto Harbourfront New World Stage Inernational Performances

Toronto, December 5, 2006—Harbourfront Centre is pleased to announce our inspired lineup for the inaugural New World Stage International Performance series, running January 24 through June 10, 2007. This dynamic, world-class, signature programme presents a new, contemporary format featuring 17 productions, encompassing multiple performance disciplines including theatre, dance, music, cabaret and more. (A brief description of series productions follows this release.)

Harbourfront Centre’s Director of Performing Arts and New World Stage Artistic Director, Tina Rasmussen, delivers a thoughtful programme intended to animate Toronto and Harbourfront Centre this winter and spring, by presenting daring productions, innovative artists and companies, representing Australia, Belgium, Brazil, China, England, France, Halifax, Norway, Poland, Toronto, the U.S. and Vancouver. Performances take place at Harbourfront Centre’s intimate facilities: the Premiere Dance Theatre, the Studio Theatre, the Brigantine Room and the newly named Enwave Theatre, providing up close and personal exchanges with exciting international artists. In addition, two performances take place in site-specific, downtown Toronto found spaces, one in which a bus delivers ticket-holders to the designated performance site.

Ms Rasmussen says, “As we build on the heralded foundations of two Harbourfront Centre signature programmes, the popular biennial World Stage theatre festival and the lauded International Dance season, New World Stage brings together the best in international contemporary performance from all disciplines. The series offers a culturally curious public performances running over a six-month period rather than in a festival model to encourage a commitment to multiple works over a manageable period of time. Offering audiences diverse works of scale, culturally relevant, significant, unique, innovative and imaginative, have been the underlying principles in programming this now annual series.” Ms Rasmussen adds, “This programme allows you to sample the classics transformed, new trends in performing arts, emerging genres and artistic vocabularies, not to mention locally engaged and informed work, as Harbourfront Centre continues to bring the world right to your doorstep with this accessible and affordable line up.”

New World Stage performances begin January 24 with Mabou Mines DollHouse, a not-to-be-missed transformation of Ibsen’s classic, A Doll’s House in which gender inequities are underlined by a cast of little men performing opposite intentionally tall women.

Other highlights include unveilings of three Harbourfront Centre Fresh Ground commissions, and world renowned director Peter Brook’s triumphant return to Toronto.

This edition of New World Stage converges with Luminato, Toronto’s Festival of Arts and Creativity, June 1-10 with a number of leading edge international performances including Risk Everything (TR Warszawa), Back Home (Urban Theatre Projects) and Shen Wei Dance Arts(China/USA). As a finale for New World Stage and the welcoming social hub for Luminato, the Spiegel Show takes over the Spiegeltent’ntavern.

Luminato, Toronto’s inaugural multidisciplinary arts festival, connects the creative spirit to every corner of the city for 10 inspiring days with more than 90 events in venues and locations citywide. Watch for exciting details and updates in the New Year.

This series offers flexible ticket package opportunities, with a number of imaginative Harbourfront Centre suggested combinations to guide patrons in making tailor made experiences including Backyard Adventures, Foreign Perspectives, Made in Canada, Living on the Edge and, Intimate Encounters.

Harbourfront Centre patrons can now redeem New World Stage Passports, a unique gift certificate/credit offer, in order to facilitate their tailor-your-own-experiences. Packages go on sale December 19, single tickets on sale January 2, 2007. Package offers include 10, 15 and 30 percent discounts with assigned, value-added benefits per package. For tickets and information call 416-973-4000 or online www.harbourfrontcentre.com/nws .