Plutonium Playhouse
| Address |
Halifax Canada |
|---|---|
| Opened | 2010 |
The Plutonium Playhouse is a theatre company in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada that began as a non-profit society in 2010. Plutonium Playhouse Society initially mounted shows in a recording studio on Hunter Street in Halifax.
Plutonium is known for its development and encouragement of new work by Nova Scotia playwrights like Thom Fitzgerald, Lee-Anne Poole, Ryan Doucette, and Stewart Legere. A number of works originally presented by Plutonium Playhouse have gone on to tours and remounts across Canada, including Short Skirt Butch,[1] The Debacle, El Camino or the Field of Stars,[2] and Cloudburst, which was made into a popular movie starring Academy Award winners Olympia Dukakis and Brenda Fricker and Ryan Doucette,[3] and won over thirty film festival best picture awards.[4]
The company is also known for its popular program The Sex Festival, which presents plays, readings and events on the subjects of sex and sexuality.[5]
Artistic Directors
- Thom Fitzgerald (2010–present)
Production History
Plutonium Playhouse Society was involved in producing or presenting the following productions:
PRODUCTIONS
- 7 Deadly Sins by Thom Fitzgerald[6]
- The Asshole Monologues by Jane Kansas[7]
- Balls by Rob Salerno[8]
- The Barnacle's Tale by Thom Fitzgerald[9]
- Cloudburst by Thom Fitzgerald[10]
- The Debacle by Susan Leblanc[11]
- Down Dangerous Passes Road by Michel Marc Bouchard[12]
- El Camino or the Field of Stars by Stewart Legere[13]
- Fat Pig by Neil LaBute[14]
- Kinky Kitten Club by Lee-Anne Poole[15]
- Logan and I by Michael McPhee
- Ms. Right Now by Natasha MacLellan[16]
- The Obedients by Lee-Anne Poole[17]
- Pluto's Playthings by Thom Fitzgerald[18]
- Pourquoi pas? by Ryan Doucette
- A Rescue Demonstration by Stewart Legere and Katie Swift
- Short Skirt Butch by Lee-Anne Poole[19]
- Splinters by Lee-Anne Poole[20]
- Whale Riding Weather by Bryden MacDonald[21]
PUBLIC READINGS
- That's Happiness by Nate Crawford
- With Bated Breath by Bryden MacDonald[22]
- His Greatness by Daniel MacIvor[23]
Critical Response
Critical response to the works of Plutonium Playhouse Society has been generally positive. Ron Foley MacDonald called the original production of Cloudburst "a knockout" and the company "the most exciting thing to happen on the Halifax Theatre scene in a decade"[24] Kate Watson wrote of the Plutonium production of Fat Pig, "The performances in this production are outstanding... Fat Pig is funny, touching, sexy and thought-provoking."[25] while The Dalhousie Gazette proclaimed the show "pushed the audience’s comfort level."[26] Independent critic Amanda Campbell praised Plutonium Playhouse's production of Rob Salerno's Balls as "tender, insightful and intelligent"[27] and Plutonium's production of A Barnacle's Tale " literate, oddly insightful, strange, ridiculous, very unique and fun."[28]
Works in The Sex Festival have been particularly well received. Kate Watson of The Coast Weekly called The Asshole Monologues "hilarious and charming"[29] and named Plutonium's production of Whale Riding Weather one of the Ten Best productions of 2012.[30]
Awards and Nominations for Works produced or presented by Plutonium Playhouse
- Robert Merritt Awards Outstanding New Play by a Nova Scotia Playwright: Thom Fitzgerald, Cloudburst[31]
- Robert Merritt Awards Nomination Outstanding Actress in a Leading Role: Deb Allen, Cloudburst[32]
- Robert Merritt Awards Nomination Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role: Ryan Doucette, Cloudburst[33]
- Robert Merritt Awards Nomination Outstanding Set Design: Thom Fitzgerald, Cloudburst[34]
- Robert Merritt Awards Nomination Outstanding Production, Cloudburst[35]
- Robert Merritt Awards Nomination Outstanding New Play by a Nova Scotia Playwright: Lee-Anne Poole, Splinters[36]
- Robert Merritt Awards Nomination Outstanding Actor in a Leading Role: Michael McPhee, Fat Pig[37]
- Robert Merritt Awards Nomination Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role: Matthew Lumley, Fat Pig[38]
- Robert Merritt Awards Nomination Outstanding Actress in a Leading Role: Jessica Barry, Fat Pig[39]
- Robert Merritt Awards Nomination Outstanding Actor in a Leading Role: Hugh Thompson, Whale Riding Weather[40]
- Robert Merritt Awards Nomination Outstanding Actor in a Leading Role: Hugo Dann, Whale Riding Weather[41]
- Robert Merritt Awards Nomination Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role: Ryan Doucette, Whale Riding Weather[42]
- Robert Merritt Awards Nomination Outstanding Original Composition or Score: Jason Michael MacIsaac & Stewart Legere, Pluto's Playthings
- Robert Merritt Awards Nomination Outstanding Sound: Christopher Francis Mitchell, Pluto's Playthings
- Nova Scotia Masterworks Award Nomination: Susan Leblanc, The Debacle[43]
- 24th Atlantic Fringe Festival Best Male Performance Award: Hugo Dann, Whale Riding Weather[44]
- 24th Atlantic Fringe Festival Fringe Hit! Award, Whale Riding Weather[45]
References
- ↑ Fagan, Noreen. "WHAT'S UNDER THE SHORT SKIRT? A CHAT WITH LEE-ANNE POOLE, PLAYWRIGHT". typeQ: News beyond the margins. Dorothy's Closet. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ Lyons, Michael (21 May 2013). "THE QUEERIST: EL CAMINO OR THE FIELD OF STARS". Torontoisawesome.com. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ King, Greg. "Cloudburst". Greg King's Film Reviews. filmreviews.net.au. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ "Cloudburst Fundraising Screenings". Australian Marriage Equality. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ "TheSexFestival 2010". gayhalifax website. gay.hfxns.org. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ Barnard, Elissa (4 September 2012). "7 Deadly Sins". The Chronicle Herald. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ Watson, Kate (2 December 2010). "The Asshole Monologues gets a hole in one". The Coast Weekly. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ Nemetz, Andrea (7 September 2012). "FRINGE FEST: Balls tells cancer story best when it gets serious". The Chronicle Herald. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
- ↑ "The Barnacle's Tale". The Coast Weekly. 2 Sep 2011. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ Watson, Kate (8 April 2012). "Cloudburst". The Coast Weekly. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ Campbell, Amanda. "The Debacle is Anything But". The Way I See It Theatre Blog. The Way I See It Theatre Blog. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ Watson, Kate (9 March 2012). "Down Dangerous Passes Road". The Coast Weekly. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ "Queer Acts announces new productions and additional festival venue". Halifax News Net. 21 June 2011. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ Watson, Kate (18 November 2010). "Fat Pig at Plutonium Playhouse". The Coast Weekly. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ "Theatre Listings Kink Kitten Club". The Coast Weekly. 21 February 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ "MS. RIGHT NOW". Arts East. 7 March 2012. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
- ↑ Watson, Kate (28 November 2010). "The Obedients at The Sex Festival". The Coast Weekly. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ Nemetz, Andrea (12 February 2012). "Lurid, lewd 1930s era inspires Pluto’s Playthings at Sex Fest". The Chronicle Herald. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ Campbell, Amanda. "Short Skirt Butch: It’s Catching On". The Way I See It Theatre Blog. The Way I See It Theatre Blog. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ Fraiman, Michael (7 July 2010). "Lee-Anne Poole Splinters off". The Coast Weekly. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ Nemetz, Andrea (5 February 2012). "Sex Festival provides, yet transcends, titillation February 5, 2012". The Chronicle Herald. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ "A Reading of With Bated Breath". The Coast Weekly. 27 January 2011. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ Watson, Kate (23 January 2011). "His Greatness wows at winter reading series". The Coast Weekly. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ MacDonald, Ron Foley. "Cloudburst: A Knockout". infomonkey. Sutcliffe Media Inc. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ Watson, Kate (18 November 2010). "Fat Pig at Plutonium Playhouse". The Coast Weekly. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ Whittens, Julia (26 November 2010). "Stage Review: Fat Pig". The Dalhousie Gazette. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ Campbell, Amanda. "Balls". The Way I See It Theatre Blog. The Way I See It Theatre Blog. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ Campbell, Amanda. "The Barnacle’s Tale". The Way I See It Theatre Blog. The Way I See It Theatre Blog. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ Watson, Kate (2 December 2010). "The Asshole Monologues gets a hole in one". The Coast Weekly. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ Watson, Kate (27 December 2012). "Top 12 Plays of 2012". The Coast Weekly. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ "Theatre Nova Scotia official website". Theatre Nova Scotia. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ "Theatre Nova Scotia official website". Theatre Nova Scotia. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ "Theatre Nova Scotia official website". Theatre Nova Scotia. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ "Theatre Nova Scotia official website". Theatre Nova Scotia. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ "Theatre Nova Scotia official website". Theatre Nova Scotia. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ "Theatre Nova Scotia official website". Theatre Nova Scotia. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ "Theatre Nova Scotia official website". Theatre Nova Scotia. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ "Theatre Nova Scotia official website". Theatre Nova Scotia. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ "Theatre Nova Scotia official website". Theatre Nova Scotia. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ "Theatre Nova Scotia official website". Theatre Nova Scotia. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ "Theatre Nova Scotia official website". Theatre Nova Scotia. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ "Theatre Nova Scotia official website". Theatre Nova Scotia. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ "Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia Masterworks Arts Awards official website". Nova Scotia Masterworks Awards Foundation. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ Barnard, Elissa (8 September 2014). "Tribe of One top hit at 2014 Atlantic Fringe Festival". The Chronicle Herald (The Chronicle Herald). Retrieved 11 September 2014.
- ↑ Watson, Kate. "Fringe Binge 2014: Day 11". The Coast Weekly. The Coast Publishing. Retrieved 11 September 2014.