|
Event
THE PICTURE OF HAPPINESS: BRAD HAMPTON AND PATTI LOACH: Saturday November 24th, 2012
Brad Hampton and pianist Patti Loach lovingly and hilariously depict a colourful cast of characters using storytelling and songs from the worlds of contemporary cabaret and musical theatre.
Created by Hampton and Loach, The Picture of Happiness sold out at its August 2011 premiere in Rebecca Northan's popular Le Salon Secret series, and again at its October 19th, and 20th, 2012 shows at Gallery Fontana Swing.
The Picture of Happiness tells the true story of the discovery of an old photograph that Brad finds in his grandmother's basement when he is just twenty-three years old. Hidden away for decades, the photo, taken just before WWII, is of two soldiers sitting together on a picnic blanket. Smiling, with their arms around each other, the two young men are "the picture of happiness".
Brad knows that one of the men in the photograph is his grandfather, Bill. When he asks his mother who the other man is, she says, "We don't talk about it. We never talk about it."
Silenced, Brad realizes that he's uncovered not just an old photograph but a family secret. For fifteen years, he holds his curiosity in check until one day, while chatting on the phone with his mum, Brad asks her about the picture.
Their initial conversation, and the ones that follow, reveal the story behind the photograph and form the basis of this show. Over the course of a funny, moving and intimate hour, Brad makes the connection between his life today and the life his grandfather lived in 1943.
Music by Rodgers and Hammerstein, Michel Legrand, Jason Robert Brown, David Friedman, Maury Yeston, Mercer and Mancini, John Bucchino, Amanda McBroom, Gerald Sternbach, Christine Lavin, and Alan and Marilyn Bergman.
THE PEOPLE AND THE PLACE
ACTOR-SINGER BRAD HAMPTON is instantly recognizable to anyone who watched the 2012 Olympics as "that guy in the airport" in RBC's Avion commercials. He has been working as an actor for over twenty years, starting in Calgary, Alberta where he met his friend, director Rae Ellen Bodie. Brad's favourite theatre credits include emceeing The Spiegel Show at Toronto's Harbourfront Centre as well as singing "girls' songs" in A Shameless Cabaret in Toronto, Montreal and New York City. www.bradhampton.ca
PIANIST PATTI LOACH has a passion for musical theatre,
jazz and classical music, and her energy and skill at the
piano make a thrilling complement to a number of singers' shows (Jean Stilwell and Patricia Zentilli, etc.) This is a pianist who is "present" not only at the keyboard but as an integral part in the telling of their stories. She has three sons whom she adores, and lives happily in the Beach with her husband, John. www.pattiloach.com
DIRECTOR RAE ELLEN BODIE is a voice/acting/ performance coach, actor, and theatre director with over twenty years of professional experience. She was recently nominated for the prestigious John Hirsch Director's Award, and directed the Dora Award nominated "Offensive Fouls" for Hustle n' Bustle Theatre Company. She is an on-set coach for film and TV, presently coaching Jay Ryan in the CBS re-boot of "Beauty and the Beast", and has been the Voice Mentor for the Canadian Film Centre's acclaimed Acting Conservatory since it first began five years ago. www.raeellenbodie.com.
GALLERY FONTANA SWING is an exhibition and performance space located in the heart of Leslieville's Studio District. It has been the site of book launches, art shows, lectures, musical salons, theatrical events and CBC recordings. An intimate space with seating for approximately forty people, the gallery boasts a beautiful grand piano, walls that are lined with paintings, and functions as the studio of artist-musician-writer Fontana Swing. www.fontanaswing.ca
THE PICTURE OF HAPPINESS
Saturday November 24th, 2012
Doors open at 7:30, show at 8:00
Gallery Fontana Swing, The Wrigley Lofts
245 Carlaw Avenue at Dundas East, #102B
Tickets $35/$30 seniors
Media Contact: info@thepictureofhappiness.com
|
|
 |
LocationGallery Fontana Swing - The Wrigley Lofts
245 Carlaw Ave., Unit 102B - Buzz 337
toronto, ON M4M 2S1
Canada
Categories
| Minimum Age: 10 |
| Kid Friendly: Yes! |
| Dog Friendly: No |
| Non-Smoking: Yes! |
| Wheelchair Accessible: No |
|
Contact
|
