Media Releases from Shaw Festival Theatre, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada » 2010 Media Releases

Shaw Theatre School for Young People Who Love Theatre

Shaw Festival Public Relations — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 19:14:34 +0000

Ten week theatre program for young thespians to start on October 2 at one of North America’s most celebrated repertory theatres

Media Release #23

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, September 8, 2010. . .Budding actors in grades 3 to 12 can discover the exciting world of theatre through the Shaw Festival’s ten-week theatre program for young people beginning Saturday, October 2, 2010.

Conducted by members of the Shaw Festival’s ensemble, this engaging and interactive program is designed to complement the student’s already existing classroom experience, while encouraging the discovery of new theatrical skills, exploration of inner creativity and development of self-confidence.

Classes will be held every Saturday at the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake beginning October 2 until December 11. Class level, times and pricing (pre-taxed) are as follows:

Junior Company I (Grades 3 – 4): 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., $195.00
Junior Company II (Grades 5 – 6): 10 a.m. – 11:30am, $195.00
Intermediate Company (Grades 7 – 8): 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., $195.00
Senior Company (Grades 9 – 10): 1 p.m. – 3 p.m., $236.00
Musical Theatre (Grades 11-12): 1 p.m. – 3 p.m., $236.00.

For more information, please visit www.shawfest.com/theatreschool or contact Suzanne Merriam at 1-800-657-1106 (local 905-468-2153) x 2265. To register, please call the Box Office at 1-800-511-7429 (local 905-468-2172).

The Shaw Theatre School for Young People is part of the Slaight Family Academy.

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In the spirit of Bernard Shaw, the Shaw Festival provokes the mind and stirs the soul through a theatre experience so compelling that, year after year, ever-broadening groups of artists, audiences and supporters are drawn to our work in Niagara-on-the-Lake and beyond.

Please visit our website at http://www.shawfest.com/news for other Shaw Festival media releases. For more information, members of the media may contact:

Odette Yazbeck
Public Relations Director
(905) 468-2153 or 1-800-657-1106 ext. 2222
odette@shawfest.com

Jenniffer Anand
Public Relations Coordinator
(905) 468-2153 or 1-800-657-1106 ext. 2224
janand@shawfest.com

The Shaw Festival establishes Gabriel Pascal Memorial Fund

Shaw Festival Public Relations — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 19:49:03 +0000

One of those extraordinary men who turn up occasionally – say once in a century – and may be called godsends in the arts to which they are devoted. ~ Bernard Shaw

Media Release #22

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, August 16, 2010….The Shaw Festival is thrilled to announce the establishment of the Gabriel Pascal Memorial Fund in honour of the man Bernard Shaw regarded as a “genius”. The renowned director, producer and friend of Bernard Shaw, was honoured at the Shaw Festival on Saturday, August 14 with the unveiling of a memorial plaque in the Festival Theatre lobby and the establishment of a memorial fund in his name. Members of the Shaw Festival community and friends of Mrs. Valerie Pascal Delacorte, wife of the late Pascal, were in attendance. Mrs. Delacorte took part in the ceremony, via Skype, from the Norton Museum in West Palm Beach.

Gabriel Pascal was the only person to single-handedly convince Bernard Shaw to give him the film rights to his plays, which include Major Barbara, Caesar and Cleopatra, Androcles and the Lion, The Devil’s Disciple and Pygmalion. Shortly before his death in 1954 at the age of 60, Mr. Pascal retained an option for the musical My Fair Lady. Within two years after his death, My Fair Lady opened on Broadway and the Pascal Estate, worth nothing at the time of Mr. Pascal’s death, grew to an estimated $2 million when the movie rights for My Fair Lady were optioned. Mrs. Valerie Pascal Delacorte received a portion of his royalties. She has generously decided to irreversibly bequeath the rights she currently holds on My Fair Lady and the motion picture adaptations of The Devil’s Disciple, Major Barbara and Pygmalion to the Shaw Festival upon her death.

This gracious gift will be known as the Gabriel Pascal Memorial Fund.

In addition to this wonderful legacy, Mrs. Delacorte has also conferred on The Shaw the publication rights to her book, The Disciple and His Devil, which chronicles the life of Mr. Pascal and his relationship with the Festival’s namesake. She is a member of The Shaw’s Producers Circle, which includes some of The Shaw’s most generous patrons.

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Please visit our website at www.shawfest.com/news for other Shaw Festival media releases. For more information, or to download images from our image bank to accompany this release,
members of the media may contact:

Odette Yazbeck
Public Relations Director
(905) 468-2153 or 1-800-657-1106 ext. 2222
odette@shawfest.com

Jenniffer Anand
Public Relations Coordinator
(905) 468-2153 or 1-800-657-1106 ext. 2224
janand@shawfest.com

August openings feature Age of Arousal and Serious Money

Shaw Festival Public Relations — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 18:59:20 +0000

Media Release #21

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, August 13, 2010….The final two productions of The Shaw’s 2010 season — Age of Arousal, Canadian playwright Linda Griffiths’ rousing theatrical play set in a surrealistic Victorian England, and Serious Money, contemporary Shavian playwright Caryl Churchill’s prescient look at corporate greed and financial excess open tonight and Saturday evening, respectively.

Age of Arousal
by Linda Griffiths
directed by Jackie Maxwell
Opens – August 13 Closes – October 10
Court House Theatre
Sponsored by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Ex-suffragette Mary Barfoot, proprietor of a secretarial school, leads women to their emancipation through the typewriter. When her lover and business partner Rhoda Nunn enrols the three spinster Madden sisters, coupled with the arrival of Mary’s cousin Everard, unexpected passions and secret desires are unleashed as each learn what being a New Woman truly means.

Serious Money
by Caryl Churchill
directed by Eda Holmes
Opens – August 14 Closes – September 12
Studio Theatre
Sponsored by Paradigm Capital Inc.

Rhyming verses, songs, flashbacks and the colourful language of “serious money-speak” bring the London Stock Market of the 1980’s to life. The intertwining dramatic narratives of commercial paper dealer Jake Todd’s supposed murder and corporate raider Billy Corman’s attempted corporate take-over exposes the complexity and unscrupulousness of insider trading. Convinced her brother was murdered, Scilla Todd, takes it upon herself to find, not only her brother’s killer, but also how he was making “serious money”.

The Shaw Festival 2010 season runs until November 14 and also features An Ideal Husband, Harvey, The Women, The Cherry Orchard, One Touch of Venus, The Doctor’s Dilemma, John Bull’s Other Island and Half an Hour.

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Odette Yazbeck
Public Relations Director
(905) 468-2153 or 1-800-657-1106 ext. 2222
odette@shawfest.com

Jenniffer Anand
Public Relations Coordinator
(905) 468-2153 or 1-800-657-1106 ext. 2224
janand@shawfest.com

Caryl Churchill’s Serious Money currently in previews at the Shaw Festival

Shaw Festival Public Relations — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 14:36:58 +0000

“Greed is all right. Greed is healthy. You can be greedy and still feel good about yourself.”

Media Release #20

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, August 9, 2010…. Serious Money, contemporary Shavian playwright Caryl Churchill’s prescient look at corporate greed and financial excess, à la the 1980’s, is currently in previews at the Shaw Festival’s Studio Theatre. Eda Holmes directs this amazingly timely satirical ride through a world of financial empire building, where sacrificing kith and kin is the norm and making a profit is the only reason for existing.

Rhyming verses, songs, flashbacks and the colourful language of “serious money-speak” bring the London Stock Market of the 1980’s to life. The intertwining dramatic narratives of commercial paper dealer Jake Todd’s (Ken James Stewart) murder and corporate raider Billy Corman’s (Graeme Somerville) attempt to take over Albion Products exposes the complexity and unscrupulousness of insider trading. Convinced her brother was murdered, Scilla Todd (Marla McLean), takes it upon herself to find, not only her brother’s killer, but also how he was making “serious money”.

Serious Money also features Ali Momen as the banker “Zac” Zackerman, with Anthony Bekenn, Kyle Blair, Lisa Codrington, Nicolá Correia-Damude, Julia Course, Ijeoma Emesowum, Lorne Kennedy, Billy Lake, Colin Lepage, Ben Sanders, David Schurmann, Steven Sutcliffe, Helen Taylor and Kelly Wong.

Serious Money is designed by Peter Hartwell, with lighting design by Kevin Lamotte and musical direction and sound design by Reza Jacobs. Stage manager for Serious Money is Allan Teichman.

Considered one of today’s most eminent and provocative playwrights, Caryl Churchill has explored issues of modern life often in unconventional ways. Like Bernard Shaw before her, Churchill’s commitment to questioning the status quo is continually present in all her plays.

First staged at the Royal Court in 1987, Serious Money was directed by Max Stafford-Clark and starred Gary Oldman. Churchill wrote the play after visiting LIFFE, the London Stock Exchange and Metal Exchange and spent weeks immersed in the Financial Times. It won both the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play and the Obie for Best New American play.

Serious Money began preview performances on Saturday, July 31, opens Saturday, August 14 and plays in repertory until Sunday, September 12.

Serious Money is sponsored by Paradigm Capital Inc.

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Odette Yazbeck
Public Relations Director
(905) 468-2153 or 1-800-657-1106 ext. 2222
odette@shawfest.com

Jenniffer Anand
Public Relations Coordinator
(905) 468-2153 or 1-800-657-1106 ext. 2224
janand@shawfest.com

Linda Griffiths’s Age of Arousal begins previews at the Shaw Festival

Shaw Festival Public Relations — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 18:00:01 +0000

Type, damn you. Type! It’s the way to liberty!

Media Release #19

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, July 23, 2010…. Linda Griffiths’s Age of Arousal begins previews today at the Court House Theatre. Wildly inspired by George Gissing’s novel The Odd Women, artistic director Jackie Maxwell directs this rousing theatrical production set in a surrealistic Victorian England.

It’s 1885, a time of immense passion and confusion, and London faces a population imbalance that leaves it with half a million more women than men. Mary Barfoot (Donna Belleville), an ex-suffragette and proprietor of a secretarial school, leads women to their emancipation through the typewriter. When her lover and business partner Rhoda Nunn (Jenny Young) enrols the three spinster Madden sisters, unexpected passions and secret desires are unleashed as they each learn what being a New Woman can truly mean.

Also featured are Zarrin Darnell-Martin, Sharry Flett, Kelli Fox and Gray Powell.

Age of Arousal is designed by Sue LePage, with lighting design by Alan Brodie, original music and sound design by John Gzowski and movement by Valerie Moore. The stage management team includes Stage Manager Diane Konkin and Assistant Stage Manager Eamonn Reil.

Considered “one of Canada’s originals”, playwright and actor Linda Griffiths has tackled a range of subjects and roles including both Margaret and Pierre Trudeau in her play Maggie & Pierre, poet Gwendolyn MacEwan in Alien Creature and Wallis Simpson in The Duchess.

Age of Arousal begins preview performances Friday, July 23, opens Friday, August 13 and plays in repertory until Sunday, October 10.

Age of Arousal is sponsored by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

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In the spirit of George Bernard Shaw, the Shaw Festival provokes the mind and stirs the soul through a theatre experience so compelling that, year after year, ever-broadening groups of artists, audiences and supporters are drawn to our work in Niagara-on-the-Lake and beyond.

Please visit our website at www.shawfest.com/news for other Shaw Festival media releases. For more information, or to download images from our image bank to accompany this release, members of the media may contact:

Odette Yazbeck
Public Relations Director
(905) 468-2153 or 1-800-657-1106 ext. 2222
odette@shawfest.com

Jenniffer Anand
Public Relations Coordinator
(905) 468-2153 or 1-800-657-1106 ext. 2224
janand@shawfest.com

Shaw Festival extends run of Harvey

Shaw Festival Public Relations — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 17:15:21 +0000

Media Release #18

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, July 21, 2010…Elwood Dowd and his best friend Harvey will continue to delight and charm audiences for an additional 14 performances at the Royal George Theatre. A hit with audiences and critics alike, the Mary Chase Pulitzer Prize-winning play will continue to run until November 14.

Upon making the announcement, Artistic Director Jackie Maxwell noted: “this wonderful gem has been performing to sold-out audiences since previews began in April; we’re thrilled to offer this extension so even more theatre-lovers can enjoy it.”

Directed by Joseph Ziegler, Harvey features Peter Krantz as Elwood Dowd, the mild-mannered eccentric who seems to know everyone in town; Mary Haney as his sister Veta Simmons, Norman Browning as Dr Chumley, as well as Guy Bannerman, Diana Donnelly, Zarrin Darnell-Martin and Gray Powell, with Donna Belleville, Jennifer Dzialoszynski, Peter Millard, Jennifer Phipps and Tim Ziegler.

Beginning November 2, the additional performances are as follows:

Tuesday through Friday at 2 p.m. for two weeks ($23 student and $40 senior tickets available)
Saturday, November 6 and 13 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Sunday, November 7 and 14 at 2 p.m.

Tickets for the added shows go on sale July 24. To purchase tickets to Harvey, or other 2010 Shaw Festival productions, please contact the Box Office at 1-800-511-SHAW (7429) or order online at www.shawfest.com.

Harvey is sponsored by Scotiabank Group.

The Shaw Festival 2010 season runs until November 14 and also features An Ideal Husband, The Women, The Cherry Orchard, One Touch of Venus, The Doctor’s Dilemma, John Bull’s Other Island, Half an Hour, Age of Arousal and Serious Money.

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Odette Yazbeck
Public Relations Director
(905) 468-2153 or 1-800-657-1106 ext. 2222
odette@shawfest.com

Jenniffer Anand
Public Relations Coordinator
(905) 468-2153 or 1-800-657-1106 ext. 2224
janand@shawfest.com

Bernard Shaw’s The Doctor’s Dilemma kicks off July premieres and NOTL shuttle service launched

Shaw Festival Public Relations — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 06:15:50 +0000

Media Release #17

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, July 9, 2010…Two of Bernard Shaw’s most provocative comedies open tonight and tomorrow evening as part of the Shaw Festival’s summer opening weekend. The festivities begin with The Doctor’s Dilemma, a satiric piece that poses some very stimulating questions, at the Festival Theatre and continues Saturday with this season’s lunchtime, the real-time playlet Half an Hour, by the beloved J.M. Barrie at the Royal George Theatre and Bernard Shaw’s farcical fairy tale John Bull’s Other Island at the Court House Theatre.

In celebration of these exciting new theatrical offerings, dignitaries from local government, Canada’s artistic and business communities; and Shaw supporters will attend gala dinners prior to the opening night performances.

The Doctor’s Dilemma
by George Bernard Shaw
directed by Morris Panych
Opens – July 9 Closes – October 30
Festival Theatre
Sponsored by Bell

With his usual distinctive wit, Shaw tests the humanity of a doctor and presents a moral dilemma. Sir Colenso Ridgeon has discovered a lifesaving cure, but faces an ethical quandary. With only enough of his new cure for tuberculosis left for one patient, whom should he save? Dr. Blenkinsop, a kindly colleague who serves the poor, or the extremely talented but unscrupulous young artist Louis Dubedat, who also happens to have a beautiful young wife?

Half an Hour
by J.M. Barrie
directed by Gina Wilkinson
Opens – July 10 Closes – October 9
Royal George Theatre

One evening, half past the hour, Lady Lilian Garson makes an escape from her confining husband Richard Garson to the arms of her lover Hugh Paton. But when best-laid plans go horribly amiss – can she quickly slip back into her old life in time for dinner at eight? Half an Hour is this season’s lunchtime presentation.

John Bull’s Other Island
by George Bernard Shaw
directed by Christopher Newton
Opens – July 10 Closes – October 9
Court House Theatre

With a business deal in mind, friends and business partners Tom Broadbent and Larry Doyle travel to the small Irish town of Roscullen. Broadbent, the Englishman, already infected with stereotypical impressions of the country, plunges headfirst into love with everything Irish, including Nora Reilly, Doyle’s old flame. Doyle, the hometown boy, only sees a country trapped in its past.

An Ideal Husband, The Women, The Cherry Orchard, Harvey and One Touch of Venus opened The Shaw’s 2010 season in May.

Now it’s even easier to visit The Shaw and Niagara-on-the-Lake. Tourism Niagara-on-the-Lake has launched a new shuttle service for passengers departing from the GO train in St. Catharines and the GO bus at Fairview Mall. Tourism Niagara-on-the-Lake is offering a special cost of $10 each way per passenger (the one-way cost of the GO train to St. Catharines from Toronto is $16.90). GO passengers are also now able to pre-book their transportation to Niagara-on-the-Lake at the same time they book their ticket to St. Catharines. The shuttle will meet trains and buses seven days per week through until October 12. Shuttle tickets can be booked and pick-up locations confirmed by calling 905-468-1950 or online at www.niagaraonthelake.com.

Endorsed by the Shaw Festival, Executive Director Colleen Blake said this new travel option “provides a cost-effective way for visitors to take in the fabulous attractions Niagara-on-the-Lake has to offer, including The Shaw and our award-winning wineries – it is our pleasure to be a part of this eco-friendly travel option.”

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Odette Yazbeck
Public Relations Director
(905) 468-2153 or 1-800-657-1106 ext. 2222
odette@shawfest.com

Jenniffer Anand
Public Relations Coordinator
(905) 468-2153 or 1-800-657-1106 ext. 2224
janand@shawfest.com

J.M. Barrie’s playlet Half an Hour in previews at the Shaw Festival

Shaw Festival Public Relations — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 19:30:53 +0000

Those who risk all and lose have to face the consequences.

Media Release #16

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, June 30, 2010….Can a life change in 30-minutes? Half an Hour, J.M. Barrie’s intense story of a woman who’s only got half an hour to change her life, aims to answer this question in real time. Gina Wilkinson, director of last season’s hit Born Yesterday, directs this season’s lunchtime at the Royal George Theatre.

One night, half past the hour, Lady Lilian Garson (Diana Donnelly) makes an escape from her confining husband Richard Garson (Peter Krantz) to the arms of her beloved Hugh Paton (Gord Rand). But when best-laid plans go horribly amiss – can she quickly slip back into her old life in time for dinner at eight?

Also featured in this real time race are Michael Ball, Norman Browning, Jennifer Dzialoszynski, Peter Millard, and Laurie Paton.

Half an Hour is designed by Tyler Sainsbury with lighting design by Kirsten Watt. The stage management team includes Stage Manager Meredith Macdonald and Assistant Stage Manager Leigh McClymont.

The plays of J.M. Barrie have long been a staple at the Shaw Festival. Peter Pan, his most well-known play, has been produced twice by The Shaw, as well as other one-acts, Shall We Join the Ladies (1996) and The Old Lady Shows her Medals (2002).

Half an Hour began preview performances Friday, June 18, opens Saturday, July 10 and plays in repertory until Saturday, October 9.

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Odette Yazbeck
Public Relations Director
(905) 468-2153 or 1-800-657-1106 ext. 2222
odette@shawfest.com

Jenniffer Anand
Public Relations Coordinator
(905) 468-2153 or 1-800-657-1106 ext. 2224
janand@shawfest.com

Shaw’s comedy John Bull’s Other Island in previews at the Shaw Festival

Shaw Festival Public Relations — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:30:28 +0000

When an Englishman is sentimental he behaves very much as an Irishman does when he is drunk.

Media Release #15

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, June 23, 2010…. John Bull’s Other Island, Bernard Shaw’s farcical fairy tale, is currently in previews at the Court House Theatre. Artistic Director Emeritus Christopher Newton directs the Shavian satirical story that had King Edward VII in stitches and solidified Shaw’s career as a playwright.

With a business deal in mind, friends and business partners Tom Broadbent (Benedict Campbell) and Larry Doyle (Graeme Somerville) travel to the small Irish town of Roscullen. Broadbent, the Englishman, already infected with stereotypical impressions of the country, plunges headfirst into love with everything Irish, including Nora Reilly (Severn Thompson), Doyle’s old flame. Doyle, the hometown boy, only sees a country trapped in its past.

Also featured are Jim Mezon as Peter Keegan, with Guy Bannerman, Mary Haney, Thom Marriott, Patrick McManus, Craig Pike, Ric Reid, David Schurmann, Jonathan Widdifield and Tim Ziegler.

John Bull’s Other Island is designed by Design Director William Schmuck with lighting design by Louise Guinand. The stage management team includes Stage Manager Beatrice Campbell and Assistant Stage Manager Barry Burns.

First performed on November 1, 1904 at London’s Royal Court Theatre, John Bull’s Other Island was directed by Shaw and Harley Granville Barker. There have been four previous productions at the Shaw Festival of this unromantic look at the romance of Ireland — in 1964, 1985 and 1998, directed respectively by Andrew Allan, the Festival’s first Artistic Director, Denise Coffey and Jim Mezon.

John Bull’s Other Island began preview performances Friday, June 18, opens Saturday, July 10 and plays in repertory until Saturday, October 9.

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Odette Yazbeck
Public Relations Director
(905) 468-2153 or 1-800-657-1106 ext. 2222
odette@shawfest.com

Jenniffer Anand
Public Relations Coordinator
(905) 468-2153 or 1-800-657-1106 ext. 2224
janand@shawfest.com

Bernard Shaw’s The Doctor’s Dilemma begins previews at the Shaw Festival

Shaw Festival Public Relations — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 19:10:54 +0000

Life does not cease to be funny when people die, any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh.

Media Release #14

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, June 9, 2010….The Doctor’s Dilemma, the first of two productions by the Shaw Festival’s namesake, begins previews tomorrow at the Festival Theatre. Morris Panych directs this comic piece that poses some very relevant questions: when medical resources are limited, should a doctor decide who receives treatment and should those who can afford treatment be the first in line to receive it?

With his usual distinctive wit, Shaw tests the humanity of a doctor and presents a moral dilemma. Sir Colenso Ridgeon (Patrick Galligan) has discovered a lifesaving cure, but faces an ethical quandary. With only enough of his new cure for tuberculosis left for one patient, who should he save? Dr. Blenkinsop (Ric Reid), a kindly colleague who serves the poor, or the extremely talented but unscrupulous young artist Louis Dubedat (Jonathan Gould), who also happens to have a beautiful young wife (Krista Colosimo)?

Also featured are Michael Ball as Sir Patrick Cullen and Thom Marriott as Sir Ralph Bloomfield Bonington, with Wade Bogert-O’Brien, Catherine McGregor, Patrick McManus, Kelly Penner, Cherissa Richards and Jonathan Widdifield.

The Doctor’s Dilemma has set design by Ken MacDonald, costume design by Charlotte Dean and lighting design by Alan Brodie. The stage management team includes Stage Manager Dora Tomassi and Assistant Stage Manager Leigh McClymont.

First performed on November 20, 1906, at the Royal Court Theatre in London, The Doctor’s Dilemma has had three previous incarnations at the Shaw Festival — in 1969, 1991 and 2000, directed respectively by Dillon Evans, Paul Lampert and Christopher Newton.

The Doctor’s Dilemma begins preview performances Thursday, June 10, opens Friday, July 9 and plays in repertory until Saturday, October 30. The Doctor’s Dilemma is sponsored by Bell.

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Odette Yazbeck
Public Relations Director
(905) 468-2153 or 1-800-657-1106 ext. 2222
odette@shawfest.com

Jenniffer Anand
Public Relations Coordinator
(905) 468-2153 or 1-800-657-1106 ext. 2224
janand@shawfest.com