Tails From The City
Common Boots Theatre (formerly Theatre Columbus) presents
Tails from the City
Written by
Marjorie Chan & the Company
- Fancy 2 / Squirrel / Racoon Lucy Hill
- Parent / Fox / Squirrel / Racoon Derek Kwan
- Billie Eponine Lee
- Fancy 1 / Squirrel / Raccoon Michael Rinaldi
- Not Santa / Squirrel / Raccoon Courtenay Stevens*
*The services of Courtenay Stevens were made possible through Theatre Ontario’s Professional Theatre Training Program, Funded by the Ontario Arts Council.
- Director Jennifer Brewin
- Playwrights Marjorie Chan
- Set and Lighting Designer Glenn Davidson
- Costume Design Anna Treusch
- Sound Designer and Musical DirectorJohn Millard
- Stage ManagerSandy Plunkett
- Assistant Stage ManagerLaura Baxter
- Associate Sound DesignerRichard Lee
- Selected Props Designer Karen Rodd
- Assistant Set Designer Elizabeth Traicus
- “Lalala” Song Music and Lyrics Derek Kwan
- Production Manager Rebecca Vandevelde
- Technical Director Eric Read
- Head of PropertiesElizabeth Traicus
- Head of WardrobeLaura Gardner
- Child MinderDayna Miller
- Running CrewLindsay Jenkins, Meghan Speakman & Dayna Miller
- PhotographerNeil Silcox
- Front of House ManagerColin A. Doyle
- Assistant Front of House ManagersDavid Fisher and Daniel Maslany
- Company ManagerKate Walker
- Artistic ProducerJenny Salisbury
- Community OutreachSean Miller*
*The services of Sean Miller were made possible through funding by the YES (Youth Employment Services) program.
Plus the following Choirs:
City Choir | Eastminster Choir | Echo Women’s Choir | Singing Through Life | St. Simon’s | The Queensmen | Toronto Song Lovers | VOCA | We are a Choir | World Song
Created by Marjorie Chan and the acting company, Tails from the City is an original fable for modern times inspired by the wild just beyond our front doors.
What happens when the only part you want in the Nutcracker doesn’t exist? What if you really want to play a raccoon? If you’re young Billie, you follow a family of raccoons out into the wild winter night!
Through her eyes, we discover that things aren’t always as they seem for the animals of our city. Was that a raccoon on a bike? Did that squirrel try to hit her with a snowball? Has someone lost this very important package, marked for Toronto? It just so happens to be Christmas Eve…
Awards and Reviews
2016 Dora Awards – Independent Theatre Division
- Award Outstanding Costume Design – Anna Treusch
“…it’s the sense of community that is such a large part of this event. Parents bring their young children and position them so they are always at the front watching the scene. Taller people stand back, who are able to see too. I just love that care that the kids should be close to the action so they get the full benefit of the play and production. And they serve hot chocolate made from chunks of Mexican chocolate. Life is good. “
– Lynn Slotkin, The Slotkin Letter
“Under Jennifer Brewins energetic direction, the company is at its best in the animal world, Anna Treuschs costumes a marvel of simplicity and suggestiveness in Glenn Davidsons ever-changing set and lighting design. The self-centred couple, who fight more than they spoon, are also a nice comic diversion.”
– Jon Kaplan , NOW Toronto, NNN
“…a welcome chance to be outside in the crisp winter weather, it was hilarious at times and heart warming at others. While Christmas in Toronto might not be what they write carols about, Tails from the City is an amazing chance to embrace it”
– , Mooney on Theatre
Special thanks to Jennifer Villaverde and Connie Wang for their support
