The Story

The Story premiered at B.C’s Caravan Farm Theatre under the direction of Theatre Columbus’ Artistic Director Jennifer Brewin. This winter Ms. Brewin assembles a stellar team to present a re-imagined version for Toronto.

The Audience follows the action through the Evergreen Brick Works and adjacent parkland, where they meet shepherds, ruffians, weird wise men, roman soldiers, the angel Gabriel, King Herod, a choir, a confused young couple and a variety of surprised dog walkers.

The hour-long walking show is entirely outdoors.

Common Boots Theatre returns to outdoor winter theatre with Martha Ross’s award winning, The Story in association with Soulpepper Theatre as part of their annual Family Festival.

This year we bring The Story to a new location—Christie Pits Park, in one of Toronto’s most vibrant and multicultural neighborhoods. The community is historically known to be a safe haven for newcomers as they transition to a new life in Canada. After 5 years at Evergreen Brick Works, we’re so excited to share our love of outdoor winter theatre with different communities and bring our stories, laughter, and questions to a new corner of our wonderful city.

Common Boots welcomes the skilled members and alumni of the Soulpepper Academy to this year’s production. It is an honour to share this unique artform to this group of promising and emerging artists. Our hope is that these young artists will continue to explore this art form and all that it brings to the cultural landscape of our city.

Awards and Reviews

2012 Dora Awards – Independent Theatre Division

• Nomination Outstanding Costume Design – Catherine Hahn
• Award Outstanding Direction – Jennifer Brewin
• Nomination Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role/ Ensemble – The Ensemble
• Nomination Outstanding Production – Theatre Columbus
• Nomination Outstanding Set Design – Catherine Hahn
• Nomination Outstanding Sound Design/ Composition – John Millard

“…the script is well done by Martha Ross, and director Jennifer Brewin obviously really gets outdoor theatre. The action is broad and crisp, actors have plenty of voice and know how to use it. “

– S. Bear Bergman, Mooney on Theatre (2011)

“Martha Ross’s delightful script is full of humour and warmth, beginning with the lost Kings who can’t get their bearings straight…You’ve likely never seen have the Nativity story the way Theatre Columbus presents it”

– Jon Kaplan,  NOW Toronto, NNNN (2011)

“Glenn Davidson has fashioned lighting that sets off the buildings that are more than 100 years old. It’s both eerie and evocative. To see lights in the distant field, or to see a glowing orb in the distance bobbing up and down as it approaches us and then see that it is Angel Gabriel wearing a round hat (halo) that is illuminate, is just magic.”

– Lynn Slotkin, The Slotkin Letter (2011)

“The ‘star’ that the wise men were following was often a lit up smoke stack. You followed a man with a glowing lantern to the next area, which would light up just as everyone arrived. The coordination of the lights, sounds, and actors in such a sprawling, outdoor space was impressive.”

– Heather Bellingham, Mooney on Theatre (2012)

“Ross’s script is full of funny wordplay that provides a shorthand to understanding the characters.  Presenting the shepherds as armchair existentialists staring out into the beyond is both funny and thought-provoking, underlining a continuum of such questioning across the centuries.”

– Karen Fricker,  Toronto Star 3 Stars (2017)

“Still as entertaining and magical as ever, The Story is fast becoming a Toronto holiday tradition.”

– Jordan Bimm,  NOW Toronto, NNNN (2017)