The Story
Produced by Theatre Columbus
The Story (2011)
Written by
Martha Ross
- Ensemble Lisa Karen Cox
- Ensemble Richard Lee
- Ensemble Haley McGee
- Ensemble Sanjay Talwar
- Ensemble Rylan Wilkie
- Arte Povera ChoirLed by Alan Gasser
- Cantabile Chamber SingersLed by Cheryll Chung
- The Eastminster ChoirLed by Jacqueline Sadler
- East York ChoirLed by Jenny Crober & Stephen Best
- Echo Women’s Choir Led by Alan Gasser
- The Humber HeraldsLed by Karin Randoja
- St. Christopher House ChoirLed by Sherry Squires
- The Winter ChoirLed by John Millard & Rosie Lewis
- Whole World ChorusLed by Alan Gasser
- Young Centre City ChoirLed by Kalie O’Halloran & John Millard
- Director Jennifer Brewin
- PlaywrightMartha Ross
- Set & Costume Designer Catherine Hahn
- Lighting DesignerGlenn Davidson
- Music DirectorJohn Millard
- Choir LeaderRosie Lewis
- Stage ManagerLaura Baxter
- Assistant Stage ManagerAlice Ferreyra
- Assistant Director Dan Daley
- Assistant Set & Costume DesignerAnna Treusch
- Associate Lighting DesignerJames Plouffe
- Production Manager Erin Birkenbergs & Ian Arnold
- Technical Director Eric Read
- Front of House Manager Lindy Zucker
- Head of Wardrobe Holly Lloyd
- Props MistressAnna Treusch
- Running CrewBrendan Gilhuly & Chantelle Zoelene Laliberte
- Set ConstructionBrendan Gilhuly, Nick Rose & Katherine Smith
- PublicityHeather Ervin
Explore the Evergreen Brick Works with Theatre Columbus. The award winning ensemble presents an unconventional telling of The Nativity.
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.
2012 Cast
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- Ensemble Neema Bickersteth
- Ensemble Jeff Yung
- Ensemble Haley McGee
- Ensemble Sanjay Talwar
- Ensemble Rylan Wilkie
- Ensemble Neema Bickersteth
2012 Creative Team
- Director Jennifer Brewin
- PlaywrightMartha Ross
- Set & Costume Designer Catherine Hahn
- Lighting Designer Glenn Davidson
- Sound DesignerJohn Millard
- Choir LeaderRosie Lewis
- Stage ManagerLaura Baxter
- Apprentice Stage ManagerKatarzyna Misztal-McCubbing
- Assistant DirectorBrittany Francis
- Associate DesignerAnna Treusch
- Associate Lighting DesignerJames Plouffe
2012 Production Team
- Production Manager Erin Birkenbergs
- Technical Director Katherine Smith
- Front of House Manager Colin A. Doyle
- Head of Wardrobe Lindsay Code
- Head of PropertiesAnna Treusch
- Assistant House ManagerJesse Watts
- Running CrewMatt Armour, Charissa Wilcox & Iain Graham
- Head CarpenterNick Rose
- Set ConstructionEvan Bonnah-Hawkes
- Set ConstructionDavid Fisher
- Set ConstructionBrendan Gilhuly
- Set ConstructionTrevor McCurdy
- Set ConstructionRobin Paxton
- Set ConstructionJohn Pickering
- PublicityRebecca Shoalts & Heather Ervin
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.
2017 Cast
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- Joseph Marcel Stewart
- Mary Shakura Dickson
- Gabriel, Harrod Dan Mousseau
- Ensemble Alex Bulmer
- Balthazar, Ensemble Christef Desir
- Joseph Marcel Stewart
2017 Creative and Production Team
- Co-Directors Jennifer Brewin & Katrina Darychuck
- PlaywrightMartha Ross
- Set Designer Shannon Lea Doyle
- Costume Designer Alexandra Lord
- Lighting Designer Glenn Davidson
- Sound DesignerJohn Millard
- Stage ManagerLaura Baxter
- Production Manager Kaitlin Hickey
- Technical Director Glenn Davidson
- Graphics Designer Daria Domnikova
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. “
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“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.”
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, 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.”
– 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)