BWW Interviews: Mitchell Cushman talks TERMINUS and the Off-Mirvish Series

You mention the show being risky and graphic. Would you describe it as scary?

I think part of it is disturbing and it has elements of a ghost story, but it’s primary objective is not to scare people.  That said, it does get under your skin.  One of the things that is really remarkable about the writing is it has this power to terrify even though it’s only done through the words. 

Was that part of what grabbed your attention when you read the script?

Absolutely.  I’m a big fan of Irish theatre and that dark comedy cloth.  I also love this type of story-telling and the merging of different mediums.

The show was a tremendous hit at Summerworks.  Does its’ reputation cause you to feel a certain amount of pressure with regards to the remount?

I think if we feel any pressure it has more to do with the stage and the place we’re doing it in, it’s a much bigger microscope that we’re under.  But we’re more excited just to get the chance to show it to more people and have more people experience it.

The show is the inaugural presentation of the new brand new Off-Mirvish Season.  What do you think of this new initiative?

I think it’s fantastic and I think everyone wins.  It’s so easy to feel as though there are two theatre communities in Toronto. We have the independent theatre community and then the big budget theatre community and they can feel very separate.  At the end of the day though, it’s all performing arts and I think if the independent community could reach part of that larger audience, the audience would fall in love with it.  We’ve seen that happen as we’ve built the audience base with our company.  A frequent thing we hear people say is ‘Wow, I didn’t expect to like it so much.’ I think the hardest thing is just getting people in the door and I feel Off-Mirvish can offer these independent companies a foray into a larger audience, and from Mirvish’s point of view they get to be more involved in local work that’s being produced. 

I think the times are shifting and the age of having the five year mega musical run might not be what we are anymore.  We need to harness what can be unique about theatre that can help us compete with other mediums.  Theatre can be very intimate and that’s what we are interested in offering.

Do you think that there is still room for the big budget type shows in light of the changing face of Toronto theatre?

Absolutely.  I think that so many people are first turned on to the theatre through seeing something big and glitzy and in lights.  I think the trick is taking someone who is attracted by that and convincing them to come out in larger numbers to the smaller productions and show them other forms of live performance that they haven’t given much thought to before.  I’ve most often found that if you can get them in the door the work has wide appeal and isn’t necessarily as niche as we might think.  It’s getting people there in the first place that is the challenge.  How do you make that first connection with people? It’s very hard and hopefully Off-Mirvish can assist with that.

For a younger audience perhaps more familiar with the big budget type shows – what would be the number one thing you would say to encourage them to come see Terminus?

I think that there’s an element of spectacle to this show, it just might be a different kind of spectacle than what you see in a million dollar show.  It’s athletic in the way that it’s performed and it’s a testament to see the performers do this.  It should have a wide appeal to a younger audience which is what we saw at Summerworks. 

What’s next for you?

Outside the March will be involved in a tri-production of a work by Sarah Ruhl.  She wrote a three and a half hour epic piece called ‘Passion Play’ about people performing various passion plays.  It’s really three plays that all link together and we’re doing it with two other independent companies.  We are going to put it on together as an epic immersive production in a unique theatre venue.  We haven’t announced where we’re going to do it yet but it’s going to be very exciting.

When and Where?

Terminus

The Royal Alexandra Theatre

Performance Schedule

November 21^st – December 9^th, 2012

Tues-Fri at 8PM, Sat 2PM & 8PM, Sun 2PM & 7PM (no show Sun Nov 25 evening)

Seating is restricted to 200 on stage seats per performance.  Tickets are $69 with same-day rush tickets available in person at the box office for $29.  Tickets can be purchased in person, by phone at 416-872-1212 or online at www.mirvish.com

For discounts on Terminus and other Outside the March programming, please email otmtheatre@gmail.com and request to be added to their mailing list.

For more information on the inaugural Off-Mirvish season, visit their official website: http://www.mirvish.com/pages/offmirvish.

Kelly Cameron's love affair with the theatre began when she was just five years old, on an outing to see the Original Canadian Cast of Les Miserables at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto. She instantly fell in love, and since then has been lucky enough to be involved in various theatre activities and productions, including a regional production of A Midsummer Night's Dream and a local production of Where the Sidewalk Ends. She has also received training from various teachers throughout Southwestern Ontario in both piano and voice, and competed in vocal competitions for which she received a few awards. Her writing career started almost by accident, when she had the opportunity to become a ghostwriter for up and coming businesses. She continues to do this, writing the content for all sorts of companies who are starting websites and looking to find their voice. Her passion and love for theatre led to her becoming involved with BroadwayWorld where she is thrilled to be writing for the Toronto contingent of the rapidly growing website. When she isn't at the theatre, you can generally find her firmly planted in front of her trusty Blackberry - tweeting, Facebooking or partaking in other such social media activities to ensure that those who want to know are kept apprised of everything that Toronto theatre has to offer. Other interests include movies, art, music, shopping, fashion and martial arts with the occasional foray into the world of finance. Follow Kelly on Twitter at @broadwaybabyto Creep her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Kelly-Cameron/500187141

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