Soulpepper Presents (re)Birth: E.E. Cummings in Song & Window on Toronto

Albert Schultz, Founding Artistic Director of Soulpepper Theatre Company, today announced that the company's Double Bill (re)Birth: e. e. cummings in Song & Window on Toronto will preview on April 30, 2011 and open on May 9, 2011 at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts, featuring the multi-talented artists of the Soulpepper Academy.

The Soulpepper Academy has garnered a reputation of creating innovative and explorative theatre in the Toronto arts scene and nowhere is this best demonstrated than in the Double Bill, which offers a rare opportunity to see two of the Academy's most popular and vital works back to back - (re)Birth: e. e. cummings in Song and Window on Toronto. Both had limited, sold-out engagements in the Tank House theatre and will be the final two collective creation productions the 2009/2010 Academy will present.

(re)Birth: e. e. cummings in Song premiered at the 2009 Canwest Cabaret Festival. Based on the legendary American poet, essayist, painter, playwright E.E. Cummings, this breathtaking and compelling musical exploration of Cummings' extensive canon is an ode to the depth and imagination of his work and shows off the multi-talented Academy who, under the musical direction of Mike Ross, offer up an innovative, humourous and highly theatrical perspective on one of the pre-eminent voices of 20th century.

Window on Toronto first premiered in 2010 as part of Soulpepper' s Lab Series and is an irreverant, whimsical poem to the city of Toronto in which a vibrant, multicultural and often hilarious city is seen through the course of four seasons from the perspective of a hot dog vendor at Nathan Phillips Square. The Academy members, under the direction of master director László Marton, shift from character to character, playing over 100 roles reflecting the people and rhythm of Toronto in a new theatrical form - a mix of improvisation and documentary theatre.

(re)Birth: e. e. cummings in Song was created by the Academy under the musical direction of Mike Ross and Window on Toronto was created by the Academy under the direction of Master director László Marton. The 2009/10 Soulpepper Academy members are: Ins Choi, Tatjana Cornij, Ken Mackenzie, Gregory Prest, Karen Rae, Jason Patrick Rothery & Brendan Wall with guest artists Trish Lindström, Abena Malika & Andre Sills.

Double Bill previews April 30, 2011 and opens May 9, 2011 at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts, located at 55 Mill Street, Building 49, in the Distillery Historic District. Tickets range from $28 - $65 (plus HST) and are available by calling the Young Centre box office at 416.866.8666 or by visiting www.soulpepper.ca. $22 tickets are available for 21-30 year-olds at www.stageplay.ca. StagePlay is sponsored by TD Bank Financial Group.

2011 Soulpepper Lead Sponsors are: Sun Life Financial, Scotiabank Group and TELUS. Soulpepper gratefully acknowledges annual operating support from the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, and the Toronto Arts Council.

Soulpepper Theatre Company is an artist-founded, classical repertory theatre company with a three-tiered mandate: to present the world's greatest stories in vital Canadian interpretations; to train a new generation of theatre artists; and to inspire and enrich youth through mentorship and access programs.