Talk Is Free Theatre (TIFT) and Show One Productions are thrilled to announce that Dora Award winner Jeff Madden will be joining the cast as Rafe in the upcoming Toronto production of Dani Girl, by Christopher Dimond and Michael Kooman. A touching, humorous and inspiring tale, this dark, original musical comedy follows a young girl’s battle with cancer. Dani Girl opens February 18, 2012 and runs until March 4, 2012 at the Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace.
Dani, a precocious nine year-old, finds herself face to face with a life-threatening disease. Together with her teddy bear, imaginary guardian angel, and socially awkward hospital roommate, she embarks on a magical quest to reclaim her health. As Dani traverses the realms of fantasy and reality, she discovers what it means to really live! Simultaneously hilarious and heartbreaking, Dani Girl is a tale of life in the face of death, hope in the face of despair, and the indomitable power of the human imagination.
Jeff Madden won the hearts of Toronto audiences, and the 2009 Dora Award, with his portrayal of Frankie Valli in Dancap Productions’ Jersey Boys. Prior to that he appeared in over 16 productions over eight seasons with the Shaw Festival, including Tristan, Belle Moral, Happy End, Man And Superman and Floyd Collins. He has also appeared at the National Arts Centre, the National Ballet of Canada, Tarragon Theatre, Manitoba Theatre Centre and The Charlottetown Festival among others.
Also joining the cast is Amanda LeBlanc, who will be playing Dani’s mother. Amanda recently appeared in The Passion of Adele Hugo (Eastern Front Theatre) and has toured across Canada with her first album “Yours, truly”. Other credits include Till We Meet Again (Theatre Panache), Pride and Prejudice (Citadel Theatre), Paper Bag Princess (The Grand) and Scratch (Canadian Stage).
As previously announced, Gabi Epstein (To Life, Harold Green Jewish Theatre; West Side Story Suite, National Ballet of Canada; Bye Bye Birdie and Napoleon, Talk Is Free Theatre; Edges, Acting Up Stage Theatre Co.) will be reprising her role as Dani and Jonathan Logan (Peter Pan, Neptune Theatre; Dear World, TIFT) will be also be returning as Marty.
Returning to once again direct Dani Girl is Richard Ouzounian, the Toronto Star’s theatre critic and director of TIFT’s productions of Red Fightin’ Blue, Variations on a Nervous Breakdown, Emily and Anyone Can Whistle - in Concert. Musical direction will be by Wayne Gwillim (Shaw Festival, Toronto’s Sound of Music), Set and Costume Design by Christine Barrett (TIFT’s productions of Kiss of the Spider Woman and Trees Die Standing Tall) and Lighting Design by Gareth Crew (TIFT’s productions of Assassins, Variations on a Nervous Breakdown and Do You Turn Somersaults?).
Dani Girl is by the hottest young duo on the American musical theatre scene, Christopher Dimond (Book and Lyrics) and Michael Kooman (Music). Dimond and Kooman were the recipients of the prestigious Jonathan Larson Award in 2010 and were recently Fellows at the O’Neill Music Theater Conference, as well as the finalists for the 2009 Fred Ebb Award. Previously produced by TIFT last winter, Dani Girl has been recently selected to be part of the prestigious National Alliance for Musical Theater’s 2011 Festival of New Musicals in New York. Every year, the two day festival presents eight new works to industry professionals. Past participants include The Drowsy Chaperone, Thoroughly Modern Millie and Songs For A New World.
Talk Is Free Theatre (TIFT) is an artist-driven, award winning theatre company based in Barrie, Ontario. The company was founded in 2003 by Artistic Producer Arkady Spivak and has produced over fifty productions concentrating largely on new and neglected work.
