Agatha Christie’s The Rule of Three brought to life by 23 lawyers
OTTAWA May 23, 2018 – Lawyers are known for prosecuting and defending, but for four special nights they’ll be in the spotlight playing villains, victims and criminals. The Great Canadian Theatre Company with the County of Carleton Law Association will be presenting Agatha Christie’s The Rule of Three from June 6th to June 9th – three one act plays featuring a cast of 23 lawyers and judges for their 19th Annual Lawyer Play Fundraiser.
Ottawa’s legal professionals will leave their robes behind and put themselves in the shoes of clients, thieves, and mysterious murderers to present one preview performance and three special gala performances. This year fundraiser will support the operations of the Great Canadian Theatre Company and chosen partner charity Tungasuvvingat Inuit. Under the direction of GCTC Artistic Director Eric Coates and Shannon Reynolds Grant Recipient Pamela Feghali, The Rule of Three will also be marked by rare on-stage appearances from Ottawa’s legal, political, and business community.
· Wednesday, June 6 - Councillor Catherine McKenney, Somerset Ward
· Thursday, June 7 - Honourable Hunter Tootoo, PC, MP, and Jacques Emond & Lynn Harnden, Emond Harnden
· Friday, June 8 - Honourable Mona Fortier, MP, and Joy Noonan, Aptus Conflict Solutions
· Saturday, June 9 - Madam Justice Heather Williams, Superior Court of Justice, and Rita Celli, CBC
“A tradition in the lawyer play is to welcome local celebrities to the stage in cameo appearances. This year, we are very pleased to have nine local celebrities appearing on different nights throughout the performance week” say the co-chairs of the Lawyer Play Committee, Tara Berish and Dan Hohnstein. “Our cameos include politicians, CBC media personalities, and a judge of the Superior Court. They bring an extra dimension to the show, and we are very grateful for their time and support in this important fundraising event.”
The Lawyer Play is one of the legal community’s longest running and most successful fundraisers. Over the past 19 years, they’ve raised over $1,700,000 in support of GCTC productions and selected charity partners. This year, the Lawyer Play Committee selected Tungasuvvingat Inuit, an Inuit-specific service provider that provides social support, cultural activities, counselling and crisis intervention as a one-stop resource centre to meet the rapidly growing, complex and evolving needs of Inuit.
Director of Marketing & Development of GCTC Nicole Milne says, “This year’s Lawyer Play is a true celebration of community, and ticket holders are in for a real treat. In addition to the three short one-act Agatha Christie plays on our stage, foodies will enjoy catering from the award-winning Thyme & Again and Coconut Lagoon restaurants at the post-show reception, complimentary tastings from a selection of wineries, breweries and distilleries throughout the evening, and new this year, a silent auction with prizes that range from carefully crafted gift baskets donated by neighbouring businesses in Wellington West to a luxury European river cruise! And we couldn’t be more pleased with the CCLAs choice for a charity partner this year, Tungasuvvingat Inuit.”
“Tungasuvvingat Inuit (TI) is proud to be the recipient of the 2018 GCTC/CCLA Lawyer Play. I appreciate the recognition and support for our work and the opportunity to share about our organization and the Inuit community with the general public” says TI Executive Director Jason Leblanc. “Proceeds from this event will directly support our Justice programs and services including our Restorative Justice Committee and Gladue Report writing services. Thank you for supporting Inuit self-determination and positive change in our shared community.”
About the play:
A thrilling triple bill of short one-act plays involving murder, theft and deception. Written by the world-renowned mystery author Agatha Christie and featuring a cast of more than 20 local lawyers, judges and community leaders.
Lyndra Griffith: Brenda
Mitch Charness: Wingfield
Natasha Chettiar: Sandra
Natasha Melfi: Beauty
Paula Callaghan: Mrs. Crum
Peter Doody: George Crum
Sarah Boutcher: Muse, Patient, Young Man
Stephen Acker: Host, Beach Attendant
Tanya Parker Wallace: Mother
Tara Berish: Emmeline
Ted Mann: Inspector
Veronica Somarriba: Muse, Fred's Sister
Cast
Aidan O'Neill: Inspector
Andréa Baldy: Muse, Nurse
Brett Hodgins: David, Bob
Dan Hohnstein: Percy
Dan Moore: Ross, Alex
David Demirkan: Arthur Somers
Falon Miligan: Noreen
Janice Payne: Doctor Ginsberg
Jasmine Landau: Mom Gunners
Julia Kennedy: Jennifer
Kati Aubin: Lansen
Creative Team
Jon Carter: Sound Designer
Eric Coates: Co-Director
Stephanie Dahmer Brett: Set and Props Designer
Pamela Feghali: Co-Director
Caterina Fiorindi: Assistant Stage Manager
Even Gilchrist: Costume Designer
Amber Hood: Lighting Designer
Michaela Steven: Stage Manager
Tickets
Tickets for the Gala evenings (June 7, 8, and 9) are $110 or $75 for new lawyers and include a post-show reception and a $60 tax receipt. Tickets for the Preview performance on June 6 are SOLD OUT. Tickets are available through any cast member or at the GCTC Box Office by calling 613-236-5196 or online at www.gctc.ca.
About GCTC
GCTC celebrates its 44th season in 2018–19. Its mission is to foster, produce and promote excellent theatre that provokes examination of Canadian life and our place in the world. GCTC is committed to the production of new Canadian work and artist development. We continue to commission and workshop new plays by emerging and established playwrights. We mentor emerging companies and artists through residencies and in-kind support.
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For more information or to arrange interviews, contact:
Andrew Soobrian
Marketing and Communications Manager
Great Canadian Theatre Company
marketing@gctc.ca
613-236-5192 ext. 229