A Company of Fools is Ottawa’s longest running independent professional Shakespeare company:our mandate is to produce innovative,entertaining and accessible shows based on the works of William Shakespeare. | Shakespeare’s Dead closed on Friday night after a hugely successful two-week run at locations all over Ottawa. Thanks to everyone who came out to see it – and special awesome bonus points to those who joined in the zombie dance finale! If you missed it, never fear. You can relive it vicariously through these pictures!  Bob and Doll Shakespeare’s Dead April 30-May 11 At venues across the CityA misfit band of actors is suddenly jolted into a creative frenzy when the spirit of William Shakespeare descends upon one of the players. Rap,improvisation,slapstick,and all the shenanigans you know and love from the Fools in a 60 minute exploration of some of Shakespeare’s greatest deaths. Now for the twist… With our summer show,we travel from neighbourhood to neighbourhood,passing the hat to pay the bills. We thought we’d give the same thing a try,only with an indoor show! The doors open at 7:00 pm each evening. Seating is on a first come basis and the performances begin at 7:30pm sharp. The cost of the performance is our always affordable Pass-the-Hat pricing! (PS –you can FLASH MOB our show! We need Zombie Dancers for the big Finale! Check out the link on our Facebook page,or visit Youtube to learn the moves!)Monday April 30 | Tuesday May 1 | Wednesday May 2 | Thursday May 3 | Friday May 4 | | Stittsville
United Church
6255 Fernbank Rd STITTSVILLE | Chamber Room
101 Centrepointe Dr. NEPEAN | St Paul’s University
223 Main St OTTAWA EAST | Glebe Community Ct
175 Third Avenue GLEBE | Memorial Hall
Dufferin at Mackay NEW EDINBURGH | Monday May 7 | Tuesday May 8 | Wednesday May 9 | Thursday May 10 | Friday May 11 | Main Library
120 Metcalfe St. DOWNTOWN | Royal Canadian Legion
5550 Ann St. MANOTICK | Community Centre
1448 Meadow Dr. GREELY | Nepean Creative Arts Centre
35 Stafford Rd. BELLS CORNERS | Shenkman Centre
245 Centrum Blvd. ORLEANS |
 The 2012 Ottawa Theatre Challenge The competition was fierce and judges,Geoff McBride and Mary Harvey had their work cut out for them but fortified with briber of chocolate,cake,and alcohol they made their difficult decisionfrom the impressive works presented. Ottawa newcomer,Melanie Karin accepted the coveted Rubber Chicken Award on behalf of 411 dramaturgy co. for her one woman performance and with it,the bragging rights as Ottawa’s Best Theatre Company.  Melanie Karin with the coveted Rubber Chicken Award Other Awards went to: High Tide Theatre,Best Use of Child Labour;Vintage Stock,Most Excellent Use Of Fart-producing Props;A Company of Fools,Best Dying For Your Art Award;Crush Improv,Most Effective Use of Raw Meat in a Family Drama. The Plant Porno Award for the Most Suggestive Use Of The Word Phototropism And Shout Out to the LGBTP Community was awarded to Black Sheep Theatre,while the Most Generous Bribe –more specifically getting the Adults to buy us booze Award,was given by the judges to the youth theatre Suzart Productions. GRIMprov walked away with the Best Product Extension Award for their use of Girl Guide Lettuce,with honorable mention as the Most Pregnant Emcee Ever going to the lovely Teri Rata Loretto. The net proceeds from the Ottawa Theatre Challenge will go towards the GCTC’s “Taking Care of (unfinished) Business” capital campaign. The national theatre community was recently shocked at the closing of the Vancouver Playhouse,one of Canada’s leading regional theatres. Our own flagship regional theatre is working to eliminate a debt incurred as they moved into their larger,custom-built facility. This new facility has been a boon to the local theatre community,providing much needed additional studio space and providing mentorship opportunities for our emerging and independent theatres. We thought there was no fitter way to say thank you for all the GCTC has done for the theatre community than to help ease the burden of debt. Thanks to the performers and the audience,it was a great evening!Photo credit:Andrew Alexander 
Come and cheers us on as we battle to hold onto the title of Ottawa’s Best Theatre Company
in our 13th Annual OTTAWA THEATRE CHALLENGE celebrating International World Theatre Day . Determined to wrest the coveted Rubber Chicken trophy from our Fool-ish hands are: GRIMprov,Galloping Coconuts,Black Sheep,411 Dramaturgy co,Vintage Stock,High Tide Theatre,Crush Improv ,Suzart Production. We promise you laughter, catcalls , rubber chickens and crooked Judges as the teams give it their best in a Contest of Creation. Fool-ishness is guaranteed ! The OTTAWA THEATRE CHALLENGE is THIS TUESDAY March 27th, at the Fourth Stage of the National Arts Centre, located at 53 Elgin Street in Ottawa. The doors open at 7 pm and the battle begins at 7:30. Tickets are $15. and are available at the box office of the NAC or through Ticketmaster with a surcharge. CALLING ALL THEATRE COMPANIES! Join Us In a Celebration of International World Theatre Day!
The Ottawa Theatre Challenge gives you a platform for inspiring the muses and the audience with the very essence of theatre. Join a Company of Fools for this 12th annual Contest of Creation at the National Arts Centre’s Fourth Stage on TUESDAY MARCH 27 th, 2012 for an amazing evening of creativity. Not sure what happens at the Ottawa Theatre Challenge? Fun,fun and more fun! 48 hours prior to the Theatre Challenge- which means SUNDAY March 25th –your theatre company brings three inspiration items to the Inspiration Party. (Location to be announced.) Last year’s winners – A Company of Fools —will choose the items of inspiration for this year and you can be sure they will challenge you! At the Inspiration Party the items are exchanged and you then spend two days writing and rehearsing your piece. On TUESDAY March 27th each of the participating companies presents their efforts to the public. Just to keep things interesting,we have a mock panel of judges (all of whom accept bribes) who will award everyone a prize,and present one lucky theatre company the coveted Rubber Chicken Award —which means bragging rights as Best Theatre Company In Ottawa for the period of 1 year. Don’t delay —register your theatre company today! Send an e-mail to info@fools.ca to sign up your theatre company for an evening of raucous celebration and madcap entertainment. The Ottawa Theatre Challenge TUESDAY March 27th 7:30 PM National Arts Centre’s Fourth Stage JOIN THE OTTAWA THEATRE CHALLENGE or be called a CHICKEN! |