If you missed it,  never fear.  You can relive it vicariously through these pictures!

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Bob and Doll

Shakespeare’s Dead
April  30-May 11
At venues across the City

A 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!)

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.

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!

In celebration of World Theatre Day,theatre companies from across the  region compete in a Contest of Creation. Each theatre company has 48  hours to write,rehearse and produce a brand new piece of theatre.  Who  will win the coveted Rubber Chicken Award?

The Fools have been invited to develop a new piece at the GCTC’s  undercurrents Festival.

Following the astounding success of the  inaugural festival in January 2011, GCTC’s Studio will once again host  an exciting mix of ground-breaking local plays and the hottest  independent shows from across the country. While amazing new theatre  is happening in the Studio, the Fools will be in the lobby picking  your brain about how to develop our next piece!

Sweets and Sonnets Delivery
Valentine’s Day,  Feb. 14, All Across Ottawa
Send a loved one a  Shakespeare sonnet as a special treat!

An actor in faux Elizabethan garb will, on bended knee,  read the Shakespeare  sonnet of your choice to your intended and  then, leave behind a little bag of sweets.
We deliver anywhere in the Greater Ottawa area including to restaurants, workplaces and offices, on Valentine’s Day between 9am and 7 pm.

If your sweetheart is far away do not despair!
We also whisper sweet poetry over the telephone to anywhere in North America for those parted from their Love  on this special day.

A Sweets and Sonnet delivery is $79.99 Sweet Words $59.99
Book early  because there are only so many Fools to go around!

Choose your sonnet here!

Then  email  info@fools.ca

The Ottawa Theatre Challenge
Tuesday March 27, 2012
National Arts Centre’s Fourth Stage

In celebration of World Theatre Day, theatre companies from across the  region compete in a Contest of Creation. Each theatre company has 48  hours to write, rehearse and produce a brand new piece of theatre.  Who  will win the coveted Rubber Chicken Award?

Shakespeare’s Dead
April  30-May 12
Venues across the City

A 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!   Afternoons we perform in schools across the city, and  evenings we perform in different venues, such as the Glebe Community  Centre, MacKay United Church’s Memorial Hall, and the Old School House  in MacDonald’s Corner. We’re still devising the full schedule – check  for it online in the spring!

Torchlight Shakespeare: Henry the Fifth
July 2 – August 18  2012 in Parks all across Ottawa!
War is Heck!
Henry the Fifth is a Boy meets Girl story with a slight  twist. Part ‘Saving Private Ryan’ and part ‘Before Sunrise’ this tale  of patriotism and romance finds the boy, struggling under the heavy  mantle of recent ascension to the throne.  Excited to try his  leadership skills he sets out to invade the girl’s country,  based on a  dubious claim to the throne.  He lays siege to a key logistical port,  marches inland and against the odds manages to defeat a much larger  force by deploying new military strategies and then he meets girl.

Presented by the graduating class of the Wm. Golding Academy  Shakespeare’s King Henry the Fifth a reflection on what it means to be  a monarch. This is an overreaching and  unflinching production  that  tackles all the tough questions: Why do we fight wars?
What qualities  make a good leader?
Can this cockpit hold the vasty fields of France?
And what are we going to do with all of these tennis balls?

A MIDWINTER’S DREAM TALE ( Nov.29- Dec18,2011)
Written by A Company of Fools and Bill Shakespeare
Directed by AL Connors
Produced by the GCTC

What do you get when you cross two theatre classics with two irreverent clowns? A mischievous mid-winter treat,just in time for the holiday season! The worlds of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Winter’s Tale collide when Pomme and ‘Restes embark on a frosty adventure of Shakespearean proportions. Join in the fun as they get lost in the Land of the Fairies,battle the Abominable Snowman,save the Queen’s baby,and search for ice cream. This entertaining holiday romp is packed with humour,spectacle,music and maybe… just maybe… a little frozen dessert.

Phone: (613) 236-5196
Email: info@gctc.ca
Fax: (613) 232-2075
Box Office: Located at 1233 Wellington St. W. (at Holland)
Ottawa,ON K1Y 0G7

-something a little different for your Sweetie!
February 14th,  2012 from  9:00am – 7:00 pm
at homes, workplaces and restaurants across the city
info@fools.ca

Surprise your Sweet One and show your love on Valentine’s Day by sending a personalized Shakespearean sonnet. Sonnets are delivered on bended knee, by a costumed actor from Ottawa’s renowned a Company of Fools. We’ll leave behind a parchment scroll  and a small bag of sweets to mark the occasion. It’s the perfect blend of romance and foolishness to win a special heart!

If your Sweetie’s not here in Ottawa, we’ll call and deliver the sonnet over the phone anywhere in North America!
Please don’t delay; time and Fools are limited!

A Sweets and Sonnet delivery is $79.99 Sweet Words $59.99

Find your sonnet here!

There is an easy, direct way to help a Company of Fools – by choosing the Fools as a recipient of your United Way donation. A Company of Fools Theatre Inc. is a registered charity, and your donation through the United Way/Centraide Ottawa Workplace Campaign assists us to provide the quality programming for which we are known. Support the Fools through United Way – all you need to donate to us is A Company of Fools charity registration number # 87973 8623 RR0001.

For more information on donating securely through United Way/Centraide Ottawa, visit

http://www.unitedwayottawa.ca/english/how_you_can_help.html.