Factory Theatre’s inaugural Young Company presents

in association with the LUMINATO Festival

 

TOUGH!

by George F. Walker

directed by Ken Gass

(with Associate Director Nina Lee Aquino)

 

 Bobby wants to break up with Tina.  Tina wants to keep Bobby’s baby.  And Jill would like

nothing more than to break Bobby’s face. 

 

True love set in today’s urban playground.

 

Tough! is the last movement in George F. Walker’s celebrated series of East End Plays. Cutting, funny and poignant, Tough! takes a hard look at youth on the edge of adulthood forced to make difficult decisions.  Ken Gass incorporates an ensemble of twelve young Toronto actors in this three-character drama, rotating characters throughout the performance to present a multi-racial and compelling perspective on youth issues.

Factory Theatre’s Young Company Bio’s

All cast members will be listed as Ensemble

 

Laura Miyata

 

Laura is a recent graduate of the Sheridan/U of T Acting program and is completing her intermediate actor combattant certification with Fight Director's Canada under the direction of Rapier Wit. She is thrilled to be participating in this production of TOUGH! and looks forward to pursuing upcoming work in theatre, film & television.

 

 

 

 

Darrel Gamotin

 

Darrel Gamotin is very excited to work and learn from this Factory Theatre collective. He has spent the past year focused on improvisation as well as the world of independent film. Darrel was fortunate enough to film his first feature length movie called “Ang Pamana: The Inheritance” and follow its success in a few festivals like the Hawaii International Film Festival and its international release in the Philippines. He is also grateful to have played with such talented improvisers at various Toronto stages like the Diesel Playhouse, Second City and Bad Dog Theatre. Now currently in the beginning of his second semi-professional year he has finally come to terms with accepting the necessity of self promotion. So in the spirit of learning visit jata.ca/gamotin or myspace.com/darrelg for more information.

 

Marc Senior

 

Marc Senior is an actor, stand-up comedian, singer and writer, who is deeply passionate about his craft and the development of his art. Selected theatre credits include: Shotgun in The Five Vengeances (Humber Theatre), Peer Gynt in Peer Gynt (Humber Theatre), Sebastian in Twelfth Night (Humber Theatre). Selected stand-up credits include: Nubian Disciplines of Pryor (Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Club-Toronto), The Great Canadian Laugh-Off Semi-Finals (Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Club-Toronto).  Marc hopes to raise social awareness through an artistic vision that is not only unique but also relevant to an audience worldwide.

Richie Guzman                                                                                                             

Richie Guzman is an Actor/Playwright/Director from Toronto,Ontario. This is his first production at the Factory Theatre. Most recently, Guzman wrote, directed and played music for his play "You Can Find It Here" as part of the Paprika Festival at Tarragon Theatre.At 18 Years of Age, Richie is an alumni of Tarragon's Young Playwrights Unit and the winner of the 2006 Under 20 For Under 20 Playwrights competition. A graduate of Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts, Richie also has performed for television and film. He will be attending Ryerson University in the Fall.

Samya Kullab                                                                                                               

Samya feels very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with the talented cast of Tough! She owes her past theatre experiences greatly to the Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People and to Leaside Highschool. She is looking foreward to attending the University College Drama Program at UofT in the fall.

Kevin Walker                                                                                                                 

Kevin could recently be seen playing "Walter" in the world premiere of Defenders of Gravity produced through the Playwrights of Spring Festival. He is very excited to be a part of this new take on George F. Walker's Tough and for the record, he is not related to the writer. Recently, Kevin wrote and directed his first play, Truly Outta Sight and will be directing Adam Rapp's Finer Noble Gases at SummerWorks through his company, The Bleecker Theatre. Kevin is a graduate of the Ryerson Theatre School.

Andrea Kwan

 

Andrea is a fourth year student at the University of Toronto where she is studying Theatre and Anthropology.  Most recently she played Kristin, Edith, and Lina in A Dream Play (UCDP), the Fool in King Lear (UCDP) and Dora Beth in Girls of Kensington (2006 Paprika Festival).  She is also a founding member of Theatre Revolve, a group dedicated to empowering women through the creation of theatre. She would like to thank everyone involved with Tough! for their generosity and her parents for continuing to inspire her.

 

Bethany Jillard

 

Bethany is extremely thrilled to be part of the Tough! ensemble and to be working with Ken and Nina.  A recent graduate of the University College Drama Program at U of T, Bethany has spent of the last year taking advantage of every opportunity she gets to perform, create new work and continue honing her craft.  Recent highlights include playing Juliet in Harthouse Theatre’s production of Romeo and Juliet, touring around Ontario as Mamillius/Perdita in the Driftwood Theatre Group’s summer production of The Winter’s Tale, and travelling to Milan with a group of UCDP alumni and students to perform a Brechtian cabaret at the Piccolo Teatro di Milano. To keep herself busy and out of trouble, Bethany choreographs and dances with the U of T based dance company Silhouettes, works with an American History teacher in Ajax to integrate dance into his curriculum, pays the bills with a job at DT Print Solutions Inc. and always finds love and laughs with family and friends.

 

Chala Hunter

 

Chala is currently nearing the completion of a degree in Drama at the University of Toronto (University College).  An actor, writer and creator, recent credits include Have I None (Muckheap Prod./Theatre Centre) 1st Draft (Hart House Drama Festival, Best Performer and Best Production Awards), and The Chekhov Vaudevilles (Robert Gill Theatre). She performed this May as part of Whale Riders (SeventhStage  Prod.), is currently a participant of Theatre Revolve, and is working on a remount of 1st Draft (Hart House Theatre this June).  She is also currently developing a piece in collaboration with Sarah Warren, Buildings and Bridges that will premiere at the Calgary and Saskatoon Fringe festivals this August.

 

Stephanie Jung

 

This Vancouverite grew up with the cold comfort of rain in her veins, and in the pursuit of higher education at York University moved to Toronto to experience snow and inexplicable cold pounding through her body.  It has been a worthwhile and crazy journey.  Past credits: Fran & Betsy in Exit 23’s The Heidi Chronicles and touring productions with the Vancouver Youth Theatre.  York credits: Yvette Longpré in Les Belles Soeurs, Emily Fant & Puppi in Comedy of Vanity, Regan in King Lear, Myrrha in Tales from Ovid, Chorus in 12 Ophelias, and Sunna from Unity (1918).  Thank you to all those who have put up with me, inspired me, yelled at me, traveled with me, and pushed me.  Dr. Seuss said it best: “Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.  And never mix up your right foot with your left.”

 

Tiffany Martin

 

Tiffany Martin is a recent graduate from the theatre performance program at Humber College, and is looking forward to a lifetime of storytelling. In her second year at Humber College she took on the immense task of playing Viola in Twelfth Night, as part of Humber College Theatre’s annual Original Shakespeare Project. Last summer she worked with the puppet theatre company, Clay and Paper Theatre, and was also a part of their annual celebration, "Night of Dread".  She can next be seen performing as Jill in Factory Theatre’s production of Tough!

 

Morgan Norwich

 

Morgan Norwich is an emerging theatre artist and recent graduate of the University College Drama Program at University of Toronto.  Previous acting credits include A Girl Named Graceland (FemFest and SummerWorks Festivals) Marge in Wasps (Hart House Theatre) and Electra in The Oresteia (UCDP).  Morgan has also directed Poached (New Ideas Festival), Stage Directions (UCDP) and Featuring Loretta (Stage Blue) and assistant directed The Zoo-Keeper’s Love Song (Fringe Festival). She is a founding member of Nobody's Business Theatre and will be directing the company's production of Muhammad of Yorkville this August at SummerWorks.  Morgan is delighted and grateful to be part of the Tough! ensemble.

 

Friday, June 1, 5PM Factory Studio - OPENING

Saturday, June 2, 1PM and 4PM *Rose Ave Public School (Outdoor performance)

Sunday, June 3, 5PM Factory Studio

Monday, June 4, 5PM Factory Studio

Wednesday, June 6, 12:45pm – indoor location Winston Churchill Collegiate

Thursday, June 7, 5PM and 10:30PM, Factory Studio

Friday, June 8, 5PM, Factory Studio        

Saturday, June 9, 1PM and 4PM *Stephen Leacock Collegiate Institute (outdoor performance)

Sunday, June 10, 1PM Factory Studio

 

Factory Studio Theatre (125 Bathurst Street)

All Tickets $15

 

   *Outdoor location: Rose Avenue Public School, 675 Ontario Street,

*Outdoor location: Stephen Leacock Collegiate Institute, 2450 Birchmount Road

*All outdoor performances free

For more info call 416.504.9971 or check our www.factorytheatre.ca