With the impending arrival of autumn and indoor entertainment becoming more appealing, the Gladstone is gearing up for its 2024-2025 season, showcasing new works from dedicated local artists.
Theatre Manager Robin Guy says that Ottawa is home to a thriving independent theatre community with “Brave, scrappy people . . . (who) put themselves on the line and make things happen without any outside infrastructure.” She explains that the Gladstone has four resident companies that each book the theatre for up to four weeks out of the year, but the balance of the year is open; any producer can book the stage.
It’s a creative environment that the Gladstone supports and embraces. The venue is very popular with the local independent theatre community. Guy mentions that the theatre’s schedule is fully booked through the 2024-2025 season, marking the first year since pre-COVID that has occurred. It is a win-win for everyone: “Every two- to three weeks, the audience can see a new show produced by artists” while benefiting from new shows completely different from what preceded it.
Unlike other theatres that review and select productions for each season, the Gladstone’s system is more liberal and less formal. They book smaller as well as up-and-upcoming producers, resulting in a calendar year full of great productions. One in particular that Guy is excited for audiences to see is William Goldman’s Misery, directed by the brand-new Toobeats Theatre Company. Their stage interpretation of the classic Stephen King horror novel promises to be a memorable rendition of the modern classic.
Another local group, Three Sisters Theatre Company, is staging playwright Lauren Gunderson’s Silent Sky, a captivating true story about 19th-century astronomer Henrietta Leavitt and her brilliant female colleagues, who dive into the challenges and triumphs they faced as women in a society on the brink of groundbreaking scientific and emotional discoveries.
Kids will want to catch The Spongebob Musical by TotoToo Theatre, the Capital’s only 2SLGBTQIA+ theatre company. Their rendition, based on the book by Kyle Jarrow with musical production by Tina Landau, has the famous TV character and his friends in Bikini Bottom optimistically singing and dancing their way out of an impending natural disaster.
ABOVE: Robin Guy is the Theatre Manager and Betsy Burns Johnson is the Front of House Manager at the Gladstone Theatre. (PHOTO: CURTIS PERRY). RIGHT: The busy lobby bar at the Gladstone Theatre. (PHOTO: ANDREW ALEXANDER)
Another production that Guy is super excited about is the not-to-be-missed production of the rock musical HAIR, which hits the stage in the spring of 2025. With the book and lyrics by Gerome Ragni and James Rado and music by Galt MacDermot, HAIR vividly captures the spirit of the 1960s counterculture and the era’s fashions—bare feet, long hair, bell-bottoms, and fringe. HAIR delves into themes of identity, community, global responsibility, and peace, offering a timeless reflection on what it means to be young in a world undergoing profound change.
On the historical side, Phoenix Players are presenting Michael Healey’s 1979, which examines Canadian political life at the time when a young Joe Clark waited for a vote that would seal his Prime Ministerial fate. Funny and sometimes moving, it is a who’s who of Canadian politics.
Not only does the Gladstone have a multitude of performances to choose from, but they also offer a 15 percent discount when you “Choose Your Own Adventure”, a package that allows theatregoers to bundle from three to 15 shows. Committed theatre buffs can save 25 percent of regular admission when they purchase “The Whole Shebang,” which offers 13 shows for the low price of $379.25. In all, the theatre has created, and all are subject to additional discounts for students and seniors.
In their commitment to bringing live theatre to the community, the Gladstone acknowledges that not everyone can afford to see one of their productions, so on Tuesdays, they offer pay-what-you-can nights. As Guy explains, “If all you have is five bucks, you can come to see your show for five bucks.”
Whatever package suits you, make sure to get tickets for the theatre’s season before they sell out. The Gladstone is where you can catch great local production companies and up-and-coming directors sharing the stage, and with 17-and-counting plays scheduled for the 2024-2025 season, there’s something for everyone!
To view all the packages and purchase tickets, visit www.thegladstone.ca or contact the theatre at boxoffice@thegladstone.ca.
HEADER PHOTO: Curtis Perry
