“ ‘Love for gas, gas for cash, cash for living, living for love.’ It is simple, heartbreaking, and summarizes the play perfectly.” Crystal Wood, Mooney on Theatre
PRODUCTION CREDITS Playwright: Donna-Michelle St. Bernard Director/Dramaturge: Philip Adams Actors: Peter Bailey (Mr. Man) Jamie Robinson (Chickn) Nawa Nicole Simon (Lola) Dienye Waboso (Gigi) Set and Costume Designer: Jackie Chau Design Assistant: Isidra Cruz Lighting Designer: Michelle Ramsay Sound Designer: Nicholas Murray Choreographer: Vivine Scarlett Stage Manager: Stephanie Nakamura Production Manager: Aiden Nagle Publicist: Raine Liliefeldt Graphic Design: Keith Barker Production Photography: Nir Bareket
“That longing gives a strong heart to Donna-Michelle St. Bernard’s writing, and it also inspires Philip Adams’ direction; all four actors capture that heart with quiet passion.” Jon Kaplan, NOW Magazine
SYNOPSIS Gigi and Lola are teenagers, friends and sex trade workers in a border town, playing out their role in a depressed economy
love for gas gas for cash cash for living living for love. ~
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Lola’s brother, Chickn, ekes out his own living while, keeping an ever watchful eye for Gigi’s affections and Lola’s safety. ~
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Lola and Gigi prove that love is not a luxury, but an inevitability that endures all circumstance. They lift each other up through story, song and play, making space for joy around the edges of survival.
“Dark, ponderous, and stirring, it’s an impressionable storytelling vehicle that gets surprising mileage from a cast that holds on tight and simply doesn’t let go” Steve Berketo, Torontostage.com
LOGISTICS Cast size: 4 Crew size: 2 Duration: 75 minutes Set: The set design, created for Theatre Passe Muraille’s cozy backspace is flexible, portable, unique, strong and adaptable to presenter spaces, creating anew the evocative atmosphere that caused more than one patron to remark that it felt like they were “back there all over again,” although few were referring to the same “there.” It is our preference to play in studio theatres with a capacity no larger than 200 in order to preserve this intimate feel. Outreach: The company actively reaches out into various communities to create networks, alliances, receptive audiences for our own work and intercultural/interdisciplinary work in general. As a result, we can contribute to outreach in many communities across the country to solicit audiences from relevant cultural communities.
“Coupled with St. Bernard’s poignant language are four stunning performances which make Gas Girls a vivid theatrical experience.” Amanda Campbell, TWISI Theatre Blog
GAS GIRLS PEDIGREE Alberta Theatre Projecst Enbridge 2009 Emerging Playwrights Award 2nd in Herman Voaden Playwriting Competition Four Dora Award Nominations for Outstanding New Play - DM St. Bernard Outstanding Male Actor - Jamie Robinson Outstanding Female Actor - Nawa Nicole Simon) Outstanding Set Design - Jackie Chau Development supported through Ontario Arts Council's Theatre Creator’s Reserve Program. Recommender: bcurrent theatre Excerpts were presented at Theatre Passe Muraille’s BUZZ Festival 2009
“A strong production that’s both brash and sensitive.” Jon Kaplan, NOW Magazine
ABOUT NEW HARLEM PRODUCTIONS
New Harlem Productions is an artist centred company based in Toronto whose directive is •
to represent marginalized voices • to contribute to vital dialogues through artistic expression • to create a platform for necessary stories to be told Artistic Director Donna-Michelle St. Bernard
Advisory Committee Brenda St. Bernard, David Yee, Joan Kivanda, Isaac Thomas, Kern Albert, Philip Adams, Raine Liliefeldt, Sandra LeFrancois, Tara Beagan
http://newharlemproductions.wordpress.com newharlemproductions@gmail.com 416-804-1702
The work of New Harlem Productions is supported through project funding from