Rockbound to Premiere “Off The Grid’
Two Planks and a Passion Announces 18th Season

Canning, N.S. – Two Planks and a Passion Theatre’s artistic director announced the company’s 18th season today, featuring the world premiere of Allen Cole’s Rockbound as the latest in the company’s award-winning Theatre Off The Grid productions at the Ross Creek Centre for the Arts. In development with the company since 2006, the musical drama is an adaptation of the beloved novel by Frank Parker Day and will premiere on the Transcontinental Media stage at the Centre on July 11th, 2009.

“After several years of development we are absolutely thrilled to bring Allen Cole’s Rockbound to our Theatre Off The Grid stage,” says Schwartz from his office overlooking the centre. “ At Two Planks we strive to create new work which takes its inspiration from our collective history and literature, while at the same time exploring a contemporary sense of who we are. What is so thrilling about Rockbound is that it manages to evoke a time and atmosphere that feels mythical while portraying characters that we instantly identify with. It manages to engage at every level.”

Allen Cole’s new musical tells the story of David Jung, a poor orphan who returns to the island of his birth to claim his rightful share of land, his uncle Uriah, the cunning “King of Rockbound” who is adamant that David has no place on Rockbound, and the various members of the Jung and Krauss families who battle over a small oasis in the midst of the merciless North Atlantic. At once a story of unrequited love and the destructive greed that drives many of the inhabitants of Rockbound, Cole’s musical is humorous, human, and absolutely timeless.

Rockbound is based on the novel of the same name by Frank Parker Day. Released in 1928, Day’s work is one of the best-known pieces of Canadian literature of the period, recently enjoying a resurgence of popularity following its win at the 2004 Canada Reads competition on CBC Radio.

Featuring a cast of 14 performers from across Canada, Rockbound includes Theatre Off the Grid alumni Burgandy Code and Ryan Rogerson, as well as Martin Burt, Frank Moore, James MacDonald, Amanda LeBlanc, Bridget Bezanson, Margot Sampson, Leete Stetson, Kyle Gillis and Cliff LeJeune. The production will be directed by Ken Schwartz, Musical Direction will be by Allen Cole and choreography by Alexis Milligan. Costumes will be designed by Rosie Browning. Musicians for the production include Mark Adam, Sandy Moore and Chris Churchill.

Theatre Off The Grid, launched in 2007, has been an enormous artistic success for the company winning seven Merritt awards for achievement in Nova Scotian theatre including Outstanding Production in both 2007 and 2008. “Theatre Off The Grid refers to the fact that we use no electricity in the performances we present, but it also reflects a state of mind - the willingness to go off the beaten track to discover something very special,” says Schwartz.

This year’s season opens officially on July 11th at 6pm, with daily performances in daylight hours running until August 9th. Tickets are available by calling 1.888.895.4545 or e-mailing boxoffice@twoplanks.ca

Rockbound will also be hitting the road, with a special indoor premiere presented by The Chester Playhouse as part of their summer season from August 13th to 16th. The Chester Playhouse can be contacted at 1.800.363.7529. and www.chesterplayhouse.ca.

“It’s wonderful to perform Rockbound in Chester, given its proximity to the inspiration for the original story,” Schwartz says. “We also have an opportunity to explore the same work in two very different ways with the same company of performers, and that rarely happens. We’re very grateful to The Chester Playhouse for giving us this experience.”

Two Planks’ 2009 season is supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, The Nova Scotia department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage, Transcontinental Media and the Kings County Advertiser, K-Rock 89.3 and RBC Dominion Securities.

For media inquiries please contact Ken Schwartz at artisticdirectors@twoplanks.ca or Leah Forsey at pr@artscentre.ca. For further information about Two Planks and a Passion Theatre please visit www.twoplanks.ca or call 1.902.582.3073.

All performances held at the Ross Creek Centre for the Arts.  Directions. View Performance Schedule .