Macbeth (Toronto)
Engaged by Melinda Howard & Kevmar Productions as Production Supervisor for the Toronto segment of the Broadway-bound production of Macbeth by William Shakespeare from March 8 to March 20th, 1988 for 16 performances at the O’Keefe Centre, Toronto prior to a Boston & New Haven tour as part of its transfer to the Mark Hellinger Theater on Broadway for a 12-week run from Apr 21, 1988 to Jun 26, 1988.
Produced by Barry & Fran Weissler and Garth Drabinsky (at the time, owner of Cineplex Odeon movie theater chain). Associate Produced by Melinda Howard.
Directed by Robin Phillips (but didn’t want his name on the program). Originally Directed by Kenneth Frankel. Later Directed by Zoe Caldwell. Set Designed by Daphne Dare. Original Set Designed by Tony Walton; Costume Design by Patricia Zipprodt; Lighting Design by Marc B. Weiss. Original Lighting Designed by Paul Gallo; Sound Design by Otts Munderloh; Hair Design by Patrik D. Moreton; Make-Up Design by Brad Scott and Assistant Lighting Design: Susan A. White.
Starring Glenda Jackson and Christopher Plummer with Randle Mell (Malcolm); Alan Scarfe / Stephen Russell (Macduff); Paul Shenar (Banquo); Richard H. Blake (Macduff’s Son); Gary Bradford (Ensemble); Robert Burke (Seyton); Michael Butler (Fleance); David DeBesse (Ensemble); Bill Ferrell (Ensemble); Bruce Gooch (Caithness); Michael Alan Gregory) (Ensemble); Jack Gwillim (Duncan); Jack Hannibal (Siward); Annette Helde (Witch); Thomas Hill (Lennox); Todd Jamieson (Ensemble); Cherry Jones (Lady Macduff); Philip Kerr (Ross); Conan McCarty (Donalbain); Tanny McDonald (Witch); Gordon Paddison (Ensemble); Thomas Schall (Murderer); Paul Soles (Doctor); Jeff Weiss (Witch / Porter / Murderer / Siward) and Gregory Zaragoza (Ensemble)
Standby: Sarah-Jane Gwillim (Lady Macbeth)
Understudies: Robert Burke (Banquo), Michael Butler (Siward), Bruce Gooch (Malcolm, Macduff), Jack Hannibal (Donalbain, Fleance, Macduff’s Son), Annette Helde (Lady Macduff), Thomas Hill (Duncan), Edwin J. McDonough (Seyton, Siward, Doctor, Messenger), Gordon Paddison (Ross, Caithness, Murderer), Marcell Rosenblatt (Witch, Gentlewoman), Paul Shenar (Macbeth) and Paul Soles (Lennox, Porter, Murderer)
General Manager: Alecia Parker and Kevmar Productions, Inc.; Production Supervisor: Toby Simkin; Company Manager: Michael Gill; Production Stage Manager: James Harker; Stage Manager: Amy Pell; Technical Supervisor: Theatre Services, Inc.; Special Effects by Bran Ferren; Casting: Pat McCorkle; General Press Representative: Solters / Roskin / Friedman, Inc.; Fight Captain: Thomas Schall; Assistant to the Fight Captain: Bruce Gooch; Advertising: Serino, Coyne & Nappi; Photographer: Henry Grossman and Robert C. Ragsdale and Fight direction by David S. Leong
O’Keefe Centre for the Performing Arts
The O’Keefe Centre opened 1 Oct 1960 with Alexander H. Cohen’s production of the pre-Broadway premiere of Lerner and Loewe’s Camelot, starring Richard Burton, Julie Andrews and Robert Goulet. Camelot was followed by musical productions featuring such artists as Ethel Merman, Mickey Rooney, Angela Lansbury, Alfred Drake, Yul Brynner, Carol Channing, Pearl Bailey, Katharine Hepburn and Rudolf Nureyev.
Located on 2.5 acres on Toronto’s Front Street between Yonge and Scott streets at 1 Front Street East, the centre was built at a cost of $12 million and was owned until 1968 by the O’Keefe Brewing Co. In 1968 ownership was transferred to Metropolitan Toronto; in 1996 the facility was renamed the Hummingbird Centre after its sponsor, Hummingbird Communications. It became the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts in 2007 and on September 15, 2019, it was re-branded as Meridian Hall.
A modernist design, when it was built, it was the largest concert hall in North America, the fan-shaped theatre was built to seat 3,155 people on two levels facing an 18 metre wide proscenium. Its cavernous auditorium, approached through a lobby which, with its carpeting, chandeliers and monumental 100’x15’ mural by Toronto artist York Wilson of The Seven Lively Arts was a focal point and monument to Culture in its own right. Though intended as a multi-purpose entertainment centre for opera, ballet, drama, and touring productions, the theatre’s size suited it primarily for large-scale productions.
General Manager’s during my time were Charles (Charlie) S. Cutts [1981-1989], and Martin (Marty) H. Onrot [1990-1995].