ONstage Tonight at Festival: The Curtain Club

The Curtain Club's production of The Drowning Girls

Our Festival closes with the second Canadian production of the week as The Curtain Club from Richmond Hill represents the Association of Community Theatres—Central Ontario (ACT-CO) and presents The Drowning Girls by Beth Graham, Charlie Tomlinson & Daniela Vlaskalic.

The Curtain Club was founded in Richmond Hill in 1954; Cicely Thomson, one of the theatre’s co-founders was also a founding member of Theatre Ontario. Hosts of Theatre Ontario Festival 2011, The Curtain Club last represented ACT-CO at our 2014 Festival in Sarnia, presenting Lenin’s Embalmers by Vern Thiessen. The Curtain Club has twice won the Elsie Award for Outstanding Festival Production, first in 2004 for their production of Staff Room (written and directed by Joan Burrows, who is the director of The Drowning Girls) and again in 2005 for their production of Marvin’s Room.

Rub-a-dub-dub, three brides in tubs. Found drowned. These women gather evidence against their womanizing, murderous husband by reliving the shocking events leading up to their deaths. This play reflects on the misconceptions of love, married life, and the not-so-happily ever after.

At ACT-CO Festival 2015-2016, The Curtain Club won Best Presentation of a Drama, Best Direction (Joan Burrows), and Adjudicator’s Awards for Outstanding Acting Ensemble and Production Design, with nominations for Best Lighting Design (Mark Hayward), Best Costume Design (Amanda Eason & Alice Torrance), and Cohesive and Comprehensive Realization of the Director’s Vision (the company).

Read more about Theatre Ontario Festival 2016