After a two-year hiatus, the Three Ships Collective’s immersive and award-winning smash-hit, A Christmas Carol is back, supported by us! Set in the historic and picturesque Campbell House Museum, this unique theatrical production invites audience members to step into the world of Victorian England and follow flinty miser Ebenezer Scrooge on his ghostly journey of redemption. A mirthful medley of magic, music, and the macabre, A Christmas Carol is the perfect holiday experience!

“ NNNNN … Brilliant! … One-of-a-Kind! ” – Now Magazine
“ Truly Wonderful! … A Stunning Show! ” – My Entertainment World
“ ★★★★ … Delightful! … Moving ” – MGT Magazine

Running Dec 9-23, 2022. Tickets are on sale now! Visit ChristmasCarolTO.com for information on the cast and crew, Covid-19 policies, and lots more.

#ChristmasCarolTO

The Three Ships Collective, with our support, is delighted to announce the return of A Christmas Carol! The award-winning theatrical adaptation that played to sold-out audiences in 2018 and 2019 will once again fill the Campbell House Museum with mirth, music, and merriment!

Due to the layout of Campbell House and ongoing considerations related to Covid-19, this year’s presentation will take the form of an intimate staged reading in the museum’s historic ballroom – inviting audiences to experience the sights and sounds of Dickens’ beloved tale through the magic of theatre-of-the-mind.

Four performances only! Thursday December 16th at 8pm, Friday December 17th at 8pm, and Saturday December 18th at 6pm and 8pm. Tickets are only $15!

To purchase tickets and see more details, including Covid-19 protocols, head to ChristmasCarolTO.com.

To our friends, colleagues, and fellow artists:

While Soup Can Theatre has not been publicly active for some time due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been paying close attention to the ongoing violence against IBPOC individuals, frequently at the hands of law enforcement, and the calls for justice surrounding these events. Systemic racism and institutional inaction and indifference are harmful realities across many sectors, including Canada’s arts and entertainment industry; an industry that is widely Eurocentric, colonial, and lacking in diversity.

It is our responsibility as artists to be activists for equity as an integral part of our work. We must take an honest accounting of ourselves and examine our complicity in oppression. To this end, we have been taking part in anti-racism and anti-oppression workshops and online courses and engaging in independent research to better our practices, examine our implicit biases, and further our knowledge of systemic racism.

Our training and research require subsequent action:

• Soup Can Theatre will expand our Creative Core team to include more IBPOC individuals, aiming for a minimum 30% increase. We have taken a step back from working on a semi-regular basis due to COVID-19 and other life changes within our current core team; when the time is right to start working regularly again, we will put out a call to IBPOC artists. We are also exploring ways that the Creative Core can be paid regularly, rather than only on a project-to-project basis.
• Soup Can Theatre will engage more IBPOC individuals for all contract artist positions on and off stage for all-new productions moving forward, aiming for a minimum 30% increase. Should any white artists who are currently attached to existing projects that do not already meet the 30% threshold decide to leave the said projects, we will prioritize hiring IBPOC individuals for those vacant roles.
• Soup Can Theatre will reach out to all IBPOC artists who we have worked with in past to discuss their experiences with us (should they wish to share them) and for their feedback. For their labour, these artists will be financially compensated.

We will continue to examine additional ways we can move forward as an independent collective to make our practice and work more equitable. These conversations are not finished; they will be ongoing for as long as we operate.

We, as a Creative Core team – currently composed exclusively of white, European-descended people – are complicit in systemic racism. We are privileged, and we acknowledge this privilege and complicity. We will do better. We must actively listen, educate ourselves and implement substantive changes.

Soup Can Theatre stands in solidarity with IBPOC and the Black Lives Matter movement. You can learn more at:

• Black Lives Matter Toronto
• Indigenous Canada Course from the University of Alberta
• Idle No More
• Conscientious Theatre Training
• Resources from the White Noise Collective
• The Black Pledge

Sincerely,

The Creative Core of Soup Can Theatre:

Sarah Thorpe (they/them), Justin Haigh (he/him), Scott Dermody (he/him), and Leslie Thorpe-Dermody (she/her)

Ghost lights have been a practice and tradition in theatre for ages. They are left lit onstage following performances as a safety measure, and – for those who are superstitious – as illumination for playful spirits of actors long passed while the theatre is empty.

They also mean that even though the artists have gone home for the night, they will be back.  

We send all our love and support to our colleagues who have had to postpone or cancel productions and seasons, as well as our endless thanks and gratitude to essential and health care workers across Canada. During this difficult time of social and physical distancing, please stay safe and take care of yourselves. We look forward to the day where we can safely gather together, share stories, and put away the ghost light.

Tickets for the remount of A Christmas Carol are now on sale, running Nov 30-Dec 22 2019 at the Campbell House Museum. For information on show times, ticket prices, cast and crew, and more, visit ChristmasCarolTO.com.

An evening of terror and literary chills awaits…

On October 29th, join us in the historic kitchen of the Campbell House Museum for an intimate evening of readings from classic ghost and horror stories, followed by a candle-lit tour of the oldest remaining house from the original site of the Town of York.

Readings will include selections from “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” (Washington Irving, 1820), “The Tell-Tale Heart” (Edgar Allan Poe, 1843), “The Haunting of Hill House” (Shirley Jackson, 1959), and “The Exorcist” (William Peter Blatty, 1971), all read by local actors.

“Certain it is, the place still continues under the sway of some witching power, that holds a spell over the minds of the good people. They are given to all kinds of marvelous beliefs, are subject to trances and visions, and frequently see strange sights, and hear music and voices in the air. The whole neighborhood abounds with local tales, haunted spots, and twilight superstitions. The dominant spirit, however, that haunts this enchanted region, and seems to be commander-in-chief of all the powers of the air, is the apparition of a figure on horseback, without a head.”

“True! –nervous –very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad? The disease had sharpened my senses –not destroyed –not dulled them. Above all was the sense of hearing acute. I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth. I heard many things in hell. How, then, am I mad?”

“No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream. Hill House, not sane, stood by itself against the hills, holding darkness within; it had stood so for eighty years and might stand for eighty more. Within, walls continued upright, bricks met neatly, floors were firm, and doors were sensibly shut; silence lay steadily against the wood and stone of Hill House, and whatever walked there, walked alone.”

“You don’t blame us for being here, do you? After all, we have no place to go. No home… Incidentally, what an excellent day for an exorcism…”

Doors at 7:30pm
Event begins at 8pm
$10 in advance
$12 at the door (cash or credit only)
Cash Bar

All proceeds from this event will go towards the remount of A CHRISTMAS CAROL, presented by The Three Ships Collective and supported by Soup Can Theatre, running Dec 1-22 at Campbell House. #ChristmasCarolTO

Facebook.com/SoupCanTheatre
@SoupCanTheatre

The Three Ships Collective, with the support of Soup Can Theatre, is holding auditions for our upcoming remount of A CHRISTMAS CAROL.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL is an original and immersive adaptation of Charles Dickens’ story, set in the historic Campbell House Museum located at the corner of Queen and University in downtown Toronto. This production invites audience members to step into the world of Victorian London and follow flinty miser Ebenezer Scrooge on his ghostly journey of redemption.

This site-specific adaptation was written by Justin Haigh (writer of ‘Love is a Poverty You Can Sell I & II’ and “The Session”, part of ‘Circle Jerk’; writer/director of Spoon Vs. Hammer’s ‘Behold, The Barfly!’), directed by Sarah Thorpe (writer of ‘Heretic’; director of ‘No Exit’ and ‘Marat/Sade’), and music directed by Pratik Gandhi (music director of ‘A Hand of Bridge’, ‘Marat/Sade’, ‘The Threepenny Opera: In Concert’), all of whom will be returning for this remount.

We are actively interested in seeing artists from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds, all gender identities and expressions, all abilities, and all body types. For adult roles, we will accept submissions from artists ages 20 and up. All actors will be playing multiple roles. Ability to do a British accent (RP, Cockney) is a must. Ability to sing is an asset. PLEASE NOTE: We are also looking for an actor who can play the violin.

ROLES TO BE CAST

Jacob Marley – the ghostly spectre of Scrooge’s deceased business partner; a supernatural guide and constant observer
Ghost of Christmas Past / Ensemble – a calm and gentle ethereal presence
Ghost of Christmas Present / Ensemble – jolly, boisterous, and larger than life
Bob Cratchit / Ensemble – a modest and good-humoured family man pained by his son’s illness

Mrs. Dilber / Mrs. Fezziwig – Scrooge’s housekeeper; a hard woman with steely resolve and a champion of the less fortunate / Mr. Fezziwig’s wife – just as jolly and amiable as her husband.
Fred – Scrooge’s nephew / Augustus – Scrooge’s Father / Ensemble – a cheerful young man impervious to his uncle’s curmudgeonly ways (Fred) / a loving and well-meaning father (Augustus)
Belle / Ghost of Christmases Yet to Come / Alice – Scrooge’s fiancé, a kind and forward woman with big dreams (Belle) / a silent deathly figure (Ghost) / nephew Fred’s wife (Alice).
Emily Cratchit / Ensemble – Bob’s wife, fiercely devoted to her family, doing her best to make do with what little they have
Martha Cratchit / Lydia Berryman / Ensemble – Bob and Emily’s daughter (Martha) / the bold daughter of a man indebted to Scrooge (Lydia)
Peter Cratchit / Mr. Bailiwick – Bob and Emily’s son (Peter) / an upper class gentleman collecting donations on behalf of the poor.

Ensemble Roles include party guests, business associates, etc.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Please send your headshot and resume to ThreeShipsCollective@gmail.com with “A Christmas Carol – Auditions” in the subject line. We are accepting submissions from both Union and Non-Union artists. The deadline to submit is September 29th at 11:59pm.

Please note in your email your union status, and what role(s) you are interested in regardless of gender. Also please note if you are able to play the violin. While we greatly appreciate everyone’s interest in this production, due to time constraints, only those selected to audition will be notified.

Selected candidates will be sent sides and details on the audition time, date, and location, and asked to prepare a brief monologue. Auditions will be held between October 2^nd and 6^th.

CONTRACT & PAYMENT

This production will operate under a profit share. We are accepting both Union and Non-Union artists under a CAEA Artists Collective Policy. Artists will receive a minimum guaranteed fee of $400 before profit share. PLEASE NOTE: This minimum is based on a cautious estimate of box office revenue. We are actively pursuing other revenue streams, including two pending grant applications, sponsorships, and fundraising initiatives.

REHEARSALS

Rehearsals will begin the week of October 20^th, held 3 times per week in Toronto. Those auditioning will be asked to fill out a form indicating their availability for rehearsals. The schedule will be created based on the availability of all actors, stage management, and the director.

SHOW DETAILS

Audiences will follow the characters throughout all three floors of Campbell House. Please note that the floors are connected with stairs only. There is a ramp leading to the back door that provides access to the main floor.

Tech – Fri Nov 29 11am-8:30pm

Dress – Sat Nov 30 4:30-10:30pm

Preview Performances – Sun Dec 1, Tues Dec 3 (dark Dec 2)

Opening Night – Wed Dec 4

Performances – Dec 5-8, 10-12, 14-15, 17-22 (dark Dec 9, 13, 16)

The running time is approx 85 mins, and there will be two performances per night. On weeknights and Saturdays, the performances will be at 7pm and 9pm. On Sundays, the performances will be at 5pm and 7pm.

There may be a possible daytime performance for schools on a weekday during the run. Details TBD and actors’ personal schedules will be taken into consideration before confirming.

2018 REVIEWS

NOW Magazine – NNNN “Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol is so ubiquitous at this time of year that it’s hard to approach it with any sort of freshness. Thankfully the ingenious folks at the Three Ships Collective and Soup Can Theatre have done just that. … Brilliant … Impeccable … A one-of-a-kind production which deserves to become an annual event.”

MGT Magazine – ⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Delightful … Charming … Taut and propulsive … I had a tear in my eye … This production is extravagant in ways that a Scrooge would not approve of.”

Slotkin Letter “One of the best productions on offer … Uses the gift of setting the story in the Campbell House Museum to its full advantage … Exemplary and magical.”

My Entertainment World “Director Sarah Thorpe and her cast can be truly proud of what they’ve accomplished here … With any luck, this will be a fixture of the Christmas season at Campbell House and spread festive joy to even more audiences in Christmases Yet to Come.”

ABOUT US

THE THREE SHIPS COLLECTIVE is an artists’ collective formed in 2018 for the purpose of creating and staging this production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Past and present members include accomplished and critically-acclaimed artists and production team members; credits include (among many others) the Off-Broadway musical ‘Ride the Cyclone’, notable film and TV productions ‘Murdoch Mysteries’, ‘The Umbrella Academy’, ‘Reign’, and ‘The Strain’, and blockbuster video game franchise ‘Assassin’s Creed’.

SOUP CAN THEATRE is a Toronto-based company that explores and comments on contemporary issues and societal challenges, offering audiences a theatrical experience that is both entertaining and enriching. Founded in 2009, Soup Can Theatre has been producing truly independent theatre, garnering critical acclaim, multiple awards and accolades, and a dedicated following of theatre-goers. Shows have included ambitious and immersive musical productions (‘Love is a Poverty You Can Sell’ I & II), contemporary re-imaginings of iconic works (‘Marat/Sade’, ‘Antigone’, ‘A Hand of Bridge’, ‘No Exit’, ‘The Threepenny Opera’ in Concert), intimate original creations (‘Heretic’) and unique and daring collaborative concepts (‘Circle Jerk’). Soup Can Theatre is a member of the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts.

Both the Three Ships Collective and Soup Can Theatre operate on a not-for-profit basis. The Three Ships Collective and Soup Can Theatre do not tolerate harassment of any kind; including, but not limited to, harassment based on race, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, or disability.

#ChristmasCarolTO

Cast of “A Christmas Carol”. Screen shot by Laura Dittmann, 2018.

Work has begun on the Three Ships Collective’s remount of A Christmas Carol, supported by us, running Dec 1-22 at the Campbell House Museum (tickets will be on sale soon – stay tuned!). Last year’s inaugural production was an entirely self-funded labour of love, and although we are delighted to be heeding the many enthusiastic calls for its return, our goal is to build a more sustainable financial framework around this year’s production so that we are able to present the highest quality of work possible, while also ensuring that our production remains accessible to audience members of all socio-economic backgrounds. We are accepting donations from now until the end of the production’s run. Donate today on our GoFundMe page, and help us make our ambitious plans for this remount a reality! 

The Three Ships Collective, with the support of Soup Can Theatre, is hiring a Stage Manager and a Costume/Prop Designer for our upcoming production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL; a site-specific adaptation running in December at the Campbell House Museum. This is a remount of our 2018 production, which enjoyed a completely sold old run and glowing reviews from the press and public alike. The production also received 3 nominations in My Entertainment World’s 2018 Critics Pick Awards (Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play, Outstanding Direction), with actor Thomas Gough winning the Lead Actor award for his performance as Scrooge. This adaptation was written by Justin Haigh, directed by Sarah Thorpe, and musical directed by Pratik Gandhi, all of whom are returning for this remount. Audiences will follow the characters throughout all three floors of Campbell House. Please note that the top floors and basement are accessible by stairs only. There is a ramp leading to the back door that provides access to the main floor.

Cast of “A Christmas Carol”, 2018. Screen shot by Laura Dittmann.

Here are the reviews of the 2018 production:

https://nowtoronto.com/stage/theatre/a-christmas-carol-campbell-house/

https://www.myentertainmentworld.ca/2018/12/carol-campbell-house/

http://sesaya.com/2018/12/a-christmas-carol/

https://www.mygaytoronto.com/mgtstage/20181216.php

http://slotkinletter.com/2018/12/reviews-a-christmas-carol-and-a-very-leila-christmas

https://lifewithmorecowbell.com/2018/12/14/a-christmas-carol-in-a-delightful-unique-immersive-production-at-campbell-house/

Schedule: Rehearsals will be held in Toronto, beginning the week of October 20 and held 3x per week. The schedule will be created based on the availability of the Actors, Stage Manager, and Director.

Tech – Fri Nov 29 11am-8:30pm, Dress – Sat Nov 30 4:30-10:30pm

Preview Performances – Sun Dec 1, Tues Dec 3 (dark Dec 2), Opening Night – Wed Dec 4

Performances – Dec 5-8, 10-12, 14-15, 17-22 (dark Dec 9, 13, 16)

The performance runs approximately 85-90 mins, with 2 performances per night, totaling 36 performances. On weeknights and Saturdays, the performances are at 7pm and 9pm. On Sundays, the performances are at 5pm and 7pm. Strike will be held following the final performance on Dec 22nd.

Costume/Prop Info: We are currently seeking out costume and prop sponsorships from local rental houses so that all of those materials can come from just one or two sources for the sake of efficiency. The time period of the production ranges from the 1790s-1850s. The cast size is 16, including 2 child actors who share the roles of Tiny Tim and Little Ebenezer and alternate performance nights. With the exception of the actors who play Scrooge and Marley, all actors play 2-3 different characters. The Costume/Prop Designer will also be responsible for costume fittings and alterations; basic to moderate sewing and alterations skills are a requirement.

Contract & Compensation: We will operate under the CAEA’s Artists Collective Policy, with a guaranteed minimum fee of $400 before profit share. Apart from ticket sales, the additional revenue sources we are exploring include government grants, a crowd-funding campaign, and reaching out to potential private financial sponsors.

Anti-Harassment Policy: The Three Ships Collective and Soup Can Theatre are committed to fostering a creative and collaborative environment free of harassment and discrimination where all artists and associates are treated with dignity and respect. We do not tolerate harassment of any kind; including, but not limited to, harassment based on race, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, or disability.

Submission Instructions: Please send a resume and references to ThreeShipsCollective@gmail.com by Monday September 9. We are actively interested in submissions from artists from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds, all gender identities and expressions, and all abilities. If you have any questions about the project that would affect your interest, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. While we thank all applicants for their interest, only those selected for an interview will be contacted after Sept 9.

We are turning 10, and Toronto is invited to celebrate with us! We are marking the occasion with a performance-laden bash at the Monarch Tavern featuring in-concert highlights from our smash-hit shows, Love is a Poverty You Can Sell I and II, performed by original cast and orchestra members, as well as dancing, raffle prizes, a silent auction, and more! 

Since 2009, Soup Can Theatre has been producing truly independent theatre, garnering critical acclaim, multiple awards and accolades, and a dedicated following of theatre-goers along the way. Our shows have included ambitious and immersive musical productions (Love is a Poverty You Can Sell I & II), contemporary re-imaginings of iconic works (Marat/Sade, Antigone, A Hand of Bridge, No Exit, The Threepenny Opera in Concert), intimate original creations (HERETIC) and unique collaborative concepts (Circle Jerk). Soup Can has also been proud to support outside works by our core members, including the much-lauded sketch revue, Behold, the Barfly!, and an award-winning original site-specific adaptation of A Christmas Carol which will be returning to the historic Campbell House Museum in December.

WHERE & WHEN:
July 18th at The Monarch Tavern – 12 Clinton Street (just south of College), ground floor. Doors open at 7:30pm, festivities kick off at 8pm.

TICKETS:
Tickets are available to buy in advance at a Pay-What-You-Want rates. On the night of, tickets will be available at the door (cash only) at a Pay-What-You-Can rate with a suggested donation of $10 or more.

ACCESSIBILITY:
The Monarch Tavern performance space is wheelchair accessible, however the washrooms are only accessible by stairs.

Check out our Facebook Event Page!

@SoupCanTheatre on Instagram & Twitter
#SoupCan10