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Ronnie Burkett Theatre of Marionettes in BILLY TWINKLE, Requiem for a Golden Boy November 25 - December 6

Summary: The NAC English Theatre will present Alberta-born puppeteer Ronnie Burkett's latest creation BILLY TWINKLE, REQUIEM FOR A GOLDEN BOY to the NAC Studio from November 25 through December 6.

The National Arts Centre English Theatre is thrilled, as part of the 2008-2009 International Season, to bring world-renowned, Alberta-born puppeteer Ronnie Burkett, and his latest creation, BILLY TWINKLE, Requiem for a Golden Boy to the NAC Studio from November 25 through December 6.

Billy Twinkle is a middle-aged cruise ship puppeteer who dazzles audiences with his Stars in Miniature marionette niteclub act. His saucy burlesque stripper Rusty titillates the tourists, octogenarian Bunny invokes sidesplitting laughter with the inflatable balloon in his pants, Bumblebear juggles and roller-skates and steals the hearts of every audience, and society dame Biddy Bantam Brewster brings a bit of highbrow hilarity to the high seas with her drunken aria. Billy is the best in the business and on top of the world as he floats along through life.

Until he is fired by the cruiseline. Standing at the edge of the ship contemplating a watery demise, Billy is abruptly called back to reality when his dead mentor Sid Diamond appears as a hand puppet. Sid literally will not leave his side, and forces Billy to re-enact his life as a puppet show in order to remember and rekindle the passion Billy once had for puppets, people and the dream of a life that sparkles.

Ronnie Burkett has been captivated by puppetry since the age of seven when he opened the World Book Encyclopaedia to “Puppets”. He began touring his puppet shows around Alberta at the age of fourteen and has been on the road ever since. Recognized as one of Canada’s foremost theatre artists, Ronnie Burkett has been credited with creating some of the world’s most elaborate and provocative puppetry.

Ronnie Burkett Theatre of Marionettes was formed in 1986 and has stimulated an unprecedented adult audience for puppet theatre, continuously playing to great critical and public acclaim on Canada’s major stages and as a guest company at international theatre festivals. Ronnie has received numerous awards in Canadian theatre as a playwright, actor and designer for his work with Theatre of Marionettes, and international recognition including a Village Voice OBIE Award in New York for Off-Broadway Theatre. BILLY TWINKLE, Requiem for a Golden Boy is the eleventh production from Theatre of Marionettes, and follows the now-retired international successes of Tinka’s New Dress, Street of Blood and Happy, all part of the “Memory Dress Trilogy”, Provenance and 10 Days on Earth, which has recently been nominated for a Governor General’s Award. Ronnie lives in Toronto, and has started writing his next production Geppetto Jones.

There are many people involved in putting Ronnie’s show on stage,includingMusic and Sound Designer John Alcorn;Lighting Designer Kevin Humphrey; Production Manager/Artistic Associate Terri Gillis;Stage Manager Lesley Humphrey; Director of Sound/Technical Director Shanna Miller; Dramaturg Iris Turcott.

In the Puppet Studio, all marionettes are built by Ronnie Burkett, along with Head Puppet Builder Dina Meschkuleit; Miniature Marionettes by Angela Talbot; Additional character sculpture by Erik Shaper; Puppet Builder Gemma James Smith; Puppet Builder Robin Fisher; Puppet Builder Ken MacKenzie; Costumes built by Kim Crossley, assisted by Gina Schellenberg and Anna Baines; Puppet animations by Mark Keetch; Controls and stringing by Luman Coad. Additional assistance in the studio provided by Martin Herbert; Alexis Taylor; Alice Gibney; Andrea Bolley; James Fisher; Shanna Miller.

Audience Advisory: this production is intended for adult audiences and contains mature themes and strong language. Children under the age of 14 will not be admitted. The performance is approximately one hour and forty-five minutes with no intermission. There are no latecomers admitted to this performance.

Commissioned by The Citadel Theatre (Edmonton, Canada) ;
and co-commissioned by Canada’s National Arts Centre (Ottawa, Canada); The Vancouver East Cultural Centre (Vancouver, Canada); The Arts Centre (Melbourne, Australia); barbicanbite09 (London, UK); and the Sydney Opera House (Sydney, Australia).

Ronnie Burkett Theatre of Marionettes is represented internationally by John Lambert and Assoc., Montreal, Canada (www.johnlambert.ca)

“A pinch-me moment of extraordinary technical virtuosity…fabulous.” – Edmonton Journal

Special Thanks to CKCU, Media Partner

BILLY TWINKLE, Requiem for a Golden Boy plays from November 25 through December 6, 2008.
Previews: Tuesday, November 25 & Wednesday, November 26
Opening: Thursday, November 27

Hinterview: Saturday, November 29 at 1 p.m. in the Salon
NAC English Theatre Artistic Director Peter Hinton will be interviewing
Iris Turcott, Dramaturg for BILLY TWINKLE, Requiem for a Golden Boy

Talkbacks: Wednesday, December 3
Thursday, December 4

Student Club: Friday, November 28
A club designed with students ages 16 – 22 in mind.

In the NAC Studio: Evening performances Tuesday through Saturday at 8 p.m.
Saturday matinees are at 2 p.m. (no performances on Sunday or Monday)

Adults: $31.50 to $36 Previews: $26
Students: $17 to $19.25 Previews: $14.25
Groups of 10+ receive great discounts! For more information contact grp@nac-cna.ca or
visit our webpage.

Tickets are available for purchase:
In person at the NAC Box Office
At all Ticketmaster outlets
By telephone from Ticketmaster, (613) 755-1111
Online through the Ticketmaster link on the NAC’s website (www.nac-cna.ca/dream)
A service charge applies on all purchases made through Ticketmaster

This performance is eligible for the Live Rush programme.
Students with a valid Live Rush (tm) membership card may buy up to 2 tickets per eligible performance at the discount price of only $11 per ticket. New this year! All unsold tickets for Live Rush(tm) eligible performances will be made available to Live Rush(tm) members on the day before the performance starting at 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. on the day of the performance. This includes all available seats, including the best seats in the house.
Check out liverush.ca for information on obtaining a Live Rush card.

For any information, please call:
Sean Fitzpatrick, Communications Officer, National Arts Centre English Theatre
613-947-7000 ext. 389; e-mail: sfitzpat@nac-cna.ca
Or visit the NAC website at www.nac-cna.ca

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