Famous People Players
Is an internationally renowned black light theatre company. It is based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and tours around the world. It is a non-profit organization which employs people with physical and mental disabilities. Those individuals share duties in dining room management, arts administration, and theatrical and visual arts performances.
Since inception, the company has paid homage to the works of famous people within its own theatrical context, hence the name Famous People
Players'''.
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FAMOUS PEOPLE PLAYERS TICKETS
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History
The Famous People Players was founded on
June 1,
1974 by
Diane Dupuy of
Hamilton, Ontario. At inception, the company consisted of Dupuy and an assistant, eleven performers, and Dupuy's mother Mary Thornton; Thornton designed and built the costumes and props. The company's original piece was
Aruba Liberace
, in which a life-size character of
Liberace plays the piano; it is still the company's signature performance.
Liberace attended a showing of
Aruba Liberace
, and was so impressed he invited Famous People Players to perform with him in
Las Vegas. The company debuted in Las Vegas in October
1975; over the subsequent ten years, the company performed with Liberace both in Las Vegas and internationally. A
1984 CBS television movie was made about Dupuy's early work and meeting Liberace called
Special People.
The
CBC produced and aired
Carnival of the Animals
as a result of the increasing popularity of Famous People Players. In
1982, Famous People Players was invited to perform in the
People's Republic of China.
In
1994, the company opened the
Dine and Dream Theatre
;
Paul Newman, from proceeds of
Newman's Own
products, funded the restaurant's development.
Dine and Dream Theatre
The
Dine and Dream Theatre
is located at the company's Toronto west-end headquarters. Guests first arrive to the restaurant for dinner, where they are served by individuals who also perform in Famous People Players productions. After dinner, they are led to the
Phil Collins Theatre
, where the main production is performed. The theatre is named after
Phil Collins, who became a source of inspiration for the actors when he viewed a performance interpretation of his music.
Recognition
The troupe has been subject of numerous talk shows, specials and documentaries.
A Little Like Magic
, which detailed the company's operation and success, was an
Emmy Award-winning documentary.
A 1985
CBS movie-of-the-week entitled
Special People
was based on the company's early history. The company was also featured in the plot of an episode of the popular U.S. television drama
7th Heaven
in 2002.
In co-production with Treehouse's "Roll Play" Famous PEOPLE Players program for the juice box set
[clarification needed] is hugely popular. The theatre troupe first broke into this market with their Toronto Dinner Theatre as a guest spot location for Treehouse kingpin "This is Daniel Cook."
Founder Diane Dupuy has been inducted as a member of the
Order of Canada in recognition for her contributions to Canadian society through the company. And mother Mary C. Thornton has won many accolades, most recently with The Toasmasters as woman of the year.
Productions
Famous People Players has created many productions over its 30-year history. (
Note: The table below is currently incomplete.
)
Leave the Porch Light On
was the company's first original, full-length musical production and was especially created for the company's 25th-anniversary. The show marked the first time that the company had staged a completely original full-length musical and was also unique because it was the first time that the company incorporated a live actor in to one of their productions.
The initial performance of
Leave the Porchlight On
was attended by a number of celebrities and other well-known people, including the
Governor General of Canada.
[1] The production was very successful and is still occasionally remounted at the company's theatre in Toronto and on tour. A sequel of sorts followed two years later, entitled
Hide and Seek: A Game of Human Spirit
.
| Name
| First Performance
| Last Performance
|
| Aruba Liberace
| 1974
| still performed
|
| A Little Like Magic
| 1985
| still performed
|
| A Little More Magic
| 1993
| 2001
|
| The Oldies But Goodies Show
| 1996
| 1998
|
| Rock Around The Clock
| 1996
| still performed
|
| A Magical Christmas
| 1997
| 2000
|
| Leave the Porch Light On
[2]
| 1999
| still performed
|
| Hide and Seek: A Game of Human Spirit
| 2001
| 2007
|
| Jumpin' and Jiven
| 2005
| 2005
|
| A Black Light Night at the Opera
| 2001
| still performed
|
| Shake, Rattle & Roll
| 2005
| still performed
|
| Hollywood Rocks
| 2006
| 2006
|
| On Broadway
| 2006
| 2006
|
| Alice in Funky Land
| 2006
| still performed
|
| Good Rockin
| 2007
| still performed
|
| Going Bananas
| 2008
| still performed
|
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