January 04, 2002 -

Ottawa -- The National Arts Centre English Theatre is proud to announce the launch of the second half of the 2001/2002 English Theatre Season with the world premiere production of Maureen Hunter's new play, Vinci, directed by Dennis Garnhum. This brilliant new play by one of Canada's foremost playwrights, will run in the National Arts Centre Theatre from January 10-26 (previews January 8 & 9). Performances are Tuesday through Saturday at 19:30, with matineés on Saturdays at 14:00. This production will run in Maureen Hunter's home province at the Manitoba Theatre Centre from February 7 to March 2, 2002.

CanWest Global Communications Foundation is proud to be the National Production Sponsor of this world premiere.

Maureen Hunter knew that she wanted to write a play about Leonardo da Vinci, but what about him exactly? She had immersed herself in biographies, histories and religious texts. Then she traveled to Tuscany, climbed the hills around Vinci, and visited Leonardo's birthplace.

"I wanted to see the place where Leonardo was born," she says, "and even though you have to wipe away 500 years, and eliminate the motorcycles and the telephone poles, you really do get a sense of how beautiful it must have been, and what inspired him." She knew her subject and his times inside and out, but the approach she would take still eluded her. Then one morning, she woke up with a question -- Who was Leonardo's mother? Finally, the playwright had found her inspiration, and a new work for the stage was born.

The play, although entirely fictional, is based on the few known facts surrounding Leonardo's birth and young life. As English Theatre Artistic Director, Marti Maraden, notes, "[w]hat is so exciting about this piece is its ability to create for us a picture of what might have been..."

Maureen Hunter explains, "I had been working with Dennis Garnhum (the director), [and] after I had written about four drafts of the play, he gave me the most amazing piece of advice. He said, 'I want you to write three impossible stage directions...'" The result was a script in which Hunter virtually "paints" the scenes with stage directions full of natural and artistic allusions: "The kind of day when the trees burst into leaf."

When Leonardo da Vinci, destined to become perhaps the quintessential Renaissance man: inventor, engineer, artist, sculptor, musician, mathematician and anatomist (to name a few of his gifts), is born to Piero, a son of the prominent da Vinci family, and Caterina, a servant girl, questions arise as to the best environment for this brilliant child. Revolving around the struggle for custody of this "golden boy," Vinci examines the very nature of love, forgiveness and destiny.

Challenged with bringing Leonardo's world to life on the stage, is a team of talented actors and designers. John Jenkins, whose set and costume designs are familiar to audiences across Canada is delighted to be designing his first production at the NAC. John Munro, Associate Artist in Residence at the NAC is designing the lighting, and Gregg Coffin, winner of the 2001 Dora Award for Outstanding Sound Design (Slavs! at the Tarragon Theatre in Toronto), is doing sound design and composing original music for the play. Nova Scotia's, Jean Morpurgo, fresh from directing Beauty and the Beast at the Neptune Theatre in Halifax, is Assistant Director.

The production features a cast of six outstanding actors: Robert Benson plays Antonio da Vinci, Fiona Byrne plays Albiera da Vinci, Paul Dunn is Francesco da Vinci, Craig Erickson plays Piero da Vinci, Patricia Fagan is Caterina, and Gordon Rand is Bartolomeo.

Vinci is Stage Managed by Kathryn Davies, Assistant Stage Manager is Michael Walton, and Sally Crate is Apprentice Stage Manager.

Vinci was originally commissioned by coproducer Manitoba Theatre Centre with assistance from the Manitoba Arts Council and the Canada Council.

Performance Times and Prices

Preview - Tuesday, Jan. 8 and Wednesday, Jan. 9 @ 19:30 ... $23.00 (all seats)
Tuesday to Thursday evenings @ 19:30... Orchestra $43.00, Balcony $34.00
Friday & Saturday evenings @ 19:30....Orchestra $48.00, Balcony $40.00
Saturday matinees @ 14:00 (Jan. 12, 19, 26)Orchestra $36.00, Balcony $27.00

Ticket prices include GST and Facility Fee where applicable.The Facility Fee supports the maintenance of the National Arts Centre.

Tickets are available for purchase:

In person at the NAC Box Office (no service charges);
At all Ticketmaster outlets;
By telephone from Ticketmaster, (613) 755-1111;
Online through the Ticketmaster link on the NAC's Web site (www.nac-cna.ca).

A service charge applies on all purchases made through Ticketmaster.

FOR STUDENTS ONLY:

Last-minute "Live Rush Seat" tickets ($8.50 each) are available in limited quantities, on a first come, first served basis, after 16:00 on the day of performance for evening performances or two (2) hours before matinée performances. Get your Live Rush Seat tickets online at www.liverushnac.com or in person at the Live Rush Centre in the NAC Foyer, upon presentation of Live Rush Card and valid student I.D. Limit two "Live Rush Seat" tickets per performance per Live Rush Card.

Advance student tickets (50% off regular price) are available for purchase in person at the NAC Box Office only, on presentation of valid student I.D. Limit one ticket per performance per student I.D.

Information:
Laura Denker, Publicity & Media Relations Coordinator
(613) 947-7000, ext. 389
ldenker@nac-cna.ca

Digital photography: Production images from Vinci will be available for download in digital format (JPEG) as of January 10, 2002 at http://www.nac-cna.ca/media/ Just follow the link to Vinci.