Acting Up Stage Company

About the Show

November 12 & 13, 8:00 p.m.

“Uptown Girl”, “Crocodile Rock”, “New York State of Mind”, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”, “Just The Way You Are” and “Your Song”. The iconic musical catalogues of these two, legendary ‘piano men’ come to life in Acting Up Stage Company’s UnCovered concert.

Experience music director Reza Jacobs’ wildly imaginative and theatrical arrangements of Billy Joel and Elton John classics. Join an all-star cast of Canada’s greatest musical performers as they bring these songs to life in a way that makes you hear them again for the first time.

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Company

• music direction, vocal arrangements & orchestrations by
  Reza Jacobs
• featuring
  Brent Carver, Jake Epstein, Sara Farb, Graham Scott Fleming, Kelly Holiff,
  Chilina Kennedy, Alessia Lupiano, Jeigh Madjus, Jackie Richardson, Jeffery Straker
  with Tim Funnell & Marc Bendavid
• orchestra
  Jamie Drake, Justin Gray, Reza Jacobs, Natalie Wong
• staging
  Elenna Mosoff

Marc Bendavid, Actor

Selected Theatre: When It Rains (La Mama Theatre); Romeo and Juliet, The Real Thing (Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre); A View From The Bridge (Segal Centre); The Madonna Painter (Factory Theatre); The War of the Worlds (Art of Time Ensemble). Film/TV: Flashpoint, Nikita, Murdoch Mysteries, Anne of Green Gables, The Border, Hard Rock Medical; Man V. Minivan, Us Chickens (TIFF); Late Fragment (Cannes). Marc is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada.

Brent Carver, Performer

Brent Carver has worked across Canada, in the US and UK. Credits include: Glenn (Soulpepper), Winter at the Global Cabaret Festival (Young Centre for the Performing Arts); Company (Theatre 20); If I Loved You: Gentlemen Prefer Broadway (Luminato); Romeo and Juliet (Richard Rogers Theatre, NYC); The Winter’s Tale (McCarter Theatre/Shakespeare Theatre Co., Washington DC). FILM & TELEVISION: Lilies, Ararat, The Wars, The Event, The Tale of Teeka, Once in a Lifetime. AWARDS: Along with a 1993 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical (Molina in Kiss of the Spider Woman) and a Tony nomination for Parade in 1999, Carver’s other awards include an Olivier Award nomination for Best Actor in a musical; the Toronto Arts Award in the Performing Arts Category; Dora Mavor Moore Awards for his outstanding performances as an actor; a Gemini Award for Best Actor in a dramatic role or mini-series; the Sterling Award for Best Actor; and the New York Drama Desk Award for Best Actor.

Jake Epstein, Performer

The last time Jake Epstein performed in Toronto it was in Acting Up Stage’s UnCovered: Carole King & James Taylor concert. What a pleasure it is to be back singing these songs in such great company. Broadway: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Gerry Goffin), Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark (Peter Parker/Spider-Man). National tours: American Idiot (Will), Billy Elliot (Tony), Spring Awakening (Melchior). Selected film/TV: Degrassi (Gemini Award), Joey Dakota (US pilot), Murdoch Mysteries, Being Erica, Living In Your Car, Blood Pressure, Charlie Bartlett and Fourth Man Out (upcoming Indie film). Jake is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada.

Sara Farb, Performer

Sara recently completed her second season at the Stratford Festival, appearing as Cordelia in King Lear and Cherry in The Beaux’ Stratagem. Favourite credits include: Jessica in Merchant of Venice, Romeo and Juliet, The Three Musketeers (Stratford); Natalie in Next to Normal (Theatre Calgary – Calgary Critics Award, best featured actress; Citadel Theatre, Edmonton – Sterling Award nominee, best featured actress in a musical; Tarragon Theatre, Toronto); Adele in The Passion of Adele Hugo (Eastern Front Theatre – Robert Merritt Award nominee, best lead actress); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Canadian Stage); The Wizard of Oz (YPT); The Sisters Rosensweig (Harold Green Jewish Theatre); Songs for a New World (Rose Theatre); Edges: A Song Cycle (Acting Up Stage); Jane Eyre, Oliver! (Mirvish). Sara wrote the book for the family musical Bremen Rock City. She will be performing her one-woman play, R-E-B-E-C-C-A, this winter as part of the Theatre Passe Muraille season. Sara has been lucky enough to be a part of Acting Up Stage’s UnCovered concerts since their inception. Thank you Mitchell, Reza, Jason, and the Acting Up Stage family for continually inviting her to be a part of these special nights. Her performance is dedicated to Auntie Wendy, one of the biggest Elton John fans there ever was.

Graham Scott Fleming, Performer

Graham is thrilled to be working with such an incredible ensemble on this Uncovered Concert. Recently, Graham was chosen to star in an Off-Broadway Musical in New York City called Somewhere With You (Bleecker Company) which was chosen as a Next Link production in the New York Musical Theatre Festival. Graham also could be seen spreading love and peace to 46 states on the National Tour of Hair the Musical (Classical Theatre Project/ Starvox Entertainment/ Prather Entertainment). Other Recent Credits Include: Gabe in Next to Normal, Roger in Rent, Princeton/ Rod in Avenue Q, Smudge in Forever Plaid (The Lower Ossington Theatre). On top of theatre, Graham has made a name for himself in the Country Music scene, where currently he has a song airing nationally. Small town to big city, Graham would like to thank Acting Up Stage for this amazing opportunity, and his family and friends for the constant love and support. Twitter: @GscottF

Tim Funnell, Actor

West End: An Inspector Calls (National Theatre); Tonight’s The Night -The Rod Stewart Musical; Twelfth Night (National Theatre); She Stoops to Conquer/ A Laughing Matter (National Theatre); and Billy Elliot the Musical (West End and US/Canadian Tour); “Broadway: Andrew Lloyd Webber”- A Musical Tribute (Capitol Theatre Port Hope). Television: Camp X (Discovery Channel); See no Evil (Discovery Channel); and Handsome Devils (Slice TV). Tim is a British actor who trained at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. He worked extensively in London’s West End before moving to Canada in 2011. Twitter: @timfunnell

Reza Jacobs, Music Direction, Vocal Arrangements, Orchestrations

Reza Jacobs is an award winning composer, lyricist, sound designer and music director, known for his versatility in style and genre. His credits include sound design and composition for the Shaw Festival, Factory Theatre, Volcano Theatre, Cahoots Theatre, Acting Up Stage Company, the Luminato Festival, & Harbourfront’s World Stage Festival. As Music Director, he has won Dora Mavor Moore Awards for London Road (Best Music Direction & Best Musical 2014, Canadian Stage), Caroline, or Change (Best Music Direction & Best Musical 2012, Acting Up Stage) and Assassins (Best Musical, 2010, TIFT, Birdland Theatre). He recently played Ted in an all-new Canadian tour of 2 Pianos, 4 Hands. He is also the resident Canadian Music Director for Andrea Martin’s one-woman show, Everything Must Go.

Kelly Holiff, Performer

Kelly is a graduate of The Randolph Academy of Performing Arts. She has starred in musicals including Rent, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Nunsense, The Sound of Music, Hairspray and Anne of Green Gables. She was proud to portray the iconic Rosemary Clooney, and has taken on the role of comedic Vaudeville actress Marie Dressler. She is a well-known, and well-loved Toronto Cabaret performer, who has traveled internationally to sing in a variety of venues from the most intimate jazz lounge to the grandest of concert halls. Kelly has been the voice for corporations such as Tim Hortons and The Heart and Stroke Foundation. She wants to thank Mitchell, Reza and the rest of the incredible team at Acting Up Stage for making such a memorable night happen year after year.

Chilina Kennedy, Performer

Most recently, Chilina was featured as part of the Stratford Festival’s Forum Series, doing concerts of her original music as well as pieces from her seasons at Stratford. Before that, she played Nellie Forbush in South Pacific (Drayton Entertainment). Other recent credits include the title role in Ross Petty’s Panto The Little Mermaid (Toronto Theatre Critics’ Award) and Evangeline in the World Premiere of Ted Dykstra’s Evangeline at the Charlottetown Festival. Chilina is also featured on the original Evangeline recording. Chilina originated the role of Pheobe D’Ysquith in A Gentleman’s Guide To Love And Murder at Hartford Stage/Old Globe San Diego (Hartford and San Diego Outer Critics Circle nominations) after playing Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar on Broadway, La Jolla and at Stratford. Chilina has spent three seasons at the Stratford Festival, three seasons at the Shaw Festival, played a hobbit in the world premiere of The Lord of the Rings and Sophie in the 1^st National Tour of Mamma Mia! Chilina has performed in concert with Jason Robert Brown, recorded with Burt Bacharach, performed her original songs to a sold out crowd at The Metropolitan Room in NYC and has won three Broadway World Awards for her performances in Kiss Me, Kate, Jesus Christ Superstar and The Grapes of Wrath. www.chilinakennedy.com

Alessia Lupiano, Performer

Alessia is thrilled to be performing in UnCovered: Billy Joel & Elton John after recently returning home from the National Tour of Godspell (Moonglow Productions/Drayton Entertainment/Victoria Playhouse Petrolia). Selected Theatre: Cinderella in Cinderella (The Grand Theatre), Suzy in The Marvelous Wonderettes (Port Hope Festival Theatre), Shelley in Bat Boy (Black Sheep Theatre) and Bunny/Crooner in Hugh and I (Bad Neighbour Prod). Upcoming: Jasmine in Aladdin (Port Hope Festival Theatre/Empire Theatre). She is a proud graduate of the Sheridan Music Theatre - Performance Program. Alessia is this year’s female recipient of the Syd and Shirley Banks Prize. She would like to thank the entire Acting Up Stage team for this unbelievable opportunity, as well as ETM and her family, for the constant love and support.

Jeigh Madjus, Performer

Jeigh Madjus is thrilled, as always, to be back at the UnCovered concert. He was born and raised in Toronto and studied at both Etobicoke School of the Arts and Sheridan College for Music Theatre - Performance. He is currently performing in the Off-Broadway hit written by David Byrne, Here Lies Love, at the Public Theater in New York City. Other credits include: Jacob in La Cage aux Folles (1st national Broadway tour), Lola in Prison Dancer: The Musical (NYMF Outstanding Individual Performance Award), Chip Tolentino in Spelling Bee (STC), Mark in Altar Boyz (Angelwalk-Dora nominated) and Myths and Hymns (TIFT). Film/TV: Servitude, Prison Dancer: The Web Series. www.jeighmadjus.com

Elenna Mosoff, Staging

Elenna has worked as a theatrical director, producer, creator and consultant on a diverse range of projects in Toronto as as well as a variety of cities abroad. Some include The Toronto International Film Festival, Luminato, HERE (NYC), Figment (NYC), Punchdrunk (London), The Royal Opera House (London), and the British Library Archives (Scotland) at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. As the former Associate Producer for Acting Up Stage, Elenna directed the last four annual concerts and is very proud to be part of the Acting Up Stage culture. She is co-founder of The Mission Business. The Toronto based consultancy uses gamification, storytelling, and interactive multimedia performances to help businesses define, kickstart, and demonstrate their innovation agendas. Elenna has applied her talents and passions to the creation of ZED.TO - an interactive end-of-the-world origin story that won Best in Cross-Platform Fiction at the Digital Media Awards, Best in Show at the World Future Society, the inaugural Performance Innovation award at the Toronto Fringe Festival in 2012 as well as recognition for Outstanding Direction. The Mission Business’s follow-up to ZED.TO, a 21st century haunted house theatre experience called Visitations, ran at Toronto’s Drake Hotel in 2013, to critical acclaim. Upcoming, Elenna will be the producer for Deb Filler’s one woman show I Lost it in Kiev at The Factory Studio Theatre, and Outside the March’s Canadian and Toronto Premiere of Mr. Burns: A Post Apocalyptic Play in May.

Jackie Richardson, Performer

Jackie Richardson is one of Canada’s foremost singers of gospel, blues, and jazz. Selected theatre credits include Cookin’ at The Cookery, (Dora Award), Crowns, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Adventures of a Black Girl in Search of God, and St. Carmen of the Main. She has an extensive film and television career, with credits including Majority Rules, Doodlebops, Stuart McLean’s Vinyl Café and as host of the gospel TV series Hallelujah. In 2011 Jackie received a Gemini for “Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series” in The Gospel According to the Blues. Jackie’s CD, A Woman’s View Through Child’s Eyes, which is mainly contemporary jazz, is available at all her of her live performances. Ms. Richardson has received the The Canadian Actor’s Equity Lifetime Achievement Award, The Canadian Black Achievement Award, The Toronto Blues Society Lifetime Achievement Award, and is the recipient of Dora, Gemini, Juno, Jessie, Betty, and NAACP Award nominations.

Jeffery Straker, Performer

Singer-songwriter-pianist Jeffery Straker performs over 100 shows per year. He has recorded for CBC radio’s Canada Live, had a music video chart in the top 10 on Much More Music and in 2012 toured in Africa. His tour stops range from intimate house concerts to club & theatre shows and include recent sold-out concerts with the Regina & Saskatoon Symphony Orchestras. His 2012 album Vagabond debuted in the top 20 on the iTunes singer-songwriter charts receiving critical acclaim. The Toronto Star’s 4 (out of 4) star review called it “one of the most faultlessly conceived and meticulously executed albums in any genre to come out of Canada in a long time”. In February 2014 Jeffery won the prestigious Vina del Mar (Chile) song competition representing Canada. Performing live to a festival crowd of 20,000 people and to a TV audience of 100,000,000 viewers across the Spanish speaking world he quickly gained a fan following in Latin America. Originally from rural Saskatchewan, the classically trained pianist was raised by a church organist mother and an auctioneer father. He swears he was born under the piano on the family farm. www.jeffstraker.com

Jamie Drake, Percussion

Jamie Drake is thrilled to be back with Acting Up Stage and Reza Jacobs for the eighth UnCovered concert. Jamie maintains a busy performance schedule across the GTA and beyond. As a theatre musician, he has played drum set or percussion books in shows from Legally Blonde to Sweeney Todd. He was the percussionist for the Dora-winning production of London Road (Canadian Stage) and recently had the pleasure of playing for John & Jen for composer Andrew Lippa at Pennsylvania State University. As a freelance musician, he has performed with Soundstreams, Amici, Toronto Symphony, Global Cabaret Festival, Sharron Matthews, the Big Sound, Muskox, and many others. He is the Artist-in-Residence for the Hamilton Children’s Choir, whom he recently accompanied at the World Symposium on Choral Music in Seoul, Korea. As a member of TorQ Percussion Quartet, he has performed in every province in Canada, across the US and in Europe, and has given masterclasses at the Colburn School (Los Angeles) and Dalhousie University, amongst others. Jamie is currently the percussion instructor at Acadia University in Wolfville, NS, and is a Doctor of Musical Arts candidate at the University of Toronto. He released his debut solo record, Night, in 2014 on New Toronto Records. www.jamiedrake.ca

Justin Gray, Basses

Justin Gray is an acoustic & electric bass player, composer, teacher and bandleader in the international music scene. His main influences include Jazz, North Indian Classical and Contemporary Music. Justin also performs Indian Classical and Indo-Jazz music on the Bass Veena, an instrument he invented and co-created in 2011. Justin has played with and worked with a number of internationally renowned artists including; Dave Liebman, Dave Douglas, Kurt Elling, Mike Stern, Cutis Fuller, Ingrid Jensen, Seamus Blake, Dan Weiss, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Greg Osby, Shantanu Bhattacharrya, Subankar Banerjee, Bikram Ghosh, Tejendra Mejendar, Henry Hey, John Riley, Quinsin Nachoff, Ravi Naimpally, George Koller and Chitraveena Ravikiran. Justin is also very grateful to have received awards for composition and studies in North Indian Classical Music from the Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts and The Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute.

Natalie Wong, Violin

Natalie began her musical studies at the age of 3. She started playing violin at the age of 7. At the age of 16 she received the ARCT performance diploma at the Royal Conservatory of Music, and majored in violin performance at the University of Toronto and has studied with Scott St. John, Annalee Patipatanakoon and Katherine Rapoport. Natalie also has an extensive background in music theory and composition, having studied with Abigail Richardson and Alexander Rapoport. She actively performs in orchestras, chamber music, musical theatre, jazz and pop concerts. She is currently a core member of the Niagara Symphony Orchestra, and has also been playing with Sudbury Symphony Symphony, Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, Opera York, and many more. Natalie is very active in musical theatre and played numerous other instruments for both classical and contemporary productions. She has been noticed for her voice and has been a soloist in numerous choirs since the age of 6. She has been a female vocalist in numerous bands in the past 15 years with a wide spectrum of genres including pop, folk, R&B, rock and metal, performed in numerous bars, weddings, corporate events and broadcasted television productions, and had appeared in numerous sountracks and albums. In her spare time Natalie enjoys reading, writing, and playing more music.

Tickets

Venue

TELUS Centre, Koerner Hall

Koerner Hall is a 1,135 seat venue designed in the tradition of the classic “shoebox” venues of Europe, built without compromise and with a mission to provide acoustic perfection for music of all genres. Classical, jazz, pop, opera and world music are right at home in Koerner Hall. With its layered ribbon of wood forming a floating ceiling caopy, integrating an coustic reflector, performance lighting and technical bridges, Koerner Hall provides a dramatic yet intimate ambience between the audience and performers.

Koerner Hall is located at 273 Bloor Street West.

Reviews

Brent Carver is a treasure in Canadian theatre.

— Playbill.com

Jackie Richardson is a commanding presence.

— CBC

Reza Jacobs’ musical direction is immaculate.

- The National Post

To get this much talent in one beautiful venue in one night and then use it as a corporate hosting opportunity… there’s not an event in the city that beats it.

- Jordan Banks Managing Director, Facebook Canada

Acting Up Stage Company’s annual Uncovered concert is my favourite event of the year.

- Lawrence Tepperman, Managing Director, K2 Digital

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