Rom-com...the romantic comedy...a genre that conjures up immediate visions of Tom Hanks. Meg Ryan, Julia Roberts, and Colin Firth. It is a genre that has all too often been weighted very heavily to the comedy side at the expense of the truly romantic. Conni Massing's Invention sets out to right that wrong with the tale of a successful 30-something single woman searching for a happy ending.
“Now wait,” you say. “That's been done more than a few times!” But the author mines much more from that familiar trope with the inherent questions of what defines romance in 2024 and where it came from. Then there’s the added complication of her 79 year old mother's new romance that threatens to re-write our hero's own beliefs.
Three (or is it thirteen?) wonderful characters simply trying to find true romance (rom) amidst a comedy (com) of errors.
Let's join Kate, James, and Louisa as they investigate The Invention of Romance.
Tim Denis
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Beginning as the Niagara Falls Music Theatre Society, we have been bringing theatre to life in Niagara for over 60 years. Originally using this 1917 firehall for storage, the Society began performing in the building in 1975. The City of Niagara Falls still owns the structure, leasing it to the Society.
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Jerome returns to follow up on his recent appearance as Freda Heitz in The Last Resort. Other roles with Firehall Theatre have included Mendel in Falsettos, The Cat in the Hat in Seussical, George in Jitters, and Paul in Company. He is pleased to work with Tim Denis, with whom he shared the stage 22 years ago in Cabaret at Garden City Pro
Jerome returns to follow up on his recent appearance as Freda Heitz in The Last Resort. Other roles with Firehall Theatre have included Mendel in Falsettos, The Cat in the Hat in Seussical, George in Jitters, and Paul in Company. He is pleased to work with Tim Denis, with whom he shared the stage 22 years ago in Cabaret at Garden City Productions, where other favourite roles have included Jesus in Godspell, Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar, and Toby in Sweeney Todd. Directing highlights at Firehall include The Drowning Girls, Blithe Spirit, RENT, Ruthless! The Musical, Urinetown, and Into the Woods.
Laurel appears again on her favourite local stage following her most recent turn as Music Director and on-stage pianist for The Last Resort. She has performed in dozens of local community theatre productions, including for Firehall Theatre, Garden City Productions, Port Mansion Theatre, and many fondly-remembered summer productions of Sha
Laurel appears again on her favourite local stage following her most recent turn as Music Director and on-stage pianist for The Last Resort. She has performed in dozens of local community theatre productions, including for Firehall Theatre, Garden City Productions, Port Mansion Theatre, and many fondly-remembered summer productions of Shakespeare in the Vineyard at Henry of Pelham Winery. Recent pit band performances include Falsettos (Firehall Theatre), 9 to 5 (GCP) and Shrek, the Musical (Governor Simcoe SS). Favourite roles include Martha in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (Firehall) and Mama Rose in Gypsy (GCP).
Katie is back on Firehall’s stage playing a character that may hit a bit too close to home in this Canadian rom-com. You may remember her from other Firehall performances such as Annette in God of Carnage, Trina in Falsettos, Louise/Eve in Ruthless! The Musical, The Bakers Wife in Into The Woods, and The Actress in Blood Relations. It has
Katie is back on Firehall’s stage playing a character that may hit a bit too close to home in this Canadian rom-com. You may remember her from other Firehall performances such as Annette in God of Carnage, Trina in Falsettos, Louise/Eve in Ruthless! The Musical, The Bakers Wife in Into The Woods, and The Actress in Blood Relations. It has been a joy working alongside this talented cast and crew, and Katie wishes to thank her family, friends, and beloved Moose for their support.
Tim has directed Talk Radio, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Side By Side By Sondheim, Greetings, The Dinner Party, Barefoot In The Park, The Tale of the Allergist's Wife, and many others for theatres across Ontario. Also an award-winning actor, Tim’s appearances include Victor/Victoria, Man of La Mancha, Art, I Do I Do, The Secret Garden, Misery, and Talk Radio. He was the co-founder of Lakeside Players in Niagara. He returns to the director’s chair at Firehall to follow up on 2022’s God of Carnage.
Producer Ed Anderson
Director Tim Denis
Stage Manager Katherine Cooke
Assistant Stage Manager Jennifer Toews
Set Design Tim Denis
Set Construction Jarrod Dunlop
Lightning Design Ed Anderson
Sound Design Ed Anderson, Tim Denis
Costumes Victoria Kyoko
Props MaryJane Cruise, Lisa Allegra, Katie Muirhead
Photography Jeff Baker
Front of House Janice Mayer
Publicity and Social Media Briana Claus, Jerome Black
Box Office Laurel Candler
Matej Apostoloski
Tim Denis, 610 CKTB
Garden City Productions
Niagara Symphony Orchestra
Tim Mudge
Elena Thornton
Lacey Turcotte
Paul Wintemute
The City of Niagara Falls
and to all our volunteers!
Peg Noble is a Niagara artist working primarily in acrylics, with a passion for wildlife, flora, and scenery. She is a member of the St. Catharines Art Association and the NOTL Pumphouse. Works have been displayed at the bi-annual Dunlop Centre show, Grimsby and Pelham Public Libraries, the online Pumphouse, the Rossberg Gallery, and the Mann Gallery Square Foot Show. She is pleased to exhibit her work at Firehall and later this year at the Niagara Falls Art Gallery.
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The world premiere of The Invention of Romance was at Workshop West Theatre, Edmonton, AB, in March 2014.
The Playwright wishes to acknowledge the Alberta Foundation for the Arts and the
Banff Playwrights Colony for their support in developing the play.
The Invention of Romance is produced by arrangement with Kensington Literary
Representation, 34 St. Andrew St., Toronto, ON, M5T 1K6, kensingtonlit@rogers.com
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