Canadore College is launching the fifth performance season of Rep 21 with three exciting and entertaining productions running July 5 to July 23.

Rep 21 is a one-of-a-kind theatre company consisting of graduates from Canadore’s Theatre Arts program working alongside industry-trained professional actors, directors and instructors. The plays they perform are edgy and highly regarded in contemporary theatre. This year’s line-up includes classical Shakespeare and pieces written by celebrated playwrights Peter Colley and Jay Presson Allen. This year’s performances include:

MacBeth, by William Shakespeare, is a tale of nobility, greed, ambition, revenge and remorse set in 11th century Scotland. Shakespeare’s famed tragedy and study of evil is sure to entertain and engage.

Peter Colley’s The Donnellys is based on Canada’s most infamous true story. In 1880 a family was slaughtered in their sleep in the rural town of Lucan by its residents. Entrenched in a centuries-old blood feud originating in Ireland, the newly-emigrated Donnellys were surrounded by criminal activity and strife in their new Canadian community.

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, by Jay Presson Allen, is the provocative story of a teacher with advanced and unconventional ideas about educating her class of 10-year-olds in the 1930s. Her alternative ways provide lessons in travel, art history, classical studies and fascism through her own personal experiences and inextricably shapes the lives of a select group of girls.

This year’s professionals include Shari Hollett, directing The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and Rep 21 Artistic Director, Rod Carley directing Macbeth and The Donnellys. The Rep 21 directors will be speaking during the preview dates and will be on hand to answer any questions about their plays and the 2011 season.

“This season’s playbill is by far our most ambitious to date. We have an exceptionally talented class graduating this year and this line-up is exactly the right showcase to suit their talents and personalities,” said Carley. “These theatrical sensations provide challenging roles for our young actors, and draw attention to their talents working with dialects, applying their stage combat, movement and voice techniques.”

Media preview dates will be taking place at the Nipissing University Theatre on July 3 at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. for Macbeth and on July 5 at 2:00 p.m. for The Donnellys.

For more information, contact Rod Carley, Rep 21 Artistic Director at 705.471.1875. To obtain tickets, contact 705.474.7600 ext.5670 or email rep21@canadorec.on.ca.