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Momma's Boy
Written and Directed by Eleanor Crowder
Music by Eleanor Crowder, Rachel Eugster, and J.D. Robertson
Featuring David da Costa, Anna Lewis, and Eleanor Crowder
The show premiered at the Ottawa Fringe in 2011, toured intimate Ottawa venues in 2012, and toured more distant locations in 2013.

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               Momma's Boy On Tour
      October & November 2013!


Origins Tour: October 15 to November 4, 2013
North Bay, Sudbury, Sault Ste Marie, Marathon, Thunder Bay, Dryden, Sioux Lookout, Manitouwadge, and Thessalon

Eastern Tour: November 12 to December 1, 2013

Ottawa, Montreal, Sackville, Halifax, Wolfville, Saint John, Sutton, Kingston




For Booking Information
Contact Eleanor Crowder, Tour Co-ordinator at: [email protected].  

The Story 
Two days before Christmas, strong winds bring Jordan Banks and Ginny Smart to Sioux Lookout.  Both are seeking a fresh start. For Jordan, that means a teaching job far away from the big city. For Ginny, it means the completion of her thesis at her mother Daphne’s kitchen table, and then a flight as far away from Sioux Lookout as she can get. When a delayed landing leads Jordan to accept Ginny and Daphne’s hospitality, their lives become connected in a way that feeds Daphne's dream of keeping her family close.

How does one build a family? What happens when ambition and biology collide? And when must a parent walk away?  Momma's Boy is a love story, an ode to the North, and a clear-eyed look at the hopes and pains involved in making a family and settling down. It is a chance to talk about our real lives now.

Performed by three actors with live music and sound effects, this intimate production is designed to tour. Small and unusual performance spaces create a particular delight.

The Context
Momma's Boy is a timely and poignant play.
Many years have passed since the introduction of hormonal birth control and the legalization of abortion in Canada, and yet the conversation about family planning and the practical effect of pregnancy has not gotten easier.  Yes, schools cover the reproductive system and contraceptive use, but these remain subjects that people do not discuss between themselves.

But the issue is politically fraught, a hot-button issue in election campaigns, and under legislative challenge in Canada (as witness Conservative MP Stephen Woodworth's 2012 motion to reexamine the legal definition of the beginning of life). Momma's Boy steps into the breach, inspiring both discussion and laughter.

The Response
“a show you experience, fully exposed to the strengths, desires and   
       vulnerabilities of Crowder’s rich characters.”

                            “effectively…creating an immediate intimacy and
                                  connection to the audience”

“haunting…poignant, witty script”

                            “a stellar cast, a musical pulse that surprises, a story that
                                    grabs you by the heart”

“a lovely quirky production, tender with enough of a twist”


                            "gutsy and authentic"

What audiences are saying

"I experienced your performance in Thunder Bay last night (October 22) and I can't stop thinking about it. What a rich and layered piece of theatre, full of all the stuff we should care about (how do we grow up, how do we balance who we want to be with what life deals us, how do we let our children go - and grow? These are only a few central questions that the play grapples with). Thank you Anna Lewis, David da Costa and Eleanor Crowder for this fine evening of theatre. And in particular, thanks for this production in its simplicity and intimacy and engagement." - M. Sobota

"A thought-provoking and poignant play dramatized by a talented troupe in an intimate setting. Thank-you Eleanor, Anna and David for riveting and compelling performance as well as taking time to share your thoughts and experiences about love, loss and life.” - Corinne MacDonald

Michael McKinnon of the Atikokan Progress writes:

I laughed, I was touched and moved, and above all, I came away challenged, and will continue to wrestle with this for quite some time, I am sure. (I am more Catholic than I dreamed, I think...).
The presentation was superb... there was just so much inter-generational and family stuff resonating throughout the performance. And you, David and Anna put that across with pitch-perfect feel.
The playwright's challenge is to bring characters to life with just a few short scenes, while balancing the need to drive the plot forward. You've succeeded with that beautifully here... the more I contemplate the pieces of this play, the deeper they seem to reach. There is a deep consistency to the characters, the ultimate dilemma, and their responses to it. This gives the whole production a profound emotional credibility.
I don't think men ever face anything like this kind of a situation... at least I never have - this requirement to, on a dime, not only turn my life inside out, but turn who I am inside out.
Having children did change my life, and probably did, in some ways, put limits on who and what I could be. (It also, unquestionably, opened all kinds of new and wonderful doors for me.) But it didn't force me to start over in being me...

Review - Montreal: Espace Free Standing Room
http://bloodyunderrated.net/2013/11/18/mommas-boy-freestanding-room/

The Show's History

Ottawa actor, playwright, and director Eleanor Crowder found the inspiration for this original play on a flight into Sioux Lookout in February 2011.  Momma’s Boy first played at the Ottawa Fringe in June of the same year, in the University of Ottawa's Academic Hall. It ran 60 minutes, performed by Bronwyn Steinberg, Rachel Eugster, and Will Somers, with direction by Eleanor Crowder. Musicians Tony Nguyen, Dan Tarof, and Kevin Guerette played just off the front of the stage. The production incorporated original music by Eleanor Crowder, Rachel Eugster, and J.D. Robertson.

This first run generated a longer interest in the project. In March 2012, a second cast –- Anna Lewis, Eleanor Crowder, and Will Somers –- workshopped the play, in a collaborative process.  They adjusted the style of the production, experimenting with intimacy. The music was given a more rough-edged flavour, to suggest  the way music sounds when friends sing the songs they love together. Rewrites deepened character relationships, filled in gaps in Daphne's and Jordan’s stories, and gave the play more bite.

The second run of Momma’s Boy in April 2012 toured the workshop performance to five varied locations: in Ottawa, a coffee roastery, an attic, and a church hall; the Lions Club in Killaloe; and the Wilton Women’s Institute hall in Wilton. Audiences ranged in size from 22 to 60 depending on venue capacity. The running time was 1:50, with an intermission. Each show was followed by a talkback session for feedback and discussion.

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Anna Lewis as Ginny, Eleanor Crowder as Daphne, David da Costa as Jordan at Queen Elizabeth Auditorium in Manitouwadge. (photo by Phil Minty)

Momma's Boy 2013 Origins Tour Schedule

Momma's Boy
Performance sites


October 15                    7 pm   Trinity United Church,
                                                 North Bay

October 17                    7 pm    The Church of the Ascension
                                                  Sudbury

October 22                    7 pm     St Paul’s Anglican Church,
                                                  Thunder Bay      

October 23                    7 pm    House Concert,
                                                 
Atikokan

October 24                    7 pm    Dryden Native Friendship Centre
                                                 Dryden

October 26                   7 pm     Centennial  Centre
                                                 Sioux Lookout               
 
October 29                   7 pm    Queen Elizabeth Auditorium, 
                                                 Manitouwadge

October 30                   7 pm    Auld Kirk,
                                                Thessalon

Verbatim Theatre workshop: The god Monologues
Workshop sites

October 16                       6 - 9 pm   Trinity United Church,
                                                         North Bay

October 18                       6 - 9 pm   The Church of the Ascension
                                                         Sudbury

October 21                       6 - 9 pm    St Paul’s Anglican Church,
                                                         Thunder Bay

Momma's Boy 2013 Eastern Tour Schedule

Performance sites

November 13, Wed,     7:30pm  Raw Sugar Cafe
                                                  692 Somerset West
                                                  Tickets : $15 cash at the door

November 15, Fri.          8 pm    Espace Freestanding Room, Montreal
                                                  4324 Boulevard Saint-Laurent #300
                                                  Montreal, Quebec H2A 2R2
                                                  freestandingroom.com
                                                  $20 adult / $15 Student/Senior

November 19, Tues.       5pm    IWK Health Centre, Halifax
                                                  Parker Reception Room
                                                  Hosted by Dalhousie University's Humanities-HEALS Program
                                                  Panel discussion to follow

November 20, Wed.        7pm    Acadia Cinema's Studio Z
                                                  450 Main St.
                                                  Wolfville, Nova Scotia
                                                  Tickets: $25 Gen. Adm. / $20 Senior/Student
                                                   Advance tickets at: The Box Of Delights Bookshop
                                                   466 Main Street, Wolfville  www.boxofdelights.com

November 21, Thur.        7pm    Acadia Cinema's Studio Z
                                                  450 Main St.
                                                  Wolfville, Nova Scotia
                                                  Tickets: $25 Gen. Adm. / $20 Senior/Student
                                                   Advance tickets at: The Box Of Delights Bookshop
                                                   466 Main Street, Wolfville  www.boxofdelights.com

November 22, Fri.          8pm     Dalhousie University Club,
                                                  1 Alumni Crescent, Halifax
                                                  $25 Gen Adm/ $20 Student/Senior/Artist
                                                  Tickets at: https://mommasboy.eventbrite.ca/
                                                  Or reserve by phone at: (902) 266-2639

November 23, Sat          2pm    Dalhousie University Club
                                                  1 Alumni Crescent, Halifax
                                                  $25 Gen Adm/ $20 Student/Senior/Artist
                                                  Tickets at: https://mommasboy.eventbrite.ca/
                                                  Or reserve by phone at: (902) 266-2639


November 23, Sat          8pm     Dalhousie University Club
                                                  1 Alumni Crescent, Halifax
                                                  $25 Gen Adm/ $20 Student/Senior/Artist
                                                  Tickets at: https://mommasboy.eventbrite.ca/
                                                  Or reserve by phone at: (902) 266-2639

November 26,  Tues.    7pm       Frazee Gallery
                                                   Saint John Art Centre, Saint John
                                                   By invitation only

November 27, Wed.     7pm        BMO Studio Theatre
                                                   St John Theatre Company
                                                   112 Princess Street, Saint John   
                                                   $20 Gen. Adm $15 Student/Senior 

November 29,
Fri.        2pm       St. James' United Church, Dawson Hall,
                                                  (enter from 1435 City Councillors Street, Montreal)
                                                  Freewill donation

November 29, Fri.         8pm      Espace Freestanding room, Montreal
                                                  4324 Boulevard Saint-Laurent #300
                                                  Montreal, Quebec H2A 2R2
                                                  freestandingroom.com
                                                  $20 adult / $15 Student/Senior
               
November 30, Sat.                     Elephant Abbey, Sutton, Quebec

December 1, Sun.       7:00pm   Sydenham Street United Church
                                                  82 Sydenham Street, Kingston
                                                  Live Music at 7pm/ Show Starts at 7:30
                                                  Tickets: $20 Gen. Adm / $15 Senior/Student
Video Excerpts
Video excerpts taken from the recording of an intimate house-concert performance of Momma's Boy, during the  April 2012 workshop tour. - Performed by Will Somers, Anna Lewis, and Eleanor Crowder
CLICK HERE TO VIEW - MORNING COMES/ARRIVAL
Click here to View - Proposal/SCIENTIST
Musical Selections    
The original music performed in Momma's Boy was composed by JD Robertson, Rachel Eugster, and Eleanor Crowder. Hear a recording of selected numbers from the show by clicking on the icons below.   

Morning Comes - Performed by Will Somers, Anna Lewis, and Eleanor Crowder
Touch Your Hand - Performed by Will Somers, Anna Lewis, and Eleanor Crowder  
Transparent Heart - Performed by Will Somers, Anna Lewis, and Eleanor Crowder

Momma's Boy Tour Resources
Editable Momma's Boy Program Block (.doc)

mommas_boy_program.doc
File Size: 498 kb
File Type: doc
Download File

The Cast
Eleanor Crowder - Daphne   

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Eleanor Crowder is a writer, director, and actor.  Ottawa audiences remember her Mother Courage for James Richardson and her Shrew for Peter Hinton.

Most of her work tours, playing school gyms, community halls, ruins and glorious found spaces.  Her devising and writing runs from first impulse (Family Stories with Kate Grier, coming to a kitchen table near you) to grandscale (The Chinese Bowl, Murder at the Avalon and GleeBE, the Musical). Her most recent play, Momma’s Boy, plays intimacy with big theatre values.

Most recently, Eleanor directed  King Lear, 'Tis Pity She's A Whore and an all male Taming of the Shrew. She performed the good and the bad Dukes in  As You Like It in parks across Ottawa. She toured across Ontario with her Wild Words project , supported by the Ontario Arts Council. Verbatim work in 2013  includes directing The god Monologues for Faith and Arts Ottawa, and working with David Holton on his explosive piece, I'm Ready Warden: Last  Words of the Condemned.

The bio: Belfast, Kingston, Calgary, Sudan, Ottawa, experimental theatre, physical theatre, nationalist voices, popular theatre, theatre in education, as many risky experiments as a young family will allow. Outaouais Popular Theatre, theatre in action. Salamander Theatre. Asterisk Rising. And continuing gratitude and respect to my unfurling repertory of actors and co-creators spread across the country.

David da Costa - Jordan

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David is an Ottawa based actor and singer-songwriter.

Since graduating from the University of Ottawa’s Theatre program in 2009, he has both acted and performed music in numerous shows on Ottawa’s stages, most recently playing the role of Lucilius in the Ottawa Shakespeare Co.’s production ofJulius Caesar. Favourite credits include the roles Mickey in Blood Brothers (Gladstone Theatre), Patrick in the The Andrews Brothers (Gladstone Theatre), and Amiens in As You Like It (Thirdwall Theatre Co.)

David is thrilled to be hitting the road with Bear and Co. and cannot wait to share the story with folks in each and every town along our way.


Anna Lewis - Ginny

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Anna Lewis is an Ottawa-based actor and theatre creator, with a BFA in Theatre from Concordia University.

While in Ottawa, she has worked with Bear & Co. (As You Like It, 'Tis Pity She's A Whore and Momma's Boy), A Company of Fools (A Midwinter's Dream Tale), The Meus (Permanent Smile) and Salamander Shakespeare Co (Measure for Measure, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Romeo and Juliet). Film credits include Happy Suds, and the title character in Brown Sound Underground with Nona Leslie, both filmed in Vancouver.

Most recently, Anna was seen in 9th Hour Theatre's Agnes of God and Chamber Theatre Hintonburg's Tongue and Groove. She will be stage managing Bear & Co's The Taming of the Shrew next April/May.

Last year she spent nine months in England absorbing as much as she could about theatre: seeing plays, attending workshops, and writing and developing the one-woman show How (Not) to Kill the King, which she debuted at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival.