Box – A Broken English Theatre Production (2019)
Broken English Theatre Presents
BOX or The Epic Epoch of the Contemporary Workplace
At The Toronto Fringe Festival
“Two Guards. One Box. No Clue!”
From visionary playwright and director Joel Pettigrew (“Waking” 2016, “The Girl in the Photograph” 2018, “Mercury Man” 2018), comes a new, thought-provoking satire. Journey into the absurd world of Box, a witty, energetic and sincere glance at the meaning of work and duty.
Peppered generously with delightful comedy but also thoughtful introspection about the monotony of our daily lives, and what doing a job means to us. We all must work to live, but should we live to work? Box explores this conundrum with sharp wit and a glance into the complexities of human attitude towards the workplace. The play sheds light on questions we all ask ourselves, especially during particularly tedious times: what is all this for? Why am I doing this? Am I important?
Box is featured as part of the 2019 Toronto Fringe Festival, all performances at the St. Vladimir Institute Theatre at 620 Spadina Ave from July 3rd to July 14th, 2019.
Tickets are available at www.fringetoronto.com or by calling 416-699-1062
Production Media Contact:
Thomas Sarigiannidis (sthomakis@hotmail.com)
Fringe Media Contact / Media Ticket Booking: mediatickets@fringetoronto.com
The Cast of “Box”
Lucas James “Dabney”
Arlene Paculan “Two”
Justin Styles “Ray”
Thomas Sarigiannidis “One”
The Production Team of “Box”
Joel Pettigrew Writer & Director
Lucas James Executive Producer
Chris Coxson Production Designer & Manager
Reut Shilton Stage Manager
Thomas Sarigiannidis Assistant Producer & Marketing Manager
About Us
Lucas James ( Executive Producer, “Dabney”)
Veteran Fringe performer, Lucas James says independent theatre is the best theatre in Toronto, and this is where to get it! He grew up in the Toronto theatre community, both acting and ‘acting up’ from a young age. He has acted and filmed nationwide, and is happy to be here with Broken English Theatre’s inaugural production. Box speaks about themes that are profoundly important to Lucas, and in his favourite medium: humour! Lucas James will go on to found the world’s first space-going theatre; in the meantime he wants everybody to enjoy some laughs while seeing Box.
Joel Pettigrew (Playwright, Director)
Joel Pettigrew is a theatre maker who has been telling “outside-the-box,” stories across Canada for over a decade. Selected credits include: “The Dilemma,” Ground Zero Fest/Artful Celebration Tour 2019, (Writer, Director, LX, Sound, Production Support) “Mercury Man : The Last Performance of Orson Welles,” “4.5/5 Stars Winnipeg Free Press, Winnipeg Fringe/The Pearl Company 2018, Hamilton Fringe 2019 (Writer, Director, Producer) “The Girl in the Photograph,” Broadway World Award Winner for Best Show, Toronto Fringe 2018 (Playwright) “Waking: the Play,” Toronto Fringe 2016 (Director, Writer, Production Support, LX and Sound Operation.) Joel’s artistic mandate is to explore the chains that bind us and how we strive to overcome them. Joel would like to thank this amazing cast and crew, his friends, and family, without whom this show would not be possible.
Onward and Upward!
Chris Coxson (Production Designer and Manager)
Chris is a Production Designer, a Production
Manager/Coordinator, and an Integrated Media Artist. ‘Her main
focus has been Design work for film, video, television, and live stage productions. Currently, she is transitioning to a career in Custom Wardrobe Design and Fabrication. She co-created Canadian Film Centre Professional Internship feature films, many indie films, and music videos. She has worked in various capacities at Toronto Rogers Cable TV, The Winnipeg Film Group, and Winnipeg Videopool, She has also worked on various theatre projects for Alumnae Theater, Heritage Theatre – Brampton, Toronto Fringe, and Winnipeg Fringe. She was a
Radio DJ, did voice-over work, and was a Music Librarian for
Ryerson Campus Radio. Chris has a BFA from Ontario College of
Art and Design: Honours Communications and New Media. She completed 2 years Carpentry Apprenticeship at George Brown College, and has taken many courses in Digital Media at L.I.F.T. (Liaison Of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto), Ryerson Polytechnical Institute, Winnipeg Film Group, Videopool, and Red River College. Chris occasionally has time to stop and smell the waterlilies.
Reut Shilton (Stage Manager)
Reut is thrilled to be working with old friends and new on this
production of Box. She is a budding professional in the non-
profit sector but enjoys spending her free time working on
productions and volunteering for various Toronto theatres.
Thank you for joining us. Enjoy.
Thomas Sarigiannidis (Producer, “One”)
Thomas is a lifelong actor and a second time Fringe participant. Having worked on countless plays from the age of 8 in Hungary through his school years in Canada all the way until the end of university, he is a three-time Sears Drama Festival Award recipient, and a second time Fringe participant! First appearing in Fringe 2016 as part of “Waking” written and directed by Joel Pettigrew and acting alongside Lucas James, he is once again proud to make an appearance on stage with the same comrades, and some fantastic new ones!
Arlene Paculan (“Two”)
Arlene is a graduate of the Randolph Academy for the Performing
Arts. She has graced the stage as an actress, garnering the roles in such plays and musicals as Juliet (Romeo & Juliet), Nancy (Oliver), Rizzo (Grease), Laurey (Oklahoma), Kate (Shotgun Wedding), Puck (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Tiger Lily (Peter Pan), and Josie Pye (Anne of Green Gables). Arlene is also an award-winning singer-songwriter who recently received the Best Pop Artist Mississauga Music Award in 2018 and the Established Vocal Artist MARTY Award this year. She hosts her own TV show called Striving Artist on Filipino TV where she showcases artists who make a living off their art.
Justin Styles (“Ray”)
Born in Toronto, I can say I pretty much raised myself. Left home at 13,worked to pay my way through high school and university. While I am new to theatre acting, I have been in front of the camera many times. I have 3 commercials, 2 with speaking roles, and several SSE roles as well. Recently, I left my FT career to rejoin the acting workforce, mostly doing background work with other SSE roles, including Flair Bartending and Blowing fire. Being a full part of the Actra union is my goal, as well as helping to create a production company. My career background is hospitality and Physician Education but I have always been enamoured with acting. Thanks to Mr. Pettigrew, I’ve been able to live this experience and I am loving it. Here comes The Box!
Performance and Show Details
Venue: Showtimes:
St. Vladimir Institute 3rd July
6:00 pm
620 Spadina Ave 5th July
2:15 pm
Toronto, ON 7th July
8:00 pm
M5S 2H4 8th July
10:00 pm
10th July 6:00 pm
13th July 4:15 pm
14th July 1:00 pm
Toronto Fringe Festival does not admit any latecomers Running time of the show is 60 minutes
Tickets $12 at the door, online or by telephone
Festival passes:
5 show pass $45
10 show pass $85
Tickets go on sale June 9 at www.fringetoronto.com | 416–966–1062
Meet the independent theatre production company that’s taking the theatre world by storm: Broken English theatre Productions. Founded by a group of passionate theatre enthusiasts with a shared vision of bringing unique and innovative productions to audiences, Broken English theatre has quickly gained a reputation for excellence and creativity.
Led by Artistic Director, Lucas James, the company has produced a number of acclaimed productions that have garnered rave reviews and critical acclaim. But it was their inaugural show, “Box”, that truly put them on the map.
This innovative and daring production reimagined Shakespeare’s classic tragedy as a space opera, complete with laser guns, spaceships, and other futuristic elements. The show was a triumph of creativity and vision, drawing sell-out crowds and earning standing ovations night after night. Or so we’d have you believe. The reality is the show was as described at the beginning of this article.
Nevertheless, it wasn’t just the spectacle of the show that impressed audiences – it was the quality of the acting, the depth of the storytelling, and the attention to detail in every aspect of the production. From the costumes to the set design to the music, every element of the show was carefully crafted to create a truly immersive and unforgettable experience.
Since then, Broken English theatre Productions has continued to push the boundaries of theatre, producing shows that are both entertaining and thought-provoking. From experimental avant-garde pieces to classic revivals with a modern twist, the company has built a reputation for producing theatre that is innovative, engaging, and unforgettable.
With a dedicated team of actors, designers, and technicians, Broken English theatre Productions is poised to continue pushing the boundaries of theatre for years to come. If you’re looking for theatre that’s fresh, exciting, and truly unique, look no further.