FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE : Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Toronto, ON… To celebrate the launch of Roxanne Reads New and Used Books online bookstore, Roxanne Reads is proud to host the launch of Upstart Crow Publishing (http://www.ucsn.ca) and the publication of their Fringe hit Sports Bard Series on April 23, 2006 – William Shakespeare’s birthday of course.
Sports Bard Series UCSN hosts Jack Falstaff (Stephen Flett), Chris Marlowe (Matt Toner), Ben Jonson (Rob McKee) and roving reporter Raphael Holinshed (Seamus Dudley) will be on hand to talk up the books and bookstore, interview players from the series, along with unconfirmed appearances by Will Shakespeare and Liz Rex herself.
Upstart Crow Publishing is a new Independent Publishing Company with a focus on Canadian adaptations of Shakespeare as well as other drama for middle and secondary schools. Their new enterprise starts with six titles created by Chris Coculuzzi and Matt Toner: Shakespeare’s Rugby Wars, Shakespeare’s World Cup, Shakespeare’s Gladiator Games, Shakespeare’s Comic Olympics, Shakespeare’s NHL (National History League) and a compilation of all the plays in one volume, Shakespeare’s Sports Canon. Combined; the plays contain references and lines from all of Shakespeare’s 38 plays while venturing through rugby and soccer pitches, Roman Ludi, bizarre Olympic events, and Canadian street hockey all with its tongue firmly planted in its cheek. All five adaptations were originally produced to critical and audience acclaim, consecutively at the 2001-2005 Toronto Fringe Festivals.
Roxanne Reads New and Used Books is a new online bookstore owned and operated by Roxanne Deans, a former actor and theatre producer for Red Letter Theatre. She is also a playwright, with successful stagings of her play Wally and co-adapter (along with Chris Coculuzzi) of the 2004 Toronto Fringe hit Cyrano de Bergerac. A love of books and her entrepreneurial spirit are what have driven Roxanne to start the bookstore, seeing an opportunity to share her passion for the written word as well as create new and exciting literary events for booklovers of all ages.
Come join us for a great evening of literature, theatre, drink and merriment. Copies of the plays will be available for purchase at the launch for $10 (28% off), tax included. Laptops will also be on hand, to surf the Roxanne Reads website.
Launch Date: Sunday, April 23, 2006
7:00 – 10:00 pm
Venue: The Cameron House (back space)
408 Queen Street West
Free Admission
Media Contact: Roxanne Deans, 416-694-2572
Canadian Shakespeare News 