Press Release - the 2015 Toronto Fringe Festival

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - MAY 25 2015:!
!
Fringe sensations JEFF LEARD and RON
FROMSTEIN team up to bring !
ZACH ZULTANA: SPACE GIGOLO !
to the Toronto Fringe Festival!
!
“*****
!
!
!
!
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Leard is magnificent, a master of mime and tension.”!
!
-Edmonton Journal!
“****1/2 Fromstein’s script is funny, vulnerable, and spot on.”!
!
-Winnipeg Free Press
Fringe favourite Jeff Leard is returning to the Toronto Fringe
Festival with a brand new solo-adventure-comedy about life
and love beyond the asteroid belt, written by award winning playwright Ron Fromstein. !
!
Zach Zultana: Space Gigolo tells the story of a man living in a mining colony on one of
Jupiter’s moons who, after a chance encounter with a mysterious woman, becomes the
unlikely poster boy for a revolution. Set in a remote corner of the solar system settled by
22nd century humans this show draws from science fiction, testimonials from astronauts
about life in space, and current life for miners in the remote parts of Canada. Fromstein has
done his best to create a realistic picture of what life would be like if we managed to colonize
the solar system. It’s one part space travel, and one part old west adventure.!
!
Leard is best known to Fringe goers for his self written, self produced solo hits, Sperm Wars
and The Show Must Go On, which have garnered rave reviews, numerous awards, and played
to sold out houses across Canada. Zach Zultana: Space Gigolo is Leard’s first time
collaborating with another writer on a solo project and he his very excited to bring the
characters in Fromstein’s script to life.!
!
Fringers would be most familiar with Fromstein’s plays Dianne and Me and The Big Smoke,
which were breakaway hits in 2009 and 2011. He has also won numerous 24hr playwriting
competitions, and new play competitions across Canada as well as the Canadian National
Playwriting Competition.!
!
Toronto Fringe is the third stop for Zach Zultana: Space Gigolo on its maiden voyage across
Canada, it will also be playing in London, Ottawa, and Edmonton Fringes this summer.!
!
WHO:! !
Produced by Adventureland! !
—Performed by Jeff Leard!
!
!
—Written by Ron Fromstein! !
— Directed by James Leard!
WHEN:!!
Toronto Fringe Festival: July 1 -12 2015!
!
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Showtimes: Thu July 2 @ 6:30pm Sat July 4 @ 4:00pm!
Mon July 6 @ 4:30pm!
Wed July 8 @ 9:15pm
Thu July 9 @ 4:00pm Fri July 10 @ 11:00pm Sat July 11 @ 12:30pm!
WHERE:!
Tarragon Theatre Mainspace — 30 Bridgman Ave. Toronto, ON!
PHOTOS:!
High-res photos available upon request. All photos by Kris Gower, featuring Jeff Leard.!
MEDIA CONTACT!
Jeff Leard, Producer — j.leard@hotmail.com!
MORE INFORMATION:!
!
www.fringetoronto.com!
PHOTO CONTACT SHEET!
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Photos by Kristopher Gower. Photos show Jeff Leard as
Zach Zultana in ZACH ZULTANA: SPACE GIGOLO.!
For high-res copies email Jeff at j.leard@hotmail.com.
COMPANY BIOS!
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Jeff Leard — Performer!
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Jeff was born and raised in Victoria, BC where he studied theatre at the University
of Victoria and received his BFA in Acting in 2010. Since then Jeff has been
earning a living in theatre as an actor and writer on the Fringe circuit and a
freelance scenic carpenter when he doesn’t have shows. Jeff has been based in
Toronto since 2012 but has recently closed up shop in the big city to embrace the
homeless life of a travelling performer. Recently Jeff performed his signature
show THE SHOW MUST GO ON at booking conferences in BC and Ontario in
order to keep touring throughout the winter and never have to settle down. This
year marks Jeff’s fifth year in a row performing in multi-city Fringe tours, which
must mean he loves the Fringe enough to stick with it… or has no other
marketable skills.!
!
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James Leard — Director!
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In 1981 James Leard returned to full time work at the University of Victoria's
Phoenix Theatre and also founded The Story Theatre Company. This company
became his prime focus as he created productions which were invited to tour
across Canada and into the United States. His work for young audiences has
been featured at The Brooklyn Academy of Music, The Smithsonian Institute,
Wolftrap, The National Arts Centre, as well as International Children's Festivals in
Calgary, Winnipeg, Vancouver, and Ottawa. The Company is always invited to
return and is well known for its work throughout British Columbia and has
developed a touring market along the Eastern Seaboard from Florida to
Newfoundland. He continues this live theatre work while working as a freelance
film and television actor.!
!
Ron Fromstein — Writer!
Ron is a largely self-taught playwright from Toronto. Fringe credits include The
Big Smoke (**** CBC, ***** Winnipeg Onstage), Dianne & Me (Best of Fringe,
Hamilton), Ben & Jess of the Apocalypse (Sold out run at Saskatchewan Fringe,
and One in a Million (Patrons Pick, Toronto Fringe). He dramaturged the sold-out
run of Confessions of a Red-headed coffee Shop girl and is also a three time
winner of the Canadian National Playwriting competition and six time winnerfinalist of the Toronto Fringe 24 hour playwriting competition.!