Our History...
The story of the Montreal Shakespeare Theatre Company actually begins with the story of Purple 9 Productions.
Founded in 2001 by Ace Lopes and Aaron George, Purple 9 Productions started as a modest independent theatre company doing comedy shows and game shows around the Montreal Area.
In 2002, the company took on the Montreal Fringe Festival and produced one of the festival’s most successful productions: "Cobra: The Musical". A silly musical based on the villains from the 1980’s cartoon G.I. Joe, Cobra was a smash hit in Montreal selling out every single performance, sometimes even turning away an entire audience of people. Cobra’s popularity was so great that the festival awarded Purple 9 Productions an extra show, which also sold out instantly. Cobra went on the road with stops in Ottawa and Toronto and continued to please audiences everywhere.
That same year, they also went to Halifax to perform at that city's Fringe Festival with an original comedy show.
Purple 9’s next production was a full length, full text version of "King Lear" at the Centaur Theatre. Dubbed “A Godfather’s Tale,” Shakespeare’s classic story was presented in a 1950’s style much like Francis Ford Coppola’s classic films.
In the winter of 2003, the company tackled contemporary theatre; presenting two modern classics: David Mamet’s “Glengarry Glen Ross” and Patrick Marber’s “Closer”. Both received favorable reviews but were only the beginning of what was to come.
In the spring of 2003, Purple 9 Productions embarked on their most ambitious project yet, touring schools with Shakespeare plays. But this was to be no ordinary Shakespeare tour; these were to be adapted scripts to facilitate the students' understanding of these classic works.
The first show was “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. Set against the backdrop of a fantastic Greece, this wonderful tale of the difficulty of love was performed in 14 schools for over 3000 students and teachers in the Montreal area.
The summer of 2003 was yet another adventure, as the company hit the road again to tour the Canadian fringe festival circuit. Their show: “Star Wars Survivor”, (yes it is exactly what it sounds like), toured Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Victoria and Vancouver over a three-month period and was a tremendous success.
Having now performed in almost every province in Canada, the company once again decided to turn its attention back to the ever growing school tours.
The winter of 2004 rolled around and school was back in session for Purple 9 Productions. For their second tour they remounted their popular version of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and added to it a Rock n' Roll version of: “Romeo and Juliet”, which placed our famous star-crossed lovers in a modern world of love and rock n’ roll. These shows were performed in more than 30 schools for over 6,000 students and teachers.
The rest of 2004 was dedicated once again to independent theatre shows, as the company put on successful productions of “Beyond Therapy” by Christopher Durang, and “Durang-a-tang”; an evening of one-act plays by the aforementioned writer.
The times they were a-changing, and in 2005: Purple 9 Productions was officially re-named The Montreal Shakespeare Theatre Company or M.S.T.C. for short.
The 2005 school tour was memorable, as the company brought to life “Macbeth”; set in traditional Scotland. Macbeth featured a two story set which doubled as the troubled monarch’s castle, as well as another area behind the seated students which served as the "witches' pit". The companion piece was the unforgettable “Comedy of Errors” set in the 1980’s. These shows were performed in over 40 schools for over 7,000 students and teachers.
One of the more daunting plays in Shakespeare’s cannon is “Hamlet”, and performing it was exactly what the M.S.T.C. set its sights on next.
In 2006, “Hamlet” was presented in a “black and white” style, reflecting one of the play’s major themes; that appearances can be deceiving. Along with “Hamlet”, the M.S.T.C. produced the surprise smash hit, “Twelfth Night”; set against an “Arabian Nights” backdrop. These shows were performed in over 40 schools for over 8,000 students and teachers.
2006 was a banner year for the company, achieving tremendous professional and artistic standards.
2006 was also the year that the M.S.T.C. took a serious step towards expansion. In the fall, they brought their “Shakespeare For Kids” school tour to the lovely city of Ottawa. In their first step outside the Montreal region, they wowed Ontario schools with “A Midsummer Night's Dream” and had established a foothold in a new and exciting market.
The 2007 Montreal tour school was the company’s fifth and the shows continued to improve with the company’s growing maturity. The two new shows that were presented: “Julius Caesar”; set traditionally, telling a moving tale of the limits of friendship, and “The Taming of The Shrew” set in a disco in the 1970’s, raised the bar once again, mesmerizing audiences over and over again. These shows were performed in over 50 schools for over 10,000 students and teachers.
In 2008, the M.S.T.C. once again forged new ground by adding for the first time, a third show from which schools could choose. The three shows that were performed were: "The Merchant of Venice", "The Tempest", and a Rock n' Roll version of "Romeo & Juliet" set in a 50's diner. The shows were a tremendous success and several teachers praised the way the M.S.T.C. handled the sometimes controversial subject matter of "The Merchant of Venice". The set designs as well as the lighting and special effects in "The Tempest" were also highly praised.
The 2009 tour was to once again see the return of the much praised "Macbeth" set traditionally. Striving to always keep the shows and the tour fresh, the company took a chance on the rarely studied play "The Two Gentlemen of Verona" and set in the American wild west. The gamble paid off as audiences loved the wild west style and how it was incorporated seamlessly into the show.
2010 was to be the defining moment in the company's history. The tour brought back two of the M.S.T.C.'s most popular shows: "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "Hamlet" "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is the company's most popular play and it was once again highly touted as the show to see. The trick was to keep it fresh and the M.S.T.C. found a way to do it. The company's set design and use of spindles as set pieces was revolutionary as well as extremely effective. So much so that they were also used in the production of "Hamlet". "Hamlet" was however the company's proudest moment. The M.S.T.C. took a calculate risk and set it in a military camp in Denmark. Every single presentation was a unique experience and new and exciting nuances were experienced with each show. The tour went on to be the most successful in the company's 8 year history. The cast on that tour were also incredible and had been hand picked for the tour. It was nicked named the "All-star tour" for good reason!
After the incredible reception to the 2010 tour, the M.S.T.C. decided to once again break new ground in the realm of Shakespeare. Because the whole Vampire genre was so popular...they decided to do "Othello" in a Vampire style. Having never tackled Othello before, the company was very excited to get started and the show generated positive responses immediately! "Twelfth Night" was added to the tour and became an instant success as it had been in the past. The tour went on to perform for almost 15,000 students. The company performed 56 shows making it by far the best year ever! Schools began booking the following year's tour on the spot!
Having had such a successful year, and having been out of the public year for such a long time, the M.S.T.C. decided it was time to take the company public once again! "Titus Andronicus" is a show that could never be performed in schools due to the graphic nature of the play and that's exactly why the company decided to tackle such a complex and intricate play. Adding a live percussion score to the mix, Titus became an instant hit! Performing at the Monument National in Montreal in August of 2011, the show went on to sell-out many performances and get great reviews (which are featured on the website). The company vows to return again next year with another classic Shakespeare play once again at the Monument National. But don't expect a traditional set-up....
The 2012 "Shakespeare For Kids" Montreal School Tour looks to be one of the best yet. Featured this year will be "Romeo & Juliet" and the concept is one that will blow everyone away! Romeo & Juliet are in High school and the show will be tailor-made to each school we go to. Banners with school colors and team names etc. will adorn the set. The costumes will also incorporate each school's colors. The concept had to be unique for our tenth year anniversary so the show will be presented in English, French and bilingual versions. Each school can choose which version they would like to see. This is truly a year not to be missed!
We thank you all for your support!
Founded in 2001 by Ace Lopes and Aaron George, Purple 9 Productions started as a modest independent theatre company doing comedy shows and game shows around the Montreal Area.
In 2002, the company took on the Montreal Fringe Festival and produced one of the festival’s most successful productions: "Cobra: The Musical". A silly musical based on the villains from the 1980’s cartoon G.I. Joe, Cobra was a smash hit in Montreal selling out every single performance, sometimes even turning away an entire audience of people. Cobra’s popularity was so great that the festival awarded Purple 9 Productions an extra show, which also sold out instantly. Cobra went on the road with stops in Ottawa and Toronto and continued to please audiences everywhere.
That same year, they also went to Halifax to perform at that city's Fringe Festival with an original comedy show.
Purple 9’s next production was a full length, full text version of "King Lear" at the Centaur Theatre. Dubbed “A Godfather’s Tale,” Shakespeare’s classic story was presented in a 1950’s style much like Francis Ford Coppola’s classic films.
In the winter of 2003, the company tackled contemporary theatre; presenting two modern classics: David Mamet’s “Glengarry Glen Ross” and Patrick Marber’s “Closer”. Both received favorable reviews but were only the beginning of what was to come.
In the spring of 2003, Purple 9 Productions embarked on their most ambitious project yet, touring schools with Shakespeare plays. But this was to be no ordinary Shakespeare tour; these were to be adapted scripts to facilitate the students' understanding of these classic works.
The first show was “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. Set against the backdrop of a fantastic Greece, this wonderful tale of the difficulty of love was performed in 14 schools for over 3000 students and teachers in the Montreal area.
The summer of 2003 was yet another adventure, as the company hit the road again to tour the Canadian fringe festival circuit. Their show: “Star Wars Survivor”, (yes it is exactly what it sounds like), toured Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Victoria and Vancouver over a three-month period and was a tremendous success.
Having now performed in almost every province in Canada, the company once again decided to turn its attention back to the ever growing school tours.
The winter of 2004 rolled around and school was back in session for Purple 9 Productions. For their second tour they remounted their popular version of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and added to it a Rock n' Roll version of: “Romeo and Juliet”, which placed our famous star-crossed lovers in a modern world of love and rock n’ roll. These shows were performed in more than 30 schools for over 6,000 students and teachers.
The rest of 2004 was dedicated once again to independent theatre shows, as the company put on successful productions of “Beyond Therapy” by Christopher Durang, and “Durang-a-tang”; an evening of one-act plays by the aforementioned writer.
The times they were a-changing, and in 2005: Purple 9 Productions was officially re-named The Montreal Shakespeare Theatre Company or M.S.T.C. for short.
The 2005 school tour was memorable, as the company brought to life “Macbeth”; set in traditional Scotland. Macbeth featured a two story set which doubled as the troubled monarch’s castle, as well as another area behind the seated students which served as the "witches' pit". The companion piece was the unforgettable “Comedy of Errors” set in the 1980’s. These shows were performed in over 40 schools for over 7,000 students and teachers.
One of the more daunting plays in Shakespeare’s cannon is “Hamlet”, and performing it was exactly what the M.S.T.C. set its sights on next.
In 2006, “Hamlet” was presented in a “black and white” style, reflecting one of the play’s major themes; that appearances can be deceiving. Along with “Hamlet”, the M.S.T.C. produced the surprise smash hit, “Twelfth Night”; set against an “Arabian Nights” backdrop. These shows were performed in over 40 schools for over 8,000 students and teachers.
2006 was a banner year for the company, achieving tremendous professional and artistic standards.
2006 was also the year that the M.S.T.C. took a serious step towards expansion. In the fall, they brought their “Shakespeare For Kids” school tour to the lovely city of Ottawa. In their first step outside the Montreal region, they wowed Ontario schools with “A Midsummer Night's Dream” and had established a foothold in a new and exciting market.
The 2007 Montreal tour school was the company’s fifth and the shows continued to improve with the company’s growing maturity. The two new shows that were presented: “Julius Caesar”; set traditionally, telling a moving tale of the limits of friendship, and “The Taming of The Shrew” set in a disco in the 1970’s, raised the bar once again, mesmerizing audiences over and over again. These shows were performed in over 50 schools for over 10,000 students and teachers.
In 2008, the M.S.T.C. once again forged new ground by adding for the first time, a third show from which schools could choose. The three shows that were performed were: "The Merchant of Venice", "The Tempest", and a Rock n' Roll version of "Romeo & Juliet" set in a 50's diner. The shows were a tremendous success and several teachers praised the way the M.S.T.C. handled the sometimes controversial subject matter of "The Merchant of Venice". The set designs as well as the lighting and special effects in "The Tempest" were also highly praised.
The 2009 tour was to once again see the return of the much praised "Macbeth" set traditionally. Striving to always keep the shows and the tour fresh, the company took a chance on the rarely studied play "The Two Gentlemen of Verona" and set in the American wild west. The gamble paid off as audiences loved the wild west style and how it was incorporated seamlessly into the show.
2010 was to be the defining moment in the company's history. The tour brought back two of the M.S.T.C.'s most popular shows: "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "Hamlet" "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is the company's most popular play and it was once again highly touted as the show to see. The trick was to keep it fresh and the M.S.T.C. found a way to do it. The company's set design and use of spindles as set pieces was revolutionary as well as extremely effective. So much so that they were also used in the production of "Hamlet". "Hamlet" was however the company's proudest moment. The M.S.T.C. took a calculate risk and set it in a military camp in Denmark. Every single presentation was a unique experience and new and exciting nuances were experienced with each show. The tour went on to be the most successful in the company's 8 year history. The cast on that tour were also incredible and had been hand picked for the tour. It was nicked named the "All-star tour" for good reason!
After the incredible reception to the 2010 tour, the M.S.T.C. decided to once again break new ground in the realm of Shakespeare. Because the whole Vampire genre was so popular...they decided to do "Othello" in a Vampire style. Having never tackled Othello before, the company was very excited to get started and the show generated positive responses immediately! "Twelfth Night" was added to the tour and became an instant success as it had been in the past. The tour went on to perform for almost 15,000 students. The company performed 56 shows making it by far the best year ever! Schools began booking the following year's tour on the spot!
Having had such a successful year, and having been out of the public year for such a long time, the M.S.T.C. decided it was time to take the company public once again! "Titus Andronicus" is a show that could never be performed in schools due to the graphic nature of the play and that's exactly why the company decided to tackle such a complex and intricate play. Adding a live percussion score to the mix, Titus became an instant hit! Performing at the Monument National in Montreal in August of 2011, the show went on to sell-out many performances and get great reviews (which are featured on the website). The company vows to return again next year with another classic Shakespeare play once again at the Monument National. But don't expect a traditional set-up....
The 2012 "Shakespeare For Kids" Montreal School Tour looks to be one of the best yet. Featured this year will be "Romeo & Juliet" and the concept is one that will blow everyone away! Romeo & Juliet are in High school and the show will be tailor-made to each school we go to. Banners with school colors and team names etc. will adorn the set. The costumes will also incorporate each school's colors. The concept had to be unique for our tenth year anniversary so the show will be presented in English, French and bilingual versions. Each school can choose which version they would like to see. This is truly a year not to be missed!
We thank you all for your support!
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