The first workshops/developmental showings of Concord Floral, created and directed by the trio Erin Brubacher, Cara Spooner and Jordan Tannahill, took place on November 1-11, 2012 in Theatre Passe Muraille, Toronto and on May 12, 2012 at the Festival of Ideas and Creation, Canadian Stage, Toronto. The original cast included Sarha Del, Mark Correia, Theo Gallaro, Erum Khan, Michelle Kuzemczak, Alex Lee, Julian Lee, Rashida Shaw, Gretta Whipple, and Julie Zenderoudi. The showings were produced by Naomi Skwarna, production managed by Rae Powell and stage management by Laura Hendrickson.
The 2014 premier production of Concord Floral was a Suburban Beast production, presented by Why Not Theatre at The Theatre Centre in Toronto, October 2014 joined by previous performers Sahra Del, Rashida Shaw, Theo Gallaro and Erum Khan with the newer cast members Eartha Masek-Kelly, Jovana Miladinovic, Jessica Munk, Troy Sarju, Melisa Sofi and Liam Sullivan. The creative team for the 2014 production included the composer and sound designer Christopher Willes, lighting designer Kimberly Purtell, stage manager Laura Hendrickson and artistic producers Erin Brubacher and Jordan Tannahill.
In 2015, the Toronto production of Concord Floral was nominated for five Dora Mavor Moore Awards in the categories of outstanding production, outstanding direction, outstanding lighting design, outstanding sound design, and outstanding performance – ensemble. It won the Dora for Outstanding New Play, along with the 2015 Carol Bolt Award. It was also shortlisted for the 2016 Governor General’s Award for Drama. Currently Concord Floral is playing at the Bluma Appel Theatre at the St. Lawrence Center for Art.
References
Baucher, Erin, and Jordan Tannahill. “Concord Floral.” Suburban Beast, www.suburbanbeast.ca/concord-floral.
“ERIN BRUBACHER.” Concord Floral, www.erinbrubacher.ca/concord-floral.
“The First Incarnation of Concord Floral for Canadian Stage Offers a Spooky Suburban Reimagining of The Decameron.” National Post, Postmedia Network Inc., 3 Oct. 2016, nationalpost.com/entertainment/theatre/the-first-incarnation-of-concord-floral-for-canadian-stage-offers-a-spooky-suburban-reimagining-of-the-decameron.
Kaplan, Jon, and Glenn Sumi. “Concord Floral Blossoms.” NOW Magazine, 15 Nov. 2012, nowtoronto.com/stage/concord-floral-blossoms/.