Tuesdays with Morrie, based on the novel by Mitch Albom, is a touching, life-affirming drama with a generous dose of humour.
The stage play has reached audiences of 45,000 people and is coming to the Gibraltar Room in Williams Lake for one night only this Wednesday evening, Jan. 26 starting at 7:30 p.m.
The play stars venerable Canadian actor Jessie Holland as Professor Morrie Schwarts and Antonio Gradanti as his former student, Mitch.
During his own lifetime, Antony Holland has won numerous awards for his work on stage, the latest in 2007, Vancouver’s Jessie Award for outstanding performance by an actor for his portrayal of Morrie.
In real life, this 90-year-old theatre enthusiast can easily match Morrie’s legacy of mentoring. Holland founded and was artistic director of Studio 58 from 1965 to 1985 and his former students pepper most cast lists in the country.
He has appeared in countless film and television productions throughout his remarkably long career, his most recent, a special guest staring role in the final Battlestar Galactica episode.
Holland’s main occupation these days is promoting No Bells and Whistles, a unique and highly successful style of theatre which he developed through his theatre centre on Gabriola Island and aims to push out into the world at large … his Johnny Apple Seed campaign to encourage live professional theatre to go out into smaller communities.
Holland’s co-star Antonio Gradanti was born in Toronto and has lived on Gabriola Island since 1992. He is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, composer, and teaches as well as performs music full time on the island.
Five years ago he ventured into the world of acting when he took on the role of Mitch, with Antony in Western Edge’s production of Tuesdays with Morrie in Nanaimo.
Since then he has played lead roles in numerous productions, including You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, the musical John and Jen, Art, A Night with Shel Silverstien.
Written by J. Hatcher and M. Alborn, Tuesdays with Morrie is a touching, life-affirming drama with a generous dose of humour.
It is a heartwarming story about a student and a teacher who were close while the student is at university but as life goes on lose touch.
They meet again and rekindle their friendship later in life when the professor is struck with a life threatening.
Proceeds from the play will go to the Central Cariboo Hospice and Palliative Care Society.
Tickets are $15 and available at the Open Book, Bean Counter and Hospice office at 530 Fourth Ave. North and at the door on a first come first serve basis.
