Upper Canada Playhouse is excited with the premiere of the brand new comedy Leaving Marjorie Bliss by John Spurway playing August 1-25.

Set in the lounge of the Marjorie Bliss Retirement Home, the comedy features three hilarious and spunky ladies who are fed up with the establishment after discovering it’s not at all what it was cracked up to be in the brochure. The skeleton staff is rude and constantly being cutback, the food is terrible, the washrooms are ill-equipped and the library is just a bookcase at the end of the hall. Audiences will delight in joining Edythe, Maxine and Audrey as they play cards and map out their plans to vacate the home and pool their resources to find a better place to live together on the ‘outside’.

Maxine has been widowed for a long time and is looking for male companionship. Edythe is also widowed and looking for somewhere to live since her kids have no room for her. Audrey has been three times married, is quite well-off, but not wanting to manage the business and home left to her by her third husband. Just when they’re all onboard to pull off a Great Escape, a wrench gets thrown into their plans with the arrival of a new resident at Marjorie Bliss; the handsome widower Reggie! When everyone starts vying for his attention, it’s game on!

Leaving Marjorie Bliss is directed by Christopher McHarge, former artistic director at Port Dover’s Lighthouse Festival Theatre and Theatre on the Grand in Fergus as well as former Associate Artistic Theatre for Hamilton’s Theatre Aquarius. He has directed several past productions for The Playhouse including The Gentleman Clothier, The Love List and 18 Wheels as well as live concerts.

Starring in Leaving Marjorie Bliss are popular Playhouse actors Linda Goranson, Brian Young and Kathleen Egan Veinotte as well as a new talent on the Playhouse stage, Sarah Machin Gale. Goranson has appeared in many Playhouse shows including The Christmas Express, Barefoot in the Park, Steel Magnolias, and last season’s hit Drinking Alone. Egan Veinotte has appeared in such productions as Maggie’s Getting Married, Dear Santa, The Affections of May, Having Hope at Home, Wally’s Café and Bedtime Stories.

Brian Young is also no stranger to Playhouse audiences having starred in Buying the Farm, Sugar Road, Boeing Boeing, Miracle on 34th Street, Last of the Red Hot Lovers and The Foursome among others. Sarah Gale makes her Playhouse debut after an impressive list of credits at such theatres as Port Stanley Festival Theatre London’s Grand Theatre and Romeo & Juliet for Driftwood Theatre.

The Playhouse is always excited to offer audiences exciting new comedies performed by some of the finest talent in the country. Don’t miss this touching, hilarious and entertaining new comedy about friendship and the meaning of home.

Leaving Marjorie Bliss runs until August 25. Afternoon performances are on Tue, Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun at 2pm. Evening shows are on Thu, Fri and Sat at 7:30pm. For tickets please call 613-543-3713 or 877-550-3650. www.uppercanadaplayhouse.com