C4 V Ikk. 4

STRATFORD

from page 65

John Gay's The Beggar's Opera in
1958 and the oft-produced works of
Gilbert and Sullivan, starting with
H.M.S. Pinafore in 1960.
The American musical also has
enjoyed a popular reception on
Stratford stages, including classics
like My Fair Lady, one of this sea-
son's two musicals, along with The

Threepenny Opera.
In 1953, there were 76 actors in
the Stratford company, with a core
office staff of about 10, numerous
part-time workers and hundreds of
volunteers. Today, there are approxi-
mately 139 actors, and a total staff of
as many as 850 at any given time.
In 1953, the approximate operating
costs were a little more than $200,000
(in Canadian dollars) — about
$124,400 American at the current
rate of exchange.
Today, the total budget is $41.5
million (Canadian) — slightly more
than $26 million American — of
which two-thirds comes from ticket
revenue.
In 1953, attendance was 68,600.
Last year, 614,000 people spent $28.5
million (Canadian) — the equivalent
of $18 million in American funds —
on tickets alone.
The Studio Theatre, Stratford's
fourth and newest theater venue,
opens July 13. It is an innovative and
intimate space offering 250 seats for
the exploration of rarely performed
and new works. Of the seven plays
being presented, six are new works
by Canadian playwrights.

5/3
2002

72

Stra t ford Premiere

Among the seven Shakespearean works
this season is. The Two Noble Kinsmen, a
late-career collaboration between
Shakespeare and John Fletcher in its
first full-length production at Stratford.
Rami Posner, a third-year company
member, plays Palamon, one of the
two noble kinsmen in the eponymous
tragicomedy; it is his largest Stratford
role to date.
The plot revolves around Palamon
and his cousin Arcite, whose love for
each other turns to bitter rivalry over
the woman they both adore.
Posner believes this work holds up
well to Shakespeare's other plays in
terms of narrative, language and rich
characters.
Rehearsals for Kinsmen, which opens
in July, begin this month.
Meanwhile, Posner is busy at work
rehearsing the Henry plays, in which
he portrays Edward, son of the oppor-
tunistic Duke of York (who later
becomes King Edward IV). Posner
describes his role as "meaty."
Born and raised in Winnepeg,
Canada, the actor, 28, attended Jewish
schools throughout his primary and
secondary education and describes his
Jewish upbringing as both cultural and
traditional.
He credits his American maternal
grandmother, "Baba" Frances, for his
acting genes. The two would pour
over old photo albums and outstand-
ing reviews of Baba's high-school per-
formances, and Posner would some-
times say, "Baba, I get it from you."

For the past two seasons, Baba
Frances, now in her mid-80s, has
come from Winnipeg to see her
grandson perform. Posner hopes she'll
make the trip again this season.
She's also sure to be kvelling over a
recent honor for her multi-talented
grandson. Rami Posner and his broth-
er, Ari, 30, have been named winners
of the festival's Composition Contest
for Young Composers, set up to honor
Stratford's 50th season.
The brothers won for their setting
of "Under the Greenwood Tree," from
the Shakespearean play As You Like It,
in which Rami has twice performed.
In addition to a cash award, the
Posners have earned the Louis
Applebaum Award in Theatre Music,
which allows them to work with estab-
lished theater composers during the

2002 spring rehearsal period.
While Rami is a graduate of the fes --
tival's Conservatory for Classical
Theatre Training, Ari, a composer who
has written for film, television and
recording artists, perfected his trade at
Toronto's York University.
"I have always done songwriting with
my brother," notes Rami, who studied
music before entering acting school and
credits his family's musical home life for
nurturing the duo's creativity.

Musical Moments

Created by lyricist Alan Jay Lerner and
composer Frederick Loewe, My Fair
Lady was first presented at Stratford in
1988; the 2002 staging is the festival's
second production.
Alan Jay Lerner (1918-1986) was
born in New York City to Edith Adelson

Left to right:

Julie Tepperman:
Stra t ford apprentice.

Rami Posner
credits his American
maternal grandmother,
"Baba" Frances, for
his acting genes.

Sam Strasfeld appears
in both 'My Fair Lady"
and "The Threepenny
Opera" as -part of
the chorus.