Aida 2011

Stories, video and reviews from Aida

Aida Photo Gallery

More info About Aida

The Community Players of New Hamburg are proud to present…

The Waterloo Region premiere of Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida. Contemporary, edgy, romantic, tragic and inspirational are only a few of the words that can describe this epic musical.

Building on a rich history of memorable theatre—Children of Eden, Titanic, Carousel, The Wizard of Oz and most recently Cats, TCP invites you to journey with us in the spring of 2011 to the distant lands of Egypt and Nubia for what promises to be another amazing theatrical journey: community theatre at its very best!

Onstage at the New Hamburg Arena
251 Jacob St. New Hamburg Ontario
May 12-15, 2011

Fortune Favours the Brave, one of the featured songs in TCP’s Aida, could well be the anthem of The Community Players of New Hamburg – entering their 27^th year of bringing high-calibre musical theatre to Wilmot Township, as they present the Waterloo Region premiere of Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida.

The musical partnership of Elton John and Tim Rice that brought The Lion King to the world stage, brings that same synergy to this re-telling of Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida with a look and sound that is fresh, energetic and deeply moving. Firmly positioned in the current century, gospel, rock, reggae and pop combine to create a musical score that soars, songs that inspire and an act one finale that will leave audiences breathless.

“TCP’s production of Aida will bring together the absolute best of everything that is The Community Players: creativity, vision, passion, and the pursuit of excellence. Aida a tender love story, told in song, amazing visuals, spectacular movement and believable characters.” says Gord Davis, the show’s director. This is one musical theatrical experience absolutely not to be missed.

Come be a part of Aida, May 12 – 15, 2011. Tickets go on sale online and in person Saturday, March 5^th at 9:00 a.m. The Community Players of New Hamburg – continuing the tradition of “community theatre at its very best”! For more details, visit www.thecommunityplayers.com

Show Times

8pm Thurs – Sat, 2pm Sat & Sun

adults $28 students/seniors $26 child $15
groups of 20 or more save 10% / eyeGO

Order Tickets

online at thecommunityplayers.com
tcp ticket office ongoing in-person sales
Saturdays 10am-1pm,
new hamburg arena, 251 Jacob Street
tcp infoline 519.662.4532

As is our annual tradition, the community players contribute a portion of the proceeds from this production back to our local community.

The Aida Story

One of the greatest love stories ever told, Elton John and Tim Rice’s AIDA is the story of a Nubian princess captured and enslaved in Egypt.

Her captor, Radames (captain of the Egyptian army) soon is drawn to Aida’s strength and honesty. Not wishing her to be treated as other slaves, he arranges to present Aida as a gift to his ‘bride-to-be’, Amneris (daughter of the Pharaoh). Neither Radames nor Amneris know that Aida is a princess.

Amneris is greatly impressed by Aida’s poise, ease of being and insight and wishes she had Aida’s strength. Aida appreciates the confusion Amneris feels about being a princess and the responsibilities that come with that title – Aida and Amneris become fast friends. While, the other Nubian slaves look to Aida as their salvation, she struggles with her loyalty to her people and her growing feelings for Radames.

The bond grows stronger between Radames and Aida and as soul-mates they cannot deny the love they feel for each other. When Aida’s father (King of Nubia) is captured by another of Egypt’s armies, Aida realizes she must give up Radames in order to save her country and her people. Radames, too, is clear. He arranges a plan of escape for Aida and her father on his wedding day – however their plans are foiled and suddenly they both become prisoners.

In the end – it is Amneris – dear friend of Aida, bride-to-be of Radames and now, Princess of Egypt – that is left to decide their fate.

Directing Team

Gord Davis, Director
Gord’s work in theatre across Waterloo Region has thrilled audiences and earned him the respect of his peers and his audiences. After building the drama program at Elmira District Secondary School into one of the highest-profile and highest-quality programs in Ontario, he retired from teaching theatre to become a freelance director. In the past nine years he has directed countless productions for various groups and organizations. Gord is currently the Resident Director for The Singer’s Theatre, a company that excels in innovative and challenging musical works for young people in Waterloo Region. One of his greatest joys has been working with The Community Players of New Hamburg, and he is excited about, and looking forward to, coming back in 2011.

Jen Hoffman, Musical Director
Jen, who teaches at Rockway Mennonite Collegiate in Kitchener, has been the musical force behind TCP since 2000. She remains humbled by the musical talent of the TCP orchestra, amazed by the vocal abilities the cast manages to deliver year after year, and grateful for the amount of time and energy everyone puts into our shows.

Richelle Hirlehey, Choreographer
Richelle’s involvement in dance began as a young child. After receiving degrees from the University of Western Ontario, Richelle was delighted to return to her home school, The Carousel Dance Centre, University of Waterloo, as a teacher. In 2005, she took on the roles of Dance Company Director and Assistant Director of the school. She is currently the Director of Carousel and Educational Director of Dance Extreme. In addition to teaching, she choreographs for the Original Kids Theatre Company; high schools in southwestern Ontario; London Musical Productions; and her own company, Barefoot Creative. Richelle is now pursuing her master’s in dance at York University. She is thrilled to be working with The Community Players for a second season.

Brent Roth, Artistic Director
Brent has been a part of TCP’s amazing journey for the past 21 years. His love of theatre, combined with his love of community, make this one of the best jobs ever. Working with so many talented individuals, each of whom has left his or her mark on the group, whether for one show or for dozens, and whether onstage or behind the scenes, has been inspiring. Helping to bring TCP to its current level of excellence has been the most rewarding kind of challenge. Brent’s day job is as a creative director in Toronto, but he always looks forward to the spring, when an empty arena is transformed into a spectacular theatre, and “community theatre at its very best” once again proves itself to be true.

Characters

AIDA (mezzo-soprano) Daughter of Amonasro and Princess of Nubia. With her royalty unknown to all except Mereb, she is taken into slavery with the rest of Nubia, but attracts the attention of Radames. She loves her people and will sacrifice everything for their happiness.

AMNERIS (mezzo-soprano) Princess of Egypt, daughter of the Pharaoh, and Radames’ fiancée. She is known for her taste for fashion. Aida, given to her as a handmaiden, recognizes Amneris’ true nature: that her fashion-driven identity hides her insecurities.

AMONASRO (non-singing role) Father of Aida and King of Nubia. An honorable and peaceful man. He is taken into slavery by the Egyptians after Aida and Radames have fallen in love, and commands Aida to break all ties with the Egyptians.

MEREB (tenor) A Nubian servant to Radames, who was taken captive by the Egyptians as a youth. He is the first to recognize Aida as Princess of Nubia, and the first to tell the other Nubian slaves about it, in the hope that she can set them free. He is faithful to his Nubian heritage and he dreams of a better life for his people.

NEHEBKA (mezzo-soprano) Nubian slave who speaks to Aida as a representative for the Nubian people.

PHARAOH (non-singing role) Father of Amneris and King of Egypt. One of the arrangers of Amneris and Radames’ much-delayed wedding, he is secretly being poisoned by Zoser to speed up Radames’s succession to the throne.

RADAMES (tenor) Captain of the Egyptian army, son of Zoser, and fiancé of Amneris. He is expected to succeed to the Egyptian throne after the Pharaoh’s death, but instead finds himself intrigued by Aida, instead. He enjoys the adventures of war without realizing its devastation. He is a good man who wants to be a better man.

ZOSER (baritone) Chief Minister of Egypt and father of Radames. He is eager for his son’s succession to the Egyptian throne, and does all he can to bring it about—including poisoning the Pharaoh. He is power-hungry and unscrupulous.

ENSEMBLE Men: Low G – High A Women: Low B flat – High A flat
*cast of characters and singing/acting roles subject to change

Song List

ACT ONE
Every Story Is a Love Story, Amneris
Fortune Favors the Brave, Radames and Soldiers
The Past Is Another Land, Aida
Another Pyramid, Zoser and Ministers
How I Know You, Mereb and Aida
My Strongest Suit/Fashion Show, Amneris and Women of the Palace
Enchantment Passing Through, Radames and Aida
Strongest Suit (Reprise), Amneris and Aida
Dance of the Robe, Aida, Nehebka and Nubians
Not Me, Radames, Mereb, Aida and Amneris
Elaborate Lives, Radames and Aida
The Gods Love Nubia, Aida, Nehebka and Nubians

ACT TWO
A Step Too Far, Amneris, Radames and Aida
Easy as Life, Aida
Like Father Like Son, Zoser, Radames and Ministers
Radames’s Letter, Radames
How I Know You (Reprise), Mereb
Written in the Stars, Aida and Radames
I Know the Truth, Amneris
Elaborate Lives (Reprise), Aida and Radames
Finale, Radames, Aida and Amneris

Elton John’s music for Aida is stylistically eclectic. “Another Pyramid” is a modern reggae number; “My Strongest Suit” draws heavily on Motown, “The Gods Love Nubia” draws on gospel. There are numbers—”Not Me,” “Elaborate Lives,” “A Step Too Far,” “Written in the Stars”—that reflect Elton John’s pop style. There is also a strong influence of African or other “exotic” music. These styles are used without much attention to historical authenticity. Rather, there is a mix of African (mostly west African), Indian and Middle Eastern influences. Probably the nearest stylistic parallel to the work as a whole is Elton John’s The Lion King, another musical with strong ethnic elements.

Production History

Aida is a musical drama in two acts, based on Giuseppe Verdi’s Italian-language opera of the same name, which was in turn based on a story by Auguste Mariette. The musical was produced by Hyperion Theatricals, a unit within Disney Theatrical, with music by Elton John, lyrics by Tim Rice and book by Linda Woolverton, Robert Falls and David Henry Hwang.

Elaborate Lives: The Legend of Aida had its world premiere at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, in September 1998. A revised production opened on November 12, 1999, at the Cadillac Palace in Chicago. The Broadway production, named Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida, ran at the Palace Theatre from March 23, 2000, to September 5, 2004. Its 1,852 performances (and 30 previews) make it the 18th-longest-running show ever.

Important Upcoming Dates

Feb 23, 2011
Distribution of “The Community Player: Aida Edition”
To subscribers of the New Hamburg Independent and Online.
Read The Community Player now.

March 5, 2011 – 9am
Tickets for Aida go on sale online and in person.
Don’t miss your chance for the best seats in the house!
More Ticket Info

May 12-15, 2011
TCP presents Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida
New Hamburg Arena, 251 Jacob Street, New Hamburg

For more information, email us at onstage@thecommunityplayers.com.

Sources and Resources
www.stageagent.com; www.mtishows.com; www.ibdb.com

Onstage in the New Hamburg Arena May 12-15, 2011