The Other Guys Theatre Company
Overview
The Other Guys Theatre Company is a west coast music theatre creation company. The Other Guys Theatre Company is committed to developing theatrical presentations reflecting the history and culture of their community while supporting the livelihoods of local professional and emerging artists. The work reflects their community and their stories have strong musical ties within them.
People[1]
Ross Desprez, Artistic Director
Tobin Stokes, Musical Director
Company History
The Other Guys Theatre Company is committed to developing theatrical presentations reflecting the history and culture of our community while supporting the livelihoods of local professional and emerging artists. Our work reflects our community and our stories have strong musical ties within them.
The company’s first production in 2001 Sex: the Musical, created by Desprez with musical direction by Tobin Stokes, played to sold-out houses at the Belfry Arts Centre and enjoyed unanimous critical acclaim. The production also enjoyed a successful run in Nanaimo, BC.
In 2002 The Vinedressers reunited the team of Tobin Stokes (Composer, Librettist) and Ross Desprez (Director). This world premiere included a cast of seven singers, musical director/accompanist and three musicians. Once again, the company enjoyed critical acclaim and strong audience response. The Vinedressers enjoyed its second production at the Symphony Orchestra Academy of the Pacific in Powell River, BC.
In November 2002, OGT work-shopped Moodyville Tales, created by Desprez with musical direction by Stokes. The play ran in February 03 and featured a cast of 7 actor/musicians. The play enjoyed a revival at the Chemainus Theatre in April 03 and was remounted in downtown Victoria in the summer of 2006 for a sold out 4 week run.
The company’s fourth project was the world premiere of Charles Tidler’s Tortoise Boy in 2004. With a cast of two local professionals partnering with two University of Victoria theatre students, this darkly poetic piece garnered excellent press and audience response.
Desprez then created The Ballad of Jim Pane featuring Zach Stevenson. The show premiered at the Belfry Theatre’s Festival in March 2005. Such was the success of the initial production the Belfry remounted the show that summer. In 2007 the show was invited to the On The Waterfront Festival at Eastern Front Theatre in Halifax, NS.
In 2007 Desprez showcased acclaimed local Victoria professionals Brian Linds and Jan Wood in a stellar production of Hockey Mom, Hockey Dad by Michael Melski. The show played to sold out houses at the Belfry Arts Centre Studio.
The company focus for 2008/09 was the development of the new multi-media musical revue Good Timber – Songs and Stories of the Western Logger. This work again reunited the team of Desprez and Stokes as lead creators collaborating with some of BC’s finest actor/musicians. The show premiered on July 2, 2010 at the Royal BC Museum. The response to the piece was outstanding and it has toured BC during 2011, 2012 and planning is underway for more in 2013.
OGT’s most recent work was the concert performance premiere of Tobin Stokes’ new chamber opera, Rattenbury. Internationally acclaimed opera star, Richard Margison, sang the title role and the piece featured stellar performers Kathleen Brett, Julia Morgan, Erin Ronningen, Ken Levine, Andrew Erasmus and Stephen Barradell. Members of the Victoria Symphony were under the baton of Maestro Arthur Arnold, Principal Guest Conductor of the Moscow Symphony. Rattenbury premiered September 2012 at the Crystal Ballroom, Empress Hotel, Victoria.
