Friday, May 16, 2014

The world’s coming to Queens County | The Chronicle Herald

The world’s coming to Queens County | The Chronicle Herald



Great coverage of the Liverpool International Theatre Festival -- and our play -- in the provincial newspaper. There's also a great picture of Lianne Perry and Mark Adam during a tune-up performance on Monday night in Bedford. The community theatre group, Bedford Players, invited us to perform for their volunteers and members as part of their year-end awards gala. It was a great opportunity and we are grateful to them for it.

Friday, April 11, 2014

Adele Courage, the kind of bureaucrat we need

Lianne Perry with her acting achievement award from the Elizabeth Boardmore One-Act Play Festival in Cape Breton.


Department of Common Sense is a play about bureaucracy and government. It's written by someone who worked on the inside for almost four years. I met some talented, intelligent people, but I also met  too many people who were fussers. They cared more about process and rules than about serving the people they were hired to serve -- the taxpayers. The character of Adele Courage represents the kind of bureaucrat we need more of and Frank Walker, the Minister of Common Sense, represents the kind of politician we need more of.

Department of Common Sense is playing tomorrow night (Saturday, April 12) in a special one-night engagement at the Museum of Natural History on Summer Street in Halifax. Show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10.


Monday, April 7, 2014

Night at the museum


We're having a special engagement this Saturday, April 12. One night only at the Museum of Natural History at 1747 Summer St. in Halifax. Come join us as we prepare to represent Halifax and the Theatre Arts Guild at the prestigious Liverpool International Theatre Festival from May 14 to 18.

For tickets, click on this link.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Department of Common Sense goes to Cape Breton

Department of Common Sense will be part of the Elizabeth Boardmore One-Act Play Festival this week in Sydney. We're pumped for our road trip and looking forward to meeting some other creative folks at this festival.

One Act Play Festival Returns to Boardmore Theatre

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Great first show

The cast put on a great show and the audience loved the play. More than half of them stayed after it was over to participate in our first Q&A with the playwright and the cast. A few people thought that our ticket price of $10 was too low and some were generous enough to put some extra in our jar. Every penny we make off this weekend will help pay for our trip to festivals in Cape Breton and Liverpool.

Hopefully, we'll get the same kind of audience tonight, just more of them. This is a hard-working, talented cast and they will entertain you for two hours.

You can reserve tickets at The Bus Stop Theatre following this link.
You can purchase them in advance using this link.
Or you can pay cash at the door.

The Bus Stop Theatre is located at 2203 Gottingen St. The door opens at 7:30 and the show begins at 8 p.m. This is a relaxed atmosphere and you can bring your beverage into the theatre and drink it while you watch the show.

There will be no bar during Sunday's matinee, but there is a great coffee shop next door called Alter Egos and you're welcome to bring your coffee in with you.

Friday, March 14, 2014

Interview with Global TV

Ryan Van Horne stopped by the Global TV studio this morning to have a chat with their morning show co-host Paul Brothers. The six-minute interview covers everything to how the play was written, what it's about, and the feedback the play has received.

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Cut through red tape with a little laughter


How many bureaucrats does it take to prevent a light bulb from being changed? Dick Clod would like to think it's just one. Clod (played by Rob McIntyre) is one of those bureaucrats who just doesn't get it. In Department of Common Sense, he's more interested in making sure everyone conforms to regulations. Then along comes Sophia Smart (played by Fiona Kirkpatrick Parsons) with some bright ideas about common sense.

Department of Common Sense plays this weekend at the Bus Stop Theatre in Halifax. Shows nightly March 14-16 with a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday the 16th.

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

How to get tickets

There are three ways to get tickets for this weekend's showing of Department of Common Sense at The Bus Stop Theatre, 2203 Gottingen St.

1) Pay in cash at the door. Tickets are $10.
2) Reserve tickets using this link and pay cash at the door. Tickets are still $10.
3) Buy tickets in advance using this link. There is a $1.59 service charge per ticket using this method. You can also click on the orange button on the right-hand side of this page.

Cash only at the door. We are not set up to accept debit or credit cards.

Poster for Bus Stop Theatre run


I love the new poster for our Bus Stop Theatre run. The concept is from our photographer Devaan Ingraham, who make a business card and got our Minister Frank Walker to hold it up. Our multi-talented Minister (Adam Lardner) did the layout and the sister of a co-worker gave was our design angel when Adam got busy at his day job. It truly does take a village, sometimes. Many thanks to all who pitched in.

Friday, February 28, 2014

Department of Common Sense coming to Bus Stop


No government has ever had the guts – or brains – to create a Department of Common Sense, probably because it could never live up to the name; but, playwright Ryan Van Horne makes Nova Scotia the first province to get a Department of Common Sense – if only to entertain you.

Van Horne, a journalist who worked on the inside as a government communicator for three years, has woven nuggets of truth into this satirical look at government and bureaucracy in which a new department is created to put an end to foolishness in government. The one-act play follows a straight-talking, tequila-sipping minister and two whip-smart women on his staff who take on a persnickety bureaucrat in a battle of wills – and wits.

Department of Common Sense will make you shake your head in disbelief, nod with painful understanding, or seethe with anger. It might even make you do all three, and it is sure to make you laugh as it returns to Halifax for a three-day, four-show run at The Bus Stop Theatre at 2203 Gottingen St., from March 14 to 16.

Community theatre veteran Nick Jupp directs a talented all-local cast that includes Lianne Perry, Mark Adam, Fiona Kirkpatrick Parsons, Rob McIntyre, Fiona MacKinnon, and Neil Van Horne.

There will be shows nightly at 8 p.m., with a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. The Bus Stop Theatre is a licensed venue with a cash bar and we invite you to enjoy refreshments before and after the performance.