Media Release #9

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, April 23, 2008 . . . The Shaw Festival announced today that Associate Director Neil Munro has withdrawn from his role as director of the 2008 production of Terence Rattigan’s After the Dance, for health reasons. Shaw Festival Artistic Director Emeritus Christopher Newton will now be directing the show, which begins rehearsals on Saturday.

Mr. Munro sustained a major and complex infection last fall, and is now in recovery after a successful surgery. Having already announced that Neil would not be directing An Inspector Calls, all hopes and expectations were that he would still be able to direct After the Dance. Unfortunately, his much-improved condition does not allow him to tackle the demands of a rigorous rehearsal process just yet, and he will now take the rest of this summer to continue the recovery process and assist Jackie Maxwell in the planning for 2009.

Shaw Festival Artistic Director Jackie Maxwell says, “We are very disappointed that Neil has had to withdraw from the season, but we’re pleased to see him up and about and well on the way to a full recovery. We’re tremendously grateful to Christopher for stepping in and look forward to his work on this Rattigan masterpiece.”

Christopher Newton was the Artistic Director of the Shaw Festival from 1980 - 2002 and continues to direct productions across the country. Most recently he directed Arthur Miller’s The Price for Hamilton’s Theatre Aquarius and Peter Quilter’s Glorious! for Victoria’s Belfry Theatre.

The 2008 season is proudly presented by HSBC Bank Canada/HSBC Bank USA, N.A.

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Please visit our website at www.shawfest.com for other Shaw Festival media releases.

For more information, or to download images from our image bank to accompany this release, members of the media may contact:

Odette Yazbeck
Public Relations Director
905-468-2153 or
1-800-657-1106 ext. 222
odette@shawfest.com

Patti Broughton
Public Relations Co-ordinator
905-468-2153 or
1-800-657-1106 ext. 224
pbroughton@shawfest.com

Press Contact Information

Shaw Festival
odette@shawfest.com
1-800-657-1106 ext 222
Shaw Festival Box 774 Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0

Source URL: http://www.shawfest.com

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