CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER TO RETURN TO THE TORONTO STAGE IN JANUARY 2011 IN HIS
TONY AWARD-WINNING ROLE AS "BARRYMORE"

TD TO PRESENT WILLIAM LUCE'S ACCLAIMED BROADWAY PLAY
FOR A STRICTLY LIMITED ENGAGEMENT OF 30 PERFORMANCES ONLY,
JANUARY 27 - MARCH 9, 2011 AT TORONTO'S ELGIN THEATRE

TORONTO, Sept. 1 /CNW/ - CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER, the two-time Tony and two-time Emmy Award winning actor and a 2009 Academy Award® nominee ("The Last Station"), will reprise his Tony Award-winning portrayal of the legendary actor, John Barrymore, in William Luce's acclaimed Broadway play, BARRYMORE, for a strictly limited engagement of thirty performances at Toronto's historic Elgin Theatre from January 27 - March 9, 2011. 

Having premiered at Canada's Stratford Festival in September 1996, BARRYMORE subsequently toured several US cities, and opened at Broadway's Music Box Theatre in March 1997.  For his indelible portrayal, Plummer won the 1997 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play.  He also won the Drama Desk Award, the Edwin Booth Award and Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Actor in a Play.

One of the world's most distinguished classical stage and film stars, Christopher Plummer has also been hailed as the finest Shakespearean actor to emerge from North America in the 20th Century.  He is currently starring to critical acclaim  as Prospero in Des McAnuff's production of Shakespeare's "The Tempest" at Canada's Stratford Festival with performances through September 13th, and his newest motion picture, "Beginners," co-starring Ewan McGregor, has been selected as a special presentation at this year's Toronto International Film Festival, with the premiere scheduled for September 11th.

The entire original creative team of BARRYMORE will be reunited for the Toronto presentation including three-time Tony Award-winning director, GENE SAKS, scenic and costume designer SANTO LOQUASTO, and lighting designer NATASHA KATZ.  BARRYMORE will be presented by TD and is being produced by KEVIN ALBRECHT, STEVE KALAFER and PETER LeDONNE. 

"TD is proud to present Christopher Plummer's return to the Toronto stage in this historic engagement," said TD's Vice President-Global Brand & Corporate Marketing, DIANNE SMITH-SANDERSON. "We're thrilled to be part of such a unique sponsorship opportunity with the potential to expand more broadly across the border and reflect our presence in North America." 

BARRYMORE offers an unforgettable portrayal of legendary actor, John Barrymore, a man of colossal talent and contradictions, also considered one of the greatest Shakespearean actors of all time.  Set in 1942, the final year of John Barrymore's life, BARRYMORE takes place on the stage of a Broadway theatre, where the actor is struggling to recreate his performance in the title role of Shakespeare's Richard III.   Playwright William Luce ("The Belle of Amherst") shows us the many facets of this complicated man and dazzling actor:  the wives and the women... the drink and the profanity... the notoriety and the glory...in a portrait that's "fiendishly entertaining and blistering sad," and made all the more indelible with Christopher Plummer's "achingly funny, memorably strong and debonair performance (The New York Times)."

Actor, JOHN PLUMPIS, is featured in BARRYMORE in the role of "Frank," the unseen, off-stage prompter/stage manager who assists John Barrymore with running his lines and coaxing out a performance. 

BARRYMORE will be performed on Monday-Wednesday and Friday-Saturday evenings at 8:00pm. Tickets will go on public sale on October 2nd.

For additional information about BARRYMORE, please visit www.BarrymoreThePlay.com.

NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: Hi-res production photos of Christopher Plummer in BARRYMORE are available for download at:  

http://www.barrymoretheplay.com/private/media/  

For further information:

Media contacts:                                                                                                                     
For:Barrymore Entertainment Limited                      For:  TD Corporate and Public Affairs
       NORMAN ZAGIER - [phone]                                TASHLIN HIRANI - [phone]
       [email protected]                                         [email protected]