Famous People Players
Encyclopedia
Famous People Players is a black light puppetry theatre company. It is based in Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
and tours worldwide. It is a non-profit organization
which employs people with physical and intellectual disabilities. Those individuals share duties in dining room management, arts administration, and theatrical and visual arts performances.
Since inception, the company has paid homage to the works of famous people within its own theatrical context, hence the name Famous People Players.
. At inception, the company consisted of Dupuy and an assistant, eleven performers, and Dupuy's mother Mary Thornton; Thornton designed and built the costumes and props.
The company's original piece was Aruba Liberace, in which a life-size character of Liberace
plays the piano. It is still the company's signature performance. Liberace attended a showing of Aruba Liberace, and was so impressed he invited Famous People Players to perform with him in Las Vegas
. The company debuted in Las Vegas in October 1975; over the subsequent ten years, the company performed with Liberace both in Las Vegas and internationally. A 1984 CBS television movie was made about Dupuy's early work and meeting Liberace called Special People.
The CBC
produced and aired Carnival of the Animals as a result of the increasing popularity of Famous People Players. In 1982, Famous People Players was invited to perform in the People's Republic of China
.
In 1994, the company opened the Dine and Dream Theatre; Paul Newman
funded the restaurant's development from some of the proceeds of Newman's Own products and Phil Collins
funded the theatre's sound system.
, who became a source of inspiration for the actors when he viewed a performance interpretation of his music.
In 2009, facing the demolition of its 25-year location, the company moved further west to a new location. Despite damage caused by storms and unexpected costs from the city of Toronto, the company survived and opened its first show in its new location on October 23rd, 2009.
-winning documentary.
A 1985 CBS
movie-of-the-week entitled Special People was based on the company's early history. The company was also featured in the plot of an episode of the popular U.S. television drama 7th Heaven
in 2002.
In co-production with Treehouse's "Roll Play" Famous PEOPLE Players program for the juice box set is hugely popular. The theatre troupe first broke into this market with their Toronto Dinner Theatre as a guest spot location for Treehouse kingpin "This is Daniel Cook."
Founder Diane Dupuy has been inducted as a member of the Order of Canada
in recognition for her contributions to Canadian society through the company. And mother Mary C. Thornton has won many accolades, most recently with The Toastmasters as woman of the year.
Leave the Porch Light On was the company's first original, full-length musical production and was created for the company's 25th-anniversary. The initial performance of Leave the Porchlight On was attended by a number of celebrities and other well-known people, including the Governor General of Canada
. The production was very successful and is still occasionally performed at the company's theatre in Toronto and on tour. A sequel of sorts followed two years later, entitled Hide and Seek: A Game of Human Spirit.
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and tours worldwide. It is a non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
which employs people with physical and intellectual disabilities. Those individuals share duties in dining room management, arts administration, and theatrical and visual arts performances.
Since inception, the company has paid homage to the works of famous people within its own theatrical context, hence the name Famous People Players.
History
The Famous People Players was founded on June 1, 1974 by Diane Dupuy of HamiltonHamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
. At inception, the company consisted of Dupuy and an assistant, eleven performers, and Dupuy's mother Mary Thornton; Thornton designed and built the costumes and props.
The company's original piece was Aruba Liberace, in which a life-size character of Liberace
Liberace
Wladziu Valentino Liberace , best known simply as Liberace, was a famous American pianist and vocalist.In a career that spanned four decades of concerts, recordings, motion pictures, television and endorsements, Liberace became world-renowned...
plays the piano. It is still the company's signature performance. Liberace attended a showing of Aruba Liberace, and was so impressed he invited Famous People Players to perform with him in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. The company debuted in Las Vegas in October 1975; over the subsequent ten years, the company performed with Liberace both in Las Vegas and internationally. A 1984 CBS television movie was made about Dupuy's early work and meeting Liberace called Special People.
The CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
produced and aired Carnival of the Animals as a result of the increasing popularity of Famous People Players. In 1982, Famous People Players was invited to perform in the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
.
In 1994, the company opened the Dine and Dream Theatre; Paul Newman
Paul Newman
Paul Leonard Newman was an American actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, professional racing driver and auto racing enthusiast...
funded the restaurant's development from some of the proceeds of Newman's Own products and Phil Collins
Phil Collins
Philip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
funded the theatre's sound system.
Dine and Dream Theatre
The Dine and Dream Theatre is located at the company's Toronto west-end headquarters. Guests first arrive to the restaurant for dinner, where they are served by individuals who also perform in Famous People Players productions. After dinner, they are led to the Phil Collins Theatre, where the main production is performed. The theatre is named after Phil CollinsPhil Collins
Philip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
, who became a source of inspiration for the actors when he viewed a performance interpretation of his music.
In 2009, facing the demolition of its 25-year location, the company moved further west to a new location. Despite damage caused by storms and unexpected costs from the city of Toronto, the company survived and opened its first show in its new location on October 23rd, 2009.
Recognition
The troupe has been subject of numerous talk shows, specials and documentaries. A Little Like Magic, which detailed the company's operation and success, was an Emmy AwardEmmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
-winning documentary.
A 1985 CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
movie-of-the-week entitled Special People was based on the company's early history. The company was also featured in the plot of an episode of the popular U.S. television drama 7th Heaven
7th Heaven
7th Heaven is an American family drama television series, created and produced by Brenda Hampton. The series premiered on August 26, 1996, on the WB, the first time that the network aired Monday night programming, and was originally broadcast from August 26, 1996 to May 13, 2007...
in 2002.
In co-production with Treehouse's "Roll Play" Famous PEOPLE Players program for the juice box set is hugely popular. The theatre troupe first broke into this market with their Toronto Dinner Theatre as a guest spot location for Treehouse kingpin "This is Daniel Cook."
Founder Diane Dupuy has been inducted as a member of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
in recognition for her contributions to Canadian society through the company. And mother Mary C. Thornton has won many accolades, most recently with The Toastmasters as woman of the year.
Productions
Famous People Players has created many productions over its 30-year history. (Note: The table below is currently incomplete.)Leave the Porch Light On was the company's first original, full-length musical production and was created for the company's 25th-anniversary. The initial performance of Leave the Porchlight On was attended by a number of celebrities and other well-known people, including the Governor General of Canada
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
. The production was very successful and is still occasionally performed at the company's theatre in Toronto and on tour. A sequel of sorts followed two years later, entitled Hide and Seek: A Game of Human Spirit.
| Name | First Performance | Last Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Aruba Liberace | 1974 | still performed |
| A Little Like Magic | 1985 | still performed |
| A Little More Magic | 1993 | 2001 |
| The Oldies But Goodies Show | 1996 | 1998 |
| Rock Around The Clock | 1996 | still performed |
| A Magical Christmas | 1997 | 2000 |
| Leave the Porch Light On | 1999 | still performed |
| Hide and Seek: A Game of Human Spirit | 2001 | 2007 |
| Jumpin' and Jiven | 2005 | 2005 |
| A Black Light Night at the Opera | 2001 | still performed |
| Shake, Rattle & Roll | 2005 | still performed |
| Hollywood Rocks | 2006 | 2006 |
| On Broadway | 2006 | 2006 |
| Alice in Funky Land | 2006 | still performed |
| Good Rockin | 2007 | still performed |
| Going Bananas | 2008 | still performed |
| Rock and Roll Heaven | 2010 | Current Show |