(Fredericton) Theatre New Brunswick’s new season of theatre opened October 13 in Fredericton with the world premiere production, A Sunday Affair. 

The production introduced several firsts for the company including the first co-production with Théâtre populaire d’Acadie, the first production to receive performances in both official languages and the company’s first show told almost entirely through physical theatre. It will also be the first production to receive a major provincial tour in over a decade.

Theatre New Brunswick can now add another first to its growing list of recent accomplishments.  Following last week’s five performance run that included four sold out performances, the production enters its second week with four more sold out shows making this the most successful production to take place in the company’s newly named Open Space Theatre.

“A sold out run of A Sunday Affair was a beautiful start to the season and a wonderful first production for the Open Space Theatre,” said TNB General manager Susan Ready. “It has been such a joy for us to welcome so many people to our new home.”

A Sunday Affair was directed by TNB Artistic Director Thomas Morgan Jones, who also wrote the play with Gabrielle Houle and Richard Lee.

“The laughter, tears, and overall delight we have seen in audiences at A Sunday Affair has been as much of an inspiration to the company as creating the show itself,” said Jones. “Seeing the audience stay after the show to meet and laugh with the cast has been another great pleasure of this experience.  During this run, the Open Space Theatre has become a place for conversation both on stage and off.”

Next week the company takes the show on the road with performances in St. Andrews, McAdam, Woodstock, Miramichi and Bathurst before handing the production over to Théâtre populaire d’Acadie who will then tour the play’s French language production to Moncton, Neguac, Caraquet, Tracadie, Shippagan, Edmunston, Saint-Quentin, Dalhousie and Shediac. A Sunday Affair will see 20 performances in total.

“We absolutely cannot wait to bring the show on the road,” said Jones.

Looking ahead, Theatre New Brunswick’s second production of the season, Shawn Wright’s Ghost Light, runs November 17 through to the 27 in Fredericton at the Open Space Theatre with two additional performances in Saint John happening November 21 and 22 at Saint John Theatre Company’s BMO Theatre.

Wright, whose stage career began in Saint John, has gone on to become one of Canada’s most celebrated stage actors. Ghost Light will mark his debut as a playwright.

“For Shawn’s playwriting debut, we expect as many laughs and as many tears as he courageously shares with us his story of growing up in New Brunswick and his relationship with his late mother,” said Jones.

“We are so fortunate to bring these stories to the stage, and equally fortunate to welcome full houses of audiences to experience them.”

A Sunday Affair wraps up in Fredericton with a special pay-what-you-wish performance on October 23 at 2 p.m. This is a rush seating event so get there early to reserve your seat.