Greg Bond: News

(View poster in Photo Gallery)
On Monday, March 14th, 1985, at 8:00 p.m. in the Elgin Theatre, an amazing event took place. In a venue that hadn't been used for live theatre in sixty years, the hit Broadway show CATS opened with an all-Canadian cast and crew. It took the City of Toronto by storm for two years and then took over the entire country for two years while the Elgin Theatre was being restored to its original glory. After touring coast to coast, CATS returned to sell-out crowds at Massey Hall. Five years...what a trip!

This year, on March 14th at 7:30 p.m. CATS returns to the Winter Garden Theatre for a concert version with members of the original cast. Also, members of the original creative team will participate—David Taylor, Madeline Paul, Marlene Smith, along with the original production and stage management teams.

Proceeds from the concert will benefit the Out of the Cold, Community Services and other programs at the Metropolitan United Church (Queen and Church Streets). The Met is a very large downtown Church with many of their services in demand.

Tickets:
$100 - includes priority seating and drink tickets for the post-show party at the theatre
$50 - includes show and party only
$20 - includes limited seating for show and party
Tickets can be purchased by calling TicketMaster at 416-872-5555 or in person at the Elgin Theatre Box Office at 189 Yonge Street, Toronto, Canada

Media Contact:
Marlene Smith - marl88@rogers.com or
Kerri Clarke - exposuretnt@sympatico.ca

Greg was loved by many fans and members of the musical theatre community, and is fondly remembered by those who worked with him as a highly dedicated professional with a wonderfully positive attitude towards the theatre and towards life. One of his passions and concerns was the environment. His song "Fixing Up This World" reflects the urgency he felt in taking responsibility towards saving the environment. To this end we feel that this song needs to be heard.

Greg's family has produced a CD of his music which reflects his 25 years' of development and growth as a lyricist and composer. His music output ranges from the folk songs of his teenage years, like the title song "Funny Day Saturday," to the later songs written for his one-man show HEROES (performed two months before his death), which includes "Fixing Up This World" and "Spellbound." He has left us with a wonderful legacy of music which we would love to share with you.

We hope you enjoy his music, as do we.

Ruth and Ken Bond

When Greg died, we asked that donations be made to the Greg Bond Musical Theatre Fund. The response from his fellow performers, stagehands, musicians and others was overwhelming. A couple who had become friends and fans of Greg assisted us with managing these funds. Grant Burton enabled us to set up the Fund with the Toronto Community Foundation.

Awards are given to individuals who best exemplify the integrity and dedication to excellence which Greg represented. Recipients must be involved in musical theatre and must be the type of person who is respected and works well with all the people involved with a show, including musicians, stage hands, designers and cast. They must provide a cheerful positive attitude and must continue to improve their skills with continued study.

1) Sheridan College, Faculty of Musical Theatre with Rod Maxwell, established the first scholarship of $1000.00 in 1991. All the winners of this award have been acting for a few years after graduation. Each winner is added to the committee to choose the winner for the next year. The winners are:
1991: David Connolly: David is a dancer/choreographer. He was born with no feet but hasn?t let that hold him back from a successful stage career.
1992: Susan Greenfield: Susan was a nurse who was attracted to the theatre in Red Deer. She used the money to buy a piano and found the encouragement very helpful.
1993: Catherine O?Brien: Skilled in all aspects of the musical theatre
1994: Michelle Berting: Studied for many years before entering Sheridan. Used the money to make a demo tape which furthered her career.
1995: Deanna Overland: Felt very rewarded to receive recognition after many years from early childhood of diligent struggle.
1996: Ryan Kelly
1997: Stephen Patterson: A hard working performer who used the money to continue with lessons.
1999: Brian Elliot and Jackie Hadley: A husband and wife team.
2000: Tammy Sutherland

2) Timmins Concert Singers with Rosanne Simunovic, leader and conductor. Greg and Larry Herbert had performed twice with the Singers and made a big impression. The winners of $250.00 are:
1996: J.P.Thibodeau
1997: Ginette Hebert
1997: Matthew Humphreys
1998: Sylvain Boisonneault
1998: Jessica Hince
1998: Aileen Roy
1999: Aileen Roy
1999: Beaugart Humphreys

This award continues but the names of the recipients are not available at present.

3) Parent-Child Mother Goose. This was a one-time only award to an organisation that focuses on the pleasure of using rhymes, songs, and stories for disadvantaged parents and their children. The award was $500.00.

4) Actors' Equity established the "Betty Mitchell Awards" in Calgary in 1998 to honour Betty Mitchell, a woman who personified the qualities of excitement, respect, co-operation and hard work that are intrinsic in the Greg Bond Award. Betty was an inspired teacher of drama and musical theatre in Calgary. Students who did not attend Western Canada High School, where she taught, always wished they could study with her. She went on to obtain her Doctor of Music and Drama and made a huge contribution to Calgary in the performing arts. The winners of $1000.00 are:
1998: Tom Doyle: Teacher, composer, performer and playwright.
1999: Margo McDermott: Director, choreographer, and performer. She was instrumental in making The Calgary Young Canadians an organisation that is world-renowned.
2000: Bob Foster: Musical Director, performer, and composer.

(More to come on recent award winners!)