Wikipedia article 'My Own Private Oshawa' is a theatrical play written and performed by Jonathan Wilson, which premiered in 1996.[Vit Wagner, "Growing up gay in Oshawa". 'Toronto Star', July 10, 1996.] A one-man show taking place aboard a GO Train in which Wilson is travelling home from Toronto to Oshawa for a visit, the show is performed as a monologue about his childhood experiences as a repressed and closeted gay kid, and the impact of his more flamboyantly gay friend Gordon on his sense of self.[Kate Taylor, "A funny thing on the GO train". 'The Globe and Mail', October 4, 1996.] The ultimate purpose of the trip, to attend Gordon's funeral following his death of AIDS, is revealed only at the end of the play.[Gary Smith, "Play explores realities of growing up gay". 'Hamilton Spectator', October 12, 1996.]
The play was staged for the first time in July 1996 at the Toronto Fringe Festival, where it was one of the major hits of the festival;[ due to its popularity, it was later remounted by Tarragon Theatre in the fall.][Andrew Clark, "Take My Oshawa, please: Second City vet goes for the suburban jugular". 'Toronto Star', October 3, 1996.] The Tarragon production received two Dora Mavor Moore Award nominations (Small Theatre division) in 1997, for Outstanding New Play or Musical and Outstanding Performance by a Male (Wilson).["Major Dora Mavor Moore nominations". 'Toronto Star', September 12, 1997.]
Film adaptation
In 1998, the play was optioned by producer Sandra Faire for adaptation as a theatrical film.[Andy Hoffman, [https://playbackonline.ca/1998/10/05/23313-19981005/ "SFA Productions has its Own Private feature"]. 'Playback', October 5, 1998.] Directed by Allan Manson, the film directly introduced the plot point that Wilson was an actor performing 'My Own Private Oshawa' as a stage show, but was primarily structured as a conventional narrative with a multi-actor cast rather than being performed exclusively by Wilson.[Christy Chase, "Oshawa gets 'star' role in new movie". 'Oshawa This Week', June 24, 2005.] Its cast included Shaun Majumder, Martha Chaves, Gavin Crawford, Lou Eisen, Brigitte Gall, Ed Sahely and Christopher Peterson. The film was screened at the Columbus International Film & Video Festival in 2002, but was not widely distributed until being broadcast by CTV Television Network as a Pride Week special on June 25, 2005.["CTV Celebrates Pride Week with Debut of My Own Private Oshawa, June 25". 'Canada NewsWire', June 20, 2005.]
References
|