Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, January 20, 2004, the Canadian Stage Company launched the international tour of the The Overcoat to thunderous applause in the United Kingdom at London's prestigious Barbican Theatre.
The CanStage production of The Overcoat was created by Morris Panych and Wendy Gorling and is one of the largest touring productions in Canadian theatre history.
In March 2004 the production will travel to Australia and New Zealand. This touring presentation has been made possible through the generous support of inter alia : the Canada Council for the Arts, the Department of Canadian Heritage through the trade routes program, and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade through the performing arts program.
Based in Toronto, CanStage is one of the largest not-for-profit theatre companies in Canada and developing an international presence as an exporter of theatrical productions is a keystone of CanStage's strategy.
I wish to congratulate CanStage on this ambitious project and for promoting Canadian works, Canadian creators and Canadian performers internationally.