White outline of two Bulldog illustrations and yellow text White outline of two Bulldog illustrations and yellow text

Topdog/Underdog

A Canadian Stage Production

By Suzan-Lori Parks
Directed by Tawiah M'Carthy

An electric revival of a modern classic

A darkly comic fable of brotherly love and sibling rivalry. Lincoln and Booth are brothers haunted by their past – as well as their names. When Lincoln gets a gig impersonating his namesake, Booth takes over his brother’s old racket as a three-card monte dealer. This beloved Pulitzer Prize-winning play is a tangle of secrets, lies, and one-upmanship, where the stakes get higher and higher, and someone’s bound to end up on top.

Suzan-Lori Parks, widely considered one of the most adventurous and acclaimed playwrights of her generation, won the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for Topdog/Underdog, a piercing examination of family identity and the ways we are defined by history. Hot off the heels of a wildly successful Broadway revival, we are ecstatic to be producing a brand new production of Topdog/Underdog directed by Tawiah M'Carthy.

The greatest American play of the past 25 years – The New York Times
It's a theatrical event that demands to be seen right here, right now.  – Variety

friday / sep 22

8:00pm

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saturday / sep 23

8:00pm

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sunday / sep 24

2:00pm

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tuesday / sep 26

8:00pm

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wednesday / sep 27

8:00pm

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thursday / sep 28

8:00pm

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friday / sep 29

8:00pm

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saturday / sep 30

2:00pm

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8:00pm

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sunday / oct 1

2:00pm

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tuesday / oct 3

8:00pm

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wednesday / oct 4

1:00pm

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8:00pm

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thursday / oct 5

8:00pm

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friday / oct 6

8:00pm

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saturday / oct 7

2:00pm

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8:00pm

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sunday / oct 8

2:00pm

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Playwright

  • Suzan-Lori Parks

Directed by

  • Tawiah M'Carthy

Set Designer

  • Rachel Forbes

Lighting Designer

  • Jareth Li

Sound Designer

  • Stephen Surlin

Assistant Stage Manager

  • Anna Kaltenbach

Production Dramaturge

  • Jordan Laffrenier

With

  • Sébastien Heins

Topdog/Underdog is generously underwritten by David W. Binet

The first production in our 23.24
season is underwritten by
Sandra Simpson in recognition
of her generous gift to Canadian
Stage’s Transformation
Campaign

Topdog/Underdog is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York.

Original New York production by The Joseph Papp Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival, George C. Wolfe, Producer.

Produced on Broadway by Carole Shorenstein Hays, Waxman/Williams Entertainment, Bob Boyett, Freddy De Mann, Susan Dietz, Ina Meibach, Scott Nederlander, Ira Pittelman, Hits Magazine, Kelpie Arts, Rick Steiner/Frederic H. Mayerson, The Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival.

 

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