October 14, 2008

The Homecoming!

We're going to New York! Like, now. Off-off Broadway! But seriously, tell all your cute friends: http://nymf.org/Show-925.html.

Then we're coming home! Famous-er.

But maybe not. There's an Entertainment Lawyer coming to see the show when we're gone. He's either going to a) laugh and smile, b) make us famous, or c) "serve" us just like in the movies. Which is why we're having one last (maybe) show in Toronto! October 18! 8pm!

There will be special guests (TBA soon). There will be a new-ish cast (which includes the dashing Timothy Clarke) and new creepy soundscapes. Also, there will be the birthday of Aaron "Crazy Old Fisherman" Zorgel, which means you should all come with enough money to buy him a Wii and a shot.

Seriously, it's his birthday. And the theatre has a bar. Getting belligerent is encouraged.

All this for TEN BUCKS.
At the Tranzac. 292 Brunswick Ave.
Tickets at the door, doors at 7:30.
Stuff at 8. Us at 9.

September 03, 2008

New Effing York

Remember us? Yeah, I know. Well, New York City does.

Giant Killer Shark: The Musical is going to be doing this thing called "getting crazy famous" in the city that never sleeps this October. Peep us at the New York Musical Theatre Festival, which I just read is called the "Sundance of musical festivals" or something, which is terrifying.

What does this mean? It means you should invite people who you love to join this group. And if those people you love happen to live within driving distance of Manhattan, you should tell them to come see us be awesome. For all the details, keep checking our Facebook page, our NYMF page (http://nymf.org/Show-925.html) and website (www.giantkillershark.com).

Finally, we gotta say a good-bye; our footloose friend, Mr. Graham Losee, won't be able to make it to New York due to border troubles and his dark, sexy criminal past. He's a king, and we'll miss him like whoa. We're shaking shit up as a result (who can dance like that man? Only Satan Himself), and we'd like to welcome this cool guy named Tim Clarke to the cast. Who is he? He's your new idol, that's who. Stay tuned for a tape of his audition. It's all kinds of magic.

In summery: INVITE YOUR FRIENDS, WE'RE GOING TO NEW YORK TO TAKE NAMES AND REENACT THE LAST 10 MINUTES OF TAXI DRIVER WITH YOUR BRAINS.

December 07, 2007

Giant Killer Shark vs. The Revue Cinema!

Hey! So we're doing a big ol' fundraiser at the Revue Cinema to help get some cash-monies for educational programs at the theatre. On top of a dynamite performance of your favourite musical ever, there will also be a SUPER SECRET SHARK FILM SCREENING. Which is not the movie you think it is. But really. It's not. We would be sued. So, so fast.

INVITE EVERYONE YOU KNOW. THIS IS FOR THE KIDS. But actually this time.

INFOZ:
Revue Cinema (400 Roncesvalles Avenue)
7:00pm, December 13
$15 advance, $18 at the door (includes movie!)

July 26, 2007

Best of the Fest!

We were named Best of the Fest in our venue (along with Maxim and Cosmo)! This means we get an extra show! Sunday! At 12:45! All tickets are available in advance so buy early, buy often!

July 24, 2007

The Peg! Again! Reviews!

WinniPEG? More like WinniAWESOME! Yeah, it's so true. We've somehow sold out our last two shows (yesterday sold out in about ten minutes), which is insane because our venue is about 50% bigger than the one we had for Toronto Fringe. Thanks, Winnipeg. I owe you fifty million beers.

Check out these righteous reviews. These people rule. Forever. Oh, and you're not reading that wrong - WE GOT FIVE STARS IN THE WINNIPEG FREE PRESS. I LOVE WINNIPEG.

----

From the Winnipeg Free Press

Just when you thought it was safe, this jaw-droppingly funny spoof of Steven Spielberg's fish tale delivers a massive attack of Amity insanity to the fringe.

The killer Toronto cast -- led by the fabulously footloose Graham Losee (Road to Avonlea) as Grizzled New York City Cop -- gets laughs from the first big musical bite, the poppy song Livin' on a Copyrighted-Protected Island, and there's just no stopping them. The trio of main characters -- playwright-songwriter Sam Sutherland plays Hippie Scientist, with Aaron Zorgel as Crazy Old Fisherman -- plow through a broadly winking, rapid-fire parody. Grizzled Cop fights to overcome the resort town's denial amid charges he's an "aquaphobe" America-hater; Hippie Scientist crashes a town meeting, and that harpoon-happy old fisherman joins the pair on a drunken, homoerotic shark-hunting expedition, all set to impressive three-part harmonies, with energized dance numbers, including a showstopper autopsy scene that incorporates hip-hop, ska, techno and a little shimmy action for good measure. Wade in early. This 50-minute show is destined to be a monster hit.

FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS!

- Pat St. Germain

-----

From the Winnipeg Sun

Over the years, there's been much to make fun of where shark movies are concerned, so it's nice to see the Heart Like Giraffe crew going back to where it all began. Riffing on Steven Spielberg's Jaws with unabashed enthusiasm, the trio of actors juxtapose that movie's iconic characters (grizzled cop, hippie scientist and crazy fisherman) with a catchy indie-rock score and a hilarious absurdist bent. All the plot points are covered (the ill-fated skinny-dip, the gag-inducing autopsy scene and the male-bonding on the boat, here rendered by the lyric, "Let's get drunk and compare scars in a slightly homoerotic fashion"), but the show scores most of its yuks with surprises like a goofy hip-hop throwdown. The production values are decidedly low-rent, so much so that the guys actually one-up Spielberg by leaving the shark completely unseen. But with the laughs flying like so many mangled body parts, they'll surely soon find themselves in need of a bigger ... venue.

Sun Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5

- David Schmeichel

July 22, 2007

CBC Loves Them Some Giant Killer Shark!

Winnipeg is awesome! We've only had two shows so far but they've both been SIIICCCKKK, and we're gearing up for a straight run of four shows over the next four days. Tell your friends! We hope they're pretty!

The wonderful folks at CBC Manitoba have posted an excellent four-star review of our show. We really like CBC Manitoba. A lot.

Based on a certain copyright-protected movie that begins with “J” and ends with “aws,” this is 50 minutes of sure-fire entertainment for those who like a healthy dose of irony with their musicals. This hit from last year’s Toronto Fringe is clearly aimed at a demographic that probably wasn’t even born when that 1975 shark movie came out. It hilariously skewers the conventions of musicals - particularly in the opening number where we’re introduced to our main characters. “We’re living on a copyright-protected island,” they sing. “And it totally kicks ass/’Cause there are no sharks.” Yes, it’s not brilliant lyricism, but it is very, very funny. We get everything from the break-dancing Grizzled New York City Cop (Graham Losee) to a rapping fisherman (Aaron Zorgel) to a very funny autopsy number performed by the Hippie Scientist (writer Sam Sutherland). The music’s catchy, and while the three performers individually don’t have the strongest voices, they do hit some really great harmonies together. The energy in the show is manic, and while it may seem a little silly to some, if you don’t take musicals - or shark movies - all that seriously, it’s tremendous fun. Don’t be afraid to go into the waters of Giant Killer Shark.

CBC Rating: Four Bars

Reviewed by: Joff Schmidt


We paid him a lot of money.

Also, we're blogging for the CBC for the next week! Check out our deepest thoughts and darkest fears here.

July 02, 2007

Giant Killer Dinner Theatre!

EDIT: PLEASE NOT THAT THIS PERFORMANCE WILL BEGIN AT 9:00pm, AND NOT, IN FACT, AT 10:00. I AM AWESOME.

-----

In order to raise some funds for gas and recreational drugs in Winnipeg, we're having a fundraiser! What kind? The kind where we perform our play! Again!

Most of you have probably seen this beast one million times, so don't worry about coming out one more time. However, if you have parents, friends, or hot teachers you think might enjoy the play, tell them! This will probably be our last Toronto show for a while. So tell them to experience the magic while they can.

WHAT: Giant Killer Shark: The Musical
WHEN: July 10 @ 9:00pm
WHERE: The Crooked Cue (3056 Bloor St. W)
DOLLARS: $10
WILL I BE ABLE TO EAT REALLY NICE FOOD AND BUY SOME BEERS?: Yes! The Cue is a fancy bar that Graham works at. It's real pretty.

June 25, 2007

Winnipeg!

Winnipeg Fringe! July 19-28! We even have a midnight show! Why not drive across the country to see it? Slurpee Capital of the World!

July 19 10:00 PM
July 20 12:00 AM
July 22 6:15 PM
July 23 8:00 PM
July 24 5:30 PM
July 25 12:00 PM
July 28 9:45 PM

All shows at Venue #1
$9 / Student: $8
Matinee: $7
Fringe Passes: $6

WARNINGS:
Language, Gunshots, Blood Spatter
AUDIENCE: 14+
60 min

http://www.winnipegfringe.com
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2342808623&ref=mf

March 01, 2007

Over the Top!

We here at Giant Killer HQ are proud to announce our first proper Toronto performances since last summer's Fringe Festival, as part of the mind-blowingly awesome Over the Top Fest! We will be singing and dancing up a storm for five shows over three days; all tickets are available in advance, so if you know you're coming, your best bet is to grab them ahead of time (plus, they're cheaper that way - $8 in advance, and $10 at the door).

Thursday, May 3 - 7:30 and 9:30
Friday, May 4 - 9:00 pm
Saturday, May 5 - 1:30 and 7:30

All performances will be goin' down at the Annex Theatre (730 Bathurst St., right in the heart of sushi and used record stores). We're really excited about these shows, and we hope some people might come out and see us again. We have a new song! And a new boat! Don't worry, it still looks like homelessness.

For tickets, go to http://ticketscene.ca/

December 26, 2006

"Charmingly sloppy"!

According to James Simons at Eye, we're "charmingly sloppy"! I can't imagine a higher compliment. Check out the rag's year-end rundown of Toronto's best comedy of 2006 at http://www.eyeweekly.com/eye/issue/issue_12.21.06/arts/artsweek_2.php, but basically just skip to the end to see our big, sexy shout-out. Radtacular!

December 20, 2006

New Shows!

We got into Brampton Indie Arts Festival and Winnipeg Fringe! We are lucky! We are beautiful! We are stoked as all hell! The line-up for the BIAF (www.biaf.ca) is killer, and Propagandhi are from Winnipeg (www.winnipegfringe.com)! We won't have details of our Fringe run until closer to the dates, but if you live in / near Manitoba, book off your life for July 18th - 29th. As for Brampton, our performance will take place February 17th at 6:20; check out their site for more details. All right.

July 27, 2006

... It's over?

Thank you to everyone who came out for the Diesel run. What the hell. This has been amazing and surprising and an unforgettable experience for all of us. We've had so many nice things said about us. We had dudes drive ten hours to come see us. TEN HOURS. FOR NO OTHER REASON. New Jersey, you rule.

Even if you didn't drive a billions hours to see us, thank you for all your support, by buying a ticket, a shirt, a pin, or just stopping by the site and listening to some tracks. I hope this isn't the end of this project, so please check back here for updates.

Thank you for the coolest summer job I've ever had.

July 19, 2006

Ack, again!

A huge thank you to everyone who came out for our Fringe run at the Helen. We had an incredible time, and are all still kind of shocked we managed to sell out nearly every show. The last night was a blast for us; and to anyone who was there, don't worry about Graham. His leg is just fine. So fine, in fact...

THAT HE'S READY TO DANCE AGAIN TONIGHT. WHEN WE OPEN IN A WAY BIGGER THEATRE. OH MAN.

The Diesel run starts tonight and goes until Saturday. I promise we won't sell out a four-hundred seat theatre, so don't worry about getting turned away this time! Just come! Please! And bring all your family and friends! Cool? Great! See you there!

(www.dieselplayhouse for deets, yo)

July 14, 2006

A note about tickets

Buy them! Ha? We all felt pretty bad last night when a whole whack of our friends / some attractive strangers got turned away from the show 'cause we somehow sold out in about five or ten minutes. This is rad. But it means that, if you can, you should try and buy tickets in advance (half are available up to three hours before the show), or show up early? I guess? This is a very cool problem to have but I feel like a jerk when people get turned away. Word!

July 13, 2006

Patron's Pick!

And the hits just keep on coming...

Giant Killer Shark: The Musical has been selected as the Patron's Pick for the Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse (meaning we were the best-selling show in the venue), which means we're getting a final show this Sunday at 9:15! That's right. See it now in a small theatre, then come again and see it in a bigger one! Then talk smack about us when we forget all the little people...

This is going to a fundraiser for the Fringe, too, which is extra incentive to come out. Plus, it will be our last show in the venue, and my guess is it will be more than a little rowdy / fun. Thank you to everyone who's come out so far and made this very cool experience so weirdly possible!

The Star! Lucid Forge! Toronto Live Theatre! Eye (full version)!

Grade me!

There are loads of laughs in the fish tale cheekily entitled Giant Killer Shark: The Musical, set on a "copyright-protected" island where the characters bear canny resemblances to the cast in a certain horror classic of the 1970s called Jaws.


We get Graham Losee as a grizzled police chief, Sam Sutherland (who wrote the play) as a hippie oceanographer and Aaron Zorgel as both a crazy old captain and the blinkered town mayor, to hilarious effect.


All three show verve and energy in their performances, replete with campy synchronized hand gestures and dance steps. Losee's breakdancing is particularly impressive.


This is a spoof with a capital S that also manages to lampoon other musicals (such as Rent), beach parties and American patriotism, among other things.


The dialogue and lyrics are often inspired: "Let's get drunk and compare our scars in a slightly homo-erotic fashion," for example, is one of many Jaws send-ups. Even cheesy props like the cheap cardboard boat don't detract from the fun.


What does is a bit of sloppiness that director Amy Duncan would be advised to tighten up, such as the numerous awkward scene changes in the dark.


Still, the opening night performance received a standing O and Giant Killer Shark T-shirts are sure to be among the hot-selling commodities of the festival. - Bruce DeMara, Toronto Star


As I made my through the U of T campus, I was struck by the big empty feeling I was getting from the Big Smoke on a hot, July afternoon; it was almost as if the city were a beach and a 25-foot, man-eating great white shark were on the prowl. Of course, the distant roar of car engines told the real story; the simple fact was that it was Indy weekend and anyone not enjoying that was gathered around a TV somewhere watching the finale of the World Cup.

But back to the U of T campus, more precisely The Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse where there really was a shark on the loose. It’s in the context of the play that was being performed there of course; a musical about a monster shark out for the flesh of 4th of July beach party revelers on a fictional New England island resort town. Just another day at the Fringe Festival.

If the above plot synopsis sounds like a certain copyright protected film directed by a Signor Spielbergo, then…you’d be right. But copyright law protects the work, not the idea – so nobody mentions the ‘J word’ or any of its equally protected character names even once. Instead we get Grizzled New York City cop (Graham Losee), Hippie Scientist (Sam Sutherland) and Crazy Old Fisherman (Aaron Zorgel).

Naturally, in translating ‘J-word’ to the stage you’re going to lose some of the dramatic tension, the blood and gore and the two ton mechanical shark; but with some creative plotting, wildly inventive musical numbers and hilarious winks to the audience, Giant Killer Shark takes the material to the next level. This play is a no holds barred comedy being formed by three fearless actors who give every note the perfect punctuation. Then just when you think things can’t get any more ludicrous, they bring out the cardboard boat.

Am I giving too much praise to Losee, Sutherland and Zorgel? Well, considering that these three actors play all but two roles, while having to pantomime through many of their scenes and master all the requisite dialogue, songs and dance routines; let’s just say that I’d like to see you do better.

Each member of the trio gets a chance to shine in moments of individual achievement. Losee is man possessed of rare manic energy, whether it’s singing his heart out or performing a mesmerizing break dancing routine. Zorgel probably gets the most out of anyone in the cast by doubling up as the Mayor as well as Crazy Old Fisherman, whom we’re introduced to with some pretty sophisticated rap beats. Sutherland, for his part, just always looks happy to be there; although I must complement his tremendous singing voice.

The script written by Sutherland manages to cram all the highlights from the movie into a tight, one-hour running time; it keeps all the jokes nicely packed together and prevents the production from feeling like some kind of overwrought Saturday Night Live sketch.

Some new flourishes are added to give the material a contemporary feel. When the police chief suggests that they should close the beaches for the Fourth of July holiday, he’s accused of being un-American in song by the Mayor. Quint’s monologue about being onboard the Indianapolis is boiled down to a single line, “I helped deliver the atomic bomb.” Pause. “Awkward.”

At times we’re given a postmodern spin on the story, most famously with the climax and the final battle with the shark. In the film, Chief Brody destroys the shark by blowing up an oxygen tank in the shark’s mouth with a well timed bullet. In the play, Hippie Scientist correctly points out the scientific implausibility of this act to which Grizzled New York City cop slaps him and responds, “This isn’t science class, this is the real world!”

It very much brings to mind the story about how that scene in the film was concocted in the first place. The tale goes that Spielberg was unhappy with the initial ending to the movie and shot the revised conclusion with his own money. When someone pointed out the impossibility of blowing off a shark’s head by exploding an oxygen tank with a gun, Spielberg replied that if he’s got the audience’s attention this long, they’ll follow him through to the end.

The production wasn’t perfect; sometimes the timing of the songs was a little off. But it was hard to fight the energy of the performance, the absolute gonzo comedy that fills the stage in a way that the three chairs, side table and poster board that make up the minimal set dressing don’t. It may be pie in the sky praise, but there was something about the play that had a definite Rocky Horror kind of vibe. It’s the songs; there all simple enough lyrics-wise and I have a feeling that if the audience knew the words they’d be compelled to sing along.

Could Giant Killer Shark the Musical be the next cult classic in the making? I don’t know, but word of mouth will definitely turn this play into a must-see of the Fringe. The play’s soundtrack is available to be heard at www.giantkillershark.com. - Adam A. Donaldson, Lucid Forge



Giant Killer Shark: The Musical is based on the 1975 movie Jaws. The musical is reminiscent of another recent sold out Fringe hit, Top Gun The Musical, except this one is even more stupid, much funnier and more cheesy. The singing trio plays various different characters, they always sing in harmony. Although their vocals are sometimes inconsistent, the choreography, the lyrics and the props evoked many laughs from the audience.

If Spamalot can be on Broadway, why not Giant Killer Shark: The Musical?. - Toronto Live Theatre



In case you haven't heard, singing is the new talking and Giant Killer Shark -- which, believe it or not, is about a really big shark with a nasty killing habit -- might be the best unnecessary musical for your money. This Jaws remake isn't perfect, but it's a lot of fun: catchy pop songs, ridiculous props, a few well-placed jabs at American patriotism, a hilarious rapping fisherman and the best breakdancing cop to ever bust a move during a song about man-eating sharks. JS In case you haven't heard, singing is the new talking and Giant Killer Shark -- which, believe it or not, is about a really big shark with a nasty killing habit -- might be the best unnecessaryduring a song about man-eating sharks. - James Simons, Eye

July 12, 2006

Held over. No, really.

Okay. So... Giant Killer Shark: The Musical (our musical) is being held over for four (FOUR) additional shows at the beautiful (and way, way bigger) Diesel Playhouse as part of their "Best of the Fringe" programming. Yeah. We know. The theatre has a seating capacity of 400, and tickets will be $15. Sure, it's $5 more than our current run of shows (which you should still come see), but here is what those extra $5 will get you, and why you should come again / for the first time:

1. Graham Losee, who is "gifted in physical comedy and dance" according to a poster on Eye's Fringe page, will have a bigger stage to dance on. He dances like a king. No, really. Ask anyone who's seen the show.
2. Aaron Zorgel will have more room to do that sheet dance he does. If you haven't seen it yet... You probably should.
3. Sam Sutherland (myself) will be very handsome. Always.
4. VAST IMPROVEMENT IN SOUND!

Why is this all happening? WHO KNOWS. We've had wonderfully supportive audience for our first three shows (three standing ovations and two sell outs!), and we can only hope the rest of our run at the Helen Gardiner goes as well. Word on the street is we got some love on CBC Television earlier this week, and Marichka Melnyk dropped our name yesterday on CBC Radio's Here and Now. So thank you, CBC! I'm glad I'm paying you.

So, this whole Diesel thing! Eight shows in total are being held over, including us, Swiss Family Guy Robinson, and Real Time. The rest are all TBC. And now... Details!

Wednesday July 19, 7pm; Thursday July 20, 9pm; Friday July 21, 7pm; Saturday July 22, 9pm

416.971.5656 or www.dieselplayhouse.com for advance tickets.

Holy crap.

July 10, 2006

Four stars in Eye!

Giant Killer Shark: The Musical ****
Eye's Quick Review
In case you haven’t heard, singing is, like, totally the new talking and Giant Killer Shark — which, believe it or not, is about a really big shark with a nasty killing habit — justifies all the unnecessary musical spoofs with catchy songs, ridiculous props and, of course, a rapping fisherman. - James Simons

From Eye's Fringe Guide

July 09, 2006

Giant Killer Shark: The Tracking Party Photos!

We opened! No one died!

Two days ago was our opening... And it was wonderful. A huge thank you to everyone who came out and somehow sold out the theatre. And a huge apology to everyone who couldn't get in because of this fact. That sucks. I doubt anything that cool is going to happen to our next six performances, but for a first show, we could not have asked for anything more amazing and ego-boosting. We are incredibly lucky to have such supportive friends and family, as well as strangers who, for some reason, thought our play might be worth seeing. I hope it was (the Post thinks so, anyway)!

We're looking forward to the next six shows. We're looking forward to singing a bunch. We're looking forward to dancing real nice. We're looking forward to Graham not ending the play with his eyes doused in Javex, unable to dance or move properly, but still singing his little heart out. What a trooper. (That won't happen again)

Also, if you were at the first show, take a second and go post something about much we rule / suck on the Eye Fringe page. We don't have reviews up there, but people do take the time to read comments and your feedback will probably help someone spend wisely / waste stupidly their $10.

Thank you again for making our opening night one of the most insane, spectacular nights of my life. Cheers!

July 08, 2006

"The perfect Fringe experience"

"It was of my own volition that I went to see Giant Killer Shark: The Musical, and I am pleased to report that it lives up to its undeniably awesome title. It's pretty much the quintessential Fringe show: So ridiculous and slight that it wouldn't work in any other venue, but so thoroughly, joyfully entertaining that it's the perfect Fringe experience. Sam Sutherland, Graham Losee and Aaron Zorgel sound good and have a great time with some surprisingly inspired choreography. They own their goofiness proudly, and the audience loves them for how wholeheartedly they sell their silliness. Even my father, a self-described "crotchety old grump," had a blast, and if that's not a good review, than I don't know what is!" - Alison Broverman, National Post

July 07, 2006

Press! No, really! People care! ALREADY!

So, we open tonight. While I may be more than slightly dying of nervousness, there's some great, great things happening in the Giant Killer Shark camp. These great things are the following:

Chart Attack thinks we're great (and nothing like JAWS)!

Exclaim! Magazine thinks we're "genius"!

Rue Morgue Magazine thinks we're "F---in' hilarious"!

We were also featured in the Toronto Star yesterday (July 6th) as Richard Ouzounian's favourite title!

And, according to someone who watches eTalk Daily, we were talked about on last night's show (something to the effect of, "It has a rapping fisherman! How could it not be great?").

Plus, eye Magazine already doesn't like us! Some sarcastic comment in this week's edition about how "old" the whole "THE MUSICAL!" trend is. At least they're paying attention!

Can't wait to open tonight. And not die.

June 29, 2006

Merchandising!

June 23, 2006

Giant Killer Shark: The Tracking Party!

June 21, 2006

Big News! Hot Pictures!




Look at how pretty they all are!

This is just a short note to let everyone know a few exciting things:

FIRST:
Advance tickets are now on sale! Patrons can
order advance tickets by calling 416-967-1528 or you can order online
at www.fringetoronto.com

SECOND:
Sexy Pictures of the cast! First you will find our writer, co-producer, and Hippie Scientist, Mr Samuel Sutherland...



Next, we have the angelic voice and mad guitar skills of one Aaron Zorgel, as the Crazy Old Fisherman....



And last but certainly not least is the equally alluring and dance-tastic Mr Graham Losee, as The Grizzled New York City Cop....



THIRD:
Our fundraiser is coming up SOON!!! Check for updates about great music, great fun, and a great opportunity to buy Giant Killer Shark: The Musical's friendship.

June 01, 2006

Updates! Music! So much Magic!




Besides all the excitement of a new season of Inked, there's something even better going down: a proper website for our little musical! Please, please go to www.giantkillershark.com, where not only will you be dazzled by Jordan Axani's graphic design skills, but you can download...

THE WHOLE SOUNDTRACK FOR FREE.

WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE?

GO THERE.

Lates.

May 12, 2006

Whoa!

Check it!

Premiering at the Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse
79A St. George St., Toronto ON
Fri, July 7 @ 7:00
Sun, July 9 @ 3:30
Mon, July 10 @10:30
Wed, July 12 @1:45
Thu, July 13 @ 9:15
Fri, July 14 @ 3:30
Sun, July 16 @ 5:15

OMGZ SON!

Real website coming very soon, along with the complete soundtrack FOR FREE. ZERO MONIES.

OMGZ!

April 19, 2006

"We totally sold out the scene!"

Little Against Me! Reference there for all the kids. So, many small news items! All exciting! All important!

1. We are now the proud parents of www.giantkillershark.com. Whoa! DOTCOMWOW. Right now, all that's there is... this. We'll let you know when it's a real, grown-up website.
2. Giant Killer Shark: The Musical is now officially award-winning! That's right, I (Sam) won an award for best audio production at Ryerson University's big self-congratulatory awards night last week. I have a small trophy to show for it! I promise that it will be on display for all to see come July.
3. The record is done, and tracks are no available for download online! Like, whoa!
So add us on MySpace! Be our inter-friends! More news coming soon...

April 09, 2006

First post from the director....

It's about time I suppose....Now that I have to knowledge and power to post on this beast of a blog, I would like to take this opportunity to let you all know just how wonderful this show is already shaping up to be. As if a musical about a giant killer shark wasn't great enough on it's own, we have somehow managed to round up just about the greatest cast and crew to back us, helping us draw ever-nearer to what the kids call a "powerhouse production".
Sam has just finished mastering the soundtrack (as he mentioned) and everything that I've heard sounds unbelievable. I feel as though it is ok for me to brag about the music, as I had nothing to do with it. This cd is awesome, truly...


And now please allow me to introduce the GKS team:

Samuel Sutherland = Actor; Hippie Scientist (he is also responsible for some such business as the script, music, and all co-production duties)

Graham Losee = Actor; Grizzled New York City Cop (also responsible for laying down some "phat-beats" in the form of bass-tracks on the much anticipated soundrtrack).

Aaron Zorgel= Actor; Crazy Old Fisherman (also all-round good guy, he should be your friend if he isn't already).

Ashley Carter= Stage Manager (also lists her occupation as being "your new favourite person").

Amy Duncan= Director and Co-producer.


We also already have full support of so many wonderful people that will all be thanked again and again in due time.


That's about it for now, keep checking in for more updates.

It's been too long...

... since this puppy was updated. Why the long wait? Because I've been trying to finish recording this baby. And guess what? It's done. The only question now is, how good is it? Only God knows. God, and Judas. He's alright.

Things are picking up, though, and you can expect many more fun goodies to come in the very near future. We actually created a musical version of J---. That blows my mind, like... every day.

February 19, 2006

We'll miss you, P-Dubs...

As you most likely know by now, Peter Benchley, a.k.a. "P-Dubs" to his closest friends (a.k.a. Me), passed away about a week ago, on February 12th. He will be missed, and we will dedicate every single one of our performances to his beautiful memory.

But actually, he was a totally sweet dude. Even though his book and the subsequent film have made it really hard for ichthyologists and marine conservationists to convince a fairly stupid public that sharks are not 100% pure concentrated evil and are worth protecting, Benchley himself was an active conservationist, particularly in his later years. So props to you, P-Dubs. This one's for you.

In musical-related news, all bed tracks are now completed, and vocal recording begins next week. Holla.

February 09, 2006

Directors + Demos

1. Giant Killer Shark: The Musical is now officially lucky enough to count Amy "Slam" Duncan as one of its most crucial / joyful participants. Having starred in the Fringe production of The Zoo-Keeper's Love Song last summer, she's back to direct this pending powerhouse of a musical. Amy is the real theatrical talent of this monstrosity, having done theatre-y things at York University and been on some weird Indian soap opera. She's amazing, and she will make this production amazing.

2. First demo! Currently, drums + acoustic guitars have been recorded for the proper versions of all the songs, but this is a decent-sounding rendition of the killer opening number, titled "Livin' On A Copyright-Protected Island". Imagine that all those voices are different people, not just me, and you might like it more.

February 07, 2006

The Magical World of Legitimacy!

I am proud, excited, and more than a little surprised to announce that Giant Killer Shark: The Musical has been selected to be one of 108 shows being produced as part of this year's Toronto Fringe Festival. Fringe selection is done by lottery, and from 497 entries, we somehow got picked, destroying a long-standing history I have of never winning anything, ever.

Suddenly a long weekend of drum / guitar tracking doesn't seem so long.

I'll be posting much more regular updates on this page now that it looks like it will actually serve a real purpose beyond personal amusement and gratification. So mark your calendars: July 5th to 16th, we're hitting the stage with a musical about a shark eating people.

Holy crap, I'm so happy.

January 29, 2006

Please explain!

What the shit is this? I am a student writing a musical about a shark. This shark, and its attacking of the peoples, might seem mighty similar to a certain 1975 summer blockbuster about a shark. Maybe. But it's different! How? Different names! Different places! Slightly altered storyline!

Applications have been sent in to Fringe and SummerWorks. Drum tracking will begin next week, and I'll have a good-copy demo of "Livin' On A Copyright-Protected Island", the show-stopping opening number, up here for your listening pleasure soon. So much awesome, so much power.

January 20, 2006

And so it begins...

Welcome to the online home of Giant Killer Shark: The Musical. I'm currently finalizing applications for Toronto's Fringe Festival and Summerworks, both of which this musical stands a very poor chance of getting into. But what's the harm in trying? Soon they'll be some sweet demo mp3s up here, but for now, all I can offer is this stolen picture of what I can only assume is a Giant Killer Shark.
(It's stoked)