AS WE GET READY FOR THE WORLD PREMIERE OF ROBERT AT THE 2018 TORONTO FRINGE FESTIVAL, WE'RE INTRODUCING THE TALENTED INDIVIDUALS OF OUR CREATIVE TEAM.
Our next team introduction is the incredible Rob Kempson, playwright, composer, director, educator and performer. This is Rob’s first time working with Lark and Whimsy but not his first time working with co-director Briana Brown. The two love collaborating, and claim to share a brain. Briana directed the world premiere of Rob’s musical The Way Back To Thursday at Theatre Passe Muraille. The show went on to earn an Outstanding New Musical nomination at the 2014 Dora Mavor Moore Awards. We’re so excited to have Rob aboard.
Name: Rob Kempson
What are you doing on Robert? Co-Directing
Astrological Sign: Sagittarius
Special Skills: Singing in harmony, Vintage picking, endless Golden Girls references, knowing all of the words to multiple verses of Christmas carols
Something you and your parents have in common? My mom and I both get unreasonably angry with customer service people on the phone. It's a trait I wish that I didn't take on.
How many Roberts do you know? Me. Facebook suggests that I know nine others... I think it's likely more than that if you include all the "Bobs."
Do you play any musical instruments? I do! I'm mostly a singer, but I also play piano, guitar, and clarinet. I'm working on the banjo but I'm pretty bad so far.
How do you feel about bagpipes? I love the bagpipes! The ones we're using in the show are actually my mom's. While I've never seen her play them, I'm certainly well acquainted with my Scottish roots (musically and otherwise).
Are you good at keeping secrets? Yes! Except from my best friend. She hears almost everything.
Photo supplied by Rob Kempson
What kind of grand gesture would you want someone to do at your funeral? I'd love for someone to perform something that I've written--like a song or an excerpt from one of my plays. I think my writing always contains a little bit of me, and I'd like people to remember me with some of the words/music that I wrote. I'd also LOVE it if they completely reinterpreted the piece to put their own spin on it.
What’s your biggest challenge working on Robert? I've never been a co-director before, and I'm totally bossy. However, Bri and I are VERY close and very compatible collaborators, so I'm really looking forward to learning about how to co-direct with someone who I have so much respect for.
Why should people come see Robert at the Toronto Fringe? So many reasons: it's site-specific, it's funny, it's a little dramatic, the venue is beautiful, Bri's play is amazing, I'm co-directing a play that has my name as it's title... etc. etc. Should I go on?
For more information on Robert, please visit www.larkandwhimsytheatre.com/robert.
For ticket purchases, click here.