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Playing with Fire: The Theo Fleury Story

A Unique and Thrilling Theatre Experience

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About the Play

“I want everyone to know that anything is possible. That’s why we wrote a play – so that people will see my life from a completely different perspective. It’s a story of survival, and overcoming amazing obstacles.”
– Theo Fleury

This powerful one man show tells the inspiring story of how Theo Fleury beat all odds to become an NHL star. Playing in over 1,000 games and scoring over 1,000 points, Fleury won a Stanley Cup, an Olympic gold medal with Team Canada.
Based on the best-selling biography. Playing With Fire a national best seller for 52 weeks. It’s a story of redemption that chronicles Theoren’s childhood of poverty, sexual abuse in junior hockey, becoming an NHL star and then blowing a $50 million fortune on booze, drugs, gambling and strippers. Theoren came through the other side to tell the tale and to help others It is the universal tale of the triumph of one man’s spirit, a hero’s journey.

Shaun Smyth delivers a fantastically absorbing one-man performance on skates. The set is an onstage hockey rink and there is a sophisticated video and sound design in support. It’s a wonderful combination of crazy stories, laughs and powerfully poignant moments, brought to life in a superbly realized technical production. There are countless iconic hockey moments in the play that will be instantly recognizable for fans of the game.

Playing With Fire premiered at Alberta Theatre Projects in 2012 and, to date, has earned rave reviews and wowed theatre goers and hockey fans in Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Hamilton, Montreal and Halifax. The show is available for presentation in theatres across Canada and the USA.

Playing With Fire is a triumph of one man’s spirit!

Awards & Nominations

CALGARY CRITICS AWARDS

WINS
BEST SOLO PERFORMANCE –Shaun Smyth

BEST DIRECTOR- Ron Jenkins

BEST PRODUCTION OF A PLAY

NOMINATION
BEST DESIGN- David Fraser

BETTY MITCHELL AWARDS

WINS

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A DRAMA- Shaun Smyth

OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN- David Fraser

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION- Ron Jenkins

NOMINATIONS

OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN- Matthew Skopyk

OUTSTANDING NEW PLAY–Kirstie McLellan Day

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A PLAY

EDMONTON STERLING AWARDS

NOMINATIONS:

Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role- Shaun Smyth

Outstanding Director- Ron Jenkins

Outstanding Production of a Play

Outstanding Set Design- David Fraser

Outstanding Lighting Design- David Fraser

Outstanding Multi-Media Design- Corwin Ferguson

Outstanding Score of a Play or Musical- Matthew Skopyk

SASKATCHEWAN THEATRE AWARDS

WINS

Outstanding Production

Outstanding Set Design- David Fraser

NOMINATIONS

Outstanding Leading Performance- Shaun Smyth

Outstanding Sound Design, Composition- Matthew Skopyk

Canadian Production History

2011-2012 Season

Alberta Theatre Projects, Calgary

 

2014-2015 Season

Citadel Theatre, Edmonton
Prairie Theatre Exchange, Winnipeg

 

2015-2016 Season

Persephone Theatre, Saskatoon

 

2016-2017 Season

Theatre Aquarius, Hamilton
Persephone Theatre, Saskatoon (remount)
Globe Theatre, Regina

 

2017-2018 Season

Centaur Theatre, Montreal

 

2017-2018 Season

Neptune Theatre, Halifax

 

2018-2019 Season

Sudbury Theatre 

 

2020 Season

 Mayfield Theatre, Edmonton

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