FRINGE VETERAN TACKLES DEMENTIA IN FIRST SOLO-WRITTEN SHOW

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - MARCH 2022

Vancouver, BC – After close to 3 decades on the Fringe circuit, RibbitRePublic's Jonathon Paterson is bringing his first solo-written show to festivals across Canada.

Originally conceived of during his time as a care-giver, How I Met My Mother focuses on 2 threads in time between Paterson and his mother; in one, he is a troubled and rambunctious teen, and the other, he's his mom's live-in care-giver.

Although this new show was written in the past year, it has taken several for Paterson to put pen to paper, so to speak.

“I always thought that my bad-ass to care-giver story could be an interesting one,” explains Paterson, “but it took me awhile to not only process but to begin to flesh out the story.”

“While mom was going through her dementia journey, her care was really the only thing we focused on, It wasn't until a few years after her passing that I actually began to write.”

SOLO-CREATION WORKSHOP SPURS INSPIRATION

How I Met My Mother is directed by Vanessa Quesnelle (Inescapable) and dramaturged by Ryan Gladstone (Monster Theatre), Megan Phillips and TJ Dawe.

“Having a group of mentors who I admire obviously really helped,” Paterson said. “TJ and Megan run a solo-creation workshop, and without their help, this would still be swimming around in my head. Every week we would bring in a piece of writing and with their support, and the support of the class as a whole, I felt really inspired to create.'

“With Vanessa, well, I felt it was important that I had a mother direct me. Someone with that balance of maternal instincts and drive to build a show. Not to mention the fact that she is an amazing director.”

FRINGE COMPANY ONE OF NORTH AMERICA'S OLDEST

RibbitRePublic Theatre has been touring the North American Fringe Festival circuit since 2000, making it one of North America's oldest Fringe touring companies.

It has a long history of producing critically-acclaimed and award-winning shows including Inescapable (with Concrete Drops – Soho Playhouse, Off-Broadway), House (Outstanding Solo Show, London Fringe, Outstanding Male Performance, Orlando Fringe), BoyGroove (Dora Award winner), and Best Picture (Producer's Pick, London Fringe).

RibbitRePublic is a 20x Best-of-Fest winner with over a hundred Fringe Festivals to it's credit.

HOW I MET MY MOTHER PSA

An irresponsible bachelor answers the call to care for his ailing mother, while reckoning with his bad-ass past. But will his new-found skills be enough? A true story of love, family and the power of redemption.

25 year Fringe veteran Jon Paterson (Outstanding Solo Show – London, Outstanding Male Performance – Orlando) premieres his first solo-written show on the Canadian Fringe Festival circuit. How I Met My Mother will be touring this summer to the Ottawa, Winnipeg, Saskatoon and Edmonton Fringe Festivals.

Please visit RibbitRePublic.com for more information.