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Corner Gas

Corrine Koslo cast as Emma Leroy for The Comedy Network’s Corner Gas: The Animated Series

From a media release:

As announced earlier today by CORNER GAS creator, executive producer and star Brent Butt, The Comedy Network confirms that actor and long-time friend of Janet Wright, Corrine Koslo, has been cast as the voice of the series’ beloved character, Emma Leroy, for the upcoming animated reboot. Koslo joins original CORNER GAS cast members, Butt, Gabrielle Miller, Eric Peterson, Fred Ewanuick, Lorne Cardinal, Tara Spencer-Nairn, and Nancy Robertsonin the voicing of their respective characters Brent, Lacey, Oscar, Hank, Davis, Karen and Wanda. Voice recordings are currently underway in Vancouver and Toronto, with the animation process slated to begin in May. The 13-episode, half-hour series is expected to premiere on The Comedy Network in 2018.

A versatile actor born in France, Corrine Koslo grew up in Halifax, Manitoba, and Edmonton. She is a graduate of the Vancouver Playhouse Acting School and has performed on stages across Canada for the last three decades, and has been a member of the Shaw Festival acting ensemble for twelve years. She received two Dora Mavor Moore Awards for her roles in the Young People’s Theatre productions Seussical The Musical and Bunnicula in Toronto; Jessie Richardson Awards for in Love And Angels (Vancouver Playhouse) and Sweeney Todd (Arts Club) in Vancouver; and a Sterling Award for her portrayal of Madame Arcati in Blyth Spirit at the Citadel Theatre in Edmonton. On television, Corrine is known for her memorable voice work as Lady Rataxes in the popular children’s series, BABAR. Most recently, Corrine joined the cast of the series ANNE where she plays the indomitable Rachel Lynde.

The new series comes from CORNER GAS executive producers Brent Butt and David Storey from Prairie Pantoons (335 Productions), and Virginia Thompson from Moving Mountoons (Vérité Films), in association with The Comedy Network. Animation will be produced by Prairie Pantoons, Moving Mountoons, and Smiley Guy Studios. The series began pre-production this month in Vancouver and Toronto, with the main cast confirmed to return. In December, producers confirmed that the character of Emma will live on in the animated world with the blessing of the late Janet Wright’s family.

CORNER GAS brings together Butt’s comedy style and love for comic books. Before pursuing his passion as a stand-up comedian, Butt and a friend started a publishing company – Windwolf Graphics. His first comic, Existing Earth, was nominated for a Golden Eagle Award. Windwolf Graphics published two issues before Butt hit the stand-up circuit full time. Butt’s passion for comics lived on through his work, a common theme in the CORNER GAS franchise. Bringing CORNER GAS into the animated world allows Butt’s comedy to be as limitless as his imagination.

CORNER GAS: THE ANIMATED SERIES is an inter-provincial co-production produced by Prairie Pantoons (BC), comprised of Brent Butt and David Storey from 335 Productions; and Moving Mountoons (ON), comprised of Virginia Thompson and Robert de Lint from Vérité Films, in association with Bell Media, Canada Media Fund, Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit, Ontario Computer Animation and Special Effects Tax Credit, Film Incentive BC Tax Credit, Digital Animation, Visual Effects and Post Production Tax Credit, Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit.

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Corner Gas

Link: Corner Gas creator lives his cartoon dream

From Lauren La Rose of the Toronto Star:

Link: Corner Gas creator lives his cartoon dream
Before pursuing a successful career in comedy, Corner Gas creator and star Brent Butt had designs on a career in animation.

But after Butt was accepted into the animation program at Ontario’s Sheridan College, he opted instead to forge forward with his dream of standup stardom. Continue reading.

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Corner Gas, Featured

Corner Gas expands its world with animated series

One can’t help but think of the irony that Corner Gas is returning to television on The Comedy Network as an all-new 13-part animated series. That’s because reruns of the live-action sitcom air on CTV on Saturday mornings where traditional cartoons are shown.

“We’ve become the live-action cartoon,” Virginia Thompson says with a laugh. “Only to become a real cartoon.” Thompson, the show’s executive producer, alongside fellow executive producers Brent Butt and David Storey, says the idea for an animated take on the lives of the folks living in small-town Saskatchewan has been in the works for years, but really gained momentum after the success of 2014’s Corner Gas: The Movie.

After six seasons of the live action series on CTV and a final goodbye to fans with the feature film, Thompson figured that was it for the franchise. But the outpouring of support—and demand for more stories from Dog River—caused the three to recall something they’d kicked around as a joke years ago: an animated series.

“Brent, David and I got together and had lunch and said, ‘What do we want to do?'” Thompson recalls. “The animated concept kept popping up. We’re really excited about this because it really does come from Brent’s imagination and brand of comedy. It’s a different angle to Corner Gas.” Butt’s love of comic books—he and a friend started a publishing company and his first comic, Existing Earth, was nominated for a Golden Eagle Award before he left that for a standup career—and skills as an illustrator (he designed Corner Gas’ gas station logo) means that the world can expand beyond the limitations of physical television production.

The upcoming series has been in the works for two years and begins production in Vancouver and Toronto next month. All of the original cast have signed on—Butt as Brent, Gabrielle Miller as Lacey, Eric Peterson as Oscar, Fred Ewanuick as Hank, Lorne Cardinal as Davis, Tara Spencer-Nairn as Karen and Nancy Robertson as Wanda—and casting is underway for the voice of Emma after the untimely death of Janet Wright.

Unlike the live-action series, the animated Corner Gas has fewer constraints. That means the quick-cut fantasy sequences from the original can be expanded and explored more fully and don’t need to be tied to the real world.

“Fans of Corner Gas are going to see a similarity to the series and movie that they love,” Thompson says. “But we can expand the fantasy sequences and get into the characters’ heads and see what’s going on in there.” (Or, perhaps in the case of Hank, what isn’t going on in there.)

“I remember, in the old days, coming out of the writing room and saying, ‘Geez, it would be great if we could do that,’ and in some ways, Brent was restrained by live action,” Thompson says. “He’s not restrained in any way in animation and that’s great. It’s given him more freedom to have fun.”

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Corner Gas

More Gas in the Tank: The Comedy Network greenlights animated reboot of Canadian comedy Corner Gas

From a media release:

– New adventures, new episodes: pre-production begins January 2017 in Vancouver and Toronto –
– Animated world allows Brent Butt’s comedy to be as limitless as his imagination –
– New series brings new opportunities for brand integration –

Life in Dog River is about to get a lot more animated! Following a trailblazing six-season run and a blockbuster 2014 movie, The Comedy Network announced today it has greenlit an all-new animated version of the acclaimed, smash-hit comedy franchise CORNER GAS from 335 Productions and Vérité Films. The 13-episode, half-hour series for The Comedy Network’s 2017-2018 broadcast season is the latest original 4K production from Bell Media. Re-imagined by CORNER GAS creator and star Brent Butt, who released a sneak peek of his animated-character yesterday, the all-new animated CORNER GAS delivers its revered brand of comedy, but this time in an animated Dog River where anything is possible.

The new series comes from CORNER GAS executive producers Brent Butt and David Storey from Prairie Pantoons (335 Productions), and Virginia Thompson from Moving Mountoons (Vérité Films), in association with The Comedy Network. Animation will be produced by Prairie Pantoons, Moving Mountoons and Smiley Guy Studios. The series begins pre-production in January 2017 in Vancouver and Toronto, with the main cast confirmed to return. Producers also confirmed today that beloved character Emma will live on in the animated world with the blessing of the late Janet Wright’s family.

Brent (Brent Butt), Lacey (Gabrielle Miller), Oscar (Eric Peterson), Hank (Fred Ewanuick), Davis (Lorne Cardinal), Karen (Tara Spencer-Nairn), and Wanda (Nancy Robertson) are all getting a cartoon makeover as the main cast returns to Dog River for CORNER GAS. Casting for the voice of Emma is currently underway.

CORNER GAS brings together Butt’s comedy style and love for comic books. Before pursuing his passion as a stand-up comedian, Butt and a friend started a publishing company – Windwolf Graphics. His first comic, Existing Earth, was nominated for a Golden Eagle Award. Windwolf Graphics published two issues before Butt hit the stand-up circuit full time. Butt’s passion for comics lived on through his work, a common theme in the CORNER GAS franchise. Bringing CORNER GAS into the animated world allows Butt’s comedy to be as limitless as his imagination.

The new animated CORNER GAS also presents a vast new world of opportunity for branded integration. With Dog River open to expansion through animation, and beyond, brands are able to explore the environment in new ways.

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Industry News

Corner Gas, CTV, Vancouver’s Arts Club Theatre Company and Stratford Festival mourn the death of Janet Wright

From a media release:

The producers and cast of CORNER GAS, CTV, Vancouver’s Arts Club Theatre Company, and Stratford Festival extend its deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of distinguished actress and director Janet Wright.  Wright passed away this morning in Vancouver at the age of 71.

Janet played the beloved role of ‘Emma’ on CORNER GAS,  Canada’s most successful sitcom.  In 1974, Wright co-founded the Persephone Theatre In Saskatoon with Brian Richmond and Susan Wright.  The first dramaturge at Vancouver’s Arts Club Theatre Company, Wright appeared in and directed more than 40 productions for the company.  During her seven seasons at Stratford she shone as a director and in many key roles as an actress.  In 2011, Wright returned to Stratford after more than a decade away, giving an unforgettable performance as ‘Ma’ in the acclaimed production of The Grapes of Wrath and portrayed a hilarious ‘Mistress Quickly’ in the The Merry Wives of Windsor. In 2014, Wright reprised her role as ‘Emma’ in CORNER GAS: THE MOVIE, which reached more than 7 million TV viewers in Canada.

“Janet was like no other person I’ve ever met.  She had a giant wit, a giant heart, and was one of the strongest human beings to ever stride around this planet,” said Brent Butt, Creator and Executive Producer, CORNER GAS. “She was so great to work with.  When you looked at the call sheet in the morning, and saw you were doing scenes with Janet, you knew you’d be laughing that day, and probably at something terribly inappropriate.  We had this running thing, where if there was a scene with just our characters, I’d write it at the kitchen table, with our characters eating macaroni and cheese.  We were both trying to watch our weight, but she said if “our characters” were eating the stuff, it wasn’t really us.  I truly, honestly loved her.  We all did.”

“Both direct and loving, Janet was as honest in life as she was with her characters,” said Scott Henderson, Vice-President, Communications, Bell Media. “As the beloved Emma Leroy, Dog River’s frequent voice of reason on CORNER GAS, she entertained millions of Canadians with Emma’s quick wit and no-nonsense approach. We were blessed to have her as a member of the cast. She will be sorely missed by everyone at CTV and in Canada’s acting community.”

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of actress/director/multi-talented Janet Wright,” said Bill Millerd, Artistic Managing Director, Vancouver’s Arts Club Theatre Company. “She was a powerful actor and inspired director who created intelligent and challenging theatre for our audiences. We will miss her immense talent, her caustic wit, and her incredible strength in facing tragedy. Our love and condolences to the Wright family.”

“Janet was an artist on an uncompromising search for the truth in all its unvarnished beauty,” said Stratford Festival Artistic Director Antoni Cimolino, who directed Ms Wright as Ma Joad in the 2011 production of The Grapes of Wrath. “She was a profoundly talented actress, director and ?champion for the importance of the arts. I will never forget her passion and forever be inspired by her commitment to our work.”

“Janet had a huge heart and an insatiable passion for the arts,” said Alicia Jeffery, Agent with the Characters Agency. “She was a lightning rod for the truth in all her performances and in life and never ceased to mentor younger actors, both as a director and as a fellow performer.  Nothing gave her more joy in our many calls than to sing the praises of a young actor or director she’d recently worked with.  Her loss is a hole in the fabric of our community that will never be truly mended.”

In honour of Janet’s memory, CTV will rebroadcast CORNER GAS: THE MOVIE on Saturday, Nov. 26 at 8 p.m. ET.

Vancouver’s Arts Club Theatre Company will be hosting a Celebration of Life for Wright, with further details to be released.

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