by Lorraine Payette, written July 5, 2013

“Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows…”
– The Shadow, 1930

(GANANOQUE, ONTARIO) It all seems harmless enough. I mean, look at this place! It’s dreamy – and for a first flat, what more could a girl want? Of course, there’s that guy across the hall. He may be a little spooky, but there’s just something about him that’s so hard to resist…

Third Floor, the romantic comedy cum thriller by Jason Hall, will keep you both laughing and guessing as it wanders through the complications of buying a condo and getting to know the neighbours. A young woman (Taylor Trowbridge) has no idea what she’s signed on for when she meets that strange new man (Craig Pike). As they get to know each other, a practical joke ensues which proves itself to be both impractical and far from funny.

“She’s sort of the epitome of condo living in terms of saving up to buy a place, but you want all the privacy of a house while living in a condo situation,” said Trowbridge in an interview with Joe Baptista for the Eastern Ontario Network (http://www.easternontarionetwork.com/ ). “She’s very, very private, not very interactive with (the) outside world. She wants to be in her home and get up, go to work, and come back and not be bothered. It’s a very different kind of character for me, very different from who I am, so it’s a whole lot of fun to play.”

“Playwright Jason Hall was a classmate of mine at Queen’s University,” said Playhouse Artistic Director Ashlie Corcoran recently. “And in 2011, I collaborated with him on the world premiere of Third Floor at Toronto’s Summerworks Festival. Our audience jumped out of their seats every night!”

This is Trowbridge’s second job at the Playhouse. Fans may remember her stunning performance in “The Drowning Girls”. Pike is making his debut with the theatre in Gananoque, and has worked previously under Ashlie Corcoran’s direction at the Shaw Festival.

A relatively new play, “Third Floor” is already getting international attention. It has been produced in London’s West End in Europe, and has had a German-language version performed at the Torturmtheatre in Sommerhausen, Bavaria.

Although young, playwright Jason Hall already has some other works under his belt, including “Eyes Catch Fire” which won the 2003 Canada’s Herman Voaden National Playwriting Competition, an impressive achievement for a first full-length play. He has also written “GBS” and the short film, “Stand Sentry”. He is currently living in London, England.

“Although it contains some strong language, this fast-paced thriller features a cast of two and many more talented artists behind the scenes,” says the Playhouse. “Thousand Islands Playhouse Artistic Director Ashlie Corcoran is directing this production, with Set & Costume Design by Jung-Hye Kim, Lighting Design by Jason Hand, Projection Design by Kevin Tanner, Sound Design & Composition by Adam Harendorf, Stage Management by Joanna Barrotta, Apprentice Stage Management by Kyle Beres, and Assistant Direction by Jessica Kostuck.”

“Third Floor” runs at the Firehall Theatre in Gananoque from July 5 – August 3. Show times are Tuesday through Saturday 8:00 pm, with matinees Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at 2:30 pm (starting the Sunday after opening night). Tickets are $32 for adults, $30 for seniors age 65+, $16 for students. Group tickets are available at $26 – $28 each including GST. For more information, please contact the box office at 613-382-7020 or 1-866-382-7020 (long distance), or by e-mail at boxoffice@1000islandsplayhouse.com , or visit http://www.1000islandsplayhouse.com .