Ten Foot Pole Theatre is stoked to present its first show at a US Fringe Festival, FIRST DAY BACK!

In lieu of live performances, a podcast version of Rob Salerno’s hit solo show FIRST DAY BACK will be available through the Atlanta Fringe web site starting June 1. The show can be streamed anywhere in the world, and it’s 100% free to download and listen to!

Written and performed by Salerno, and edited by Anna Rubanova, FIRST DAY BACK follows a group of students who meet in the aftermath of a classmate’s suicide to figure out who’s responsible and find a way to heal. The Toronto production was nominated for two Dora Mavor Moore Awards (the Canadian Tony Awards) for Outstanding New Play and Outstanding Performance.

“Richly thoughtful…Salerno presents each character with emotional truth.”
—Now Magazine

Download the FIRST DAY BACK audio show, starting June 1, at the Atlanta Fringe Audio website.

An excerpt from Rob Salerno’s play RAW is included in Refractions: Scenes, an anthology of scenes from Canadian plays edited by Yvette Nolan and Donna-Michelle St. Bernard, published by Playwrights Canada Press. It’s available for order from Playwrights Canada Press, or can be purchased through Amazon.ca.

RAW is a darkly comic drama about sexual ethics and HIV in the 21^st century. Two men become bound by sex and violence after a sexual encounter where Stephen doesn’t tell James that he is HIV-positive. As criminal proceedings weigh over them, they come to navigate their new reality together.

This collection features an wonderful collection of works by three dozen incredible  Canadian playwrights. It is truly an honor to be included alongside these talented dramatists.  Get your copy today!

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Our latest short film EXT. TORONTO. NIGHT. has been making the rounds at film festivals across the world, and you can watch it now online at the Reel Out Charlotte Film Festival until Nov 1.

It’s been a weird year for film festivals, as most have been cancelled, postponed or replaced with online festivals due to the ongoing pandemic restrictions. But I’m so proud that this tiny little film has found audiences through festivals all over the world. So far, it’s already screened live at the Giornate di Cinema Queer festival in Rome, Italy and the Perth Queer Film Festival in Australia, and enjoyed an online run at the ImageOut Film Festival in Rochester, New York. We’ve got a few more screenings coming up too!

EXT. TORONTO. NIGHT. is a sexy little short about a late night chance encounter. It was written and directed by Rob Salerno, and stars Salerno with Eric Morin with cinematography by Kat Zoumboulakis. More info here.

Although COVID has shut down most live theatre around the world, that’s not stopping the Halifax Fringe Festival from celebrating its 30th anniversary, and we’re so proud to be a part of this year’s festival, streaming online through Bandcamp!

In lieu of live performances, we’ve made a podcast version of Rob Salerno’s hit solo show FIRST DAY BACK available through the Halifax Fringe web site starting September 4.

Written and performed by Salerno, and edited by Anna Rubanova, FIRST DAY BACK follows a group of students who meet in the aftermath of a classmate’s suicide to figure out who’s responsible and find a way to heal. The Toronto production was nominated for two Dora Mavor Moore Awards for Outstanding New Play and Outstanding Performance.

“Richly thoughtful…Salerno presents each character with emotional truth.”
—Now Magazine

Download the FIRST DAY BACK audio show, starting Sept 4, here.

Coming soon from Ten Foot Pole, our newest short film, EXT. TORONTO. NIGHT.

After a chance encounter walking across a bridge at night, two one-time lovers relive an erotic outdoor adventure – but all is not what it seems.

Shot guerrilla-style on Toronto’s iconic Bloor Viaduct and Greektown neighborhoods, EXT. TORONTO. NIGHT. spins a uniquely queer romantic adventure of nostalgia, danger, and desire.

“I wanted to tell a story that was sexy and risky and beautiful,” says writer-director Rob Salerno. “This film looks at how relationships between gay men can be meaningful and loving even when they’re fleeting.”

Check back here for updates about screenings!

Cast and Crew:

Written and Directed by Rob Salerno
Cinematography by Katerina Zoumboulakis
Starring Rob Salerno and Eric Morin

Assistant Director Curtis te Brinke
Re-recording Mixer Kevin Dippold
Featuring Music by Bianca Gisselle

Our new short film, INCOMING MISSILE! is finally out! Watch it below, or visit us on YouTube, and don’t forget to hit “like” and subscribe!

Read more about the film.

I love this promo pic from Theatre Forty-Two‘s production of my play Balls, opening tomorrow night in Sarnia, ON! Book your tickets here: http://buytickets.at/t42

Ten Foot Pole Theatre is proud to announce that our first show, Balls, is being remounted by Sarnia, Ontario’s Theatre Forty-Two.

Balls tells the story of two best friends learning what it takes to be men as they face testicular cancer.

Balls runs from Nov 23-Dec 1, directed by John Leverre and starring Darius Brooks and Josh Gibson. Partial proceeds go to Testicular Cancer Canada.

Book your tickets here: http://buytickets.at/t42

Ten Foot Pole has a brand new logo!

Created by Toronto designer Michael Fan, our new logo represents the new focus of Ten Foot Pole’s work, with the company name appearing in an unspooling reel of film.

Yup. That’s what that is.

In other news, check out Ten Foot Pole creator Rob Salerno this Friday on Jeopardy! He filmed this episode way back in July, and while he’s sworn to secrecy about how he did until it airs, he can say that he spent his 30-second player story talking about taking Ten Foot Pole shows on the road across Canada. No, he was not allowed to say the name of this show on the air. Here’s Rob with another famous Canadian:

And just for fun, here’s a little video we made to promo the experience:

Jeopardy! airs throughout Canada and the US. Consult your local listings for showtime and channel, and watch me Friday, September 21!