“NIGHT FOR NED”
Ned Vukovic is a highly respected theatre artist living and struggling with ALS/Lou Gehrig’s disease, a neurodegenerative disease that usually attacks both upper and lower motor neurons and causes degeneration throughout the brain and spinal cord.
Currently teaching Dramatic Arts at the University of Victoria, Ned, originally from England, is a member of the Royal Shakespeare Society and has spent thirteen years in Toronto directing, writing, teaching, performing, running several theatres and all the while raising a young family with his lovely wife Lindsey, herself an accomplished actress, dancer and teacher.
On Sunday June 24 beginning at 7:00PM a fundraiser and tribute will be held at Theatre Passe Muraille, 16 Ryerson Ave., Toronto., ON. Following the performance will be a reception with buffet as we wrap up a silent auction.
The expense involved in caring for Ned is enormous. The mechanical chair alone that Ned will soon require in order to continue teaching runs upwards of $30,000. Anything we can do to help alleviate these costs will be deeply appreciated by Ned, his wife and daughters Francesca and Grace.
Ned’s many theatre credits include “Dial M for Murder” at the Grand Theatre, director: Derek Goldby, “Othello” with Lovers and Madmen, “Salome” with Horizontal 8, “The Fool” with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Director: Howard Davies, “Noises Off” at the Manitoba Theatre Centre, “Strife” with the National Theatre, and “Journal of Anais Ninn” at the Roundhouse Theatre, London.
Ned’s directing credits were many and varied. He pulled the performance of a lifetime from Donald Carrier as Montgomery Clift. He got Marlon Brando and John Wayne from Jeffrey Max Nichols, rest his soul. Before our very eyes he turned his wife Lindsey into Elizabeth Taylor and Anaya Farrell became Marilyn Monroe in the Horizontal 8 production of the “The Misfit”.
Ned Vukovic is a jewel in the crown of Canadian theatre. An internationally regarded dialect coach, Ned is actively sought for engagements by known players around the world. His coaching includes “Hitler: The Rise of Evil”, “That Touch of Pink”, “Jasper, Texas”, “Salem Witch Trials”, “Escape from Sobibor”. During his stint in Toronto Ned created “Lovers and Madmen” and helped found Horizontal 8. He ran Solar Stage for several years and was co-artistic director in Peterborough with Brian Richmond.
The “Night for Ned” event will run like a variety show of short, high-octane performances interspersed with film footage and photos of Ned—his work, his life as well as pre-taped and live tributes from both star players and close friends alike. An informal post show atmosphere will encourage attendees to meet and greet and spend time with Ned.
Much help will be needed to make this event possible. If you are a stage manager, a top entertainer, a technician, a producer, a publicist or chef and would like to volunteer your services, please jump in. The water is perfect. Contact Michael Copeman @
m.copeman@yahoo.ca. Performers interested in contributing to the line-up are asked to get in touch with our director, Hrant Alianak at
halianak@sympatico.ca.
A web page in support of this enterprise is now running at
www.nedvukovic.com. Donations of art works and other items for the silent auction are being sought and will be displayed as they arrive. The line-up will also appear on the site as confirmations are received.
Tickets to the ‘Night for Ned’ are $50.00 and can be purchased through the Passe Muraille box office by calling 416-504-7529 or through
www.artsboxoffice.ca. Can’t make the show but wish to show your support, donate directly at CIBC 0630-78-71937.
We would like to congratulate the University of Victoria Faculty of Arts for a successful and jam packed “Night for Ned” held March 30th. Over $10,000 was raised.
http://nedvukovic.com/