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Paul Barson

 

Paul has been acting, directing and producing theatre in Guelph for over 10 years. In 2010, Paul made the transition from being the frontman of Burlington’s Country Rock outfit The Vanishers to joining the chorus in RCMPI’s Pirates of Penzance. Since then, he has played Orin in Little Shop Of Horrors, The Cat In The Hat in Seussical the Musical, Cinderella’s Prince in Into The Woods, Nephtali in Joseph and Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Lawrence in Calendar Girls, John McCrae in A Night In Flanders and many more.

 

Paul changed his focus from acting to producing in 2016 when he co-produced the joint GLT-RCMPI production of HMS Pinafore. He then started The Downtown Theatre Project with his partner Jen Barson, and fellow theatre enthusiasts Trevor Smith Diggins and Tim Clarke. He has now produced over 15 shows for GLT, RCMPI and The Downtown Theatre Project, winning awards for best production for Noises Off, House Of Blue Leaves and The Drowsy Chaperone. Paul also made his directing debut with DTP, with All New People and then again with An Act Of God.

 

Paul and his wife Jen form the pop-folk duo The Pantsuit Fridays.

He is also:
Guelph Fringe Festival Managing Director

Guelph Arts Council Board Member 

Creator and Producer of "Rhymes With Elf", the Guelph Holiday Music project

Award winning producer with Guelph Little Theatre (Noises Off, House of Blue Leaves, The Drowsy Chaperone)

Producer of City Of Guelph "Art in Park" projects - Winter Wonderland Theatre (2021) and Spider Secrets (2022)

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Paul's theatre credits include:

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  • The Pirates Of Penzance (RCMPI) - Ensemble

  • Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (RCMPI) - Mr. Bucket

  • Once Upon A Mattress (RCMPI) - Minstrel

  • The Full Monty (GLT) - Teddy Slaughter

  • Seussical The Musical (RCMPI) - The Cat In The Hat

  • Little Shop Of Horrors (RCMPI) - Orin Scrivello

  • Calendar Girls (GLT) - Lawrence

  • Joseph And The Technicolor Dreamcoat (RCMPI) - Nephtali

  • Skin Flick (GLT) - Byron Hobbs

  • Scrooge The Musical (RCMPI) - Tom Jenkins

  • Noises Off! (GLT) - Frederick Fellowes, Producer

  • A Night In Flanders (Guelph Museums) - John McCrae

  • HMS Pinafore (GTL/RCMPI) - Captain Corcoran, Producer

  • Fiddler On The Roof (RCMPI) - Russian Tenor

  • Into The Woods (RCMPI) - Cinderella’s Prince

  • The Drowsy Chaperone (GLT) - Producer

  • The Gondoliers (GLT) - Producer

  • House Of Blue Leaves (GLT) - Producer

  • All New People (DTP) - Producer, Director

  • Bug (DTP) - Producer

  • God Of Carnage (DTP) - Alan Raleigh, Producer

  • 5 Lesbians Eating A Quiche (DTP) - Producer

  • The Other Place (DTP) - Producer

  • Let It Bleed, a Rolling Stones Musical Murder Mystery (Tim Clarke Productions) - Charlie Watts

  • The Goat (DTP) - Producer

  • An Act Of God (DTP) - Producer, Director

  • Hotel California, An Eagles Musical Murder Mystery (Tim Clarke Productions) - Glenn Frey

  • Collective Rage: A Play In 5 Betties (DTP) - Producer

  • All Together Now (RCMPI) - Director

  • The Last Five Years (DTP) - Producer

  • Marjorie Prime (DTP) - Producer

  • Cabaret (RCMPI) - Cliff Bradshaw

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During the day Paul is a GIS Analyst for The County Of Wellington. Paul lives in Guelph with his wife Jen, and four children, Will, Laurel, Matthew and Hadley!

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