In the past year, Tim Hortons has treated cottaging Canadians to a boat drivethru, revived its beloved Dutchie doughnut and launched flatbread pizzas.
But perhaps its biggest surprise will come this summer, on the heels of its 60th anniversary on May 17, when it enters a realm so unexpected for a fast-food giant that even its executives expect some people含羞草研究社檚 first reactions to be, 含羞草研究社淲hat?!含羞草研究社�
The head-scratcher will come in the form of 含羞草研究社淭he Last Timbit,含羞草研究社� a musical for which Tim Hortons has assembled a who含羞草研究社檚 who of Canadian artists to stage at the Elgin Theatre in Toronto this June.
The production is loosely based on a 2010 snowstorm that was so bad, drivers on a highway east of Sarnia, Ont., were forced to hunker down in cars and others had to wait out the inclement weather at a local Tim Hortons.
Turning the story into a theatrical production was the brainchild of marketing firm Gut.
Tims was determined to give Gut as much room to be creative as possible, so it didn含羞草研究社檛 even specify the firm had to come up with an event. All the chain said was to find 含羞草研究社渟omething with heart含羞草研究社� and that would reflect the relationship the fast-food eatery has with its customers, recalled the chain含羞草研究社檚 chief marketing officer Hope Bagozzi.
When she was pitched on a play, even she was surprised.
含羞草研究社淲hat on earth would we know about pulling something like this together 含羞草研究社� in a really highly professional way,含羞草研究社� she said was her reaction.
含羞草研究社淥ur agency, that含羞草研究社檚 not their specialty. It含羞草研究社檚 certainly not ours.含羞草研究社�
Despite it being new territory and Tims having to wrangle talent well outside its comfort zone, she felt 含羞草研究社渃autiously optimistic含羞草研究社� about the idea.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 a little wacky but certainty it felt grand (and) of the kind of ambition we had,含羞草研究社� she said.
So Bagozzi and her staff set about making it happen.
Among their first calls was Michael Rubinoff, a Toronto lawyer and theatre producer who turned the story of passengers on planes diverted to Gander, Nfld. after the 9/11 attacks in New York into hit musical 含羞草研究社淐ome From Away.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淲e didn含羞草研究社檛 imagine that he would actually come on board. We just thought we would try to pick his brain on, 含羞草研究社楢re we crazy? Should we do this? How would we go about it?含羞草研究社櫤卟菅芯可鐫 Bagozzi recalled.
Rubinoff wasn含羞草研究社檛 fazedby the unlikely caller. Though many would assume he was shocked to hear a fast-food brand wanted to jump into theatre, he didn含羞草研究社檛 find it unusual because 含羞草研究社淭ims has been part of Broadway for many years.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淭he Tims logo is on one of the backdrops in 含羞草研究社楾he Book of Mormon含羞草研究社� that people don含羞草研究社檛 realize and of course, in the musical I含羞草研究社檓 involved in, 含羞草研究社楥ome From Away,含羞草研究社� Tims plays a really important part,含羞草研究社� Rubinoff said.
含羞草研究社淎fter the opening number, the first line is 含羞草研究社業 start my day at Tim Hortons含羞草研究社� and we have a scene in the Tim Hortons and we come back to it, so Tim Hortons in musical theatre didn含羞草研究社檛 seem as outlandish to me as it might have to other people.含羞草研究社�
Alongside Rubinoff, other talent started flowing in.
Nick Green, the playwright behind 含羞草研究社淐asey and Diana,含羞草研究社� wrote the script and Anika and Britta Johnson of 含羞草研究社淟ife After含羞草研究社� created the music and lyrics, which include a song called 含羞草研究社淲hat would you do for a Timbit?含羞草研究社�
The cast features Stratford and Shaw festival regulars Andrew Broderick, DeAnn deGruijter and Dant茅 Prince, as well as Broadway stars Chilina Kennedy, Sara Farb, Jake Epstein and Kimberly-Ann Truong. Kaya Kanashiro from TV show 含羞草研究社淪ort Of含羞草研究社� also has a role.
Most were surprised Tims, which is spending the year focused on expanding its afternoon and evening sales, was behind the play. Once they saw the calibre of theatrical talent on board, they realized 含羞草研究社渢his is going to be something that they含羞草研究社檙e excited to attach themselves to,含羞草研究社� Rubinoff said.
The production comes as arts organizations have struggled to retain corporate funding. Last summer, Bell stopped funding the Toronto International Film Festival after 28 years of sponsorship. In March, the Bank of Nova Scotia ditched its title sponsorship of the Contact Photography Festival in Toronto.
Hot Docs, Canada含羞草研究社檚 largest documentary film festival, has also warned its future is in jeopardy.
Such struggles have not been lost on Rubinoff, who called 含羞草研究社淭he Last Timbit含羞草研究社� a 含羞草研究社渕ajor investment.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淲e only get better and we only strengthen those skills when we have the opportunities to actually do the thing, and this is the opportunity to do the thing,含羞草研究社� he said.
He含羞草研究社檚 approaching the project with the same seriousness as he does any other theatrical production. There含羞草研究社檚 been months of perfecting the script and table reads and soon, rehearsals will begin.
The music has already become an earworm.
含羞草研究社淭hese songs have been on loop. I am telling you I can含羞草研究社檛 sleep without hearing the songs,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淚 wake up hearing the song, so I know that it含羞草研究社檚 a great sign.含羞草研究社�
While he doesn含羞草研究社檛 want to give away too many hints about the tunes or the play含羞草研究社檚 plot, he said at the core of the storyline is a mother and daughter impacted by the storm. (The last Timbit they will vie for is a birthday one.)
And though the play is meant to mix humour and heart, he said, 含羞草研究社渘obody will dress up and dance like a Timbit, but I don含羞草研究社檛 want to say no to anything.含羞草研究社�
That includes touring with the production, which will premiere in front of Tims franchisees visiting Toronto and then continue with five shows for the public. Tickets go on sale Friday.
Those who snag seats will be able to buy Tims-centric merchandise from Roots Corp., which doubles as the play含羞草研究社檚 wardrobe partner, and will likely find a concession stand of Tims favourites, including Timbits, Bagozzi said.
含羞草研究社淭hose won含羞草研究社檛 dance away,含羞草研究社� Rubinoff chimed in. 含羞草研究社淵ou can enjoy them.含羞草研究社�
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