SILVER SPRING, MD— Universally acclaimed, hit series Slings & Arrows: The Complete Collection debuts on Blu-ray on October 26, 2010 with hours of special features and three all-new episode commentaries with the stars and filmmakers. The Canadian series stars Paul Gross (Due South), Don McKellar (Childstar), Martha Burns (Screening), and Mark McKinney (The Kids in the Hall) with season-long guest stars Rachel McAdams (The Notebook) in Season 1, Colm Feore (Chicago) in Season 2, and indie sensation Sarah Polley (The Sweet Hereafter) and renowned Stratford Festival actor William Hutt in one of his last performances in Season 3. Winner of eight Geminis for the first two seasons, Slings & Arrows final season swept the major 2007 awards, winning Best Dramatic Series, Best Lead Actor, Best Lead Actress, Best Writing, and Best Supporting Actor. The 6-disc set features all 18 episodes, plus commentaries, behind-the-scenes featurette, deleted scenes, etc. ($79.99, www.AcornOnline.com).
Dramatizing the backstage trials and tribulations of a Shakespearean theatre troupe, Slings & Arrows features intelligent writing, masterful acting, and a stellar ensemble cast. Paul Gross stars as Geoffrey Tennant, the passionate but unstable artistic director of the New Burbage Theatre Festival. Haunted by the ghost of his predecessor and former mentor (Stephen Ouimette), he struggles to realize his creative vision while handling touchy actors, a jittery general manager (Mark McKinney), a pretentious guest director (Don McKellar), and his own tempestuous romance with the Festival’s leading lady (Martha Burns). The backstage bedlam mirrors the onstage angst as Geoffrey directs three of Shakespeare’s masterpieces— Hamlet, Macbeth, and King Lear—one in each season.
Slings & Arrows aired in the U.S. on the Sundance Channel and has won numerous awards (Canadian Comedy Award, Directors Guild of Canada, Writers Guild of Canada, and 13 Gemini Awards). The series is created and written by Susan Coyne, Mark McKinney, and Bob Martin.
BONUS FEATURES: Three exclusive episode commentaries (Season 1/Episode 1 commentary with Bob Martin, Mark McKinney, and Susan Coyne; Season 2/Episode 6 commentary with Graham Harley and Michael Polley; and Season 3/Episode 6 commentary with Paul Gross and Martha Burns and director Peter Wellington); behind-the-scenes featurette; cast and crew interviews; backstage footage; bloopers; deleted and extended scenes; photo galleries; production notes; trailers; and song lyrics.
