Rex Harrington to dance in Calgary premiere of 'Tosca Cafe'

Renowned Canadian ballet dancer Rex Harrington will star in the Canadian premiere of Tosca Cafe at Theatre Calgary later this year.

Harrington, a former principal dancer with the National Ballet of Canada and currently artist-in-residence there, will play several characters, including Rudolf Nureyev. He joins a cast that includes Peter Anderson ( The Overcoat) and Dean Paul Gibson ( Vigil).

"To add a dancer the calibre of Rex is a rare and wonderful opportunity, and I know he is genuinely excited to be a part of this groundbreaking show," said Theatre Calgary's artistic director Dennis Garnhum in a prepared statement.

Tosca Cafe, which had its world premiere in San Francisco last year, is a theatre/dance hybrid, choreographed to a musical score that includes a wide range of works, from Puccini to Jimi Hendrix. It's based on the real-life Tosca Cafe, founded in 1919 in San Francisco and home to artists, big thinkers and socialites ever since.

Performances of Tosca Cafe begin in Calgary on Sept. 13. A co-production with the Vancouver Playhouse, the show moves to Vancouver on Oct. 8.