HOW DID WE GET HERE?

The 28th Minute sprung into existence in 2012 as Thomas Toles and Kevin Ramberran set their sights on producing and directing a full length play at the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival for their first foray into the independent theatre scene.

Toles and Ramberran met in University during a production of Carol Shields’ Departures and Arrivals. The two immediately clicked and excitedly started creating together with the community they had found.

After achieving a smash hit with their “Bring-Your-Own-Venue” production of Lyle Kessler’s Orphans at the 2012 Fringe, Ramberran and Toles seized the opportunity presented to establish themselves as producers with the mandate “to mount complete productions of works they find irresistible.”

The 28th Minute’s mission is to offer top quality productions to the Winnipeg Theatre community that showcase and incubate the incredible performers and designers that this city plays host to and spawns. The majority of The 28th Minute’s productions are of established, published works that have withstood some significant measure of critical scrutiny but if it touches the hearts of our members, it will always be considered.

Ramberran and Toles are constantly enlisting other artists they meet to work with them. Their early endeavours found Ramberran and Toles collaborating with other developing theatre companies, dance troupes, and comedy groups. Many of these artists have found their way onto the team of one (or many) productions helmed by The 28th Minute. The duo developed their early productions with the mentorship of Thomas’ father George Toles (an acclaimed writer and director in his own right). As Ramberran’s business acumen and the younger Toles’ creative flair began to shape the working rhythm of the company, George Toles would eventually become a more regular collaborator, working closely with Ramberran as Thomas studied and worked abroad.