Hamlet: A Ghost Story – An Interview with Director Craig Hall & Playwright Anna Cummer

March 14, 2019 by James Hutchison |

“And in Shakespeare the stakes are massive, but I think we all have injustices and little revenges that we want to take on a daily basis. That’s why Hamlet is such a frustrating character in so many ways because the ghost of his father comes and says your uncle killed me. You need to take revenge and do your duty as a son. And then he proceeds to find every excuse to not do it because he’s a man of the modern age where complexity and morality have become so much more real and palpable. Like, duty to the state is of a kind of time and I don’t think Hamlet’s a man of the court in that same way. It’s not just all black and white. He lives in a world of grey morality and philosophy.”

Craig Hall, Director – Hamlet: A Ghost Story

Ahad Mir as Hamlet in the Vertigo Theatre, Shakespeare Company, Hit+Myth Production of Hamlet: A Ghost Story. Adapted by Anna Cummer. Directed by Craig Hall. Set & Costume Designer Hanne Loosen. Lighting Designer David Fraser. Citrus Photo

This is part one of a two-part series about Hamlet: A Ghost Story. In part one I’ll be talking with Director Craig Hall and playwright Anna Cummer and in part two I’ll be talking with Ahad Raza Mir who has returned to Calgary from his native Pakistan to play the title role.

Back in September, I interviewed Haysam Kadri the Artistic Producer of the Shakespeare Company about their season of Hamlet which included, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead with ATP, Hammered Hamlet at the High Performance Rodeo in January and now Hamlet: A Ghost Story in partnership with Vertigo Theatre. The Shakespeare Company and Vertigo had previously produced a highly successful re-imagining of Macbeth and were looking to repeat that success.

Now Calgary audiences will have a chance to see a thrilling new adaptation of Shakespeare’s most famous play as the tormented prince of Denmark seeks vengeance for the murder of his father at the hands of his Uncle Claudius. The tale is a ghost story, a detective story and a revenge story all packed into one unforgettable night of theatre. This is a Hamlet for the modern age as The Shakespeare Company, Hit+Myth Productions and Vertigo Theatre team up for a ghostly re-imagining of one of the Bard’s greatest works.

I sat down with the director of Hamlet and Artistic Director of Vertigo Theatre Craig Hall and playwright Anna Cummer, who penned the adaptation, to discuss their unique take on Shakespeare’s most famous and most produced play.

JAMES HUTCHISON

You’re calling this new adaptation Hamlet: A Ghost Story.

ANNA CUMMER

We are.

JAMES

So, do you believe in the supernatural and have you had any ghostly encounters yourself?

ANNA & CRAIG

They laugh.

ANNA

Yes, I am a firm believer. The thing is I never see them. I feel them. I have a sense that something is there. I have encountered two ghosts for sure. One was in the South of France and the other one was in Vancouver when our upstairs neighbour died in the middle of the night and I had a flash of him in my mind as we were going to bed and he was laughing and having a really good time. And I said to Craig, “That’s really weird but Jack from upstairs just flashed into my head.” And the very next day his caregiver said, “Just so you guys know, Jack passed away last night.” And it was right around the time he visited us.

And actually, I had another one in Ottawa where a very dear friend of ours had died a couple of days earlier and his wife had called. My mother was with me. I was doing Pride and Prejudice at the NAC. It was a co-pro with Theatre Calgary. So, we found out that Donovan had died, and it was really, really, sad and it wasn’t expected at all and I had misplaced my wedding ring. I went, “Well where’s my wedding ring? This is terrible.” And I didn’t want to tell Craig because I was always losing it and it turned out that my daughter, who was all of two at the time, had picked it up off the counter and had put it on the switch of a lamp and never in a million years would I have found it. But that night Donovan, the man who had died, came to me in my dreams and said, “Your ring is on the lamp switch. You’ll find it there in the morning.” And lo and behold I found it there in the morning.

JAMES

Craig what about yourself? Anything?

CRAIG HALL

Little inklings here and there. I don’t want to go too far into this, but my father passed away last summer and I was with him when he passed. So, he passed and there was sort of mourning with my mom and sister and then I just needed a bit of space and I walked out into the hallway and as I was walking down the corridor in the hospital, I sort of felt a presence. And I sort of saw something in the periphery and I looked, and he wasn’t there but I knew it was my dad.

JAMES

You sensed him.

CRAIG

I sensed him. I think to me the supernatural is all about some sort of barriers between different sorts of realities and existence. I don’t have any religion in my family or in my history, so I don’t think of it in a religious sense but certainly in some sort of energy sense. I believe that the energy that is in us doesn’t go away. It doesn’t stop. So, it’s released into the world and I feel that sometimes that energy can get captured in a place or it can remain in a place for a reason, but I’ve never really thought too deeply about it. It’s kind of like Anna said, it’s not like you see something. There’s a presence. A coldness in a place that has no reason to be cold.

JAMES

Sounds though, like these have been positive encounters.

CRAIG

Yeah, but they’re still affecting and hair raising.

Meg Farhall, Behrad Mashtagh, Joel Cochrane, Curt McKinstry, and Daniela Vlaskalic in the Vertigo Theatre, Shakespeare Company, Hit+Myth Production of Hamlet: A Ghost Story. Adapted by Anna Cummer. Directed by Craig Hall. Set & Costume Designer Hanne Loosen. Lighting Designer David Fraser. Citrus Photo

JAMES

So, what kind of discussions did you have then in developing the script while you were in the process of adapting it?

ANNA

Well, interestingly enough Hamlet was one of the potential productions that Craig submitted when he was applying for the Artistic Director job at Vertigo.

CRAIG

Eight years ago.

JAMES

So, this has been on your mind for a long time.

CRAIG

Not in a deep way but certainly when I was contemplating that sort of mystery genre…

ANNA

…and pushing the mandate…

CRAIG

…and looking at the genre and going, “If I did this job then what’s in it for me? How limiting is it?” And realizing that there’s a whole lot of work outside of the obvious genre that can be embraced as genre work like the Macbeths and the Hamlets. And I don’t think we’re making Hamlet a ghost story – it is a ghost story. We’re turning up the dial but that’s what it is. It’s a revenge thriller. It’s a ghost story

ANNA

It’s a detective story as he tries to figure out whether the ghost has told him the truth or if he’s being led down the garden path.

CRAIG

And before he can act, he has to convince himself that there’s no chance that his uncle is innocent. So, he does this very intricate detective work and he sets up stings and so when you look at the work through that lens that was exciting for me because it meant the range of work that Vertigo could potentially have access to is far greater than some sort of antiquated drawing room murder mystery. So, in a way that seed was the thing that made me want to take the job at Vertigo and that’s been percolating ever since.

Curt McKinstry as Claudius and Ahad Mir as Hamlet in the Vertigo Theatre, Shakespeare Company, Hit+Myth Production of Hamlet: A Ghost Story. Adapted by Anna Cummer. Directed by Craig Hall. Set & Costume Designer Hanne Loosen. Lighting Designer David Fraser. Citrus Photo

ANNA

And with Hamlet one of the major issues about the play in production is the madness and how does one as an actor or how does one as a director or an adaptor approach the madness? Is it feigned all the time? Are there moments where he cracks? How can you convey to an audience a heightened sense of anxiety? And we went, well what if he’s being haunted? What if he is hearing these voices more preveniently than in the original script? Then we, as a modern audience, can buy into the other characters in the play going, “Oh yes, he’s mad.” Because he’s talking to himself and his behaviour is frenetic and for the other characters those are hallmarks for insanity, but of course our audience will be in on it. They’ll be able to hear those voices as well. They’ll be able to see the ghost when the ghost is not present in the original but might be present in our version.

The Ghost in the Vertigo Theatre, Shakespeare Company, Hit+Myth Production of Hamlet: A Ghost Story. Adapted by Anna Cummer. Directed by Craig Hall. Set & Costume Designer Hanne Loosen. Lighting Designer David Fraser. Citrus Photo

JAMES

So, what are some of the main themes you wanted to explore in the script and then once you have those in the script how do you put those into practice in the production?

Anna Cummer – Playwright

ANNA

I had very concrete ideas heading into this but now that we’re in rehearsal and we now have other voices than the ones in my head who are lending their interpretations and lending their ideas to the whole scenario I think things have changed a little bit. But to me, the real thesis statement of the play is, “To thine own self be true.” And that ultimately everybody has difficulty when they’re not being true to themselves or when they are being forced to be something that they are not. So, I started there because Claudius is pretending to be the best King on earth even though he got his crown by very dubious and treacherous means. Gertrude is also putting on a brave face and doing it for the state and trying to keep her son happy and comfortable and placate the new husband. There’s a lot of stuff happening. Same with Polonia – in our version, Polonius is played by a woman.

CRAIG

So, it’s a mother rather than a father. And that does change it. And we’re really making sure that change of gender trickles down so the way that Polonius talks to his daughter and his son has a completely different feeling than the way Polonia talks to her daughter and son. And it’s automatic. Polonia is a thoughtful mother, not just a bumbling fool. She’s a thoughtful mother who actually cares about her family and cares about her place in the court but generally for the sake of the family.

ANNA

So that way Laureates, Ophelia and Polonia can stand as the healthy example of family and familial interaction in comparison to the incredibly dysfunctional family that we now have in Claudius, Gertrude and Hamlet.

And with regard to Hamlet and, “To thine own self be true,” he’s been asked by his father – who was warlike, and action based – to do something that is completely out of character for him. He’s a thinker. He’s a philosopher. He’s a student. He’s wrestling with who he is as an individual and recognizing that he can not avenge his father the way that his father would want it to be done.

CRAIG

Hamlet is a man of the age. He’s not a man of the court. For all intense and purposes, he allows the coronation of his uncle. He doesn’t state his case. He doesn’t bring a petition to the council. It all kind of happens and he’s in mourning and he’s trying to reconcile things but there’s no sense to me that he’s eagerly anticipating stepping into his father’s shoes. He’s got a different kind of morality. He can’t do the actions because, I think, he’s an existential kind of thinker. He’s got a new way of thinking and a new morality and he just can’t be a man of action the way that’s required.

JAMES

I’m wondering what you make of how he treats Ophelia and what’s his end game and thought process for doing that because the end result is she kills herself.

ANNA

Craig and I kind of cracked it. Or, I feel like we cracked it. We were asking the same question. There’s this loving relationship and he just instantly turns on her and why is that? Is she a pawn in his ultimate game? Is she something to be used in his attempt to find out whether or not Claudius killed his father or not? And we were going through it – and this is just Craig and I literally on the couch and I went, “What if they’ve gone all the way?” And so, they’ve had this loving relationship that has been consummated and so Ophelia in all her scenes with her mother is trying very very hard not to let her know that. Her brother we think has more of an inkling because of his frank conversation with her as he leaves. “Do, not lose your chastity to this guy.” And she’s, “Oh yeah, don’t worry about it. I got it. No worries. Oh no, I already have. Oh dear.” And mom comes in and then says the same sort of thing, “Keep your distance for my benefit and my honour.” And so, we’re toying with the idea that they’ve had a very – very close relationship and that she is his island of solace. She is the touchstone to which he returns time and time again and in his time of mourning, she has been a rock for him. None of this is in the original so we have to seed it for our audience.

Natasha Strickey as Ophelia and Daniela Vlaskalic as Gertrude in the Vertigo Theatre, Shakespeare Company, Hit+Myth Production of Hamlet: A Ghost Story. Adapted by Anna Cummer. Directed by Craig Hall. Set & Costume Designer Hanne Loosen. Lighting Designer David Fraser. Citrus Photo

CRAIG

Because in the action of the play as it’s written you have no real inkling of their relationship before he starts treating her terribly. But if there was a deeper relationship that existed then that’s why when he comes to her funeral he explodes and rails there. It’s actually based on something.

And if her participation in Claudius and Polonia’s plot is a real betrayal of Hamlet and he realizes that they’re being watched when Ophelia comes back to him and says here’s all your letters and remembrances of yours and in that moment he realizes that she’s turned on him and that she’s become…

ANNA

…a confederate of the others…

CRAIG

…a tool of the Uncle. Then it’s not just arrogance and pettiness and meanness that makes him act the way he does – he’s been betrayed.

Ahad Mir as Hamlet and Natasha Strickey as Ophelia in the Vertigo Theatre, Shakespeare Company, Hit+Myth Production of Hamlet: A Ghost Story. Adapted by Anna Cummer. Directed by Craig Hall. Set & Costume Designer Hanne Loosen. Lighting Designer David Fraser. Citrus Photo

JAMES

Earlier you mentioned that Hamlet is a revenge story. Why do you think we have this fascination with revenge stories?

Craig Hall, Director – Hamlet: A Ghost Story

CRAIG

I think justice is a huge thing. I think going back to the mystery genre or the who done it people watch those things because they want to see somebody get their just desserts or take revenge. And there’s a weird celebration that comes along with you wanting to see the hero win the day and see the bad guy pay.

And in Shakespeare the stakes are massive, but I think we all have injustices and little revenges that we want to take on a daily basis. That’s why Hamlet is such a frustrating character in so many ways because the ghost of his father comes and says your uncle killed me. You need to take revenge and do your duty as a son. And then he proceeds to find every excuse to not do it because he’s a man of the modern age where complexity and morality have become so much more real and palpable. Like, duty to the state is of a kind of time and I don’t think Hamlet’s a man of the court in that same way. It’s not just all black and white. He lives in a world of grey morality and philosophy.

JAMES

Tell me about the cast you’ve assembled for this production.

CRAIG

I think this is probably one of the most eclectic group of actors that I’ve ever worked with. You know we’ve got Calgary stalwarts like Curt McKinstry playing Claudius, Daniella Vlaskalic who works everywhere has returned to play Gertrude. Then we’ve got Karen Hines who’s known more as a writer and a solo performer playing Polonia.

Behrad Mashtagh as Laertes, Natasha Strickey as Ophelia, Karen Hines as Polonia, Curt McKinstry as Claudius, Daniela Vlaskalic as Gertrude, Ahad Mir as Hamlet, Allison Lynch as Horatia in the Vertigo Theatre, Shakespeare Company, Hit+Myth Production of Hamlet: A Ghost Story. Adapted by Anna Cummer. Directed by Craig Hall. Set & Costume Designer Hanne Loosen. Lighting Designer David Fraser. Citrus Photo

ANNA

Who’s never done Shakespeare before in her life but she’s killing it already. And we’ve got a lot of people with great comedic chops in it. So, Meg Farhall is playing one of the servants and Rosencrantz. And then Graham Percy who is just killer at Shakespeare gets to be the gravedigger and the prologue the player.

CRAIG

Joel Cochrane from Hit and Myth is playing our ghost dad and is one of the players.

ANNA

And then Behrad Moshtagh a UofC grad – he and Ahad went to school together – he’s playing Laertes.

CRAIG

And we’ve got Allison Lynch playing Horatia and then, of course, Ahad Mir as Hamlet. We decided very early on that we wanted a younger Hamlet and we also wanted some diversity in the piece.

ANNA

And Ahad was involved in our production of Macbeth and he actually understudied Haysam as Mackers and he has a certain facility with the text and also a really lovely innate ability to make it modern and conversational.

Meg Farhall as Rosencrantz, Ahad Mir as Hamlet and Behrad Mashtagh as Guildenstern in the Vertigo Theatre, Shakespeare Company, Hit+Myth Production of Hamlet: A Ghost Story. Adapted by Anna Cummer. Directed by Craig Hall. Set & Costume Designer Hanne Loosen. Lighting Designer David Fraser. Citrus Photo

CRAIG

Ahad has had such an interesting journey as a young UofC grad coming up in the city and then suddenly he disappears to Pakistan and gets a whole other kind of training as an actor and gets all these new tools he can use because he’s been doing film and television over there. And we did Mackers in that deep thrust in the studio and we felt one of the things that made that really really successful was the intimacy of the performance space. You know you don’t have to suddenly play Shakespeare to hit the back of a proscenium house.

ANNA

A twelve hundred seat theatre.

CRAIG

The relationship with the audience can actually be much more vital and connected. And frankly, Calgary is bleeding its young diverse artists. They’re going to Toronto. They’re going to Vancouver. They’re going to Pakistan for opportunities that they’re not necessarily finding here. These young diverse actors are going to other cities and becoming super successful and we need to figure out some way to keep them here.

ANNA

So, if we can get them to come back it’s always a joy.

Curt McKinstry as Claudius, Ahad Mir as Hamlet, Behrad Mashtagh as Laertes, Allison Lynch as Horatia in the Vertigo Theatre, Shakespeare Company, Hit+Myth Production of Hamlet: A Ghost Story. Adapted by Anna Cummer. Directed by Craig Hall. Set & Costume Designer Hanne Loosen. Lighting Designer David Fraser. Citrus Photo

JAMES

So, why come see the show?

ANNA

It’s lean and mean the way that the Shakespeare company always is so it’s going to come in at about two hours and fifteen minutes including intermission. And we’ve done away with all the political and historical stuff and we’ve distilled it down to a family drama that just happens to have murder and ghosts in it. It’s Downton Abbey with death and ghosts.

CRAIG

And we’re amping up the suspense and I think everybody wants to see something entertaining and dark and I think that’s what we’re really doing.

ANNA

Sex, death and revenge.

JAMES

The big three.

ANNA

It’s biblical. It’s epic.

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Vertigo Theatre presents the Shakespeare Company and Hit and Myth’s Production of Hamlet: A Ghost Story which runs from March 20th to April 13th in the Studio at Vertigo Theatre. Performance times are evenings at 7:00 pm, no performance on Monday, 2:30 pm matinees on March 23, 24, 30 and April 6,7, and 13th. Tickets are $35.00 and are available by calling the Vertigo Theatre box office at 403.221.3708 or online at www.vertigotheatre.com

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CAST: Ahad Mir as Hamlet – Joel Cochrane as Ghost, Player King, Priest – Meg Farhall as Marcella, Rosencrantz, Player Queen – Karen Hines as Polonia – Allison Lynch as Horatia – Curt McKinstry as Claudius – Behrad Moshtagh as Laertes, Guildenstern – Graham Percy as Barnardo, First Player, Grave Digger – Natasha Strickey as Ophelia – Daniela Vlaskalic as Gertrude

CREATIVE TEAM: Craig Hall, Director – Anna Cummer, Playwright – Hanne Loosen, Set & Costume Designer – David Fraser, Lighting Designer – Peter Moller, Sound Design – Karl Sine, Fight Director – Jane MacFarlane, Text & Vocal Coach – Claire Bolton, Stage Manager – Chandler Ontkean, Assistant Stage Manager – Derek Paulich, Production Manager – Rebecca Fauser, Assistant Director

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Vertigo Theatre has entertained audiences for 42 years with high-quality programming, evolving into a truly unique organization. We are Canada’s only fully professional theatre company dedicated to producing plays based in the mystery genre. Vertigo is located at the base of the Calgary Tower in the heart of downtown Calgary and is home to the organization its two performance venues and the BD&P Mystery Theatre Series. Our artistic mandate allows exposure to a broad demographic and our diverse audience includes all walks of life. We build strong partnerships through our various student and professional outreach initiatives that are designed specifically to help meet our community investment objectives. Vertigo Theatre is a member of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (P.A.C.T.) and engages artists who are members of the Canadian Actors’ Equity Association.

The Shakespeare Company is Calgary’s lean and mean classical theatre company, highlighting the best of the Bard in all his comedy, tragedy, and bawdiness. Founded in 1995, by Richard Kenyon and LuAnne Morrow, TSC has brought the Bard alive for Calgarians through both Shakespeare and Shakespeare inspired plays. We are committed to making Shakespeare accessible through innovative performances and inspired directing.

Hit & Myth Productions is a professional independent theatre company based in Calgary, Alberta. Hit & Myth was established in 2006, and since that time has produced over 30 professional shows, engaging numerous local actors, directors and designers. Hit & Myth has produced musicals, comedies and cutting edge dramas, a genre that we lovingly call “commercial alternativism.” From musicals like Urinetown and Evil Dead, to hard-hitting dramas like Martin Mcdonagh’s The Pillowman and David Mamet’s Race, to dark comedies like Neil Labute’s reasons to be pretty; to vibrant adaptations of both Shakespeare (Titus Andronicus and All’s Well That Ends Well) as well as Shakespeare inspired (William Shakespeare’s Land of the Dead and Equivocation) works. Hit & Myth seeks to entertain, while always packing a serious theatrical punch. Hit & Myth collaborates with small to mid-sized sized theatre companies and independent artists to co-produce theatre that is provocative, modern, sensational, and above all else, entertaining. Our productions strive to reflect the dynamic and diverse theatrical community of Calgary and Calgary audiences.

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This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Last updated March April 18, 2019.

Interview with the director of 500 bucks and a pack of smokes – Ruthie Dworin

February 5, 2019 by James Hutchison |

“I think the most important thing comedy provides is catharsis – especially with farce – like this is a tragic situation that we get to laugh at Donny being a fool and we get to laugh at everyone else on stage being horrible and we get to live out some ridiculous aspects of human nature and laugh at it and not take it seriously and that makes the world a little bit lighter. And then there’s also the communal experience of being in a theatre and hearing everyone else laugh around you and that’s why live theatre still exists.”

My one-act comedy, 500 bucks and a pack of smokes, is one of two student productions at the University of Chicago this weekend. 500 bucks and a pack of smokes is the story of Donny Bracco who after being told by his doctor that he’s dying puts out a contract on his own life. So, when his doctor calls him on his birthday and tells him the lab made a mistake, Donny is more than a little upset. Making matters worse, the original killer Donny hired, subcontracted the hit to another killer – who subcontracted it to another killer – who subcontracted it to another killer – who doesn’t know Donny is the one who put the hit out on himself. With time running out, Donny has to find the killer and convince him to call off the hit, otherwise, this might be the last birthday he ever celebrates.

Cast & Crew for 500 bucks and a pack of smokes. L-R Jess Robinson – Stage Manager, Gayathri Rao (Carmen), Reed Thurston (Vinnie, Murphy, Powell, Stubby), Kajol Char (Sophia, Sid), Carolyn Applebaum (Donny), Ruthie Dworin – Director

The production stars Carolyn Applebaum as Donny Bracco; Reed Thurston as hitman Vinnie Torelli, Officer Powell, Detective Murphy and Stubby the hobo; Kajol Char as widow Sophia Falco and butcher Sid Valencia; and Gayathri Rao as Sid’s sister Carmen. Ruthie Dworin is directing. The production is being stage-managed by Jessica Robinson with sound design by Ro Redfern. Tickets are just $6.00 in advance or $8.00 at the door and are available online at the University of Chicago Box Office. Plus you can catch a free preview on Thursday, February 7th.

I gave Ruthie Dworin a call a couple of weeks ago to talk with her about the University of Chicago, the production, and her approach to directing.

JAMES HUTCHISON

As a director what type of culture do you try and create for your actors in the creation of a play?

Ruthie Dworin

RUTHIE DWORIN

I grew up doing a lot of acting so I’ve seen a lot of different kinds of rehearsal rooms. I’ve seen a lot of directors who create good rehearsal rooms and bad rehearsal rooms and everything in between. So, I’m a student director and I’m still honing my craft and figuring out how to create the rehearsal room that I want but the best rehearsal rooms that I’ve been in as a director and actor have been one where the director sets forth a clearly stated vision so that everyone knows what we’re all working towards and to provide a framework and a container for the actors to fill. And that allows for a lot of creativity from the actors and from the designers and that allows for a lot of play too which I feel is very important.

And then I like to use Viewpoint exercises to build an ensemble. Ensemble work I think is good for any kind of play. We use ensemble building for helping people to feel comfortable and physically liberated which allows them to explore how the characters move in different ways and also allows them to take a lot more risks. Viewpoints can also be more helpful for exploring character relationships with different kinds of boundaries and with different kinds of constraints than a typical rehearsal room using scene work and what the script offers.

JAMES

You mentioned before our interview that you were part of a commedia dell’arte troupe and that’s a particular kind of comedy with a long tradition behind it. How does your work with the commedia dell’arte help you in terms of putting on a contemporary play like 500 bucks and a pack of smokes?

RUTHIE

Commedia’s been helpful in a lot of different ways. It’s been helpful in allowing me to think of emotions on a much higher scale because what makes a commedia show funny is that it takes every day human emotions and then takes them up beyond the scale often even bigger than 10. I explicitly said those words in rehearsal and I think that’s going to help the actors a lot. It also frankly gives me a lot of exercises that I can use with actors that are unfamiliar with taking emotions to that kind of height and I can help them get more comfortable with amplifying reality and amplifying realistic emotions.

Ruthie and other members of her Commedia Troupe in Performance

RUTHIE

It’s also helpful for thinking about each character. So, I wrote down for each of the characters in the play who their commedia character would be because it’s helpful for me to think about the show and it’s helpful for me to think about helping actors in crafting their characters. So, I’m calling Donny – Tartaglia because the person who plays Tartaglia in my troupe plays him very much like a straight man where everything is happening to him and he’s just trying to gain some control in that environment and he’s very nervous and falling over all the time which are some of the characteristics for Donny.

JAMES

As the playwright, I’m curious about what attracted you to the play?

RUTHIE

I like that the script moves so quickly. I like the dry humour. I like that everything is huge and that a lot of the humour allows for the actors to get up and play a lot more with the words. And the characters were so clearly delineated, and I have one guy playing Vinnie, Murphy, Powell and Stubby and he’s having a lot of fun creating all those characters.

Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts, University of Chicago

JAMES

From a student point of view, what are some of the things you really like about the University of Chicago?

RUTHIE

There’s a million ways for students to get involved. Our shows are entirely student-produced – all our main stages, all of our workshops, every single small production is student-produced so students are making everything happen from start to finish. Students are acting, students are directing, students are designing, students are production managing, students are stage managing, and students are picking the shows that actually get produced.

JAMES

What kind of experience do the professors and instructors and support staff bring with them that you think is really beneficial for students?

RUTHIE

Basically, every single person who works as a professional staff member here is involved in the professional theatre community in Chicago – one of my professors is a senior ensemble member at a theatre uptown and I’ve gone to see a couple of shows that he’s directed at that theatre and I’ve learned a lot from them.

And for the mainstage shows we have professional staff for each of the areas of design and for production management and stage management and for direction. So, student directors have a weekly cohort where they sit down with a professional director and workshop things to make their shows work well and look good and the student designers do a lot of the same things. It’s very helpful and they also teach classes as well.

That’s why Chicago is the first and only place I applied because I just fell in love with the school and I’m not majoring in theatre I’m majoring in linguistics because the linguistics program here is very good, but I also wanted to be able to do theatre with an exciting group of people without having to go to a conservatory.

A Streetcar Named Desire, University Theatre – Fall 2018, Photo by Matt Mateiscu

JAMES

You mentioned you’re taking your degree in linguistics and since you’re looking at language how does that focus on language influence the directing and staging of a play.

RUTHIE

I think a lot about language in terms of specific word choice because it informs all of the characters and it also informs a lot about how all the people talk differently to each other. Does Donny talk differently to Sophia than he does with Vinnie? Those things are very important. Linguistics is a scientific abstract version of things and theatre takes that knowledge and applies it to a specific situation which I think is fun and very useful.

JAMES

Do you have a preference for comedy or drama?

RUTHIE

I don’t really have a preference. The last several things I have worked on have been dramas and have been very heavy on symbolism and so I was specifically looking for a comedy this time around.

JAMES

What do you think comedy provides us in terms of its snapshot of the world?

RUTHIE

I think the most important thing is catharsis – especially with farce – like this is a tragic situation that we get to laugh at Donny being a fool and we get to laugh at everyone else on stage being horrible and we get to live out some ridiculous aspects of human nature and laugh at it and not take it seriously and that makes the world a little bit lighter. And then there’s also the communal experience of being in a theatre and hearing everyone else laugh around you and that’s why live theatre still exists.

JAMES

Why should people come out and see your production?

RUTHIE

The show is going to be a lot of fun. We’re going to laugh a lot and we’re going to throw things around on stage. Things are going to break and the actors are going to have a lot of fun on stage creating a lot of very huge characters that people can laugh at and enjoy and audiences will be able to relate to the small seeds of truth in it.

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Tickets for 500 bucks and a pack of smokes directed by Ruthie Dworin and Outlook written and directed by Eren Ahn are available at the door or online at the University of Chicago Box Office. The show run from Thursday, Feb 7 to Saturday, February 9th. Showtimes are 7:30 PM nightly with a 2:00 pm matinee on Saturday. Thursday is a free preview. No ticket required.

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Ruthie Dworin is a second-year student at the University of Chicago majoring in Linguistics. Her theatrical background is mostly acting, but she discovered directing sophomore year of high school. She has assistant directed in her hometown, Louisville, KY, and at the University of Chicago on productions like A Bright Room Called Day by Tony Kushner, Julius Caesar, and Animals Out of Paper by Rajiv Joseph. In Louisville, she directed 26 Pebbles by Eric Ulloa and at UChicago she has directed Love, Loss, and What I Wore by Nora and Delia Ephron and short pieces by local playwrights for the annual New Work Week.

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The Committee on Theatre and Performance Studies supports innovative work at the intersection of theory and practice across a broad spectrum of disciplines. The University of Chicago’s undergraduate and graduate programs in TAPS stand out for the intellectual commitment they demand, the interdisciplinary perspective they require, and the extraordinary collaborative opportunities they provide with theatre, dance, and performance companies in Chicago, across the country, and around the world.

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Commedia dell’arte was an early form of professional theatre, originating from Italy, that was popular in Europe from the 16th to the 18th century. The characters of the commedia usually represent fixed social types and stock characters, such as foolish old men, devious servants, or military officers full of false bravado. The characters are exaggerated “real characters”, such as a know-it-all doctor called Il Dottore, a greedy old man called Pantalone, or a perfect relationship like the Innamorati. (Source Wikipedia)

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Viewpoints is a technique of composition that acts as a medium for thinking about and acting upon movement, gesture and creative space. Originally developed in the 1970s by choreographer Mary Overlie as a method of movement improvisation, The Viewpoints theory was adapted for stage acting by directors Anne Bogart and Tina Landau. Bogart and Overlie were on the faculty of ETW at NYU in the late 1970s and early 1980s during which time Bogart was influenced by Overlie’s innovations. Overlie’s Six Viewpoints (space, story, time, emotion, movement, and shape) are considered to be a logical way to examine, analyze and create dances, while Bogart’s Viewpoints are considered practical in creating staging with actors. (Source Wikipedia)

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500 bucks and a pack of smokes was partially developed through the Alberta Playwrights Network Wordshed Program. Many thanks to actors Elinor Holt, Eric Wigston, Jennica Grienke and Trevor Rueger for their participation and assistance in developing the play. The Alberta Playwrights’ Network exists to nurture Albertan playwrights and provide support for the development of their plays. APN promotes the province’s playwrights and plays to the theatre community while building and fostering a network of playwrights through education, advocacy, and outreach.

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Other blog posts you might want to check out include:

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Deathtrap at Vertigo Theatre: An Interview with director Jamie Dunsdon and actors Mark Bellamy and Tyrell Crews

January 30, 2019 by James Hutchison |

Tyrell Crews and Mark Bellamy in the Vertigo Theatre Production of Deathtrap by Ira Levin. Directed by Jamie Dunsdon, costumes by Hanne Loosen, set by David Fraser, Photo by Diane + Mike Photography

Mark Bellamy, former artistic director of Vertigo Theatre, returns to the stage to take on the role of Sidney Bruhl in Ira Levin’s intensely entertaining thriller Deathtrap. Joining him on stage is Tyrell Crews as aspiring playwright Clifford Anderson, Barbara Gates Wilson as Bruhl’s wife Myra Bruhl, Karen Johnson-Diamond as psychic Helga Ten Dorp, and Kevin Corey as attorney Porter Milgram. The production is being directed by Jamie Dunsdon.

Deathtrap is one of the longest running mystery thrillers to ever hit Broadway and even though the play premiered more than forty years ago it’s as fresh and funny and thrilling today as it was the day it opened. The only problem is that because the play is filled with so many twists and turns and surprises you have to talk about the play without talking about the play. The only thing I can tell you, without revealing any spoilers, is how the play begins.

Sidney Bruhl, once a successful Broadway murder mystery playwright, has fallen on hard times after numerous flops, so when he receives a brilliant murder mystery play in the mail from a former student, Sidney begins to contemplate murderous thoughts about how he might steal the play for himself. I sat down with director Jamie Dunsdon and actors Mark Bellamy and Tyrell Crews to talk about weapons of choice and Vertigo Theatre’s production of Deathtrap.

Barbara Gates Wilson as Myra Bruhl and Mark Bellamy as Sidney Bruhl in the Vertigo Theatre Production of Deathtrap by Ira Levin. Directed by Jamie Dunsdon, costumes by Hanna Loosen, set by David Fraser, Photo by Citrus Photo.

JAMES HUTCHISON

I’m going to start off with a hypothetical question. If you had to commit a murder – not saying that you would – what would be your weapon of choice?

MARK BELLAMY (Without hesitation)

Poison.

JAMES

Poison?

MARK

I have mine all planned out.

JAMES

Who’s the victim?

MARK

Oh, I can’t tell you that.

TYRELL CREWS

You’re looking at him.

JAMIE DUNSDON

It’s been a rough week. (Everyone laughs)

MARK

After running this company for ten years, you just amass so much knowledge that I actually figured out how I would do it. There’s a plant. I’m not going to say what the plant is, but you can grow it. It’s very common and there are different varieties of it. You can grow it in your garden and if you take the root and you soak it in vodka it makes it a tasteless, odourless, and almost untraceable poison that mimics a heart attack.

JAMES

It’s kind of disturbing that you’ve given this so much thought.

MARK

There’s even more. I figured out how I was going to use that poison.

TYRELL

I’m suddenly second-guessing our post-show martinis.

MARK

No, no, no – just never accept a cup of coffee from me – that’s the deal!

JAMES

Tyrell?

TYRELL

You know I haven’t given it as much thought as Mark.

MARK

Who has a detailed plan.

TYRELL

Well, like you said you lived in this building. I don’t know how I’d do it but what I will tell you is that last night I dreamt that I actually killed somebody with my bare hands – strangling – which was not even the major part of the dream. The major part of the dream was covering it up. There was a cell phone involved and I had to destroy the cell phone and the sim card itself and make sure the sim card was absolutely disintegrated because that’s the only thing that would have traced that individual to me.

MARK

This is exactly our characters.

JAMES

Good casting.

TYRELL

The violent one.

MARK

And the plotty one.

JAMES

Jamie, do you have a weapon of choice?

JAMIE

I do, but it’s for a very specific person. I would use peanuts.

MARK – TYRELL – JAMES

Ahhhh.

JAMIE

Yeah, I’d take them for a walk out in the mountains. Somewhere far away from their EpiPen and then I’d throw some trail mix their way. I would make it really pedestrian. Very every day.

Mark Bellamy as Sidney Bruhl, Barbara Gates Wilson as Myra Bruhl, and Tyrell Crews as Clifford Anderson in the Vertigo Theatre Production of Deathtrap by Ira Levin. Directed by Jamie Dunsdon, costumes by Hanne Loosen, set by David Fraser, Photo by Citrus Photo

JAMES

So, then let’s talk about the play. Deathtrap is one part thriller, one part comedy, and one part mystery and I’m wondering how do you balance all those elements so that we’re laughing where we’re supposed to and we’re screaming where we’re supposed to?

JAMIE

I think the script does most of it for us. The script is very well constructed, and it’s tried and tested. The playwright doesn’t drop in laughs except to break the tension and I think we just follow that lead for the most part. As far as the mystery and the thriller aspects go that’s more of a balancing act and we’re still working on that in rehearsal. It’s all about who knows what and when and then when do we want the audience to know what and when? So that’s the work – the final stage of rehearsal – we know what we’re doing but now we’re shaping the experience for the audience.

JAMES

And making sure you don’t telegraph to the audience at the wrong time what’s going on.

MARK

That’s the hardest part, I think.

TYRELL

Yeah, I think, it’s about playing these moments honestly and what’s on the page in that specific situation. I think Jamie’s done an amazing job in knowing when those secrets or the scheming are supposed to bubble up to the surface and peak through.

JAMIE

That’s right, it’s entirely volume control because we know this play so well now that – once you’re inside it – it’s hard to get back outside.

MARK

It’s super hard from the inside.

JAMES

Because you know everything.

MARK

I know everything and I think the previews will be really neat because I’m sure there’s going to be one night where we go way too far one way and then way too far the other. It’s about finding where the sweet spot is. And it’s really finite, isn’t it? It’s really particular.

JAMIE

There’s a narrow band that we need to live within and so that’s the work we’ve been doing the last couple of days and it’s a little bit subjective, right? It’s a little bit here’s how much I think we need to turn it up but I’m kind of the audience surrogate so I do my best to gage that but we could have audience members who are smarter than me and pick up on things earlier.

Karen Johnson-Diamond as Helga Ten Dorp in the Vertigo Theatre Production of Deathtrap by Ira Levin. Directed by Jamie Dunsdon, costumes by Hanne Loosen, set by David Fraser, Photo by Citrus Photo.

JAMES

And you’ve got a great cast you’re working with on this show.

JAMIE

We have a room that already understands the mystery genre because everybody in this show has worked with Vertigo multiple times which is fantastic. I’m leaning on their expertise as well, so for example, Mark caught something in rehearsal the other day that was very forensic. So, we have a room full of experts and fantastic people at the top of their craft and they’re also funny which is nice.

TYRELL

I think any hall that I have found success in is one where there’s the willingness to collaborate. It’s knowing that we’re all on the same playing field. Of course, Jamie has the final say but it’s the willingness to play and experiment which is supremely helpful for this type of play – auditioning every choice and volume level that we can.

JAMES

Now, Mark, you directed Deathtrap previously, haven’t you?

MARK

A long time ago. Sixteen or seventeen years ago. It was in 2002, I think.

JAMES

So, I’m kind of curious – you were the director and now you get to be the actor in it. Does having directed a show and now having had the chance to have aged into a part give you any additional insights?

MARK (Laughs)

It certainly gave me a familiarity with it. And when I directed it Stephen Hair was in it and Stephen was the former Artistic Director of the Pleiades.

JAMIE

And he had also directed it.

MARK

He had directed it! So there’s this weird little legacy.

JAMES

So, Jamie does that mean you’re going to be doing a female version of Deathtrap at some point?

JAMIE (Laughs)

Yes, I’m the next Sidney Bruhl.

JAMES

Mark, when you were directing it did you imagine that’s a part I want to play in twenty years?

MARK

I probably did. I fell in love with this play when I was in University. I saw the movie first and I’ve always been a fan of Deathtrap, but I don’t think back then my twenty-year-old self imagined my fifty-five-year-old self being Sidney Bruhl. I think I probably saw myself as a Clifford at some point when I was young, but that never happened.

JAMES

Tyrell, are there any particular parts that you want to play one day?

TYRELL

Hamlet is one of them. I’m a big Shakespeare guy so playing Benedict in Much Ado About Nothing with the Shakespeare Company last year was another one.

Tyrell Crews as Clifford Anderson and Mark Bellamy as Sidney Bruhl in the Vertigo Theatre Production of Deathtrap by Ira Levin. Directed by Jamie Dunsdon, costumes by Hanna Loosen, set by David Fraser, Photo by Citrus Photo.

JAMES

Is Sidney in your future?

TYRELL

Ahhh, I love this play. I love this part, but it will be a very very long time before I get Mark Bellamy out of my head.

MARK

Oh dear. Oh dear. I’ve affected you.

TYRELL

In a good way.

MARK

Well, there are two moments in the show where I channel Stephen Hair. I’m not going to say where they are. I don’t channel. I homage. I homage – like I remember what Stephen did. There’s only two though.

Mark Bellamy as Sidney Bruhl and Kevin Corey as attorney Porter Milgram in the Vertigo Theatre Production of Deathtrap by Ira Levin. Directed by Jamie Dunsdon, costumes by Hanne Loosen, set by David Fraser, Photo by Citrus Photo.

JAMES

So, murder mysteries look at the darker side of humanity and there’s always an element of desperation to the characters contemplating murder – why do you think audiences enjoy watching desperate characters making morally questionable decisions?

JAMIE

Probably because we do it in real life. We don’t go as far down that path so, it’s delightful to see someone have that impulse and actually follow it through. There’s something a little bit cathartic in that.

TYRELL

And they’re relatable. You like these people and you’re invited into their home and you meet them and they’re very charming and you kind of fall in love with them.

MARK

And they’re funny.

TYRELL

And I think the way the plays mapped out you can see the decision making that goes into the escalation and so you can understand that decision making.

JAMIE

It’s a character-driven thriller – which you can probably speak to that more Mark because I’m not sure how common those are. This is a thriller that’s plot-heavy and it’s plot driven but the characters are all grounded.

MARK

What characterizes a thriller as opposed to a who done it is the thriller is more about the people and what they’re going to do and how they’re going to do it and not what they’ve done. A who done it is for us to figure out. A thriller is more like what are they going to do now?

Mark Bellamy as Sidney Bruhl and Karen Johnson Diamond as Helga Ten Dorp in the Vertigo Theatre Production of Deathtrap by Ira Levin. Directed by Jamie Dunsdon, costumes by Hanna Loosen, set by David Fraser, Photo by Citrus Photo.

JAMES

So, we’re telling people about this wonderful play and if somebody were to ask you what you’re in and you say you’re in Deathtrap – and they say well why should come I see that? What would your sales pitch be?

MARK

Directed by Jamie Dunsdon

JAMES

That’s a good reason.

JAMIE

Stars Mark Bellamy.

MARK (Laughs)

I would say that it is probably the epitome of the American thriller. Deathtrap, to me, is the American thriller version of what the Mouse Trap is to the who done it. And it’s fun. It’s funny. It will scare you. You’ll jump out of your seat and if you can stay ahead of these characters then you’re a genius.

JAMIE

I always tell people the same thing I have written in my director’s notes for the show. I was working for Craig, the artistic director of Vertigo Theatre, a couple of years ago and he had me look through something like fifty plays from the genre in a matter of months and there was some great stuff there but there was also some not so great stuff and when I read Deathtrap in the first hour of reading it I was already gasping and doing little ahahs with my cats and so if you can get that out of a read then think how good it would be on stage.

JAMES

And because you are directing this Jamie, I was wondering how significant and important do you feel getting a chance to stage Deathtrap at Vertigo is in terms of your career development?

Tyrell Crews & Mark Bellamy in the Vertigo Theatre Production of Deathtrap by Ira Levin. Directed by Jamie Dunsdon, costumes by Hanne Loosen, set by David Fraser, Photo by Diane + Mike Photography

JAMIE

It’s huge for me, but that’s half my battle right now is to not get too worried about that. I just have to applaud Craig because there’s not a lot of artistic directors who give young female directors a chance and he did and so I’m so grateful for that opportunity and really grateful for him as a mentor in my life and I’m just now trying to focus on the work and not on the monumental career step in it for me.

JAMES

Well speaking of next steps what have you got coming up?

JAMIE

Nothing I can talk about. I’m in workshops for things that are coming up at Verb and I’m in the early stages of some stuff…like early design phase of some things that haven’t been announced yet so I can’t talk about them.

JAMES

Tyrell, you’re part of a new theatre company called Black Radish and I see you’ve got a production of Waiting for Godot coming up in April. Tell me a little bit about the creation of the company and the production.

TYRELL

It’s a passion project. A huge passion project for us all. Myself, Duval Lang, Chris Hunt and Andy Curtis have been meeting and reading and discussing the play for the last three maybe four years. We shopped it around a little bit but it wasn’t a good fit with any existing company in the city so we decided to bite the bullet and give it a crack ourselves and now Denise Clarke is directing it so we have a chance to work in the Flanagan Theatre at The Grand and they want to open their doors and invite the community in and have a fresh start and that’s a big push for me as an artist and an individual with our little company.

JAMES

Mark, you’ve got a show coming up later in the year at Stage West?

MARK

I’m directing A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder. It’s a Broadway musical that won the Tony Award in 2014. It’s very funny and it’s based on the film Kind Hearts and Coronets with Alec Guinness and it’s about a guy who thinks he is very poor but he discovers that he is actually the ninth in line to become Earl of Highhurst so he goes about murdering all of his relatives who are ahead of him and the great conceit in the show is that all of his family – all of the eight relatives – are played by one actor. It’s superbly funny and has really great music.

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Deathtrap by Ira Levin and directed by Jamie Dunsdon and starring Mark Bellamy, Tyrell Crews, Barabara Gates Wilson, Karen Johnson-Diamond and Kevin Corey runs at the Vertigo Mystery Theatre from January 26th to February 24th. Tickets start at just $29.00 and are available online at Vertigo Theatre or from the box office by calling (403) 221-3708.

Additional media for Deathtrap at Vertigo Theatre:

Other interviews you can check out on my website include:

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Year End Review: Interviews from 2018

December 18, 2018 by James Hutchison |

Over the last year, I’ve had the opportunity to interview and get to know some wonderfully creative people and talk to them about the creation of their work. I interviewed playwright Dale Lee Kwong about the premiere of her play Ai Yah! Sweet and Sour Secrets at Lunchbox Theatre, I interviewed Barb Mitchell about her long and varied career as an actor and broadcaster, and I interviewed Matt Dy from the Austin Film Festival about what makes that festival a must-attend event for up and coming writers with ambitions of working in television and film.

So, I thought I’d do a little Year End Review and touch on some of the wisdom and stories all these people shared with me over the last year. Plus, I asked everyone I talked with the same three questions at the end of their interview.

What makes a good friend?
The world needs more…?
What’s your favourite flavour of ice cream?

It’s a bit of an experiment really – it’s based on James Lipton’s practice of asking every guest he had on the Actor’s Studio the same ten questions. I thought three were enough and I wanted something a little light and fun to end the interview. So, read on to discover Haysam Kadri’s favourite ice cream or how Jamie Dunsdon describes a good friend.

And I’m busy lining up some interviews for 2019. This April I’ll be talking to Joe Slabe about his production of Crossing Swords at Storybook Theatre, come May I’ll be chatting with Artistic Producer Samantha MacDonald about the 2019/20 Lunchbox Theatre Season and in the fall I’ll be talking to my longtime friend and director David Winning about his film and television career.

Now if you’d like to catch a little theatre over the holiday season there are a couple of terrific shows worth seeing. You know Disney figured out a long time ago that the secret to success isn’t making children’s films but rather the secret to success is making family films. Films that are as entertaining and fun for the adults to watch as the children. And the good news is that this holiday season you can see a live play on the stage that is as much fun for the adults in the audience as the kids. Zorro: Family Code by Rebecca Northan, Bruce Horak and Christian Goutsis at Alberta Theatre Projects is a fun and exciting adventure that delivers laughs and thrills and will no doubt, once you’ve seen it, become a favourite family memory because theatre creates memorable experiences and the best experiences are those that we share with family and friends.

Derek Flores and Natasha Strickey in Alberta Theatre Projects’ production of ZORRO: Family Code by Rebecca Northan, Bruce Horak, and Christian Goutsis. Photo: Benjamin Laird. (Set and lights: Narda McCarroll. Costumes: Hanne Loosen)

Zorro: Family Code is about an aging Zorro who has returned to Spain ready once again to defend the people against his arch nemesis, the corrupt and self-centered Capitán Juan Ramon. However when a second masked hero named Zoro turns up the comic misadventures multiply. There’s plenty of physical comedy and swordplay in this adventure and the production makes full use of Alberta Theatre Projects thrust stage.

The story is brought to life by a talented and perfectly cast ensemble featuring Derek Flores as Don Diego De La Vega better known as Zorro, Mabelle Carvajal as the beautiful love interest and narrator of the story Maria Murrieta, Tyrell Crews as the villainous and never gives up Capitán Juan Ramon, Kevin Corey as the comical sidekick Sergeant Pedro Gonzales, Lucian-River Mirage Chauhan as Miguel De La Vega or as I like to call him the son of Zorro, and Natasha Strickey as the independent, smart, and not too bad with a sword herself daughter of Zorro Isodora De La Vega.

The night we saw the show a young boy sitting behind us with his family went “Wow!” when a blossomed covered tree magically descended to the stage. Which simply means, and I quite agree, that this production has the wow factor! Great fun for the whole family. Highly recommended. Zorro: Family Code runs until December 30th at Alberta Theatre Projects in the Martha Cohen Theatre. Tickets are available through the Alberta Theatre Projects Box Office or online on their website.

Tyrell Crews, Derek Flores, and Lucian-River Mirage Chauhan in Alberta Theatre Projects’ production of ZORRO: Family Code by Rebecca Northan, Bruce Horak, and Christian Goutsis. Photo: Benjamin Laird. (Set and lights: Narda McCarroll. Costumes: Hanne Loosen)

And speaking of the “Wow!” factor I had an opportunity to catch Storybook Theatre’s Production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat over the weekend and this production is one of the best musicals I’ve seen on the Calgary Stage. It’s not just the music – it’s the dancing and the chemistry between the actors and the inventive staging – that all contribute to make this an unforgettable theatre experience. And the production is made all the more thrilling because of the intimate nature of the Storybook stage. You’re up and close and fully immersed. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat runs until December 29th. Tickets are available online at the Storybook Theatre website or at the box office.

Alex Smith as Joseph in the Storybook Theatre Production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

And even though it’s close to being sold out you still have a chance to catch Stephen Hair as Ebenezer Scrooge in the Theatre Calgary production of A Christmas Carol. This is the last year for this particular adaptation and it marks Hair’s 25th year playing Scrooge. A Christmas Carol is a timeless tale about forgiveness, redemption, second chances, and a celebration of the true spirit of Christmas. A Christmas Carol runs until December 23rd and tickets may be purchased online or at the Theatre Calgary Box Office.

The cast of A Christmas Carol, photo Trudie Lee

And marking its fifth year on the Calgary Stage is Naughty or Nice The Big V by Forte Musical Theatre. While Zorro, Joseph, and Scrooge are suitable for families this show is a little naughty and intended for a mature audience. Directed by JP Thibodeau with musical direction by Joe Slabe and starring Scott Olynek, Justine Westby, Tenaj Williams, and Madeleine Suddaby this Calgary Holiday tradition is a great date night idea or night out with friends. Naughty or Nice runs until December 22nd at Lunchbox theatre and tickets can be purchased online at the Forte Music or Lunchbox Theatre website.

Madeleine Suddaby, Tenaj Williams, Justine Westby and Scott Olynek in the Forte Musical Theatre Guild production of Naughty but Nice: The Big V

And finally you can catch a production of Jersey Boys: The Story of Franki Vali & The Four Seasons playing at Stage West Calgary until February 3rd. The Tony Award winning Jersey Boys features classic tunes like, Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry, Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You and chronicles how four working-class kids became one of the greatest success stories in pop music. Plus Stage West is offering a special New Year’s Eve package that includes their gourmet dinner buffet, a champagne toast, a midnight mini-buffet, and dancing after the show. Reservations for the New Year’s Eve show are available only through the box office by calling 403.243.6642. Regular Tickets are available through the Box Office or online at Stage West.

And don’t forget you can always check out what’s happening in the Calgary professional and community theatre scene by checking out the Calgary Herald Theatre Listings or the YYSCENE Listings of Upcoming Events.

Now, back to my Year End Review. Below is the complete list of interviews featured in this blog post. If you’re interested in checking out the entire interview for any of these folks you can click on the links below or on the link at the end of each summary.

Interview with Playwright Dale Lee Kwong: Ai Yah! Sweet And Sour Secrets

Playwright Dale Lee Kwong – Photo by: Tung Bui illusionistproductions.com

Last February when I talked with Dale Lee Kwong she was celebrating the premiere of her play Ai Yah! Sweet and Sour Secrets at Lunchbox Theatre. Dale writes poetry, plays, and creative non-fiction and is a third-generation Chinese-Canadian whose work often explores Chinese-Canadian history, diversity, and inclusion, as well as adoption, and LGBTQ issues. One of the nice thing about Dale’s story is that her Lunchbox production was a forty-year dream come true.

DALE LEE KWONG

It’s been my goal to have a play at Lunchbox Theatre since 1978. I was in grade twelve when the Stage One program first started, and I don’t even know how I ended up going to all the Stage One readings but I did, and I made a mental note to myself that someday I would like to have a play at Lunchbox.

JAMES HUTCHISON

But isn’t that fascinating – that there’s that connection from thirty years ago – no forty years ago.

DALE

Oh my God, forty years! That makes me tear up thinking about that. That’s why this play is so special to me. Lunchbox is my favourite theatre company, and I make no bones about saying that. I’ve been donating to them for years, and I’ve been volunteering there, and I think they’re one of the best treasures in Calgary.

***

Ai Yah! Sweet and Sour Secrets is a very funny coming out culture clash comedy that explores family secrets and ultimately our acceptance of the people we love for who they are. And I think, one of the secrets to Dale’s success as a writer has been her willingness to say, “I don’t know. I’m new, but I’d like to learn.”

***

DALE

Even though I’m not as much of a greenhorn as I was twelve years ago I’m still a newbie. This is my first big production. So, there’s a bit of a learning curve, but I’m really lucky because one of my mentors in the theatre community is Sharon Pollock whom I’ve known since 2006, and over the last few years we’ve become really good friends because we walk our dogs together.

Ben Wong as Charlie, Jamie Matchullis as Jennifer, Kelsey Verzotti as Jade and Chantelle Han as Lilly in the Lunchbox Theatre production of Ai Yah! Sweet and Sour Secrets – Photograph by Benjamin Laird

DALE

Sharon is wonderful. Last year she had her own new play Blow Wind High Water at Theatre Calgary and she had a revision happening on another play at Stratford and I was going through stuff on my end and so I could ask her questions like, “Should I go to the rehearsals?” And Sharon was the first to say, “It’s your right to go to the rehearsal. Not all playwrights do. In fact, most directors would probably discourage it, but you’re emerging – you’re a rookie – you should go to them all.” She said, “Just take a book, and be there if they need you, and listen once in a while, and see what things they struggle with, and you’ll learn.”

You know I always say to emerging artists, particularly artists in their 20s, I say, “You have age on your side. You can plead complete ignorance. You can say, I don’t know. I’ve never been to a dress rehearsal? Can I come to your dress rehearsal? I’ve never been to a first read. Can I come to your first read?”

The other thing you can do if you’re an emerging writer or artist is volunteer. I have been ushering at Calgary theatres for more than ten years. Almost every theatre company in the city uses ushers, and if you usher you get to see the play for free, and you meet the people behind the scenes. So there are all these people that I’ve met along the way, and I’ve been supporting them for ten years, and I finally have something they can come to.

***

And here are Dale’s answers to my three final questions.

JAMES

What makes a good friend?

DALE

My best friend is loyal, forgiving, consistent, has a sense of humour, and love me unconditionally.

JAMES

The world needs more?

DALE

The world needs more action and less empty promises.

JAMES

And most important of all what’s your favourite flavour of ice cream?

DALE

My favourite ice cream always changes to whatever is in season at Village Ice Cream!

***

Which means, since this is now December, I had to check out the seasonal flavours at Village Ice Cream and Dale’s current favourites would be Ferrero Rocher and Bourbon Eggnog.

You can read Dale’s entire interview by following the link: Interview with Playwright Dale Lee Kwong.

An interview with Matt Dy: Director of Script Competitions at the 2018 Austin Film Festival

Gabbi Lindgren, Script Competitions Coordinator & Matt Dy, Director of Script Competitions – Austin Film Festival

The Austin Film Festival is a celebration of film and television that focuses on story and the people who write the screenplays and teleplays. The festival features industry professionals as well as up and coming writers. This year my play, Masquerade, was a finalist in the stageplay competition. I gave Matt Dy, the Director of Competitions for The Austin Film Festival, a call to talk to him about the festival and what participants can expect.

MATT DY

The thing that still remains intact over the twenty-five-year history of the festival is our goal and mission to champion the screenwriter. We’re now open to playwrights and eventually we may become more of a hub for all forms of story because we’re also expanding into fiction podcasting and we have a digital series component as well – content for the web – so there’s a lot of different formats that we’ve embraced over the years but the mission to champion the writer is still the same.

JAMES HUTCHISON

The festival has a number of writing competitions. You’ve got the feature-length drama. You’ve got the comedy feature. Horror. Sci-fi. So you’ve got lots of different categories, but I’m wondering, regardless of the genre, do you notice anything that the winning scripts seem to possess? Something in them that makes this writing stand out.

MATT

I think if I had to pin it on one thing it would be stories that have that unique voice – that unique perspective. Those stories end up winning or advancing in the competition. It’s always their unique spin on a familiar story. A different perspective so that when you’re reading it you go, “Oh that’s brilliant. I wasn’t expecting that.”

Vince Gilligan creator of Breaking Bad & Better Call Saul at the 2013 Austin Film Festival

JAMES

Well, let’s talk a little bit about the festival. There are two components. There’s the film festival and there’s the conference and the conference is filled with industry professionals and established as well as up and coming writers. What’s the conference part of the festival about?

MATT

I like to call it summer camp for screenwriters except it’s only four days. It sort of has that Kumbaya feel when you first arrive. It’s palatable – at least for me. You know you can stereotype writers and say they’re all an isolated bunch who are very introverted who don’t like to converse or be communal, but I find that even the most introverted screenwriter, deep down, really wants to connect, and I think when they realize that wow, I’m not the only one who feels that way, and they come to a conference where it’s a bunch of introverts and a lot of thinkers and creative types who are just like them then the walls start to come down. And we try to make it easy for them to get to know each other and just converse and make friends. Usually without fail that’s what happens.

JAMES

Are there any legendary stories from the festival that you can share?

MATT

You know what feels legendary for me each year is the Awards Luncheon and hopefully you’ll see that and feel that too when you’re here because the awards luncheon is where we celebrate the winners in the competition and win or lose it’s still a really great event because on that stage we are awarding up and coming writers from our competition and we’re also honouring the established writers like the Tony Gilroys, the Larry Wilmores, Roger Corman, Dan Petrie and so they’re all on the same stage together. And what’s so beautiful is that one of those awardees, almost without fail, will comment on what they’ve seen from the up and coming writers. They’re deeply moved by the time they get up on stage because they’re also not sure what to expect at our festival. So, when they see we’re really championing the writer and they’re hearing all the winner’s stories and we even have a young filmmakers award so they end up seeing young kids going up there and accepting awards too it makes an impact. And these kids are in awe of what they are seeing – you know these teenagers are seeing people from different backgrounds and ages winning our script competition and our film competition and then they’re seeing highly established people as well and so that’s really inspiring for the next generation of young people who are going to continue to create and write and tell stories. And for me, that feels legendary because everybody always comes away feeling so invigorated and inspired.

***

And here are Matt’s answers to my three final questions.

JAMES

What makes a good friend?

MATT

You kind of threw me off guard I was expecting something film related but I’m game, alright. I would say a good friend…unconditional support and a good listener. I’d say that would be my answer.

JAMES

The world needs more…?

MATT

Compassion and empathy and being able to listen to people who have a different opinion or background from your own and just taking the time to listen to others.

JAMES

What’s your favourite flavour of ice cream?

MATT

Mmmmm, I think my go-to is Ben and Jerry’s Phish Food.

***

Which is, for those of you who don’t know, Chocolate Ice Cream with Gooey Marshmallow Swirls, Caramel Swirls & Fudge Fish.

You can read Matt’s entire interview by following the link: An Interview with Matt Dy: Director of Script Competitions at the 2018 Austin Film Festival

Red Rock Diner is Summertime fun at Stage West Calgary – Interview with Red Robinson & Ben Cookson

Scott Beaudin, Sarah Higgins, Carter Easler, Lee-Anne Galloway, Scott Beaudin and Ben Cookson in the Stage West Production of Red Rock Diner by Dean Regan – John Watson Photography

Stage West has found a formula for success producing entertaining musicals, comedies, and Broadway hits. In fact, as I mentioned at the beginning of this blog, you can catch a production of Jersey Boys The Story of Frankie Vali and the Four Seasons on stage until February 3rd. But last summer Stage West produced Red Rock Diner. Red Rock Diner by Dean Regan is a rockabilly jukebox musical that celebrates the music of the fifties and features plenty of classic hits like Johnny B. Good, Who Wrote the Book of Love and Great Balls of Fire! The play is loosely based on the early career of Canada’s champion of rock ‘n’ roll music DJ Red Robinson who started spinning rock ‘n’ roll records on Vancouver’s CJOR while he was still in high school in 1954.

I spoke with both the original Red Robinson and Ben Cookson who plays Red in the show. Red, who is 81, still has a youthful energy and infectious enthusiasm for rock ‘n’ roll more than 70 years after he first heard and helped spread the music of Roy Orbison, Chuck Berry, The Big Bopper and Elvis.

Red Robinson & Elvis

JAMES HUTCHISON

So, you were there at the beginning of rock ‘n’ roll. Did the stars align for you or were you pushing in some way to get into that position? How did you end up being the person introducing rock ‘n’ roll to Canada?

RED ROBINSON

Nobody else would take a gamble, and they didn’t know what they were doing, and I’m not being rude. I was a kid. I was seventeen, and I knew what the kids in high school wanted. You know the teachers would throw a dance and play Glenn Miller, but in truth we all went down to a little restaurant called The Oakway at the corner of Oak and Broadway – it’s not there anymore. And the guy had a jukebox and he played rhythm and blues and we were all getting up and dancing to it and that’s where the idea of Red Rock Diner came from you know the title of the play. We just had fun.

JAMES

How did you discover the music to put on the air?

RED

Well, I’d go down to the music stores in those days and you’d ask for it and they’d reach under the counter and put it in a brown paper bag and give it to you like it was pornography. It was unbelievable. And I think it was because they were black artists – that was the problem – and you know that all changed – thank God.

So, I’d buy my own records and when I couldn’t get them fast enough I would go to a little record store in Billingham Washington just across the border, and I made a deal with a company called Stark Music and every new record that came in I took them. And I’d drive down – it’s about sixty miles – I’d drive down – get them and come back home and play em on the radio. By the time they were pressed in Canada and mailed out it would be another week to ten days.

JAMES

So, you were offering something that was fresh and on the cutting edge.

RED

That’s right.

JAMES

Well you know musicians need their champions, right? I think that’s a good way to think about you. You were a champion for that music and for those artists.

RED

I really was, and I believed in it. And I’ll tell you one thing I never told anybody. I traveled by airplane all around this province doing sock hops, taking my own music with me, taking giveaways, and you know only because I believed in it and I wanted the music to spread and so if anyone hates rock ‘n’ roll you got to hate me.

***

Ben Cookson as Red Robinson in the Stage West Production of Red Rock Diner by Dean Regan – John Watson Photography

Bringing the character of Red Robinson to life on stage is Ben Cookson. Ben bears an uncanny likeness to the young Red Robinson and has the same infectious positive attitude and smile.

JAMES HUTCHISON

Why do you think this music still resonates today?

BEN COOKSON

This music still resonates today because the eighty-year-olds are still playing it for their kids and grandkids. I think rock ‘n’ roll introduced a heartbeat into music. I think it’s a heartbeat that appears in all genres today. Rock ‘n’ roll creates this internal feeling that you can’t help but move to.

JAMES

Is it a little something primal maybe?

BEN

Yeah, exactly. You get hooked on it right away. And I think that’s why that music is still being played.

JAMES

What’s it like for you to perform in a show that’s running for a couple of months?

BEN

A show like Red Rock Diner – especially for the other five guys – is a heavy breathing show. They’re working their butts off. And it definitely becomes easier over time and that allows us to sink into the text of the songs and the actual beats of it and the reaction of the audience a little more, but it’s all for the audience because it’s their first time seeing the show even though it may be our sixtieth time doing the show. We owe it to them to give it our best every time.

Scott Beaudin, Ben Chiasson, Carter Easler, Ben Cookson, Sarah Higgins, and Lee-Anne Galloway in the Stage West Production of Red Rock Diner by Dean Regan – John Watson Photography

JAMES

What’s your impression of Stage West as a company and Stage West as a performance space?

BEN

I think the large reason our cast has become such a family is because the production team and the family here at Stage West is so strong. Everyone cares so much about the production. Everyone cares so much about each other. It’s hard not to love what you’re doing and who you’re working with.

***

And here are Red’s answers to my three final questions.

JAMES

What do you think makes a good friend?

RED

I think it’s sort of like almost having a brother or a sister. Someone you can trust and you never think about it after that. Otherwise, they’re not a friend.

JAMES

The world needs more…?

RED

Well, you could fill that in with love. I mean if everybody got along we wouldn’t have wars but we’re not built that way as human beings. I think the Beatles summed it all up with, “All you need is love.”

JAMES

What is your favourite ice cream?

RED (Laughs)

My favourite ice cream, believe it or not, is strawberry.

***

And here are Ben’s answers to my three final questions.

JAMES

What makes a good friend?

BEN

A good friend is someone you’re not afraid, to be honest with. You’re not afraid to criticize if need be and who will always be there in good times and bad times.

JAMES

The world needs more…?

BEN

The world needs more selflessness. I think that’s the biggest issue today. Everyone so concerned about themselves and where they’re at tomorrow as opposed to where the world is going to be at a couple of years from now. It’s very very selfish. I think the world needs more selflessness.

JAMES

What’s your favourite ice cream?

BEN

My favourite ice cream – whoa – I’m a sucker for a good Rocky Road but I also love the fruit varieties. A little black cherry ice cream is definitely a close second but Rocky Road is probably the first.

***

You can read Red and Ben’s entire interview by following the link: Red Rock Diner is Summertime fun at Stage West Calgary – Interview with Red Robinson & Ben Cookson

Interview with Helen Young: Urban Stories: Social Justice Issues for the Stage

Helen Young, Artistic Director Urban Stories Theatre

Urban Stories Theatre supports local playwrights who write about social justice issues and helps these playwrights go from first draft to finished production. The company is made up of a core group of local artists who oversee all productions and workshops.

Urban Stories and the Knox Theatre Collective presented, The Just Acts Youth Edition last June at Knox United Church. The Just Acts Youth Edition is a showcase for young writers to develop and present their work on stage.

Helen Young is the Artistic Director and one of the founders of Urban Stories Theatre. Her theatre, film, and television work goes back more than 30 years and includes acting, singing, dancing, stunt work, writing, teaching, and directing. I spoke to Helen about her thoughts on theatre’s place in our culture and this year’s festival.

JAMES HUTCHISON

I’m wondering where you think theatre fits into our society and culture now that we have so many other ways of communicating ideas and engaging in conversations with others such as Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and of course Facebook.

HELEN YOUNG

I think theatre will always be important and necessary, because we need to connect in person. I do and see a lot of theatre, and nothing beats an audience reacting to live theatre. Or leaving the theatre and hearing people discussing what they’ve just seen. I would rather see a live show than a movie. We need human contact, and that’s one of the things that’s driving Urban Stories Theatre to move towards a more socially aware focus starting now.

JAMES

You have a play festival coming up called Just Acts Youth Edition. What is the Just Acts Youth Edition?

HELEN

Every year we do the Just Acts Play Fest in February where we invite playwrights to submit short plays on a common theme that changes each year. It has been running for about 8 years now and is very popular. So, we decided to do a Youth Edition for younger writers. UST works with the Encore Junior High Drama Fest each May and we perform the student written plays. Last year we did a show of the plays from the festival. This year we are moving to a more social justice, humanity theme. So, we looked for more socially aware plays and performance pieces.

JAMES

Where did the idea for the festival come from?

HELEN

Young voices are often taken for granted or not heard at all, so we wanted to offer a platform for them to be heard. I have been going to Youth Riot for a few years now and watching the faces of the writers and performers when an audience reacts to a piece they wrote. I wanted to offer another avenue for these creative young artists to express themselves.

JAMES

You’re also producing a play that you’ve written called, Touch of Grace, which deals with the teen sex trade. How did this project evolve?

HELEN

I have a degree in sociology, and my focus was woman’s correctional facilities. Many of the women I spoke with were forced to grow up too fast. That’s where Grace began, girls growing up too fast and doing whatever it takes to survive. I also focused on the people who help these girls. Social workers who burn out fast. The play doesn’t deal with facts, it deals with an almost mystical sense of love and empathy that Grace has towards others. Something that touches them and allows them to open up their hearts and souls. The people at the group Home need Grace as much as she needs them.

JAMES

What do you hope audiences will take away from this show?

HELEN

We’re all in this world together, and it’s always easier to deal with what life throws at you when you have a good support system. Many of us take our friends and families a little bit for granted. If people walk away from this show and talk about it or go hug a friend, then I’ve done my job.

***

And here are Helen’s answers to my three final questions.

JAMES

What makes a good friend?

HELEN

Good friends are people who respect who you are and where you are in your life journey. They support you and help in times of change and offer guidance and challenge you when needed. They love you for who you are.

JAMES

The world needs more …?

HELEN

Art, music, theatre, dance and storytellers. These are the things that make the world worth living in.

JAMES

What’s your favourite flavour of ice cream?

HELEN

Vanilla!

***

You can read Helen’s entire interview by following the link: Urban Stories: Social Justice Issues for the Stage

Interview with Playwright Neil Fleming: Spare Parts

Neil Fleming – Playwright, Designer, Television Writer/Producer

Neil Fleming is a multi-talented, award winning Calgary designer, playwright and television producer. In our hour and a half chat last Friday Neil and I talked about all kinds of things including playwriting, depression, Chuck Wendig, poltergeists and ADHD. The purpose of our getting together was to talk about Neil’s playwriting and specifically his current play, Spare Parts, which was being workshopped at the Stage One Festival of New Canadian Work at Lunchbox Theatre .

JAMES HUTCHISON

The new play you’re working on with Lunchbox Theatre is called Spare Parts and has three characters. There’s Martin a widower living alone in the haunted apartment his wife Sarah convinced him to buy, and on the anniversary of the accidental death of his wife and daughter Emily, Martin decides to take an overdose of anti-depressants.

Then there’s Eric, Martin’s upstairs neighbour, and a former human guinea pig for pharmaceutical companies, who is now developing and promoting a new Life Style System that focuses on exercise, recreation, and meditation through colouring as a pathway to an enjoyable life.

And finally, there’s Sarah, Martin’s dead wife. As Martin trips through his various symptoms, side-effects, and visions, we meet Sarah as a memory. In life, Sarah had a business taking people on tours of haunted buildings. She knew the story of Lester – who had been found dead in a heritage building – presumably payback for a romantic tryst. When she heard the apartment was coming on the market, she knew she had to convince Martin to buy it and move in. These three characters…

NEIL FLEMING

Well, four if you count Lester.

JAMES

Four characters are caught up in a story about suicide, depression, guilt, religion, and the supernatural. First question, how much of that is based on personal experience?

NEIL

Well I didn’t know this at the time, but I did struggle with anxiety and depression. It was more anxiety, I think. Depression I didn’t know how to define. I didn’t know anything about mental health really. Depression to me was sadness, as a writer. As a clinical term it’s something else. What I was struggling with was my inability to focus and accomplish things and constantly feeling like I was getting lapped by younger writers or whatever. I was like why can’t I get anything done?

Recently I’ve been diagnosed with ADHD and it was such a relief to finally know what I’ve been struggling with my entire life really. But, before I was diagnosed I was buying a book by Peter Shankman called Crazy Publicity Stunts and Why Your Company Should Do Them because I was thinking of doing a street theatre project that was sort of a social media experiment. And beside that book, in the people who bought this book also bought section, was another book by Peter Shankman called, Faster Than Normal. How to hack your ADHD brain and unleash your super power. And I was like, I want to read that. I ordered both of them. And that book explained my entire life, my entire history, and I was like Oh, my God. That’s my childhood. This is high school. University. All of those things, and I could see how things went sideways

And when you’re a writer and you sit down to write something it’s work. The first draft is always fun, but fixing it and fine-tuning it that’s work, and if nobody’s breathing down your neck waiting for a draft then it’s easy to just let that one sit there and start something new. So, I have a lot of different projects that haven’t seen the light of day because I haven’t been able to focus. I started Spare Parts years ago, and it was part of my mental health journey.

The other thing with ADHD is that when I need to focus I can hyperfocus. That’s the H part. As an adult it’s not hyperactivity it’s impulse control. And so, yesterday I was writing solid for five to six hours on the play because I have to give them something to read by Monday so we can start to work on it.

JAMES

You mentioned something in a previous interview when you were asked, “What do you think art is?” You said, “I suppose art is an expression of human emotion.” Why do you think we have this need to examine our emotional connection and reaction to other people, the world, and ourselves?

NEIL

I think that there are so many unanswered questions that we have. You know I took first-year philosophy when I was at University and it was all Plato’s Republic and you couldn’t make me read that book – it was like painful. If it had been a survey course of all the philosophers I think I would have really gotten into it with different perspectives and stuff.

JAMES

Maybe theatre is philosophy on stage?

NEIL

Yeah, kind of. It’s trying to explain what it means to be a person, because we don’t know what happens after we die. As artists I think we’re always trying to reflect back, and sometimes it’s a funhouse mirror reflection, but you know it’s also a compulsion. And I think the ADD is part of it too. I just started doing collage work with my photography. A few years ago we were in Paris for my wife’s 50th birthday and I saw all these numbers everywhere, and I just started taking pictures of numbers – like address numbers and here and there, and I bought one of those big cheap print things for ten bucks form Homesense or whatever, and I pasted all of these photographs over top of it as a present for my wife, and here’s our entire Paris trip on one canvas, and you could see us in some of them, and some of the pictures were tiny, and I have no idea the compulsion that drove me to do that, but it felt like something I needed to do.

JAMES

Do you think that’s what your plays are like? Like in terms of your process it reflects what you’re doing with your photography, because you’ve got all these different ideas, all these little bits, and now you’re putting them together, and the play itself when the audience comes to it is the experience of all these little pieces.

NEIL

Yes, and the take away will be different for everyone, you know, I think. Especially with this. There’s so much crazy content in this play. There’s an artistic epiphany in my play John Doe Jack Rabbit. There’s a moment where the TV’s broken and they’re stuck in this cabin they’re on the lam and this one guy Gordy is reading a book – it’s this trashy horrible romance novel called Ravaged at Rush Hour. But then he gets so sucked into this book – as if he’s never read a book before – and he has this moment where he’s like, the person who wrote this book wrote it down so I would know what it feels like to be Jessica in the cab or whatever it was, right? And that was one of those things. That’s what playwriting is about. What art is about. This is what it’s like to feel like I feel, and I put it into this painting for you to grasp that concept, or I put it in this play for you to go – wow that’s what’s going on in your head.

And here are Neil’s answers to my three final questions.

JAMES

What makes a good friend?

NEIL

Reliability.

JAMES

The world needs more…

NEIL

Honesty

JAMES

What’s your favourite flavour of ice cream?

NEIL

Butterscotch Ripple

***

You can read Neil’s entire interview by following the link: Interview with Playwright Neil Fleming: Spare Parts

Interview with Playwright Wendy Froberg: A Woman of a Certain Age

Wendy Froberg is an actor, playwright, and psychologist and whose one-woman award-winning play, A Woman of a Certain Age, won “Best of Fest” at the 2015 Calgary International Fringe Festival and since then has received strong reviews and successful runs at the Edmonton, Lethbridge, Regina and Winnipeg Fringe Festivals.

The play is an entertaining and insightful story about six women who are trying to cope with the demands of family and career as they struggle with the physical and emotional challenges of growing older in a culture obsessed with youth and beauty. I sat down with Wendy to talk with her about her play and playwriting.

JAMES HUTCHISON

Can you tell me about the genesis of your play, A Woman of a Certain Age?

WENDY FROBERG

As you know, as a playwright, often whether we intend to or not, parts of ourselves end up being in the play. Whether they’re done literally or whether they’re done from our emotional experience. As I became older and passed out of the ability to play the ingénue roles and got married and had children I began to realize that I was beginning to have a different currency in the world. I wasn’t looked upon the way that I was when I was younger. There are a lot of issues about growing older that have to do with the physical aspects of aging. It’s when you go from being someone who can turn a head when you walk into a room, to being someone that becomes somewhat invisible. And that’s actually a tagline I use when I’m promoting my play and talking about it. The women that I’m portraying are struggling to age with meaning and grace in a culture that’s obsessed with youth and beauty and wants to make them invisible.

JAMES

You’ve done some talkbacks with the play. What sort of conversations have you had with people after they’ve seen the play? When it’s the actor-playwright sitting there – what are some of the themes that get discussed?

WENDY

It’s different things for different people. There’s a character in the show who’s a widow as well as an aging mother and she’s suffering from dementia and living in a care home and I get a lot of women who say, “I’m going through exactly that with my mother.” And often, they’re tearful and they say, “That’s exactly how she behaves.” And they’re grateful for the fact that somebody recognizes how difficult it is to watch your parent go through that.

I also have a theme that runs through the show about physical appearance and women often say, “Yeah I’m struggling with the concept of whether or not I should get Botox or should I get a facelift or should I have the courage to let my hair go gray and be natural and embrace the concept of aging because that’s a difficult thing to do, because if you acknowledge that you’re older then people will make assumptions about you and think you’re ready to go out to pasture.” And in the play I’m never judgmental about whether someone wants to do that or not. I think a good play poses questions. You never want your play to be preachy. You never want your play to simply be about your point of view that you’re forcing on your audience.

JAMES

When we see acting that is truthful and sincere it has impact. But what about life itself and theatre’s reflection of life – do you think that life is a search for truth?

WENDY

Is life a search for truth? I think ideally it is. I think people that go off into the light happily – however you want to say it – those are the people that have somehow discovered the more profound fundamental truths about life. I always tease people and say, “No one is lying on their death bed saying they wished they’d worked at the office more or wished they’d partied more.” You know generally what gives people a sense of peace and meaning – again because we’re talking about aging meaningfully – is that they made those profound human connections. They struggled, but they overcame. They had loss, but they healed from that. They were transformed. And I think the happiest people are the ones who live most truthfully.

Interview With Playwright Wendy Froberg: Queen of the Ring – The Story of Johnnie Mae Young

Wendy Froberg – Actor, Playwright, & Psychologist

Queen of the Ring by playwright Wendy Froberg is the story of Johnnie Mae Young who spent over seven decades of her life slamming, punching and clawing her way to the top of the women’s professional wrestling world. Despite her pin-up good looks, she was a trash-talking bad girl the crowds loved to hate. From the carnival sideshows of the dirty thirties to the glitz and drama of the WWE, Mae Young rose to fame as the toughest, most dangerous female and one of the top attractions in the rough and tumble, disreputable world of old-school pro wrestling.

JAMES HUTCHISON

Well, why did you feel this need to tell the story of Johnnie Mae Young and write a play?

WENDY FROBERG

Johnnie Mae and other female wrestlers like her lived in a time when women were supposed to be demure ladies in heels and make-up, and not down-and-dirty, ass-kicking fighters. They broke the rules about how women were supposed to behave sometimes at a great cost to themselves. These women were feminists before we had a name for it. They were trailblazers who proved that despite the theatricality and fakery involved in wrestling it’s a true sport and they were bona fide athletes.

JAMES

What sort of message do you think Mae’s story has for the people of today?

WENDY

There has always been a history of people in power, often white men, taking advantage of those with less power, often women and people of colour, and so I think Mae’s story is very timely considering the greater awareness and growing power of the #metoo and #timesup movements. Mae and her colleagues fought back against their exploitation and rose to create lives of truthfulness and empowerment. She knew she had skills, talent, ambition, and drive and didn’t let anyone stand in her way which sometimes led to real fights outside of the ring as well as in. But it’s also true that she used her sexuality as a source of power and this brings up another question we grapple with today and that’s if a woman chooses to use her sexuality to get ahead, is she still being exploited because it’s largely men who want what she has? That’s something I’ll let the audience decide for themselves.

JAMES

If Mae were alive today and could come to see the show you’ve created what do you think she’d say – or what do you hope she’d say?

WENDY

Well, I’d be scared shitless if I got it wrong and she didn’t like it, because that woman – literally – wouldn’t pull any punches about letting me know what she thought. I do think—or hope—she’d see that we’ve recognized the depth of her skill and tenacity, the obstacles that she and her fellow female wrestlers had to overcome to survive and thrive in a tough, unfair world, and the fact that she didn’t care about being nice or liked, as so many women do. We didn’t sugar-coat anything or cover up any ugly realities about her less-than-perfect behavior. We captured her strength, resilience, and love of the sport as both an athlete and an entertainer. Mae Young truly did it her way and I think she’d agree that we showed that.

***

And here are Wendy’s answers to my three final questions.

JAMES

What do you think makes a good friend?

WENDY

Loyalty—someone who is there for you in good times and bad. Truthfulness—someone who will tell you what you need to know, not necessarily what you want to hear! Adventurousness—someone who says ‘yes’ more than they say ‘no’ and who will be my partner in crime – although nothing serious – as we look for the humour in life.

JAMES

What do you think the world needs more of?

“Love, sweet love”. Because if we don’t come from a place of love, then we are coming from a place of fear–and people do hurtful things when they are afraid. They shrink, they defend, they blame, they become self-preoccupied and in survival mode. Love allows us to grow, to be responsible, to care about others and see their point of view.

JAMES

What’s your favourite flavour of ice cream?

WENDY

Chocolate-peanut butter

***

You can read Wendy’s entire interview by following the link: Interview with Playwright Wendy Froberg: A Woman of a Certain Age

You can read Wendy’s entire interview by following the link: Interview with Playwright Wendy Froberg: Queen of the Ring – The Story of Johnnie Mae Young

Interview with Braden Griffiths: 21st Annual Betty Mitchell Awards

Kathryn Kerbes as Mrs. Hudson, Braden Griffiths as Sherlock Holmes and Curt McKinstry as Dr. Watson in the Vertigo Theatre Production of Sherlock Holmes and the American Problem by R. Hamilton Wright. Photo by Tim Nguyen

On Monday, June 25th the Calgary Theatre community came together to celebrate the Twenty-first annual Betty Mitchell Awards. I sat down with actor, playwright, and at that time President of the Betty Mitchell Board Braden Griffiths, who was just finishing his run as Sherlock Holmes in the Vertigo Theatre production of Sherlock Holmes and the American Problem, to talk about the awards and theatre in Calgary.

JAMES HUTCHISON

What is the purpose of the Bettys?

BRADEN GRIFFITHS

The awards were started by Grant Linneberg, Johanne Deleeuw, Mark Bellamy, Donna Belleville and Doug McKeag those five, and Diane Goodman might have been there as well. One of them joined in the second year. They started it as a way to recognize the excellence that they saw happening in this community and as a way to earmark that excellence in a more official way so that the Calgary theatre community could be a bigger player in Canadian Theatre either by exporting that excellence or by becoming a destination for excellence to be imported into Calgary.

Stephen Hair as Ebenezer Scrooge, Jamie Konchak as Mrs. Cratchit, Tia Rose Woodruff as Tiny Tim, Eleanor Braitenbach as Belinda Cratchit, Graham Percy as the Spirit of Christmas Present, Karl H. Sine as Bob Cratchit and Evan Andersen Sterns as Peter Cratchit in the Theatre Calgary Production of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Adapted for the Stage by Dennis Garnhum. Photo by Trudie Lee

JAMES

So, how do you think the plays we’re producing at a particular time reflect the times we live in?

BRADEN

I’m always mystified by how Christmas Carol just sells out every year, but at its core, Christmas Carol, is a simple message about man’s ability to change and so there is still a desire for that simple hope. So, Christmas Carol or shows of that ilk and ilk sounds like a negative word but it’s not, I love Christmas Carol. I adore it. I wouldn’t have done it for seven years if I didn’t. But there is still a desire, and I think there always will be a desire, for that simple human message of hope. And yet theatre is starting to change. We are starting to be a more interactive society because of platforms like YouTube and Twitter where you can send a Tweet to Brad Pitt and he might respond to that Tweet.

Ron Pederson as Man 2, Tyrell Crews as Richard Hannay, Andy Curtis as Man 1, and Anna Cummer as Annabella/Margaret/Pamela in the Veritgo Theatre Production of The 39 Steps adapted by Patrick Barlow from the novel by John Buchan from the movie by Alfred Hitchcock. Photo by Tim Nguyen

BRADEN

And so, there’s a desire for more interactivity in the art or the media that we indulge in. I think to a certain degree, the magic of a play like The 39 Steps is that we’re all in on the joke. That this is just two ladders and a bunch of crates on a stage and yet those things will become a plane chasing someone through a field, or the crates will become the boxcars in a train or whatever it is, and so we’re all in on the joke and so there’s a greater sense of interactivity. Which is why I think 39 Steps, even though it’s an old play now, has great relevance because the audience is involved in creating that joke.

And then you have things like Inner Elder by Michelle Thrush which talks about what it means to be a first nations member of the Canadian Zeitgeist. What it means socially to be a first nations member. And to actually hear that story told by the person who should be telling that story. And so, if theatre is holding a mirror up to nature then by watching Inner Elder I learn something about what it means to be Braden by watching and hearing the story of someone who is living with much, much, much, less privilege than I. And then hopefully, if I’m open to that…if my ears are open to that…and if the theatre companies are providing a platform for those stories to be told then I will become a more complete human, and I will become a better community member, and by community, I mean the community of the world by understanding the stories of those who are around me and understanding something greater about myself.

Inner Elder created and performed by Michelle Thrush and presented by Lunchbox Theatre and One Yellow Rabbit as part of The High Performance Rodeo. Photo by Benjamin Laird.

JAMES

So, one of the challenges is how do we get new audiences in there. How do we foster that? How do we reach these people?

BRADEN

I think people are more liable to go see themselves, and so I think part of the reason we see a lot of white middle class, upper-middle-class human beings in theatres is partially because it requires a certain amount of disposable income to go to theatre and partially because those are the stories that for a very – very long time were being told. And so, when we talk about Inner Elder I think it’s more likely that someone of first nations decent might go and see Inner Elder because they see something very specifically that is their story being told in a theatre. And once somebody has seen something in a theatre that has affected them profoundly it’s far more likely that they’re going to go to the next show that may not tell a story that specifically speaks to their lived existence, but like I said earlier, me seeing Inner Elder speaks to my existence whether it speaks to it specifically or not. I think we need to do a better job of telling a wider array of stories in the theatre and if we’re producing Shakespeare we need to start casting artists that come from different lived experiences. And I think the fact that we’re seeing Michelle Thrush direct Honor Beat by Tara Beagan as the first show of the season at Theatre Calgary means we’re moving in the right direction, but we need to continue to do the hard work of providing those opportunities so that we can create a theatre community that is representative of the greater community and the Bettys is a part of that, I think.

***

And here are Braden’s answers to my three final questions.

JAMES

What makes a good friend?

BRADEN

A good friend is someone who sees your humanity and can engage with that mess openly and with empathy… and who would invite you to do the same.

JAMES

The world needs more …?

BRADEN

The world needs voters.

JAMES

What is your favourite flavour of ice cream?

BRADEN

My favourite flavour of ice cream is mint chocolate chip.

***

You can read Braden’s entire interview by following the link: Interview with Braden Griffiths: 21st Annual Betty Mitchell Awards

Interview with Artistic Director of Verb Theatre Jamie Dunsdon: The Wolves

Jamie Dunsdon – Artistic Director and Founder of Verb Theatre

David Rooney from the Hollywood Reporter describes The Wolves by Sarah Delappe as “A dizzying whirl of attitude, anxiety and adolescent hormonal volatility…” He goes on to say that DeLappe’s “…dialogue has the unwritten sound of real conversation, much of it inconsequential, even banal or endearingly silly. But out of that jumble of words comes an imperceptibly shaped snapshot of the tricky gulf separating girlhood from maturity, a portrait spilling over with humor, insight and, in the closing stretch, searing pathos — all of it undiluted by the distorting filters of the male gaze.”

That sounds like a good evening of theatre to me and Calgary audiences were rather fortunate because The Wolves was produced and directed last fall by Jamie Dunsdon the Artistic Director and founder of Verb Theatre. I sat down with Jamie to talk about The Wolves, her experiences running a local theatre company and her approach to directing.

JAMES HUTCHISON

So, what is it about theatre and running your own company that keeps you going because it’s a lot of work…it’s a lot of time and energy…what’s the big payoff?

JAMIE DUNSDON

I believe in the work! I work really hard to pick plays that I feel are important or valuable or ground-breaking in some big way, at least to me, and there is an immense satisfaction in sharing that kind of experience with others. I’ve been transformed by theatre, and I want to offer that gift to others. And although I don’t think theatre is the most efficient tool for social change, I do think it’s a high-impact tool for inquisitive thinking. We need more complex thinking and feeling in this universe, and I truly believe that if you can open an audience member’s heart or mind just enough, it will stay open after the show.

But I’ll be honest with you. There are days where it’s hard to see the payoff, as you put it. Those days are rough. They happen often.

The other thing about running my own company is that I get a lot more control over what kind of ideas are being put into the universe, and how they are being delivered. I get to pick the stories that are valuable to me. If I went freelance, I probably wouldn’t have as much agency in that, and I’d probably get restless and end up self-producing my own work as well anyway.

The Wolves at West Village Theatre in Calgary on Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2018. The Calgary Young People’s Theatre production runs from Oct. 4-13, 2018. (Photo by Rob Galbraith/Little Guy Media)

JAMES

This year you’ll be directing The Wolves by Sarah Delappe – this play was a winner of the 2015 Relentless Award for Playwriting which was established to honour Philip Seymour Hoffman and it was also a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2017. Those are both extraordinary honours and the play has received wide praise and positive reviews. What was it that attracted you to this particular play?

JAMIE

I found it very funny. I found it very real and resonant. This play is surgical in its exploration of female relationships. No detail is too small. One of the characters is described as “wearing eyeliner” as defining character trait, and I don’t know if you can appreciate the significance of that, but it’s huge and it’s different than describing a girl as “beautiful in that next-door-neighbour kind of way” as we often see in casting calls. A girl who wears eyeliner on the soccer field is a very particular kind of person, and the playwright allows for her to be that and be rich and three dimensional. And this play asks questions about what breaks girls apart and what brings them together in ways that I’ve never heard vocalized before.

But I also just needed a play like this.

I took the loss of Hillary Clinton in 2016 pretty hard. I have a ton of empathy for her as a woman in leadership, a woman who has been misunderstood, as a woman whose passion is often obfuscated by fear and misogyny in those around her. I was finding certain roadblocks in the theatre world that resembled in some small ways the roadblocks she stumbled on. Plus, I kind of look like her. Anyway, I read The Wolves shortly after Donald Trump began his presidency. It was like I was feeling solid ground under my feet after treading water for a year. These were real teen girls speaking the way real teen girls speak and I work at Calgary Young People’s Theatre as well, so I know a thing or two about how teen girls speak. And this script allowed them to be real. They were allowed to be smart and stupid, insightful and oblivious, moral and immoral. And I think I needed that. After 2016, I needed to see girls being allowed to be themselves. I’d grown weary of watching girls have to fit into someone else’s mold.

JAMES

Theatre and television and movies have focused on male stories for a long time but now we’re starting to see more stories about women and their struggles and challenges in life. Do you think The Wolves might be the start of a movement towards more female stories and if so have you seen other playwrights and theatre companies that are working to give those stories a platform?

JAMIE

I’m seeing it more in film and TV, with all-female treatments of certain stories or with female-dominated worlds like Orange is the New Black or GLOW, which both have some pretty amazing female perspectives in them. But there’s also a lot of sexual objectification in those worlds as well. The pilot episode of GLOW has Alison Brie take off her shirt for absolutely no reason.

In theatre, we’re certainly seeing a push toward gender equity and ethnic diversity, which is encouraging, but I don’t know if there’s a movement toward more complex female characters just yet. I think a lot of female actors have been culturally trained not to think that way, so it might take some time.

***

And here are Jamie’s answers to my three final questions.

JAMES

What makes a good friend?

JAMIE

Trustworthiness.

JAMES

The world needs more…?

JAMIE

Curiosity.

JAMES

What’s your favourite ice cream?

JAMIE

Anything with real raspberries on it.

***

You can read Jamie’s complete interview by following the link: Interview with Artistic Director of Verb Theatre Jamie Dunsdon: The Wolves

Interview with Lauren Thompson – Director of Marketing & Communications for Lunchbox Theatre – Follow your gut!

Lauren Thompson – Director of Marketing & Communications – Lunchbox Theatre

You know it’s not true. The whole idea that all you have to do is build it and they will come. That idea only works in metaphysical baseball stories. In the real world, if you build it – you have to tell them about it – and then they’ll come.

Maybe.

Marketing is the process of telling people your story and why they should buy your product or service, and in the theatre world that means finding ways of reaching people and telling them why they should come and see your show.

I sat down with Lauren Thompson, shortly before she left her position as the Director of Marketing & Communications for Lunchbox Theatre, to talk with her about her approach to marketing and some of things she’s done during her time at Lunchbox.

JAMES HUTCHISON

What is Lunchbox? And what does it mean to the community?

LAUREN THOMPSON

Well, I really think Lunchbox has changed. It’s not this convenient stop in for one hour, and you don’t really know what you’re going to get, but it’s here, and you’ll have your lunch. It’s now a destination. We have to program shows to make people want to put in that extra five-minute walk down Stephen Avenue to come see us.

And I think now we’re really focused on Lunchbox as an incubator of sorts. We workshop new plays, but we’re also a company for emerging artists, new designers, and new directors through our RBC emerging directors program and our Stage One Festival, and all these things give a place for these emerging artists to really grow, and then to move onto the Theatre Calgary stages, or the Vertigo stages, or the ATP stages.

JAMES

Now days social media is one of the main ways to help spread the word. How do you incorporate social media into your marketing?

LAUREN

Social media is basically doing some of our word of mouth for us, but we can help facilitate that word of mouth a little bit. We can put out a photo, or we can put out a comment and people will share that comment or photo with their own tag and their own comment in it.

JAMES

So, what types of content are you creating? Because I notice, just for an example, The Shakespeare Company will do an interview with one of their actors and post it on their website, and then promote it through their social media.

LAUREN

Well, this year I found that the traditional media calls were not always happening. We’ve had a media call planned and the media has had to cancel last minute, because there was an accident or something else came up or whatever, right? So, this year I said to Samantha MacDonald, our Artistic Producer, that we need to do it ourselves. I can’t rely on the media to get the story of our show out there. So, I started the coffee chats that I post on Facebook and Instagram.

I would interview two people from the production. Typically, the playwright or director and then an actor from the show and ask them questions about the process, about the play, and about their characters – what would typically come out in a media call. And then I put it out in the world so we’re not relying on something we have no control over. And it’s worked in our favour. And we’ve had media coverage this year, but I think those coffee chats opened up a different side. A more casual side. A different conversation about the play that a poster or a typical social media post won’t do for you.

JAMES

Sounds like such an exciting time to be a part of Lunchbox, so what’s going on with you?

LAUREN

And ahhh – I’m going to leave! I’m moving to Amsterdam this summer. And I really just needed a change. I don’t know how else to explain it. It was this whim in February. I just sort of was like – I need to go do this. I looked into visas, and most visas in most countries are the working holiday visa, and they’re only valid until you’re thirty. So, I said, I don’t have a mortgage. I don’t have a partner. I don’t really have anything tying me down. I can come back to this wonderful community – that I know will take me back when I come back – and I just need to go. I need to do this.

JAMES

What are you going to do?

LAUREN

I have no idea. (Laughs) Step one is find a place to live. I just want to work when I’m over there. I want to travel. I just want to meet people.

JAMES

Well, good for you for doing this. Do you think this explains part of your success as a marketer? I mean just even in your own life the willingness to take a risk – to try something new – to see how it works?

LAUREN

Maybe. And I’m realizing more and more, I react on my gut a lot. I follow my gut, and looking back on things and the decisions I’ve made – even the gut decision to take the job at Lunchbox – I’ve always followed that, and it’s always led me in the right direction. And my gut is telling me to go to Amsterdam, and so I’m just going to do it. And we’ll see what happens.

***

And here are Lauren’s answers to my three final questions.

JAMES

What makes a good friend?

LAUREN

A good friend is someone who looks out for you, supports you, and is a reoccurring character in your best and most memorable stories.

JAMES

The world needs more…?

LAUREN

The world needs more belief. Belief in ourselves, in each other, and in magic.

JAMES

What’s your favourite flavour of ice cream?

LAUREN

My favourite flavour of ice ream is cookies and cream!

***

You can read Lauren’s entire interview by following the link: Interview with Lauren Thompson – Director of Marketing & Communications for Lunchbox Theatre – Follow Your Gut!

Interview with Michael Halfin & Dale Sheldrake – NewMarket National 10 Minute Play Festival Celebrates Canadian Theatre

Last July my play, Valentine’s Day, was one of twenty-four plays being produced at the 2018 National 10 Minute Play Festival in Newmarket Ontario. I talked with the founder and Artistic Director of the NNPF Michael Halfin and to Dale Sheldrake the director of my play about the 2018 festival.

JAMES HUTCHISON

One of the things I really like about the festival is the fact that people have a chance to see twenty-four original Canadian plays. What has been the response from the playwriting community across the country, and why do you feel it’s important to showcase so many plays?

Michael Halfin, Artistic & Executive Director NewMarket National Play Festival

MICHAEL HALFIN

I think what’s been most delightful to see in these first two years is where people are submitting scripts from. We’ve received submissions from every province in Canada and from Canadians from around the world. We’ve received scripts from China, Tasmania, Australia, Ireland, many states throughout the U.S., and so on, and I think that Canadians are catching on to the idea that this is their festival. We don’t “theme” the festival. People can write whatever they want, and what we consistently find, is that Canadians are attuned to the Zeitgeist and have a kind of “collective unconsciousness” and tend to write scripts on the same themes in a given year. So, we select twenty-four and they just naturally fall into the six-pack pods we build around themes that are common in those six scripts.

JAMES

The first year was very successful and in its second year, the festival is getting bigger and better having expanded from two days to five. What is your ultimate vision of what the festival can become?

MICHAEL

Ultimately, I’d like to see us expand into divisions of the festival that would be ten-minute, one act, full-length, and even full-length musicals, but for now, the most important thing is establishing that we are a credible, committed organization that respects creative artists and wants to open the door to the diverse voices of our country. And just as importantly, honour that ten-minute format that appeals to every generation–especially the i-generation people who want information fast and to the point. If we want theatre to be viable, we have to get the youngest generations into our houses.

Artistic Director Michael Halfin watches a rehearsal of actors Ilya Ilysshyk and Meghan de Chastelain in For the Love of Austen by Stefanie Curran, directed by Dale Sheldrake.

One of the nice things about having your play produced in a festival is you often get the chance to connect with the creative team putting on your play. And so I spoke with Dale Sheldrake, the director of my play, about his approach to play production and his thoughts on story.

JAMES HUTCHISON

You’ve had a rich and successful career working in film and television on lots of different shows including The Handmaids Tale and Penny Dreadful. You’re a playwright and published poet, screenwriter, documentary filmmaker, a singer and a musician, and apparently make a mean Tex-Mex chili. You’ve worked in a lot of different mediums and have experience in a lot of different areas of production. With all these various skills what in particular do you use as a theatre director to help bring a story to life on the stage?

Director Dale Sheldrake

DALE SHELDRAKE

Everything, really. I love storytelling and can’t get it out of my system. Having experience in different entertainment mediums and settings has been valuable for staging a performance and helpful with directing. As a starting point, I read the play and visualize it, considering what is connecting with me emotionally, in regards to the characters and what’s happening between them. This opens up aspects of presentation that can be applied to the story. The purpose, of course, is to figure out what will make the audience best able to relate personally to these characters, feel the emotions the story conveys and understand the underlying lesson? I think most stories try to teach a lesson of some kind or offer a perspective on one.

JAMES

As a person deeply involved with the creation and telling of stories why do you think people have this deep desire to hear and tell stories?

DALE

People need and want social interaction, whether it’s in person or not. Stories tell us about each other and give us a lens to look at ourselves and our behaviour. Live storytelling, like theatre, brings groups of people together, entertains us, and lets us share in emotional experiences without being personally involved. It’s safe and it feels good to laugh with others, and shed a tear with these sudden communities and friendships. Telling and hearing stories keeps us in the emotional and intellectual company of one another. I think deep down, people desire to know they can rely on other people, and stories and theatre can offer that by creating a like-minded culture.

***

And here are Michael’s answers to my three final questions.

JAMES

What makes a good friend?

MICHAEL

One hundred percent trust. A good friend is one whose word is their bond. That person does what they say they’ll do–every time. I hope I’m that kind of friend.

JAMES

The world needs more…?

MICHAEL

Unity found in it’s diversity. It’s our collective Canadian mission!

JAMES

What is your favourite flavour of ice cream?

MICHAEL

Rocky Road–and I’m sure there’s a metaphor in that somewhere!

And here are Dale’s answers to my three final questions.

JAMES

What makes a good friend?

DALE

A good friend knows and shows: commitment, a willingness and ability to compromise, is fun to be with, painfully honest, makes an effort, and forgives.

JAMES

The world needs more…?

DALE

Patience, tolerance, then more patience; face-to-face conversations; concern for the earth and each other; good nutrition based on health concerns instead of financial ones.

JAMES

What is your favourite flavour of ice cream?

DALE

Any non-dairy chocolate or vanilla ‘ice cream’ because I don’t eat dairy, but do put real maple syrup on it regardless of what flavour. Canadian, eh?

***

You can read Michael & Dale’s entire interview by following the link: Interview with Michael Halfin & Dale Sheldrake – NewMarket National 10 Minute Play Festival Celebrates Canadian Theatre

Uncensored, Unexpected, Unforgettable Theatre: Calgary Fringe 2018 – Interview with Michele Gallant Fringe Festival Director and Producer

Calgary Fringe Festival Board VP, Jane Mackinnon and Calgary
Fringe Festival Director and Producer Michelle Gallant out promoting The Calgary Fringe Festival.

The Calgary Fringe has become part of the cultural fabric of the city and is a welcome addition to the theatre season providing Calgarians with the opportunity to see and experience local, national and international artists. I spoke with the current Festival Director and Producer of the Calgary Fringe Michele Gallant.

JAMES HUTCHISON

What is it about the Calgary Fringe that you personally love and keeps you motivated to do all the work and organizing required to present the festival every year?

MICHELE GALLANT

I love the fact that the fringe is an all-inclusive, embracive, and that there’s no segregation. Everyone from all backgrounds of life can be involved and participate. All are welcome. I love that artists are free to choose what they want to perform, in what style, and on what topic. I love that patrons have a wide variety of acts to choose from, and how willing they are to take a chance on something new. I love the passion of our volunteers to support the arts and to have fun while doing it. I love that the artists support each other and that one-hundred percent of the artist set ticket price goes directly back to the artist.

2014 Calgary Fringe Festival Artists, Rory Ledbetter from a Mind Full of Dopamine, Penny Ashton from Promise and Promiscuity: A New Musical by Jane Austin and Penny Ashton, and Deanna Fleysher from Butt Kapinski Photo James Hutchison

JAMES

The fringe festivals are great places for young artists to get a start. What advice would you give a young artist starting out about getting into the fringe festival circuit and maybe the Calgary Fringe specifically?

MICHELE

I don’t think it’s just a great place for young artists. I think it’s a great place for any artist of any age to get their start. The best advice I can give newbies is to plug themselves into the collective fringe hive minds via fringe festivals such as Calgary and others around the world. Talk with other fringe artists and don’t be afraid to ask questions about how they got started and what works or doesn’t work. Then plan a production and figure out a travel budget and start putting money towards that. Do some research and find out what funding is available to support what you do. Learn how to market and promote yourself.

And here are Michele’s answers to my three final questions.

JAMES

What makes a good friend?

MICHELE

Someone who actively listens without judgement, who accepts you for who you are, who are always there for you, no matter what, and who are your biggest cheerleaders in life.

JAMES

The world needs more…?

MICHELE

Hugs!! Loads of loads of hugs! Did you really need to ask?

JAMES

What’s your favourite flavour of ice cream?

MICHELE

Anything with dark chocolate and peanut butter or dark chocolate and salted caramel.

***

You can read Michele’s complete interview by following the link: Uncensored, Unexpected, Unforgettable Theatre: Calgary Fringe 2018 – Interview with Michele Gallant Fringe Festival Director and Producer

Interview with Barb Mitchell – Do What You Love

Barb Mitchell

You might know Barb Mitchell as the cohost of Calgary’s first morning show for Global back in the early nineties. Or you might remember her as Miss Calgary back in the early eighties. Or more recently you might have seen her on television as a judgmental church lady in the gritty Depression-era drama Damnation. I sat down with Barb, just after this year’s Calgary Stampede, to talk with her about her experiences as a broadcaster and her career as a stage and television actor and a former member of the Young Canadians.

JAMES HUTCHISON

So, what were some of your lessons learned during your time with the young Canadians? What were some of the takeaways – some of the things that maybe helped you with your life?

BARB MITCHELL

Well, in general, it’s just being kind to everyone and accepting everyone for who they are. It’s important to find your people – your crowd and do what you love and the more you do something the better you get at it. Being in the arts is a lifelong commitment. You’re always learning and the more you invest the more you get out of it. The most talented person doesn’t always make it as a career performer the hard workers do and the risk takers do. I learned that Calgarians are incredibly lucky to have an organization like The Young Canadians that provides free training and performance opportunities to young people.

JAMES

So, you eventually decided that broadcasting might be a good career choice. How did that come about?

BARB

Well when I was Miss Calgary CFCN was the sponsor and they broadcast the pageant, and I spent quite a bit of time at the station because we did some commercials and a variety of things and Darryl Janz, who was the news anchor for CFCN, was fantastic. I’d hang out in the newsroom, and he’d give me the tour and let me sit in and watch everybody work, and he told me about the industry, and I thought this is kind of cool and it’s kind of performing on camera but its smart and you’re writing and doing lots of interesting things and so it peaked my interest enough to check out and enroll in the Broadcasting Program at SAIT.

JAMES

After starting your career at CFCN you moved to Global Television 2 & 7 and even became the national news Alberta Correspondent from 91 to 93…then you had a chance to co-host Calgary’s very first morning show with Gord Gilles. How did that opportunity come about?

BARB

I don’t think there were a lot of people that wanted to get up that early, to be honest. The news director basically just asked me if I would be interested in doing this show.

JAMES

It was a pretty wacky show when it started.

BARB

Oh, it was. The whole morning television experience was an experiment and we had a lot of freedom to do what we wanted. It ended up being a little chaotic. We had cooking segments, we had live bands, we even had a live audience the first couple of years. It was a lot of fun, and we interviewed lots of local people and anybody who came through town that was famous. It was kind of a mishmash of everything.

And everybody who worked on the show wanted to make it enjoyable and fun and that was what I really liked about the morning show – it was more light-hearted than the news because news can really pull you down. News can be so awful sometimes and absorbing the news every day and then regurgitating the awful things that have happened in the world kind of weighs on you so the opportunity to do something that’s light and fun where you send people off in a good mood for their day was a nice opportunity. It was also the advent of live television too, so we had a truck with a satellite where we could do live interviews and Angela Kokott was our live roaming person.

Barb Mitchell & Gord Gilles Co-hosts of The Breakfast Show

JAMES

Now days people use their cell phones and a Facebook account to go live.

BARB

The technology is crazy.

JAMES

It’s almost – if you think about it – like the whole world is participating in the morning show.

BARB

Everyone on Instagram is doing their own newsfeed.

JAMES

So, in 2001 you left the morning show and continued to write and produce programs, and then you spent a year at Citytv covering Tara McCool’s maternity leave cohosting Breakfast Television with Dave Kelly. Also, around the same time, you returned to the stage taking your first acting class in 2005 with the Company of Rogues here in Calgary. So, what motivated you to take acting lessons and hit the stage at forty-two?

BARB

I knew covering Tara MaCools maternity leave was a temporary gig, and I had just always wanted to act, and I thought this is my opportunity – I’ll give it a shot and take some classes, at least, and see what it’s like. And so I went down to Company of Rogues and took a few acting lessons with Joe Norman Shaw, and I was encouraged to audition for things. And I saw this posting for an audition for Mrs. Robinson in The Graduate but I never thought that I was even remotely qualified, but I decided to audition anyway and I got the part.

Stephanie Morris as Elaine Robinson and Barb Mitchell as her mother Mrs. Robinson in The Graduate. Adapted for the stage by Terry Johnson. Based on the novel by Charles Webb and the Motion Picture Screenplay by Calder Willingham & Buck Henry. Directed by Iam Coulter

BARB

I’ve been very fortunate to have been in some great productions. I did Habitat by Judith Thompson for Downstage and directed by Simon Mallett. It was wonderful because I got to watch and learn from local greats Stephen Hair and Sharon Pollock and a young Julie Orton – fresh out of school. Their focus is amazing and boy did Sharon live the “On with the show” mentality as her house burned down one day during the run and she still showed up at the theatre without shoes and smelling of smoke and did the show.

I think the most magical was Dirty Rotten Scoundrels for Theatre Calgary. Having a big budget allows for all of those things you dream about in theatre – gorgeous sets, incredible costumes, a big orchestra. It challenged me far beyond my comfort zone for dancing – I was exhausted – but I felt like I was part of something really beautiful, hilarious, and special.

Geordie Johnson as Lawrence Jameson and Barb Mitchell in the Theatre Calgary Production of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels by Jeffrey Lane with Music & Lyrics by David Yazbeck based on the film by Dale Launder, Stanley Shapiro & Paul Henning. Directed by Dennis Garnhum

JAMES

What are some of the top movie or television experiences you’ve had?

BARB

Well probably my favourite was the last thing I worked on Damnation which was a USA Network series and I’m so sad it got cancelled because it was a really great show set in the depression era and it had fantastic actors, fantastic writing, and a beautiful setting. You’re out in the glorious landscape of Alberta in a period piece in the old town that they built as a set for Hell On Wheels originally I think, and we adopted that and updated it to the 1930s, and it was just a great experience all around. It was created by Tony Tost, and he’s amazing to work with. He’s just a brilliant guy. Very quiet gentle writer. He did the Longmire series, and he’s a poet originally, and he got into screenwriting and has done very well.

Barb Mitchell as Gloria Calhoun in the USA Network Production Damnation created by Tony Tost

JAMES

What are your hopes for the future as far as acting goes?

BARB

My perfect job would be to do a series here in Alberta similar to Damnation – something challenging with good characters. Theatre is tough when you’re doing film work because theatre is a real big time commitment. It’s a long stretch where you’re not able to do other projects but the money’s not as good as in a film where you can work for a week and make good money but unless you’re on a series where you have a meaty part it’s not as fulfilling as being on stage. So there’s a kind of a yin and yang to theatre and film, but I love them both and I’ll take whatever work I can get.

And here are Barb’s answers to my three final questions.

JAMES

What makes a good friend?

BARB

Someone who knows how to listen and not always give advice. I’m a ventor so when I get upset I just like to spew things out and I don’t think my husband can always handle it. You don’t need to say anything I just need to get it out of me when I’m upset, you know. I think that’s important – being there and being a good listener.

JAMES

The world needs more…?

BARB

Oh, love, compassion, empathy. The world is scary right now with the way politics are going in the United States it’s very frightening.

JAMES

What’s your favourite flavour of ice cream?

BARB

Ohhhhh – tin roof. It’s got nuts in it and chocolate

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To read all of Barb’s interview follow the link: Interview with Barb Mitchell – Do What You Love

Interview with Haysam Kadri: Artistic Director The Shakespeare Company

Hamlet will be haunting several Calgary stages over the coming theatre season as The Shakespeare Company along with Hit & Myth Productions have partnered with Vertigo Theatre, The High Performance Rodeo, and Alberta Theatre Projects, to bring Calgary audiences four different tellings of the melancholy Dane’s tragic tale. It’s a full season of Hamlet!

I sat down with the Artistic Director of the Shakespeare Company Haysam Kadri to talk about Hamlet, theatre, and just how the Shakespeare Company’s Madness in Great Ones season came about.

JAMES HUTCHISON

You took over the company in 2012. How have the last six years gone in terms of what you wanted to do with the Shakespeare Company and where you’re at now?

HAYSAM KADRI

You know when I took over the company in 2012 I had never run a company before, so I had a clean slate and I was able to start building the culture that I wanted. I really wanted to build and increase the skill set of the performers and the performances. So, I felt it was really important to start developing a strong core of equity actors to comprise half the company. That’s a very expensive initiative but I felt it was really important.

The other important thing was to make Shakespeare much more accessible to a larger audience. All our Shakespeare plays are two hours with a fifteen-minute intermission and since I took over we’ve increased our audience by four-hundred and fifty percent and we’ve extended all our runs to three weeks and we hire on average six equity actors per show and we’ve developed and built a core audience.

We really wanted to key in on those young students in high school that get a bad taste in their mouth for Shakespeare because they think it’s three hours long and it’s boring and it’s in a foreign language and so we’ve done everything we can to make it really accessible. And you know that’s one of the benefits of being in the studio theatre. You see the blood on the Scottish King’s face and it’s visceral and it’s present and it’s intimate and so we benefit from a small space even though we’d love to expand to a bigger space which we will be doing for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.

And as our high school contingent has grown into young professionals or gone on to university they’ve been coming on their own. They’re not coming in school groups anymore they’re single ticket buyers and they’ve become part of the fabric of our patronage. So, our 18 to 25 demographics are unreal and amazing and has been our biggest success.

Myla Southward, Christopher Hunt, and Julie Orton in Alberta Theatre Projects’ presentation of Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard. A Shakespeare Company and Hit & Myth Production. Photo: Benjamin Laird. (Set: Scott Reid. Lights: David Fraser. Costumes: Hanne Loosen)

JAMES

So, let’s talk about the new season since you mentioned Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead and that’s the first play of your season focused on Hamlet. Where did the idea for Madness in Great Ones originate?

HAYSAM

I’ll confess, I didn’t think I was going to do an all Hamlet season, it wasn’t an epiphany that I had. What happened was I was in talks with Craig Hall the Artistic Director at Vertigo Theatre and we wanted to collaborate again because Mackers was such a big success and we would be totally remise if we did not entertain another partnership. And Craig and I had always wanted to do Hamlet because Hamlet is a ghost story and Vertigo Theatre is a mystery theatre and so we started with Hamlet and Vertigo.

HAYSAM

And then I talked to David Fraser the production manager over at ATP and I said, “Hey, what would it take for us to be in your space?” And David and I just started talking and then he talked to the artistic team and the artistic team came back to me and they said give us a couple of proposals for plays. And I’ve always wanted to do Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead and I thought well we could always have Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead and Hamlet in the same season so I pitched Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead to the artistic team at ATP and they thought it was great programming for Alberta Theatre Projects.

JAMES

So, now you’ve got these two plays in place – then what happened?

HAYSAM

Well, then I was talking to the High Performance Rodeo because I wanted to partner with the Rodeo and I’ve always wanted to do Drunk Shakespeare. Negotiating Shakespeare sober is a challenge in itself but adding another element to it, I think, is really exciting. So, we’re going to create Hammered Hamlet and if I do Hammered Hamlet I can’t just stop there I have to go full throttle on this and so I thought of creating a season based on Hamlet where you see four different interpretations of a story.

HAYSAM

Then I got this idea to do a movement piece and I phoned Denise Clarke who is a genius and a Canadian legend and truly a gem in our city and I just pitched the idea. I said Denise, I love your Radioheaded series they’re fresh and innovative and I want to see if you can transplant that into Shakespeare’s Hamlet. And her eyes and ears and everything just lit up and we went back and forth on it and we decided we wanted to do Hamlet Frequency which is an ensemble piece and a reimagining of Shakespeare’s story choreographed and staged by one of Canada’s greatest choreographers.

So, it’s a bold season and I think it’s exciting and I’m really curious to see how it’s going to unfold and I think a lot of people are really excited about the idea of doing four different interpretations of the same play.

And here are Haysam’s answers to my three final questions.

JAMES

Three final questions. What makes a good friend?

HAYSAM

Unconditional love.

JAMES

The world needs more…?

HAYSAM

Compassion

JAMES

And this is probably the most important question I’ve asked you in the last hour. What is your favourite ice cream?

HAYSAM

My favourite ice cream is caramel cone explosion.

***

You can read Haysam’s complete interview follow the link: Interview with Haysam Kadri: Artistic Director The Shakespeare Company

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Interview with Artistic Director of Verb Theatre Jamie Dunsdon: The Wolves

October 1, 2018 by James Hutchison |

Jamie Dunsdon – Artistic Director and Founder of Verb Theatre

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“I work really hard to pick plays that I feel are important or valuable or ground-breaking in some big way, at least to me, and there is an immense satisfaction in sharing that kind of experience with others. I’ve been transformed by theatre, and I want to offer that gift to others. And although I don’t think theatre is the most efficient tool for social change, I do think it’s a high-impact tool for inquisitive thinking. We need more complex thinking and feeling in this universe, and I truly believe that if you can open and audience member’s heart or mind just enough, it will stay open after the show.”

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That sounds like a good evening of theatre to me and Calgary audiences are rather fortunate because The Wolves is being produced and directed by Jamie Dunsdon the Artistic Director and founder of Verb Theatre. The show runs from October 4th to 13th at the West Village Theatre and tickets are a steal at just $20.00 for adults and $15.00 for students and are available online at the Verb Theatre and Calgary Young People’s Theatre websites.

I sat down with Jamie to talk about The Wolves, her experiences running a local theatre company and her approach to directing. [Read more…]

NewMarket National 10 Minute Play Festival Celebrates Canadian Theatre

July 23, 2018 by James Hutchison |

“We’ve received submissions from every province in Canada and from Canadians from around the world. We’ve received scripts from China, Tasmania, Australia, Ireland, many states throughout the U.S., and so on, and I think that Canadians are catching on to the idea that this is their festival.”

Michael Halfin, Artistic & Executive Director NNPF

“Telling and hearing stories keeps us in the emotional and intellectual company of one another. I think deep down, people desire to know they can rely on other people, and stories and theatre can offer that by creating a like-minded culture.”

Dale Sheldrake, Director Valentines’ Day

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I’m very excited to announce that my play, Valentine’s Day, is one of twenty-four plays being produced from Wednesday, July 25th to Sunday, July 29th at the 2018 NewMarket National 10 Minute Play Festival. The NNPF is a festival dedicated to Canadian plays and the diverse voices of this country and takes place forty minutes north of Toronto in Newmarket Ontario. [Read more…]