A Note About the Play
I have the words “time is how you spend your love” tattooed on my back. They come from a poem by Nick Laird by way of Zadie’s Smith’s novel On Beauty. What they don’t tell you about back tattoos is that you yourself rarely get to see them. Many days I forget the words are there. But as I’ve immersed myself in the world (words) of this play, that quote has been dancing in my head. Constellations is a play about love, to be sure, but it’s also a love letter to time and how we spend it. Nick Payne’s play uses Marianne and Roland to help us examine how we all spend our time. How our own hours might, eventually, be written in the stars.
Stories are the great love of my life. It was books first, and then theatre. I believe Yuval Noah Harari when he says, “stories are the greatest human invention”. I think this holds true for many reasons, not the least of which is their ability to help us see what we can only imagine. As you join us tonight in Nick Payne’s vision of the multiverse, I invite you to imagine your own great story. Here you are, in a room surrounded by strangers and neighbours and fellow humans, all imagining together. As Marianne says, “we have all the time we’ve always had.” I hope, then, you might leave asking the question - how will I choose to spend it?
~Amber Mills, Artistic Producer of Hamilton Theatre Project
Going Abroad
Constellations touches on the theme of medically assisted dying, which is a legally complex and emotionally charged subject in both the UK (where the play was first produced) and Canada, though the laws differ significantly between the two countries. In the play, Nick Payne has Marianne suggest her plans to pursue medically assisted dying with the phrase “I think I’d like to go abroad”.
In the UK, medically assisted dying remains illegal. Individuals who assist another person in ending their life can face serious legal consequences, including imprisonment. In contrast, Canada legalized medically assisted dying in 2016 with the passing of Bill C-14, allowing eligible adults who are suffering from a serious, incurable illness or condition to seek assistance in dying, under specific guidelines. The law has been expanded since then to allow individuals with grievous and irremediable medical conditions to make a choice about their end-of-life care.
The differing legal landscapes in the UK and Canada highlight the complex ethical, moral, and legal considerations surrounding medically assisted death. While Canada’s legal framework allows for more autonomy in end-of-life decisions, the debate in the UK continues, as both sides of the issue grapple with concerns of dignity, choice, and the potential consequences of legalizing such practices.
In Constellations, the reference to assisted death invites the audience to reflect on these complex global discussions and the deeply personal nature of making decisions about life and death.
CONSTELLATIONS
by Nick Payne
CAST
MARIANNE
ROLAND
AMBER MILLS
COLIN PALANGIO
PRODUCTION TEAM
DIRECTOR
STAGE MANAGER
PRODUCER
ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER
LIGHTING DESIGN
BRANDON VEDELAGO
RACHEL MORE
AMBER MILLS
SOFIA SMITH
KALYNA CONRAD
Originally produced on Broadway by the Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director, Barry Grove, Executive Producer, and The Royal Court Theatre by special arrangement with Ambassador Theatre Group and Dodgers on December 16, 2014.
Amber Mills - Marianne/Producer
Amber is an actor, singer, producer, and educator who was born and raised in Hamilton, ON. She is the founder and Artistic Producer of Hamilton Theatre Project, for which she has produced and starred in John & Jen, Ordinary Days, and now, Constellations. Some of her favourite theatre credits include Jesus Christ Superstar, The Sound of Music and My Fair Lady (Brott Festival), Fun Home (HTI), God of Carnage (Firehall Theatre), Tout Comme Elle (Necessary Angel), Twelfth Night, Therac 25 (Direct Flight), Steel Magnolias (Stirling Festival Theatre), Anne of Green Gables, The Beggar’s Opera (Thousand Islands Playhouse). Amber can be seen as Kindergarten teacher, Ms Doney on TVO’s Hi, Opie! and also happens to be a real life music teacher in the Montessori School at Hillfield Strathallan College. She holds an MA from Wilfrid Laurier University in Community Music, writes poetry daily, and is the proud mom of two delightful humans, Elliot and Greta.
Colin Palangio - Roland
Colin is an actor from Hamilton. He went to Westmount high school where he acted and directed plays and was head of the sketch team. His summer breaks were spent at the Theatre Aquarius summer programme. A graduate of the George Brown College theatre program and the Soulpepper Academy; Colin’s professional training as an actor spanned nearly six years. He is happy to be on the stage once again in his hometown.
Rachel More - Stage Manager
Rachel is a Stage Manager, Production Manager, & Arts Educator. She has worked with Tapestry Opera, BrottOpera, and Toronto Operetta Theatre and is thrilled to once again be working with the incredible artists of Hamilton Theatre Project.
Brandon Vedelago - Director
Brandon Vedelago was born and raised in Hamilton, ON. He has been an educator and director of student productions for almost twenty years at Hillfield Strathallan College. While he loves directing students in musicals and plays, Brandon is excited for this opportunity to work with the adults of the Hamilton Theatre Project to bring Constellations to the stage.