Ovation Vol. 22 No. 2

vol. 22, no. 2 nov./dec. 2014

a co-production with DAVID MIRVISH and BARRY AND FRAN WEISSLER

by

DAVID FARR songs by PARSONSFIELD

JOHN HIRSCH MAINSTAGE

directed by

GÍSLI ÖRN GARÐARSSON TOM HENDRY WAREHOUSE

by ANGELO PARRA musical direction and arrangements by MICHE BRADEN concept, musical staging and direction by JOE BRANCATO

TOM HENDRY WAREHOUSE SEASON SPONSOR

To most, it’s a blank sheet.

To a composer, it’s endless possibility.

PROUDLY SUPPORTING THE INNOVATION & IMAGINATION OF WINNIPEG’S ARTS COMMUNITY

Message from the Artistic Director

How do we measure heroism? It’s more than courage, for even villains can be brave. It’s more than daring, for the daredevil is often an egotist, and heroism demands abandonment of self. It’s more than bold, physical action, for some of the greatest heroes wield pens instead of swords. We have learned that heroism can be a soldier standing motionless and unarmed in front of a war monument, or a bystander running towards the sound of a gun to help the fallen.

We do not know the day or the hour that we, too, will be called on to be heroes, but theatre helps our imaginations prepare for the challenge.

Steven Schipper

In David Farr’s play The Heart of Robin Hood, our legendary hero is anything but heroic. He begins

the play as a scoundrel, taking from the rich and keeping for himself. But there is worse treachery stalking York, and Sherwood Forest has become a place of fear and violence.

It will take a young woman named Marion to prick Robin’s conscience and stir into flame the sleeping embers of heroism within him. Yet Farr isn’t done with Robin. Not content to turn a thief into a social activist, he decides that Robin must commit an even greater act of heroism: the loner must become a lover.

Bessie Smith, too, must prove her heroism on both social and personal levels in The Devil’s Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith. No less legendary than Robin Hood, the great singer arrives at her latest concert venue only to find that the whites-only entrance is off-limits to her. Rather than taking the back way in (and the cheque that goes with it), she sashays over to a raucous buffet-flat to sing the blues and bare her soul. And, if you don’t think there’s anything heroic about telling the down-and-dirty truth, you need to hear her sing and listen to the stories she tells about herself between those songs.

She reminds us that heroism isn’t just something we save for cataclysmic events like the attack on our Parliament. It can be standing up daily for what we believe to be right and real. And that is how we find our true heart (and heroism), as Little John’s oath reminds us, dancing to the music of our own soul.

Yours always,

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Ovation

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Theatre Abbreviation Legend Arts Club Arts Club Theatre Company • Vancouver, BC ATF Atlantic Theatre Festival • Wolfville, NS ATP Alberta Theatre Projects • Calgary, AB BAM Brooklyn Academy of Music • NYC Bard on the Beach Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival • Vancouver, BC Belfry The Belfry Theatre • Victoria, BC Blyth Blyth Theatre Festival • Blyth, ON Broadway New York theatre district • NYC CBC Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Centaur Centaur Theatre Company • Montreal, QC Citadel The Citadel Theatre • Edmonton, AB COC Canadian Opera Company • Toronto, ON CS Canadian Stage • Toronto, ON Dora Dora Mavor Moore Award • Toronto, ON Drayton Drayton Entertainment • Ontario Dry Cold Dry Cold Productions • Winnipeg, MB Factory Factory Theatre • Toronto, ON GCTC The Great Canadian Theatre Company • Ottawa, ON Grand The Grand Theatre • London, ON Mirvish Mirvish Productions • Toronto, ON Moving Target Moving Target Theatre Company • Winnipeg, MB MTYP Manitoba Theatre for Young People • Winnipeg, MB NAC National Arts Centre • Ottawa, ON Necessary Angel Necessary Angel Theatre Company • Toronto, ON Neptune Neptune Theatre • Halifax, NS NFB National Film Board of Canada NTS National Theatre School of Canada • Montreal, QC Persephone Persephone Theatre • Saskatoon, SK PTAM Popular Theatre Alliance of Manitoba • Winnipeg, MB

PTE Prairie Theatre Exchange • Winnipeg, MB Rainbow Rainbow Stage • Winnipeg, MB RNT Royal National Theatre • London, England Royal Alex The Royal Alexandra Theatre • Toronto, ON RSC Royal Shakespeare Company • Stratford-upon-Avon, England RWB Royal Winnipeg Ballet • Winnipeg, MB Sarasvàti Sarasvàti Productions • Winnipeg, MB Segal The Segal Centre for Performing Arts • Montreal, QC Shaw Shaw Festival • Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON SIR Shakespeare in the Ruins • Winnipeg, MB Soulpepper Soulpepper Theatre Company • Toronto, ON Stratford Stratford Festival • Stratford, ON SummerWorks SummerWorks Theatre Festival • Toronto, ON TA Theatre Aquarius • Hamilton, ON Tarragon Tarragon Theatre • Toronto, ON TBTR Theatre by the River • Winnipeg, MB TC Theatre Calgary • Calgary, AB TNB Theatre New Brunswick • Fredericton, NB Toronto Free Toronto Free Theatre • Toronto, ON TPM Theatre Projects Manitoba • Winnipeg, MB TSO Toronto Symphony Orchestra U of M University of Manitoba U of T University of Toronto U of W University of Winnipeg VP Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company • Vancouver, BC West End Theatre district • London, England WJT Winnipeg Jewish Theatre WSO Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra YPT Young People’s Theatre • Toronto, ON zone41 zone41 theatre • Winnipeg, MB

OVATION

VOLUME 22, NUMBER 2 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014

Ovation is published six times per theatre season and has an approximate yearly circulation of 100,000. printing: Premier Printing Ltd. ADVERTISING INQUIRIES Thomas Urish telephone: 204 954 6413 email: turish@royalmtc.ca

Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre 174 Market Avenue Winnipeg, MB r3b 0p8 Canada RoyalMTC.ca box office: 204 942 6537 administration: 204 956 1340 fax: 204 947 3741

Ushers • Royal MTC’s loyal volunteer ushers are avail-

able at every performance to assist patrons.

Latecomers • Latecomers will be seated at the discre-

tion of the House Manager.

Courtesy to others • Talking, candy wrappers and

coughing are distracting to fellow patrons and actors.

We ask each patron to please keep noise to a minimum during a performance. Thank you for your cooperation.

Scents and Allergies • A number of Royal MTC

patrons have expressed concerns regarding medical reactions caused by scented products, so much so that they can’t enjoy the show. Please consider others before using items such as colognes, perfumes and hairspray.

Your thoughtfulness is appreciated.

4

Royal MTC is a member of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres and engages, under the terms of the Canadian Theatre Agreement, professional artists who are members of the Canadian Actors’ Equity Association.

Scenery, Carpentry and Show Running Crew at the John Hirsch Mainstage and the Tom Hendry Warehouse are members of IATSE Local 63.

Hearing enhancement • Sennheiser Infrared Listening

Devices are available free of charge in the lobby at the John Hirsch Mainstage and Tom Hendry Warehouse, supplied by the Royal MTC Volunteer Corps of Ushers Capital Campaign donation. Please see the House Manager for details.

Prohibited • The use of cameras and recording devices

is strictly prohibited. Mobile devices must be turned off.

To be contacted in an emergency, leave your name and seat number with the House Manager.

Warnings • On occasion, Royal MTC’s productions may

contain script-specific smoking of non-tobacco products, special effects and language/content warnings. For more information on specific productions, please visit royalmtc.ca.

Ovation

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Setting the Stage

THE HEART OF ROBIN HOOD

The Top five Questions About Robin Hood BY ALEXANDRA JUCKNO Who was Robin Hood?

Robin Hood was a legendary English outlaw. It is unknown exactly when the character originated, but the earliest references to outlaws using the alias Robin Hood occur in the 12th century.

Chroniclers refer to him throughout the 14th and 15th centuries, and written tales of Robin Hood start appearing around 1450. In these stories, Robin is a forest outlaw who steals for pleasure and profit.

He is a skilled archer and leader of a band of men that includes Little John, Much the Miller’s Son and Will Scarlet. Over the centuries, the legend evolved into the story of an aristocratic but inherently good man called Robert, Earl of Huntington, who was outlawed via the machinations of his enemies in the court. Robert fled to the forest, renamed himself Robin Hood, and became a champion of the oppressed, robbing from the rich to give to the poor.

Robin Hood has gone through many incarnations over the centuries but has always remained popular as a symbol of goodness and justice, whose “criminal” activities are always undertaken to help those in need who cannot fight for themselves.

So was Robin Hood a real person?

This question is up for debate. There are well-documented attempts to find the person upon whom Robin Hood is based, but most of the evidence is speculative.

Records exist of real people named Robin Hoode or Robert Hode, and one surnamed Robynhode, but nothing indicates that these men were lawbreakers. In equal number are references to outlaws who did use those aliases and are described as behaving like “Robin Hoods,” so we 6

know that by the 15th century, the name was used to describe disruptive people.

Some chroniclers refer to Robin as a real person whose exploits have been fictionalized for their popular appeal, but none of these writers name any individual as the father of the legend. So, while Robin Hood may have indeed been a real person, it is currently impossible to trace the origins of the legendary outlaw to one specific individual.

And Robin Hood didn’t always steal from the rich to give to the poor?

In the earliest tales, he robbed from anyone and kept the spoils for himself.

One chronicler mentions Robin’s targets as rich aristocrats and clergymen, and an early ballad ends with the coda that he “did poor men much good,” but the idea that Robin targeted the wealthy for the express purpose of redistributing the spoils among the poor is a late 16th-century invention. This version of the generous outlaw was so popular that it was reused in broadside ballads: the 17th-century equivalent of dime-store paperbacks, these single sheets of paper sold for a penny had a story of Robin Hood on one page, and the tune the ballad was sung to on the back. Broadside Robin Hood ballads remained popular well into the 1800s, and, by then, novelists had also gotten in on the Robin Hood action. Robin Hood has remained a generous outlaw ever since, and his story is often appropriated as an example of economic heroism.

Ovation

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Setting the Stage

THE HEART OF ROBIN HOOD

The Merry Men have always been a part of Robin’s band. What about Maid Marion?

How did Robin Hood become associated with King Richard and Prince John?

The earliest Robin Hood tales from the 1400s to the mid-1500s include the usual suspects like Little John and the Sheriff of Nottingham, but Maid Marion didn’t enter the tales until the later 1500s. She likely comes from the summer May Games held in English towns. May Marion and her boyfriend, a lusty friar, were characters in the popular Morris dances that often followed performances of short plays.

Robin Hood appeared in the figure of a prominent man of the town; dressed in forest green, this man was elected “Robin Hood” for the length of the carnival, where he collected charity money and led sporting and team-building activities among the young men of the community.

Because the May Games were occurring at the same time the early Robin Hood stories began appearing in print, it is sometimes difficult to pinpoint exactly which genre influenced the other. After 1600, Marion starts showing up in the written stories, too, and is promoted to an aristocratic lady and girlfriend of Robin Hood.

In early tales, Robin Hood lived in the days of a generic King Edward and was generally indifferent to royal authority.

The idea of a popular outlaw who actively opposed local government and openly lived a life of rebellion made the late Tudor monarchs nervous. Though Tudor King Henry VIII enjoyed Robin Hood stories and pageants, his daughter, Elizabeth I, was not so willing to embrace the outlaw.

She was aging and without an heir, which was not good for the power dynamics of the crown. Therefore, putting Robin Hood firmly in the past and re-writing him as a nobly-born man forced into outlawry sent a message about obeying your monarch.

The reigns of King Richard I and his brother Prince John were a safe choice for Robin’s relocation – a chronicler’s account had already placed Robin Hood in the 12th century, and John had a ready-made reputation as a bad ruler. Nineteenthcentury writers shored up this relocation in their push to establish Robin Hood as a thoroughly national, thoroughly English hero. Especially helpful in this regard was Sir Walter Scott’s enormously popular Ivanhoe, which presented Robin as a good Saxon freedomfighter rebelling against John and the “Norman yoke.” Despite the ahistoricity of the original Robin Hood stories, it has since become traditional to place the time of Robin Hood in the 12th century under Richard’s reign.

Alexandra Juckno is a dramaturgy student at the American Repertory Theater/ Moscow Art Theater School Institute for Advanced Theater Training at Harvard University.

Reprinted with permission from the American Repertory Theater.

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Curtain Calls

THE HEART OF ROBIN HOOD

Playwright’s Notes BY DAVID FARR This play had two inspirations. One was personal. I have two daughters, who were constantly complaining to me that women in films and plays rarely do anything but kiss the hero, swoon, cook pretty pastries and sew.

David Farr Write something different! was the command. I said I would do my best.

The other inspiration was an interest in the journey of Robin Hood through history. We all know the “noble outlaw” of Errol Flynn legend, the fallen aristocrat who chooses to rob the rich in order to aid the poor. But this, I discovered, was a relatively recent invention, primarily that of the English 19th-century writer Sir Walter Scott.

Hood’s history begins much earlier, somewhere in the 12th century. And at this time he was anything but the lordly philanthropist. He was dangerous, shadowy, brutal and anarchic. He was the figure of the forest, possibly legendary, possibly real. He was someone you did not want to meet – a thug, violent, and unpredictable.

By Shakespeare’s time his status had risen slightly to that of a yeoman – a kind of smallholding owner if you like. But it would take another 200 years before the Robin of Locksley legend turned him into the fallen aristocrat we now know so well.

It occurred to me that over the years history has “civilized” Robin Hood. And how much fun it might be to return the English antihero to his roots in the rough soil of the forest.

Then I watched As You Like It one evening (it is one of only two Shakespeare plays where Robin Hood is mentioned). In this wonderful forest play, the heroine Rosalind 8

is forced to assume the identity of a man as she flees into the forest of Arden.

Watching the actress leap from a woman to a man’s identity in her scenes with Orlando, an idea came to me. What if Marion were the real inventor of the noble outlaw legend? What if it was she who was the true brigand of the forest?

Forests have always been places of transformation – social, political, and sexual. Whether in A Midsummer Night’s Dream or Grimm’s Fairy Tales or The Blair Witch Project, forests are places where what we thought we knew is turned on its head, where the subconscious becomes conscious, where dream becomes reality.

They are places where the highwayman rules over the king. Where children turn into adults. Where men become donkeys.

And where spirits live in the trees.

The English forest was the home of an old paganism that predates the Christianity that tried to tame it. There’s not much left of the great legends of The Green Man and Robin Goodfellow, these earth spirits that could play havoc with your life but were also there to protect you on behalf of mother nature. Robin Hood is part of that vanished world where woodland was not owned by landowners but was wild and unruly.

Then the hunting parks came in, gamekeepers were employed and the Normans named the land. The old England, anti-establishment, dangerous, and free, faded into the mists of folklore and legend.

But Robin Hood survives…

Ovation

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CABARET january 6–31

One of the great Broadway musicals of all time – Time Out New York

Wilkommen Back

Ever since legendary producer and director Harold Prince received a Tony Award for his landmark production in 1966, the pull of Cabaret has been too strong to ignore. That stage version was followed by the unforgettable film starring Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey.

Above: Liza Minnelli in Cabaret, 1972.

Below: Tracey Flye (bottom left) and the cast of the 1998 Royal MTC production of Cabaret.

Nearly 50 years later, there are still new suitors waiting in the wings. The musical’s star-making roles continue to attract top talent from the entertainment world.

In the current Broadway production, Alan Cumming (The Good Wife) has reprised his Tony Award-winning role of the Emcee while Emma Stone (The Amazing Spider-Man) has stepped into Sally Bowles’ stilettos, taking over from Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn).

At Royal MTC, we too are guilty of falling in love again.

Director Tracey Flye (The 39 Steps, Jane Eyre) played a Kit Kat girl in our 1998 Mainstage production and she’ll be at the helm of our upcoming spectacular show. And the fearless members of the Manitoba Bar Association donned fishnet stockings for our Lawyers Play in 2005.

Beyond the glitz and glam of Cabaret, the musical’s genius is in finding resonance with new audiences.

Sure, we’ll always be captivated by the songs of Kander and Ebb, but it’s the dark undercurrents of pre-Nazi Berlin that give the musical its depth and relevance.

Like Kit Kat Klub patrons, we long for escapism from a dark and confusing world. As the Emcee says, “So – life is disappointing? Forget it! In here, life is beautiful.”

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH FERYN

TICKETS START AT $25

ON SALE NOW!

204 942 6537 ROYALMTC.CA

call visit

SPONSORED BY

Steven Schipper, Artistic Director • Camilla Holland, General Manager

PRESENTS A CO-PRODUCTION WITH DAVID MIRVISH AND BARRY AND FRAN WEISSLER

THE HEART OF ROBIN HOOD by David Farr Songs by Parsonsfield

SET DESIGN

COSTUME DESIGN

Börkur Jónsson

Emma Ryott

LIGHTING DESIGN

Graeme S. Thomson

CASTING

Stephanie Gorin Casting cdc, csa AND Telsey + Company William Cantler, csa/Karyn Casl, csa

SOUND DESIGN

Jonathan Deans & Garth Helm

PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER

The. John Gray

CREATIVE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR/ CONSULTANT CHOREOGRAPHER

Walter Selma Bobbie Björnsdóttir

Directed by Gísli Örn Garðarsson

The Heart of Robin Hood was originally produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company.

The American premiere was produced at the American Repertory Theater at Harvard University Diane Paulus, Artistic Director, William Russo, Managing Director and Diane Borger, Producer

november/december 2014

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Steven Schipper, Artistic Director • Camilla Holland, General Manager PRESENTS A CO-PRODUCTION WITH DAVID

MIRVISH AND BARRY AND FRAN WEISSLER

THE HEART OF ROBIN HOOD

by David Farr Songs by Parsonsfield November 13 – December 6, 2014 previews November 11, 12

Director...............................................................................Gísli Örn Garðarsson Set Designer.................................................................................Börkur Jónsson Costume Designer............................................................................Emma Ryott Lighting Designer..............................................................Graeme S. Thomson Sound Designers.......................................... Jonathan Deans & Garth Helm Music Supervisor....................................................................................Kris Kukul Fight Director...................................................................................... Joe Bostick Dialect Coach..............................................................................Eric Armstrong Creative Consultant................................................................... Walter Bobbie Associate Director/Choreographer..............................Selma Björnsdóttir Assistant Lighting Designer...................................................... George Quan Associate Sound Designer.......................................................... Brian Walters Casting..................................................... Stephanie Gorin Casting cdc, csa Telsey + Company, William Cantler, csa/Karyn Casl, csa Casting Assistant..................................................................Brendan Wilcocks Company Manager......................................................................... Charles Chu Company Management Assistant.............................................. Anika Nater Production Stage Manager.....................................................The. John Gray Stage Manager.....................................................................................Kim Brown Assistant Stage Manager......................................................Sandra McEwing Child Chaperone/Apprentice Stage Manager....................Janine Nater Artistic Intern............................................................... Díana Rut Kristinsdóttir The Heart of Robin Hood is performed with one intermission.

The house will open 20 minutes to showtime.

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THE HEART OF ROBIN HOOD THE CAST

Robin Hood.......................................................................................Gabriel Ebert Marion.....................................................................................................Izzie Steele Prince John........................................................................................ Euan Morton Pierre................................................................................................Christian Lloyd Sarah Summers...............................................................................Anna Bartlam* Friar/Robert Summers/Guard/Bishop............................... Richard Clarkin Little John.................................................................................Jeremy Crawford Will Scathlock..........................................................................Zachary Eisenstat George LeBrun/Guy of Gisborne/Duke of York...............Paul Essiembre Horse/Gisborne’s Henchman #1................................................ Troy Feldman Horse/Gisborne’s Henchman #2..................................... Greg Hovanessian Makepeace/French Lord.............................................................Martin Julien Jethro Summers............................................................................ Tristan Mackid† Lady LeBrun/French Lady/Rebecca Summers........Katelyn McCulloch Sarah Summers............................................................... Meguire McRae-King* Alice.............................................................................................. Sarah Schenkkan Much Miller.............................................................. Stephen Michael Spencer Plug the Dog/Nun.........................................................................Darcy Stewart Jethro Summers........................................................................................ Tate Yap† Fight Captain...........................................................................Jeremy Crawford Aerialist Captain.................................................................Katelyn McCulloch *Anna Bartlam and Meguire McRae-King will share the role of Sarah Summers. †Tristan Mackid and Tate Yap will share the role of Jethro Summers.

PARSONSFIELD

Mandolin/Banjo/Vocals...........................................................Antonio Alcorn Vocals/Banjo/Guitar/Saw........................................................Chris Freeman Bass/Vocals/Glockenspiel................................................ Harrison Goodale Drums/Percussion/Vocals...................................................... Erik Hischmann Guitar/Pump Organ/Vocals......................................................... Max Shakun Show control and scenic motion control featuring Stage Command Systems® by PRG-Scenic Technologies, a division of Production Resource Group, llc, New Windsor, NY. Sound equipment supplied by Sound Associates Incorporated Lighting equipment and special lighting effects by PRG Lighting Harnesses by Flying by Foy Scaffold supplied by SkyHigh Canada – Guy Mercier Special thanks: Björn Helgason American Repertory Theater – Patricia Quinlan, Stephen Setterlun Studio Specialties Limited – Jarek Poczekaj Bratton Scenery and Display – Steve Bratton Airmagic Special Effects – Mark Fine Cardio-Go

november/december 2014

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Artists

THE HEART OF ROBIN HOOD

Gabriel Ebert

Euan Morton

Robin Hood

Prince John

ROYAL MTC First appearance.

ROYAL MTC First appearance.

OTHER THEATRE Harry Wormwood in Matilda –

OTHER THEATRE Boy George in Taboo –

2013 Tony Award for best featured actor in a musical (Broadway). Gabriel has appeared in numerous productions in the United States.

His most exciting theatrical adventure has been playing Konstantin in a site-specific production of The Seagull at a lake in upstate New York, directed by the incomparable Brian Mertes.

Izzie Steele Marion

ROYAL MTC First appearance.

Olivier, Tony & Drama Desk Award nominations (West End, Broadway); Cyrano de Bergerac – directed by David Leveaux, Sondheim on Sondheim – directed by James Lapine (Broadway); title role in Tony Kushner/ Maurice Sendak’s Brundibar (Off Broadway); Leo Frank in Parade – Helen Hayes Award (Ford’s Theatre, Washington DC); David Grimm’s Measure for Pleasure – Obie Award (The Public Theater, NY).

ET CETERA Originally from Scotland, Euan is pleased to have been made so welcome in the New York theatre scene and in regional theatres across the US. He can be seen in the documentary Showbusiness: The Road to Broadway and has released two solo albums. www.euanmorton.com

OTHER THEATRE Playboy of the Western

World, Henry V, Part 1, All’s Well That Ends Well, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Taming of the Shrew, Romeo and Juliet (The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey).

FILM/TV Law & Order: SVU, One Bad Choice, Canary.

TRAINING The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey.

ET CETERA Izzie is London born with deep Polish roots and is very proud to play such a strong woman, Marion, in her Canadian debut.

Christian Lloyd Pierre

ROYAL MTC First appearance.

OTHER THEATRE Selected: A Flea in Her Ear

(Mirvish/Soulpepper); Chicken Grease is Nasty Business (SummerWorks); Happy Hour (LabCab); Getting Lucky (Rhubarb Festival); Amadeus (CS/Citadel/Naples); Twelfth Night, Platonov (Soulpepper); Romeo and Juliet (CS). Playwright: Happy Hour, Getting Lucky, Fridays with Frieda, Record.

FILM/TV Selected: Maps to the Stars, Bang Bang Baby, Horizon, Covert Affairs, Mr. Viral, Repo Men, The Day Reagan Was Shot. Christian co-wrote the TV pilot for What Would Trejo Do? and the feature film Moments of Clarity.

For a complete list of theatre abbreviations, please refer to legend on page 4

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Artists

THE HEART OF ROBIN HOOD

TRAINING George Brown Theatre School;

Jeremy Crawford

B.Sc. (Hons.), University of Guelph.

ET CETERA Christian is honoured to be sharing the stage with such dynamic artists.

Thanks to his amazing family and friends for their unwavering love and support. www.gettingfilm.com • Twitter: @actwritesnap

Little John/ Fight Captain

ROYAL MTC First appearance.

Anna Bartlam

OTHER THEATRE US regional credits include:

Sarah Summers

ROYAL MTC First appearance.

OTHER THEATRE Susan Waverly in White

Christmas, Marta in The Sound of Music, Molly in Annie, The Wizard of Oz (Drayton); Miracle on 34th Street (Grand).

ET CETERA Anna is 10 years old and loves the stage! She is thrilled to be making her Royal MTC debut! Huge thanks to my two amazing sisters, my parents, my teachers at the Dance Movement and Daniel at the Talent House.

Richard Clarkin

Smee in Peter Pan (Arizona Broadway Theatre); Mortimer in The Fantasticks, Jumpy Malachi in Happy Days: A New Musical, Iago in Disney’s Aladdin, Herb in Godspell (West Virginia Public Theatre). International theatre credits: title role in King Lear (Glasgow’s Shakespeare in the City); Good Angel in Doctor Faustus (Blood, Love and Rhetoric); Joe in Fever Dream: Southside (One Academy Productions); Oscar in Desire (2Landa).

TRAINING MA in Acting from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

ET CETERA Jeremy is excited to return to the role he portrayed at the American Repertory Theater. Jeremy currently resides in New York, where he works as an actor and trains as an aerialist. www.jeremy-crawford.net @_jeremycrawford

Friar/Robert Summers/ Guard/Bishop

Zachary Eisenstat Will Scathlock

ROYAL MTC The Fighting Days, The Price,

Mating Dance of the Werewolf, Waiting for Godot, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Death of a Salesman (with Mirvish), Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet), The Miracle Worker.

OTHER THEATRE Scar in Disney’s The Lion King (Mirvish); King Lear, The Merchant of Venice, The War of 1812 (Stratford); Company Theatre, VideoCabaret, Necessary Angel and Soulpepper.

FILM/TV Film: Goon, Casino Jack, Molly Maxwell, You Are Here, Solo. TV: Bitten, Transporter, Killjoys, Murdoch Mysteries (recurring), Suits, Republic of Doyle, Lost Girl, Flashpoint.

TRAINING Graduate of the National Theatre School.

ROYAL MTC First appearance.

OTHER THEATRE US credits include: The

Tempest, The Heart of Robin Hood, The Donkey Show (American Repertory Theater); On the Town, The Chosen (Lyric Stage); Coriolanus (Commonwealth Shakespeare Company); The Play About the Baby (Exquisite Corp.); Matchmaker, Matchmaker I’m Willing to Settle (NY Musical Festival); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, Boston Landmarks Orchestra).

TRAINING SB in Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

ET CETERA Zachary makes his Canadian debut with this production. @thefarceur

For a complete list of theatre abbreviations, please refer to legend on page 4

november/december 2014

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Artists

THE HEART OF ROBIN HOOD FILM/TV Score: A Hockey Musical, Stepping

Paul Essiembre

Up 2, Stuntman, Reign.

ET CETERA Troy is a Toronto-based actor,

George LeBrun/ Guy of Gisborne/ Duke of York ROYAL MTC Other People’s Money, A Few

Good Men (with Citadel).

OTHER THEATRE Four seasons at the Stratford Festival, including To Kill a Mockingbird, The Odyssey, The Duchess of Malfi, Don Juan, Macbeth and Amadeus.

Elsewhere: Romeo and Juliet (Citadel); The Best Brothers (PTE); The Normal Heart, The Overwhelming, Stuff Happens (Studio 180); Don Juan (Théâtre du Nouveau Monde); L’Emmerdeur, Dîner de Cons, Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, Art (Théâtre Français de Toronto); Tillsonburg (CS); Sleuth (Segal); Othello (ATF); Picasso at the Lapin Agile (Centaur).

FILM/TV More than 50 film and television projects. Recent favourites include Jack: The Jack Layton Story, Less Than Kind, The Christmas Heart, Suits and Covert Affairs.

Extensive work as a voice artist includes documentary narration, animated series and countless commercial voice-overs.

Troy Feldman Horse/ Gisborne’s Henchman #1

ROYAL MTC First appearance.

dancer, parkour artist, acrobat and stuntman.

He has performed across Canada, the US and Europe. He would like to thank the creative team, Albino Zebrahs, Alias, Kaeja d’Dance, his family and his wife. He dedicates this performance to his dad and his grandpa.

Greg Hovanessian Horse/ Gisborne’s Henchman #2

ROYAL MTC First appearance.

OTHER THEATRE A Dream Play, Love and

Human Remains, The Mystery of Irma Vep (Backhand Theatre Company).

FILM/TV Covert Affairs, Hacker, Nikita, AKP: Job 27, We Run These Streets.

TRAINING BA in Film and Drama from Queen’s University.

ET CETERA Greg is first and foremost grateful for the opportunity to be part of this incredible collaboration. Greg is a Torontobased actor and stuntman with a unique set of skills, which includes: parkour, martial arts, breakdancing, recreational gymnastics, tricking and acrobatics. With his thrill-seeking personality and daring attitude, he hopes to bring some flash to the stage. He sends a big thanks to the production team and would like to dedicate his performance to his loving and supportive family and friends for keeping his artistic passions alive.

OTHER THEATRE War Horse, The Lord of

the Rings (Mirvish); The Forbidden Phoenix (Citadel/YTP/MTYP); Off the Wall (Stan Won’t Dance); A Soldier’s Tale (TA); Jesus Christ Superstar (Tivoli Theatre). Cochoreographer & performer: Emoticonics (Young Centre for the Performing Arts). Troy is also a member of Alias Dance Project, where he performs and choreographs work that combines dance with all-terrain movement.

Martin Julien Makepeace/ French Lord

ROYAL MTC First appearance.

OTHER THEATRE Martin has maintained an ac-

tive career as an actor, singer and playwright in both Canada and the US for more than 30

For a complete list of theatre abbreviations, please refer to legend on page 4

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Ovation

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Artists

THE HEART OF ROBIN HOOD

Technicolor Dreamcoat (Winnipeg Broadway Theatre); The House at Pooh Corner (MTYP); My Son Pinocchio, The Music Man (St. James School Division Musical Theatre). film/TV Disney XD’s Bunks. Upcoming: animated feature film The Magic Snowflake.

ET CETERA Tristan thanks his parents, grandparents, Janna Larsen and Lincoln School for their support… and his little brother Sawyer, who always claps the loudest.

years. He has appeared with virtually every established professional company in Toronto and has received three Dora nominations for best performer.

FILM/TV Recurring roles in Street Legal, Black Harbour and Lost Girl; Ted Koslo opposite Brian Dennehy’s John Wayne Gacy in To Catch a Killer.

Upcoming: Guillermo del Toro’s Crimson Peak.

TRAINING/TEACHING Currently, Martin is a PhD student (as well as instructor of acting) at the Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies at the University of Toronto, and has been awarded a second Ontario Graduate Scholarship for 2014/15.

Katelyn McCulloch Lady LeBrun/ French Lady/ Rebecca Summers/ Aerialist Captain

Tristan Mackid Jethro Summers

ROYAL MTC First appearance.

OTHER THEATRE Selected: Cascade (Nuit

Blanche/Anandam Dancetheatre); Glaciology (Anandam Dancetheatre, South Africa tour); Choreographer/Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Speakeasy Productions, directed

by Marvin Ishmael); Fragments (performer/

ROYAL MTC A Christmas Story.

OTHER THEATRE The Who’s Tommy (Winnipeg

Fringe Festival); Joseph and the Amazing

2014/15 SEASON Yayoi Ban, Artjom Maksakov PHOTO: Réjean Brandt Photography

Nutcracker DEC 20-28 / 2014

Choreography Galina Yordanova and Nina Menon Centennial Concert Hall with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra

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Artists

THE HEART OF ROBIN HOOD

director, No Parachute Theatre); Infinitum (Cheshire Unicorn). Katelyn has also been seen dangling at Body Brake, The Paprika Festival, Copa Cabana Restaurant and Dr. Eugene Draw’s Strange Parade.

TRAINING Proud graduate of York University’s Acting Conservatory (BFA).

ET CETERA A native Nova Scotian, Katelyn is currently based in Toronto. Her passion for physical performance has taken her around the world and led her to create the aerial theatre company No Parachute Theatre (www.nptheatre.com). BIG love to her family and friends for letting her dance around in the kitchen at an early age… it paid off.

Repertory Theatre); Professor Brenner (New Worlds Theatre Project); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Storm Theatre). She has also performed revues at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the Birdland Jazz Club in NYC. TV 30 Rock.

TRAINING Proud graduate of the University of Miami (BFA).

ET CETERA Sarah is an NYC-based actress, singer and foodie. She is thrilled to make her Canadian debut with Royal MTC! Love and endless thanks to Station 3, Telsey + Co., WB, Jen and Gísli. As always, for my family. @sarah_schenkkan

Stephen Michael Spencer

Meguire McRae-King Sarah Summers

Much Miller

ROYAL MTC First appearance.

ROYAL MTC Jane Eyre, A Christmas Story.

OTHER THEATRE Cymbeline, Henry V, A

Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Comedy of Errors, Twelfth Night (Such Stuff Players).

TRAINING Violin: Natalia Weichsel; Voice: Zohreh Gervais; Dance/Aerial/Acrobatics: Monica’s Danz Gym; Acting: Karen Ridd & Marilyn Firth, Such Stuff Players.

ET CETERA Meguire would like to thank her mentors who are supporting her passion for the theatre, as well as the entire cast and crew at Royal MTC and Mirvish Productions.

Above all else she is grateful to her family and friends for their love and support.

OTHER THEATRE Regional credits include: Yentl, A Carol for Cleveland, Venus in Fur – understudy (Cleveland Play House); Go West, Clybourne Park, The Comedy of Errors, As You Like It (Chautauqua Theater Company); Tartuffe (Triad Stage); The Tempest (NCShakes).

TRAINING BFA in Acting from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and an MFA from Case Western Reserve/Cleveland Play House.

ET CETERA Stephen is based out of New York and is thrilled to call Canada his first adventure out of the States! www.stephenmichaelspencer.com

Darcy Stewart

Sarah Schenkkan

Plug the Dog/Nun

Alice

ROYAL MTC First appearance.

ROYAL MTC First appearance.

OTHER THEATRE Sarah most recently toured

the US with the first national tour of Wicked (Glinda understudy). Selected regional credits: Guys and Dolls, My Fair Lady (Connecticut

OTHER THEATRE The Cat in the Hat in

Seussical (Lower Ossington Theatre); Brooke Wyndham in Legally Blonde: The Musical, Saint Monica in The Last Days of Judas

For a complete list of theatre abbreviations, please refer to legend on page 4

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Ovation

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Artists

THE HEART OF ROBIN HOOD

Iscariot (Randolph Academy); Joanne in RENT (Lower Ossington Theatre).

ET CETERA Darcy is absolutely ecstatic to be playing Plug the Dog in this production of The Heart of Robin Hood. Darcy grew up in Richmond Hill, Ontario, and has been performing since the young age of four in plays, musicals, dance recitals and shows. She gives her heart out to her parents and her whole family, who have always supported and believed in her, her friends who have always been her inspiration, and all of you for coming to experience this marvellous production. Enjoy!

Tate Yap Jethro Summers

ROYAL MTC First appearance.

OTHER THEATRE Favourite credits include:

Jerome in South Pacific (Drayton); Charlie Bucket in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,

MODERN DESIGN

REDEFINED

Oliver in Oliver Twist.

TRAINING Acting: The Assembly Line Theatre; Cynthia Yap. Vocal: Amy Barber-MacLean.

ET CETERA Cambridge native Tate has been performing most of his life, making his stage debut as Smee in Peter Pan. He has performed in theatre, television and film. Received Best Actor Award in the 48 Hour Film Project, Toronto 2012. Tate thanks his family and director Jullian Ablaza for pushing and believing in him. He is very excited to be part of the talented cast of The Heart of Robin Hood.

David Farr Playwright

ROYAL MTC First engagement.

OTHER THEATRE Recent: Metamorphosis,

co-adapted and directed with Gísli Örn Garðarsson (London, Lyric Hammersmith, ArtsEmerson, world tour). Playwright:

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Artists

THE HEART OF ROBIN HOOD

The Heart of Robin Hood (RSC, American Repertory Theater); The UN Inspector (National Theatre); The Nativity (Young Vic); Elton John’s Glasses (West End). Director: Hamlet, King Lear, The Winter’s Tale, Twelfth Night, The Tempest, The Homecoming, RSC Coriolanus (RSC/Old Vic); Julius Caesar (RSC/Lyric Theatre Hammersmith); The Birthday Party (Lyric Theatre Hammersmith).

Artistic Director of the Gate Theatre, London 1993–97; Artistic Director of Bristol Old Vic 2002–05; Artistic Director and co-chief executive of Lyric Theatre Hammersmith 2005–09; Associate Director of RSC 2009–13.

FILM/TV Writing credits include: MI-5 (BBCTV series); Hanna (co-writer). David is currently directing his first film, The Ones Below. He is also adapting The Night Manager by John le Carré for television for BBC and AMC.

Parsonsfield Songs

Director

ROYAL MTC First engagement.

OTHER THEATRE Playwright/Director: The

Housewife (Reykjavík City Theatre); Love – The Musical (Reykjavík City Theatre, Lyric Hammersmith, Seoul, Korea); Faust (Young Vic, Brooklyn Academy of Music, world tour). Adaptor and Director: Metamorphosis (Lyric Hammersmith, Brooklyn Academy of Music, ArtsEmerson, world tour), Woyzeck (Barbican/Brooklyn Academy of Music/world tour); The Tempest (Residenzteater Munich); Romeo and Juliet (Reykjavík City Theatre, Young Vic, West End/world tour); Bastard (Denmark, Sweden, Iceland). Gísli has worked with the National Theatre in Norway, Iceland and London, the City Theatre in Malmö, the Residenzteater in Munich, the Sidney Theatre, LG Arts Centre in Seoul, the State National Ballet and Circus in Belarus and more.

FILM Gísli has produced five feature films, four of which he co-wrote.

ET CETERA Gísli co-founded Vesturport (www.vesturport.com) in 2001. Vesturport received the European Theatre Award in 2011.

Börkur Jónsson Set Designer

ROYAL MTC First engagement.

OTHER THEATRE Credits include: Der Sturm

(Residenzteater, Munich); The Heart of Robin Hood (American Repertory Theater, RSC); Return of Ulysses (ENO/Young Vic); King Lear, The Threepenny Opera, Celebration, Chicks, Ohapp, Macbeth (National Theatre of Iceland); Electric Hotel (Fuel); Woyzeck (Vesturport/Reykjavík City Theatre/Barbican); Romeo and Juliet, Love – The Musical (Vesturport/Reykjavík City Theatre/Young

For a complete list of theatre abbreviations, please refer to legend on page 4

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PARSONSFIELD PHOTO BY SARAH LEFRONCOIS

Parsonsfield is a five-piece Americana band from Connecticut that infuses a rowdy, rock ‘n’ roll spirit into its bluegrass and folk influences, blowing away any preconception of what you think banjos and mandolins should sound like. Made up of singer and banjo player Chris Freeman, mandolin and banjo player Antonio Alcorn, Max Shakun on guitar and pump organ, Harrison Goodale on bass and Erik Hischmann on drums, the band has played live shows in renowned venues across the United States. Parsonsfield has just released After Party, a new EP, and in 2013 released a debut studio LP under their former name, Poor Old Shine. CDs are available for purchase during the intermission or after the show!

Gísli Örn Garðarsson

Artists

THE HEART OF ROBIN HOOD

Vic); Bastard – A Family Saga (Vesturport/ Reykjavík City Theatre/Malmö City Theatre/ Theater Faar302); Enron, August: Osage County, Blasted, Together, Terrorism, Canin Canin, Bloodwedding (Reykjavík City Theatre).

ET CETERA Awards: Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Design for The Heart of Robin Hood; Reumert, Danish Theater awards 2013 for Bastard; Elliot Norton Award, Outstanding Design for Metamorphosis; Icelandic Theatre Awards for Stage Design 2006, 2008 and 2010. Nominated for the Evening Standard theatre awards in 2006 for Metamorphosis.

Emma Ryott

The Heart of Robin Hood (RSC/American Repertory Theater, Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Design). Opera: Manon Lescaut (ENO, London); Aida (WNO, Cardiff); Falstaff (Wiesbaden); Otello (Salzburg); Orphee et Euridice (Stuttgart); Mathis der Maler (Theater am der Wien, Vienna, Austrian Music Awards, Best Overall Production); La Damnation de Faust (DO Berlin). Ballet: Woyzeck, Romeo and Juliet, Anna Karenina (Zurich); Leonce and Lena (Zurich/Montreal); Lulu; Der Sandmann; Fraulein Von S. (Stuttgart); The Return of Ulysses (Antwerp/ Edinburgh Festival). Upcoming: Chekhov trilogy (Chichester); The Great Gatsby (Dresden).

FILM Arhat taming the Dragon, Death of Pentheus, Poppea/Poppea, Arte 3D.

Costume Designer

ROYAL MTC First engagement.

OTHER THEATRE Rock ’n’ Roll (West End/

Broadway); Sunset Boulevard (Goteborg);

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Artists

THE HEART OF ROBIN HOOD

Graeme S. Thomson Lighting Designer

includes: ONE, LOVE, KA, Believe, Zumanity, O, Mystère, La Nouba, OVO and Corteo.

ET CETERA Nominated for Tony Awards for Pippin and La Cage aux Folles and has been presented with a USITT award for Distinguished Career in Sound Design.

ROYAL MTC Lighting design for Macbeth; sets

and lights for Not Wanted on the Voyage and Scorched.

OTHER THEATRE Set Design Associate for Les Misérables and Miss Saigon and designed Les Misérables in Concert at the SkyDome (Mirvish). Also for Mirvish, he was the set designer for Needfire. Recently: lighting designs for True West and Farther West (Soulpepper); lighting and set designs for The Valley (Tarragon); lighting design for No Great Mischief (Gananoque Playhouse) – nominated for a Capital Critic’s Circle Award.

ET CETERA Recipient of five Dora Mavor Moore Awards: Outstanding Set Designs for The Castle (Necessary Angel), The Collected Works of Billy the Kid (Tarragon), Bob’s Kingdom (Factory) and Outstanding Lighting Designs for Seven Lears (Necessary Angel) and Remnants (Tarragon). Happily married for 27 years, Graeme is the proud parent of four children who are all currently attending university. He is a member of the Associated Designers of Canada.

Jonathan Deans Co-Sound Designer

Garth Helm Co-Sound Designer

ROYAL MTC First engagement.

OTHER THEATRE Chicago designs include:

Beauty and the Beast, Shrek, Barry Manilow’s Could It Be Magic?, Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, Evita, Ragtime, Sweeney Todd, The Sound of Music, Xanadu, Oliver!. Broadway: Pippin (Tony nomination). Associate Sound Designer: Rocky (Broadway); We Will Rock You (US tour); Ghost: The Musical (Broadway, US tour, South Korea); Les Misérables 25th Anniversary Concert (O2 Arena, London; US tour); Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (Toronto, NYC, US tour); Dirty Dancing (US), Phantom – The Las Vegas Spectacular. Production and/or Advance Sound Supervisor for The Phantom of the Opera (Broadway, current); Billy Joel’s Movin’ Out US tour; The Pirate Queen (Chicago, NYC); all-North American productions of the original Ragtime, Fosse, Seussical the Musical; Sunset Blvd.; Hal Prince’s Show Boat.

Kris Kukul Music Supervisor ROYAL MTC First engagement.

OTHER THEATRE The Heart of Robin Hood

ROYAL MTC First engagement.

(American Repertory Theater); Finding Neverland, Witness Uganda, Second Time Around, Pippin, Carrie, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, La Cage aux Folles, Young Frankenstein, Pirate Queen, Lestat, Taboo, Follies, Seussical, The Music Man, Fosse, Parade, Candide, Ragtime (Broadway). His work with Cirque du Soleil

OTHER THEATRE Recent arrangement/music

direction work: The Heart of Robin Hood (American Repertory Theater); The Last Goodbye (Old Globe); June Moon, Animal Crackers (Williamstown Theatre Festival); My Depression (HBO); LaMama Cantata (Spoleto, Istanbul, Belgrade, Zagreb); From the Fire (Edinburgh); In the Footprint (Civilians); The Daughters (CAP21); It’s Judy’s

For a complete list of theatre abbreviations, please refer to legend on page 4

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Artists

THE HEART OF ROBIN HOOD

Show (DR2/Theatre J); Revolting Rhymes (Lortel); Kaspar Hauser (The Flea). Resident Music Director for the Williamstown Theatre Festival and Elizabeth Swados’ Arranger/ Music Director. Composed music for: Wing It!, Camp Monster (Williamstown); Beauty Queen (3 Graces); Dash Dexter (Manhattan Theatre Club); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (National Theatre of Greece); Oliver Twist (Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey). International work: Heracles, directed by Andre Serban; Bokan (Bogota); The Bacchae (Warsaw); The Frogs (Epidauros Festival).

TEACHING Adjunct faculty NYU/Tisch.

Joe Bostick Fight Director

Dancing – North American premiere, US tour (Mirvish); Les Misérables (Broadway); Ragtime (Broadway, Toronto, LA and US tours); The Phantom of the Opera (NETworks, Cameron Macintosh, US tour); Deathtrap, Peter Pan, Crazy for You, I’ll be Back Before Midnight (Drayton); Trainspotting (CS); Romeo and Juliet (Theatre By the Bay); I Hate Hamlet (Stage West). Associate Fight Director: The Lord of the Rings, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (Mirvish).

FILM/TV A bunch.

TRAINING Trained with Society of American Fight Directors and various Fight Masters in North America.

ET CETERA Founding member of Fight Directors Canada. Much love to Stephanie, Devon and Jesse for all their support.

ROYAL MTC First engagement.

OTHER THEATRE Les Misérables, The Wizard

of Oz – North American premiere, Dirty

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Artists

THE HEART OF ROBIN HOOD

Eric Armstrong

Selma Björnsdóttir

Dialect Coach

Associate Director/ Choreographer

ROYAL MTC First engagement.

ROYAL MTC First engagement.

OTHER THEATRE Credits include: 12 Angry

OTHER THEATRE The Heart of Robin

Men, Mary Stuart, The Gigli Concert, A Christmas Carol, Translations (Soulpepper); YukonStyle, The Cosmonaut’s Last Message…, Habeus Corpus (CS); Another Africa (Volcano/CS); Eternal Hydra (Crows); Arigato Tokyo, Blasted (Buddies in Bad Times); Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me (Adeona Productions); Pride and Prejudice (Geva Theatre); Just Stopped By to See the Man (Steppenwolf).

FILM/TV Coaching highlights: The Expanse (Thomas Jane and cast), 12 Monkeys (Kirk Acevedo and cast), Take This Waltz (Sarah Silverman, Michelle Williams), The Orphan (Isabelle Fuhrman), Lost Girl, Normal (Tom Wilkinson).

TEACHING This year Eric is on sabbatical from the faculty at York University’s Dept. of Theatre, where he teaches voice, speech, accents and classical text.

Walter Bobbie Creative Consultant

ROYAL MTC First engagement.

OTHER THEATRE Walter Bobbie directed

the international hit Chicago, the second longest-running musical in Broadway history.

Recent work includes Steve Martin/Edie Brickell’s Bright Star at the Old Globe and David Ives’ Venus in Fur on Broadway.

ET CETERA Mr. Bobbie is the recipient of the Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Tony Awards.

Hood (American Repertory Theater, RSC).

Director: Les Misérables, Oliver!, The Town of Cardamom (National Theatre of Iceland); Den Nationale Scene (Bergen, Norway); Grease (Loftkastalinn Theatre); Pinocchio (Reykjavík City Theatre). Actress: Metamorphosis, The Housewife (Vesturport); Lady of the Lake in Spamalot (National Theatre of Iceland); Footloose (Reykjavík City Theatre).

Choreographer/Assistant Director: Little Shop of Horrors, The Rocky Horror Show, Hair.

ET CETERA In 1999, Selma released I Am, her platinum-selling solo album – the highest-selling CD in Iceland that year – which won her Performer of the Year at the Icelandic Music Awards, 2000.

Stephanie Gorin Casting cdc, csa Casting Stephanie Gorin cdc, csa, has been casting for 25 years. In 2014 she won an Emmy for casting the miniseries Fargo. This year she received three Artios nominations (CSA) for: Fargo, Les Misérables (Broadway) and Backpackers (web series). TV credits include: Hemlock Grove, Gangland Undercover, Haven, Reign, The Borgias, The Tudors (two Emmy nominations), Copper, The Border (two Gemini nominations), Being Erica (Gemini nomination), Guns (Gemini nomination), The Listener (seasons II–V). Selected features: Race, Home Again, How She Move, The Art of the Steal, Saw II–VII. Co-casting: Take the Lead, Hairspray, Chicago. Theatre credits include Kinky Boots, The Wizard of Oz, The Sound of Music, Dirty Dancing, We Will Rock You, The Lord of the Rings and Mamma Mia! (three companies Artios nomination).

For a complete list of theatre abbreviations, please refer to legend on page 4

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Ovation

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Artists

THE HEART OF ROBIN HOOD

Canadian premieres: War Horse, Les Misérables (25th anniversary), Rock of Ages, The Lion King, Rent. Stephanie co-created The Casting Room, the Canadian Comedy Award-winning web series. Thanks to all the great actors who came out for The Heart of Robin Hood!

Fright, Song One. TV: Flesh and Bone, Peter Pan Live!, Penny Dreadful, Masters of Sex, commercials. www.telseyandco.com

The. John Gray Production Stage Manager

Telsey + Company William Cantler, csa/Karyn Casl, csa US Casting

ROYAL MTC First engagement.

Broadway/tours: The King and I, An American in Paris, Finding Neverland, Hand to God, Honeymoon in Vegas, The Last Ship, Love Letters, This is Our Youth, If/Then, Pippin, Motown, Kinky Boots, Rock of Ages, Wicked, Newsies, Million Dollar Quartet. OffBroadway: Atlantic, MCC, Second Stage, Signature. Regional: A.R.T., Dallas Theater Center, Goodman, La Jolla, New York Stage and Film, Paper Mill, Signature. Film: The Intern, Ithaca, Focus, A Most Violent Year, Into the Woods, The Last 5 Years, Stage

OTHER THEATRE Les Misérables, The Wizard of Oz, War Horse, Rock of Ages, The Sound of Music, Dirty Dancing, We Will Rock You, The Lord of the Rings, The Producers, The Lion King, The Who’s Tommy, Jane Eyre, Miss Saigon (Mirvish). Most recently: Les Misérables in Melbourne, Australia. Also opening and closing ceremonies, 15th Asian Games (Doha, Qatar); five seasons at the Stratford Festival; North American tours of Chicago and The King and I; productions at Canadian Stage, the Charlottetown Festival, Theatre New Brunswick, the Grand Theatre,

Artists

THE HEART OF ROBIN HOOD

Theatre Calgary, the Citadel Theatre and Tarragon Theatre.

David Mirvish Producer

Kim Brown Stage Manager

ROYAL MTC First engagement.

OTHER THEATRE Cabaret, The Full

Monty, The Wedding Singer (Stage West Mississauga); Twist and Shout, South Pacific (Drayton).

TRAINING Technical theatre at Sheridan.

ET CETERA Kim is thrilled to be a part of The Heart of Robin Hood. She would like to thank Alex for all his love and support over the years.

Sandra McEwing Assistant Stage Manager

ROYAL MTC Good People, Jane Eyre, Daddy

Long Legs, Romeo and Juliet, Calendar Girls (with Mirvish), The 39 Steps. Stage Manager: Red (with Belfry).

OTHER THEATRE Stage Manager: Dionysus in Stony Mountain (TPM); The Hobbit (MTYP); Big Mama! The Willie Mae Thornton Story (Belfry/NAC); Helen’s Necklace (Belfry).

FILM Script Supervisor: Steel, Path of Souls.

David Mirvish is a Toronto-based theatrical producer. Mr. Mirvish owns and operates four theatres in Toronto: the Royal Alexandra, the Princess of Wales, the Ed Mirvish and the Panasonic. Mirvish Productions, a company founded by Mr. Mirvish in 1986, has produced plays and musicals for these and other venues throughout Canada, on Broadway and in London’s West End. In addition, Mirvish Productions has presented over 500 touring productions in the city of Toronto.

Barry and Fran Weissler Producers Barry and Fran Weissler are the winners of seven Tony Awards: Othello, Fiddler on the Roof, Gypsy, Annie Get Your Gun, the 2010 revival of La Cage aux Folles, the 2013 revival of Pippin and the worldwide hit, Chicago, the longest-running American musical in the world, whose global success has reached over 25 countries and has been translated into a dozen languages. Multiple projects currently in development include The Band Wagon, Finding Neverland and Waitress.

Royal Shakespeare Company The Royal Shakespeare Company produces theatre at its best, made in Stratford-uponAvon and shared around the world for everyone to enjoy. Our work begins its life in Shakespeare’s home town and we bring it to the widest possible audience through our touring, residencies, cinema broadcasts and online activity. www.rsc.org.uk

Telsey + Company: Bernard Telsey csa, Will Cantler csa, David Vaccari csa, Bethany Knox csa, Craig Burns csa, Tiffany Little Canfield csa, Rachel Hoffman csa, Justin Huff csa, Patrick Goodwin csa, Abbie Brady-Dalton csa, Cesar A. Rocha csa, Andrew Femenella csa, Karyn Casl csa, Kristina Bramhall, Conrad Woolfe, Rachel Nadler, Rachel Minow, Sean Gannon, Scott Galina

For a complete list of theatre abbreviations, please refer to legend on page 4

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The Perfect Match THE HEART OF THE DONOR “I am going to form my own band of merry men. We will rob from the rich and give to the poor.” – Marion

If Marion was living in present day, she might be hatching a fundraising plan. An unconventional one, mind you. While the final result is charitable, would the end justify the means? Marion’s path to philanthropy is certainly a different approach, but she does exhibit a sense of passion and compassion. She has heart and, as the play demonstrates, she is able to affect change in the hearts of others.

Philanthropy, too, is often a gift from the heart. One expert in the field wrote, “Giving is motivated by humans’ deeply held need to find meaning in life.” So whether you donate to health, educational or religious institutions, or if you contribute to the arts, you most likely give because you care and are interested in making our world a better place.

Your gifts to the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre help ensure this theatre will be here for future generations. You give to Royal MTC because you love theatre. You give to Royal MTC because you recognize that theatre not only entertains, but also speaks to real issues in our world. You give to Royal MTC because you know, in your heart, that theatre makes a difference in our society.

Canon feel strongly about giving back to the arts and culture community and hope others will “copy” their lead in donating to Royal MTC. All donations received before the end of the year are eligible for a 2014 charitable tax receipt.

Donations from individuals form an important part of this theatre’s overall financial health. Our ability to present the Canadian premiere of The Heart of Robin Hood is one example of what we can accomplish together. David Farr’s play premiered December 2011 at the Royal Shakespeare Company in London and the first performance in the United States was at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 2013. Royal MTC is proud to present the Canadian premiere of this delightful play before it moves on to Toronto. Royal MTC can accomplish such a feat because of the strength of our artists, artisans, staff and volunteers, as well as donors like you.

We hope you give from the heart today.

Donate by mail, phone or online at www.royalmtc.ca. For more information, contact Heidi in the Development Office at 204 954 6412 or email hstruck@royalmtc.ca.

This fall, corporate champions Carlyle Printers, Service & Supplies Ltd. and Canon Canada are offering a matching challenge of $10,000 for every new or increased gift until the end of the year. Carlyle and

november/december 2014

Ovation

27

Before & After

Before & After Warm up to some fantastic food and beverages from Winnipeg’s finest restaurants, all minutes from Royal MTC. Whether you crave steak, sandwiches or soufflé, these culinary delights and luscious libations will complete your night out on the town, before or after the show.

FOR SPEEDY SERVICE AT INTERMISSION, DON’T FORGET TO PRE-ORDER YOUR BEVERAGES!

Nicola Cavendish in Shirley Valentine. PHOTO BY BARBARA ZIMONICK

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Before & After

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Setting the Stage

THE DEVIL’S MUSIC: THE LIFE AND BLUES OF BESSIE SMITH

Her Majesty of Blues BY STEVE KIRBY Bessie Smith defied explanation. Born in Chattanoogal, Tennessee in the last decade of the 1800s and raised to become a vaudeville performer, she rose to stand among the monoliths like Louis Armstrong, Jack Johnson and W.E.B. Dubois.

Her voice, her way of inflection, her delivery of lyric, her raw and tortured syllables left audiences hypnotized. In a room packed with people, listeners went away thinking they had a private and personal experience. Not only was her music powerful and hypnotic, it was otherworldly. She was so compelling that her first recording sold over two million copies, even though she performed mostly for black audiences. She toured in her own Pullman rail coach and made 160 recordings for Columbia between 1923 and 1932. Three of them have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Bessie Smith was a protégé of blues matriarch Ma Rainey, and was discovered singing in one of Ma Rainey’s shows. Ma Rainey knew the blues was the exotic side to the jazz musical equation. Jazz was the popular music of that day – it was the soundtrack for the Prohibition. Jazz, and therefore the blues, was attached to sex, alcohol and interracial interaction. Many of the notes in blues music don’t exist on the piano and blues rhythms are so overtly sexual that they didn’t exist in the Euro-American experience. Bessie Smith expressed these qualities to such a degree that she was named the Empress of the Blues.

You must understand that the blues was a way that African Americans expressed their very complex circumstance: on the one hand, they were bred or rather “invented” in the United States; on the other hand, they were not really considered “All American” or American at all. They shared no rights 30

or privileges within the society at large.

Though black people had recently become freed slaves, they were in social, psychological, financial and industrial bondage.

The frustration that came from living under those pressures was the catalyst to create the blues, the “music that makes you feel good about feeling bad.”

Bessie Smith put such a stamp on blues singing that no one sings it without her influence. In spite of the fact that she was unforgivably black in her look, her culture and everything that was her public presentation, she was one of the first blues superstars. Her music transcended race and culture and reflected the problems of the everyday, down and out, not-so-well-to-do American protagonist.

She was a wild lady too! During a time when there was a Puritanical push, she was crass, loud and carnal – and she was a spectacle.

She was always singing about sex and alcohol, more sex and then more alcohol.

She did what she wanted – it was almost like she was proving that all the folkways and morays of those times were foolish. There were people back then who were egging her on, and people who were rooting for her demise.

She was like a rolling car wreck – nobody wanted to take their eyes off of her!

America was transfixed, waiting for this big crash. When it did eventually happen, it wasn’t the way everyone anticipated.

Steve Kirby is the Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Manitoba, and learned the blues firsthand by performing with some of the old bluesmen in St Louis, his childhood home.

Ovation

november/december 2014

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Setting the Stage

THE DEVIL’S MUSIC: THE LIFE AND BLUES OF BESSIE SMITH

PLAYWRIGHT’S NOTES BY ANGELO PARRA During a breakfast meeting in late 1998, Director Joe Brancato mentioned that he and the gifted Miche Braden were interested in staging the life of Bessie Smith.

Joe asked me to think about whether I’d like to write the script. I didn’t need to think about it; I jumped at the opportunity.

Somewhat familiar with Bessie Smith’s life, and eager to work with such talented theatre pros, I was immediately on board.

Thus The Devil’s Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith was born of a synergistic effort, incorporating Joe’s vision, Miche’s musical arrangements, and my research and writing. The result was a script for which I was fortunate enough to be awarded a New York Foundation for the Arts Playwriting Fellowship.

One of the most interesting and perplexing choices I had to make concerning the script was whether to address the popular misconception about Bessie’s fatal accident. Bessie is now some three-quarters of a century behind us, and I’ve observed that today the “average person” knows Bessie Smith only as a black singer who died due to a hospital’s racism, if he or she remembers Bessie at all. For decades, it was “common knowledge” that, after a car crash, Bessie Smith was turned away from a whites-only hospital in Mississippi, and unnecessarily bled to death. One of our great dramatists, Edward Albee, dealt with the tragedy in The Death of Bessie Smith. So what’s the problem? Well, the story isn’t true. The erroneous account of Bessie’s death is one of those politically expedient myths that tends to creep up around, and sometimes obscure, important figures, like ivy climbing mighty oaks. While Bessie herself might have appreciated such a dramatically ironic ending to her extraordinary life, it has no basis in fact.

32

In the early morning hours of September 26, 1937, Bessie was a passenger in a car driven by her friend and lover Richard Morgan, and, near Clarksdale, Mississippi, the car collided with a truck and rolled over. The accident nearly severed one of Bessie’s arms and crushed half her body. A car carrying a doctor (white) stopped to offer assistance.

Eventually, an ambulance arrived (driven by a black), which took Bessie to a black hospital where she died. (The local white hospital was no closer.) Bessie Smith simply bled to death as a result of her injuries.

The inflammatory account of Bessie’s death seems to have originated in rumours circulated by disgruntled musicians, who were overheard by John Hammond, one of Bessie’s record producers. Hammond reported the gossip as fact in a magazine article. Years after Bessie’s death, Hammond admitted he had only related hearsay.

Having been at one time a small-town reporter, I considered debunking the myth at the end of The Devil’s Music, but, after much thought – and discussions with Joe, Miche, and the members of my Hudson Valley Professional Playwrights Lab – I arrived at the conclusion that The Devil’s Music is not about the death of Bessie Smith; the show celebrates the amazing life of Bessie Smith, warts and all.

Playwright’s notes by Angelo Parra from www.devilsmusic.biz, the official website of The Devil’s Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith.

Ovation

november/december 2014

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Steven Schipper, Artistic Director • Camilla Holland, General Manager PRESENTS

The Devil’s Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith by Angelo Parra Musical Direction & Arrangements by Miche Braden Concept, Musical Staging & Direction by Joe Brancato December 4–20, 2014

previews December 2, 3

Director...............................................................................................Joe Brancato Set Designer................................................................................James J. Fenton Costume Designer...............................................................Patricia E. Doherty Lighting Designer................................................................................ Todd Wren Assistant Director..............................................................Heidi Malazdrewich Stage Manager.......................................................................... Margaret Brook Apprentice Stage Manager......................................................Crystal Staryk THE CAST (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)

Bessie Smith.................................................................................... Miche Braden Piano...................................................................................................Aaron Graves Pickle/Bass.......................................................................................... Jim Hankins Saxophone.......................................................................Anthony E. Nelson, Jr. The Devil’s Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith is performed without intermission.

The Devil’s Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith had its world premiere at Penguin Rep Theatre (Joe Brancato, Artistic Director; Andrew Horn, Executive Director) The Devil’s Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith was produced Off Broadway at St. Luke’s Theatre

by Penguin Rep Theatre & Edmund Gaynes in association with Lizanne & Don Mitchell

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Ovation

november/december 2014

Artists

THE DEVIL’S MUSIC: THE LIFE AND BLUES OF BESSIE SMITH

Miche Braden Bessie Smith/ Musical Director/ Arranger/Composer ROYAL MTC Gone With the Wind.

OTHER THEATRE The Great Gatsby

(Sacramento Ballet, CA); The Tempest (South Coast Repertory, CA/American Repertory Theatre, MA/Smith Center, Las Vegas); The Devil’s Music (Montreal Jazz Fest/St. Luke’s Theater, NYC/Penguin Rep NYS (Lucille Lortel/Drama Desk Nominations); Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill (Wilma Theater, PA/ Penguin Rep NYS/Emerson’s Bar & Grill Toronto); The People’s Temple (Berkeley Rep, CA/Guthrie Theater, MN).

TV Law & Order: SVU, Stella (Comedy Central), Blues America (BBC).

TRAINING Protégé of: Earl Van Dyke, leader of Motown’s Funk Brothers, Harold McKinney (jazz master), Joe Brancato (director).

ET CETERA Recordings: Gardenias for Lady Day, At the Crossroads (James Carter), Diva Out of Bounds (Miche Braden, iTunes), Sweet Child O’ Mine (Postmodern Jukebox, YouTube/iTunes). I am so happy to be back in Winnipeg! I dedicate my performance to the memory of my first musical mentor: my mother, Dr. Mildred J. Dobey. www.MicheBraden.com www.TheDevilsMusic.biz

Aaron Graves Piano

Aaron Graves was raised in Reidsville, North Carolina. He learned to play various instruments including piano, bass, organ and drums, in the church where his father, a great musician with a musical family, was pastor.

Aaron has performed and/or recorded with: Stanley Turrentine, Oscar Brown, Jr., Dakota Staton, Houston Person, Ernie Andrews,

Marlena Shaw, Linda Hopkins, Cassandra Wilson, Antonio Hart, Greg Osby, Keter Betts, Bill Lee, Grady Tate, Kenny Burrell, Frank Foster, Grover Washington, Jr., Vanessa Rubin, Earl May, The Blackbyrds, The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, Maceo Parker, Fred Wesley, Pee Wee Ellis, The Boys Choir of Harlem, Jann Parker, Donald Byrd, James Moody, Kevin Mahogany, Barbara Montgomery, Jimmy Scott, Maysa, John Hendricks, Gerald Veasley Raye Avery and others. He performed on the soundtrack for the movie Ashes and Embers; was the conductor on Broadway for Truly Blessed; was the conductor for Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill with Criss Calloway in Edinburgh, Scotland; and was the conductor for Essentially Ellington at The Prince Theatre, Philadelphia, PA.

Jim Hankins Pickle/Bass

An original Devil’s Music cast member, Jim comes from Detroit where his family were all professional musicians, and where he grew up in the same neighbourhood that produced such internationally-known jazz and R&B legends as jazz icon Barry Harris, saxophonist Charles McPherson, Richard Street and Melvin Franklin of The Temptations, and Little Willie John. Jim started as a trombone player, but at the age of 18 switched to bass. Selftaught as a bassist, Jim was mentored by jazz greats Paul Chambers, Doug Watkins, Will Davis and Harold McKinney, and has shared the stage with Lou Rawls, Arthur Prysock, Freda Payne, Donald Byrd, Wes Montgomery, Sonny Stitt and Betty Carter, besides being a studio musician at Motown Records. Jim now resides in New Jersey and performs regularly in the NY/NJ/PA region, and takes great pride and satisfaction in having been with Miche Braden, Joe Brancato, Angelo Parra and The Devil’s Music from the beginning.

For a complete list of theatre abbreviations, please refer to legend on page 4

november/december 2014

Ovation

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Artists

THE DEVIL’S MUSIC: THE LIFE AND BLUES OF BESSIE SMITH

Anthony E. Nelson, Jr. Saxophone

Anthony E. Nelson, Jr. fuses elements of jazz, gospel, funk and neo-soul to produce a sound unlike anything on today’s shelves.

A saxophonist, flautist, clarinetist and bass clarinetist, Nelson was mentored by organist Radam Schwartz at the Jazz Institute of NJ, and would later be featured on Schwartz’s album Magic Tales. He has served as the clarinetist in the quintet of MacArthur Awardwinner and Grammy-nominated violinist Regina Carter, touring and appearing with her on NPR’s Jazz Set. Other credits include performing with the Ojays, the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Faith Evans, “Joe,” the Ray Charles Orchestra, Henry McKenzie Davis, James Weidman, Ralph Peterson, the Count Basie Orchestra and the Cab Calloway Orchestra, Cecil Brooks III and T.S. Monk, Steve Turre, to name a few… Nelson has three CD offerings: Testament: Live at Cecil’s, his debut solo CD, which stayed on the JazzWeek charts for 10 weeks, Tenor for Two and Live @ Twins Jazz.

Anthony E. Nelson, Jr. utilizes Vandoren mouthpieces, reeds and accessories as well as Yanagisawa saxophones exclusively.

Angelo Parra Playwright

An award-winning playwright, Angelo has had plays produced across North America.

Among his plays is Journey of the Heart, which won the Jewel Box Theatre Award, Mixed Blood Versus America Award and David James Ellis Memorial Award; his screenplay adaptation was a finalist in the Sundance Institute Feature Film Program. His honours include two New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowships in Scriptwriting and

the 1998 Chicano/Latino Literary Award (University of California). In 2000, he was named a Tennessee Williams Scholar at the prestigious Sewanee Writers Conference.

He is a member of the Dramatists Guild and a member emeritus of the BMI/Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop. He was awarded a National Endowment for the Humanities Landmarks of American History and Culture grant in 2008 and, in 2011, a New York State Council on the Arts/Arts Council of Rockland grant to sponsor a new play. He is the founder and director of the Hudson Valley Professional Playwrights Lab, teaches playwriting and performing arts at SUNY Rockland Community College, and is president of the Board of Trustees of Penguin Rep Theatre.

Joe Brancato Director

ROYAL MTC First engagement.

OTHER THEATRE Off Broadway: Drop Dead

Perfect; The Devil’s Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith (Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, Off Broadway Alliance, Audelco awards nominee); Tom Dudzick’s Miracle on South Division Street; Fall to Earth, Freed; Tryst (Outer Critics nomination for Best Play); Cobb (Drama Desk winner) produced by Kevin Spacey in NYC and LA; From Door to Door; One Shot, One Kill; The Santa Closet; Two and a Half Jews; My Italy Story; Ricky Ian Gordon’s The Matter of Minutes; Escape from Happiness, The Big Swing (starring Madeline Kahn, Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick, Marisa Tomei) and Dr. Valentine’s Waltz (starring John Turturro, Laura Linney, Gina Gershon, Jane Alexander) at Naked Angels; Hold the Wedding, produced by Joseph Papp. He has directed extensively in US regional theatres. As founding Artistic Director of Penguin Rep Theatre, he has directed well over 100 productions there. He commissioned and directed the play The Man

For a complete list of theatre abbreviations, please refer to legend on page 4

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Ovation

november/december 2014

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Artists

THE DEVIL’S MUSIC: THE LIFE AND BLUES OF BESSIE SMITH

Who Was Peter Pan, which was the basis for the Oscar-nominated film Finding Neverland, starring Johnny Depp.

ET CETERA Joe was cited by The New York Times as “one of America’s most insightful directors,” and named Best Director by LA Scene, and has received nominations for New England’s IRNE Award for Best Director and Best Production.

James J. Fenton Set Designer

ROYAL MTC First engagement.

Nuts (NYMTF 2014 Best Musical); Southern Comfort – The Musical with Annette O’Toole/ Jeff McCarthy 2012 GLAAD Outstanding Off-Off Broadway Award (CAP21/Barrington Stage); Love Therapy (Daryl Roth2); Fall To Earth, Freed, Poetic License, Housewives of Mannheim (59E59Theatres); Goldman Project (Abingdon Theatre). Freed, Around the World in 80 Days, Hound of the Baskervilles (Penguin Rep); Cleveland Playhouse; Alley Theatre (past resident designer); The Devil’s Music (St. Luke’s Theatre, Montreal Jazz Festival, etc.).

TV Unsolved Mysteries, AT&T Tech Channel.

TRAINING Pennsylvania State University MFA. ET CETERA Member of IATSE United Scenic Artists 829.

OTHER THEATRE Off-Broadway: Drop

Dead Perfect – NY premiere (Theatre of St. Clement’s); Southern Comfort – The Musical, When We Met (both world premieres, CAP21); Fall to Earth – NY premiere (59E59); Academia Nuts – world premiere (NYMF2014, Signature Theatre); Navy Pier – NY premiere (Theatre Row). US regional: Dancing Lessons – world premiere, Southern Comfort – The Musical (Barrington Stage Company); Mrs. Mannerly, The Devil’s Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith (Merrimack Repertory Theatre); Drop Dead Perfect – world premiere, How the World Began, The How and the Why – NY premiere, The Hound of the Baskervilles, Greetings! (Penguin Rep Theatre); Kunstler – world premiere (Hudson Stage Company). Upcoming: The Outgoing Tide (Merrimack Repertory Theatre, May 2015); Dancing Lessons (Theatre Works Hartford, January 2015).

Patricia E. Doherty

Todd Wren Lighting Designer

ROYAL MTC First engagement.

OTHER THEATRE World premieres: Stand by

Your Man starring Jim Lauderdale, directed by Gabriel Barre; Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, conceived by Chase Brock; Turned Funny directed by Fred Chappell; NYC premieres of The Fall to Earth (59E59) directed by Joe Brancato. Regional credits include: Goodspeed Musicals, Cleveland Playhouse, Seaside Musical Theatre, Barter Theatre, Florida Repertory Theatre, Palm Beach DramaWorks, Casa Manana, Penguin Repertory Theatre, Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Charlotte Repertory Theatre, Flat Rock Playhouse, Gainesville Theatre Alliance and North Carolina Shakespeare Festival.

Costume Designer ROYAL MTC First engagement.

OTHER THEATRE New Jersey Repertory

Company resident designer for 100 productions, including premieres of the musicals The Little Hours, Bookends and Academia For a complete list of theatre abbreviations, please refer to legend on page 4

38

Ovation

november/december 2014

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Artists

THE DEVIL’S MUSIC: THE LIFE AND BLUES OF BESSIE SMITH

Heidi Malazdrewich Assistant Director

ROYAL MTC Director: The Secret Annex.

Apprentice Director: Gone With the Wind, Mrs. Warren’s Profession. Actor/Apprentice Director: Romeo and Juliet.

OTHER THEATRE Director: Perfect Pie, Essay, SEXXXY 2010 (University of Calgary); The Princess and the Pea (Little Opera Company);

The Apiarist (Whole Hearted Productions); The Darling Family (Winnipeg Fringe). Actor: Arcadia, Boston Marriage (Theatre Incarnate); Three There (addpunctuation theatre); Max and Mirabelle (The Cat’s Pajamas Productions).

TRAINING/TEACHING MFA in Directing (University of Calgary), BA (Hons.) Theatre (University of Winnipeg). Heidi teaches theatre at the University of Winnipeg.

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Education & Outreach Check out our librarian-recommended resources to better connect with the stories on our stages!

EXPLORE MORE The Devil’s Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith Explore More Bessie Smith

Bessie, Chris Albertson. The definitive biography of the “Empress of Blues,” Bessie Smith. The revised and expanded edition released in 2003 delves deeper into her early life and debunks many of the myths surrounding her untimely death in 1937. 782.421643 smith 2003 Empty Bed Blues: Her 23 Greatest.

This collection of Bessie Smith recordings represents over a decade’s worth of work and features jazz greats Louis Armstrong, Jack Teagarden, James P. Johnson, Eddie Lang and more. cd jazz\blues smith emp Blues Legacies and Black Feminism: Gertrude “Ma” Rainey, Bessie Smith, and Billie Holiday, Angela Yvonne Davis.

An academic examination of the effect black female blues singers – like Bessie – had in shaping both American culture and the African-American community, especially for black, working-class women.

782.421643 dav Explore More Blues

A Bad Woman Feeling Good: Blues and the Women Who Sing Them, Buzzy Jackson.

The blues provided a new platform for powerful women to express themselves emotionally. Blending history, biography and a love of music, Jackson explores the influence of pioneers like Ma Rainey on decades of female singers with attitude, from Etta James to Tina Turner.

782.421643 jac Delta Blues: The Life and Times of the Mississippi Masters Who Revolutionized American Music, Ted Gioia. A history of blues music for those new to the genre, 42

beginning with its African roots and early artists before moving on to Mississippi Delta masters like Robert Johnson.

781.64309 gio 2008 Crossroad Blues: A Nick Travers Mystery, Ace Atkins. In the series’ first book, part-time detective and full-time blues aficionado Nick Travers investigates the disappearance of a college professor who was on the trail of previously unknown recordings by Robert Johnson, a blues master murdered more than 50 years earlier. fiction myst atk Explore More 1920s & 1930s America

Flapper: A Madcap Story of Sex, Style, Celebrity, and the Women Who Made

Fine Pianos Since 1936

1381 Portage Ave Winnipeg MB 204-772-5581 LoewenPianoHouse.com

Education & Outreach America Modern, Joshua Zeitz. The 1920s marked the arrival of the New Woman, who shed Victorian ideals for short skirts, cigarettes, gin and late-night cavorting with young men at jazz clubs. Zeitz looks at the people who helped create the image of the iconic flapper girl: F. Scott Fitzgerald, Coco Chanel, Clara Bow and many more.

305.40973 zei 2006 Dancing in the Dark: A Cultural History of the Great Depression, Morris Dickstein.

The history of the 1930s is told here not through famous headlines, but through artistic responses to the emotional zeitgeist. This expansive overview considers both mainstreamers and minorities, and looks at every art form, from fantasy escapism to gritty realism. 973.91 dic 2009

provides an excellent primer to those unfamiliar with the Jazz Age. Moore introduces the better known cultural highlights, including Al Capone and organized crime, Charlie Chaplin and revolutions in Hollywood and Langston Hughes and the Harlem Rennaissance. 973.91 moo 2010 There are 1.4 million books, magazines, movies, audiobooks, eBooks and more at the Winnipeg Public Library, and all you need to borrow them is your library card.

There are 20 locations throughout the city, and there’s an online catalogue for requesting items for pick-up at your library of convenience. An online e-Library has thousands of eBooks, eAudiobooks and more! All free to use with your library card.

Visit us online at winnipeg.ca/library.

Anything Goes: A Biography of the Roaring Twenties, Lucy Moore.

This accessible survey of the decade

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The Blues as you’ve never seen or heard them before January 21 – February 8 / 2015

Supporters Many thanks to the generosity of our donors who gave a gift between September 1, 2013 and October 20, 2014.

DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE HERO • $6,000+ Gail Asper, OC, OM, LLD* & Michael Paterson The Albert D. Cohen Family Ted & Ruth Northam

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*Current Royal MTC Board of Trustees/Advisory Board members

november/december 2014

Ovation

FRIENDS OF ROYAL MTC ENTHUSIAST • $500–999 Margaret & Jim Astwood Bruce & Shelley Bertrand-Meadows Ron Blicq Helga & Gerhard Bock Cathie & Brian Bowerman Saul Cherniack & Myra Wolch Haderra & Mark Chisick Don & Elfie Elias Shannon Ernst Gregg & Mary Hanson Dr. Ted & Gail Hechter Larry Herbert Hon. Justice William Johnston Fern Karlicki Pat & Jim Ludwig Peter & Maureen Macdonald Mr. G. Markham N. Marr Mr. Gerry Matte & Mrs. Lydia Surasky-Matte Irene & the late Claire Miller Vivienne Nickerson Richard & Bonnie Olfert Party Stuff/U-Rent-It Donna Plant Iris Reimer Charles & Naida Rubin Melanie Sexton† & Ian Walsh Al* & Virginia Snyder Debbie Spracklin Melinda Tallin† & Glen Mitchell James Tepper Carol & Hugo Unruh Margaret Wikjord Dorothy Y. Young 3 Anonymous

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Supporters Timothy Burt Donna Byrne Lawrence Campbell & Family Ken & Elizabeth Carroll Lawrie & Bea Cherniack Agnes & John Collins Joyce Cooper Martin & Gail Corne J. Dale Dr. & Mrs. James Dalton Donna Daman Ms. Linda Daniels DGH Engineering Ltd. Pam Dixon Dr. Sheila Domke & Stephen Ross Thomas Dooley Sally R. Dowler John & Ada Ducas Helene Dyck Mr. & Mrs. William Easton Dr. Micheal Eleff & Chana Thau Lawrence & Brenda Ellerby Mr. & Mrs. John & Martha Enns Selma Enns Gayle Fischer Marcia Fleisher Chris Freeman Colleen & Dan Furlan Mr. & Mrs. R. Gallant William S. Gardner Lynne & Lindsay Gauld Dr. & Mrs. Ron & Denise George Rick & Patti Gilhuly Dr. & Mrs. Andrew Gomori Jeremy & Maureen Gordon Dr. & Mrs. W. Gordon Shawn & Bill Gould Donald Graham Mintie Grienke Kari Hagness† Heather & David Hallatt Kathy Hallick Gregory & Heather Hammond Bruce & Judy Harris Sandra & Hans Hasenack Ray Henjum Cathy Hobday Mr. Dennis Hodgkinson Jennie Hogan Frank & Donna Hruska Rudy & Gail Isaak David Jacobson Ian R. Thomson & Leah R. Janzen Rhea & Dave Jenkinson Lynne Jentsch Claire & Gerald Jewers Guenter & Crystal Jochum Lisa Johnston Dr. Leonard Kahane Dr. & Mrs. Philip Katz Donald & Sheila Keatch

Calvin Kim M. J. King Paula Klan Myron & Marion Klysh Paul Kochan Madeline Kohut David & Denise Koss Holly Kotowich Bill & Evelyn Krahn Carol Campbell & Andy Krentz Katarina Kupca Teena Laird Robert E. Leask Ellen & Stewart Leibl Tim & Kate Letkemann Carol & Clifford Levi Wendell & Eleanor Lind Israel & Maylene Ludwig Dr. Sora Ludwig & Dr. Brent Schacter Sofia Lukie Burton & Mary Lysecki Mr. & Mrs. E. R. MacDonald John MacDonald Sharon M. Macdonald Dennis MacKay QC & Annette Stapenhorst Elaine & Neil Margolis Agatha Massey Bob & Betty McCamis Patrick & Daniella McDonald Julia & Don McInnes Mr. & Mrs. Campbell McIntyre Barb Melnychuk Dr. Jonathan Gabor & Tia Metaxas Jim & Karren Middagh Grant Mitchell & Catherine Lambeth Dr. Catherine Moltzan & Paul Brault Marc Monnin & Donna Miller Ken & Suzanne Munroe Marika Nerbas Edwin & Pat Nicholls Robert Nickel Deborah & George Nytepchuk Joanne Olchowecki Cam Mackie & Doris Mae Oulton Linda & Wayne Paquin Ms. Jo-Anne Pelzer Ron & Anita Perron Maureen Prendiville & Paul Jensen Ms. Judith Putter Angeline Ramkissoon Vance Rehill Pat & Bill Reid Naomi Stobbe & Paul Reimer Joyce Rich Dr. & Mrs. J. Richtik Ricou-Manfreda Tony Robbins Mrs. Linda Robinson Elizabeth & Laurence Russin Michael T. Ruta

*Current Royal MTC Board of Trustees/Advisory Board members

46

Ovation

Gordon Siemens & Cheryl Samson-Siemens Shona Scappaticci Barbara Scheuneman Hans & Gabriele Schneider Dr. Meir Serfaty & Bonnie Talbot Dr. & Mrs. A.M. Shojania Dr. Paul & Melanie Shuckett Shayna & Merrill Shulman Jeff Sisler & Cathy Rippin-Sisler Jennifer Skelly† & Family Mrs. Lorraine Smith Frits & Joan Stevens Heidi Struck† Richard Swain Mr. & Mrs. Paul Swart Shayne & Kathryn Taback Ross & B.J. Taylor Marilyn Thompson Bruce & Anne Thomson Phyllis A.C. Thomson Mitchell D Timmerman Malcolm & Shirley Tinsley W. Tretiak & B. Baydock Dr. Stephen Tritt & Dr. Sharon Goszer-Tritt Terry Tully Susan Turley Grant Tweed Suzanne Ullyot Patricia Van Doninck Fran & Bob Vannevel L. Joy Viberg Irv & Toby Vinsky Cynthia & Stirling Walkes Vanessa Warne Peter & Joan Washchyshyn Deanna M. Waters Donna Webb Al & Pat Wherrett Florence & Donald Whitmore Trevor Wiens Arthur Williams Winfield Developments Canada Mr. C. Winstone Dr. David Wiseman & Merilyn Kraut Harry & Evelyn Wray Jessie Zacharias 13 Anonymous

CORPORATE DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE GUARANTOR • $5,000+ Johnston Group Inc. Qualico

BENEFACTOR • $3,000–4,999 Cambrian Credit Union Gendis Inc. & Associated Corporations †Current Royal MTC staff

november/december 2014

Supporters Maple Leaf Construction Ltd., Blake Fitzpatrick Melet Plastics Inc., Edward Shinewald Terracon Development Ltd.

PATRON • $1,200–2,999 Accutech Engineering Inc. Assiniboine Credit Union Bison Transport, Don Strueber Blufish Japanese Restaurant Bockstael Construction (1979) Ltd. Canada Safeway Limited Deloitte & Touche Foundation Canada George Wakefield Foods Inc., Judy Wakefield* Maxim Truck & Trailer Number TEN Architectural Group, Robert Eastwood* Ruth & Ted Northam PRA Inc. Royal Canadian Properties Limited, Richard R. Bracken Ranger Insurance Brokers Ltd. Sofa Logic, Suzi Bonk* Winmar Property Restoration

SPONSOR BMO Financial Group Calm Air Canon

Cardinal Capital Management Inc. Carlyle Printers Service & Supplies Ltd. The Chipman Family Foundation CIBC CN De Luca Fine Wines Dycom Direct Mail Services Esdale Printing Co. Ltd. The Fort Garry Hotel, Spa & Conference Centre Freeman Audio Visual Canada Friesens Corporation GRAJEWSKI FOTOGRAPH INC. Debbie Gray The Great-West Life Assurance Company Investors Group Jewish Foundation of Manitoba Lawton Partners Financial Planning Services Ltd. MacDon Industries Ltd. Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries National Leasing Planned Perfectly PwC RBC Royal Bank Relish Stantec Consulting Ltd. Subway Franchise World Headquarters The Asper Foundation Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP

Wawanesa Insurance The Winnipeg Foundation Winnipeg Free Press

CORPORATE FRIENDS OF ROYAL MTC CONTRIBUTOR • $900–1,199 The Manitoba Teachers’ Society Mitchell Fabrics Ltd.

SUPPORTER • $600–899 Astroid Investments Ltd. Crosier Kilgour & Partners Ltd. Fillmore Riley LLP Intergroup Consultants Ltd. Manitoba’s Credit Unions NAV CANADA The North West Company Party Stuff/U-Rent-It SMS Engineering Ltd.

ASSOCIATE • $300–599 Mid West Packaging Limited McKenzie Convenience Store, Hyun Soo Noh Premier Printing Ltd.

ACT LIKE A STAR! Everyone at the theatre is part of the show. Yes, even you.

You want to be a star, don’t you?

These tips will make you a stand-out performer (in a good way)!

Scents and Sensibility

Many theatre lovers experience adverse medical reactions from scented products. Please consider others before using scented products.

Park Your Mobile Device

We know something interesting is happening on social media. It always is.

But your neighbours want to watch the play. Please turn off all mobile devices.

The Sound of Silence

Our theatre has great acoustics. So when you’re talking during the show, everyone can hear you. Your neighbours, the ushers and even the actors.

We want you to talk about the show… at intermission or after the final bows.

WE’RE ALWAYS HAPPY TO SEE YOU AT THE THEATRE. THANK YOU FOR COMING!

Supporters DONOR • $150–299 Edward Carriere Leon A. Brown Ltd. MCW/AGE Consulting Professional Engineers Noble Locksmith Ltd. Patill/St. James Insurance Reitmans (Canada) Limited

TRIBUTE GIFTS Gifts received between September 9 and October 20, 2014.

In honour of Steven Schipper’s 25th Anniversary as Artistic Director - Robb & Heather Paterson, Gus & Diane Campbell, Kerry Dangerfield*, Hy & Esther Dashevsky, Ernest Epp, Jean & Dennis Giguere, Rita Gunn* & Greg Mason, The Michael Nozick Family Foundation, Lillian Neaman, Rick Lee & Laurie Shapiro, Darcy & Brenda* Zaporzan, Ingrid Bolbecher, Drs. Bill Pope & Elizabeth TippettPope, Doris R & Burton Bass, Michael & Judy* Wakefield, Arthur Blankstein and Ken Ure, Bill & Laurie* Speers, Sheila & Ken Katz, Paulo Fernandes*, Richard L. Yaffe* & John A. Statham, Brenda* & Trevor Kriss, Heather Pullan, Tom Frohlinger, Alexandra, Joey and Becky, James Gibbs, Joanie, Sarah, Don, Jason & Daniel Sheps, Evan Roitenberg, Dick Bonnycastle, David* & Lianne Carefoot, Robert* & Florence Eastwood, John Kearsey*, Camilla Holland† & Colin Viebrock, Sandy Gousseau*, Shawn Hughes* & Bruno Koehn In memory of Machelle (Chickie) Shapira, Sheila & Ken Katz

FOUNDERS’ CIRCLE John Hirsch and Tom Hendry shared a dream of creating great professional theatre with mass appeal. With the visionary support of Founders’ Circle members – those who have made a planned gift to MTC – their dream will live on for generations to come.

Thank you to our Founders’ Circle members.‡ Gail Asper, OC, OM, LLD* Marjorie & Morley Blankstein* Duane & Pauline Braun Kerry Dangerfield* James Gibbs Gary Hannaford & Cathy Rushton Maureen E. Jay Andrew & Wendy Jensen Dr. Leonard & Hope Kahane Gordon C. Keatch* Laurie Lam† & Larry Desrochers Leona J. MacDonald Barb Melnychuk Jeffrey Morton* Heather Power & Harold Klause Edward Fisher & Lyse Rémillard Terri Cherniack & Steven Schipper, CM†

ESTATE GIFTS RECEIVED The Estate of John Gordon Hunter The Estate of Deanne Lander

ENDOWMENT FUND In Honour of Artistic Director Steven Schipper

Many thanks to the generosity of our Endowment Fund donors who gave a gift or fulfilled a pledge payment between September 1, 2013 and October 20, 2014. Amounts are cumulative. $5,000,000+ Government of Canada/ Gouvernement du Canada Canadian Heritage/ Patrimoine canadien

$100,000–249,999 Morley* & Marjorie Blankstein C.M. Dick Bonnycastle

$25,000–49,999 James R. Gibbs J.K. May Investments Ltd. The Michael Nozick Family Foundation In Memory of Doug Shewfelt Arni Thorsteinson & Susan Glass Anonymous

$10,000–24,999 Gus* & Diane Campbell John F. (Jack) Fraser* Bryan Klein & Susan Halprin* The Honourable Guy J. Kroft & Hester Kroft Cam & Carole Osler Norma Anne Padilla Dr. Bill Pope & Dr. Elizabeth Tippett-Pope Steven Schipper, CM† & Terri Cherniack George Sigurdson Terracon Development Ltd. Darcy & Brenda Zaporzan*

$5,000–9,999 Margaret Caie Dr. & Mrs. Farouk S. Chebib Rick Lee & Laurie Shapiro Garry Markham Jim* & Penny McLandress L. Blair Philpott & Tom Kynman Heather Pullan & Tom Frohlinger Wearing Williams Limited – Don & Sheila Katz

$2,500–4,999 Mary Campbell Esther & Hy Dashevsky* Helene Dyck Dr. Ted & Gail Hechter Dr. & Mrs. F.C. Violago Anonymous

$1,000–2,499 Robert & Ina Abra Family Fund – The Winnipeg Foundation Jack Armstrong & Doris Quinn George Baldwin Doris & Burton Bass Arthur & Ken Blankstein-Ure Paul & Doreen Bromley David* & Lianne Carefoot Kerry Dangerfield* Dick & Joan Dawson

*Current Royal MTC Board of Trustees/Advisory Board members †Current Royal MTC staff ‡If you have remembered Royal MTC in your will, please let us know

48

Ovation

november/december 2014

Supporters Ernest Epp Michael & Lynn Evans Jean & Dennis Giguere* John & Margaret Graham In memory of Irene Karasick-McMurrich Rita Gunn* & Greg Mason Marilyn & Helios Hernandez Gary & Maureen Hunter Independent Jewellers Ltd. John Kearsey* Dr. G. H. Lawler Barbara Main Irene & the late Claire Miller Lillian Neaman* Jean & Lisa Neron Claude & Pat Precourt Ruth Simkin Bill & Laurie Speers* Faye Warren Barbara & Ken Webb Richard L. Yaffe* & John A. Statham Dr. James & Mrs. Kim Zacharias

$500–999 Joan & Ed Alexander Peggy Bainard Acheson Ruth & Kris Breckman Margaret E. Clarke Katherine Cobor & Gordon Steindel

Dorothy Davidson Robert* & Florence Eastwood Chris Freeman Brent & Debbie Gilbert Dr. Stan & Susan Lipnowski Dr. & Mrs. Donald McInnes Vera Moroz Bill & Norma Rennie Marc & Sherri Rittinger Faye Scott Jim & Susan Shaw Howie & Sue Simpson Elaine Toms 2 Anonymous

UP TO $499 Margaret & Charles Avent Armand & Judy Baccus Dr. John Bond H. F. Bowen Betty & Bruce Catchpole Sharon Eadie Paulo Fernandes* Elizabeth Foster Carole Giesbrecht Sandy Gousseau* Dorothy Hodgson Camilla Holland† & Colin Viebrock Shawn Hughes* & Bruno Koehn Jordan Janisse & Teresa Cooper

Sheila & Ken Katz Mr. & Mrs. Fred Kisil Brenda* & Trevor Kriss Marilyn Lindquist Sylvia L. Main Nick Martin & Dr. Evelyn Ferguson Keith Mayoh Marlene A. Mortimer Robb† & Heather Paterson Carolyn Porhownik Myrna Protosavage Bill & Heather Quinn Andrea* & Michael Robertson Evan & Audra Roitenberg Joan Sheps Roslyn Silver Eleanor Suderman Peter & Sharon Taylor Tim Valgardson* & Cecily O’Callaghan Judy* & Michael Wakefield Walter & Shirley Watts 3 Anonymous

Bravo!

Greg Selinger

Erin Selby

MLA for St. Boniface MLA for Southdale Premier of Manitoba 204-253-3918 204-237-9247 ErinSelby.ca GregSelinger.ca

Ron Lemieux

MLA for Dawson Trail 204-878-4644 Ron-Lemieux.ca

Deanne Crothers

MLA for St. James 204-415-0883 DeanneCrothers.ca

Jennifer Howard

MLA for Fort Rouge 204-946-0272 JenniferHoward.ca

Supporting Partners CORE FUNDERS

SEASON PARTNERS

TOM HENDRY WAREHOUSE SEASON SPONSOR

PRODUCTION SUPPORTER

JOHN HIRSCH MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION SPONSOR

TOM HENDRY WAREHOUSE PRODUCTION SPONSOR Chipman Family Foundation

JOHN HIRSCH MAINSTAGE PERFORMANCE SPONSORS

BACKSTAGE PASS

WORDPLAY

BENEFACTORS

Deborah Gray Martha Burns

THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

CORPORATE MATCHING GIFT

S T R O N G E R C O M M U N I T I E S T O G E T H E R TM

REGIONAL TOUR

CalmAir

50

Ovation

november/december 2014

Supporting Partners BLACK & WHITE BALL EXCLUSIVE EVENT SPONSOR

PLATINUM SPONSOR

SILVER SPONSOR

BRONZE SPONSORS Insurance Brokers and Consultants

LAWYERS PLAY

DESIGN SPONSOR

CAPITAL ASSISTANCE

2014 WINNIPEG FRINGE THEATRE FESTIVAL

S T R O N G E R C O M M U N I T I E S T O G E T H E R TM

CHEKHOVFEST 2014

MEDIA SPONSORS

november/december 2014

Ovation

51

Behind the Scenes Board of Trustees

John Hirsch Mainstage Front-of-House

Deborah Gay-de Vries, Front-of-House Manager Assisted by: Sheena Baird Jamie Chapman, Kim Cossette, Hunter Davis, Rylen de Vries, Caroline Graham, Jonny Hall, Elfie Harvey, Tia Levine, Jessica Olson, Kayla Parke-Wilson, Amariah Peterson, Angela Rajfur, Jennifer Schmidt, Cristin Sinclair, April Smith, Rita Vande Vyvere, Kira Watson, Chelsea Zacharias, Derek Zorniak

Honorary Members

His Honour, Lt. Governor Philip S. Lee The Honourable Greg Selinger, Premier of Manitoba His Worship, Mayor Brian Bowman Executive Officers

Jim McLandress, Chair Kerry Dangerfield, Past Chair David Carefoot, Treasurer Brenda Zaporzan, Secretary Suzi Bonk, Chair, Community Relations David Christie, Chair, Governance & Strategic Planning Patrick Green, Chair, Organizational Performance Anthony C. Fletcher, Chair, Resource Development Trustees

Heather Clarke Robert Eastwood Paulo Fernandes Sandy Gousseau Rita Gunn John Guttormson Advisory Council

Gary Hannaford, FCA, Chair Gail Asper Morley Blankstein Doneta Brotchie Angus Campbell Gerry Couture Hy Dashevsky Glen Dyrda, FCA John F. Fraser Jean Giguere

Maintenance

Andrew Drinnan, Building Superintendent Chris Fletcher, Assistant Building Superintendent Marketing & Communications

Hayley Brigg, Publicity & Communications Coordinator Sue Caughlin, Marketing & Communications Manager Katie Inverarity, Director of Marketing & Communications Mark Saunders, Marketing & Communications Coordinator Thomas Urish, Sales Manager

Shawn Hughes John Kearsey Brenda Kriss Evan Kuz Jeff Lamothe Andrea Robertson

Laurie A. Speers Tim J. Valgardson Judy Wakefield Richard L. Yaffe

Charron Hamilton Yude Henteleff Ken Houssin Gordon Keatch Colin R. MacArthur, QC Patrick J. Matthews Jeffrey Morton, FCA Hon. Jack Murta Lillian Neaman Shelley Nimchonok

James Pappas John Petersmeyer Lawrence Prout Jeff Quinton Patricia Rabson Margaret Redmond Susan Skinner Al Snyder Maureen Watchorn

Paint

Susan Groff, Head Scenic Artist Lawrence Van Went, Scenic Artist Production

Staff

Laura Enns, Touring & Production Coordinator Ian Kirk, Assistant Technical Director Paige Lewis, Assistant Production Manager Rick MacPherson, Technical Director, Tom Hendry Warehouse Russell Martin, Director of Production Ben Ross, Technical Director, John Hirsch Mainstage Properties

Larry Demedash, Senior Properties Builder Kari Hagness, Head of Properties James Sutherland, Properties Builder

MTCad2014.ai.ps.pdf

1

10/19/14

Accounting/Finance

Sharon Burden, Payroll Administrator Yvonne O’Connor, Accounts Payable Administrator Shelley Stroski, Controller Artistic

Jeff Kennedy, Literary Coordinator Laurie Lam, Producer Robb Paterson, Associate Artistic Director Steven Schipper, CM, Artistic Director Melinda Tallin, Artistic Coordinator Administration

Brian Adolph, IT Manager Jennifer Cheslock, Outreach Manager Devan Graham, Director of Human Resources Camilla Holland, General Manager Daphne MacMillan, Administrative Assistant Jennifer Skelly, IT Administrator Box Office

Sheena Baird, Ticketing Services Manager Laurie Fletcher, Box Office Manager Melanie Sexton, Director of Box Office Services Box Office Representatives: Katie Adamson, Laura Bergen, Gwendolyn Collins, Robyn Pooley, Victoria Popp, Jessica Ross, Katie Schmidt, Caitlin Turner, Elizabeth Whitbread

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

Carpentry

Louis GagnĂŠ, Layout Carpenter Brent Letain, Master Carpenter Chris Seida, Scenic Carpenter

CMY

K

Development

Michael Joyal, Development Assistant Stephanie Lambert, Special & Donor Events Coordinator Shelly Smith-Hines, Director of Development Heidi Struck, Individual Giving Manager

204-783-9463 | 942 Portage Ave | www.delucafinewines.com

52

12:40

Behind the Scenes Stage Crew

John Bent Jr., Head of Sound Joan Lees-Miller, Head of Wardrobe Claude Robert, Head Electrician Chris Thomson, Head Carpenter John Tomiuk, House Stage Hand Tom Hendry Warehouse

Randy Zyla Harder, Head Electrician Rick MacPherson, Technical Director Alison Nutt, Head Carpenter Lawrence Ven Went, Head Scenic Artist Michael Wright, Head of Sound Tom Hendry Warehouse Front-of-House

Kim Cossette, Front-of-House Manager Jamie Chapman, Rachael Neal, April Smith, Chelsea Zacharias Wardrobe

Thora Lamont, Cutter Lorraine O’Leary, Head of Wardrobe Lois Powne, First Hand Jackie Van Winkle, Wardrobe Buyer Wigs

Beverly Covert, Wigs & Makeup Supervisor Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival & Master Playwright Festival

Chuck McEwen, Executive Producer Honorary Staff

Zaz Bajon, General Manager Emeritus

Additional Production Staff The Heart of Robin Hood

Bryan Atterberry, Instrument Technician Heather Lee Brereton, Assistant Properties Maker Kevin Dixon, Production Automation Jacko Garcia, Carpenter Chris Hadley, Carpenter Tommy Hague, Moving Light Programmer Amanda Isaak, Seamstress Norma Lachance, Seamstress Barb Mackenzie, Seamstress Farrah Okolita, Foliage Michael Puhacz, Production Carpenter Ed Preston, Production Rigger/Carpenter Alex Ritter, Production Sound Engineer Kelly Ruth, Dyer Sharon Ryman, Wig Construction Carla Schroeder, Foliage Robert Schultz, Carpenter Craig Skene, Rigger John Still, Production Electrician Evan Stillwater, Tailor David Stollings, Production Sound Engineer Tiffany Taylor, Scenic Painter Andrea von Wichert, Foliage Joy Willis, Seamstress The Devil’s Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith

Heather Lee Brereton, Assistant Properties Maker Paul Moore, Carpenter Burkhard Weiss, Carpenter

royal manitoba theatre centre • 2014/15 board of trustees

Standing: Kerry Dangerfield, Robert Eastwood, Tim J. Valgardson, Jeff Lamothe, Brenda Zaporzan, Heather Clarke, Evan Kuz, Paulo Fernandes, Anthony C. Fletcher. Seated: Laurie A. Speers, Rita Gunn, Suzi Bonk, Jim McLandress, Shawn Hughes, Sandy Gousseau, Judy Wakefield.

Not pictured: David Carefoot, David Christie, Patrick Green, John Guttormson, John Kearsey, Brenda Kriss, Andrea Robertson, Richard L. Yaffe.

NEXT AT

PRIVATE LIVES

HELL

TO WITH LOVE.

january 28 – february 14

Many of the literature’s most memorable love stories have played on our stages.

If we’ve learned anything from Pride and Prejudice, Gone With the Wind and Jane Eyre, it’s the road to happiness has its share of blind corners. And in the case of Private Lives, the lovers are driving a stylish two-seater with a bit of road rage.

Noël Coward has been selected as this year’s Master Playwright for a reason. Despite humble beginnings, he rose to the pinnacle of society on the strength of his charm, wit and genius. Coward was a celebrated composer, actor, singer, director, novelist, painter and a trendsetter in men’s fashion. One of his most popular works, Private Lives has stood the test of time thanks to sparkling dialogue, sophisticated characters and the play’s relevance to our celebrity-obsessed culture.

Somehow it never goes out of style to watch beautiful people behaving badly.

PART OF

Ironically, our final performance of Private Lives is on Valentine’s Day. Make it a date!

TOM HENDRY WAREHOUSE SEASON SPONSOR

TICKETS START AT $21

ON SALE NOW!

COWARD FEST2015

204 942 6537 ROYALMTC.CA

call visit

Proud to Partner with the roYaL MtC in our new performing arts program.

The Collegiate: offering rigorous academic programming and focused preparation for success in post-secondary education.

204.786.9221 | uwinnipeg.ca/collegiate

Save Sherwood Forest.

Avoid robbery, shred and recycle old files.

204-975-0505

Mobile on-site on site shredding. shredding

速

www.jwm.mb.ca