Ovation Volume 24, Number 6 (April/May 2017)

vol 24 • no 6 apr/may 2017

by MAUREEN HUNTER

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MANITOBA METIS FEDERATION AND LOUIS RIEL INSTITUTE JOHN HIRSCH MAINSTAGE

LOUIS RIEL INSTITUTE Knowledge • Culture • Heritage

Every scene tells a story.

Proud to support the storytellers in Winnipeg’s creative and cultural arts community.

MESSAGE FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Easter and Passover are often mashed up in our religious calendars. Grocery stores stock up on matzo at the same time they’re arranging chocolate rabbits in orderly regiments. And let’s not forget the eggs, one of the few overlapping foods (and symbols) of our respective celebrations. While the Jewish eggs also reference the Temple of Jerusalem, we all embrace the egg as a symbol of birth, rebirth and immortality. I always think it’s ironic that the most fragile food in the world has become an image of immortality, but who am I to question ways of thinking that are thousands of years old?

Steven Schipper

Lately, I have been questioning ways of thinking that are a little more recent. How did people in our city

treat each other 167 years ago? What do we have in common with them? What have we learned about ourselves in the century and a half since? And, most importantly, are there still lessons to learn from those who came before? As I’ve studied Maureen Hunter’s play Sarah Ballenden, her historical characters have made me question what I know about dignity. Is it a quality we feel inside, or is it a trait bestowed on us by others? If the latter, can people take our dignity away from us? Is it fragile as an egg, and as impossible to repair?

In Hunter’s play, the Métis wife of a high-ranking Hudson’s Bay officer believes she’s been slandered, and takes legal action to restore her dignity. Those accused of defamation believe what they said about her is true, and so they fight to recover their dignity. Then there’s the man who employs them all - who needs to protect the company’s dignity - and frankly he’s angry with every last one of them. And so the stage is set for dramatic conflict, as a small, fragile society divides itself over matters of principle and pride.

Some historians believe this infamous trial changed the course of Manitoba’s history. I’m no historian, so I don’t know how to extract the influence of this trial from all the other events that have shaped our city and our citizens. Yet Maureen Hunter has boldly excavated Sarah McLeod Ballenden from our receding cultural memory, and granted her an immortality that can help us reclaim our shared past, our collective dignity.

Yours always,

april/may 2017

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S u b s c r i b e t o d ay a n d G U A R A N T E E Y O U R S E AT S

COME FROM AWAY Book, Music and Lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein Directed by Christopher Ashley

T H E B R O A D WAY H I T • C O M I

G UAR ANTE E YO U R S E AT to th e s h ow that pl aye d reco rd - b r e aki n g e n gag e m e nts i n L a J o ll a , S e at tle , was h i n gto n d.c . , an d To ro nto MAINSTAGE SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE A CHRISTMAS CAROL COME FROM AWAY ONCE THE HUMANS MORNING AFTER GRACE

WAREHOUSE NINE DRAGONS OUTSIDE MULLINGAR DI AND VIV AND ROSE HEISENBERG

NOTE: CURRENT SUBSCRIBERS, THE RENEWAL DEADLINE HAS PASSED! CALL TODAY TO SECURE NEW SEATS. NEW SUBSCRIPTIONS GO ON SALE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC ON MAY 1.

ONLINE RoyalMTC.ca

PHONE 204 942 6537

TOLL-FREE 1 877 446 4500

JOHN HIRSCH MAINSTAGE

I N G T O R o ya l M T C I N 2 0 1 8

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 Theatre district • New York, NY 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 HGJT Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company • Toronto, 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 TiFT Talk is Free Theatre • Barrie, ON 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 WCT Western Canada Theatre • Kamloops, BC WJT Winnipeg Jewish Theatre WSO Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra WST Winnipeg Studio Theatre YPT Young People’s Theatre • Toronto, ON zone41 zone41 theatre • Winnipeg, MB

OVATION VOLUME 24, NUMBER 6 APRIL/MAY 2017

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 discretion 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.

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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.

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ROYAL MANITOBA THEATRE CENTRE AND THE MANITOBA BAR ASSOCIATION PRESENT THE 25TH ANNUAL LAWYERS PLAY

REGINALD ROSE’S emmy award - winning classic drama

adapted by

SHERMAN SERGEL

DIRECTED BY HEIDI MALAZDREWICH

May 3–6

TO M H E N D RY WA R E H O U S E T I C K E TS $75 - $1 0 0 • B U Y N OW !

2 0 4 942 6 5 3 7 R OYA L MTC .CA / L AW Y E RS P L AY

SPECIAL GUESTS PERFORMING THE ROLE OF “JUDGE” - BRYAN KLEIN (WED, MAY 3) JIM MCLANDRESS (THUR, MAY 4) SENATOR MURRAY SINCLAIR (FRI, MAY 5) GAIL ASPER (SAT, MAY 6) STARRING KALYN BOMBACK BILL HAIGHT JOHN HARVIE CYNTHIA HIEBERT-SIMKIN JEFF HIRSCH ZILLA JONES TONY KAVANAGH PETER KINGSLEY JODY OSTAPIW VICTORIA PERRIE SANDI PHILLIPS STEVE SCARFONE HEATHER WADSWORTH Produced by special arrangement with the DRAMATIC PUBLISHING COMPANY of Woodstock, Illinois.

IN SUPPORT OF THE ROYAL MANITOBA THEATRE CENTRE

PRE SENTI N G SP O N SO R

SI LV ER SP O N SO R

WI N E SP O N SO R

RECEPTI O N SP O N SO R

RECEPTI O N SP O N SO R

WHO WAS SHE? Sarah McLeod Ballenden (18181853) was one of the Métis “First Ladies” of Upper Fort Garry and the Red River Settlement. As the Métis and Indian wives of the older Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) employees died, many of these men remarried to white women. This greatly changed the social climate at Red River. Sarah McLeod was a target of the resulting racism, intolerance and bigotry.

Sarah was born in December 1818, in Rupert’s Land. She was one of eight children born to Alexander Roderick McLeod and his Métis wife, whom McLeod considered his legitimate wife since their union had been contracted according to the “custom of the country.”

Sarah was raised at posts in the Mackenzie River and Columbia districts. She was

sent to the Red River Settlement for her education in the 1830s. Chief Factor John Stuart acted as her guardian and gave his consent to her marriage, at the age of 18, to the promising HBC clerk John Ballenden. They were married at Red River on December 10, 1836. Sarah received a dowry of £350 from her father, and the wedding, which was solemnized by the Reverend William Cockran, was one of the social highlights of 1836 at Red River. It also indicated that, despite the example of Governor George Simpson and other HBC officers who introduced British wives into fur-trade society, attractive and acculturated young Métis women could still aspire to social prominence through marriage to eligible young company officers. Ballenden was

WORLD PREMIERES PHOTO BY GORDON KING

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of

MAUREEN HU

PHOTO BY BRUCE MONK

vinci - 2002

atlantis - 1996

Patricia Fagan (as Caterina), Craig Erickson (as Piero)

Eric Peterson (as Ben), Stavroula Logothettis (as Mircea)

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SARAH BALLENDEN complimented on his choice by as severe a critic as Chief Trader James Hargrave, who declared that Sarah was “a delightful creature” and that her husband had “every reason to consider himself a happy man.”

The couple had three sons and three daughters.

Compiled by Lawrence Barkwell, Coordinator of Métis Heritage and History Research, Louis Riel Institute top: Annie Ballenden, Sarah and John’s daughter, who was said to look like her mother. PHOTO CREDIT: ARCHIVES OF MANITOBA, BANNATYNE FAMILY COLLECTION, ANNIE BALLENDEN, [18--], C153 PHOTO 6.

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Selkirk Lower Fort Garry Lockport

N

44 9

1

Upper Fort Garry

Royal MTC is proud to partner with the Manitoba Metis Federation (MMF) and the Louis Riel Institute (LRI) to present Sarah Ballenden. The Manitoba Metis Federation was founded in 1967 as the official democratic and self-governing political representative for the Métis Nation’s Manitoba Métis Community.

Part of the MMF’s mandate is to promote and instill pride in the history and culture of the Métis people, and we are honoured to partner with them in celebrating a Métis heroine from our community. Joan Ledoux, MMF Minister of Provincial Education, said of Sarah Ballenden: “This is a celebration of all powerful and Métis women in Manitoba.

It is a celebration which goes beyond the walls of Royal MTC, not only to celebrate the life and times which Sarah faced, but go beyond what greatness awaits Métis women today.”

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Winnipeg

NTER PLAYS

on

ROYAL MTC STAGES

PHOTO BY BRUCE MONK

transit of venus - 1992

beautiful lake winnipeg - 1990

l-r: Donna Goodhand (as Margot), Larissa Lapchinski (as Celeste), Joyce Campion (as Madame Sylvie)

l-r: Robert Bockstael (as Mitch), David Storch (as Ian)

april/may 2017

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SARAH BALLENDEN

PLAYWRIGHT’s NOTES

BY MAUREEN HUNTER

Anyone who has delved into the history of the Red River Settlement will have come across the name Sarah Ballenden. Her 1850 trial, parts of which you are about to see dramatized on stage, is one of the most famous in Manitoba legal history. The fact that her name isn’t officially attached to the trial — we know it as Foss v. Pelly — is a reflection of the laws of the day, not of her commitment to the proceedings.

“I was the first person to get this business investigated,” Sarah testified in court. “I had determined to proceed in it.”

“This business” was defamation. Sarah’s character and reputation were under attack. She was the wife of a Hudson’s Bay Company Chief Factor, a position which in fur trade society traditionally commanded respect. One contemporary observed that the wives of Chief Factors, most of whom were “mixed-blood”, were treated like queens. Sarah was not. Why? Was it her personality, her behaviour? Did she bring condemnation upon herself?

Or were there other forces at work? Was she caught by a shift in equilibrium, a tidal wave of change she couldn’t possibly 10

control? These were the questions that drew me to her story.

This play couldn’t have been written without access to the rich resources of the Hudson’s Bay Company Archives, which for the past 20-odd years have resided with the Archives of Manitoba in Winnipeg.

There I found not only the transcript of the trial, but a wealth of letters and records that brought Red River to life for me in ways I couldn’t have imagined. I’m grateful to those responsible for moving this precious collection from London, England to Winnipeg, and to those who maintain it today. We should all be proud that the HBC collection has been identified by UNESCO as one of the world’s most important archives.

I owe a debt of gratitude to Royal MTC, the Winnipeg Arts Council, the Manitoba Arts Council, and the Canada Council for the Arts for financial assistance while I wrote this play. I’m grateful to Dale Gibson, who so generously shared with me his encyclopedic knowledge of the court system of the day, and whose two-volume book, Law, Life and Government at Red River, is an historical treasure. Immense gratitude goes to dramaturg Brian Quirt who helped me find my way through the torturous terrain of this story. Most of all, I’m grateful to Steven Schipper for his unflagging encouragement, his faith in my work and his commitment to producing it over nearly 30 years. I dedicate this play to him, with a heart full of humility and awe.

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www.pwc.com/ca

Idle gossip became a vicious weapon PwC is proud to support the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre as they bring us the world premiere of the play Sarah Ballenden, by Manitoba playwright Maureen Hunter.

© 2017 PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an Ontario limited liability partnership. All rights reserved. 2279830317

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE

RED RIVER SETTLEMENT Pre-Show Guided Tours at the Manitoba Museum

The Manitoba Museum is proud to partner with Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre to present special pre-show tours exploring the era of Sarah Ballenden. Discover the collections of the Hudson’s Bay Company, and key artifacts from the early days of the Red River Settlement and the Métis community in Manitoba.

Saturday, April 22 Saturday, April 29 Saturday, May 13 2PM at the Manitoba Museum COST: $13.90 general TICKETS

Online at manitobamuseum.ca, or by calling the Royal MTC Box Office at 204 942 6537.

SARAH BALLENDEN

BEFORE THE PLAY:

1811 - 1850

may 26, 1811 - John Ballenden is born in the Orkneys, Scotland.

1840 – 1848 - John and Sarah live in Sault Ste. Marie.

december 1818 - Sarah McLeod is born in Rupert’s Land.

1848 - John is appointed Chief Factor at Fort Garry.

1830s - Sarah travels to the Red River Settlement to be educated.

1848 - Captain Foss arrives in Red River.

John Ballenden is appointed Hudson’s Bay Company accountant at Fort Garry. december 10, 1836 - Sarah and John marry.

BEFORE THE TRIAL:

fall 1849 - The Bishop and his sister, Miss Anderson, and Mrs. Pelly arrive in Red River. spring 1850 - Rumours begin to circulate about an affair between Sarah and Captain Foss.

1849 - 1850

Tension builds between Sarah, Miss Anderson and Mrs. Pelly.

allegations against them, and Foss files suit.

june 1850 - John Ballenden leaves on business. Foss and Sarah learn of the

Sarah asks Margaret Black to testify on her behalf.

THE TRIAL: july 16, 17, 18 - 1850 day 1 - Miss Anderson and Major Caldwell testify. Sir George Simpson demands John Ballenden’s resignation.

day 2 - Dr. Bunn testifies. day 3 - Mrs. Cockran and Margaret Black testify. The German girl’s deposition is read. Sarah testifies.

AFTER THE TRIAL: 1850 - 1851 summer 1850 - The Blacks move into the Chief Factor’s residence and the Ballendens move to Lower Fort Garry.

Foss leaves Red River. june 1851 - Sarah gives birth to a son.

fall 1850 - John takes a leave of absence and returns to Scotland.

summer 1851 - John returns to Red River. fall 1851 - John is appointed to Fort Vancouver.

After THE PLAY: 1852 - 1890 1852 - Sarah moves to Norway House. december 23, 1853 - Sarah dies in Edinburgh, Scotland.

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december 7, 1856 - John dies in Edinburgh, Scotland. december 16, 1890 - Foss dies in Bathurst, Australia.

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SARAH BALLENDEN

GLOSSARY athabasca - The District of Athabasca was a region located in what is now northern Alberta along the Athabasca River. Athabasca was known as the “Gateway to the North” for its significance as a trading hub for the Hudson’s Bay Company. bois-brûlé - French for “charred wood” or “burnt wood”; a 19th century term for a mixed-blood Indigenous person, especially the descendant of an Indigenous person and a French Canadian.

bungee - A historic dialect of English spoken in the Red River valley. Its origins are linked to families of mixed Cree, Orkney, Scottish and Saulteaux/French descent who moved to the region early in the 19th century from Hudson’s Bay Company trading posts.

chief factor - A high-ranking commissioned officer of the Hudson’s Bay Company, second in rank only to the Governor of Rupert’s Land.

chief trader - A high-ranking commissioned officer of the Hudson’s Bay Company of slightly lower rank than a Chief Factor.

country marriage - French: “à la façon du pays” (according to the customs of the country). Country marriage refers to a marriage conducted according to Native customs, not officiated by a priest or minister. These marriages were common during the Fur Trade for men of the Hudson’s Bay Company and North West Company.

Ambiguity about the legality of these marriages in English law led to confusion about the status of country marriages, which were sometimes viewed as common-law agreements that could be easily dissolved.

kohkom - Cree for “grandmother.” rupert’s land - Rupert’s Land was the name for the massive expanse of land granted to the Hudson’s Bay Company by King Charles II. Rupert’s Land encompassed a third of what is now Canada, spanning from present-day northern Ontario and Quebec to the Rocky Mountains in the west, as well as parts of Nunavut and the Midwest United States.

country-born - A 19th century term for those of mixed British and Indigenous origin.

Upper Fort Garry, Red River DRAWING CREDIT: LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA, ACC. NO. 1981-55-66 BUSHNELL COLLECTION.

Synopsis - Sarah Ballenden

Against the landscape of the developing Red River Settlement, Sarah Ballenden has developed a thick skin as the Métis wife of a high-ranking Hudson’s Bay Company officer. But when a spark of gossip spreads through the Fort like wildfire, her reputation is tarnished, leaving Sarah with nothing to depend on but her own true grit to clear her name. april/may 2017

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Steven Schipper, Artistic Director • Camilla Holland, Executive Director PRESENTS

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MANITOBA METIS FEDERATION AND LOUIS RIEL INSTITUTE

Sarah Ballenden

By Maureen Hunter April 20 – May 13, 2017 preview April 19

Director........................................................................................... Steven Schipper Set & Costume Designer...........................................................Brian Perchaluk Lighting Designer...................................................................... Scott Henderson Sound Designer............................................................................. Michael Wright Music Composer.........................................................................Ted Longbottom Title Creation............................................................................................ Eric Dizon Fight Director..................................................................................Paul Essiembre Assistant Director................................................................................Erica Wilson Stage Manager................................................................................ Karyn Kumhyr Assistant Stage Manager...............................................................Kate Duncan Apprentice Stage Manager.........................................Zoë Leclerc-Kennedy THE CAST (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)

Major Caldwell.............................................................................. John Bluethner Miss Anderson / Bishop Anderson...................................... Sarah Constible John Ballenden..............................................................................Paul Essiembre Christopher Foss............................................................................... Toby Hughes Augustus Pelly......................................................................................Tom Keenan Adam Thom.........................................................................................Kevin Klassen Margaret Black / Flora.................................................................Julie Lumsden Sarah Ballenden.................................................................... Sera-Lys McArthur John Davidson / Sir George Simpson....................................Ross McMillan Mrs. Cochrane / Dr. John Bunn.............................................. Tracey Nepinak SETTING: Upper Fort Garry, Lower Fort Garry and other locations in the Red River

Settlement. June to December 1850 and June 1851.

Sarah Ballenden is performed with one intermission.

This initiative is made possible by the Community Fund for Canada’s 150th, a collaboration between The Winnipeg Foundation, the Government of Canada, and extraordinary leaders from coast to coast to coast. / Cette initiative est rendue possible grâce au Fonds communautaire pour le 150e anniversaire du Canada, qui est une collaboration entre The Winnipeg Foundation, le gouvernement du Canada et des leaders extraordinaires de l’Atlantique au Pacifique à l’Arctique.

We would like to acknowledge the actors who took part in readings and workshops of this play: Kevin Aichele, Sharon Bajer, John Bluethner, Columpa Bobb, Andrew Cecon, Terri Cherniack, Sarah Constible, Melanie Dean, Paul Essiembre, Donna Fletcher, Toby Hughes, Tom Keenan, Kevin Klassen, John B. Lowe, Ross McMillan, Arne MacPherson, Carson Nattrass, Harry Nelken, Tanis Parenteau, Tracy Penner, Ellen Peterson, Susanna Portnoy, Paula-Jean Prudat, Jenny Pudavick, Steven Ratzlaff, RobYn Slade, Miriam Smith, Glen Thompson and Charlene Van Buekenhout.

Special thanks: Winnipeg Arts Council, the Manitoba Arts Council, the Canada Council for the Arts, Dale Gibson, Dr. Michael Eleff.

Production photography by Dylan Hewlett.

LOUIS RIEL INSTITUTE Knowledge • Culture • Heritage

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SARAH BALLENDEN John Bluethner Major Caldwell

ET CETERA Special thanks to Laurie Lam,

Steven Schipper and, as always, my wife, Susanna.

Sarah Constible ROYAL MTC King Lear, Cyrano de Bergerac

(with TC & NAC), You Can’t Take It with You, A View from the Bridge, Macbeth, A Tale of Two Cities, Richard III, Andorra.

OTHER THEATRE Henry IV, Part 1 and Part 2, Othello, Love’s Labour’s Lost (Stratford); Twelfth Night (TC); Douze hommes en colère, Le Riv’nant (Cercle Molière); Play it Again, Sam, Arsenic and Old Lace (Stage West); Circle Mirror Transformation (Winnipeg Fringe Festival); My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding (WST); A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (SondheimFest); The Bear (ChekhovFest).

FILM/TV Trench 11, A Dog’s Purpose, Cashing In, The Haunting in Connecticut, The Lookout, Less than Kind, The Pinkertons.

TRAINING MFA in theatre from York University.

LOUIS RIEL INSTITUTE Knowledge • Culture • Heritage

Miss Anderson / Bishop Anderson

ROYAL MTC Things We Do For Love, Sherlock

Holmes and the Case of the Jersey Lily, The Penelopiad, Gone With the Wind, The Fighting Days, The 39 Steps, After Miss Julie, Bleeding Hearts, The Threepenny Opera.

OTHER THEATRE Selected: Beautiful Man, Reservations, The Monster Trilogy (TPM); Ivanov (WJT); Richard III, Henry V, Othello, The Merchant of Venice (SIR); The Swearing Jar, Strawberries in January, Unity (1918) (PTE).

FILM/TV Lovesick, Aloft, Euphoria, My Awkward Sexual Adventure, High Life, House Party, Todd and the Book of Pure Evil.

SARAH BALLENDEN Paul Essiembre John Ballenden / Fight Director

ROYAL MTC The Audience (with Mirvish),

Unnecessary Farce, Things We Do For Love, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Heart of Robin Hood (with Mirvish), Other People’s Money, A Few Good Men (with Citadel).

OTHER THEATRE Four seasons at the Stratford Festival, including To Kill a Mockingbird, The Comedy of Errors, The Odyssey, The Duchess of Malfi, Don Juan, Macbeth, Othello, Amadeus. Elsewhere: A Little Night Music (Dry Cold); Butcher, The Best Brothers (PTE); Romeo and Juliet (Citadel); The Normal Heart, The Overwhelming, Stuff Happens (Studio 180); L’Emmerdeur, Le Dîner de cons, Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, Art (Théâtre français de Toronto); Othello (ATF); Tillsonburg (CS); Zadie’s Shoes, Oui (Factory); Picasso at the Lapin Agile (Centaur).

FILM/TV More than 50 film and television appearances and extensive work in documentary narration, animation and commercial voice-overs.

Toby Hughes Christopher Foss

ROYAL MTC Hand to God, The Hound of the

Baskervilles, Alice Through the LookingGlass, Shakespeare’s Dog (with NAC).

OTHER THEATRE American Idiot (WST); Richard III, The Comedy of Errors, Henry IV, Henry V (SIR); The Valley, The Dishwashers (PTE); Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play (District Theatre Collective); Edward II, The Cherry Orchard (TBTR); Le Jardin (Cercle Molière); The Hobbit, The House at Pooh Corner, Liars

(MTYP); The Walworth Farce (Incompletely Strangled).

FILM/TV Channel Zero, Trench 11, The Pinkertons, Todd and the Book of Pure Evil.

TRAINING The University of Winnipeg.

ET CETERA Toby is an Artistic Associate at Shakespeare in the Ruins and a founding member of the musical improv company Outside Joke. Toby would like to dedicate this show to the memory of his grandma Ruth, whose family first came to Red River in 1867.

Tom Keenan Augustus Pelly

ROYAL MTC Hand to God, Unnecessary

Farce, The Seagull, Gone With the Wind, Mrs. Warren’s Profession, The History of Manitoba from the Beginning of Time to the Present in 45 Minutes, A Christmas Carol.

OTHER THEATRE Selected: Am I Not King?

The Last Concert of Richard II, Three Sisters (zone41); The Gravitational Pull of Bernice Trimble (PTE); Dear Johnny Deere (Persephone); Ring of Fire (Rainbow); The Power of Harriet T, New Canadian Kid (MTYP); White Rabbit Red Rabbit, The Moonlight Sonata of Beethoven Blatz (TPM); One Man, Two Guvnors (TC); The Comedy of Errors (SIR); Edward II (TBTR).

FILM/TV Selected: The Pinkertons, The Exorcism of Molly Hartley, Bunks!, Zooey & Adam, Men with Brooms, Less Than Kind, House Party, Something Beneath, The Crooked E, Inertia.

ET CETERA His duo Heavy Bell will be releasing their album By Grand Central Station (based on the poetic novel by Elizabeth Smart) this year.

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

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“…they thought they were making music.

They ended up making history.”

-sam phillips, owner of sun records in million dollar quartet

of RBC Dominion Securities RBC Dominion Securities Inc.

www.dzwmg.com

RBC Dominion Securities Inc.* and Royal Bank of Canada are separate corporate entities which are affiliated. *Member-Canadian Investor Protection Fund. RBC Dominion Securities Inc. is a member company of RBC Wealth Management, a business segment of Royal Bank of Canada. ®Registered trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence. ©2016 RBC Dominion Securities Inc. All rights reserved.

SARAH BALLENDEN Kevin Klassen Adam Thom

ROYAL MTC The Audience (with Mirvish), Chimerica (with CS), Alice Through the Looking-Glass, Romeo and Juliet, The Melville Boys (Tour), The Shunning, White Christmas, It’s a Wonderful Life: A Radio Play, Bleeding Hearts, Our Town, The Tempest, A Christmas Carol, The Dresser, Feelgood (with GCTC), King Lear, Romeo and Juliet.

OTHER THEATRE Selected: A Strange Pair (Echo); A Little Night Music (Dry Cold); Edward II (TBTR); Antony and Cleopatra (SIR); Arcadia (Citadel); Annie (Rainbow); Till It Hurts (PTE); John and Beatrice (TPM); Death of a Salesman (WJT).

FILM/TV Channel Zero, The Pinkertons, Barbara Blackwood, Elijah, New in Town, Niagara Motel.

Training Citadel/Banff Professional

Training Program, University of Winnipeg.

ET CETERA Kevin has received awards named

after Harry Rintoul and Reg Skene for his work as a playwright. Proud to be telling this story from the (recent) history of the people who occupy this land. Love to Charlene.

Julie Lumsden Margaret Black / Flora

ROYAL MTC First appearance.

OTHER THEATRE Heathers, Spring Awakening (WST); Little Women, The Addams Family (Dry Cold); The Little Mermaid, Les Misérables (Rainbow); James and the Giant Peach (MTYP); The Flats (PTE); Les Flats (Cercle Molière).

TRAINING University of Manitoba Desautels Faculty of Music (Bachelor of Music).

SARAH BALLENDEN for Measure, A Christmas Carol (Citadel); Proud, Dionysus in Stony Mountain, The Daffodil Man (TPM); Copenhagen (PTE); As You Like It, Julius Caesar (SIR); Quo Vadis, Notes from Underground (Winnipeg Fringe Festival).

TV Ross was a regular on HBO Canada’s series Less Than Kind.

Et Cetera Love to Wanda.

Sera-Lys McArthur Sarah Ballenden

ROYAL MTC First appearance.

OTHER THEATRE Off-Broadway: Smoke

(Signature Center); Sacagawea: Bird Woman (Urban Stages). In Toronto & regional Canadian theatre & tours: Evangeline (Citadel/Confederation Centre); Where the Blood Mixes (WCT/TA/Theatre Network); In Spirit (Native Earth/Article 11); Mistatim (Red Sky Performance/YPT).

FILM/TV Arctic Air, The Englishman’s Boy, Revenge of the Land (CBC); Hard Rock Medical (TVO/APTN); Skye & Chang (APTN); Hard Core Logo 2 (Foundation Features); The Wolf of Waubamik Woods (co-producer, Comcast XFINITY).

TRAINING MA in Acting from East 15 Acting School, the University of Essex, UK. Musical Theatre at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA), NYC. ET CETERA Nakota and German-Canadian from Saskatchewan. Pinamaya to all those who’ve helped me on my journey, especially my mother Rosalyn Huck! @seralys, @serahyphenlys, imdb.me/seralys, facebook. com/seralysfan.

Ross McMillan John Davidson / Sir George Simpson

ROYAL MTC Black Coffee, Chimerica (with CS), The Woman in Black, The Seagull, The History of Manitoba from the Beginning of Time to the Present in 45 Minutes, The Constant Wife (with Citadel), In the Next Room or the vibrator play (with Tarragon), Travels with My Aunt, A Christmas Carol, Closer, Homeward Bound (with VP).

OTHER THEATRE Present Laughter, Measure

Tracey Nepinak Mrs. Cochrane / Dr. John Bunn

Royal MTC Good People, The History of Manitoba from the Beginning of Time to the Present in 45 Minutes.

OTHER THEATRE Old Times (Winnipeg Fringe Festival); Richard lll, Stripped-Down Antony & Cleopatra (SIR); Edward ll (TBTR); Fefu and Her Friends, Jail Baby (Sarasvàti); Ernestine Shuswap Gets Her Trout (Firehall Arts Centre); The Moving Gallery, Romeo and Juliet (Urban Indigenous Theatre Company); Silverwing, The Happy Prince, Romeo and Juliet (MTYP); Great Expectations, The Rez Sisters, fareWel (PTE); The Sleeping Land (Globe); Cruel and Unusual Punishment (TPM); The Crisis in Oka, Manitoba (Red Roots Theatre).

FILM/TV Lovesick, Road to Iniquity, Earline Muskrat on Cashing In (seasons 1–4), Something Beneath, Elijah, Tipi Tales, A Wilderness Station, The Law of Enclosures, Desire, A Marriage of Convenience, Trial at Fortitude Bay. ET CETERA Thank you Royal MTC (Laurie Lam) for finding my family link to this story.

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

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SARAH BALLENDEN Maureen Hunter Playwright

ROYAL MTC World premieres: Vinci (with NAC) (2002), Atlantis (with TC) (1996), Transit of Venus (1992), Beautiful Lake Winnipeg (1990). Provincial tour: Transit of Venus (1996).

OTHER THEATRE World premieres: Wild Mouth (Toronto, 2008) (Tarragon); The Queen of Queen Street (1989), Footprints on the Moon (1988), Poor Uncle Ernie in His Covered Cage (1986) (Agassiz Theatre); I Met a Bully on the Hill, co-written with Martha Brooks (Winnipeg, 1986) (PTE). UK premieres: Transit of Venus (1993) (Royal Shakespeare Company); Footprints on the Moon (London, upcoming 2017) (Finborough Theatre). US premieres: Transit of Venus (Stockbridge, Mass., 1998) (Berkshire Theatre); Footprints on the Moon (New York, 1997) (White Buffalo Theatre). French premiere: Atlantis (Montreal, 1999) (Théâtre de la Manufacture). Opera: World premiere: Transit of Venus (2007) (Manitoba Opera).

ET CETERA Maureen is delighted to premiere Sarah Ballenden at Royal MTC. Thanks to Steven, Camilla and everyone who made this happen. Thanks to Brian Quirt. Thanks to Gary, friends & family. Remembrances: Gord Shillingford, Craig Walls.

Steven Schipper Director

ROYAL MTC Selected: Million Dollar Quartet,

My Name is Asher Lev, Unnecessary Farce, Billy Elliot the Musical, Late Company, The Glass Menagerie, Gone With the Wind, The Drowsy Chaperone (with TC), Fiddler on the Roof, the world premieres of Maureen Hunter’s Atlantis (with TC),

Mark Stein’s Mating Dance of the Werewolf (with Rubicon), Olaf Pyttlik’s The Wave and Bruce McManus’ A Christmas Carol, and the Canadian premieres of Quills, Proposals (with Mirvish) and Steve Martin’s Picasso at the Lapin Agile (with NAC).

OTHER THEATRE Stratford, Shaw, Centaur, Segal, Mirvish, Theatre Plus (Toronto), Toronto Free, YPT, Persephone, TC, VP, Rubicon Theatre (Ventura, CA).

TRAINING McGill, Bishop’s, National Theatre School of Canada.

ET CETERA In 2007, Steven received an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from the University of Winnipeg. In 2012, he was appointed to the Order of Canada and was awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. In 2015, he received an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from the University of Manitoba.

Brian Perchaluk Set & Costume Designer

ROYAL MTC Recent and favourites: Black

Coffee, 23.5 Hours, Billy Elliot the Musical, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Jersey Lily, A Christmas Story, Harvey, August: Osage County, The Boys in the Photograph (with Mirvish), The Lonesome West, Patience, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, M. Butterfly (with NAC).

OTHER THEATRE Brian’s work has been featured at theatres across the country, including two seasons each at the Shaw and Stratford festivals. Selected recent credits include: Les Misérables (Rainbow); The Drowsy Chaperone (Globe); Vimy (NAC/ GCTC); The Flats, The Gravitational Pull of Bernice Trimble, Marriage: A Demolition in Two Acts, Butcher (PTE); A Little Night Music (Dry Cold); King Lear, Fidelio (Atlantic Ballet Theatre of Canada); Proud (TPM).

TRAINING Graduate of U of W and NTS.

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

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SARAH BALLENDEN ET CETERA Recipient of a Gemini Award for

production design, and a Jessie Richardson Award and a Prix Rideau Award for outstanding set design.

Scott Henderson Lighting Designer

Everything is Coming Up Roses (Gearshifting Performance Works); Something Drastic, Puppet Munsch (PTE); Macbeth (SIR); Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Winnipeg Fringe Festival); Hedwig and the Angry Inch Atrocity Tour 2004 (Rose Tinted Productions, UK).

FILM The Last Harvest, Métis, Métis Not, Dead Mothers Kitchen Floors, Dust.

ET CETERA Michael is active in the music world with over two dozen album credits and is a member of IATSE 63.

ROYAL MTC Over 50 productions since

1995, including Bittergirl: The Musical, Black Coffee, The Audience (with Mirvish), Billy Elliot the Musical, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike (with Mirvish), Good People, Next to Normal, Red (with Belfry), The Seagull, Top Girls, The Shape of Things, Closer.

OTHER THEATRE Scott has designed lighting for opera, dance and theatre companies in Winnipeg and across Canada, including the Shaw and Stratford festivals.

TRAINING Scott is a graduate of the Ryerson Theatre School and is a member of the Associated Designers of Canada.

ET CETERA Special thanks to Karen, Sean and Alex for love and support.

Michael Wright Sound Designer

Ted Longbottom Music Composer

Ted Longbottom is a Manitoba Métis singer-songwriter. Ted’s songs present a variety of original and traditional folk music, including ballads, reels and hornpipes. His songs narrate the history of the Métis and Aboriginal people.

Ted’s music has been featured on CBC, The Discovery Channel, PBS and the History Channel as well as the National Arts Centre.

Ted has also performed at music festivals and children’s festivals across Canada and the USA, as well as in schools and Aboriginal communities across Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Yukon.

Erica Wilson Assistant Director ROYAL MTC Over 20 productions including

Bittergirl: the Musical, Black Coffee, Million Dollar Quartet, Billy Elliot the Musical, Seminar (with Mirvish), Late Company, Private Lives, The Secret Annex, The Seagull, Venus in Fur, The Penelopiad, August: Osage County, Romeo and Juliet, The Seafarer, Top Girls, Rope’s End, Fully Committed, The Last Five Years, Cherry Docs.

OTHER THEATRE I Dream of Diesel, North Main Gothic, The Monster Trilogy, The Elmwood Visitation, Age of Arousal (TPM);

ROYAL MTC First engagement.

OTHER THEATRE Selected: Shattered,

Breaking Through, International Women’s Week Cabaret of Monologues (2016, 2017), Giving Voice (Sarasvàti); Romeo and Juliet, Little Red Riding Hood, Jumping Mouse (Urban Indigenous Theatre Company).

TRAINING/TEACHING Past training: MTYP,

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

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SARAH BALLENDEN MTYP’s former Aboriginal training program and PTE. Teaching assisting: Urban Indigenous Theatre Company for two years (2014) then continued on with Native Youth Theatre at MTYP for three years (2016) and community-based workshops with Sarasvàti (2016).

ET CETERA Erica also worked three consecutive years behind the scenes of Indspire Awards show, which acknowledges Indigenous achievements within Canada that have taken place in Winnipeg, Calgary and Vancouver. She would also like to thank Steven for this wonderful opportunity and the experience working with Royal MTC.

Karyn Kumhyr Stage Manager

ROYAL MTC Chimerica (with CS), The

Woman in Black, A Christmas Story, Ed’s Garage, Next to Normal, The Shunning, Steel Magnolias, It’s a Wonderful Life: A Radio Play, Bleeding Hearts, Pride and Prejudice, Fiddler on the Roof, Our Town, The Tempest, Driving Miss Daisy, The History of Manitoba from the Beginning of Time to the Present in 45 Minutes. Assistant Stage Manager: A Christmas Carol, The Foreigner, Doc. Crew: My Name is Asher Lev, The Gin Game, Thimblerig, A Moon for the Misbegotten, The Tempest, Side by Side by Sondheim.

OTHER THEATRE The 39 Steps (Harbourfront, PEI); The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Grand); Anne & Gilbert (The Guild, PEI); The Jungle Book, James and the Giant Peach, Frog and Toad (MTYP); Rick: The Rick Hansen Story (MTYP, Arts Club, Citadel); Small Things, Altar Boyz, The Secret Mask (PTE); Molière, The Beauty Queen of Leenane (ATP); The Gin Game (Valley Summer Theatre); Bump, Snow Dance (Ship’s Company Theatre); The Addams Family, Urinetown (Dry Cold); The Drawer Boy (ATF).

Kate Duncan Assistant Stage Manager

ROYAL MTC First engagement.

OTHER THEATRE Kinky Boots (Mirvish); The

Marvelous Wonderettes (The Gravenhurst Opera House); The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Grand); Cats (Nu Musical Theatricals); The Magic Flute (Opera Atelier); The Power of Harriet T! (YPT); La Calisto (The Glenn Gould School); Alligator Pie, The Crucible, The Royal Comedians (Soulpepper); Lillian Alling (The Banff Centre for the Arts).

TRAINING Kate is a graduate of Ryerson Theatre School in Toronto.

ET CETERA Kate is proud to work managing events for Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and the Toronto International Film Festival.

Zoë Leclerc-Kennedy Apprentice Stage Manager

ROYAL MTC Apprentice Stage Manager:

Bittergirl: The Musical. Props: Black Coffee, Hand to God, My Name is Asher Lev. OTHER THEATRE Apprentice Stage Manager: Falstaff (MB Opera). Stage Manager: Vinegar Tom (U of W); Bake Off 2016 (Sarasvàti). Props: The Seduction Theory (Sarasvàti); La Cenerentola (U of M Opera Theatre); The Power of Yes (U of W).

TRAINING Graduating this June from the University of Winnipeg with a BA (Hons), specialization in Theatre Production and Stage Management.

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

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PHOTO BY BRUCE MONK

DIGITAL EXHIBITION FEATURING SET AND COSTUME DESIGNS BY

Brian Perchaluk Winnipeg-based designer Brian Perchaluk has designed more than 70 productions with Royal MTC, including Sarah Ballenden. We are pleased to launch a digital exhibition featuring images from selected productions of the past three decades of Perchaluk’s set and costume designs.

ARCHIVES.ROYALMTC.CA PHOTO BY LEIF NORMAN

2010 - After Miss Julie - Maquette PHOTO BY BRUCE MONK

1992 - A Midsummer Night’s Dream Planning - L to R: Brian Perchaluk, Thora Lamont and Lorraine O’Leary

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1985 - Filthy Rich - Set Rendering

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SARAH BALLENDEN CHECK OUT OUR LIBRARIAN-RECOMMENDED RESOURCES TO BETTER CONNECT WITH THE STORIES ON OUR STAGES!

EXPLORE MORE SARAH BALLENDEN Explore More: Maureen Hunter

Transit of Venus. Eighteenth-century astronomer Le Gentil puts off marrying young and wilful Celeste in favour of travelling around the world in an attempt to plot the course of Venus. Upon his return he finds her ready to set her own course.

This powerful drama about an ambitious man and the women who love him explores issues of faith, solitude and the human spirit.

819.254 HUN 2006 Explore More: FUR TRADE HISORY

Law, Life, and Government at Red River

by Dale Gibson. This illuminating account presents the story of the unique legal and governmental system of the Red River Settlement under the Hudson’s Bay Company, and the mixed success it encountered, culminating in the 1869-70 Red River Rebellion and confederation with Canada in 1870. 349.712743 GIB 2015 Strangers in Blood by Jennifer Brown.

The North American fur trade of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries was a vividly complex and changing social world.

Strangers in Blood fills a major gap in fur trade literature by systematically examining the traders as a group – their backgrounds, social patterns, domestic lives and families, and the problems of their offspring.

971.03 BRO Into the Heart of the Country by Pauline Holdstock. In the 18th century at Prince of Wales Fort (now Churchill), Molly Norton, mixed-blood daughter of Governor Moses Norton, bears witness to her father’s increasingly tyrannical rule. Governor Norton is suspicious of every man, but it is the explorer Samuel Hearne who receives 24

the brunt of his temper when he sets his sights on Molly. FICTION HOLDSTOCK Many Tender Ties: Women in Fur Trade Society, 1670-1870 by Sylvia van Kirk. The fur trade dominated the development of the Canadian west for nearly two centuries. Van Kirk examines it not simply as an economic activity but as a social and cultural complex; Indigenous/white marriages “after the custom of the country” created many enduring family unions that were profoundly altered by the coming of white women in the 1820s and 1830s. 971.201 VAN 1999 Voices from Hudson Bay: Cree Stories from York Factory edited by Flora Beardy and Robert Coutts. Elders provide Cree perspectives on northern life and recall the daily lives and experiences of the men and women who worked at the Hudson’s Bay Company post at York Factory. Their stories and memories of family community and daily life define their past and provide insights into a way of life. 971.271 VOI Explore More: Voices of Métis Women

The Break by Kate Vermette. Nominated for multiple awards, this powerful intergenerational family saga showcases Vermette’s abundant writing talent. When Stella, a young Métis mother, looks out her window one evening and spots someone in trouble she calls the police to alert them to a possible crime. In a series of shifting narratives, people connected both directly and indirectly with the victim — police, family and friends — tell their personal stories leading up to that fateful night. FICTION VERMETTE

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SARAH BALLENDEN Clearing a Path: New Ways of Seeing Traditional Indigenous Art edited by Carmen Robertson & Sherry Farrell Racette. This exhibition catalogue celebrates the rich and diverse traditional art works made by Indigenous and Métis artists living in Saskatchewan. 704.0937 CLE 2009 Daughters of the Country. This award-winning series of four one-hour dramatic films, produced by Manitoba filmmaker Norma Bailey, examines the cultural gulf between Canadian and Indigenous societies through the lives of Métis women. NFB DVD FILM/ TV DAUGHTERS

childhood in rural Saskatchewan into a young adulthood of drugs and prostitution in Vancouver, then back to the prairies, where she began writing and became actively involved in many Indigenous organizations. B CAMPBELL 1983 A Really Good Brown Girl by Marilyn Dumont. Dumont’s award-winning first collection of poetry is a fierce, honest and courageous account of what it takes to grow into one’s self and one’s Métis heritage in the face of myriad institutional and cultural obstacles – an indispensable contribution to Canadian literature. 819.254 DUM

Halfbreed by Maria Campbell. Campbell’s autobiography traces her life from a happy 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.

PRESENTS

We Are All Treaty People Take a journey through the historical significance and contemporary relevance of Treaties.

Thursday, June 15, 2017, 7:30pm Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre Tickets: makingtreaty7.bpt.me Info: makingtreaty7.com

WE THANK

PHOTO BY LEIF NORMAN

WINNIPEG FRINGE THEATRE FESTIVAL

Fringe Tips

FROM ROYAL MTC SUBSCRIBERS The Royal MTC season wouldn’t be complete without the fabulously popular Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival, which turns 30 this summer. Two long-time Royal MTC subscribers want you to know that the Winnipeg Fringe is a “must-see” event for all theatre lovers. Read on for their Fringe tips!

Linda Hamilton has been a Royal MTC subscriber for 35 years and first tried the Fringe 10 years ago. She’s a fan of local funny ladies like Alissa Watson and Kimmy Zee, national acts Ins Choi and the Wonderheads, and international storytellers Martin Dockery and Shelby Bond.

“The first time I ‘did’ the Fringe, I was a bit intimidated with the process of how to purchase tickets for individual plays. Now it’s old hat and I’m always willing to help out newbies. People complain about lining up for tickets to see some of the popular shows but I actually like the line-up; you meet other Fringe lovers, share experiences, talk to performers. It’s one of the things that really makes the Fringe so ‘Fringy’ and I have gone off to see plays I may not have chosen otherwise, just on the recommendation of a person I met in line.”

Linda suggests to “make sure you take enough time to not only see plays, but soak up the incredibly magical atmosphere of the Fringe. The Exchange District is alive during Fringe and just as safe as any other part of Winnipeg. There are more people living in the area, and lots of fantastic shops, boutiques, restaurants, galleries within walking distance. I spend all day at the Fringe, from noon until 11pm.”

Rick Borchert has been Fringing since the very beginning – 1988. His love of theatre 26

led him to the festival and the amazing storytelling, brilliant humour and awesome drama keep him coming back. “For a first-timer, you certainly can increase your chances of seeing July 19 –3 something good by 0 win nipeg fringe.co going to a few fourm or five-star shows, but reviews only take you so far – so much depends on what YOU like. If you have friends you trust who see more Fringe shows than you, listen to what they have to say. And take a chance now and then – worst case, you’re out $10 and an hour of your time but you can find real gems that way.”

Of the festival’s location Rick says, “I’m fortunate that I am a devoted cyclist, so parking is rarely a problem. My friends all make do with a variety of free and paid parking, and public transit. As for getting around at the Fringe, things aren’t as far as habitual car drivers may think. You can walk from a show in the Exchange to a show at PTE in less than 15 minutes. It would take longer than that to get your car, drive and park!”

If you’re a long-time Royal MTC subscriber or a first-time theatre patron and you’ve never experienced this unique theatre experience, there’s no better time than this summer. We’ll celebrate our 30th anniversary from July 19 to 30 by hosting more than 185 plays by artists from Winnipeg, across Canada and around the world. For more tips to help you make the most of your experience, visit winnipegfringe.com.

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A proud supporter of Royal MTC FILLMORE RILEY LLP LAWYERS AND TRADEMARK AGENTS

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CIBC Wood Gundy is a division of CIBC World Markets Inc., a subsidiary of CIBC and a Member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada.

INS PIR E 50% of kids in Point Douglas are already behind by the time they start kindergarten.

Today, National Leasing is opening the doors to Winnipeg’s arts scene, giving Point Douglas kids and their families access to the enriching experiences our city has to offer.

Find out why National Leasing joined The Winnipeg Boldness Project on their transformational journey at

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EDUCATION AND OUTREACH

BACKSTAGE PASS

Backstage Pass students get their hands dirty in the prop shop. PHOTO BY ANGELA BROADBENT

Backstage Pass is a free program for grade 11 and 12 students with a passion for theatre. Students see every Mainstage production and learn from theatre professionals in six workshops on topics like playwriting, stage combat and prop-making. What students are saying: “Someone asked me once if I see the arts in my future and I responded simply by saying ‘yes.’ Whether we are involved on stage, behind the stage, or in the audience, involvement and inclusion are crucial to sustaining the theatre we love, because we are the next theatre generation.”

“Backstage Pass was so incredibly fun and I really learned a lot. Royal MTC is so amazing for reaching out to students like me and I couldn’t feel more blessed to have been a part of it this year!”

“I would like to thank you for allowing me to be a part of such an interesting program.

Backstage Pass has shown me so many neat things about the inner workings of Royal MTC. I look forward to coming to see the shows at Royal MTC again next year.”

“Backstage Pass was a great program. It is totally what got me involved with theatre.”

“Thank you for creating such a relevant and well needed program for arts-minded youth!”

“I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for accepting me to the Backstage Pass program. It has been the highlight of my year.”

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BACKSTAGE PASS GENEROUSLY SPONSORED BY BENEFACTORS

Deborah Gray Martha Burns

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TRIBUTE

KURT REIS 1935-2017

top left / top center: Ronn Sarosiak and Gina Wilkinson in A View From the Bridge (1989), directed by Kurt Reis. PHOTO BY GERRY KOPELOW top right: The cast of The Night of the Iguana (1978), directed by Kurt Reis. PHOTO BY STUDIO TEICHMAN

The Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre mourns the passing of former Artistic Director Kurt Reis on March 11, 2017.

Kurt Reis led MTC in the 1969-70 season, opening the Warehouse theatre, and shepherding the company through a season in the Concert Hall while the Mainstage was being built. He wrote, “There is a new theatre. It isn’t finished yet but it will be very soon and when it is, we may well ask, ‘What kind of theatre will it be?’ … We hope it will be a theatre which acts not just as an escape from life but as part of the act of living, even a necessary part of it.”

Reis didn’t stay long enough to see the building open, but he returned as a guest artist directing productions that did feel like a necessary part of our lives, including The Night of the Iguana in 1978 and A View from the Bridge in 1989.

Reis was born in Vienna and spent his childhood in North Africa, before coming to Canada in 1944. He earned a BA from the University of Toronto, an MFA from the Goodman Memorial Theatre, and a Doctorate in Theatre Arts from the University of Wisconsin. He served as Resident Director of the Crest Theatre, Associate Director of CentreStage, Associate Director of Neptune Theatre, and director at the Stratford Festival Company for a series of Shakespearean television productions. He was also the 30

founder and Artistic Director of The Centre for Actors’ Study in Toronto.

Reis’ directing credits included more than 300 theatre productions across Canada, the United States, Great Britain and Europe. Reis was also a talented actor, with credits on CBC, CBS, NBC and ABC, and a leading role in the Canadian television series The Emergency Room.

Current Artistic Director Steven Schipper remembers Reis well. “During his short tenure, Reis ushered in a new era for both our buildings, but I know he would want to be remembered for his directing. He was uncompromising in his pursuit of truth onstage and in life, and created his best work when interpreting playwrights like Arthur Miller, who had an equally incisive vision of art and humanity.”

Kurt Reis around the time of his resignation from the position of Artistic Director at the Manitoba Theatre Centre. May 4, 1970. PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF

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MANITOBA ARCHIVES & SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

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sgi canada and arthur j. gallagher canada limited are pleased to match your donation in support of royal manitoba theatre centre

visit royalmtc.ca to donate now!

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INDIVIDUAL GIVING

A True Winnipeg Story Oh John, just think. What a story we’ll have for our grandchildren!

– Sarah in Sarah Ballenden

One year after the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada was established, Royal MTC commissioned playwright Maureen Hunter to write about the infamous Foss-Pelly trial.

The play was selected for this season’s playbill in honour of Canada’s 150th anniversary.

Sarah Ballenden is based on a true story of a trial that took place in 1850 at Upper Fort Garry. The play exposes issues of racism and sexism in our society at that time, and makes us think about those same issues in a contemporary context.

Maureen Hunter’s historical drama is an example of how your donations help produce theatre that reflects and informs the community we live in.

The play has a personal connection for many of us who pass by the renovated Upper Fort Garry Park at Main and Assiniboine several blocks from where you sit now. By presenting the premiere of this made-in-Manitoba play, Royal MTC is not only offering great entertainment but also educating us about local history.

This spring, if you donate for the first time or choose to contribute an additional gift before May 26, your donation will be april/may 2017

matched by Arthur J. Gallagher Canada Ltd. and SGI Canada, up to a total of $10,000. These businesses feel strongly about the role the arts play in our community and hope their matching gift inspires you to donate today.

Your donation, of any amount, will be greatly appreciated. Beyond providing theatre for subscribers and ticket buyers, your donation engages future theatre lovers through Theatre for Young Audiences (TFYA), a program offering deeply discounted student-only matinees. This season, more than 3,000 students attended sold-out shows of Sarah Ballenden, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and Agatha Christie’s Black Coffee.

Thank you for being part of another season at Royal MTC. Hopefully Sarah Ballenden has inspired thoughtful discussion about overcoming obstacles that still threaten to divide us. And hopefully, you’re moved to give a donation that will be matched and provide $20,000 in new dollars by May 26.

You’re invited to contribute to our campaign by phoning Heidi in the fundraising office at 204 954 6412 or you can donate at royalmtc.ca. Thank you for your continued support!

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LEGACY GIVING

ANYONE CAN BE A

Founders’ Circle Member

BY HEIDI STRUCK, INDIVIDUAL GIVING MANAGER

Over the past three years, I’ve talked with donors of various ages and backgrounds who all have their own special memories of this theatre. The loyalty and affection many of you have for this institution is incredible.

When writing this article, I kept thinking about two recent meetings with Founders’ Circle members who chose to leave a gift to Royal MTC in their will. These donors feel strongly about the impact theatre has on their lives and on the lives of others.

However, these individuals are at different stages of their lives and in their relationships with this theatre.

Maureen Jay has been a long-time dedicated subscriber who instantly fell in love with theatre. In contrast, Jason Kasper has recently connected to Royal MTC, and is passionate about the work being produced on our stages.

When I met with Jason, we talked about the impact of being a Founders’ Circle member and the difference donors can make when they’ve acquired a lifetime of assets. Jason is a young business owner and he feels strongly about giving back to charities that have left a positive impression on him. He told me he chose to become a Founders’ Circle member to help the good work Royal MTC is doing in and for the community.

couple of weeks ago, I enjoyed coffee with her and she reminded me of her love for our theatre when she said that other entertainment options could come and go in Winnipeg, but she would be devastated if Royal MTC left Winnipeg.

I know she’s not alone. I’ve heard other people say they couldn’t imagine Winnipeg without Royal MTC. It always makes me pause. I can’t help but wonder if John Hirsch and Tom Hendry fully understood the broad impact they’d have on the future of Winnipeg.

Becoming a Founders’ Circle member is about more than giving money to a worthy cause; it’s a legacy from the heart and a gift of caring for future generations. Your most personal and lasting gift can be of any size and will help Royal MTC pursue its mission and vision well into the future.

I hope you’ll take time this summer to think about the importance of Royal MTC in your life and the difference a legacy gift will make to the future. Talk to your family. Talk to us. Begin the process today. We look forward to you joining the Founders’ Circle.

If you’ve already left a gift in your will to Royal MTC or would like more information, please contact me at hstruck@royalmtc.ca or 204 954 6412.

I’ve known Maureen for almost two years and she always signs her emails to me as “Proud Founders’ Circle Member.” A

LEGACY GIVING CAMPAIGN PARTNER

31 34

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Gary and Cathy are members of the Royal MTC Founders’ Circle

The curtain call never has to end.

You’re invited to make a difference to the future of Royal MTC by becoming one of our first 60 Founders’ Circle members by the end of the 60th season, May 31, 2018. Your most personal and lasting gift to Royal MTC can be of any size. Will you join us?

Gary Hannaford and Cathy Rushton were first charmed by the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre 20 years ago following a move from Toronto. Although they have many reasons for attending live theatre, Gary and Cathy especially enjoy how plays ignite great conversation.

They became Founders’ Circle members about seven years ago by choosing to leave a gift to Royal MTC in their will. Even though they have moved back to Ontario, their planned gift recognizes the important role Royal MTC played in their lives.

“We want Royal MTC to continue to exist long after we are gone so future generations can enjoy live theatre just like we have.”

GARY HANNAFORD AND CATHY RUSHTON

For more on the Legacy Giving Campaign contact: Heidi Struck 204 954 6412 or hstruck@royalmtc.ca LEGACY GIVING CAMPAIGN PARTNER

Invest in community, invest in life With a long heritage of community involvement, we’re proud to be a part of this community and a supporter of those who serve it.

IN SUPPORT OF: Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre Š Investors Group Inc. 2016 (02/2017)

NEW CREATIONS

Wordplay For 19 years, Investors Group has generously supported our Wordplay program. Their visionary leadership has been a critical factor in our development of new plays. Since Steven Schipper took the helm, he has premiered an average of one new play each season, an exciting accomplishment for the company, for the artists who created the work, and for the corporation that funds this artistic exploration.

Wordplay is Royal MTC’s vitally important “R&D” wing, where we can foster new work, and invest in the creation and development of plays for our stages, and for the Canadian theatre canon. We commission new plays, provide dramaturgical support, program readings and workshops, and review and analyze script submissions.

began to research and write this historical drama with commission money from the theatre and, later, we hired dramaturg Brian Quirt to work with her on the development of the project. Finally, workshop funding helped us hire a total of 29 actors to read various drafts of the play for Hunter and Quirt, so they could assess their progress and plan their next steps.

This season, we’ve had seven projects in development, instead of our usual three. Artistic Director Steven Schipper attributes the increased activity to great playwrights with unique ideas: “Each writer has introduced us to exceptional characters who tackle big challenges, often while navigating a seismic social shift. Each project was irresistible and, thanks to Investors Group, we’re able to support all these playwrights on their creative journeys.”

WORDPLAY SPONSORED BY

Many of these resources came into play during the development of Sarah Ballenden. Playwright Maureen Hunter

P R O U D LY S P O N S O R E D BY

THEATRE FOR FANS UNDER 30 TD Theatre Under 30 is a group of 18- to 30-year-olds who dig world-class theatre at just $20 a seat.

Members also get access to a number of exclusive pre-show happy hours and special events.

SIGN UP TODAY AT ROYALMTC.CA/UNDER30 MATT CAGE IN MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET. PHOTO BY ROBERT TINKER

april/may 2017

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT ANGELA BROADBENT AT UNDER30�ROYALMTC.CA

Ovation

37

SUPPORTERS Many thanks to our donors who made a gift between February 1, 2016 and March 20, 2017.

DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE HERO $6,000+ Gail Asper, OC, OM, LLD* & Michael Paterson The Albert D. Cohen Family June & Bob Jackson Memorial Fund for the Performing Arts - The Winnipeg Foundation Hartley & Heather Richardson Leslie John Taylor Fund - The Winnipeg Foundation

BENEFACTOR $2,000-5,999 Leah Bjarnarson & Robert Malech J. W. Burns OC David* & Lianne Carefoot David Christianson & Vera Steinberger Dave* & Barb Christie Heather Clarke* Kerry Dangerfield*‡ John F. (Jack) Fraser* James R. Gibbs Susan Glass & Arni Thorsteinson Sylvia Guertin-Riley Rita Gunn* & Greg Mason Elba Haid & Lara Secord-Haid Camilla Holland† & Colin Viebrock‡ Ms. Maureen E. Jay Andrew & Wendy Jensen Derek & Mary Johannson John Kearsey*‡ Dr. Terry Klassen & Grace Dueck Dr. P. Kmet & Mr. B. Roslycky Virginia & the late Robert Martin Drs. Ken & Sharon Mould In memory of Liam Murphy - Leigh Murphy‡ The Michael Nozick Family Foundation Cam & Carole Osler Dr. Bill Pope & Dr. Elizabeth Tippett-Pope Mrs. Shirley Richardson Derek Riley Terri Cherniack & Steven Schipper, CM†‡ Triple A Fund - The Winnipeg Foundation Marcel Van Woensel Joan Wright Sonya & Scott Wright Anonymous

LEADER $1,500-1,999 Marjorie Blankstein CM, OM, LLD & the late Morley Blankstein Sheldon & Penny Bowles Dr. Bonnie Cham & Dr. Lorne Bellan Neil & Carol Duboff Robert & Florence Eastwood Tony* & Jennifer Fletcher‡ Investors Group Matching Gift Program David & Diane Johnston Kevin & Els Kavanagh Bill & Shirley Loewen Elizabeth Marr & Nick Slonosky Jim* & Penny McLandress‡ Laurie Lam† & Larry Desrochers Mr. & Mrs. Lawrie & Fran Pollard Sanford & Deborah Riley Kevin Hines & Shelly Smith-Hines†‡ In memory of Annice Stephens Joan Stephens Maitland & Pat Sundmark Jim & Jan Tennant Helga Van Iderstine* Richard L. Yaffe* & John A. Statham Darcy & Brenda Zaporzan

38

Margaret & Jim Astwood Dr. Jerry Baluta & Olga Kandia Doneta* & Harry Brotchie‡ Brenlee Carrington Trepel & Brent Trepel Haderra & Mark Chisick Jan* & Kevin Coates Gerry* & Chris Couture Lawrence & Brenda Ellerby Paulo Fernandes*‡ Katherine Fox*‡ Sandy Gousseau* Shayla Harapiak-Green & Patrick Green* John* & Nicola Guttormson‡ Linda Hamilton & Grange Morrow‡ Sylvia & Doug Hannah In memory of Kristin Hanson-Dawn & Brian Hanson Dr. Ted & Gail Hechter Shawn Hughes* & Bruno Koehn‡ Katie Inverarity†‡ Jason Kasper* Laurence Katz & Zoe Kogan Gordon Keatch*‡ James & Teresa Kraemer Brenda* & Trevor Kriss‡ Ahava Halpern & Frank Lavitt Rick Lee & Laurie Shapiro Peter & Karen Leipsic Gail Loewen Christine Skene & Nick Logan Reginald & Judy Low

Ovation

FRIENDS OF ROYAL MTC ENTHUSIAST $500-999

MEMBER $1,000-1,499

*Current Royal MTC Board of Trustees/Advisory Board members

Pat & Jim Ludwig Dr. Douglas MacEwan Mark & Gloria Mancini‡ Carol & Barry McArton Grant Mitchell & Cat Lambeth Jeffrey* & Mary Morton Vivienne Nickerson Dr. & Mrs. Kieran O’Keeffe Linda & Wayne Paquin M. Plett-Lyle K. Heather Power & Harold Klause‡ Lawrence Prout* & Lisa Gardewine‡ Margaret Redmond* & Greg Gillis‡ Andrea* & Michael Robertson‡ Barbara & Derek* Rolstone‡ Edward Shinewald Ken & Susan Skinner* Bill & Laurie Speers* Shelley† & Mark Stroski‡ Melinda Tallin† & Glen Mitchell‡ Tim Valgardson* 2 Anonymous

Nancy & Bob Adkins Archie & Jo-Anne Arnott Zita & Mark Bernstein Family Foundation Ron Blicq Helga & Gerhard Bock Michael & Elizabeth Boroditsky Cathie & Brian Bowerman Susan Brownstone Brock & Thomas Brock Cheryl Chaban Mairi Chadwick Saul Cherniack & Myra Wolch Pamela & Andrew Cooke Donald & Cheryl Courcelles James & Gwen Court J. Davidson‡ Selma Enns Ernest & Ruth Epp Mintie & Al Grienke Gary Hannaford* & Cathy Rushton Gordon Hannon Gregg & Mary Hanson N & L Holliday Hon. Justice William Johnston Brenda Keyser & Peter Murdock Ian Kirk†‡ Marion Klysh Julie Ann Kniskern Katarina Kupca Karen Lee Peter & Maureen Macdonald Mr. G. Markham

†Current Royal MTC staff

‡Monthly donors

april/may 2017

SUPPORTERS Mr. Gerry Matte & Mrs. Lydia Surasky-Matte Terri & Jim McKerchar Irene & the late Claire Miller Margaret & Fred Mooibroek Chris Nielsen Linda Nugent Richard & Bonnie Olfert Kerrie Orlick Peter & Anita Pelech Donna Plant Maureen Prendiville & Paul Jensen Iris Reimer Murray & Cindy Reimer Erma Rempel Ricou-Manfreda Charles & Naida Rubin Barbara Scheuneman Melanie Sexton† & Ian Walsh‡ In memory of Sybil Shack for the benefit of MTC - Jewish Foundation of Manitoba Diane Shapiro Margaret & Paul Shuckett Jeff Sisler & Cathy Rippin-Sisler Jennifer Skelly† & Family‡ Debbie Spracklin Louis Trepel & W.T. Grogan Vicki Verville Florence & Donald Whitmore Margaret Wikjord Valerie Wowryk 3 Anonymous

SUPPORTER $150-499 Robert & Ina Abra Family Fund - The Winnipeg Foundation Acuity HR Solutions† Pat & Bob Adamson Dr. Liz Adkins Dawn Andersen Judy & Jay Anderson Bernice Antoniuk Elizabeth B. Armytage Fund - The Winnipeg Foundation Michel & Danita Aziza Richard & Nancy Ball June & Ted Bartman Larry Beeston & Anna Sikora Byrnes Benoit Trish Bergal Mr. & Mrs. Ernest Bergbusch Terri & Morley Bernstein Bruce & Joyce Berry Trust Beta Edwin M. Bethune Lino Bettencourt Tyler & Sable Birch‡ Joan Blight Lilian Bonin Colleen & Stephen Bonner

Denise Bonner Dr. Elizabeth Boustcha Ron & Joan Boyd Gill Bramwell Janice Braun Billy Brodovsky & Libby Yager‡ Sheila & David Brodovsky France Adams & Stephen Brodovsky Eldon Brown Gerald R. Brown George & Ellen Bruce Carol Budnick Giles Bugailiskis & Margo Foxford Marilyn & Jim Burt Kelly & Judy Caughlin Ron & Carol Chapman Rosemary Chapman Lawrie & Bea Cherniack Mr. Jaydeep Chipalkatti‡ Shelley Chochinov Glen & Lorna Clark Bev & Ron Clegg Katherine Cobor & Gordon Steindel Agnes & John Collins Diane M. Connelly Graham & Linda Connor Kevin & Sara Convery Philip Coulter Ray & Brenda Crabbe R. Lynn Craton Margaret Cuddy Ellen Curtis‡ J. Dale Dr. & Mrs. James Dalton G. L. Damphousse Werner & Judy Danchura Ms. Linda Daniels Mrs. Maureen Danzinger Mr. & Mrs. Hy Dashevsky* J. Dawson Chloe & Ron Del Bigio Faye Dixon Sylvia & Margaret Docker Carl Doerksen Beverley Doern Dr. Sheila Domke & Stephen Ross Mr. & Mrs. Drewett John & Ada Ducas Sharron & Joel Dudeck Helene Dyck Roberta Dyck Mr. & Mrs. Glen* & Joan Dyrda Mr. & Mrs. William Easton Enda Egan John Ekins Mr. & Mrs. John & Martha Enns Dan Erickson Cindy Fernandes Nelma Fetterman Elizabeth Findlay Douglas Finkbeiner Gayle Fischer

*Current Royal MTC Board of Trustees/Advisory Board members

april/may 2017

Ovation

Marcia Fleisher Lawrence Foster‡ Chris Freeman Susan & Ab Freig Arnold Frieman Menno H. & Jolanda Friesen Marian Friesen Felicia & Trevor Frost James Fulkerson Monica Furer Colleen & Dan Furlan‡ Ron Gaffray Frank Filbert & Judy Garwood-Filbert Lynne & Lindsay Gauld‡ Denise & Ron George Rick & Patti Gilhuly Ms. Heather Gillander Barbara & David Goldenberg Chuck Golfman Dr. & Mrs. Andrew Gomori Alicyn Goodman‡ Paul Goodman Jeremy & Maureen Gordon‡ Noreen Greenberg Dr. Richard Greene Kari Hagness†‡ Gregory & Heather Hammond Teresa A. Hay Ken & Ruth Hayes Frank & Sue Hechter Mr. Kyle Hendin Mr. & Mrs. Rodney Hick Vivian Hilder-Skwark John & Lenore Hodge Mr. Dennis Hodgkinson Michael & Crystal Hollas Gary Hook & Charmine Lyons Mary Horodyski† & Alexander Shewchuk C. Houde Mr. & Mrs. Richard & Karen Howell Frank & Donna Hruska Dan Ilchyna Peter Isaac Marlis & David Jacobson Elizabeth Janzen Cliff Jeffers Margaret Jeffries Brenda Jenkyns Lynne Jentsch Claire & Gerald Jewers Robert & Karen Johnston Lisa Johnston‡ Marilyn & Sheldon Joyal Marilyn Juvonen Brian & Renee Kaplan Dr. & Mrs. Philip Katz Rick Kendall Robert Kennedy & Claudette LeClerc Nancy Kerr

†Current Royal MTC staff

‡Monthly donors

39

SUPPORTERS M. J. King Peter Kingsley Paula Klan Eileen & George Klassen Orah & Soody Kleiman Ken & Iris Kliewer Kevin & Deneen Klippenstein Myron & Marion Klysh John & Kathryn Knowles Paul Kochan Ms. Julie Koehn E. Koop David & Denise Koss Lisa Koss & Olex Vecherya Lorraine Kraichy‡ Jonathan & Cara Kroft Teena Laird Edith Landy Brenda & Glenn Lange Barbara Latocki Dr. G. H. Lawler Anna Lebrun & Bill Reynolds Iris Lechner Katrina Lee-Kwen & Jeff Neufeld Bob Leggett Ellen & Stewart Leibl Kathy & Saul Leibl Gloria Lemke Richard Lemmon Tim & Kate Letkemann‡ Carol & Clifford Levi Wendell & Eleanor Lind Judy & Eric Lister Charles & Diane Littman Wayne Loeppky Mary-Anne Lovallo Dr. Simon Lucy Dr. Sora Ludwig & Dr. Brent Schacter Sofia Lukie‡ Carole Lupkowski Tom Lussier Dr. & Mrs. Ted Lyons Mr. & Mrs. E. R. MacDonald John MacDonald‡ Sharon M. Macdonald Dennis MacKay & Annette Stapenhorst Allan & Joanne Malenko Neil Antman & Andrea Mann Tamara Mares Mrs. Vera Marchuk Elaine & Neil Margolis Agatha Massey Linda Matheson Peggy May Mr. & Mrs. Campbell McIntyre Marlene & Ian McKay Richard Comparey & Micheline McKay-Comparey Doug McKeag Greg & Gloria McLaren

John & Carolynne McLure Fund The Winnipeg Foundation Barb Melnychuk Dr. Jonathan Gabor & Tia Metaxas Albert & Judith Metcalfe‡ Susie Miclash Jim & Karren Middagh Marlene Milne Jacqueline Mitchell Dr. Michael & Sharon Moffatt Dr. Catherine Moltzan & Paul Brault Marc Monnin & Donna Miller Sagan Morrow*‡ Cathy Moser & Jeff Itzkow Don Munro Suzanne & Kenneth Munroe John Myers Beverly Nagamori Marika Nerbas Alissa Neufeld Edwin & Pat Nicholls‡ Robert Nickel Deborah & George Nytepchuk Jim & Lou Ogston Gary Oko Joanne Olchowecki Truus Oliver Gloria & Robert Olynyk Cam Mackie & Doris Mae Oulton Jeff Palamar Murray Palay & Ivy Kopstein Heather & Harry Panaschuk Dr. Philip & Mrs. Joanne Pass Myron Pawlowsky & Susan Boulter Christopher Pearce Aaron & Maureen Penner Gina & John C. Petersmeyer* Rob & Linda Pettit Donna & John Platt Carla Plummer Len Podheiser Beth Pollard Carolyn Porhownik Brett Porth Ms. Karen Dawn Power Keith Powls Ms. Judith Putter Tamara Rabkin Barbara Rach Vivian E Rachlis Rudy & Audrey Ramchandar Angeline Ramkissoon Linda Ratynski Dr. Martin Reed & Joy Cooper Vance Rehill Cheryl Reid Shelley Rennie Mr. & Mrs. William Reynolds Joyce Rich Dr. & Mrs. J. Richtik Marilyn Robbins Tony Robbins

*Current Royal MTC Board of Trustees/Advisory Board members

40

Ovation

Jane Robinson Mr. Robert Rogers Kevin Rollason & Gail MacAulay Renee Roseman Jay Ross Olga A. Runnalls Elizabeth & Laurence Russin Michael T. Ruta Paul & Cathy Samyn Shona Scappaticci‡ Hans & Gabriele Schneider Werner & Mary Schulz Ms. Faye Scott Mark Senier Dennis & Karen Sereda Ms. Pat Shklanka Dr. & Mrs. A.M. Shojania Shayna & Merrill Shulman Henry & Connie Shyka Pamela Simmons Cliff & Sandra Skrabek Carol & Ron Slater Fund - Jewish Foundation of Manitoba Constance Smith Chad Smith‡ Lillian Smith Mrs. Lorraine Smith Al* & Virginia Snyder Deanne Spiegel The Spielman Family Jacqueline St. Hill Mr. David Stacey Evelyn Stephen Heidi Struck† Tom & Shirley Strutt Eleanor Suderman Donald & Lorraine Swanson Mr. & Mrs. Paul Swart Shayne & Kathryn Taback Mary-Lou K Taylor Ross & BJ Taylor Karen Tereck - Welcome to Winnipeg Inc. June Thompson Marilyn Thompson Phyllis A. C. Thomson Mary E. Tibbs‡ Sharon Timson Malcolm & Shirley Tinsley Doug & Heather Tisdale Gavin & Judy Todd Helen Tomlinson Gord & Lorena Trann W. Tretiak & B. Baydock Peter Triggs Dr. Stephen Tritt & Dr. Sharon Goszer-Tritt Terry Tully Eric Turner Charles R. Vandekerkhove A. Van de Vijsel Patricia Van Doninck

†Current Royal MTC staff

‡Monthly donors

april/may 2017

SUPPORTERS Fran & Bob Vannevel‡ In memory of Ruth Paul, longtime MTC subscriber - Bev Venn Irv & Toby Vinsky Dr. & Mrs. M. B. Vodrey Helmut & Gwen Waedt Dorothy Walker V. Stirling Walkes Sherry & Bob Ward Peter & Joan Washchyshyn Phyllis Watson Walter & Shirley Watts Al & Pat Wherrett‡ Murray & Nancy Wiegand John T. & Justina Wiens Trevor Wiens‡ Peter & Elizabeth Wijtkamp In memory of C. Noreen Wilkie Catherine Wilkie Ms. Lynda Will Arthur Williams Leslie Wilson Murray Wilson & Ivy Namaka Dennis & Gustine Wilton Dr. & Mrs. Eric J. Winograd R & A Winstone Dr. David Wiseman & Merilyn Kraut Grant & Sheila Woods Adele & Arthur Wortzman Harry & Evelyn Wray Margaret & Paul Wright Raymond & Louise Wyant Ken & Pat Zealand 29 Anonymous

SPONSOR Arthur J. Gallagher Canada Ltd. The Asper Foundation The Gail Asper Family Foundation BMO Financial Group Martha Burns CIBC CN Continental Travel Group De Luca Fine Wines Gifts & Accessories Dycom Direct Mail Services Esdale Printing Co. Ltd. The Fort Garry Hotel, Spa & Conference Centre Freeman Audio Visual Canada Friesens Corporation Gardewine Deborah Gray The Great-West Life Assurance Company Greystone Managed Investments Inc. Investors Group

Jewish Foundation of Manitoba Lawton Partners MacDon Industries Ltd. Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries MTS National Leasing Planned Perfectly PwC RBC Royal Bank Relish Richard Rooney & Laura Dinner SGI Canada Sleeman Breweries Ltd. Stantec Consulting Ltd. Subway Franchise World Headquarters TD Bank Financial Group Wawanesa Insurance Winnipeg Airports Authority The Winnipeg Free Press

CORPORATE DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE HERO $10,000+ Johnston Group Inc. Qualico Richardson Foundation

GUARANTOR $5,000-9,999 Fidelity Investments Canada ULC

BENEFACTOR $3,000-4,999 Cambrian Credit Union Maple Leaf Construction Ltd., Blake Fitzpatrick Number TEN Architectural Group, Robert Eastwood* Terracon Development Ltd.

PATRON $1,200-2,999 Assiniboine Credit Union Benevity Community Impact Fund Bison Transport, Don Strueber Deloitte Foundation Canada Fillmore Riley LLP George Wakefield Foods Inc., Judy Wakefield* The Manitoba Teachers’ Society Manitoba’s Credit Unions Maxim Truck & Trailer Melet Plastics Inc., Edward Shinewald Pollard Banknote Limited Ruth & Ted Northam PRA Inc. Regal Tours Safeway & Sobeys Winmar Property Restoration

*Current Royal MTC Board of Trustees/Advisory Board members

CORPORATE FRIENDS OF ROYAL MTC CONTRIBUTOR $900-1,199 Astroid Management Ltd. Mitchell Fabrics Ltd.

SUPPORTER $600-899 Party Stuff/U-Rent-It

ASSOCIATE $300-599 Mid West Packaging Limited Premier Printing Ltd. Winfield Developments Canada

DONOR $150-299 DGH Engineering Ltd. Intergroup Consultants Ltd. MCW/AGE Consulting Professional Engineers Noble Locksmith Ltd. Patill/St. James Insurance Reitmans (Canada) Limited

FOUNDERS’ CIRCLE Gail Asper, OC, OM, LLD* Marjorie & Morley Blankstein Duane & Pauline Braun Len & Heather Cariou Gerry* & Chris Couture Kerry Dangerfield* Glen* & Joan Dyrda Laurie Lam† & Larry Desrochers Jack Fraser James Gibbs John & Nicola Guttormson Gary Hannaford* & Cathy Rushton June & Bob Jackson Fund for the Performing Arts Maureen E. Jay Andrew & Wendy Jensen Dr. Leonard & Hope Kahane Jason Kasper Gordon C. Keatch* Leona J. MacDonald Jim & Penny McLandress Barb Melnychuk Jeffrey Morton* Drs. Bill Pope & Elizabeth Tippett-Pope Heather Power & Harold Klause Edward Fisher & Lyse Rémillard Michelle Rowan Sharon Ryman Terri Cherniack & Steven Schipper, CM† Brenda Zaporzan 1 Anonymous

†Current Royal MTC staff §If you have remembered Royal MTC in your will, please let us know.

april/may 2017

Ovation

‡Monthly donors

41

SUPPORTERS ENDOWMENT FUND

Many thanks to the generosity of our Endowment Fund donors who gave a gift or fulfilled a pledge payment between February 1, 2016 and March 20, 2017.

Amounts are cumulative. $5,000,000+ Government of Canada/ Gouvernement du Canada Canadian Heritage/Patrimoine canadien

$250,000-499,999 Gail Asper, OC, OM, LLD* & Michael Paterson

$50,000-99,999 Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre Volunteer Corps of Ushers

$25,000-49,999 J.K. May Investments Ltd. Arni Thorsteinson & Susan Glass

$10,000-24,999 The Bowles Family Bryan Klein & Susan Halprin The Estate of Gordon P. Linney Cam & Carole Osler Norma Anne Padilla Terri Cherniack & Steven Schipper, CM† George Sigurdson Terracon Development Ltd.

$5,000-9,999 Margaret Caie Donald Fraser & Judy Little Dr. Ted & Gail Hechter Susan & Keith Knox Rick Lee & Laurie Shapiro Garry Markham Jim* & Penny McLandress L. Blair Philpott & Tom Kynman Heather Pullan & Tom Frohlinger Faye Warren Wearing Williams Limited - Don & Sheila Katz Dorothy Y Young

$2,500-4,999

UP TO $499

Sheila & David Brodovsky Ron & Carol Chapman Pamela & Andrew Cooke Helene Dyck John & Margaret Graham Ruth Simkin Fran & Estela Violago Anonymous

Jacqueline Anderson Bev & Ron Clegg Barbara Latocki Frances Lemieux Sandra Sadler Roslyn Silver Geri & Peter Spencer Peter & Sharon Taylor

$1,000-2,499 Joan & Ed Alexander Jack Armstrong & Doris Quinn George Baldwin The Bohm Family David & Pamela Bolton Don & Cheryl Breakey Bob & Alison Darling Michael & Lynn Evans Brent & Debbie Gilbert David & Ewhenia Gnutel Marilyn & Helios Hernandez Barbara Main Dr. & Mrs. Donald McInnes Terri & Jim McKerchar Vera Moroz Paul & Elaine Neelon Jean & Lisa Neron Anita & Ron Perron Joy Cooper & Martin Reed Marc & Sherri Rittinger Joan Stephens Frits & Joan Stevens Jim & Jan Tennant Marilyn Thompson Elaine Toms

$500-999 Peggy Bainard Acheson Ms. Jean Bissett Katherine Cobor & Gordon Steindel Dorothy Davidson Christine Fleetwood Betty Ann & Richard Graydon Jordan Janisse & Teresa Cooper Mr. & Mrs. Fred Kisil Dr. Stan & Susan Lipnowski Anthony & Joyce McWha Estelle Meyers Marcel & Louise Mollot E.M.L. Poulter Bill & Norma Rennie Ivor & Lorna Schledewitz Howie & Sue Simpson Gabor Vamos & Brenda Silver 4 Anonymous

*Current Royal MTC Board of Trustees/Advisory Board members

42

Ovation

†Current Royal MTC staff

‡Monthly donors

april/may 2017

Proud supporter of the Royal MTC

Design with community in mind

Groups of 10 or more

save! to book group tickets contact: Thomas Urish, Sales Manager P 204 954 6413 e turish@royalmtc.ca

stantec.com

SUPPORTING PARTNERS CORE FUNDERS

SEASON PARTNERS

TOM HENDRY WAREHOUSE SEASON SPONSOR

EXCLUSIVE PRODUCTION SUPPORTER

JOHN HIRSCH MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION SPONSOR

TOM HENDRY WAREHOUSE PRODUCTION SPONSORS

Deborah Gray

JOHN HIRSCH MAINSTAGE PERFORMANCE SPONSORS

WORDPLAY

BACKSTAGE PASS

CORPORATE MATCHING GIFT

BENEFACTORS

Deborah Gray Martha Burns

TD THEATRE UNDER 30

THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

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 44

Ovation

april/may 2017

SUPPORTING PARTNERS BLACK & WHITE BALL PREMIER SPONSOR

PLATINUM SPONSOR

SILVER SPONSOR

BRONZE SPONSOR

Gerry & Barb Price

LAWYERS PLAY

DESIGN SPONSOR

CAPITAL ASSISTANCE

2016 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

CHRISTIEFEST

MEDIA SPONSORS

april/may 2017

SUPPORTING SPONSORS

Ovation

45

BEHIND THE SCENES Front of House

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Adam Kozachuk, Patron Experience Manager Kim Cossette, House Manager, Tom Hendry Warehouse Front-of-House Staff: Rylen de Vries, Nick Fletcher, Deanna Goring, Elfie Harvey, Marissa Kellet, Talia Kowalchuk, Kimmy Martin, Declan Moulden, Graeme Olson, Amariah Peterson, Angela Rajfur, Hannah Schneider, Lisa Stefanson, Rita Vande Vyvere, Kira Watson

Honorary Members

Her Honour, Lt. Governor Janice C. Filmon The Honourable Brian Pallister, Premier of Manitoba His Worship, Mayor Brian Bowman Executive Officers

Anthony C. Fletcher, Chair Jim McLandress, Past Chair David Carefoot, Treasurer Heather Clarke, Secretary David Christie, Chair, Resource Development Sandy Gousseau, Chair, Audience Development Patrick Green, Chair, Organizational Performance John Guttormson, Chair, Governance & Strategic Planning Trustees

Jan Coates Paulo Fernandes Katherine Fox Rita Gunn Shawn Hughes Derek Johannson Advisory Council

Kerry Dangerfield, Chair Gail Asper Doneta Brotchie Angus Campbell Gerry Couture Hy Dashevsky Glen Dyrda, FCA John F. Fraser Jean Giguere Charron Hamilton

Maintenance

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

Jason Kasper John Kearsey Sagan Morrow Andrea Robertson Derek Rolstone Laurie A. Speers

Tim J. Valgardson Helga D. Van Iderstine Judy Wakefield Richard L. Yaffe

Gary Hannaford, FCA 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

Yvonne O’Connor, Accounts Payable Administrator Melanie Sexton, Payroll Administrator Shelley Stroski, Controller

Box Office

Sheena Baird, Ticketing Services Manager Laurie Fletcher, Box Office and Volunteer Manager Raven Wilder, Patron Service Supervisor Box Office Representatives: Katie Adamson, Vicky Chan, Julie Gregorchuk, Paige Lewis, Hayden Maines, Kara Pankiw, Robyn Pooley, Tori Popp, Jessy Ross, Katie Schmidt, Daniel Tompkins, Kira Watson Carpentry (John Hirsch Mainstage)

Louis Gagné, Layout Carpenter Brent Letain, Master Carpenter Chris Seida, Scenic Carpenter Development

Michael Joyal, Development Data Manager Melissa Novecosky, Special & Donor Events Coordinator Shelly Smith-Hines, Director of Development Heidi Struck, Individual Giving Manager

Production

Christine Corthey, Production Associate Ian Kirk, Assistant Technical Director Paige Lewis, Production Coordinator 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 Lawrence Van Went, Properties Builder

Tom Hendry Warehouse

Brian Adolph, IT Manager Angela Broadbent, Education & Community Engagement Manager Devan Graham, Director of Human Resources Camilla Holland, Executive Director Mary Horodyski, Archivist Daphne MacMillan, Administrative Assistant Jennifer Skelly, IT Administrator Krista Jackson, Associate Artistic Director Jeff Kennedy, Literary Coordinator Laurie Lam, Producer Steven Schipper, CM, Artistic Director Casey Shapira, Assistant to the Producer Melinda Tallin, Artistic Coordinator

Susan Groff, Head Scenic Artist Megumi Hari, Scenic Artist

Joan Lees-Miller, Head of Wardrobe Claude Robert, Head Electrician Chris Thomson, Head Carpenter John Tomiuk, House Stage Hand Michael Wright, Head of Sound

Accounting/Finance

Artistic

Paint

Stage Crew

STAFF

Administration

Sue Caughlin, Marketing & Communications Manager Kathleen Cerrer, Publicist & Online Media Coordinator Katie Inverarity, Director of Marketing & Communications Savannah Lillies, Publications Coordinator Thomas Urish, Sales Manager

Chris Brett, Head of Sound Randy Zyla Harder, Head Electrician Rick MacPherson, Technical Director Alison Nutt, Head Carpenter Carla Schroeder, Head Scenic Artist Wardrobe

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

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

Jennifer Cheslock, Festival Manager Chuck McEwen, Executive Producer Honorary Staff

Zaz Bajon, General Manager Emeritus

ADDITIONAL PRODUCTION STAFF Sarah Ballenden

Chris Hadley, Props Buyer Kim Hamin, Scenic Artist Jacko Garcia, Carpenter Amanda Isaak, First Hand Zane Kirk, Hairstylist c/o Urban Crush Salon Karen Luchak, Sewer Barb Mackenzie, Sewer Katie Schmidt, Wardrobe Apprentice* Joy Willis, Sewer

*Position funded through the Jean Murray – Moray Sinclair Theatre Apprenticeship Program

46

Ovation

april/may 2017

ASH LIN GRAD E 9

LOVE THE

STAGE? O W N I T. AT T H E C O L L E G I AT E

HIGH SCHO OL AT UNI VER SITY

COLLEGIATE.UWINNIPEG.CA

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