Kindred Theatre- The Lifespan of a Fact playbill

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We gratefully acknowledge that we are situated on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəyəm (Musqueam), Sḵwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

CONTENT ADVISORY

Coarse language, discussion of suicide, not suitable for children.

Please turn off cell phones. No videotaping or photography. Show runs 90 minutes. No intermission. If you leave the theatre while the show is in progress, you will not be readmitted to the theatre

THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT was originally produced on Broadway by Jeffrey Richards, Norman & Deanna Twain, Will Trice, Barbara H. Freitag, Suzanne Grant, Gold/Ross Productions, Jamie deRoy, Jennifer Manocherian, ManGol Productions, Carl Moellenberg/Wendy Federman, Ken Greiner, Van Kaplan, Dominick LaRuffa Jr, Marc David Levine, WitzEnd Productions, Eric Falkensteain/Moreland Mott, Cailoa Productions, Remmel T. Dickinson, & Jayne Baron Sherman.

DIRECTOR’S NOTE

“I

am an artist…and therefore a liar. Distrust everything I say. I am telling the truth.”

Ursula K. Le Guin

This story started as an essay written about a boy in Las Vegas. Then the fact checking began. A book was born. And then this play.

The Lifespan of a Fact takes us into a compelling, entertaining, and vital debate between the writer, the fact checker, and the editor in chief.

“How can you even for a moment claim that facts are negotiable?”

- Jim, The Fact-checker

“I’m saying there is a world of facts to choose from. The wrong facts get in the way of the story.”- John, The Writer

“It comes down to trust.” - Emily, The Editor

Humans are wired for story. It is a survival tool; a core human need to understand. There can be a sublime beauty in narrative – in how we make sense of our world. In how we come to understand ourselves and others.

In the avalanche of today’s age of ‘alternative’ facts, misinformation, disinformation, AI, and ‘fake’ news -- what should we believe? Can we distinguish the truth? What is the danger when our need for narrative is undermined? When is it used as a tool for propaganda? For effect? Can we keep space for any deep poetic truth? The kind that rattles our souls awake. How do we hold on to our fundamental humanity? I don’t know the answers, but I believe the questions are important to ask ourselves --- as we navigate this new landscape in our quickly evolving digital age. Perhaps we are going to have to engage in our community, in society, in debate and conversation at an unprecedented level.

The characters in The Lifespan of a Fact do just that.

Thanks for engaging with us.

- Jennifer Clement, Director

CAST AND CREW BIOGRAPHIES

JENNIFER CLEMENT - DIRECTOR

Jennifer has over 40 years’ experience as an actor, educator/director with over 100 credits in theatre/film & TV across the country including a Jessie for Morris Panych’s The Trespassers. As the former Head of the VFS Acting & current a faculty member, she continues to advocate for positive change in actor education. She is a graduate of York & TMU Theatre School & received the UBCP/Actra Lorena Gale Women of Distinction Award. Jen previously directed Dinner with Friends with Kindred and is grateful to be this society’s commitment to make theatre in Vancouver. Massive thanks for the support of family and friends for supporting a life in the arts.

LORETTA WALSH - PRODUCER/EMILY

Loretta Walsh is an award-nominated actor and has been a professional performer for over 20 years. On television, she’s most known for her 11 seasons on the Hallmark series When Calls the Heart.

Loretta is the founder and Artistic Producer of Kindred Theatre and has starred in over 30 plays including: Dinner with Friends, Lobby Hero, Sex with Strangers, THIS, Either We Talk or We Don’t Talk, White Hot, Othello, and Hamlet. Her previous theatre producing credits include: Lobby Hero (2010). Dinner with Friends (2012), White Hot (2014), Either We Talk or We Don’t Talk (2015) and THIS (2018). Thank you to YOU, our audience for being here. Loretta offers deep gratitude to the whole Kindred Team and special thanks to Neil and Poppy.

BEN IMMANUEL - JOHN

Ben Immanuel is a multiple-award winning actor, writer, director, and producer. He has written and directed 3 feature films; Moving Malcom, Down River, and most recently Are We Done Now? In a career spanning 4 decades, he has played lead and supporting roles in well over 100 film and television productions, with theatre acting highlights that include THIS, Dinner with Friends, Italian American Reconciliation, and American Buffalo, for which he received a Jessie Award nomination. He directed the Canadian stage premieres of White Hot and Dying City, as well as Casey and the Octopus, which he also wrote the script for.

Ben extends respect and gratitude to our whole team, everyone at Haven Acting Studio, and his wife Jennifer Spence. Special thanks to our audiences for being here to co-create the experience of live theatre.

TAL SHULMAN - JIM

Tal Shulman is thrilled to be joining Kindred Theatre for The Lifespan of a Fact! He has performed on stages across the country including the Stratford Festival, Soulpepper, Young People’s Theatre, Manitoba Theatre for Young People, and the Improv Centre. Tal holds a BFA in Acting from Toronto Metropolitan University (fka Ryerson Theatre School), and studies at Haven Acting Studio.

This summer, you can catch him at Bard on the Beach playing Dromio(s) in Comedy of Errors. Thanks to Loretta, Ben, Jen, and the whole Kindred crew!

PETER WILDS – DESIGNER AND CREATIVE COLLABORATOR

Peter is an interior designer, who’s firm was established in 2011. His work has garnered national and international editorial print and online features in publications such as Canadian House & Home, Style at Home, Casa Vogue Brazil and Architectural Digest Italia. Peter is thrilled to be joining Kindred Theatre again, having designed the set for Dinner with Friends. This return to the theatre is a true highlight. Prior to his work as a designer, Peter spent a decade acting with leading theatre companies throughout Canada, performing recurring roles in episodic television and lent his voice to numerous animation series.

ANDREA HEALD – STAGE MANAGER

Andrea has stage managed numerous productions over two decades on the Vancouver theatre scene, and has helped in bringing productions like “Lobby Hero” and “Dinner with Friends” to life with Kindred Theatre. As the founder of The Joy of English, she merges theatre techniques with language learning, focusing on enhancing English communication for intermediate to advanced speakers.Her innovative method not only teaches English but also instills expressive confidence and cultural fluency, establishing her as a notable figure in the realms of theatre and language education.

PENNY RAY - CO-PRODUCER

Penny began acting studies as a child and first appeared on stage in her teens. Since graduating from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, she has enjoyed an array of professional acting and producing roles in theatre and film, while simultaneously developing a successful career in small business operations. At an emergency shelter/transition house in Los Angeles, Penny developed a drama program to supplement the therapy offered to families recovering from domestic violence. The confidence and trust the women and children gained through these acting exercises were both humbling and inspiring. Penny is thrilled to be on the Kindred team helping to bring cultural innovation and transformation to the stage.

TANYA CHAMPOUX - CO-PRODUCER

Tanya is an actor, business owner and entrepreneur based in Vancouver. She has been featured in many Hallmark movies and recently coproduced and acted in Sheepish, an award winning film shot in Spain. Tanya found her love for theatre at a young age while attending plays with her mom in Montreal and Vancouver. Mixed with her love for community and entertaining , Tanya believes that theatre produces more than just a storyline, it brings light to important global injustices, needs for change and truth through the connection between the actors, the audience, and the story.

EMILY TREPANIER – LIGHTING AND PROJECTION DESIGNER

Emily Trepanier is an emerging artist from Coquitlam, BC, located on the unceded traditional territory of the Kwikwetlem First Nation, which lies within the shared territories of the Tsleil-Waututh, Katzie, Musqueam, Qayqayt, Squamish, and Sto’:lo Nations. She holds a BFA in theatre from the University of Victoria. Recent lighting design credits include: Hurry Hard (Chemainus Theatre Festival); PLUNGE (The Falling Company); The Addams Family, Grease (Shawnigan Lake School);

Just Black Hair (University of Victoria). Assistant credits include: Vigil, Assistant Lighting Designer (Belfry Theatre); The Birds, Assistant Lighting Designer, (Pacific Opera Victoria);

Christmas Carol, Assistant Projection Designer, (WONDERHEADS).

VICTORIA MCNEIL – SOUND DESIGNER

Victoria is a recent UBC Theatre grad with a specialization in sound. She is thrilled to be a part of The Lifespan of a Fact as her first postschool show. Victoria is most interested in how sound can tell and transform the world of a story. Recent credits include Saint Joan of the Stockyards (UBC Theatre), Loose Assemblage (Bleed Through Theatre), and The Wolves (UBC Theatre). You can see some of her work next in Twelfth Night at Bard on the Beach. victoriamcneil.ca.

STEPHEN WALKER – SET BUILDER

Stephen wears several hats in his professional life which include actor, director, coach and with this amazing production of Lifespan - set builder. His day job outside of the acting world has him fixing things and most recently refitting his coaches’ new acting studio. It has been his delight to work with the production team to support their creative vision for the set. Break a leg everyone!

LESLEY DIANA - PUBLICIST

Lesley Diana of The Promotion People is a Unit Publicist with I.A.S.T.E. 669. She has worked on over 100 feature films and television series shot in Vancouver, including Sony Pictures, eOne TV, and many independent feature films and reality TV series.

Lesley is a Personal Publicist to some of Canada’s brightest stars as their careers rise on the big and small screens. The Promotion People work with the UBCP/ACTRA subsidy program, offering 20% off for full members. She has completed successful publicity campaigns garnering podcast, television, newspaper, and online press coverage. www.thepromotionpeople.ca

JESSE MILLER - FIGHT DIRECTOR

Born and raised in rural Saskatchewan, Jesse moved to Vancouver to pursue a profession as both an actor and stunt performer. His stunt credits include Turner and Hooch (Disney), So Help Me Todd (CBS), Riverdale (CW), Batwoman (CW) and HBO’s The Last Of Us. As one of the lead stunt doubles on Batwoman he has gained proficient experience with wirework, fight choreography and the art of physical expression. Jesse is always excited to explore, collaborate and continually expand the foundation of his craft.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Mary-Jo Dionne - President

Neil Shapiro

Jennifer Spence

Zak Santiago

Are you interested in volunteering with Kindred Theatre Society? We would love to hear from you!

Email us at info@kindredtheatre.ca

SPECIAL THANKS TO...

RESOURCES

Kids Help Line

Text 686868 or Call 1-800-668-6868

National Suicide Crisis Helpline Call 9-8-8

BC Mental Health & Crisis Response Call 310-6789

BC Suicide Prevention and Intervention

Call 1-800-784-2433

Hina Nishioka, Ricardo Hubbs, Bernie Yao, Stephanie Cho, Aaron Craven, Kate Craven, Martina Biljan, Scott Zechner, Arash Ghorbani, VFS, Vincent & Max, Studio 216 & Megan Leitch, Stuart McNish, Christian Cummins, Sam Tam, our Front-of-House Volunteers, Kindred spirits everywhere, and all those who volunteer at Suicide Hotlines

WHO WE ARE SUPPORTING

At Kindred Theatre Society, for every production we choose a charity to support and raise awareness and partial ticket sales for that organization. For “The Lifespan of a Fact” we are donating 5% of our ticket sales to Megaphone Magazine. We also donate 5% of our ticket sales to an Indigenous charity, and for this show, we are supporting IRSSS.

Megaphone exists to change the story on poverty by promoting social equity, amplifying marginalized voices and creating meaningful work. Megaphone produces literary and journalistic publications and trains 100+ people experiencing poverty and intersecting marginalizations in Vancouver to sell those products for an income. Vendors buy the magazine for 75 cents and sell it for $2, with a similar system for our annual calendar and literary anthology. In 2023 Megaphone launched its peer newsroom, The Shift, which trains writers in journalism and steers the direction of our monthly magazine.

Visit megaphonemagazine.com

OUR DONORS

Andrew McIlroy & Associates

Claudie Azoulai & Gary Snarch

Jo-Ann Shapiro

Rachel Snarch & Eric Girard

Barbara Deutsch

Zak Santiago

Janette Stephens

Nicolina Pavek

Neil Shapiro

Karen Chamberlain

Pia Sprague

Aaron Craven

Sharon Taylor

Bonnie Gilbert

The Indian Residential School Survivors Society (IRSSS) is a provincial and non-profit organization that provides essential services to residential school survivors and families experiencing intergenerational trauma.

The IRSSS began in 1994 as “The Residential School Project,” a working committee of the B.C. First Nations Summit. Their work primarily focused on assisting survivors with the litigation process pertaining to residential school abuses.

For more information visit www.irsss.ca

Hrothgar Matthews & Gabrielle Rose

Jack Wagner

Bill McNaughton

Orlena Cain

Christy Webb Gibson & Jeff Gibson

Vanessa Parise

Terri Gilmore

Marg Stark

Martha Hermsen

Holly Peterson

Siobhan Devine

Diane Nhan

Jennifer Spence

Jillian Shapiro

Teresa Laverty

Mary Jo Dionne

Isabelle Bertrand

Tracy Crawford

Jane Grahame

Jean & Julie Champoux

Like this show? YOU can help us produce more great plays by becoming a member of our Patreon Community or by making a one time donation at www.kindredtheatre.org

Step into a realm where English mastery is ignited by the vivacity of theatre. At The Joy of English, Andrea Heald marries the craft of performance with the journey of language learning, offering a bespoke experience for the aspiring actors of StudioJOE and the forward-thinking business professionals of ProJOE. Her curriculum, enriched by extensive experience in both the theatre and the corporate sectors, employs theatrical techniques to bolster your communication abilities, with a keen emphasis on idioms and connected speech to ensure your English fluency feels both natural and sophisticated.

Discover Andrea’s approach at www.thejoyofenglish.ca.

The Promotion People is a renowned publicity firm that has worked with actors, musicians, feature films, and television series for over twenty-five years. UBCP/ ACTRA members can apply to subsidize the cost of their publicity.

Please get in touch with Lesley@thepromotionpeople.ca

Lesley Diana IATSE 669 Unit Publicist 604-726-5575

www.thepromotionpeople.ca

For weekly insights and inspiration, follow Andrea on Instagram @_studiojoe

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Founded by Ben Immanuel, Haven Acting Studio has been home to Vancouver’s top working actors and ambitious up-and-comers for over two decades.

J o i n i n g H a v e n f o r t h e f i r s t t i m