SOME FANCY MANOEUVRES
A presentation of ‘You Fancy Yourself’ will be livestreamed May 7
The annual Artist Talk series at Millbrook’s 4th Line Theatre is going online this spring //
The annual Artist Talk series at Millbrook’s 4th Line Theatre is going online this spring.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the theatre has established livestreams of the series, as well as a play reading event, to allow patrons to stay at home to prevent the spread of the virus.
Managing artistic director Kim Blackwell is launching this year’s series as part of the theatre’s Emerging Women’s Directing Project.
Titled “Kim Blackwell in Conversation With …,” the project will focus on Canadian women theatre artists who are pioneers in their field.
“Our Artist Talk events have come to be some of the most popular gatherings at 4th Line. For several years now, I have been wanting to sit down with some of Canada’s most influential women theatre artists to delve deeper into their careers and practice,” Blackwell said. “I am thrilled to be sitting down with women whose work I have long admired.”
The project aims to address the issue of gender equality in the field of the performing arts.
The series, which honours the achievements of women in the Canadian theatre landscape, will be live streamed on four May Tuesdays at 2:30 p.m. at no charge.
On May 5, Blackwell will speak with Jillian Keiley, a director from St. John’s, N.L. Keiley is also the founder of Artistic Fraud of Newfoundland in St. John’s and the artistic director of the National Arts Centre’s English Theatre in Ottawa.
On May 12, Blackwell will have a conversation with Judith Thompson, a Governor General’s Award-winning playwright, director and theatre educator.
On May 19, Blackwell will be speaking with Nancy Palk, an actor, director, educator and a founding member and resident artist of Toronto’s Soulpepper Theatre Company.
The series will conclude with Canadian television, film and stage actress Fiona Reid on May 26.
On May 7, the theatre is holding a livestreamed performance of Maja Ardal’s one-person show “You Fancy Yourself.”
Directed by Mary Francis Moore, the show was created in 2006.
It has been sold out in Toronto on several occasions, it has toured across Canada and was produced at the 2009 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It was nominated for three Dora Awards and won Outstanding Performance for Ardal.
“Maja’s writing and performance is a master class in both writing and acting,” Blackwell said.
Each “Kim Blackwell in Conversation
With …” will be about 90 minutes and will include a question-and-answer session at eventbrite.com/e/artist-talk -serieskim-blackwell-in-conve rsationwith-jillian-keileyregistration-103151276244.