Drama fest hits stage tonight
The curtain rises tonight on the first Central Interior Drama Festival held in Prince George in many years.
“It represents the best in community theatre from the Central Interior, with representative plays from Kersley, Prince George, and Williams Lake which has two entries,” said Peter Maides, one of the local volunteers helping to arrange the dramatic extravaganza.
Several prizes will be awarded for various aspects of the tragedy and comedy about to unfold, and the winner of the top trophy, Best Production, goes on to represent the zone at the Theatre B.C. Mainstage Festival competition and exhibition.
“Because 2017 is Canada’s 150th birthday, all the plays eligible for Mainstage must be written by Canadian playwrights,” said Maides who, on behalf of local amateur theatre company Pocket Theatre, is the director of this city’s entry.
He, his cast and crew will present a national favourite, Daniel MacIvor’s award-winning Marion Bridge. It’s the production that kicks the festival off tonight at the Prince George Playhouse.
Starring an all-star trio of local talent – Katherine Trepanier, Sandra Clermont, and Krista Dunlop – Marion Bridge is the story of three sisters in Cape Breton dealing with their shared pasts, a difficult present, and a hopeful future. Showtime is 7 p.m. That is just the beginning. On Thursday night, the play is Utter Intertwinglement produced by the Kersley Players. This is another in the long list of venerable plays penned by Cariboo playwright Roy Teed who also co-directs this show along with Todd Dunphy. It features a sizable percentage of the Kersley population, said Maides with a laugh.
“This play is about gamer culture and families, with all the fun and chaos that might ensue. Utterly hilarious,” he added. It comes with a warning for strong language and adult themes.
Friday is a night off from competitive theatre but another night of festival festivities. The event’s adjudicator Lauren Brotman, one of the principal partners in Bound To Create Theatre Company and an artist-in-residence with Theatre NorthWest, will host a special event for the professional development of all participants and interested public.
Brotman takes the stage to present the workshop titled How To Talk To Yourself So Others Listen, a clinic in delivering monologues, one of the actor’s foundational skills.
Maides is looking forward to this night almost as much as his own play’s staging.
“This will be a valuable and entertaining event,” he said.
“If you have a monologue that you would like to work on/explore, there are a limited number of participation slots available. As well, this is an open event, so come watch the fun and learn. If you’d like to participate, please get in touch via the Pocket Theatre page on Facebook.”
Saturday is a double-bill from the south end of the Cariboo. Two entries from Williams Lake Studio Theatre will take their turns in the spotlight. The first play, Problem Child, gets underway at 7 p.m. and the second play, Mary’s Wedding, starts at 8:30 p.m.
Problem Child, said Maides, is written by George F. Walker and directed by Curt Sprickerhoff.
It is “an absurdist black comedy about an ex-drug and -TV addicted ex-con trying to deal with a by-thebook social worker in order to get her child back.”
Mary’s Wedding, meanwhile, “takes place in a dream the night before Mary’s wedding,” Maides explained. “Farm boy Charlie is hiding in a barn from lightning when Mary, who delights in the wild storm, finds him.” It is written by Stephen Massicote and directed by Sheryl-Lynn Lewis.
After each show, a public adjudication will take place during which Brotman will present a constructive critique of each production, then the casts and crews will meet at the official Green Room for the Central Interior Zone Theatre Festival, the Rockford Grill only a short hop away. The public is invited to join them.
“Another exciting opportunity for theatre buffs, each morning after the play, a coffee critique takes place at the Playhouse,” Maides explained.
“It’s exactly(as titled): we have coffee and snacks, and Lauren Brotman gives insightful commentary about the productions – super informative.”
Tickets for individual events are $20 regular, $15 of students, seniors, and the unemployed.
They are available in advance from Books & Company or at the door.