A PLAY FOR THE PLAYROOM SET
Good Day and Good Night grooms next generation of theatre-lovers
You’re never too young for theatre. That’s the idea behind Good Day and Good Night, a new, locally-written and -produced play for theatre-goers still figuring out the intricacies of potty training. The drama features two actors, one playing the confident and popular Sun (Alexandra Lainfiesta) and one the shy Moon (Steven Greenfield). With help from song (CJ McGillivray is the onstage musical director) and some animal friends and the audience, the two celestial bodies learn to overcome their differences. We talked to Lainfiesta, who is nominated for a Jessie for her work in Solo Collective Theatre’s 2016 production Green Lake, about moving to B.C. from Guatemala, and performing for the very young.
Q You were 19 when you moved to B.C. from Guatemala. What prompted the move?
A I was doing research into New York and L.A., and a Wikipedia page about Vancouver came up on my screen. The Olympics were happening at the time. And I thought, Maybe I should look into Canada. It hadn’t even crossed my mind. So I Googled
“performing arts colleges Canada” and Canadian College of Performing Arts (in Victoria) came up. And they said they would accept a video submission, which for me was a big thing, since you need a visa to get from Guatemala to Canada.
Q Your English is excellent. It must have been pretty good in the first place.
A I was hesitant at the beginning. I remember this class we had at CCPA, I think it was called musical theatre history. We had to watch a video that Julie Andrews was narrating, and I remember having such a hard time understanding what she was saying. It got way better as I immersed myself in the language — doing theatre, especially, where it’s all about the language and the words. The great thing that my mentors and teachers at Studio 58 would do is make me translate the work and say it in Spanish.
Q What are some of the considerations in doing a play like Good Day and Good Night for, in some cases, pre-verbal humans?
A I think what’s important is for these very, very young kids to be exposed to an interactive show. The base of this kind of theatre is human connection and exploration of the senses. There are words but we also play with sound and sight and touch. There are different textures of the stars that the kids get to touch and explore. Even if some of them don’t understand the language, they explore the play through their senses.
Q How do you rehearse something that’s going to be so interactive?
A There has to be a certain freedom and flexibility, where anything can happen, and to still be gentle and be part of the world and keep interacting with the kids. It’s very detailed work, but also there has to be freedom to let it go wherever it has to go, and bring it back to the frame we’ve created.
Q How would you describe the play?
A I think it’s about the discovery of each other’s existence. They (the Sun and the Moon) are not aware of each other at the beginning. The idea is that, though these two beings come from opposing worlds, they can find a way to connect and develop a friendship. They have very different personalities. I think it’s the active discovery of each other’s strengths and differences that builds their relationship. The play’s fun and gentle and surprising, and extremely engaging for the little ones.
GOOD DAY AND GOOD NIGHT
When: June 6-18 | Where: The Bee Stage at Carousel Theatre for Young People Tickets: $12.50 to $15, at carouseltheatre.ca