Meet the Playwright of SHATTER – Trina Davies

Trina Davies will be part of the Talk-Back night for Shatter following the performance on Wednesday, December 15th. Trina’s work is being seen around Edmonton quite a bit this season. In addition to Shatter here at Walterdale Theatre, Waxworks was recently presented by Concordia University at Theatre at CUE and The Romeo Initiative will be presented in March 2018 as part of the Skirts AFire Festival. 

Trina Davies

TDavies.Photo.JpegFormerly of Edmonton, Trina is a playwright based in Vancouver Canada. Her award-winning plays include Multi User Dungeon, Shatter, The Bone Bridge, The Auction and Waxworks. Her last published play The Romeo Initiative was a finalist for Canada’s top literary prize, the Governor General’s Award for Dramatic Literature, and won the National Enbridge Award for Established Artist. Her plays have been performed across Canada and in a number of other countries including the United States, Germany, Italy, and India. Shatter premiered Off-Broadway in 2014 to audience and critical acclaim. Her play The Bone Bridge, developed by the Citadel Theatre and with support from the BC Arts Council, recently won the 2017 Woodward International Playwriting Prize in the U.S.

She has participated in artist residencies at the Stratford Festival, the Banff International Centre for the Arts, the Playwrights Theatre Centre, the Citadel Playwright’s Forum, and the Bella Vita Playwrights Retreat in Tuscany, Italy. Trina is a member of the Alberta Playwrights Network, the Playwrights Theatre Centre and the Playwrights Guild of Canada.

She is currently working Silence: Mabel and Alexander Graham Bell, a love story exploring what constitutes real communication. Silence will receive its world premiere directed by Peter Hinton at The Grand Theatre, London Ontario in January 2018. Also watch for The Romeo Initiative, coming to the Edmonton Skirts Afire Festival in March 2018.

For more information on Trina and her work, visit www.trinadavies.com

Shatter: Playwright’ s Notes

Shatter began with an image: an unbroken pane of glass after the largest man-made explosion of the world. That image led me to several years of research. During that research something else happened. 9/11. I watched, as the rest of the world did, in terror and fascination as I waited to find out what this event meant for all of us. I sat glued to the images that are now iconic, fearful of what action would be taken next. I listened to the interviews that day as various news-worthy individuals trotted out competing theories about who was responsible. In the weeks following I heard whispers of backlash attacks in the U.S. and elsewhere; and accessed reports from human rights organizations detailing the hate crimes that were being committed. The same thing happened after the Oklahoma City bombing. The same thing happened after the 1923 earthquake in Japan. The same thing happened after the Halifax Explosion. As I was processing the events of our current world, I came across a reference to hate crimes against Germans living in Halifax. The official history books say little. Digging into the actual newspapers of the day I came across a much different story. Shatter is the story of a family and of a community, both living through an unimaginable tragedy and trying to come out whole on the other side. Fear is the enemy.

Historical Notes

The Halifax Explosion of 1917 was the largest man-made explosion in the world prior to Hiroshima. The 1917 Explosion was studied by makers of the Hiroshima bomb. In a booming war-time city of 50,000, 2,000 people were killed, 9,000 were wounded and many were homeless. At least 300 people were blinded in one or both eyes. The Explosion happened because two ships – one a Belgian Relief ship known as the Imo, and the other a French munitions ship known as the Mont Blanc – collided in the narrows of the Halifax Harbour. The collision caused sparks that ignited flammables on the deck of the Mont Blanc. Not understanding that the Mont Blanc was carrying munitions, many Haligonians ran down to the docks to see the excitement of the fire. Those closest to the blast were incinerated. The Explosion was officially ruled an accident after many legal hearings, but that did not stop the community from trying to affix blame. The newspapers fired the flames of wartime hatred, and incited the locals to target those in the community of German birth.

 

 

 

Meet the Team of SHATTER – Savanna Harvey is the Lighting and Sound Designer

PRINTWhat is your role on this production? Light and sound designer.

What is your background in theatre? At Walterdale? I started with Walterdale as Assistant Director for Jennie’s Story (2014). I was also Associate Dramaturg for the Cradle to Stage play Bottled Up (2016).

What brought you out for this show? I’m an independent creator-performer, and I’ve wanted to learn more about light and sound design for ages. What better way to learn than by doing?!

What do you think audiences will take away from this show? Why should they come and see it? I may be a little biased, but I think the lighting design for Shatter is really cool. I tried to design a unique aesthetic (flashlights and shadow puppetry) on top of stage lighting that would compliment the themes in the text. Watch out for shadows, suspicion, and fragmentation!

Women's_March_(VOA)_03Shatter deals with a major event in Canadian history that Canadians today might not know too much about. Are there any other major events in Canadian history that you feel we should know more about that we do? I don’t know much about Canadian history, but I am involved in its present. I participated in the Edmonton Women’s March on Washington last January. Collectively, these marches were the largest civil rights march in history. The event aimed to be intersectional, inclusive, and international, supporting of the rights of all women and femmes. It was an incredible experience – it’s not often you have the opportunity to actively participate in history! I ended up making an art exhibit about the experience called ARTifacts of Protest. If you’re interested in learning more about the march, I’m presenting the exhibit and a lecture at the University of Alberta for International Week (January 2018).

Meet the Team of SHATTER – Rebecca Collins is the ASM!

Rebecca Collins Head ShotWhat is your role in/on this production? I am the Assistant Stage Manager for Walterdale’s production of Shatter. I communicate between creative departments and help keep track of the actors during performance. The Shatter creative team has been incredibly collaborative, and I feel privileged to have analyzed the play with the performers in rehearsal. My favorite part of being the Assistant Stage Manager is bringing Jordan Campion coffee.

What is your background in theatre? At Walterdale? My first acting role was tree 1 of 3, in my grade three class production of Hansel and Gretel. However, it was my fifth grade after school drama class production of A Christmas Carol and my role as Ghost of Christmas Past that truly inspired my love of theatre. I have since grown to become a theatre and humanities educator with Edmonton Public Schools. I have worked creatively in theatre as an actor, designer, director, and now assistant stage manager! Shatter is my first Walterdale production and I have loved exploring the space and getting to know the wonderful group of people who make theatre magic happen! 

What brought you out for this show? I attended the University of Alberta with the director of Shatter, Josh Languedoc. Over our time in university, Josh and I collaborated on many artistic projects, including attending the Indra Congress in Derry/Londonderry Northern Ireland. When Josh expressed that he was looking to build his creative team for this production I jumped at the opportunity to work with him again. I have wanted to work on a play with Walterdale for many years and I had a chance to finally bring my dream to fruition. 

What do you think audiences will take away from this show? Why should they come and see it?  Shatter is a poignant and relatable story to our current socio-political climate. Opening on the 100th anniversary of this major Canadian tragedy, Shatter reminds audiences that we haven’t come quite as far as we would like to think we have. In the face of danger and disaster, fear can still blind us and make us distrust our neighbors. As a social studies teacher, I believe that we study the past to find connections between the past and our present while making predication about our future. I hope that audiences will reflect on the mistakes Canadians have made before and think about how they as individuals can influence our future. I think audiences should come and see Shatter because Trina Davies’ story is truly captivating and will deepen their understanding of a terrible Canadian tragedy.

Shatter deals with a major event in Canadian history that Canadians today might not know too much about. Are there any other major events in Canadian history that you feel we should know more about than we do?

CrisisInset2I think that a lot of young Canadians don’t know a lot about the 1970 October Crisis. The Front de liberation du Québec (FLQ) kidnapped British diplomat James Cross and provincial cabinet Minister of Labour Pierre Laporte, declaring them political prisoners. The FLQ forced CBC to broadcast their manifesto, and a letter of captivity from Pierre Laporte. Laporte was eventually executed by the FLQ, his body found strangled in the trunk of a car.

There were multiple bombings through out Quebec, primarily in Montreal, detonated by FLQ members. Pierre Elliot Trudeau invoked the War Measure Act and had military enforcement patrolling the streets of Quebec. The October Crisis is the only time in Canadian history the War Measures Act has been invoked during peace times.

I think it is important that Canadians understand the October Crisis for a number reasons. One good reason to know about this part of Canadian history is to know how our fellow Canadians have responded to political unrest.  The October Crisis is a bloody, vulgar, and shocking part of our not so distant past.

Meet the Team of SHATTER – Austin Lohouse is the Props Master!

AustinHeadshotWhat is your role on this production? I am the one the Props Masters for this show and that involves created and altering all sorts of props and set decorations

What is your background in theatre? At Walterdale? I went the MacEwan University for theatre production for 2 years and worked with Mile Zero Dance on their show Anything Goes A Dance in 17 Parts. This is my first show with Walterdale.

What brought you out for this production? As I was chatting with Rachel (the other props master for this show) over coffee she invited me to the first production meeting where I introduced myself and the rest is history

What do you think audiences will take away from this production? Audiences should take away a sense of astonishment for the subject matter. The cultural climate of this show mirrors that of today eerily. I’m certain many people will see the parallels.

13Shatter deals with a major event in Canadian history that Canadians today might not know too much about. Are there any other major events in Canadian history that you feel we should know more about that we do? Until I joined onto this show I didn’t know of this event either so it’s been very interesting and exciting learning about the times as we go into this more.  There is a lot of Canadian history that gets glossed over and that we forget as we get out of school, an event that I have been attracted recently is the creation and spread of the Canadian Pacific Railway until 1885.

Meet the Cast of SHATTER – Samantha Woolsey is Elsie Schultz!

IMG_3562What is your role in this production? My role is the character Elsie Schultz, a German immigrant to Canada. Elsie is a widow and is best friends with Jennie McLean. She also has a close relationship with Jennie’s two children. Elsie is optimistic and strong however her German background and hidden struggle become problematic in the face of the war and the devastating Halifax explosion. Learning the role of Elsie has been a challenge, as she has a German accent and some of her lines are in German!

What is your background in theatre? At Walterdale? I was involved in theatre in high school, and I’ve done some acting in educational videos for Alberta Health Services. I’ve taken courses at the Foote Theatre, I’m involved with Actor’s Gym, and I’m also studying singing. I’ve done one show previously with the Walterdale, Portrait of a Family Dinner in May 2017. I was recently hired as a confederate actor for the AHS eSim program, which will be a fantastic way to combine my nursing background with acting!

What brought you out for this show? I had so much fun with the Portrait of a Family Dinner production that I couldn’t wait to get involved in another show! It was a lovely surprise to be cast as Elsie.

What do you think audiences will take away from this show? Why should they come and see it? I think that the audience will find the characters compelling and that they will enjoy our director Josh Languedoc’s inspired vision for this production. There will be a little bit of a Canadian history lesson as well, and the similarities to some of today’s societal issues are…unsettling, to say the least.

fedrickBShatter deals with a major event in Canadian history that Canadians today might not know too much about. Are there any other major events in Canadian history that you feel we should know more about that we do? The discovery of insulin in 1922 by Sir Frederick Banting and his assistant, Charles Best, is perhaps the most well-known and widely celebrated medical breakthrough in Canadian history. Although insulin is not a cure for diabetes, its availability has made it possible for people with diabetes to manage their condition and enjoy a longer life expectancy than they would have in Banting’s era. For his contribution to the medical community, Banting was awarded Canada’s first Nobel Prize. My grandfather developed diabetes as a young man and was one of the first Albertans to use insulin. He lived to the age of 76. He also survived a serious case of encephalitis as a 10 year old, caused by the Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918!

 

Meet the Cast of SHATTER – Stuart Old is a Shadow!

Stuart Old HeadshotWhat is your role in this production? I am an actor in the chorus of “shadow” characters that Josh incorporated in the production.  The chorus serves to heighten the storytelling and action of the play, but, in addition, we all created individuals who lived in Halifax during the events portrayed.  The backstory of my character is that of “Alfred”, a Nova Scotian of Irish heritage who made his living in Halifax as a fisherman while indulging a secret, poetic nature.

What is your background in theatre? At Walterdale? I first experienced stage performance in high school.  After nearly a decade working as a tradesman, I returned to theatre, being accepted into the Theatre Performance and Creation program at Red Deer College in 2015.  I completed the program this spring and moved to Edmonton.  This is my first production with Walterdale!

What brought you out for this production?  Even before I moved to Edmonton, I knew Walterdale by reputation.  When I learned that Walterdale would be producing Shatter, it struck me right away as something I would be proud to be a part of!

Why do you think people should come and see this show? What do you think audiences will take away from it?  Audiences will experience the story through the eyes of the ordinary Canadians who woke up in Halifax on the morning of December 6, 1917.   These were people experiencing love and friendship, hopes and doubts, never suspecting what would happen to them.  They will witness the struggle of the survivors to overcome the wounds to their bodies and souls.  This story resonates today.  It is difficult to rebuild, to preserve what is honest and decent, to resist the desire to lash out in revenge.  It is vital to reflect that even in our safe and prosperous country, sudden tragedy can challenge us to our cores.  Finally, the play has many beautiful moments of laughter and affection in defiance of tragedy.

Saint-Eustache-PatriotesShatter deals with a major event in Canadian history that Canadians today might not know too much about. Are there any other major events in Canadian history that you feel we should know more about that we do? The 1837 rebellions in Ontario and Quebec forced the British to introduce democracy in Canada by making our government here responsible to our parliament, not to the British monarch.  These rebellions not only redefined Canada’s government, but those of Australia and New Zealand as well!  They also provoked an explicit project to assimilate the French people of Canada.  Pretty important for nearly-forgotten history!

Meet the Team for SHATTER – Jordan Campion is the Stage Manager

jordan campionWhat is your role on this production? I am the stage manager for Shatter. The way I usually explain my role to people is a behind the scenes HQ. Myself along with our assistant stage manager, Becky, are the eyes and ears in the rehearsal hall. We connect the artistic side of the process that Josh is going through with the reality side which is our amazing designers and technicians actually making it happen. We also make schedules along with the director and production manager and communicate with actors. Usually that ends up looking like endless e-mails and schedule making. During the show the ASM is backstage taking care of props and costume as necessary and I’m in the booth calling lighting and sound cues.

What is your background in theatre? At Walterdale? This is my first Walterdale show! I got to know Josh and Bethany while working on Sweeney Todd in the spring and I jumped at the chance to work on this show. I have been working in theatre for almost my whole life. My dad is a musician and carpenter so I often would help him set up shows and build things. In junior high I helped build and design sets and acted as an ASM. Then in high school I started Stage Managing and immediately fell in love with the job. I completed a year of the BFA Stage Management but decided I wanted to focus more on education so I’m currently transferring into a BEd. However, I still work on a number of things around the city and continue to stage manage.
What brought you out for this show? Josh and Bethany are both amazing creative people so I was so excited to work on any team that they were a part of. I thought it was really important to showcase young faces at Walterdale which Josh and I absolutely are. We are also both First Nation and I love the idea of having two big roles on a production team being filled by aboriginal individuals. We both feel that aboriginal presence in theatre and art is really important and has so so much to offer. On top of all of that the script and cast are just so brilliant. I really couldn’t say no!
What do you think audiences will take away from this show? Why should they come and see it? I think that this show offers so much more than just a historical representation of an event. Audience members will be able to relate so so much to the characters on stage. Whether it be audiences thinking about their own coming of age story or what pushed away from naive innocence or audiences thinking about raising kids and seeing that all happen it’s really relatable. Also just the idea of the evolution of relationships and friendships is something everyone can understand. It’s a lot of highs and lows and everyone can relate to that in some way. I also think that a lot of our principals are strong females and that’s super important. As a young female in this industry it’s so great to see complex strong females on stage that are real and imperfect and unique and just their own person.
Shatter deals with a major event in Canadian history that Canadians today might not know too much about. Are there any other major events in Canadian history that you feel we should know more about that we do? For me Indian Residential Schools are something that I think we’ve just started to really understand and dissect as a country. I’ve been privileged enough to do some work with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and  it’s always so unreal to me that people still don’t know a lot about it. I think there’s still a long way to go in understanding inter-generational trauma and how to move forward cohesively. 

Meet the Cast of SHATTER – Dylan Brenneis is a Shadow

dylanWhat is your role in Shatter? I play one of the shadows of the townspeople of Halifax. My character is a patriot; he loves Canada through and through, and would do whatever it takes to keep her safe from whatever evil lurks in the rest of the world. His ideas may be misguided at times, but his intentions are true.
What is your background in theatre? At Walterdale? I was involved in my high school theatre about six years ago, having performed two plays there. After graduation and through my undergraduate degree I wasn’t able to find time to devote to the stage, but I’ve finally carved out a place in my schedule for the theatre. I only found out about Walterdale about three months ago, and the community has been so welcoming and engaging… I’m very glad it’s become a part of my life now.
What brought you out for the show? I was looking around for some way to get back into theatre, and I came across Walterdale. The sense of community and inclusiveness immediately drew me to look into it further, and upon reading the script for Shatter I knew I wanted to be a part of this. I’ve always played a comedic role in light-hearted plays, and I wanted to try stretching my comfort zone for something more meaningful and real–and Shatter has those qualities in spades.
Why do you think people should come see the show? What do you think audiences will take away from it? Shatter strikes me as a particularly poignant commentary about the effect of fear on people’s perceptions of things. It makes an intensely important point about truth in public perception, especially in today’s world of global fear-mongering and hatred. Anyone coming to see the show that expects a quaint historical drama will likely leave the play with that perception… well… shattered.
Shatter deals with a major event in Canadian history that Canadians today might not know too much about. Are there any other major events in Canadian history that you feel we should know more about than we do? 
imageNot necessarily an event, but an effect… I think most Canadians (myself included) don’t truly understand the far-reaching effects that Residential Schools had and continue to have on the culture of the First Nations, Metis, and Inuit peoples. It’s important to try to understand and consider these events and the effects that they have so that we can avoid making mistakes we’ve already made.

Meet the Cast of SHATTER – Mikaylee Boutin is a Shadow

mikayleeWhat is your role in this production? I am playing a Shadow in Shatter. Basically, the shadows are six people who represent the different points of view, types of people and stories of the people who would have been affected by the Halifax explosion. I am playing an child/ orphan character, so I represent all of the children who were left without their families after the explosion. The naivety of a child is important to recognize because the mind of a child can be swayed easily, which is one of the main focuses of Shatter.

What is your background in theatre? At Walterdale? Almost all of my theatrical training comes from High school/ school theatre! I go to Archbishop Jordan Catholic High school where we have an incredible fine arts program. I have been a costume designer for two shows at my school and have worked on about five shows in total there, mostly as a technical theatre member. This is my first community theatre show since I was in The Wizard of Oz at Festival Place (Sherwood Park) when I was around 11-years-old. I am so happy to be expanding my knowledge and learning about theatre because it is something that I’d like to pursue for my future. I have never done any other shows at the Walterdale but I have loved working there!

What brought you out for this show? I heard about auditions for Shatter through our director, Josh Languedoc, who I know from The Wizard of Oz where he played the Cowardly Lion. I was looking for auditions outside of school and I saw this audition, which was open for everyone; no matter what age or how much experience. I was just so excited to be out auditioning for the show, so, when I heard that I was cast, I was absolutely ecstatic!

What do you think audiences will take away from this show? Why should they come and see it? Personally, I think that the audience will take away a new awareness from the show. Shatter reveals how those around you can affect your decision making and beliefs and also how the media can influence your thoughts and actions. I hope that people will learn to question or research all of the different opinions that they hear about everything they see around them and I also hope that they can learn to be informed about everything that they read, hear or see.

Shatter deals with a major event in Canadian history that Canadians today might not know too much about. Are there any other major events in Canadian history that you feel we should know more about than we do? 

It is estimated that about 150,000 aboriginal, Inuit and Métis children were removed from their communities and forced to attend residential schools. (Library and Archives Canada/PA-042133)
It is estimated that about 150,000 aboriginal, Inuit and Métis children were removed from their communities and forced to attend residential schools. (Library and Archives Canada/PA-042133)

I think that Canadians should educate themselves more about Residential Schools and the effect that they have had on the past, and the future, of our Canada. I know that a lot of people recognize the impact that Residential Schools have had, but I don’t think that everyone realizes the impact they still have. There are still familial and cultural ties within First Nations people that have been cut because of the mistreatment in Residential Schools, and I think it would be great if there was more awareness about this very current situation.

Meet the Cast of SHATTER – Viktoria Bradley is a Shadow

29What is your role in this production? I am portraying one of the shadow characters in the play. In this particular production we have been given the opportunity to play these very eerie characters that we can really play with. Originally these shadow characters would have been played by doubling the leads however our production has taken a different road by creating a chorus ensemble that I see as more fun! We made my character into a single mother of a young baby. She lost her husband in the war and is currently trying to use her job as a schoolteacher as a way to keep her and her son afloat. After the explosion, I think she is rather tormented by the things she has gone through and she really struggles to find an outlet for her darker emotions, which I will not go into much detail about! (Cue my evil laugh)

What is your background in theatre? At Walterdale? I took theatre training sporadically since I was young, starting in school clubs and eventually taking some classes at the St. Albert Children’s Theatre Company, and the Foote Theatre School. In high school I took drama classes as well  and was given the amazing chances to perform in M*A*S*H and in A Christmas Carol as Dean Mercy Lodge and Belinda Cratchit, respectively. I took a year off from acting in order to focus on my studies last year but I am glad to be back onstage. This is my first time performing at the Walterdale Theatre and hopefully it will not be my last!

What brought you out for this show? Well… I blame the ‘Dear Canada’ series! I saw the advertisement for the auditions and I saw what the play was about I knew I had to take part in it. I had read this ‘Dear Canada’ book about the Halifax Explosion many times with my younger sister and it has fascinated me since. It was called No Safe Harbour if you are interested in it! That and this play is such an amazingly heart wrenching story that I really connected with on my first read.

What do you think audiences will take away from this show? Why should they come and see it? I do think they will come out with more knowledge about this really devastating tragedy in our history, and maybe learn something more. This play becomes more and more relevant to me as I watch the news. Although this story is set a hundred years ago, it is quite modern in its discussion about the way people deal with trauma. I do think that it is an important story to tell! This chapter in Canadian history has been largely forgotten when it really shouldn’t be. Prior to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Halifax Explosion was the largest man made explosion in history!

Shatter deals with a major event in Canadian history that Canadians today might not know too much about. Are there any other major events in Canadian history that you feel we should know more about than we do? 

UNDATED -- Undated archival handout photo of Viola Desmond. On April 15, 2010, the Nova Scotia legislature will grant a controversial, posthumous pardon to Desmond, whom many consider Canada's Rosa Parks. In 1946 Viola Desmond was arrested and jailed for sitting in the whites-only section of a local cinema. The case ignited the civil rights movement in Canada. MANDATORY CREDIT: HANDOUT PHOTO: Effective Publishing Ltd. For Richard Foot (Canwest) CNS-PARDON
UNDATED — Undated archival handout photo of Viola Desmond. On April 15, 2010, the Nova Scotia legislature will grant a controversial, posthumous pardon to Desmond, whom many consider Canada’s Rosa Parks. In 1946 Viola Desmond was arrested and jailed for sitting in the whites-only section of a local cinema. The case ignited the civil rights movement in Canada. MANDATORY CREDIT: HANDOUT PHOTO: Effective Publishing Ltd. For Richard Foot (Canwest) CNS-PARDON

Oh goodness this is tough! To keep with the theme of things set in Nova Scotia I would actually think that talking about Viola Desmond would be interesting. Viola was a businesswoman who fought against racial segregation in Canada after an experience at a film theatre in Nova Scotia. She refused to leave the ‘Whites Only’ section of the theatre and was wrongly accused of tax evasion for it! Her story launched the civil rights movement in Canada, and yet I didn’t even know she existed until I read about her in my grade twelve social class last year.

Or if I was thinking in the mind of my character I would talk about the thalidomide crisis and its repercussions. I think my character, as a mother, would feel very strongly about this event if she was around for it. Thalidomide was considered to be this ‘wonder drug’ and it was often prescribed to mothers in early pregnancy to deal with morning sickness and sleeplessness. Thalidomide was not properly researched at the time and it caused between 5,000 and 7,000 children to be born with  severe birth defects, many never even survived childhood. The children who did survive can now receive compensation from the Canadian government but those children whose mothers took free samples cannot receive compensation unless they get specific paperwork that oftentimes cannot be found.

Shatter runs December 6-16, 2017
Call 780.420.1757 or go to www.tixonthesquare.ca for tickets today!