Author: Kristen Finlay

1. Who are you and what is your role in this production? My name is Sam Woolsey and I am portraying Annie Cannon, an American astronomer whose work was instrumental in the development of contemporary stellar classification. With Edward C. Pickering, she is credited with the creation of the Harvard Classification Scheme, which was the first serious attempt to organize and classify stars based on their temperatures and spectral types.

2.  What is your background in theatre? At Walterdale? I did a bit of theatre in high school and then a few years ago decided to explore it further. I signed up for several classes offered in the community and then just started auditioning. Silent Sky is my 5th production with the Walterdale Theatre.

3.  What brought you out for this show? I thought the script was lovely and I really wanted to work with (Director) Kim Mattice Wanat!

4. Why do you think people should come see this show? I love the relationships amongst the characters and how the script brings such a human element to the history. These were real people struggling with problems in a culture that prescribed very traditional roles and expectations upon both men and women. I think the actors have developed a wonderful chemistry that shows on the stage, and the story evokes a wistful sense of wonder and sadness.

5. As this show deals with women in science who have been overlooked, who is your favourite female scientist that you think history hasn’t recognized?

Rachel Carson was an American Marine Biologist who many Canadians might not remember. She wrote a book in 1962 called Silent Spring that has been credited with beginning the movement to protect the environment from contamination through unregulated use of chemicals. Her book brought environmental concerns to the forefront of the global stage. Although Silent Spring was met with fierce opposition by chemical companies, it spurred a reversal in national pesticide policy, which led to a nationwide ban on DDT and other pesticides. It also inspired a grassroots environmental movement that led to the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which under President Trump is facing considerable rollbacks and reversals of environmental protection policies.

Who are you and what is your role in this production? My name is Joy van de Ligt and I am playing the role of Margaret Leavitt, Henrietta’s older sister. They are daughters of a pastor and Margaret, in particular, follows a more traditional path than her sister with marriage and a family. She loves music, however, and discovers a passion outside of the expected.

What is your background in theatre? At Walterdale? I have enjoyed many productions as a performer/singer including Jekyll & Hyde, Miss Saigon, The Full Monty, Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, and White Christmas. I directed Disenchanted for the Fringe in 2017 and was the musical director for Company in 2018. I also occasionally accompany auditions and cabarets. This is my first Walterdale show.

What brought you out for this show? I was a late addition to the cast, so I came to know about it later than the others, but I’ve been artistically challenged by the material and am personally close to, and inspired by, the extraordinary women you will see in this show.

Why do you think people should come see this show? People are aching for connection, and to matter to each other. The show and its characters delve into astronomy and questions of “what’s out there” as their way to connect to each other and to something greater than themselves. The themes of the show are beautifully relatable and the script is intelligent, witty and poignant. The audience will experience a whole lot of heart and see something of themselves – maybe a little differently.

As this show deals with women in science who have been overlooked, who is your favorite female scientist that you think history hasn’t recognized? Since Margaret is a composer, not a scientist, here is a little something about one of my favorite unsung female pianists/composers:

Clara Schumann (1819-1896) was the wife of Robert Schumann and herself one of the most distinguished pianists of the Romantic era. She changed the format and repertoire of the piano recital from displays of virtuosity to programs of serious works. Clara enjoyed a 60-year concert career. Her father, Friedrich Wieck, taught her to compose and she wrote her Piano Concerto at the age of 14. She largely lost confidence in her composing in her mid-30s tragically saying, “I once believed that I possessed creative talent, but I have given up this idea. A woman must not desire to compose – there has never yet been one able to do it. Should I expect to be one?”

Who are you and what is your role on this production? My name is Susanne Ritchie and I am playing the role of Williamina Fleming, one of the human “computers” of Harvard University. She began as a teacher before circumstances had her working as a maid and then eventually as one of the developers of a star classification system.

What is your background in theatre? At Walterdale? All of my theatre training has been onstage. My first community theatre production was with the Walterdale Theatre in 1985 (The Skin of Our Teeth) when I was in Junior High School. I was part of three more Walterdale productions before moving to Leduc and joining the Leduc Drama Society in 1996. I have taken on a variety of characters (Major-General’s daughter, French stripper – Bedfull of Foreigners; Chelsea – On Golden Pond; Grandma Addams, and others) in all types of shows (dramas, comedies, musicals). Most recently, I was in this year’s Fringe, murdered on stage last fall in Devon, and competed in last year’s ADFA One Act Festival.

What brought you out for this show? The topic of astronomy is close to my heart as my parents have both worked in that field. My father taught Astronomy at the U of A and was the President of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. My mother worked as a research assistant (similar to the human ‘computers’) at the David Dunlap Observatory in Toronto. I had also wanted to return to the Walterdale stage for a long time and this seemed like the perfect production to audition for.

Why do you think people should come see this show? These women refused to hide behind the men who claimed the accolades for their hard work. They knew what they were worth and persevered until they were properly recognized. I think people should see this show to see how far we’ve come in terms of technology and societal limitations – and to realize how far we still have yet to go.

As this show deals with women in science who have been overlooked, who is your favourite female scientist that you think history hasn’t recognized? Dorothy Hodgkin was the only British woman to received a Nobel Prize in Chemistry. She discovered the atomic structure of penicillin in 1945 and deciphered the structure of insulin in 1969, a project that was delayed until she refined x-ray crystallography techniques. This latter work “allowed greater understanding of the [insulin] molecule and improved treatment for diabetics”. [http://www.rsc.org/diversity/175-faces/all-faces/dorothy-hodgkin-om-frs/] With diabetes having impacted myself and a few members of my family, I am especially grateful for her work.

Who are you and what is your role in Silent Sky? I am Lauren Hughes, and I am playing Henrietta Leavitt. She is a total hero in the astronomy world of the early 1900’s, and also an absolute fireball in this play. Fun fact: She and I share a birthday! 

What is your background in theatre? I recently graduated the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting degree at the University of Alberta. I received extensive training there for performance, and am excited to work in this intimate space.  

What brought you out for this show? I am deeply fascinated by people of history, and the playwright’s adaptation of these people’s lives is especially beautiful and fun. I also worked with (director) Kim Mattice Wanat in university, and was drawn by the opportunity to work with her! 

Why should people come and see Silent Sky? This show is remarkably human. It fleshes out these people to remind us that that is what they were: people. It’s easy to disconnect from the names we read in textbooks, but these women did incredible things that seem completely impossible. It’s beautiful to remember their discoveries, that we may take for granted today, and how much work, and bravery it demanded of them to accomplish. 

Silent Sky deals with women scientists whose contributions to science have been overlooked. Who is your favourite overlooked woman scientist? Mary Anning was a woman who lived in the coastal town of Lyme Regis, England in the early 19th century. Her family and herself searched for and sold fossils to support themselves. When Mary was 12, she found the first full dinosaur skeleton ever discovered, which was of the Icthyosaurus (a sea dinosaur) which is now known to date back 200 million years.  After this discovery, she spent her whole life searching for more, with her findings including a full Plesiosaurus, and a Pterodactylus. These discoveries catalyzed scientific thinking, and challenged the widely accepted Earth timeline provided by the Bible. Her findings kick-started paleontology. Today Lyme Regis is known as the Jurassic Coast. (Source: https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.sciencefocus.com/science/10-amazing-women-in-science-history-you-really-should-know-about/amp/ ) 

Who are you and what is your role on this production? Hi! I’m Beyata, I’ll be the set & lighting designer and master painter for Silent Sky. My job is to create the visual world in which the performers can live in; essentially I read the script, think about the overall images that influence the story, the setting requirements, how the story progresses and how the characters interact with their surroundings. I then connect all these ideas into a unified design, and heighten it, and the storytelling, with lights.

My job as a master painter is simply to coordinate a paint schedule and supervise/lead the volunteer calls in which to realize the set design’s paint requirements. This show’s paint wasn’t incredibly heavy – a lot of wood grain, a starry sky floor, and creating some string curtains.

What is your background in theatre? I first worked with children’s theatre when I was very young, designed with them for a few years and proceeded to get my degree in Theatre Design from the University of Alberta, to which I just graduated this past spring. This is my first show at Walterdale but I’m very impressed with their resources and level of professionalism.

What brought you out for this show? Why did you want to do it? I’ve worked with Kim, the director, a lot when we were both completing our BFA and MFA respectively; she asked me on as a designer pretty early in the year and it’s a good month-long gig that isn’t too laborious. I then came on as lighting designer and master painter, mostly because I have trouble letting my designs go. I said yes to Kim because, even though it’s volunteer, it’s a really visually interesting show to design and offered a lot of opportunities to create a beautiful set.

Why do you think people should come see this show? It’s a really nicely-contained story about strong women and it works really well in the Walterdale space. It’s also just good as an audience member to support theatres in the community that feature early-career practitioners and an entirely/incredibly knowldegeable volunteer staff.

As this show deals with women in science who have been overlooked, who is your favourite female scientist that you think history hasn’t recognized? Mary Seacole is one of my favorite historical figures who is criminally overlooked; She didn’t invent anything or discover any phenomena but she pioneered her own medical practices in the face of extreme racial prejudice and adversity. Seacole was a Jamaican-born nurse who tended soldiers during the Crimean War (rivaling Florence Nightengale), despite the British government War Office continually refusing her medical contributions. On her own dime and facing bankruptcy, she funded her own trip to Crimea and set up a singular practice to aid in the medical care of soldiers, though later becoming destitute because of it.

The Light in the Piazza

CAST:

Margaret Johnson – LESLIE CAFFARO
Clara Johnson – HEEYUN PARK
Fabrizio Naccarelli – BRENDAN SMITH
Giuseppe Naccarelli – ANTONIO BAVARO
Franca Naccarelli – ERIN VANDERMOLEN-PATER
Signora Naccarelli – ELIZABETH RAYCROFT
Roy Johnson – J. NELSON NIWA
Signor Naccarelli – ROBERT KLAKOWICH
Priest – KENT SUTHERLAND
Tour Guide – NATASHA MASON
Ensemble – KENDRA HUMPHREY, ELIZABETH JANZEN, JACKIE KUCEY, DAVID SON, RYLEY TENNANT, and MARC TRILLANES

CREATIVE TEAM:

Director – KRISTEN FINLAY
Music Director – RON LONG
Assistant Director – REBECCA BISSONNETTE
Choreographer – STEPHANIE LILLEY
Stage Manager – HUNTER LUTH
Set Designer – JOAN HAWKINS
Costume Designer – KARIN LAUDERDALE
Lighting Designer – BRAD MELROSE
Props Designer – TBA
Master Builder – RICHARD HATFIELD
Dialect Coach – KATHRYN EVANS
Lighting Op – TBA
Sound OP – TBA
Assistant Stage Manager – TBA
Production Manager – JOHN ANDERSON
Director of Production – LOUISE MALLORY

BUY TICKETS

This season’s From Cradle to Stage Festival celebrates Walterdale’s 60th Anniversary Season with a collection of scenes and monologues from our members. Directed by Anika Plitt, the show goes up May 13 to 19, 2019!

CAST:

Emily Rutledge – Syrell
J. Nelson Niwa – Richard
Megan Strong – Alexandria
Alana Natasha – Jackie
Anne-Marie Smith – Prudence
Harmonie Tower – Vivien
Samuel Bronson – John
Victoria Skorobohach – New ASM (Louise)
Jenn Robinson – Kristen (Paint)
Katie Elliott – Kristen (General)