What is your role in this production? I play Miss Bott. She is the chaperone of the Girton students. Miss Bott accompanies the young women to their lectures at Cambridge, to the library, etc., and she keeps an eye on them when they are out in public or when visitors come to Girton—well, as much as possible. These strong willed young ladies definitely have minds of their own—and are quite resourceful.
What is your background in theatre? At Walterdale? I started out with the typical singing/dancing/acting classes and then I attended and graduated from MacEwan’s Theatre Arts program. I continued my training with various classes at the Citadel’s theatre school (still a great resource today!) and other classes around town. I loved attending Theatre Alberta’s Dramaworks and PlayWorks Ink conferences—they always brought in a stellar lineup of professionals from all across Alberta and around the world to learn from. In fact, after working in Edmonton for a few years after MacEwan, I did a workshop at Dramaworks with Vancouver’s Scott Swan (who started Edmonton’s Northern Light Theatre) and ended up moving to West Vancouver to study at his studio; I started with a 3 month 
course, and stayed for 6 years! A company formed out of the studio and that kept everyone very busy, along with the inevitable film and television world, which is exciting and fun in a similar, but also very different way than theatre. Though I’m happy to be on the coast short term, I’m a prairie girl at heart and moved back to Alberta. Now, as an actor, I seem to work mainly on independent productions and collective creations. My first (and only other) Walterdale show was The Boyfriend in 1996. The late Keith Ewasiuk directed that musical and cast me as Maisie. It was one of the most fun and rewarding theatre experiences I’ve had, right from the auditions on! Keith was an amazing and supportive director. He was an expert guide who gave his actors the freedom to create and explore; Keith’s wise words seem to come back to me on a daily basis. His belief in his actors, musicians, and creative team gave me the confidence to take on many theatre challenges. I’m still close with many people who worked on that show.
What brought you out for this show? Why did you want to be a part of it? The wonderful culture of the Walterdale that I experienced is something that has stayed with me since that first show: a group of like-minded individuals coming together with their unique gifts, talents, and insight, for a common goal. To produce great theatre. For the LOVE of it. Though I’d never been in another Walterdale production until now, I continued to be a member and supporter of the Walterdale and get the (now e-) newsletters; there was something that struck me about the audition call for Blue Stockings. Despite being set in the 1890s, it’s timely and speaks to issues women and society, on various levels, are experiencing today—inequality, intolerance, injustice, social and economic pressure— yet, the women, and the men who stand with them, persevere. I seem to gravitate to being in or writing shows about “real” people. I had seen Portrait of a Family Dinner as part of last season’s Cradle to Stage and was at one of the talk back sessions for it. Laura Ly’s interaction with the audience intrigued me and I was interested in the possibility of working with her when I read her name listed as the director on the Blue Stockings audition call.
What has been the most fun thing about working on the show? The biggest challenge? Laura and her team have assembled a fabulous bunch of people to work with on this show. If there are big egos, everyone apparently checks them at the door, because everyone is very supportive and respectful of each other—including during some of the crazy games we play during breaks at rehearsal. I think that’s due to in no small part to the tone Laura set up from the get go. I think the biggest challenge is honouring the real people and events the play is based on. It always is, especially on historical pieces. You find ways to imagine what it was like during that time, what their struggles and experiences were, what brought them joy and what brought them heartache. You have to make them your own and work for a 2018 audience. Exploring the Girton College website (https://www.girton.cam.ac.uk) and the college’s history is like going down a rabbit hole: a new tunnel everywhere you look (or click). It’s been fascinating. And the cast and crew take great delight in sharing photos and stories they’ve unearthed in their research. 5. What do you think audiences will take away from the show? Why should they come and see it? Blue Stockings illustrates how far women have come since the 1890s, but also how very far we have yet to go. I would hope women, AND men, bring their friends, co-workers, and, especially, their daughters to the show and have discussions about it afterwards. I think we all generally know that women in the past struggled with many disadvantages, but I believe it’s very important for everyone, especially young women in Canada today, to realize how relatively recently it was that women were granted degrees and acknowledged for their work, the same amount of work their male counterparts had to put into their studies, in the same way that male students are. When I was graduating high school it never really occurred to me that a person could not attend a post secondary institution because they happened to have been born a female. That a group of people would riot and vilify you for daring to believe that you, as a woman, deemed yourself worthy to attend a postsecondary institution, let alone be granted a degree. Gladly, living in Canada in the 1990s, that was something I never had to personally contend with. But, it is something we should never forget, or take for granted.
This show is about the advancement of women in history… who is a woman from the past (or present) that has inspired you? Why? I am in awe of women all around the world who fight every day for themselves and for other women. Who fight to receive an education; who fight to provide food, water, and shelter for their families; who fight to survive while their homeland is being attacked; who fight to help their neighbours, and sisters, and perfect strangers, to have a better life. I am in awe of the Canadian women before me who fought for the rights and privileges we have today, I am in awe of Malala Yousafzai who was willing to risk dying in order to attend school. I am in awe of Michelle Obama who made it a priority during her time as First Lady, and continues to work today to make life better for women and children. And I am in awe of my mother, who for as long as I can remember, has volunteered to help women and children and families have a better life by tutoring them as new immigrants, by helping with reading and math programs in elementary schools, by being a classroom assistant with pre-kindergarten programs for children and families with social and economic challenges, by seeing someone in need and asking, “How can I help?” She has taught me great lessons and has always, humbly, led by example. I can only hope to be 1/10th of the amazing woman she is.
What is your role in the production? I play Lizzie, Janey’s mom. She is a loving and free spirit that has her struggles with mental illness, which impacts her relationship with her daughter and husband.
