Past and Present Joys of Repertory

EQUITY QUARTERLY Winter 2016

Equity’s Honours Awards Rep in Canada – Past and Present EQ Joys of Repertory

Getting a rep The allure of repertory theatre

It offers actors a tremendous variety of roles – often switching from comedy to tragedy in one week. It also offers steady employment with a group of artists you have come to know and trust.

Unfortunately the cost of maintaining a repertory theatre company is great. While many repertory theatres once dotted the Canadian landscape, now only a few remain. But rep is far from finished. New repertory models are invigorating the scene and once again thrilling audiences. EQUITY QUARTERLY Winter 2016 EQ volume 9 number 3

5 Equity Honours 2 President’s message tributes 3 notES FROM ARDEN R. RYSHPAN

6 A good rep – 4 letterS to the editor

memories of 16 New Council repertory theatre in Canada 17 EQUITY UPDATE 11 Today’s repertory 18 fondly remembered experience 21 EQ Flashback

Equity members can submit letters to the editor via email at [email protected]. The deadline for submissions Coming issue: SUMMER 2016 is Monday, April 25, 2016. EQ reserves the right to edit for length, style and content. EQ Subscriptions are available at an annual rate of $35, including GST. EQ Equity Quarterly (ISSN 1913-2190) is a forum to discuss issues of interest to members concerning their Publications Mail Agreement No. 40038615 WinteR 2016 – Volume 9, Number 3 craft, developments in the industry, Equity’s role in the workplace, and the important position live performance Each volume of EQ is published annually by Canadian Actors’ Equity Association. holds in the cultural and social fabric of Canada. It is also used as an advocacy tool to educate others about Executive editor Lynn McQueen National Office the industry, promote live performance in Canada, and celebrate the achievements of Equity members. 44 Victoria Street, 12th Floor, Toronto, ON M5C 3C4 editor Barb Farwell Canadian Actors’ Equity Association (Equity) is the voice of professional artists working in live Tel: 416-867-9165 | Fax: 416-867-9246 | Toll-free: 1-800-387-1856 (members only) [email protected] | www.caea.com DEsign & Layout Chris Simeon, performance in English Canada. We represent almost 6,000 performers, directors, choreographers, fight September Creative directors and stage managers working in theatre, opera and dance, and support their creative efforts Western Office 736 Granville Street, Suite 510, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1G3 by seeking to improve their working conditions and opportunities by negotiating and administering Tel: 604-682-6173 | 604-682-6174 | Toll free: 1-877-682-6173 (members only) collective agreements, providing benefit plans, information and support and acting as an advocate. [email protected]

Front Cover and Inside Front Cover: The ensemble of Spoon River, by repertory theatre company Soulpepper, 2014 Above: (L to R) Andrew McNee, Allan Zinyk, Robert Olguin and Jonathon Young in Vancouver’s Bard on the Beach 2013 production of Twelfth Night President’s message

Again? Yes, again. Even I don’t understand exactly how it happened, but I’m honoured to have been chosen to serve as Council President for another term. Council will also have the support of Katey Wright (BC) as First VP, Sedina Fiati (ON) as 2nd VP, and Scott Bellis (BC) as Secretary-Treasurer. Council had its first meeting at the end of November. We’re off to a great start, and the group of Councillors you have working for you is awesome. Most of them are new this term (18 out of 22), but that’s a good thing – they are energized and enthusiastic to hit the ground running. Council has spent the past few terms working to change course for the Association, and this group is all prepped to take our organization to new horizons. So that’s us, but Equity is actually about you. Thank you for all of your input as part of the Council Focus survey conducted during the elections. With over 300 suggestions submitted, we have a really good picture of what’s on your collective mind across the country, and it will inform our work for the next three years. If you want to take a look at the picture yourself, you can find a breakdown of the submissions on our Council blog at [email protected]. As your board, we answer to you, and your input is critical to us getting things done well and done right. By the way, I hope everyone realizes that you don’t need to wait for another three years to contact us about a topic of importance. Our Request for Council Action form is always available to you, and if you just want to chat about something, you can also contact your Councillor anytime. Both contact information and the RCA form can be found on the Equity website. We’ve already struck two major committees to take the work we did toward the end of the last term (research on diversity issues and safe and respectful workplaces) and turn them into on-the-ground change. I’m confident that you will be hearing more about both topics in the next short while. Beyond that, independent and small-scale theatre, stage management issues, insurance and our relationship with ACTRA also figured prominently in the survey results, and we’ll turn to them later in the new year. We’re also looking at a major overhaul of how we communicate with you, the people who actually “own” Equity: what you need to hear and the best way to bring it to your attention. The world is awash in communication these days, and we want ours to be more concise, use- ful and effective. As part of this change, you’ll start seeing more voices in this space, which I know we’ll both enjoy! Finally (for the moment), we’ve also set an in-house goal for the early part of the term, and that is an overhaul of the officer structure and the various job responsibilities. I know that may seem like a dust-dry thing to announce, but if Equity is going to continue moving forward, so must its Council, and that’s our plan.

Here’s to the next three years!

Allan Teichman President

2 Equity Quarterly Winter 2016 Notes from Arden R. Ryshpan

This issue of EQ is about repertory theatre. As I did a bit of research about the history of rep, I came across a document about the Montreal Repertory Theatre (active from 1930 to 1961) and it was fascinating to read all the familiar names from my childhood, growing up in that city. Although the company itself was closed by the time I knew them, so many of the performers and directors who spent years performing there were friends of my family. It is interesting to look back at the list of their work and imagine them as young and vital members of the theatre community. Sadly, they are almost all gone now. The kind of theatre they presented and the style of working it required used to be very much a part of an actor’s life. The cost of maintaining a company for the time required to produce a rep season is beyond the capacity of most of the theatres in this and many other countries. Fortunately, we have several companies who still work in this way and this issue gives us some insight into both the tradition and the future of repertory theatre in Canada. Of course, not every company or performer is drawn to the repertory structure, as you will see in our first article about this year’s Honours recipients. Their career paths are varied but the outcome is all the same – a legacy of contribution to the live performance community and a lasting influence on their colleagues. Upcoming issues of EQ will highlight the achievements of some of our other honourees. The membership has elected a new Council and there are many new, fresh faces in the room. We also list our new leadership and remind you about the upcoming National Annual General Meeting. As we settle in to winter, I encourage you all to get out – regardless of how lousy our Canadian weather can be – and see some of the wonderful work being done by our members in dance, opera and theatre. What better way to forget about the cold and blustery wind than to lose yourself in some great art?

In Solidarity,

Arden R. Ryshpan Executive Director

Winter 2016 Equity Quarterly 3 Letters to the editor

Equity News Letters on subjects of concern to Equity members will be considered for publication. Letters must be signed, but names will be withheld on request for those Souha Chaar has joined the Association as CORRECTION letters that may affect members’ employment. Letters that include artistic criticism of Equity members or letters that are antagonistic or accusatory, either implied our new Membership Administrator in our Peter C. Wylde’s or expressed, may be withheld or edited at the discretion of the editor. Opinions National Office. name was spelled expressed in Letters to the Editor are not necessarily those of the Association. incorrectly in PHOTO AND PRODUCTION CREDITS In late 2015 Alistair Hepburn left Equity to Cover and Inside Front Cover: Photo: Cylla von Tiedemann. Spoon River (2014) based The Legend Library on Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters, adapted by Mike Ross & Albert Schultz become the Director of Independent and with music by Mike Ross produced by Soulpepper Theatre Company. Directed by Albert list on page 25 Schultz with movement coach Andrea Nann. Cast: Frank Cox-O’Connell, Mikaela Broadcast Production at ACTRA Toronto. of the Fall 2015 Davies, Oliver Dennis, Raquel Duffy, Peter Fernandes, Katherine Gauthier, Hailey Gillis, Gordon Hecht, Stuart Hughes, Richard Lam, Anthony MacMahon, Diego Matamoros, Chris Blanchenot has been promoted to issue of EQ. Miranda Mulholland, Oyin Oladejo, Colin C. Palangio, Nancy Palk, Gregory Prest, Mike Business Representative in the National We apologize for Ross and Brendan Wall. Stage managed by Robert Harding assisted by Laurie Merredew. Page 1 & 13: Photo: David Blue. Twelfth Night (2013) by William Shakespeare produced Office. His portfolio includes the ITA, CTA the error. by Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival. Directed by Dennis Garnhum with fight direction by Nicholas Harrison. Cast: Rachel Cairns, Daniel Doheny, Bill Dow, Craig and the Stratford Festival Addendum. Erickson, Duncan Fraser, Jennifer Lines, Andrew McNee, Richard Newman, Robert Salvador, Barbara E. Pollard, Todd Thomson, Naomi Wright, Jonathon Young and Allan Zinyk. With production stage manager Stephen Courtenay and assistant stage managers Kelly Barker and Tessa Gunn (apprentice). A nationwide credit union, Page 3: Photo: Michael Cooper. Page 5: Photo of Kathryn Shaw: Emily Cooper. Photo of Ted Follows: Susan Follows. open to anyone who earns Page 6: Photo of Albert Schultz: Michael Cooper. Romeo and Juliet (1987) by William Shakespeare with music by Laura Burton produced by Stratford Festival. Directed by all or part of their income Robin Phillips with fight direction by Jean-Pierre Fournier. Cast: Albert Schultz and members of the Stratford Festival company. Stage managed by Lauren Snell assisted by in the creative arts, that Dave Gillard and Janet Sellery. Photo of Diana Leblanc: V. Tony Hauser. Photo of Terry Tweed: Courtesy of Terry Tweed. understands the earnings Pages 7 & 9: Photos courtesy of Neptune Theatre. Page 8: Photo: Cylla von Tiedemann. The Odd Couple (2008) by Neil Simon produced situation of artists and is by Soulpepper Theatre Company. Directed by Stuart Hughes. Cast: Derek Boyes, Kevin Bundy, Oliver Dennis, Michael Hanrahan, Diego Matamoros, Krystin Pellerin, Amy focused especially on their Rutherford and Albert Schultz. Stage managed by Julie Miles assisted by Malina Patel financial needs. and Katherine Chin (apprentice). Page 10: Photo: David Cooper. Arcadia (2013) by Tom Stoppard produced by Shaw Festival. Directed by Eda Holmes. Cast: Michael Ball, Kate Besworth, Andrew Bunker, Visit www.creativeartscu.com. Diana Donnelly, Martin Happer, Damon McLeod, Patrick McManus, Gray Powell, Ric Reid, Harveen Sandhu, Sanjay Talwar and Nicole Underhay. Stage managed by Allan Teichman assisted by Marie-Claude Valiquet. Page 11: Photo: David Cooper. The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures (2015) by Tony Kushner with music by Paul welcome NEW MEMBERS Sportelli produced produced by the Shaw Festival. Directed by Eda Holmes with fight direction by John Stead. Cast: Jasmine Chen, Diana Donnelly, Kelli Fox, Thom Marriott, Julie Martell, Jim Mezon, Gray Powell, Fiona Reid, Ben Sanders, André Sills and Steven Atlantic Aaron Sheppard Karen Knox Alexia Gourd Sutcliffe. Stage managed by Allan Teichman assisted by Leigh McClymont. Michael Venn Marcel Josh Wiles Karen C. Coombs Page 12: Left photo: Michael Cooper. Othello (2013) by William Shakespeare with music Andrew German by Thomas Ryder Payne produced by Stratford Festival. Directed by Chris Abraham with d’Entremont Sophia Fabiilli Dany Tremblay fight direction by John Stead. Cast: Dion Johnstone and members of the Stratford Festival Lita Llewellyn Ilana Zarankin Trudy Lee Gayle Saskatchewan company. Stage managed by Anne Murphy assisted by Michael Hart and Kristopher Weber. Gillian Clark Lisa Truong Right photo: David Blue. Hamlet (2013) by William Shakespeare produced by Bard on the Kiri Figueiredo Anna Seibel Ashley St John Saamer Usmani Beach Shakespeare Festival. Directed by Kim Kathleen Collier with fight direction by Nicholas BC / Yukon Ashley Arnett Harrison. Cast: Rachel Cairns, Daniel Doheny, Bill Dow, Craig Erickson, Duncan Fraser, Jenny Andersen Andrea Nunez Lizzy Perkins Jennifer Lines, Andrew McNee, Richard Newman, Robert Salvador, Barbara E. Pollard, Todd Natalie Thomson, Naomi Wright, Jonathon Young and Allan Zinyk. With production stage manager Adam Menzies Alicia Woynarski Caroline Toal Vikki Schnurr Feheregyhazi Stephen Courtenay and assistant stage managers Kelly Barker and Tessa Gunn (apprentice). Conor Wylie Manitoba/ Page 14: Left photo: Lucas Boutilier/Naked Creative. As You Like It (2015) by William Meaghan Chenosky Nunavut Devon M Brown S. Alberta Shakespeare with music by Matthew Skopyk produced by Freewill Shakespeare Festival. Oscar Derkx Aidan Ritchie Desmond Sean Jahlen Barnes Directed by Marianne Copithorne with fight Direction by Patrick Howarth. Cast: Robert Patrick Kelly Benz, Belinda Cornish, Nathan Cuckow, Morgan Donald, Jesse Gervais, Mary Hulbert, Mari Chartier Rodrigo Beilfuss Lara Schmitz Nancy MacAlear, Troy O’Donnell, Ryan Parker, Nicholas Rose, Andrew MacDonald-Smith, Britt MacLeod Kevin P. Gabel Emilio Vieira Matt McKinney Kevin Sutley, Farren Timoteo, John Ullyatt and Ashley Wright. Stage managed by Gil David Whiteley Josh Bertwistle Miciak assisted by Molly Pearson. Right photo: Emily Cooper. Pygmalion (2015) by George Marlise McCormick Aaron Pridham Bernard Shaw produced by Shaw Festival. Directed by Peter Hinton with fight direction Leslie Dos Remedios Alex McCulloch by John Stead. Cast: Donna Belleville, Wade Bogert-O’Brien, Kristi Frank, Mary Haney, N. Alberta/ NWT Stage Chirag Naik Taveeta Peter Krantz, Patrick McManus, Jeff Meadows, Julain Molnar, Harveen Sandhu and as Dave Ganert Management Londoners: David Ball, Jeremy Carver-James, Howard J. Davis, Starr Domingue, Jennifer Lauren Jackson Szymanowicz Luc Tellier Vanessa Smythe Christine Leroux Dzialoszynski, Lindsey Frazier, Kelly Grainger, Aaron Hastelow, Stephen Jackman-Torkoff, Tessa Pekeles Grant Landry, Matthew Nethersole, Kimberley Rampersad, Kiera Sangster and Travis Dance Patricia Cerra Kyle Mac Seetoo. Stage managed by Meredith Macdonald and assisted by Amy Jewell. Alec Roberts Andrea Rankin Rachel Delduca Mel Watkins Page 15: Photo: Thom Currie. Monty Python’s Spamalot! (2015) with book and lyrics Charlotte Goulet- Aaron Shingoose By Eric Idle and music by John Du Prez and Eric Idle produced by Stephenville Theatre Ontario Quinn Dooley Paradis Meg Maguire Festival. Directed by Thom Currie with choreography by Stephanie Graham and fight Stephane Garneau Brandon Hackett direction by Michael Dufays. Cast: Léa Beauvais, Tyler Check, Stuart Dowling, Michael Ruth Tinker Edward Koop Dufays, Robyn Harrison, Sharon King-Campbell, Clayton Labbe, Lucas Popowich, Monten Quebec Amy Sellors, Michele Shuster, Luc Trottier, Margaret Thompson and Robert Torr. Stage E. Ontario/ Alessandra Vite Isabel Farias Lehoux Western Opera managed by Alana Freistadt assisted by Tracy Lynne Cann. Outaouais Jorie Morrow Jean-François Ronald Long Page 18: Photo of Sten Eirik courtesy of Stephanie Frontin-Eirik. Photo of Richard Loney Tzeitel Abrego Matthew Gin Raynaud Eden Tremayne courtesy of Kathleen M. Murison. Eastern Opera Lamar Johnson Angie Medrano Francesca Corrado Page 19: Photo of John Dunn-Hill courtesy of Agence Ginette Achim. Photo of Diane Nyland Proctor courtesy of Bruce Dean. Alison Wong Christopher Léda Davies Jacques Arsenault Page 20: Photo of David Savoy courtesy of the Shaw Festival. Photo of Faith Ward Melissa Peiou Manousos Patrick Keeler Kaden Forsberg courtesy of her family. Charles Sy Fraser Elsdon Anne Lalancette Barbara King Page 21: Top photo: Danielle Tocker. Bottom photo from the Globe Theatre Collection.

4 Equity Quarterly Winter 2016 EQ Honours Celebrating our outstanding members

Every two years we celebrate outstanding Equity members at our Honours Awards Celebration at a special reception and presentation following the National Annual General Meeting. Meet two of the members who will be honoured by receiving Life Membership in Equity.

Kathryn Shaw Ted Follows

As a teacher and director, Kathryn As an actor, director and founding has devoted her life to theatre. She member of several theatre compa- was one of the founding members of nies across Canada, Ted has made a Angry Actors, an independent theatre significant impact on Canadian theatre. company in Vancouver, and through- Ted won a scholarship to the out her career has directed produc- Banff School of Fine Arts after win- tions in Vancouver and across Canada ning the Best Actor Award at the at the Arts Club, Bard on the Beach, City of Winnipeg Drama Festival. He Vancouver Playhouse, the Stratford Festival and many other then went on to perform with Toronto’s Hart House Theatre and theatre companies. Ottawa’s Canadian Repertory Theatre. At the age of 20, he was Kathryn has also served as artistic director of Studio 58, a a founding member of Everyman Theatre in Vancouver. professional theatre training program at Vancouver’s Langara Throughout his career he has performed at regional theatres College, where she has been mentoring students since 1985. Along throughout Canada, such as Theatre New Brunswick, Alberta the way she has been the catalyst for many new theatre companies, Theatre Projects, Vancouver Playhouse and Theatre Aquarius including Vancouver’s Electric Company, and ushered important in Hamilton, Ontario. He also helped found Halifax’s Neptune Canadian works onstage – including Kevin Loring’s Where the Blood Theatre in 1963. In addition, Ted has performed at Stratford Mixes, and The Overcoat by Morris Panych and Wendy Gorling. Festival several times. A vocal and outspoken activist for theatre artists, Kathryn has As a director, Ted has helped many Canadian theatre artists generously given her time as a jury prize member and board get their start, and he continued to act and direct with Theatre member for grants organizations and emerging and existing & Company and Lost & Found Theatre when he had semi-retired theatre companies. In 2005, Kathryn was selected to the B.C. to Kitchener, Ontario. He also served on the Advisory Council of entertainment Hall of Fame, and has received the UBCP/ACTRA Theatre & Company, lending his expertise to artistic programming. Sam Payne Award in recognition of humanity, integrity and the In 1977 Ted received the Queen Elizabeth 25th Anniversary encouragement of new talent. Medal.

Honours Awards Celebration Happy Equity members are cordially invited to join colleagues and friends Anniversary and congratulate recipients of this year’s Honours Awards. Monday, February 22, 2016 Equity! 7:00 to 11:00 p.m. Daniels Spectrum We will have a special 585 Dundas St. East, Toronto, Ontario commemorative edition of EQ Life Membership will be presented to as well as some great projects to Ted Follows, Jennifer Phipps, Kathryn Shaw and Greg Wanless celebrate the 40th anniversary Honorary Equity Membership will be presented to of Canadian Actors’ Equity Barbara Fingerote Association. Keep on the lookout Light refreshments will be served for all the exciting details. Winter 2016 EquityRuby Quarterly 5 Theatre artists recall their memories of repertory and look to its future Getting a rep “Each writer is born with a repertory company in his head.” — Gore Vidal

Albert Schultz as Romeo in his first Repertory definitely gives a greater appearance at the Stratford Festival Diana Leblanc started her career in repertory at Neptune sense of variety says actor, director in 1987 Theatre and teacher Terry Tweed by Matthew Hays

uling. It’s more complicated to plan rehearsals, and of course if Though repertory someone is doing several shows – as is often the case at Stratford – theatre has a long and storied history in Canada, it is now a that can be a great deal of work. You need the rehearsal time, relatively rare phenomenon, outside of the seasonal theatre or things could become shallow. But that’s the great challenge of festivals of Shaw and Stratford. In the British definition, repertory putting up a play: making sure you can invest the time.” means a regular cast of actors who have a set playlist of shows Diana Leblanc says rep left an indelible impression on her as that they can draw from and perform at different times. But in an emerging artist. That’s because the Toronto-based actor and North America, rep means one cast doing two or more different director landed her first gig in rep, at Halifax’s Neptune Theatre: shows, usually alternating nights. “I was 19, and right out of school, and I loved it,” she recalls. “I Those who’ve done rep say there is nothing like it. But those was in three plays in a brand new theatre. It was pretty heady who’ve administered theatres that run rep acknowledge that it’s stuff. We worked from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., something that usually costlier, and that’s been an impediment to cash-strapped wouldn’t be allowed now due to regulations. I was young, so theatres adopting such a system for themselves. Like the late liter- it seemed manageable. I think most in the group were under ary icon in the quote, artists often dream of working in rep. 40 at the time. It worked for me in part because of the way the “For the actor, there’s definitely a greater sense of variety,” casting worked: in two shows I had lead roles; in the third I had says Terry Tweed, the Toronto-based actor, director and teacher. a smaller part. That balance is crucial. At the time it was such a “You’re often going between tragedy and comedy, the heavy and fantastic opportunity.” the light, in any given week. It makes seasons more varied too.” Leblanc says the variety factor was also huge for her. “It did If there is a complication, Tweed says it often involves “sched- me good. It kept my imagination firing on all cylinders. It wasn’t

6 Equity Quarterly Winter 2016 Theatre artists recall their memories of repertory and look to its future Getting a rep

5 The final scene of George Bernard Shaw’s Major Barbara, the opening production at Halifax’s Neptune Theatre on July 1, 1963, one of Canada’s earliest repertory theatres: (L to R) Joan (Gregson) Evans, David Renton, Gary Krawford, Molly Williams, Mavor Moore, Ted Follows and Dawn Greenhaigh. Ted Follows, one of the founding members, was made an Equity Life Member this year

3 Joan (Gregson) Evans in the first of several two-handers in which she was to star, here with Bernard Behrens in The Fourposter

confusing, but rather, it was stimulating. Connections were being perfect analogy for what it’s like to do repertory theatre.” made between the works for me. And in 1990, I acted in The Albert Schultz says there is something old-fashioned about work- Little Foxes while directing Sweet Bird of Youth at Stratford. Talk ing with the repertory model. “It’s how Shakespeare’s company about variety – that was one of the best seasons I’ve ever had.” would have worked. It’s not a particularly North American practice. But the system has been around for a long time: because it works.” Actors as athletes The artistic director of Toronto’s Soulpepper Theatre recalls his One of the best analogies Leblanc says she can think of is that of first seasons at the Stratford Festival in 1987 and 1988, where an athlete. “Variety stimulates in the same way. Oliver Dennis is “I was in Robin Phillips’ company of actors. I played Romeo in an actor I know who is also an athlete. He swims, cycles and runs. Romeo and Juliet and Touchstone in As You Like It. We rehearsed As a Triathlete, he knows that he could concentrate on one, but over months and then rotated those shows.” instead lives the three. He says doing three different things makes Schultz says the success of rep boils down to timing and good them all that much better. When he told me that, it seemed the management. “If the company does it right, if they don’t skimp

Winter 2016 Equity Quarterly 7 Theatre artists recall their memories of repertory and look to its future

(Back L to R) Oliver Dennis, Derek Boyes, Michael Hanrahan, (Front L to R) Kevin Bundy, Diego Matamoros and artistic director Albert Schultz in The Odd Couple at Soulpepper in 2008

“You’re often going between tragedy and comedy, the heavy and the light, in any given week.”— Terry Tweed on the experience, it can be a delicious way to work. If you think which isn’t enough. If you’re doing two shows, you get twice of it, what are the demands that might make one nervous? as much time, twice as much time to practice and get inside the Almost all of those are related to time. How am I going to learn work, to flex your muscle, time to run through what we’re doing my lines in time? How am I going to have time to learn my fights in our head. You have more to be done, but you’re not rushed. or my dances? Pretty much all of our anxieties are alleviated by You have the luxury of time, which is most important.” time. One of the problems we have in this country is that we’ve whittled away the time we have for shows. Most are rehearsing Variety for actors shows in three weeks or less, which is eroding the quality of the And Schultz adds that the variety inherent to doing a rep schedule work, and creating an anxious generation.” isn’t just about fun for the actors – rather, there is a psychological And therein lies the beauty of rep, explains Schultz. “The very impact, one that makes each performance and each show bet- nature of rep is that you have to do it on a longer term. Let’s say ter. “If the rep is carefully chosen, you get time off. Like when I we’re only going to rehearse a play for three and a half weeks – did rep for the first time at Stratford, I did Romeo for a day, then

8 Equity Quarterly Winter 2016 Theatre artists recall their memories of repertory and look to its future

“In 1990, I acted in The Little Foxes while directing Sweet Bird of Youth at Stratford. Talk about variety – that was one of the best seasons I’ve ever had.” — Diana Leblanc

the next day it was Touchstone. So I had a day off from Romeo, and enhance the rep model the theatre works with, making it more when he was still on the backburner, and you work away on that. cost-effective while employing more actors and technicians. The next day I’m working on the comedy. By the time you reach “For a producer, I’d actually argue it’s the best business model,” the audience, you’ve lived twice as long with the person, in the Schultz insists. “We’ve been working towards a new thing this way that you deal with people in real life – sometimes they’re year. Our company and Equity have been discussing this new sys- right in front of you, some- tem, a new rep system. We times they’re in the back of could be doing two shows, your mind. And sometimes and then once those are up, the best things come to us we’re going to be rehears- when they are not right in ing new shows. This is how front of you, when they are Stratford and Shaw works, not forced.” but if you’re a 12-month During the performance company, as we are, it’s run, Schultz notes that exhausting. We’re looking the timing also works in to lighten our load. It’ll be the actors’ favour. “Once the same for the audience, the show has started, the we’ll have two shows in rep, performances run twice but we’ll separate shows, as long. So during the day so an actor can just do a you can put on another four-show week. There will show, so you’re doing this be much more time in the When it opened in and that at night and doing 1963, Neptune Theatre 42-hour week of that actor another thing during the was the only Canadian to work on other readings day. It creates a constant theatre to operate all or workshops. There’s a work flow. It’s a lot of hard 52 weeks of the year whole bunch of ways for work, but there’s this con- them to extend their cre- stant backburner effect. It’s ative life, because we’ve bought that time. This way we’ll be a really interesting way to work. It’s no mistake that it’s how all able to hire twice as many actors. That would seem to be a huge the great companies work – those companies where you have a expense, but if your goal is to give meaningful, creative employ- resident company of artists, that’s the way they’ll work. Once you ment to the greatest number of artists, and if you can do that, get the hang of it.” why wouldn’t you?” Tweed, Leblanc and Schultz all agree that many theatre companies have left the rep model or never adopted it in the first place Meaningful and solid work because of the costs involved. Rehearsal periods are stretched, Schultz points out that Soulpepper was a theatre founded by art- more resources are needed and everyone has to be paid to accom- ists, intent on creating meaningful and solid work for artists. “I modate longer schedules. But Schultz is grappling with that very really think that’s why we should exist as theatre companies. We issue at Soulpepper, now working on a new model that will expand shouldn’t be in it to make money, we should be in it to employ

Winter 2016 Equity Quarterly 9 artists recall their memories of repertory

“It’s how Shakespeare’s company would have worked. It’s not a particularly North American practice. But the system has been around for a long time: because it works.”— Albert Schultz

(L to R) Gray Powell, Sanjay Talwar, Nicole Underhay, Andrew Bunker and Kate Besworth in Arcadia at Shaw (2013). Although repertory theatre has a long history in Canada, it is now relatively rare, outside of the seasonal theatre festivals of Shaw and Stratford

artists. In order to do it, you need to diversify revenue streams. four rehearsal halls going, and we have 45 actors working. Of Let’s make a radio show, or podcast, and sell it. If we can find a those 45, at least half of them are here all the time. Others are way to do something like that, that’s another revenue stream. here at irregular intervals, and some brand new. We’re looking What if we use this time now to rehearse a show for next year? at potentially doubling that number of actors working full-time We can rehearse a show for next year, and save money on the for us. The artists are very excited about this, as is our adminis- show next time. But you need an initial investment to do it. That’s trative team. This will mean people will have more time to think why we started our creative capital campaign last year. We need about creativity and developing new ideas. I’ve always thought to raise money, not for a new building but for artists and ideas. of Soulpepper as a very creative place. The repertory model will You need the infusion of cash to get things started.” help to create a space that is filled with even more creativity.” EQ

Schultz says he and the Soulpepper Theatre have mapped out Matthew Hays is a Montreal-based writer whose work has appeared in The Globe an ambitious expansion of their rep plan. “Right now we have and Mail, The Guardian, The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Walrus.

10 Equity Quarterly Winter 2016 Equity members talk about repertory theatre The Repertory Experience By Cynthia Macdonald

The cast of The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures directed by Eda Holmes at the Shaw Festival in 2015

“rep” is an exhilarating test of muscles they otherwise might not , One hectic day last spring get to use. Thom Currie found himself feeling more like a factory foreman Those working in North American theatre are accustomed to than an artistic director. short rehearsal times during which they become fully immersed in He spent the day darting in and out of rooms, floating between a single play. But repertory theatre asks them to give their atten- the moods and time periods of four productions rehearsing at tion to two, three or more productions opening at the same time, once. There was comedy in one space, conflict in another; there or close to it. was 1950s nostalgia, bittersweet love, country music and angry unicorns. “It was wonderful and odd and scary to think that all It’s a system often associated with small towns and summer- these shows were going to open within five days of another,” he time, when audience members are more inclined to travel and says. “And that each one was so remarkably different.” devote a weekend or more to seeing plays. Stratford and Shaw are Currie is head of the Stephenville Theatre Festival, a beloved the reigning exemplars of the form, but many other rep festivals, month-long repertory festival that erupts for a month each such as Stephenville, dot the country each year as well. year in a tiny (pop. 6,719) town on the southwest coast of Newfoundland. For almost 40 years, theatregoers have regularly A joy for actors driven for as much as nine hours across the province to spend a The joys and challenges of rep differ for each company mem- few days sampling the festival’s wide-ranging menu of theatrical ber. It’s hard, for example, to find an actor who doesn’t love it: wares. For the audience, it’s a terrific deal. And for the company, after all, it’s a long contract that generally offers the chance to

Winter 2016 Equity Quarterly 11 Equity members talk about the joys and challenges of repertory theatre

Ingenuity is needed in set design when more than one show is being run at the same time. During Vancouver’s Bard on the Beach 2013 production of Hamlet (left), a swimming pool from Twelfth Night (right) began sliding onstage

play multiple roles. A rehearsal time that spans months instead of weeks is also a luxury. “You get to spend time away from one play you’re doing, and that gives you time to think about the other one,” says actor Dion Johnstone, a veteran of nine seasons at Stratford. “The notes you’ve been given can then be properly absorbed. When you go back, you’ve got a fresher approach.” Harveen Sandhu agrees. Last season at Shaw, she rehearsed two parts on alternate days: the first, a demanding lead (as Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion), and the second a much smaller maid’s role in J.M. Barrie’s The Twelve-Pound Look. “Eliza was very con- suming – there were so many things about her that I needed to release every day,” she says, adding with a laugh: “It’s like a relationship. Sometimes you need time away from characters in order to appreciate them.” But even though rep’s rehearsal period is longer, its days are shorter: a half-day is the norm, as opposed to the full-day schedule of regional theatre. Consequently, the number of hours may not actually be any greater than that usually spent on a play in regional (non-rep) theatre. When rehearsing Eliza, Sandhu says, “a lot of the time, I just wanted to stay in the room, because I’d just be on the verge of getting somewhere. It kind of drove me nuts! But in retrospect, I realize that those intense bursts followed by a day off were the key to building that character.” Both Sandhu and Johnstone say the lessons they learn working Dion Johnstone as Othello at Stratford Festival in 2013 on one part can often affect another. For example, Johnstone

12 Equity Quarterly Winter 2016 Equity members talk about the joys and challenges of repertory theatre

says that director Peter Sellars’ unusually serious 2014 take on “Just managing your meals – even that’s something you have A Midsummer Night’s Dream gave him a sense of “honesty and to think about,” says Sandhu. “It sounds like a small thing, but gravity” that enhanced his concurrent performance as the White it’s important to figure out what it is you need to keep going. You King in Alice Through the Looking Glass. have to be diligent and disciplined with yourself.” Does that mean actors might be tempted to confuse one part Rep companies will often invite the same actors back, year after with another? Not at all, says Edmonton’s John Ullyatt, who’s year. This is advantageous in several ways: it creates a star system, spent seven seasons playing multiple roles with the city’s Freewill which draws audiences to favourite actors as well as plays. It also Shakespeare Festival. “If you’re eating an orange, you know helps members of the acting company to bond with each other, you’re not eating an apple,” is how he puts it. “People might and develop a kind of shorthand. forget a line, but they don’t forget what play they’re doing. You’d But new additions to a company can also be helpful, in that never find yourself saying ‘oh, what a rogue and peasant slave they inject vitality into a group that might be feeling complacent. am I… darling!’” There can be other benefits too: reflecting on his turn as Othello In any case, Ullyatt points out that this psychological division at Stratford in 2013, Johnstone says he’s glad that scheduling of labour is just what actors do anyway. A performer in regional conflicts prevented him from joining the cast until the season was theatre might very well be rehearsing one play during the day, already under way. “I was working with a company that had while acting in another at night. “That isn’t the same thing as already jelled and found its rhythm before I got there. But that rep,” he says, “but it’s similar in the sense that you’re working all worked really well for Othello, because he’s an outsider.” the time and using different parts of your brain.” Directors visit rep companies more often than actors do, and normally work on only one play at a time. Consequently, their Compartmentalizing is key ability to find momentum with actors whose energies are divided The pressure cooker of regional theatre, in which a full-scale pro- can sometimes be a daunting task. duction can be mounted in as little as 10 days, requires a lot more But because her directorial career started at Shaw, Eda Holmes preparation and self-direction from actors than rep does. But once probably navigates the tricky demands of rep better than most. Her rehearsal starts in a regional show, everyone knows where the credits have included last season’s The Intelligent Homosexual’s focus is. Not so in rep, where compartmentalization is a key skill Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures in rehearsals as well as performances. (popularly known as iHo), as well as 2013’s Arcadia. As associate

Winter 2016 Equity Quarterly 13 Equity members talk about the joys and challenges of repertory theatre

John Ullyatt as Le Beau in Edmonton’s Freewill Shakespeare Festival’s Harveen Sandhu was Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion at Shaw Festival 2015 production of As You Like It. He has spent seven seasons while also performing a smaller maid’s role in J.M. Barrie’s The playing multiple roles with the Festival Twelve-Pound Look

director, she currently averages two shows per season at Shaw, between the world of dance and rep theatre: “The thing that’s passing the mornings on one play and the afternoons on another. always made me feel so at home at Shaw is that it’s like a ballet “I think most directors live with a kind of a video with the show company. In ballet, it’s normal to work on two or three things in their head,” she says, admitting that keeping that imaginary every day. There, you also have a group of artists with a shared video alive for months can be a challenge. “But to be honest, I love history, who’ve been working together for a long time.” the extended time. When you’re in the room rehearsing, you try to The technical requirements of repertory theatre can certainly solve all the problems right there. But rep forces you to walk away cause headaches. When several shows share the same stage, from them for a while.” That allows time for what Holmes calls tech time, storage and design considerations have to be planned her “lizard brain” (or unconscious mind) to find its own solutions, down to the minute. Kelly Barker, who’s worked as assistant stage while she’s either working on something else – or nothing at all. manager for Vancouver’s Bard on the Beach Festival for 11 seasons, says ingenuity is especially needed when all four shows are The right kinds of shows being performed in tents. Holmes believes that certain kinds of shows benefit more from “We’ve got limited wingspace, part of which is taken up by rep than others do, particularly those with rich, brainy texts such pieces from the show that we’re not doing,” she says. “Also, we’ll as iHo. “Really, you don’t want to spend eight hours a day in the do tech for one show, preview and get it open; pretty much the emotional quagmire that some plays ask you to – it’s better to next day we start the process all over again, for the next show. By work on them over small, manageable chunks of time.” She feels the end, everyone’s exhausted, but elated too.” that for other kinds of shows, such as musicals, a longer rehearsal Can mixups happen on the technical side? The answer, unfor- day can be a better fit. tunately, is yes: Barker remembers one night when a swimming Before embarking on her career as a director, Holmes spent pool from Twelfth Night began sliding onstage during Hamlet, many years as a professional ballet dancer. She sees parallels all because a certain button hadn’t been shut off. “So when you

14 Equity Quarterly Winter 2016 Equity members talk about the joys and challenges of repertory theatre

Rep companies will often invite the same actors back, year after year. This is advantageous in several ways: it creates a star system, which draws audiences to favourite actors as well as plays.

change sets, you’ve got to pay careful attention to your preset all too short on those three commodities. And though popular, list to make sure nothing’s been left there from the last show, and rep requires a lot of work. “At Shaw, the bulk of our budget at that everything’s been added. Every show has a preset list for Shaw goes to people,” says Holmes, going on to assert that rep props, but at Bard we have an extra one for the set itself.” programming (often restricted by mandates, which include a lot And yet, even though single stages are playing host to more of popular classic plays), shouldn’t necessarily be the universal than one show, each set at Bard is designed to stand on its own; standard anyway. “That could limit the field for new voices, and there’s no scrimping on sets, lighting or costumes just because new creators,” she says. each production doesn’t have a theatre to call its own. This is Now heading into his second season as artistic director over in obviously true at Stratford and Shaw as well. Stephenville, Thom Currie reflects on a maiden voyage in which, That’s because rep has to run like clockwork. The plain fact is despite all the juggling, every show managed to open and enjoy that it’s the only kind of theatre many people ever see, and they a successful month-long run. expect the highest quality in every respect. In Canada, rep is good “I’m actually loving it, I’m surprised,” he says. “Yes, it’s stressful (and necessary) business. “If you’ve got the time and the space and in the lead up. But it’s an incredible feeling when you open that the money, it maximizes what any company can do,” says Barker. show. Then again. And again. And again!”EQ Which is, of course, the rub – many companies are running Cynthia Macdonald is a freelance journalist and arts critic in Toronto.

(Back L to R) Lucas Popowich, Stuart Dowling, Tyler Check, (Front L to R) Luc Trottier, Robert Torr and Michael Dufays in Monty Python’s Spamalot! (2015) at the Stephenville Theatre Festival, a month-long repertory festival, in a small town in Newfoundland, that has been going on for 37 years

Winter 2016 Equity Quarterly 15 EQ Council

OFFICERS: REQUESTS FOR COUNCIL ACTION: Council President: Allan Teichman First Vice-President: Councillors and Equity members in good standing Katey Wright may submit topics to Council for discussion by Second Vice-President: using the Request for Council Action (RCA) form. Sedina Fiati Secretary/Treasurer: If you have a topic or issue that you think should be Scott Bellis addressed by Council, then log in to EQUITYONLINE BRITISH COLUMBIA ONTARIO and submit a Request for Council Action form (look and the YUKON Kirsten Alter under Council Links on www.caea.com). Scott Bellis Herbie Barnes Jane Heyman Sedina Fiati Katey Wright Minh Ly Allan Teichman WESTERN OPERA Zeph Williams Save the date (Alberta and B.C. / Paula Wolfson Yukon) Diane Speirs QUEBEC EQUITY’S NATIONAL Deena Aziz ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (NAGM) & ALBERTA SOUTH Simon Mallett ATLANTIC Karen Bassett Ruby Anniversary Honours ALBERTA NORTH and the EASTERN OPERA Presentations NORTHWEST (Saskatchewan and Equity’s 2015-2016 National Annual General Meeting and Honours Awards TERRITORIES East) Presentation will be held in Toronto, Ontario. Ian Leung Stephen Erickson Peter McGillivray Date: Monday, February 22, 2016 SASKATCHEWAN Time: 5:30-11:00 p.m. (Doors open at 5:15 p.m.) Jaron Francis DANCE Venue: Daniels Spectrum Nicole Caron MANITOBA / Address: 585 Dundas St E, Toronto NUNAVUT STAGE Equity members in good standing are encouraged to attend the NAGM and Aaron Hutton MANAGEMENT join Council in celebrating this year’s honourees. Refreshments will be served. Kate Sandeson EASTERN The National AGM (5:30-7:00 p.m.) will include: ONTARIO and the • Reports from the President and Executive Director, with updates on OUTAOUAIS current initiatives. These reports will be recorded and available to all Catriona Leger members on Equity’s website at a later date • Receipt of the audited financial statements and appointment of the auditor for the coming year • Reports on Council committee activities Council • Member resolutions, if any* Connection blog Equity’s Honours (7:00-11:00 p.m.) will be presented to: Visit Equity President Allan Teichman’s • Ted Follows, Jennifer Phipps, Kathryn Shaw and Greg Wanless – Life blog sharing the doings of Council Membership • Barbara Fingerote - Honorary Membership with the Equity membership. Visit www.caea.com for more information. RSVP BY EMAIL: [email protected]

16 Equity Quarterly Winter 2016 Equity Update

EQUITY’S AGREEMENT NEGOTIATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT POLICIES UNDER REVIEW IN 2016 Each year, in compliance with policy requirements set by Equity’s ENGAGEMENT POLICIES UNDER REVIEW IN 2016 Council, the Association must provide timely notice to the mem- Artists’ Collective Policy bership of the upcoming development, negotiation, review, Review date: September 30, 2016 application and enforcement of Equity’s negotiated and promul- Suggestion deadline: July 29, 2016 gated scale agreements and engagement policies. Equity mem- Festival Policy bers must also be afforded the opportunity to contribute to the Review date: September 30, 2016 development, negotiation, review and revision of these same Suggestion deadline: July 29, 2016 agreements and policies. A list of Equity’s agreement negotiations and engagement INDIE 2.1 policies taking place in 2016 follows below. Equity members are Review date: September 30, 2016 encouraged to send their suggestions for changes or improvement Suggestion deadline: July 29, 2016 by the deadlines indicated to the email address below. Alternately, Amateur Policy members may email Executive Director Arden R. Ryshpan directly Review date: May 1, 2016 (Note: review date change) with any notes or proposals at [email protected]. Suggestion deadline: February 29, 2016

Equity members are encouraged to contribute to the review AGREEMENT NEGOTIATIONS IN 2016 and negotiation of these agreements or the revision of these Canadian Opera Agreement (COA) engagement policies. Suggested proposals for change or amend- Expiry Date: June 30, 2016 ment should be emailed to [email protected], or call Suggestion Deadline: February 12, 2016 1-800-387-1856 (416-867-9165 in Toronto). Comments: Negotiations begin late Spring 2016 Department of Canadian Heritage Agreement (formerly the National Capital Commission Events Agreement) Expiry date: August 31, 2015

D (Note: extended to January 31, 2016) A E DOTR N T CE A  HE Suggestion deadline: Completed OPERA  T Comments: Equity is nearing completion of bargaining with the Department of Canadian Heritage Introducing the new National Ballet of Canada Agreement (NBCA) Dance•Opera•Theatre Policy. Expiry date: June 30, 2016 The DOT for short. Comments: Pre-negotiation discussions commenced in November The DOT is a multidisciplinary Policy addressing the needs 2015, negotiations begin Spring 2016 of Dance•Opera•Theatre productions/activities with more Opera Agreement (OPA) expansive and flexible terms and conditions. It combines ele- Expiry date: June 30, 2016 ments from the former Guest Artist and Canadian Dance poli- Suggestion deadline: February 12, 2016 cies with new provisions for small-scale opera engagements. Comments: Negotiations begin Spring 2016 The DOT now outlines how Equity members may participate in productions at post-secondary educational institutions. Provisions common to engagements across all three Pay Your Dues Online types of work appear at the beginning of the DOT, and This feature allows members to log in to there is a separate Schedule specific to each genre at the EQUITYONLINE and securely pay dues by credit end of the Policy. The Schedules address allowable hours card in a few simple clicks. Visit www.caea.com and provide minimum fees. for more information. The DOT is available at EQUITYONLINE (www.caea.com).

Winter 2016 Equity Quarterly 17 Fondly Remembered

Sten Eirik 1952 - 2015 by Robert Dodds

At the celebration of Sten’s life I met the young actors he had Festival Theatre – did just directed in his final production, Living Curiosities, at the Sten’s passionate University of Toronto. They told me they were there because Sten engagement with had inspired them to pursue their dreams, in theatre and in life. life make spending This was no surprise. time with him equally Sten was already a local legend when I first met him in 1977 in intense? Wolfville, Nova Scotia. He had written, produced, directed and Well, yes. But in acted in his latest cast-of-dozens extravaganza, an adaptation of the best possible way, The Epic of Gilgamesh. After the show he played guitar and sang, like talking to a first- his blonde mane as magnetic as his sinuous baritone. The next class psychotherapist – which he became! For, by some alchemy, day I spotted him driving the local bus service he had co-founded Sten’s burning curiosity sprang from the most open, generous and ran, and sometimes you could catch him playing with his two heart you can imagine. And for his immediate, loving family as young sons outside his house – which he built himself. He was 25. well as his hundreds of friends and colleagues, it is perhaps this This was the complex, wildly creative man who inspired those constant interplay in his restless spirit – fire with ice, fierceness young actors decades later. From his boyhood in Sweden to the with gentleness, the gasp before the laugh – that explains not Stratford Festival; from his published novels to his academic arti- only the depth but the breadth of our gratitude and loss. It feels cles; from his “Nordic villain” roles on TV to founding the Guild like losing more than one of us.

Richard Loney 1933 - 2015

By Kathleen M. Murison

Richard Loney – a kind and for more than 2,000 games across 40 seasons. He was beloved gentle man with a twinkle by fans – on one occasion after Richard had missed a few games in his eye and laughter in while he was travelling, he was walking across the plaza on his his heart – passed away way to a hockey game when several young men called out to him on September 9, 2015. and asked if he was singing that night. When he replied that he Richard possessed a lilt- was, the men cheered and said that now they would not need the ing tenor voice of great banner they had made that read “Where’s Richard?” beauty. He was an Equity Richard was generous with his time and talent – singing at member since 1974 and games for the Vancouver Giants, BC Lions, Vancouver Whitecaps sang with the Vancouver and even the Toronto Blue Jays when they visited Seattle – and also Opera for 45 years. Richard was also a well-respected high school finding time to sing at his grandson Ladner’s minor baseball games. teacher (Social Studies, English, French and Music). During his music Those who were privileged to know Richard as a friend and career, he was a regular performer on CBC radio and TV, with colleague knew that he would always find time to chat, share a Vancouver and Victoria symphonies, Theatre Under the Stars, a head- joke and brighten the room with his laughter and enthusiasm. liner on cruise ships and recorded several albums. He was an excellent musician and he was kind, supportive and Richard was perhaps best known as the anthem singer for the generous with fellow performers. Richard will be greatly missed Vancouver Canucks. An avid hockey fan, he sang the anthems by his family, friends, colleagues and his many fans.

18 Equity Quarterly Winter 2016 John Dunn-Hill 1936 - 2015

By Jennifer Morehouse

Very few people have been inclined to call me Jennie in my life. They have always been people who are a little older than me, and who somehow know when I need a good laugh. Enter Johnny Dunn-Hill. Every two weeks or so, for over 20 years now, the phone would ring. “Hello, Jennie, I’ve got a good one for you,” followed always by a saucy joke, and we would both inevitably laugh uproariously – he always laughed at his own jokes! And then we would talk passionately about the theatre, of course. And before hanging up he would be sure to remind me to share the saucy joke with my mum, who also loves to laugh uproariously – I think he had a crush on her. Johnny and I became friends doing Sean Dixon’s A Cabinet Maker’s Wedding with Playwrights’ Workshop Montréal in 1995. A stunning love story between a cabinet maker and a woman who personally, to the deepest place in his spirit. Colleagues and friends is dying of breast cancer. Johnny’s performance in that piece was would come over and visit him (Noel Burton, Gordon Masten, to heartbreaking, and I was privileged to share the boards with him. name a couple) and he would drop the names of the greats he Despite the fact that we have known each other for so long, had met over the years, and sometimes he would become grumpy I know very little about his personal life, other than that he was about things he didn’t appreciate in the theatre. But I loved him, born in 1936 in Glasgow, Scotland, and is survived by two daugh- we loved him, even when he was grumpy. ters, and his dear long-time friend Marie, who took care of him So Johnny, I love you, my friend. You were a modest, guileless devotedly as he was struggling with his health. I think the reason and vulnerable actor and a hopelessly honest man. Please feel free we rarely spoke about his personal life is because for Johnny the to visit my dreams anytime a good one comes into your head. I theatre was his personal life. He loved the theatre, took it very will miss you deeply.

Diane Nyland Proctor 1944 - 2014

By David Warrack

Diane Nyland Proctor was revered as the star of The Trouble and enjoyed 44 years With Tracy, for creating iconic stage roles (Josie Pye in Anne of of being everyone’s Green Gables, and Belinda in Johnny Belinda), and becoming the favourite couple. superb director/choreographer everyone admired. And oh, did she Through it all, and regardless of the circumstances, she remained love her boys, Kelly “Di, endlessly loving, fascinating, funny, respectful and kind.” and Toby. If there was J. Sean Elliott spoke for all of us when he said “she was probably a better mom, I’d be the kindest person I ever met.” And wise. Wise in the oh-so-tangled amazed. And their web of the arts and entertainment industry, and wise in the ways of families! And Bruce life’s ongoing challenges. She had such an amazing perspective, the and Robert. And the uber definition of an “old soul.” endless rest of us. It’s impossible to sum up someone so… com- Her organizational skills made working with her in rehearsals a plete. She was always, always there when you needed her, pro- joy: lotsa laughs, a way of divining the perfect solution for each fessionally or personally. When we gathered to say good-bye at heartbeat of the piece, and never a wasted moment. Yes, part of the Metropolitan Community Church, there was so much love in that was assuring there were decent smoke breaks! She had her that room, you wished you could bottle it and send it around this cravings. Include martinis on that list. Plus Frank. They met doing troubled world. We are so grateful for what she gave us, and we a show, dated a week later, were engaged within a few days, will never forget our Di. What a blessing.

Winter 2016 Equity Quarterly 19 David Savoy 1958 - 2015 In By Shelley Hoffman Memoriam

On September 2, 2015, the Canadian theatre community 2015 lost an artist, mentor and friend. David Savoy passed away Alan Argue peacefully in his sleep after a hard fought battle with multiple Walter Balay sclerosis. Harold Baldridge As a director, David gave actors room to explore, challenging them to go beyond their precon- Theodore Bikel ceptions to create a character they hadn’t even imagined. Kind, supportive and soft-spoken, David Pam Brighton rarely raised his voice. But when he did, the room would shut up instantly. And if the cast didn’t Michael Burgess come through in rehearsal, he’d threaten to do the show with finger puppets. With his creativity Angelo Celeste and taste, it still would have been awesome. Marigold Charlesworth David had a generous spirit. He made time for crashers. He gave a lot of people their Equity cards. Daniel John Paul Conley He brought in baked goods. But most importantly, as artistic director he created a work environ- Dini Conte ment that could truly be described as family. Everyone was part of that family. Actors, office staff, Jonathan Crombie front of house, production and volunteers, David knew their names and let them know they were Patrick Cullen important to the show. Richard L. Denison Above all, David was inspiring. During the time he battled the symptoms of that hateful disease, Hazel Desbarats he barely mentioned his troubles. He soldiered on, doing the job he loved with people he loved. Geraldine Doucet And we loved him back. John Dunn-Hill Finally, a saying of David’s comes to mind. “If all else fails, lighting will help.” In the years to come Sten Eirik let’s take comfort in the light David shone on all of us. Naomi Friesen Michael Green Arnie Hardt Don Harron Faith Ward 1921-2015 Antony Holland Daniel Hyatt By Deborah Allen Terry Judd Marjorie Knowler I never imagined Faith Ward would leave us. She seemed Daphne Korol larger than life and that presence followed her on stage in a Richard Loney variety of roles. Where did all that energy for life come from? Patrick MacNee Her health-conscious diet? Discipline for any task at hand? Don MacQuarrie Her garden? An endless curiosity for the world around her? Jack Medley A terrific mimic, she regaled us with recollections of, say... Jonathan Ollivier an appointment downtown, an exchange in a restaurant. Betsy Palmer Who would you call if you needed help with an accent? Faith. If you wanted to impress with James Pendarves Received Pronunciation (RP) in an audition – you did your best Faith! Susan Petrie I cherish the direction and encouragement that Faith bestowed on me during our friendship – Robin Phillips never missing an opening night, cards on your birthday and motherly tips if you were off on a trip. Stephen Pietrantoni It was a lucky day for Canada when the fates decreed that Faith would come to make a life here. Maria Radner So many have benefitted from this extraordinary woman, the youngest ever to win a scholarship to David Savoy the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, England; performing in more than 2,000 productions Michele Sereda in London’s war-torn West End (when not on stage, on the roof, fire-watching); to all the nuanced Grant Strate roles she performed in Canada, many at Neptune Theatre in Halifax. One was in Candida, directed Robert Thomas by John Neville, also starring Roger Rees. She directed and played lead roles at the Ottawa Little Orest E Ulan Theatre, namely The King and I with actor Peter Blais as her son, Louis. And we cannot overlook Jon Vickers countless CBC radio dramas and films shot in Halifax. Amy Wallis Faith has left an indelible footprint on our hearts. I already miss her phone message sign-off , “Oh Faith Ward by the way... it’s Faith.”

20 Equity Quarterly Winter 2016 EQ Flashback Regina’s Globe Theatre turns 50

Founded in 1966 by Ken and Sue Kramer as a theatre-in-the- round, Regina’s Globe Theatre was Saskatchewan’s first professional theatre company. It all started with a provincial tour of three shows – The Dog and the Stone, On Trial, and Shakespeare’s Characters as Living People. The Globe Theatre is now the province’s largest performing arts organization and the regional theatre for Regina and southern Saskatchewan. Each season it mounts six or seven main stage productions, four to six Shumiatcher Sandbox Series shows – which showcase new work by Saskatchewan artists – and a provincial tour. Many actors began their careers at Globe Theatre, including Fiona Reid, Lorne Cardinal, Nicola Lipman, Miriam Newhouse, Michael Hogan, Seana McKenna, Tom McBeath, Diana Leblanc, Tom Rooney, Lucy Peacock, William Vickers, Thomas Hauff, Allan Zinyk, Zaib Shaikh, and Pat Armstrong. From the outset, Globe Theatre was committed to the production of Canadian playwrights. Rex Deverell was the resident play- wright from 1971 to 1990, and plays have been commissioned by Gail Bowen, Joey Tremblay and Sharon Stearns. The Globe Theatre School was launched in 2006 and the Actor Conservatory Training Program began in 2008. The conservatory has graduated 41 actors over the past seven years. It’s interesting to note that Globe Theatre sells between 50,000 The theatre is housed in the Prince Edward Building, a designated and 60,000 tickets each season – an amazing turnout considering heritage site built in 1906 as the Regina Post Office and RCMP headquarters and later City Hall the population of Regina is about 230,000. “Ken and Sue Kramer were passionate (L to R) Nick about creating a theatre that was relevant Longo, Dana Anderson and to this region and Susan Ferley [artistic Susanna Hamnett director 1990-98] continued that legacy,” in the 1999 says Ruth Smillie, Artistic Director and CEO. production of “As we celebrate our golden anniversary, I A Christmas Carol applaud the vision, passion and artistry of those that came before me and the artists and audiences who continue to ensure that ‘live is better’ in Regina and Southern Saskatchewan.” A 50th Anniversary Gala is being planned for June 22, 2016. You can visit globetheatrelive.com in the coming weeks for all the details, including special celebrity guests. The website also has information about a recently published book on the theatre’s history called A Round for 50 Years: A History of Regina’s Globe Theatre by Gerald Hill.

Winter 2016 Equity Quarterly 21 EQUITY QUARTERLY

RRSP FUNDS ON HOLD LIST – FINAL NOTICE Are you on the list or do you know a colleague on it? The following members have not opened an RRSP and risk losing their money. In accordance with Bylaw 107(c), failing to have a valid RRSP account will result in the assignment of the money to the Actors’ Fund of Canada. Members must act quickly to avoid losing unallo- cated RRSP funds collected in 2014. To open an account, contact Souha Chaar, Membership Administrator, by email to [email protected] or by phone at 1-800-387-1856 (416-867- 9165 in Toronto) before February 19, 2016. Please take a minute to review the names on the list below. Raymond Ablack Brian Downey Paul Jeffrey Simone McIntosh Joseph Schnurr Austin Beauchamp Tyler Duncan Derek Johnson Wendy Gail Merk Marc Senior Aymen Benkreira Etienne Dupuis Cathy Jones Scott Moyle John Shaw Nils Brown Pasha Ebrahimi David Kaye Sonia Norris Razi Shawahdeh Ruth Brown Joyce El-Khoury Valeria Kondrashov Jamie Northan Adrian Shepherd John Callander Abdelghafour Elaaziz James Kudelka Michael Paterson Tetsuro Shigematsu Aura Carcueva Rachel Fenlon Suzie LeBlanc Susanna Portnoy Michael Gordin Lance Cardinal Darrel Gamotin Norma Lewis J. Patrick Raftery Shore Sarah Carlsen Kyle Gillis Li Li Jesse Reid Garret C. Smith Jesse Catibog Thomas Glenn Kayla Lorette Jeffrey Renn Kelsey Ter Kuile EQ Julian Cervello Jason Gosbee Matthew Lumley Paulo Ribeiro Masha Terentieva Want to receive an electronic Joel Cochrane Gabriel Gosselin Ciarán MacGillivray Carlos David-Benjamin Nneka Croal Carolyn Hall Katie Malloch Rivera-Martinez Tomlinson version of EQ? Keir Cutler Kimberly Harvey Harout Markarian Rachel Rudd Kristina Uranowski Genevieve Reza Jacobs Owen Mason Diana Salvatore Richard Whittall Equity offers electronic access to Dorion-Coupal Clair Jacques Massimo Jacob Sampson Equity Quarterly. If you would rather read an online version of EQ – login to the Member Only zone on EQUITYONLINE (www.caea.com) and update your EQ delivery options. RRSP Contribution Dues Remission Deadline Advisory It is not too late for an Equity mem- In recognition of career longev- ber to make an RRSP contribution for ity, senior Equity members are deductions from their 2015 income tax. eligible for remission of basic Voluntary RRSP contributions must be dues but will continue to pay postmarked on or before February 29, working dues. 2016. Regular members who have Cheques must be payable to London Life been members in good stand- Insurance Company and mailed to: Group ing for at least 10 (ten) years Retirement Services, 330 University may apply for dues remission as Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1R8. follows: • age 65 (sixty-five) for per- Please ensure that your name and cer- formers, stage managers, tificate number are clearly marked on directors and choreographers The Equity Advantage suite of discount the front of the cheque. Questions • age 55 (fifty-five) for opera programs provides significant savings to regarding voluntary RRSP contribu- singers members and their families. Enrolment is tions may be directed to Souha Chaar, • age 45 (forty-five) for ballet automatic for members in good standing Membership Administrator, by email to dancers as of November 2015. Visit www.caea.com [email protected] or by phone Contact [email protected] for more information. at 1-800-387-1856 (416-867-9165 in for more information. Toronto).

Publications Mail Agreement #40038615 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: EQ Canadian Actors’ Equity Association 44 Victoria Street, 12th Floor Toronto, ON M5C 3C4 [email protected]