AFTER MRS. ROCHESTER by Polly Teale

Directed by Laura Roald
September 23 - October 7, 2011

Troubled Caribbean-born writer Jean Rhys feels a strong connection with the mad Mrs. Rochester in Charlotte Brontë's classic 1847 novel Jane Eyre. Rhys' acclaimed 1966 prequel Wide Sargasso Sea was told from the perspective of Rochester's reluctant bride. British dramatist Polly Teale interweaves Jean's demons with those of her alter ego, Bertha Mason Rochester, in a battle for sanity.

Read the Press Release: Download

“...very efficient direction from Laura Roald.
I enjoyed this production very much...I encourage theatre fans to go see it.”
(Crystal Wood, MooneyonTheatre.com)

 

TICKETS

Performance Dates
September 23 - Friday October 7, 2011
Talkback following matinée, Sun Oct 2

Performance Times
Wednesday to Saturday: 8:00 pm
Sunday Matinée: 2:00 pm
Box Office opens one hour before performance time

Admission Prices
Wednesday: 2-for-1
Thursday, Friday & Saturday: $20
Sunday Matinée: PWYC
CASH ONLY! Box Office does not accept credit or debit cards

Reservations
Email: reservations@alumnaetheatre.com
Phone: 416-364-4170 (Box 1)

AFTER MRS. ROCHESTER: The Cast

KANIKA AMBROSE, Tite / Meta / Chorus Girl
Born in Toronto, Kanika has had the honour and pleasure of working with many Toronto–based arts organizations such as; bcurrent, Sears Drama Festival, Paprika Festival, CanStage Gym, and SummerWorks Festival. She is now very happy to add Alumnae to the list! Kanika has written, developed, produced, directed and performed in some of her original short plays, which have been featured in various Toronto Festivals. Some of her recent credits include; The Cherry (Guild Festival Theatre); Obeah Opera (Asah Productions); Aprés (New Voices Festival); The Girls Who Saw Everything and Attempts on Her Life (Ryerson Theatre School); Vagina Monologues (V-Day at Ryerson). Kanika is a recent graduate from Ryerson Theatre School. She looks forward to many more years on Canadian and World stages.

JULIE BURRIS, Ella’s mother / Chorus Girl / Stella Bowen / Police Officer /Landlady
Julie is thrilled to be back at Alumnae Theatre, and part of this challenging and dynamic production and very talented cast. Previous acting credits include Harriet’s House (Gailey Road Productions), Mary Stuart (East Side Players), The Uninvited (Scarborough Theatre Guild) and Iphigenia at her Funeral (Alumnae’s New Ideas Festival). She would like to thank those people (you know who you are), for their continuing inspiration, love and support. This show is dedicated to Harte.

LAURA JABALEE,
Jean’s daughter - Maryvonne / Jane Eyre / Gilly - schoolgirl / Maudie - chorus girl
Laura is a recent graduate of the joint Theatre and Drama Studies Program with the University of Toronto/Sheridan College where her stage credits include Mary Haines (The Women) and Eliza Reed/Diana Rivers in Polly Teale’s Jane Eyre. Venturing off the stage into the world of online television, Laura joined the cast of Jason Leaver’s award-winning web series Out With Dad – which she thinks you should all check out (www.outwithdad.ca)! Big thanks to her TDS family, especially 'The Clap', for teaching her the power of ensemble. And all her love goes out to Mom, and to Dad, and to Mark. Always, XO.

TABITHA KEAST*,
Rochester / Gentleman / Teacher / Theatre Manager / Shop Assistant / Man / Police Officer /
Ford Madox Ford
Selected theatre credits include You Are Here, Closer, The Memory of Water and Homeward Bound (Alumnae Theatre), Romeo + Juliet (The Driftwood Theatre Group), Twelfth Night (Alchemy Theatre), Possession (New Ideas Festival) and In the Booth (Toronto Fringe Festival). Media credits include The Kennedys for the History Channel and Book Club for Showcase. Previous credits include the short films All in a Day and Leper for Dopeyding Productions, the award-winning student film The Tenant, voiceover work for film, and many, many commercials all of which share the common goal of feeding our rampant consumerism in which she apparently plays a supporting role.

TINA McCULLOCH, Bertha Rochester
Jamaican-born Tina is beyond delighted to perform in another script by Polly Teale, and (bonus:) to learn more about Jean Rhys beyond Wide Sargasso Sea. Ten years ago, she had the pleasure of playing Jane Eyre for Amicus Productions, so to play Bertha now feels like coming full circle! Other favourite roles include Rachel in the Toronto premiere of How To Hunt A Woolly Mammoth and Rose in Enchanted April (both Village Playhouse), and time-travelling dominatrix Poopay in Communicating Doors (Theatre Aurora). Tina has written several short plays that have been produced in various theatre festivals, most recently the vampire tale Soledad (Alumnae’s New Ideas Festival 2010).

LAINE NEWMAN, Ella’s father / Teacher / Lancelot / John Lenglet / Husband - Leslie
Laine completed her Masters in Drama at the University of Toronto in 2010. Most recently she assistant directed The Proust Project at the Festival of Ideas and Creation in May 2011. She is currently working as an Artistic Associate with Pat the Dog Playwright Development Centre. This fall, she is starting the Masters of Fine Arts Program in Documentary Media at Ryerson University. Favorite roles include: Ginni in Harvest (Robert Gill Theatre), Beatrice in The Cenci (University of Guelph), and Time in The Shakespeare Experiment (Buddies in Bad Times Theatre).

JESSICA ROSE*, Ella – young Jean
Jessica is a graduate of the University of Windsor's BFA Acting program. Favourite acting credits include: Little Mary in The Women (University Players), Annie in Secretary! (pivotal arts), and Melanie in Far From The Tree (Glasswater Theatre). Her one act play Secretary! premiered at the WriteNOW! festival of New Works 2011. She is tremendously grateful to Alumnae Theatre for the opportunity to be part of such a rare and special production. Much love to her family and friends for their support, and to David for everything.

SUSAN Q WILSON, Jean Rhys
This is Susan’s third outing with Alumnae in 2011, following the Mother in After Magritte and Matilda in Reflections (New Ideas Festival). Selected recent credits include Lady Saltburn in Present Laughter (East Side Players), Dora Bunner in A Murder is Announced (Scarborough Theatre Guild), Lane Overstreet in Bluish (Teatron Theatre), and Druphonia in The Prince and the Pauper (NAGs Players). An alumna of U of T, where her roles included Claire in Great Catherine and Madame Babakina in The Diary of a Scoundrel (both Hart House Theatre with Robert Gill), as well as Edith in The Women (Women’s College Union).

*Appearing with the permission of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association

 

AFTER MRS. ROCHESTER: The Creative Team

MEGAN BENJAFIELD, Sound Designer
Megan is thrilled to be working at Alumnae Theatre again. Previous sound design credits include: For the Pleasure of Seeing Her Again (Alumnae Theatre), Cabin Fever (Here is My Hand Theatre/Fringe), The Urban Farm Show (Shoddy Productions/Fringe) and Floor 6 1/2 (Ugly Duckling). She made her debut as composer and book writer of the musical Breadwinner at the Toronto Fringe Festival last season. When not composing / writing, Megan performs on occasion as a jazz / funk / blues singer.

JOHN FLEMING, Dialect Coach
John is a Toronto-based speech and dialect coach. Recent credits include After Magritte and The Real Inspector Hound (Alumnae Theatre), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Hart House Theatre), Mojo (RedOne Theatre) and the world premiere of The 3rd Degree (Chicken Coop Productions). As an actor, John’s recent credits include the lead in Oedipus (Speakeasy Productions), Yves Ducaut in The Society of Skeptics (Smash Co.) and a full season with the Classical Theatre Project. Also listen for him as Fenton Farnsby in the I Smell a Mystery radio play series at radiosrevenge.com. John is pleased to work with the talented cast and crew of After Mrs. Rochester.

PJ HAMMOND and TABITHA KEAST, Co-Producers
PJ and Tabitha should know better. They recently teamed up to co-produce Catherine Frid’s comedy GuineaPigging which had its premiere at Alumnae Theatre this past April and for some reason they thought that co-producing The Beast (otherwise known as After Mrs. Rochester) immediately after would be a good idea. They now have matching t-shirts with the slogan “Not Crying at All”.

PAUL HARDY, Lighting Designer
For Alumnae Theatre Company, Paul has directed Judith Thompson's Perfect Pie, Sam Shepard's A Lie of the Mind, and most recently Daniel MacIvor’s You Are Here, as well as designing lighting for about a dozen productions, including last season’s A Delicate Balance. He also served as lighting designer for The Stranger (Praxis Theatre), [the sadly departed] Alchemy Theatre’s All's Well and A Midsummer Night's Dream, Lovesick Productions' Hank Williams: The Show He Never Gave, and many others. As an actor, Paul’s leading roles include Underneath (Praxis Theatre), As You Like It (Canopy Theatre), For the Pleasure of Seeing Her Again and She Stoops to Conquer (Alumnae Theatre), Step Up (Stagekids), and Macbeth (Classical Theatre Project).

TARYN JORGENSON, Assistant Director
Directing credits include: The Breeding of Guns, He Crucified Me (New Voices Festival), Elephants (InspiraTO Festival), As You Like It (Assistant Director/Shakespeare-in-Action), Crookback: Richard III (Assistant Director/Beacon Theatre). Performance credits include: Dianne and Me (Hamilton Fringe/ Theatre Aquarius), This Still Night, Thumb (2009/2010 Prague Fringe Festival), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Forward Theatre), Serious Money (Nightwood 4X4 Festival), Angelika’s Promise (AGO), The Monument, Closer, Romeo and Juliet, The Different Widows, Love for Love, Richard III (Ryerson). Graduate of The Ryerson Theatre School. Taryn would like to thank Alumnae for their generosity and playfulness.

CAMERON LAPP, Master Carpenter
Cameron is pleased as Punch to be making his Toronto theatre debut doing carpentry for Alumnae Theatre. Cameron has just graduated from Queen's University, where he did set design, carpentry, and acting for a wide variety of local theatre groups. Especial shout-outs to his friends from the Queen's Student Opera and from Vagabond: I miss doing Shakespeare with you guys!

KAREN McMICHAEL, Stage Manager
Karen's been hiding in the darkness backstage and obsessing over details since her high school years. She delights in all things theatrical, and also has a not-so-well hidden passion for Gothic literature which is being well-served by this show. When not in the booth, she can usually be found writing poetry, singing karaoke, or handling snakes.

CHRISTOPHER MOTT, Fight Director
A Stage Combat performer, instructor and director of 15 years experience, Christopher is more than pleased to be working with the ladies of After Mrs. Rochester, his second show for Alumnae Theatre. Past fight credits include GuineaPigging (Alumnae), King Lear (Hart House), Jean et Beatrice (Toronto Fringe), The Duchess of Malfi (Vile Passelit), Serviced (Toronto Fringe), The Trojan Women (Canopy Theatre), The Aleatory Project (SummerWorks), and many others. He is also a member of The Rude Mechanicals stage combat and comedy troupe. Christopher is a certified Instructor with Fight Directors Canada, and teaches at Rapier Wit studios.

JEAN RHYS, (August 24, 1890 – May 14,1979) Author
Born to white parents on the Caribbean island of Dominica in 1890, Jean Rhys (birth name: Ella Gwendolen Rees Williams) was sent to school in England at age 16, and except for a visit in the 1930’s, never returned to her birthplace. All her life and wherever she was, she struggled with not fitting in and being poor. She briefly attended RADA, but left to become a chorus girl with a touring company. After an affair with wealthy bachelor Lancelot Gray Smith (who contributed financial support for many years), she married Dutch/French journalist/spy John Lenglet, and they had a daughter, Maryvonne. She met English writer Ford Madox Ford in Paris in 1924, and he encouraged her to write. The first of her four early novels was published in 1928. Her second husband (1934) was a book editor, Leslie Tilden-Smith. After his death in 1945, she married Leslie’s cousin Max Hamer, a solicitor. Max died in March 1966, and Jean’s greatest literary success, the Jane Eyre prequel Wide Sargasso Sea, was published in October of that year.

LAURA ROALD, Director, Set Designer
Hailing from Vancouver, Laura is a Toronto-based director, writer, dramaturg and performer whose work has appeared on stages across Canada. Favourite recent directing projects include Closer (Alumnae Theatre), Monstrous Invisible (Monkeyman Productions), 365 Days 365 Plays (Theatre Best/Before), Death: A Comedy in 5 Stages (redhanded film and theatre), LaVicious (dark deeds theatre), Come Down To Me (Citadel Theatre), and The Rhythm Method (Tomato Express). Upcoming projects include Gently Rapping (Lost Words/Kickstand Theatre) and a web series titled Abigail. A graduate of University of Alberta’s MFA Directing program, Laura stays busy developing new plays, selling unusual books and keeping pace with her two small children.

POLLY TEALE, Playwright
Polly Teale is an award-winning theatre practitioner. She has been joint artistic director with Nancy Meckler of the British theatre company Shared Experience (which is “interested in theatre's potential to make visible what is hidden, to give form to the world of imagination… to go beyond the surface of everyday life.”) since 1995. Teale has written a number of original plays and stage adaptations, including a trio of works relating to Charlotte Brontë: her acclaimed 1997 adaptation of Brontë's novel Jane Eyre was followed in 2003 by After Mrs. Rochester, inspired by Jean Rhys’ Wide Sargasso Sea (a prequel to Jane Eyre) and Rhys’ earlier novels; and Brontë, a play exploring the lives of Charlotte and her family (2005). Polly Teale’s most recent plays are Mine (2008) and Speechless (2010, co-written with Linda Brogan).

LYNDA YEARWOOD, Props Coordinator
Despite some wanton destruction of props during each performance, Lynda is very pleased to be working on this very interesting production. Her most recent credits include Stage Managing at this summer's SummerWorks and Fringe festivals, as well as two David Sedaris one-acts (including a Christmas show in May) with Ghost Light Projects. Thankfully, no books were harmed in the making of these productions. Thank you to the wonderfully creative team for putting together such a lovely and challenging show.

CAMERON LAPP, Master Carpenter

EMILY MacNAUGHTON, Assistant Stage Manager

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ALUMNAE THEATRE COMPANY
70 Berkeley Street
Toronto, Ontario • M5A 2W6
Phone: 416-364-4170
Email: contactus@alumnaetheatre.com