THE TROJAN WOMEN by Euripides
adapted by Gwendolyn MacEwen

Directed by Alexandra Seay
January 20 - February 4, 2012

Previously produced at Alumnae in our 1992/93 season, The Trojan Women is this year's Countdown to 100 play. Celebrated Canadian poet Gwendolyn MacEwen's 1978 version breathes new life into Euripides' ancient Greek classic, using modern vocabulary to explore stereotypical female roles, feminism and women's rights.

Read the Press Release: The Trojan Women Release

 

TICKETS

Performance Dates
January 20 - February 4, 2012
Talkback following 2nd Sunday matinée

Performance Times
Wednesday to Saturday: 8:00 pm
Sunday Matinée: 2:00 pm
(no performances Mon or Tue)
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
Purchase tickets for Thu/Fri/Sat online at www.totix.ca
For cash only reservations:
Email: reservations@alumnaetheatre.com
Phone: 416-364-4170 (Box 1)

THE TROJAN WOMEN Cast Biographies

ANDREA BLAKEY, Chorus
Andrea is a graduate of the University of British Columbia's Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting program. Selected credits include Lysistrata (Canopy Theatre), The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra's Childrens Concerts, Voices from the Gallery (Vancouver Symphony Orchestra at the PUSH Festival), The Rocky Horror Show (WickedAwesome Theatre), The Good, The Bad and the Unclean (Spectral Theatre) and Succubus A-Go-Go (Spectral Theatre). And even though Troy lost the war, she is thrilled to be here with such a brilliant cast and crew.

STEPHANIE CARPANINI, Chorus
Stephanie is so honoured to be a part of Alumnae's Trojan Women! She is a theatre graduate from the University of Windsor's BFA Acting program. Since graduating, her experiences with art have been completely unpredictable. She's gone from playing a prostitute to working on a kid's cartoon show for Teletoon. This past summer she was accepted to train with Anne Bogart's SITI Company (Suzuki/Viewpoints) for their month-long Summer Theatre Intensive. She is so thankful to have spent this journey growing in the spiritual and artistic generosity of a group of truly transcendent artists. This upcoming March she will be featured in 360's production of The F-Word, a great success at this year's Edinburg Fringe Festival, at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre for Women's Week.

SOCHI FRIED, Cassandra (January 20 - 27)
Sochi is delighted to return to the Alumnae for the third time (Palace of the End and Hedda Gabler) and she is deeply grateful to Alexandra for including her in this beautiful show. Recent acting credits include: Lina in Swoon! (Pick of the Fringe 2011, dir. Jason Maghanoy), Assistant Musical Director and Chorus in Yichud (Seclusion) (Theatre Passe Muraille and Magnetic North Theatre Festival, dir. Aaron Willis and Richard Greenblatt), Lady Anne in Richard III (Hart House, dir. Jeremy Hutton), Amara in Dead Cat Bounce (Fringe 2010, dir. Molly Thom). Upcoming: A Midsummer Night's Dream (Citadel Theatre, dir. Tom Wood). Sochi is a graduate of Ryerson Theatre School and the American Musical and Dramatic Academy.

CARYS LEWIS, Chorus
This is Cary's first appearance with Alumnae Theatre and she is delighted to be working with such a wonderful cast and crew. Recent theatre credits include: The Corpse Bride (TheatrePanik), Drama and Desire (AGO), MIX (Valence Movement), Orestes 2.0 (G.B Theatre), Love's Labors Lost (G.B Theatre) and Brand (G.B Theatre). Carys is the founder of Little White Bull Theatre Company where she premiered her play Beyond the Pail at the 2011 Calgary Fringe Festival. Carys is a recent graduate of George Brown Theatre School and is a recipient of the Edna Khubyar Acting Award.

ANDREW P. MACMASTER, Posiden/Talthibius
Sandy is an Honours Graduate of York University's Theatre program, with his B.F.A. in Performance. He has previously achieved the level of Advanced Actor/Combatant, with Fight Directors, Canada. Sandy's most recent roles include D'Entragues, Davey, and Roberts in The Next Stage Theatre Festival's Production of The Duel of Ages and Frank in the production of Vincent performed in Meunster, Germany with Workman Theatre. The Trojan Women marks Sandy's return to the Alumnae Theatre's stage, after many years. He was last seen in as the First Voice in Under Milkwood and really hopes you enjoy the show!

SUZETTE MCCANNY, Cassandra (January 28 - February 4)
This is Suzette's first show on the Alumnae Theatre Main Stage but you may have seen her in the 2010 New Ideas Festival in Theory. Most recently she played Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet at The Rose Theatre and Oppenheimer in Bloom at the Toronto Fringe Festival. She toured Shakespeare in schools in the Barrie area with Theatre By The Bay and performed Jen at The Bread and Circus in Sunday on the Rocks. She would like to thank the incredible team of people here at Alumnae for a truly delicious adventure.

SCOTT MOORE, Menelaus
After training at the Ryerson Theatre School, Scott has performed in numerous shows in Toronto including: Moon in The Real Inspector Hound (Alumnae Theatre); Cassius in Julius Caesar and Clarence in Richard III (Hart House); Bob Float in The Aquarium and Robert Greene in It Was Kit (Triple Take Productions); Balthazar in The Spanish Tragedy, Gilbert in Knives in Hens, Hitler in Mein Kampf, Tobias in A Delicate Balance, and Deflores in The Changeling (Drama Centre); Caesar in Julius Caesar, Master Ford in The Merry Wives of Windsor, Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing, and Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream (Alchemy Theatre); Goldberg in The Birthday Party and Ernest in The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine (Rhino Productions); and various roles with the Ancient Comic Opera Co.

KATIE RIBOUT, Chorus
Katie is thrilled to be working with such a lovely group of people for her Toronto debut! She is a recent graduate of the University of Windsor's Bachelor of Fine Arts Acting program. Some of her theatre credits include: Hannah in Arcadia & May, Dison in Postmortem (University Players), Jeannie in Fat Pig (Studio Theatre), and Sister Helen Prejean in Dead Man Walking (Assumption University). You can see her next when she appears in In a Dark Dark House by Quixotic Arts Collective as Jennifer in the spring.

NICOLE ST. MARTIN, Andromache
Nicole is delighted to join the cast and crew of The Trojan Women. Her most recent credits include: Cristina in The Little Crickets for Summerworks and Justine in The Love List for Globus Theatre. Also for Globus Theatre: Pamela/Annabella/ Margaret in The 39 Steps, Emma in Storm Warning. Other selected credits: Titania in Dream In the Square's Midsummer Night's Dream and for Drama Centre (UK): Masha in The Three Sisters, Hedda in Hedda Gabler. Nicole will be playing Smerdyakov in Kick Theatre's The Brothers Karamazov in April. Special thanks to my family for putting up with my wacky schedule.

ANNE SHEPHERD, Chorus
Anne is delighted to be on the Mainstage after several seasons in the New Ideas Festival at the Alumnae. She has acted at the Village Playhouse and in the Inspirato play festival. This has been a great opportunity to work as an ensemble; the original music and singing was a bonus as was the opportunity to work with a professional musical director. Anne is a psychiatrist, has three sons all at University of Toronto studying the arts, three cats and a husband who loves the movies and will rarely venture into the theatre; I've told him The Trojan Women is a musical comedy.

MOLLY THOM, Hecuba
Actor: Les Belles Soeurs, The Madwoman of Chaillot, The Cherry Orchard, The Ecstasy of Rita Joe, The Duchess of Malfi. Director: The Bush-Ladies (and writer), Tarragon Theatre, National Arts Centre, Artword Theatre, Beautiful Lady, Tell Me by Shirley Barrie, 4th Line Theatre, The Gambler by Ronald Weihs, Beggarly Theatre/Artword Theatre, and for Alumnae many firsts including Carol Shields' Thirteen Hands. Resident director of Shoestring Opera. Co-founder of the Alumnae Theatre's New Ideas Festival. If you want to return to the stage after an absence of almost 20 years, be sure you have an inventive, sure-footed director and a talented supportive company. Thank you every one.

SUSAN Q WILSON, Chorus Leader
This is Susan's fourth outing with Alumnae, following her success as Jean Rhys in After Mrs. Rochester last fall, as well as Mother in After Magritte and Matilda in Reflections (NIF) in 2011. Selected recent credits: First Witch in Macbeth (Hart House Theatre), Lady Saltburn in Present Laughter (East Side Players) and Dora Bunner in A Murder is Announced (Scarborough Theatre Guild). Susan is 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).

TARA ZACHARIAS, Helen
Tara instinctively knew she would enjoy acting. After completing a program that would provide her with useful tools to sharpen her skills, Tara came to Toronto from Winnipeg. She is thrilled to be part of a wonderful cast in a production that is well written, with an important message in its content. This is her first appearance on the stage of Alumnae Theatre. Past appearances include roles with The Ellice Theatre and Winnipeg Fringe Festival. Tara finds inspiration in her surroundings, in combination with the past, to present her creativity for the moment.

THE TROJAN WOMEN Production Team Biographies

PJ HAMMOND and TABITHA KEAST, Co-Producers
PJ and Tabitha would like to know when the madness will stop. And, when it stops, there really needs to be cupcakes. Preferably on fire.

ALEXANDRA SEAY, Director
Alexandra recently conceived and directed a workshop of The Hanging Maids: A cabaret, an adaptation of Margaret Atwood's Penelopiad, with Burning Passions Theatre. Selected directing credits include: Khalida (SummerWorks), HONK! if you can hear me (SummerWorks and ConverStation remount), The Body Politic (workshop - Burning Passions Theatre), Broken Record (Toronto Fringe), The Shape of Things (Nervemeter Productions), Hamlet (Kings Theatrical Society). She trained as an actor at the University College Drama Program and holds an MA from the Centre for Study of Drama at U of T. She was the intern artistic director at Modern Times Stage Company for a year where she assistant directed bloom and was a member of the Lincoln Center Directors Lab where she was invited to direct a workshop of Khalida. Her training in ballet, biomechanics, Suzuki and Viewpoints informs her work as a director.

PETER DEFREITAS, Costume Designer
Peter has been designing clothes for the fashion markets in New York, Toronto and California for over 25 years. He is currently the Menswear Designer for Danier Leather in Toronto. It was at the Alumnae that Peter began to pursue his passion for Costumer Design. Designs for the Alumnae includes: The Sisters Rosensweig, Progress of Love, Orpheus Descending, and Closer. Design for other theatres include: Six Characters in Search of an Author, Duos, Lear's Daughters, and The Secret Life of Albert Knobbs. Designs for Opera Frankfurt, Germany include: L'isola Disabitata - Joseph Haydn, Through Roses - Marc Neikrug , and Le Nozze De Figaro - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. This has been a delightful experience and Peter wishes to pay special thanks to his husband, Robert Beerman and dear friend, Mrs. Margaret Spence.

MARGOT DEVLIN, Stage Manager
Margot is much loved by many of the volunteers at Alumnae because she is, simply, one of our best volunteers. She is also too modest to submit a bio so were writing one for her. Her most recent credit is Stage Manager for the Toronto premiere of Willow Quartet at The Papermill Theatre. A sampling of just a few of her credits for Alumnae Theatre include Stage Management for: Hedda Gabler, If We Are Women, Homeward Bound and The Real World?

JENNIFER FRASER, Lighting Designer
Jennifer Fraser is currently completing her final year at the University of Toronto where she specializes in Theatre and English Literature. She has training and experience both on and off stage in lighting design, acting, dance, and directing. Previous lighting credits include: Body & Soul (UCDP), Alkestis (UCDP), and Rocky Horror (Victoria Drama Society). She has worked with Alumnae twice in recent years, first as an actor in the New Ideas Festival (Sex on the Beach, 2010) and as a dancer in Behind the Door (Ismailova Theatre of Dance, 2011). When not completing her academic training, Jennifer works with the company she co-founded, PressGang Theatre. Upcoming credits include: Narcotics Synonymous (January 2012, PressGang Theatre), The Rules (March 2012, UCDP) and Autogeddon (May 2012, Pandemic Theater).

LILY LING, Musical Director and Composer
Selected credits include The Fantasticks (Soulpepper); World Premiere of The Passion of Adele Hugo (Eastern Front); Canadian Premieres of The Light in the Piazza, Parade (Acting Upstage); Jerry Springer - The Opera, Reefer Madness, High Fidelity (Hart House Theatre). She has also acted as musical director and supervisor for plays including Our Class (Studio 180/Canadian Stage); Tout Comme Elle (Luminato/Necessary Angel); and Little One (Summerworks/Theatre Crisis). In 2010, Lily served as intern musical director at the Shaw Festival for their production of Kurt Weill's One Touch of Venus, and became the first woman to conduct a Shaw mainstage production. Lily holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance from the University of Toronto.

THE TROJAN WOMEN Playwright Biographies

EURIPIDES, Playwright (485 - 406 BC)
Euripides wrote about 92 plays and was compared to other playwrights such as Aeschylus and Sophocles, but he suffered from a lack of recognition during his lifetime because he did not conform to the fancies of the Athenians - he didn't approve of their superstitions and refused to condone their moral hypocrisy. He was a pacifist, a free thinker, and a humanitarian in an age when such qualities were increasingly overshadowed by intolerance and violence. He lived most of his life alone in a cave on the island of Salamis. The Trojan Women dates back to 415 BC, and has long been considered an innovative artistic portrayal of the Trojan War and a penetrating depiction of the barbaric behaviour of Euripides' own countrymen, the Athenians, towards the women and children of the people they subjugated in war.

GWENDOLYN MacEWEN, Translator/Adaptor (1941-1987)
Toronto-born poetry prodigy Gwendolyn MacEwen published her first poem when she was 17, and left school at 18 to concentrate on her writing. Self-educated, she taught herself Greek, Arabic, Hebrew and French, and translated writers from those languages. She married twice: briefly, to the older poet Milton Acorn, and then to the Greek-Canadian singer Nikos Tsingos, with whom she opened a coffee house in Toronto, and translated contemporary Greek poetry. She was Writer-in-Residence at the University of Western Ontario in 1984-85 and at the University of Toronto in 1986-87. Her translation of The Trojan Women was first performed in Toronto in 1978, and staged at Alumnae Theatre in the 1992/93 season. MacEwen died in the age of 46, of health problems related to alcoholism. Linda Griffiths award-winning play Alien Creature (2000) was inspired by MacEwen's life and writing.

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