Tremblay's homage to the colourful, down-to-earth mother who nurtured his imagination, his reclusive reading habits and his love for the theatre and the arts. In a compelling balance of humour and poignancy, Tremblay offers glimpses of himself and his mother at five different stages of their lives together.
“ . . . a magnificently cathartic theatrical moment.”
“Earthy, effervescent, unabashedly loving tribute an entertaining raconteur. Nana has the soul of an artist.”
Performance Dates
November 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 25, 29, 30,
December 1, 2007
Performance Times
Thursday to Saturday: 8:00 pm
Sunday Matinee: 2:00 pm
Box Office opens one hour before performance time
Admission Prices
Friday & Saturday: $18
Sunday Matinee: PWYC
Thursdays: 2 FOR 1
CASH ONLY! Box Office does not accept credit or debit cards
Reservations
Email: reservations@alumnaetheatre.com
Phone: 416-364-4170 (Box 1)
DARLENE SPENCER,
Nana
Darlene Spencer received her Master of Fine Arts in Performance from York University. She is an actor, director, and educator who currently makes her home in Aurora, Ontario.
Selected acting roles include Sarah in the film 976, for which, she was awarded the Best Actor in a Supporting Role with the Planet Indie Film Festival, Lona in The Affairs of Anatol by Arthur Schnitzler with Glastonbury West, Titania/Hippolyta in A Midsummer Nights Dream by William Shakespeare with the York Shakespeare Festival, her one woman show Life Out Loud written by L.C. Carson, Aeire in Run by Victoria Goring at the Toronto Fringe Festival, and most recently, Susan in the internet series Team Epic.
Directorial projects include 7 Stories by Morris Panych, Three Cities in the Life of Norman Bethune a one man opera by Tim Brady, A String of Pearls by Michele Lowe, The Children's Hour by Lillian Hellman, Our Country's Good by Timberlake Wertenbaker, A Spring Awakening by Frank Wedekind, The Crucible by Arthur Miller, Les Belles Soeurs by Michel Tremblay, and Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare.
PAUL HARDY,
Narrator
Paul Hardy has directed Judith Thompson's Perfect Pie, Sam Shepard's A Lie of the Mind and The Evil that Men Do for the Alumnae Theatre. He has also directed independent productions of Burn This by Lanford Wilson and Geography of a Horse Dreamer by Sam Shepard.
As an actor he has played leading roles in Step Up (Stagekids,) She Stoops to Conquer (Alumnae Theatre), Macbeth (Classical Theatre Project), Criminal Hearts (Alumnae Theatre), Showdown/How Can You Tell (Mixed Co.), A Midsummer's Night Dream (Allegoria Productions), Marvin's Room and 1949 (Amicus Productions).
Paul has also designed lighting for Lovesick Production's Hank Williams: the show he never gave, Toronto Masque Theatre's Masques for a Reaney Day, Praxis Theatre's Steel, Master and Margarita, and Eugene, Gizmette for Theatreworks, Portrait for Allegoria Productions, and Moonlight and Valentino, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, A Lie of the Mind, The Real World, Amy's View and Collected Stories for Alumnae Theatre. Paul has also been Technical Director of the Alumnae Theatres New Ideas Festival from 2002 - 2006.
LEE POULIN,
Director
Lee moved from Montreal to Toronto 7 years ago to pursue his career as an Actor. He is trained in acting, singing and dance, and decided to explore the realm of Directing upon graduating from the Randolph Academy. As a performer, past credits include Macduff in Macbeth: Reloaded (Upper Canada Repertory Company), John Proctor in The Crucible (RAPA), Conrad Birdie in Bye, Bye Birdie (RAPA), Napthali and the Butler in Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat (Fallen Rock), Sonny in Grease (Escape Productions), and Guy in Homeward Bound (Alumnae Theatre). Lee has worked as a Teacher's Assistant for Scene Study and Improv classes; he has produced and directed his own shows, and was most recently the Assistant Director for The Crucible at the Randolph Academy. Lee has also worked as a Dancer and Choreographer for various live performances, concerts and music videos.
TRACY HOVEY,
Producer
This is Tracy's second production for Alumnae, having previously served as Producer for last years Perfect Pie. She has also performed on stage as Julie in Death to Dating, served as director and performed the role of Cooper in Selling Out in the Nuit Blanche performance of 365 Days/365 Plays and most recently read the role of Barrista #1 in Getting It as part of this years Write Now competition. Additional behind the scenes work includes serving as a Production Manager during the 2006 New Ideas Festival and Stage Manager for I Was Thinking of Something.
ELISABETH WESTBERG,
Stage Manager
The day after receiving her BFA in Theatre from Concordia University, Elisabeth got married and promptly moved to England, where she spent four years using her theatrical training as a corporate sales administrator. Still married, Elisabeth moved back to Toronto in June and found herself stage managing Birdtown & Swanvilles 36 Little Plays about Hopeless Girls. Unlike corporate sales, she has found stage managing a most rewarding experience.
REBECCA ZARETSKY,
Assistant Stage Manager
Rebecca recently completed a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree at McMaster University in Theatre and Film Studies. She is using this year to gain theatre experience outside of the university setting. Working on this show has been a pleasure and she has loved getting to know the talented cast and crew.
MARYSIA BUCHOLC,
Set Designer
This is Marysia's first time working for Alumnae Theatre. She mainly divides her time among her three teenagers, the recording of books for the CNIB library, and the design and creation of stained glass windows. Her last set design was for Theaturtle's Kafka and Son, for which she received a Dora nomination.
JAMIE SAMPLE,
Lighting Design
Jamie Sample is extremely excited to be working with Alumnae Theatre. Jamie is currently employed doing various freelance projects in Technical Theatre. His Lighting Design credits include: Trying (New Stages Peterborough), Passion of Dracula (Mayfield Secondary), Fefu and Her Friends (University College Drama Program) and Dutchman (Theatre Symbiosis).
MEGAN BENJAFIELD,
Sound Designer
Megan Benjafield is both a violinist and a vocalist. With an extensive professional performing background, she has now started to place herself behind the scenes writing for both film and stage. Her work has been heard in independent film in Toronto (Jade in the Fourth of July) as well as the Toronto Fringe Festival (Cabin Fever, the urbanFarm Show). She is excited about this, her first opportunity to work with both Lee Poulin and Alumnae Theatre.
ALUMNAE THEATRE COMPANY
70 Berkeley Street
Toronto, Ontario • M5A 2W6
Phone: 416-364-4170
Email: contactus@alumnaetheatre.com
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