887
WRITTEN, DESIGNED, DIRECTED AND PERFORMED BY
ROBERT LEPAGE
AN EX MACHINA PRODUCTION PRESENTED BY CANADIAN STAGE
MAY 3 - 12 BLUMA APPEL THEATRE
E N G LIS H TR AN S L ATIO N
TO U R MANAG E R
LOUISA BLAIR
SAMUEL SAUVAGEAU
CR E ATIVE DI R EC TIO N AN D D E S IG N
TECH N IC AL DI R EC TO R-TO U RI N G
STEVE BLANCHET
JEANNE GOSSELIN
D R AMATU RG
STAG E MANAG E R
PEDER BJURMAN
NADIA BÉLANGER
A SS ISTANT DI R EC TO R
SO U N D MANAG E R
ADÈLE SAINT-AMAND
OLIVIER MARCIL
CO M P OS E R AN D SO U N D D E S IG N E R
LIG HTI N G MANAG E R
JEAN-SÉBASTIEN CÔTÉ
NICOLAS BOUDREAU
LIG HTI N G D E S IG N E R
VI D EO MANAG E R
LAURENT ROUTHIER
DOMINIQUE HAWRY
I MAG E D E S IG N E R
COSTUMES & PROPERTIES MANAGER
FÉLIX FRADET-FAGUY
ISABEL POULIN
A SSOCIATE S E T D E S IG N E R
H E AD STAG E HAN D
SYLVAIN DÉCARIE
CHLOÉ BLANCHET
A SSOCIATE PRO PE RTI E S D E S IG N E R
M U LTI M E DIA I NTEG R ATIO N
ARIANE SAUVÉ
NICOLAS DOSTIE
A SSOCIATE COSTU M E S D E S IG N E R
TECH N IC AL CO N SU LTANTS
JEANNE LAPIERRE PRO DU C TIO N MANAG E R
CATHERINE GUAY TOBIE HORSWILL
MARIE-PIERRE GAGNÉ
AC TI N G CO N SU LTANT
PRO DU C TIO N A SS ISTANT
- CR E ATIVE PROCE SS
VÉRONIQUE ST-JACQUES
REDA GUERINIK
TECH N IC AL DI R EC TO R
DI R EC TO R ’ S AG E NT
PAUL BOURQUE
LYNDA BEAULIEU
SEASON SPONSOR
This production is generously underwritten by SYLVIA SOYKA
THIS PRODUCTION RUNS APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS 15 MINUTES WITH NO INTERMISSION
ADDITIONAL POEM
ADDITIONAL MUSIC
Speak White, poem © Michèle Lalonde 1968, used with permission of Michèle Lalonde.
Mer Morte (Jean-Guy Cossette, Gilles Morissette) Éditions Densta and Macadam Cow-Girl Performed by Arthur et les Jaguars, used with permission of Disques Mérite.
Michèle Lalonde’s poem is a dramatic direct response to the famous Speak White slogan, formerly used on North American plantations to command slaves to speak at all times the language of their white masters. This same expression was later used to urge Frenchspeaking Canadians to speak English and remind them of their inferiority or subordinate position.
ADDITIONAL IMAGES Photo Donald Gordon (MSTC/Collection CN:X-40842) - used with permission of the Canada Science and Technology Museum. View of the taking of Québec on 13th September 1759 (Hervey Smith 1797). Public domain. James Murray (unknown artist, 1770) public domain. Portrait of Major-General James Wolfe (1727-1759) Attributed to Joseph Highmore. Public domain. Excerpts from the film Hôtel-Château. Used with the permission of the National Film Board of Canada. Excerpts from a film report “Le Samedi de la matraque”. Used with the permission of RadioCanada Archives. Images of John F. Kennedy assassination from Zapruder Film © 1967 (Renewed 1995). The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza.
Bang Bang (My baby shot me down) (Written by Sonny Bono) © Cotillon Music Inc and Chris-Marc Music Performed by Nancy Sinatra, used with permission of Boots Enterprises Inc. Bang Bang (My baby shot me down) (Written by Sonny Bono) © Cotillon Music Inc and Chris-Marc Music. Performed by Claire Lepage, used with permission of Disques Mérite. Mood Indigo (Edward Kennedy Ellington, Irving Mills, Albany Bigard) Performed by Henry Mancini and his Orchestra ℗ 1960, used with permision of SONY/ATV Music Publishing and Songwriters Guild of America for Indigo Mood. Leavin’ on your mind (Michael Webb Pierce, Wayne P Walker) Universal songs of Polygram Intl Inc - Performed by Patsy Cline, used with permission of Universal Music Publishing Canada. Nocturne no. 1 in C minor opus 48 (Frederic Chopin) Performed by Martin Gauthier. Menuet no. 2 (Jean-Sébastien Bach) Arrangements by Gabriel Thibaudeau. Performed by Gabriel Thibaudeau and Denis Chabot.
PRODUCER FOR EX MACHINA Michel Bernatchez (assisted by Vanessa Landry-Claverie and Valérie Lambert) ASSOCIATE PRODUCTION - EUROPE, JAPAN Epidemic (Richard Castelli, assisted by Chara Skiadelli, Florence Berthaud et Claire Dugot) ASSOCIATE PRODUCTION - THE AMERICAS, ASIA (EXCEPT JAPAN), AUSTRALIA, NZ Menno Plukker Theatre Agent (Menno Plukker, assisted by Dominique Sarrazin, Isaïe Richard and Magdalena Marszalek) An Ex Machina production commissioned by the Arts and Culture Program of the Toronto 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games in co-production with le lieu unique, Nantes, La Comète - Scène nationale de Châlons-en-Champagne, Edinburgh International Festival, Århus Festuge, Théâtre de la Ville-Paris, Festival d’Automne à Paris, Romaeuropa Festival 2015, Bonlieu Scène nationale Annecy, Ysarca Art Promotions - Pilar de Yzaguirre, Célestins, Théâtre de Lyon, SFU Woodward’s Cultural Programs, on the occasion of Simon Fraser University’s 50th Anniversary, Vancouver, Le Théâtre français / English Theatre - Centre national des Arts d’Ottawa,l Le Théâtre du Nouveau Monde, Montréal, Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre, Théâtre du Trident, Québec, La Coursive - Scène nationale La Rochelle, Canadian Stage, Toronto, Le Volcan-scène nationale du Havre, The Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York, The Bergen International Festival, the Barbican, London, Holland Festival, Amsterdam, Chekhov International Theatre Festival, Moscow, Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg, La Comédie de Clermont-Ferrand, scène nationale, Onassis Cultural Centre - Athens, Théâtre de Liège, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, Cal Performances, Berkeley, Performas Produções, São Paulo, National Performing Arts Center, Kaohsiung, Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Winnipeg, Hong Kong Arts Festival, Hong Kong. EX MACHINA is funded by the Canada Council for the Arts, Quebec’s Arts and Literature Council and the City of Quebec
CREATOR’S NOTE The themes of memory and theatre have always been closely connected, primarily because theatre is probably the form of expression that best embodies collective memory. The proof is that, throughout history, the first thing a totalitarian regime does to ensure the eradication of a culture is to burn the books—an act that’s usually followed by killing the singers, the storytellers and the actors who carry the living memory of songs, poems and theatrical works. In a more pragmatic way, memory is strongly tied to theatre because those practicing it must put a lot of effort into memorization. When an actor makes his or her first onstage debut, aren’t the first comments after the premiere usually “You’ve got a great memory!” or “How did you learn all those lines?” So it’s normal that cognitive decline and dementia are themes that are, at the very least, troubling for an actor. I never would have guessed that the exploration of personal memory I embarked on to create this show would lead me to the complexities of the class struggle and identity crisis of 1960s-era Quebec. It’s as though the most distant memories of personal events are incomplete if they don’t take into account the social context in which they happened. This show is, therefore, not the discourse of an adult promoting a cause but rather a journey into a preadolescent’s memory, where the political and the poetic are often conflated. 887 is, for me, a humble attempt to delve into a history with a small “h” to better understand the one with the big “H.”
photo: Erick Labbé
ROBERT LEPAGE
ROBERT LEPAGE
LOUISA BLAIR
STEVE BLANCHET
PEDER BJURMAN
ADÈLE SAINT-AMAN
JEAN-SÉBASTIEN CÔTÉ
LAURENT ROUTHIER
FÉLIX FRADET-FAGUY
SYLVAIN DÉCARIE
ARIANE SAUVÉ
JEANNE LAPIERRE
MICHÈLE LALONDE
ROBERT LEPAGE Writer, Designer, Director, Performer Versatile in every form of theatre craft, Robert Lepage is equally talented as a director, playwright, actor and film director. His creative and original approach to theatre has won him international acclaim and shaken the dogma of classical stage direction to its foundations, especially through his use of new technologies. Among his most noticed work for the stage: Dragons’ Trilogy (1985), Needles and Opium (1991), The Far Side of The Moon (2000), The Andersen Project (2005), Lipsynch (2007), his solo performance 887 (2015) and his most recent production Quills (2016); his multimedia creations: The Image Mill (2008) and The Library at Night (2015); at the opera: The Damnation of Faust (1999), The Nightingale and other Short Fables (2009), Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen (2010) and L’Amour de loin (2015).
LOUISA BLAIR English Translation Louisa Blair is translator and writer who was born in Quebec City, Canada, raised in the UK, and returned to live in Québec 20 years ago. She has translated numerous books and museum exhibitions about history, culture and politics in Québec. She has also published short stories and dozens of articles about religion, health care, and Indigenous land rights in Canada. Her books in English include The Anglos: the Hidden Face of Québec City (Éditions Sylvain Harvey, 2005) and Iron Bars and Bookshelves: A History of the Morrin Centre (Baraka Books, 2016). On Sundays she sings in the church choir and on Tuesdays she plays piano at the pub.
STEVE BLANCHET Creative Director and Design Steve Blanchet began his collaboration with Ex Machina in 2005 with the creation of the architectural projection The Image Mill (2008). He then followed with the creation of 887, Robert Lepage’s most recent solo theatre show, and The
Library at Night, an immersive exhibition using virtual reality inspired by Alberto Manguel’s work, for which Steve Blanchet directed the creation and co-signed the design with Robert Lepage. In the past years, he has worked as creative director and designer for numerous productions, among which: Shakespeare’s Coriolanus at the Stratford Festival, Frame x Frame with The National Ballet of Canada, and Mozart’s The Magic Flute at the Québec’s Festival d’Opéra. His career is punctuated with various collaborations in numerous short films, shows, and publications.
PEDER BJURMAN Dramaturg Peder Bjurman (born 1966), director and scriptwriter, works in the field of visual theatre with his company The Missing Link based in Stockholm, Sweden. His first collaboration with Robert Lepage was in 1994 during A Dreamplay at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm. Bjurman also provided the original idea for The Far Side of the Moon, co-wrote The Andersen Project, and worked as dramaturg for the Playing Cards project.
ADÈLE SAINT-AMAND Assistant Director After finishing her training at the National Theatre School, Adèle joined the team of Théâtre Péril, where she worked with Christian Lapointe on numerous productions from 2005 to 2012. In 2008, she met Frédéric Dubois and worked with Théâtre des Fonds de tiroirs on all of their productions until 2014, in addition to serving as the company’s administrative assistant. She also has worked with other companies, including Théâtre Blanc, Nouveau Théâtre Expérimental, Théâtre L’Escaouette, Théâtre de la Vieille 17, and Théâtre du Trident. Since 2012, she has worked with Ex Machina on several occasions.
JEAN-SÉBASTIEN CÔTÉ Composer and Sound Designer Musician and sound designer JeanSébastien Côté wrote musical scores for several Quebec City theatre and
dance productions before joining Ex Machina on The Far Side of the Moon in 1999. Since then, he has worked regularly on the company’s projects, including The Andersen Project, La Celestina, The Dragons’ Trilogy, 1984, The Blue Dragon, Eonnagata, La Tempête, SPADES and HEARTS from the Playing Cards tetralogy, and the 2013 version of Needles and Opium. In between projects with Ex Machina, he has worked with various renowned Canadian directors such as Daniel Brooks, Wajdi Mouawad and François Girard.
LAURENT ROUTHIER Lighting Designer Laurent Routhier studied film and photography before specializing in lighting design for the stage. Over the years, he has designed the lighting for shows by artists such as Robert Lepage, Franco Dragone, as well as Michel Lemieux and Victor Pilon. He also was involved in the creation and tour of Délirium, Cirque du Soleil’s first arena show. In recent years, he has been focused on exploring different applications of video and lighting for creating scenic environments. Over the last several years, he has also worked as director of photography for television productions. More recently, he has been busy working on circus shows with Flip Fabrique, Mysteract and Cirque du Soleil.
FÉLIX FRADET-FAGUY Image Designer Video designer, 2D/3D designer, motion designer and videographer, Félix FradetFaguy joined the Ex Machina team when he was involved with the creation of the architectural projection The Image Mill for the 2011, 2012 and 2013 editions. He has also worked on projections for the 2014 Montreal Festival des Lumières and the 100th anniversary of the Calgary Stampede. He has created video content for corporate events, television shows, music shows, museum exhibitions and theatre productions, including the play Icare by Michel Lemieux and Victor Pilon.
SYLVAIN DÉCARIE Associate Set Designer Sylvain Décarie graduated with a degree in fine arts and founded the independent contemporary art gallery ROUJE in Quebec City in 1995. Passionate about this discipline, it was nevertheless through working as a scenic painter in different specialized studios that he developed an interest in sets. Between 2000 and 2008, Sylvain worked as a stage technician on several theatrical productions and films in Quebec and then became the technical director of Théâtre du Trident in 2009. For the last several years, Sylvain has been working primarily as an artistic director on film sets and as a designer for multifunctional sets for television. 887 marks a return to theatre and his first collaboration with Ex Machina.
ARIANE SAUVÉ Associate Props Designer Since graduating from the Conservatoire d’art dramatique de Québec in 2010, Ariane Sauvé has worked as a set and property designer. Over the last few seasons at Théâtre de la Bordée, she designed the sets and property for Félicité, The Impostures of Scapin, Feydeau and À toi pour toujours Marie Lou. She’s also known for the designs of L’Gros Show, Hotel Dieu at Théâtre Périscope, Venir au Monde and le vrai monde ? at theâtre du Trident. In 2015 she designed the property of 887 for Ex Machina. In 2018 she co designed Coriolanus with Robert Lepage for the Stratford Festival as well as Kanata for Le théâtre du Soleil. She also designed the circus set and property of Transit for Flip Fabrique.
JEANNE LAPIERRE Associate Costume Designer Since graduating from the Conservatoire d’art dramatique de Québec in 2004, Jeanne Lapierre has worked as costume and property designer on many shows in Montreal and Quebec. She has collaborated on several productions of Ex Machina, including serving as property designer for The Blue Dragon. She has also toured with this show as the costume and property manager.
C ANAD IAN STAG E S U P P O RTE RS AN N UAL F U N D We would like to thank the following individuals whose contributions to our annual fund help to sustain our ability to collaborate, innovate and create with cutting- edge artists from Canada and around the world.
AR TI S TI C D I R EC TO R ’ S CI RCLE UNDERWRITER $25,000+
DIRECTOR $10,000 -$24,999
Charles & Marilyn Baillie David W. Binet Susan Crocker, C.M. & John Hunkin John & Nancy Embry Ron Lalonde & Jane Humphreys Maureen & Roger Parkinson Rob & Penny Richards Sandra Simpson Sylvia Soyka The Henry White Kinnear Foundation The William and Nona Heaslip Foundation Anonymous (1)
Alexandra Baillie Adam Burke The William R. and Shirley Beatty Charitable Foundation Laura Dinner & Richard Rooney Jim Fleck Sheila Goldman Trina McQueen Shawn McReynolds & Elaine Kierans Sandra Pitblado & Jim Pitblado, C.M. Timothy & Frances Price Jim Riley & Nicole Sigouin Gretchen & Donald Ross Eli & Philip Taylor Julie, Peter & James in Memory of John David Wood
AR TI S TI C PATRO N S’ CI RCLE INNOVATOR $5,000 -$9,999 Kingfisher Foundation Huw Evans Brendan Healy Kathy Inch & Steve Simpson John Montesano
VISIONARY $2,000 -$4,999
Sara Angel & Dr. Michael Angel Rick Archbold & Rick Feldman Cathy Bateman Tony Baylis & Jacqueline Kirk Murray & Ellen Blankstein Gary Bryck & Renée Barrette Jennifer Bratty Margaret Craw & Trevor Lloyd
Dr. Roy Eappen Robert & Julia Foster Margaret Genovese Marvin Green Linda Glover Robert Henderson & Diana Burke Ken Hugessen & Jennifer Connolly Peter Lyman & Judith Moses David Lynch & Melanie Carino Gail MacNaughton In Memory of John MacNaughton Ronan McGrath & Sarah Perry Ian & Patti Milne Mr. Roger Moore David Nichols Elisa Nuyten & David Dime
Perry Orestes & Tim Giguere Penny Partridge Otto & Marie Pick Charitable Foundation Bryan Price Len & Vivian Racioppo Gabrielle M. R. Richards In Memory of John & Norma Rogers Lom & Michael Schelew Greg Sharp Jason Silzer Dennis & Denny Starritt Avery Swartz Doug & Gail Todgham Antoinette Tummillo & John Carter Carole Winberg
These listings are current as of April 3, 2019 and we have made every effort to ensure appropriate recognition. If, however, your name has been accidentally omitted, listed incorrectly or misspelled, we apologize in advance for the error. Please notify us at donate@canadianstage.com with any corrections.
AMBASSADOR $750 -$1,999 Jill E. Black & Barry Allan Marcia & Henry Blumberg Walter M. & Lisa Balfour Bowen Ernest & Barbara Balmer David & Patti Bragg Louise Cannon Paul & Jean Emond Edward Grady Mary & Arthur Heinmaa Peter Herrndorf & Eva Czigler Jane Hill Nancy Jain Edward & Ann Kerwin Ian & Dorothy MacDonald Robert Morassutti Alice Morgan Joanne Niblock & John Ozikizler Vanessa Pfaff Pat Siu Tai John van Nostrand & Kate Wilson David Young
ADVOCATE $250 -$749 Blaine Allan Jennifer Birmingham Clare Booker Vali Bennett David Clarry Lorena Chioran
Robert Cook Fern Daiter Professor Wayne Dowler Sandra Dudley John Duffy Ellen & Robert Eisenberg George Fallis Nikki Fraser Lorne Fox & Ken Marple In Memory of B. F. Gasmann Richard & Justine Giuliani Foundation Joel Greenberg & Phyllis Angel Sandra Greenfield Lyons Colin Gruchy Eric B. Hanbury Karen Heater Isabel Henniger Leslie Hope Susan & Richard Horner Orit & Raphael Hofstein In Memory of Gordon Jocelyn Matthew Jocelyn Rustam Juma Gerda Kaegi Diane & Jim King Pia Kleber In Memory of Jacqueline Kolber Adrian Lang & Ash Taylor Sheena Macdonald & Phil Schmitt Jo-Anne Mackie Delphine Milbrandt
Lee Milliken & Doug MacNaughton Ingrid Minott April Moon & Dickon Wallis James Moore Larry Moore Ms Susanne Palmer Jerry Patava Marilee Pinto Sanjiv Purba Georgia Quartaro Josephine Ridge Joy Rosen Glenna Ross Anthony Sargent & Caroline Gant Wong Savio Ivor Simmons Drew Sinclair Jane Southren Sandra & Daniel Sullivan Carol Strom Graham & Catherine Tobe Elizabeth Tory Tamara Trojanowska Dr. Paul Truelove Nick & Marg Walker Les & Ellen Wallace Martin Wasserman Ruth Watts Gransden Brent Whitby Dr. Blossom T. Wigdor, C.M. Greg Wilkie Susan Witteveen Irene Zaguskin Anonymous (3)
CIT Y B U I LD I N G @ C ANAD IAN STAG E CB@CS brings together members of Toronto’s building and corporate industries to enhance our city’s cultural legacy through the support of Toronto’s arts community. PRINCIPALS Castlepoint Numa Selkirk Investments SvN Architects and Planners Inc.
ASSOCIATES
Moriyama & Teshima
Boszko & Verity Inc. Hugh Clark CORE Architects LRI Engineering Inc.
Architects ONE Properties RAW Design Robin Simpson-McKay TAS Design
These listings are current as of April 3, 2019 and we have made every effort to ensure appropriate recognition. If, however, your name has been accidentally omitted, listed incorrectly or misspelled, we apologize in advance for the error. Please notify us at donate@canadianstage.com with any corrections.