A Pretty Girl

Laura Ross, Briana Buckmaster David Cooper Photography

Mark DuMez Artistic Director

September 13 to 28, 2013 Vancouver

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Director and Set Designer

Lighting & Projection Designer

Costume Designer Sound Designer

Stage Manager

Mark DuMez

Norma Bowen Susan Coodin Masae Day Luisa Jojic Harry Nelken Kirk Smith

Mama Rose Weiss Hanna Lusia Pechenik Mordechai Weiss Duvid Pechenik

Conor Moore Norma Bowen Paul Tedeschini David Baughan

PROLOGUE: 1876 in a small Polish village SETTING: March 1946 in New York City, West Side INTERMISSION: There will be one twenty minute intermission.

Presented with the generous assistance of:

The Chemainus Theatre Festival engages, under the terms of the Independent Theatre Agreement, professional Artists who are members of the Canadian Actors’ Equity Association. The Chemainus Theatre Festival acknowledges the support of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association and its members.

The videotaping or other video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited.

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Message from the Managing Director

Director’s Notes

There are lots of reasons to get out and attend live theatre – be entertained, challenged, spend time with friends, etc.

However there’s another compelling reason you’re likely not aware of.

In her Playwright’s Notes, Barbara Lebow is very specific about some of the elements of this gorgeous play. She wants to avoid “any temptation to play tragedy, sentiment or melodrama….”The characters should be perceived”, she continues, “as members of a family who cannot communicate.

They do not know the Holocaust is behind them.”

Randal Huber

Mark DuMez

According to a study just released by Canadian research firm, Hill Strategies, theatre is quite simply good for you.

She has written a play that weaves memory, fantasy and reality through simple changes of light and sound. It is a work that confronts difficult and puzzling times – and provokes feelings in me of the colossal power hope through despair and of of inner beauty and strength rising from carnage. the human spirit Through the eyes of Rose and Lusia, Mordechai and the others, we are asked to examine our own relationships with our family – our embedded longing for parental love, the ramifications of principles and the choices left to make when only pieces might remain.

Their study focused on the personal wellbeing of Canadians and connections to cultural activities (I’ll focus on the component). Here’s what they Theatre is theatre found: Theatre goers have a 32% greater quite simply likelihood of being in very good or good for you excellent health over non-attendees.

They are 2.29 times more likely to have volunteered over the past year, and are 30% more likely to report strong satisfaction with life than non-theatre folk.

Well, believe it or not 2014 is around the corner and we’ve launched our season ticket campaign for Chemainus Theatre’s 22nd full season of live theatre. You can now renew your season ticket subscription or jump on board for the first time.

I am the father of two pretty girls. This is a great privilege and responsibility. I am grateful that this play and the dedication of the performers on our stage continues to move and stir in me a curiosity for, and greater understanding of, love that draws a family together. I am thankful for this play – its texture, intuition, reverence, rage and exploration of the colossal power of inner beauty and the human spirit. I hope you will enjoy the show.

Purchase season tickets and be guaranteed the best seats in the house at amazingly affordable prices. Live theatre is engaging, entertaining, challenging and a natural tonic for the stress of everyday life.

Live theatre – it’s good for you.

For ALL your petroleum needs.

MID ISLAND CO-OP Proud Supporter of the Chemainus Theatre For All Your Petroleum & Convenience Store Needs!

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MARK DUMEZ Director & Set Designer Mark is a proud resident of Vancouver Island and has enjoyed directing Delicious Lies, Harvest, The 39 Steps and Amadeus for Chemainus Theatre Festival. Other favourites include: A Christmas Carol, Strindberg’s Easter, Anne, Mr. Pim Passes By and Pet the Fish. He has collaborated with companies including Theatre X, Pacific Theatre and TheatreOne in development of over a dozen new plays.

Favourite acting credits include: Mass Appeal, Enchanted April, Queen Milli of Galt and Streetcar Named Desire.

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David Baughan Stage Manager

Luisa Jojic Lusia Pechenik

Born in England, David is a theatre stage manager, lighting designer, author and photographer. Stage management credits in BC include numerous productions for TheatreOne (Nanaimo), Graffiti Theatre (Salt Spring Island) and Chemainus Theatre Festival. David is pleased to return to Chemainus where he has already stage managed over 30 productions. Many of David’s photographs are held in the Musée national d’art moderne collection in Paris.

Last seen here in All Shook Up and Chickens, Luisa is very happy to be returning to the Chemainus stage and honoured to be telling this story with such a wonderful cast and crew. Look for her next in a remount of Boeing Boeing with the Arts Club, followed by Blackbird Theatre’s production of Uncle Vanya. Huge gratitude to my family, friends, creative collaborators, and to you, our audience. This show is dedicated to the voices of the Holocaust that did not live to share their story. www.luisajojic.com

Norma Bowen Mama & Costume Designer

Conor Moore Lighting & Projection Designer

As an associate artist with Chemainus Theatre Festival, Norma has costumed or performed in more than 40 shows over the last ten years. Favourite design credits include: Amadeus, A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline, The Miracle Worker, and A Streetcar Named Desire. Norma has also costumed shows for TheatreOne, Carousel, Theatre North West and Studio 58 (of which she is a graduate).

Conor Moore is a lighting, set, and projection designer with an MFA in design from UBC. Previous credits include: Countryside Christmas, Gifts of the Magi, Delicious Lies, and Munsch To Say! (Chemainus Theatre Festival), La Boheme (Vancouver Opera), Senora Carrara’s Rifles and Fourplay (Shaw Festival), Gunmetal Blues (Vancouver Playhouse), Hamlet, Falstaff, Henry VI, and Richard III (Bard on the Beach), The Patron Saint of Stanley Park (Arts Club Theatre). He is a member of the Associated Designers of Canada. www.conormooredesign.ca

Susan Coodin Rose Weiss

Harry Nelken Mordechai Weiss

Susan is so pleased to be back on this stage with this beautiful show. She was last seen here in Munsch to Say! Previous Chemainus Theatre credits: Steel Magnolias, Wilde Holiday Shorts and Anne. Other selected credits: Arthur, Boy King (Carousel); Macbeth and The Taming of the Shrew (Bard on the Beach); Wired (Green Thumb); and Brighton Beach Memoirs (Gateway). Susan lives in Vancouver and is a graduate of Studio 58.

Chemainus Theatre Festival credits: The Sunshine Boys. Other Theatre credits (selected): Other People’s Money, Glengarry Glen Ross, The Homecoming (MTC); The Dishwashers, The Stone Angel, Cold Comfort, The Chinese Man Said Goodbye (PTE); The Stone Angel (PTE/NAC); Einstein’s Gift, Lenin’s Embalmers (WJT); The Sisters Rosensweig (TC); The Hobbit (MTYP, ATP); Hamlet, Merchant of Venice (SIR). Upcoming: Harvey and The Seagull (MTC). With love for my mother, father, their families, and mine.

Masae Day Hanna

Kirk Smith Duvid Pechenik

This is Masae’s first performance in Chemainus and she is very happy to be working in such a lovely place with such talented people. Recent credits: Balm in Gilead, Spring Awakening, The Government Inspector, Attempts on Her Life (Studio 58); The Great Divorce (Pacific Theatre). As a musician, she has also appeared in The Tempest (Bard on the Beach) and Seussical (Carousel Theatre). Masae is a graduate of Studio 58, and holds a BMus from UVic.

Kirk previously appeared in Chemainus in Noises Off. He is glad to be back working with this wonderful team, and he is grateful not to have to fall down any stairs this time.

Other credits include Boeing Boeing (The Thousand Islands Playhouse); Fiddler on the Roof (Western Canada Theatre); The Importance of Being Earnest (Persephone Theatre/WCT); Romeo & Juliet, The Compleat Works of Wllm Shkspr, The Rocky Horror Show (Project X); History Boys (Arts Club).

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Paul Tedeschini Sound Designer Paul is a sound designer, as well as a full time mixing and mastering audio engineer. Recent sound design credits include: Buddy-The Buddy Holly Story, The Gifts of the Magi, Chickens (Chemainus Theatre Festival); Noises Off (Chemainus Theatre Festival/Western Canada Theatre); Fresco (Shadbolt Centre/The Cultch), Circle Mirror Transformation (Arts Club Theatre). Live mix credits include Liona Boyd, Sheri Ulrich, Barney Bentall, Tom Taylor and John Gogo.

In A Pretty Girl – A Shayna Maidel (Yiddish) the consequences of one innocent decision changes the course of a family’s life forever. After many years of separation, A Collision of Polish sisters vastly different Lusia and worlds Rayzel “Rose” Weiss have reunited in a collision of vastly different worlds. Amid the chaos of becoming reacquainted, each girl struggles to honour her past and live for the future.

The story begins 20 years after scarlet fever, the Depression, and World War II divided their family between Holocaustseized Poland and sheltered New York.

Meeting now as grown-ups in midcentury Manhattan, they share little in common beyond their fragile bloodline.

As sudden roommates, strong-willed Lusia and selfish Rose endeavour to rise above their obvious differences by confronting unexpected family truths, revealing scars of their past, and dealing with their domineering father’s relentless guilt.

Though many of her dearest allies are now Lusia’s Everyday decisions gone, imaginary can have enduring conversations consequences with her Mama, childhood friend Hanna, and lost love Duvid help her cope with her new life

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in America. Exploring her surroundings and her past, she discovers how seemingly minor, everyday decisions can have enduring consequences.

This 1986 play by Barbara Lebow is more than a typical work of dramatic theatre.

A Pretty Girl moves through time, reality and fantasy Reality tells a to tell a beautiful story of beautiful tragedy and hope story of tragedy and hope. It is a touching play that calls on audiences to consider their perception of inner and outer beauty, and the tenacity of the human spirit.

In addition to her own writing, Barbara Lebow facilitates play creation with disenfranchised segments of the population including homeless and addicted individuals, youth at risk, developmentally and physically disabled persons, women in prison, and, most recently, residents of the Probation Department’s Los Prietos Boys Camp/ Academy in Santa Barbara, CA. Now a playwright in residence at the Professional Artists Lab at UCSB, she has received a grant from the Fund for Santa Barbara, a Guggenheim Fellowship, a TCG/Pew Theatre Artists Residency, an NEA/TCG Residency, an Atlanta Mayor’s Fellowship in the Arts, and a Georgia Governor’s Award in the Arts.

Theatre

Getaway

2013 Donors

THANK YOU

to the following sponsors for supporting the arts in our community

September 18, 2012 to August 6 2013 It’s a Small World Bed & Breakfast John Krich Jenny Matechuk Faye Norie Bob & Wref O’Hara Dr. Ken Phelps Inc Stuart & Sharon Price Barrie & Lorie Rogers Don & Nola Scott Louis Seidel Betty Short Liz & Fred Simonson Michael T. & Patricia Smith Dawn Snell

$5000+ Ken & Ruth Smith

$1000+

Bruce & Louise Adamson Neil Burn & Maisie Barnett Alister Chilton Arthur & Catherine Collins Clair & Valerie Davies Colin & Anne Dobell Roz & Ian Doge Laverne & Arlene Erickson Thomas & Mary Gilmour Jen Glen & Albert Hill Gordon & Maxine Lowick Richard & Adina Mooney David & Ingelise Pollock Manly Price Robert & Isabel Vroom

$250+

$500+

Les & Lynne Aldcroft Garth Decker & Jen Forrest Marguerite Friesen Mike & Teresa Hleck

Vern & Rosealine Begalke Fred & Marg Birkenhead Richard & Brenda Bond Mike & Ann Bonkowski Richard & Lynne Bowen Bernadette & Ted Brown Fred Brown John & Heike Crane

Mark & Erin DuMez Tim & Karla Erickson Jim & Eileen Godkin Glen Hammond Randal & Rebecca Huber Charlotte Hynes Gordon & Linda Jones Arlene Juby Bob & Lila Keith Rita Koenen Barkley Logan Malcolm & Karen MacLeod Jeremy & Rose Martin Bob & Mag Moeller Pat & Linda H. Moore Hugh & Anne Morrison Andrew Pickard Edwin & Carmen Pitcher Maria Ridewood Betty Scully Donalda Smith Barry Sparkes Alex & Carol Stewart Stan & Hazel Wilkes

LEAD SPONSORS

CO–SPONSORS

SUPPORTING ROLE SPONSORS

Chemainus Theatre Festival’s

HALLOWEEN COSTUME PARTY Join us for a special Halloween dinner and performance of

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Lake Cowichan Eyecare

MEDIA SPONSORS

GOVERNMENT & FOUNDATION SPONSORS

October 31, 2013

Vancouver

South Cowichan Eyecare Chemainus Family Eyecare

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chemainus theatre festival staff

Artistic Associate Norma Bowen Accounts Payable/Payroll Patti Bray* Executive Sous Chef Valerie Butler*

Asst. Props/Production Coord. Victoria Caldwell* Accounting Diana Carter

Accountant Eric Douglas

Wardrobe Lead Hand Mary Downes*

Artistic Director Mark DuMez*

Props Coordinator/Carpenter Peter Gunstone* Head of Wardrobe Crystal Hanson*

Head Carpenter Chad Hartel*

Scenic Painter Jennifer Hedge

Gallery Manager Nancy Hendry*

Executive Chef Stephen Hewson*

House Technician Craig Hooper*

Managing Director Randal Huber*

Facilities & IT Manager Damion Knight*

Production Manager Nicole Lamb*

House Manager Johnny Lee*

Development Coord. Anita Morrill*

Apprentice Stage Manager Skylar Nakazawa Education Coordinator Nicolle Nattrass

Groups Booking Coordinator Rhea Primrose* Maintenance Volunteer Doug Sanders

Box Office Manager Andrea Starr*

Head Ticket Agent Cindy Thomson*

Marketing Manager Michelle Vogelgesang*

Admin/Marketing Asst. Natalie Wagar*

Dining Room Manager Terry Williams*

Front of House Coordinators: Claire Friedrich, Mya Wilson

Volunteer Seamstresses: Louise Adamson, Marion Calwell, Susan Cummins, Norma Dirom, Rosemary Grant, Myrt Knight, Michelle Lieffertz, Geri Seinen, Louella Spindler, Dena Van Barneveld Men’s Hair: Doc the Barber Women’s Hair: Urban Legends Carpenters: Dwayne Antoine, Philip Holmes Lighting Crew: Luanna Bowen, Jackson Buchanan, Tammy Elliott, Bibi Pederson

VOLUNTEER BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHEMAINUS THEATRE FESTIVAL SOCIETY

President Pat Moore – Ladysmith, BC Vice President Mike Skene – Cobble Hill, BC Treasurer Maria Ridewood – Duncan, BC Secretary Jeremy Martin – Victoria, BC CHEMAINUS THEATRE FOUNDATION

President David Pink – Cobble Hill, BC Vice President Jenny Matechuk – Victoria, BC Treasurer Eileen Godkin – Ladysmith, BC Secretary Jeremy Martin – Victoria, BC Directors

LaVerne Erickson – Founder – Rosebud, AB Tim Erickson – Honeymoon Bay, BC Ken Smith – Founder – Vancouver, BC

Maintenance: Maryjane Kary, Johannah Knight,

THANK YOU!

Ticket Agents: Sandra Dawson, Carla Harman,

Willow Antique Mall, Highway Antique Emporium, Post Office Antiques, Cim MacDonald, Sharon Love, Rochelle Zucker

Don Smyth, Julianne Payne

Christine Lautsch, Marylue Morgan, Karen Sharanowski

Gallery Assistants: Christine Allan, Amy Ankersmit, Gloria Bernard, Nancy Lundrigan, Susan Lumholst-Smith Playbill Staff: George Aleck, Alicia Allan,Tyler Armstrong,

*Denotes full time employee. All others are part time, casual or contract employees.

Megan Austerman, Mike Beggs, Judith Buckley, Ashton Butler, Johnny Clark, Anthony DeFeo, Cory Dewar, Janie Dyson, Stephen Friesen*, Ashley Heyes, Heather Irwin, Ashley Lowery, Kelly McPherson*, Victoria Morgan, Pat Ormond*, James Sagriff, Talietha Sangha, Cassandra Scott*, Melissa Sherman, Dylan Slee, Megan Slee, James Sware, Brittany Stubbington, Coulton Turcotte

Playbill Pianists: Bernadette Brown, Dwight Siemens

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from the play by

Katie Murphy, Ian Butcher David Cooper Photography

Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston

October 11 – November 9

Mystery/Drama

The original Twilight. Before The Vampire Chronicles – there was Dracula.

A soul thirsts for peace in this mother of all mysteries as the Count journeys from this gloomy Transylvanian castle to the bustling streets of London, leaving mystery and deception in his seductive wake.

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“An evening of high class fun.” – Newsweek “Pure escape and great fun.” – New York Post

It’s a Wonderful Life

A new musical adaption

by Peter Jorgensen Based on the Frank Capra film and the original story by Philip Van Doren Stern

Enjoy this holiday tradition with your family this season!

November 22 to December 23 Ridley, Jesse Martyn, Samantha Currie, Ruby David Cooper Photography, James A Glen Design