The Maw Broon Monologues Programme

The Maw Broon Monologues by jackie kay A GLASGAY! COMMISSION & WORLD PREMIERE TRON THEATRE 3-8 NOV ‘09 Sponsored by Unison & in association with Sunday Herald

Cast Maw

Terry Neason

Brune Suzanne Bonnar Daphne Tom Urie Directed by Maggie Kinloch Composer/MD.......Tom Urie Associate MD........Alan Penman

But Maw Broon and her doppelganger are not so sure.

Maw Broon, in these hilarious and riotous monologues, is having a mid-life crisis and has lost her way. She goes in search of happiness, visits a therapist, tries colonic irrigation, goes Green, reads Tolstoy, goes on Britain’s Got Talent – she even meets Gordon Broon - but she’s still not happy.

Choreography........Rosina Bonsu Design.................Robin Peoples Lighting...............Grant Anderson Costumes.............Holly Hodgart Set......................Andrew Wilson Wardrobe.............Liz Boulton Production/SM.....Alun Wright Scenic artists.......Suzi Potts ...........and Marianne Pritchard Stage carpenters....Scott Bisset ................and Gwynfor Davies

In these funny, searching, politically astute monologues Scotland’s first woman, Maw Broon, receives a makeover for the twenty first century. As we follow her quest for happiness, her trials adventures and new discoveries, Maw Broon holds a mirror up to herself, and to us. Featuring a fabulous score specially written

by Tom Urie, these monologues might also be called, Maw Broon: The Musical!

Produced by Steven Thomson

Biographies ‘Scotland’s happy family makes every family happy.’

Jackie Kay was born and brought up in Scotland. She has published five collections of poetry for adults – THE ADOPTION PAPERS (winner of a Forward Prize, a Saltire Award and a Scottish Arts Council Book Award.)

OTHER LOVERS (which won the Somerset Maugham Award) and OFF COLOUR shortlisted for the 1999 TS Eliot Award. LIFE MASK and DARLING, New and Selected Poems (both Poetry Book Society Recommendations.)

Her first novel, TRUMPET (Picador, 1998) won the Guardian Fiction Prize, a Scottish Arts Council Book Award and The Author’s Club First Novel Award.

It was also on the shortlist for the IMPAC award.

Her new collection of short stories, WISH I WAS HERE won the Decibel Writer of the Year award. She is a fellow of The Royal Society of Literature.

She is Professor of Creative Writing at Newcastle University.

Her new collection of poetry for children, RED, CHERRY RED was published by Bloomsbury and won the CLPE award in 2008. THE LAMPLIGHTER, the play she wrote for the BBC to commemorate the abolition of the slave trade has just been published. Her memoir RED DUST ROAD will be published next year by Picador. She lives in Manchester with her son.

She was awarded an MBE in 2006.

Terry Neason Terry’s performing career began with highly popular 7:84 and Wildcat Stage Productions. She won critical acclaim, playing the legendary French singer, Edith Piaf and hosted her own television series, for STV; The Terry Neason Show. Other highlights: ‘Anna’ opposite Iain MacDiarmid in The Government Inspector at The Almeida.

‘Top Dog’ opposite Paul O’Grady in Cell Block ‘H’ the Musical, London’s West End. Winning a Herald Angel Award at the Edinburgh Fringe and touring internationally with her music/ comedy shows, in Europe, Canada and Singapore. Terry runs her own Personal Impact and Communication Training business, TLC Powertalk. www.tlcpowertalk.com Suzanne Bonnar Suzanne Bonnar first hit the headlines in 1991 with the BBC Forty Minutes programme, Fly Me To Dunoon. Since then, Suzanne has sung in solo and ensemble performances and acted in a variety of media, fact based, and drama productions on STV, Channel 4, and the BBC, her most recent role being Lola in River City. Suzanne has also appeared in numerous award winning theatre productions at the Edinburgh Festival. Suzanne’s theatre career started over 20 years ago at the Tron with a one woman show about the life and music of Billie Holiday. She is delighted to be back at the Tron as Scotland’s first lady in The Maw Broon Monologues.

Tom Urie Tom Urie studied rock music at Perth College. He has worked extensively in the music industry as a writer, producer, musician and singer, working with artists such as Horse, Runrig, BA Robertson, Carol Laula and Mylo. He is now proud to add Suzanne Bonnar and Terry Neason to that list. Tom is a founder member and musical director of “The Gospel Truth Choir,” who scored a Scottish Number One single last year with the Children In Need song “We Have A Dream.” Theatre credits include Tutti Frutti (NTS), Sweet Home Balmaha, Velvet Love and Maria Of My Soul (Oran Mor). TV work includes The Karen Dunbar Show, Empty, Still Game, Chewin The Fat, Only An Excuse, and the new Paul Whitehouse comedy series Down The Line, all for the BBC. Tom is, by day, currently filming as a new character in River City for the BBC, which is why Daphne has a beard.

Maggie Kinloch (Director) Maggie is Vice Principal of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

Since the mid-nineties she has worked at a senior level in Higher Education training of theatre practitioners, both nationally and internationally, prior to which she was Artistic Director of the Byre Theatre in St. Andrews. She has also worked as a director across Scotland and in London. She is a founding Board Member of the National Theatre of Scotland, A director of the European League of Institutes of the Arts, and is currently Chair of Glasgay!.

Maggie has been a fan of Maw Broon since she was five and of Jackie Kay since she was fifty!

Alan Penman (Associate M.D.) Alan has worked as a musical director and composer in Scottish theatre for 20 years, most recently for the National Theatre, Edinburgh Royal Lyceum, Perth Theatre and Stirling’s Macrobert Centre. He also has a large output of work for children and young people including short operas for Scottish Opera, such as Fever! and Revolution!

Recent television work includes 4 series for BBC Alba, CITV and STV, and he was composer and presenter for 10 series of the BBC’s What? Where?

When? Why? Rosina Bonsu (Choreography) Recent choreography includes Tam O’Shanter (Hopscotch), Grub’s Up (Giant Productions), Rainforest Reunion (East Renfrewshire schools), The Wannabe (Muscato Youth Choir, Namibia). Rosina also teaches yoga for RSAMD, contemporary dance for Reid Kerr College and a programme of exercise and dance classes in Glasgow’s West End. She came to Glasgow in 1984 as Artistic Director of Scottish Ballet’s Steps Out, then became dancer in residence for Renfrewshire Dance Project and was the founder director of The Dance House, national dance agency. As a freelance dance artist Rosina has taught in a variety of educational settings, choreographed and performed at a range of venues and companies, nationally and internationally.

Robin Peoples (Designer) From Derry/Londonderry, depending on your tribal inclinations. Graduate of University of St Andrews. Taught at University of Erlangen-Nurnberg, Germany. Holder of first SAC Director’s Bursary. Former Artistic Director of Scottish Youth Theatre and of Brunton

Theatre. He has designed and directed with many companies in Scotland and beyond. His current productions include Zorro (Traverse and Visible Fictions), Sleeping Beauty (Paisley).

Alun Wright (Production Manager) Alun Wright studied at the RSAMD and subsequently worked at the Citizens’ Theatre. He recently returned to the UK after a 25 year absence and is delighted to be back working in his native city.

Grant Anderson (Lighting) Grant Anderson is currently studying Lighting Design at The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

His portfolio ranges from musical theatre and cabaret to architecture, club and drama lighting. Having just finished MacPherson’s Rant in Edinburgh he looks forward to lighting another premiere in The Maw Broon Monologues.

Holly Hodgart (Costumes) Holly Hodgart is currently in her third year at the RSAMD studying Costume and Set Design. Exposed to theatre at a young age, she can’t imagine doing anything else. Having thoroughly enjoyed working on The Maw Broon Monologues she is now looking forward to starting her next project, The Three Sisters at the Citizens’ in March.

Andrew Wilson (Set) Andrew has been involved in art and design for several years now. Originally training as a graphic designer he is now focusing on stage design where he is combining his artistic skills with his passion for theatre. He is currently studying at the RSAMD in Glasgow.

His next project is assistant designer for War and Peace at the Theatre Royal.

Liz Boulton (Wardrobe) Liz has worked in costume since 1992. Her last work with Glasgay was with MCT on Molly’s Collar and Tie. She has worked for Scottish Ballet, Scottish Opera and National Theatre of Scotland. Her work with Visible Fictions has played Broadway and Sydney Opera House. Liz spent the summer at the Banff Centre in Canada.

Thanks Tron Theatre, The Arches, RSAMD, Perth Theatre Company and Theatre Babel, Citizens’ Theatre, Jim Boulton, Pamela Lau, GXL Discos.

Glasgay!

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