vol 27 • no 5 mar/apr 2020
A Thousand Splendid Suns By Ursula
Rani Sarma
Based on the book by Khaled Hosseini
JOHN HIRSCH MAINSTAGE
This season’s playbill brings together inspiring stories for today – tales that reveal the courage of the human heart, the resilience of the spirit, and how we are all interconnected.
KELLY THORNTON ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
THE EARLY BIRD DEADLINE HAS PASSED FINAL DEADLINE APRIL 11! We invite you to renew your subscription while attending A Thousand Splendid Suns. SUBSCRIBE NOW TO SECURE YOUR SEATS! CALL 204 942 6537 or visit RoyalMTC.ca today.
MESSAGE FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR I am so proud to welcome you to Ursula Rani Sarma’s stage adaptation of A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. This enduring story shines a light on the strength and resilience of the women of Afghanistan and humanizes the lives of those who have been forced to live under the veil. The plight of Afghani women came into sharper focus after 9/11 but their rights and freedoms had evaporated far earlier than that, in the 1990s, as their world transformed from a progressive society to one which severely Kelly Thornton
limited, if not entirely obliterated, their personal autonomy. Hosseini’s novel pulls back the veil on
the individual plight of women, revealing the truth beneath the burqa. As we journey into the world of Mariam and Laila, we develop an intimate relationship with them as they attempt to survive their oppressive marriage to Rasheed. But what truly resonates is the sustaining power of their love as they forge an unlikely friendship amidst the emotional ruins of their existence. The power of this unbreakable bond is what makes this story so profound. As we celebrate International Women’s Day during the month of March, we are reminded that it is both a time to honour women, and to take heed of the continuing fight for human rights for women globally. A Thousand Splendid Suns exposes the brutality subjected to women in Afghanistan, but this story is not isolated, as domestic abuse is also a very local issue. Because of this reality, we’ve listed local agencies in the program to act as a resource should you need to access them. Thank you for joining us. We are so proud to bring this beautiful and important story to the stage.
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THEATRE ABBREVIATION LEGEND A.C.T. American Conservatory Theater • San Francisco, CA Arts Club Arts Club Theatre Company • Vancouver, BC ATF Atlantic Theatre Festival • Wolfville, NS ATP Alberta Theatre Projects • Calgary, AB BAM Brooklyn Academy of Music • NYC Bard on the Beach Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival • Vancouver, BC Belfry The Belfry Theatre • Victoria, BC Blyth Blyth Theatre Festival • Blyth, ON Broadway Theatre district • New York, NY CBC Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Centaur Centaur Theatre Company • Montreal, QC Citadel The Citadel Theatre • Edmonton, AB COC Canadian Opera Company • Toronto, ON CS Canadian Stage • Toronto, ON Dora Dora Mavor Moore Award • Toronto, ON Drayton Drayton Entertainment • Ontario Dry Cold Dry Cold Productions • Winnipeg, MB Factory Factory Theatre • Toronto, ON GCTC The Great Canadian Theatre Company • Ottawa, ON Grand The Grand Theatre • London, ON HGJT Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company • Toronto, ON Mirvish Mirvish Productions • Toronto, ON Moving Target Moving Target Theatre Company • Winnipeg, MB MTYP Manitoba Theatre for Young People • Winnipeg, MB NAC National Arts Centre • Ottawa, ON Necessary Angel Necessary Angel Theatre Company • Toronto, ON Neptune Neptune Theatre • Halifax, NS NFB National Film Board of Canada NTS National Theatre School of Canada • Montreal, QC Persephone Persephone Theatre • Saskatoon, SK PTAM Popular Theatre Alliance of Manitoba • Winnipeg, MB PTE Prairie Theatre Exchange • Winnipeg, MB
Rainbow Rainbow Stage • Winnipeg, MB RNT Royal National Theatre • London, England Royal Alex The Royal Alexandra Theatre • Toronto, ON RSC Royal Shakespeare Company • Stratford-upon-Avon, England RWB Royal Winnipeg Ballet • Winnipeg, MB Sarasvàti Sarasvàti Productions • Winnipeg, MB Segal The Segal Centre for Performing Arts • Montreal, QC Shaw Shaw Festival • Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON SIR Shakespeare in the Ruins • Winnipeg, MB Soulpepper Soulpepper Theatre Company • Toronto, ON Stratford Stratford Festival • Stratford, ON SummerWorks SummerWorks Theatre Festival • Toronto, ON TA Theatre Aquarius • Hamilton, ON Tarragon Tarragon Theatre • Toronto, ON TBTR Theatre by the River • Winnipeg, MB TC Theatre Calgary • Calgary, AB TiFT Talk is Free Theatre • Barrie, ON TNB Theatre New Brunswick • Fredericton, NB Toronto Free Toronto Free Theatre • Toronto, ON TPM Theatre Projects Manitoba • Winnipeg, MB TSO Toronto Symphony Orchestra U of M University of Manitoba U of T University of Toronto U of W University of Winnipeg VP Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company • Vancouver, BC West End Theatre district • London, England WCT Western Canada Theatre • Kamloops, BC WJT Winnipeg Jewish Theatre WSO Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra WST Winnipeg Studio Theatre YPT Young People’s Theatre • Toronto, ON zone41 zone41 theatre • Winnipeg, MB
OVATION VOLUME 27, NUMBER 5 MARCH/APRIL 2020
Ovation is published six times per theatre season and has an approximate yearly circulation of 100,000. printing: Premier Printing Ltd. ADVERTISING INQUIRIES Thomas Urish telephone: 204 954 6413 email: turish@royalmtc.ca
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After casually attending shows at Royal MTC during their working years, Lyse Rémillard and Ed Fisher became subscribers in 2005 shortly after they retired. They soon became annual donors and then chose to leave a legacy gift to Royal MTC, becoming members of our Founders’ Circle. “For us, joining the Founders’ Circle was about deepening our relationship with Royal MTC. Since joining, we feel so much more connected, not only to the art, but to the whole organization. We have a much greater understanding of all the different things that go into putting these fantastic shows onstage. We come to everything we’re invited to and really feel like part of a great family!”
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Join the Founders’ Circle Family
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We’re fortunate to have many dedicated patrons who attend and support the work you see onstage. The most dedicated of those patrons are members of our Founders’ Circle, thoughtful individuals who not only celebrate the art of theatre now but have chosen to leave a gift for Royal MTC in their will. This legacy ensures that future generations can also enjoy something they loved so much. If you have questions about legacy giving or have already named Royal MTC in your will, please let us know so we can honour your commitment. Contact Chris Turyk, Development Manager, at 204 954 6412 or cturyk@royalmtc.ca.
Your seat awaits. “If you believe in something, you need to show your support. We enjoy the theatre so much that we wanted to show our support not only now but also for the next generation.” LYSE RÉMILLARD & ED FISHER
Royal MTC founders John Hirsch and Tom Hendry had a dream of creating a professional theatre for Manitobans. Beyond their love for theatre, Hirsch and Hendry realized the important link between live performance art and the Winnipeg community. To Tom Hendry, “The arts give a great city an image of its soul.” That energy flows both ways, strengthening Royal MTC and Winnipeg through the years. Inspired by Hirsch and Hendry, Royal MTC introduced the Founders’ Circle as a way to recognize those who have planned gifts to the theatre through their
wills and other forms of legacy giving. Today, there are over 70 members of the Founders’ Circle who have chosen to leave behind a thoughtful legacy of support for a theatre that has meant so much to them during their lifetime. A legacy gift is a future charitable gift planned through one or more of the following: • Will • Listed appreciated securities • Life insurance • Retirement assets (RRSP, RRIF) • Charitable remainder trusts • Residual interest
Have you considered a gift to Royal MTC in your will? Is Royal MTC already named in your will? We’d love to honour you as a part of the Founders’ Circle. Members of the Founders’ Circle receive the following benefits: • Invitations to exclusive donor events • A Founders’ Circle pin which can be proudly worn to show your commitment to the future of Royal MTC • Recognition on Royal MTC’s Founders’ Circle wall • Recognition in Ovation and Royal MTC’s Annual Report There are many wonderful reasons to leave a legacy gift, including:
HOW WILL YOU BE REMEMBERED? Your legacy gift will ensure you are remembered as a patron of the arts and will safeguard the long-term viability of Royal MTC for future generations. You can learn more about legacy giving during Will Week, hosted by The Winnipeg Foundation. Will Week is a series of free public presentations on the importance of wills and estate planning. Sessions are presented as a public service by professionals on a volunteer basis and are for information purposes only.
• Making an impact on your community for future generations.
Will Week takes place annually during the last full week of April. This year it will include a lunch hour info session at Royal MTC on April 23.
• Honouring your values while supporting a cause that means something to you.
For more information on this session and other Will Week events visit wpgfdn.org
• Reducing the tax burden of your estate.
A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS
DIRECTOR’S NOTES BY HAYSAM KADRI
There is no handbook or formula for adapting a novel into a play. In fact, in the world of theatre it’s one of the most difficult exercises to undertake. Ursula Rani Sarma’s adaptation of Khaled Hosseini’s bestselling novel has been a multi-year developmental process, and after several drafts and iterations, the resulting superb play has captured the hearts of audiences across North America. Royal MTC’s production will mark the ninth time this play has been produced. With no shortage of turmoil in our political climate, A Thousand Splendid Suns continues to resonate on many fronts. Hosseini’s harrowing tale of the lives of women in Afghanistan comes from his understanding and knowledge of a world and circumstance that, thankfully, few of us here in Canada will ever
experience. By dramatizing the events of the novel, the play offers perspective and a new depth of gratitude for luxuries, rights and comforts I have selfishly taken for granted, for myself for much of my life, and even for my own daughters. A Thousand Splendid Suns can remind us that every person under a veil, and every refugee travelling across lands, has a universe inside them. They have a life and a rich history. The aim is to bridge this gap, to transplant you into the shoes of someone else. And through this experience, to begin to see things in a different light. I hope you’ll agree that this show’s message is a gift for all of us. My thanks to Royal MTC, Kelly Thornton and Steven Schipper, the cast, and the entire Suns team for their wonderful realization of this epic tale. We hope you enjoy our efforts!
SYNOPSIS – Afghanistan, 1992. Before they’re able to escape Kabul, Laila loses her family in a missile strike. After being pulled from the rubble, Laila is nursed back to health by her neighbours Rasheed and Mariam. Laila hopes to live with the family of her friend Tariq but is told he died. With no other option, Laila agrees to become Rasheed’s second wife. The arrangement is insufferable for both Laila and Mariam, and tensions increase when Laila becomes pregnant. But after both women exhibit acts of selfless love, they form a bond and unite against Rasheed’s brutality. As conditions in the household and the city worsen, Laila and Mariam are pushed to a final act of desperation that eventually paves the way to a brighter future.
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A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS
AN INTERVIEW WITH THE
PLAYWRIGHT and NOVELIST Strong women dominate the work of award-winning playwright, poet and screenwriter Ursula Rani Sarma. So it is no surprise that she was drawn to the story of Mariam and Laila, the two women at the centre of A Thousand Splendid Suns. It is the second of Khaled Hosseini’s three novels, the other two being And the Mountains Echoed (2013) and The Kite Runner (2003). Hosseini was inspired to write A Thousand Splendid Suns after visiting Afghanistan and speaking with the strong women who live in a country where their rights are often oppressed. Why is A Thousand Splendid Suns particularly suited for the stage? URSULA RANI SARMA (PLAYWRIGHT):
The theatre is one of the best mediums to explore complex human relationships like the ones at the centre of A Thousand Splendid Suns. Like the novel, it is the relationship between Mariam and Laila – trapped in a violent home, reaching out to each other – that forms the spine of the play. The difference is that on the stage, the characters take on a three-dimensional existence while an audience bears witness to their extraordinary journey. KHALED HOSSEINI (NOVELIST): I think there’s a sense of immediacy in theatre, which simply can’t be created elsewhere.
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On the right night and at the right performance and with the right crowd, the room is permeated with something that’s really tangible – very difficult to describe, but very powerful. There’s a collective experience that you have with an audience in the theatre that is difficult to create anywhere else. And by contrast, I think reading a book is a solitary experience. What kind of conversations have you had with each other throughout the process? URSULA RANI SARMA: I spoke with Khaled early on in the process, as it was important to hear his hopes for the adaptation and any specific elements that he felt should be retained. Right
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from the beginning Khaled was very supportive and generous and he encouraged me to follow my instincts and do whatever I felt was right. This was hugely liberating and meant that I had the freedom to get beneath the skin of the novel and to make the story feel as though it were my own; something that had to happen for me to breathe life into these characters. KHALED HOSSEINI: As an author, if you’re allowing your work to be adapted into another art form by somebody else, you should divorce yourself from the idea that anything you said or wrote is going to appear in the other format. It’s far more interesting to get a peek into somebody else’s interpretation of your work.
What is this play about? URSULA RANI SARMA: It’s about the immense strength and endurance of women and how they can survive tremendous suffering to keep those they love alive. It is also about how, even in the darkest of times and places, love can grow and sustain the human spirit beyond all pain and hardship. It’s about friendship and loyalty, courage and selflessness, grief and violence. march/april 2020
Why is this story important to tell today? KHALED HOSSEINI: I think a story like A Thousand Splendid Suns can remind people that every person under a veil, every refugee walking across plains – every single one of those people has a universe inside them, a life, an entire history, and a long, long history of things that they wanted, of hopes that they had. I think that’s important to understand: You can’t just categorize people under self-serving umbrellas. These are individual human beings. I think that’s what any art form, be it theatre or novels or movies, can do; they can bridge that gap and transport you into the shoes of somebody else. And through that experience, you begin to view the group in a richer way.
This interview by Simon Hodgson and Shannon Stockwell first appeared in American Conservatory Theater’s A Thousand Splendid Suns program in 2017.
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A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS
Glossary The official languages of Afghanistan are Dari and Pashto. Dari, the Afghan dialect of Farsi or Persian, is the first language of about half the population and the second language of many more. Pashto, the native language of the Pashtun people, is the first language of around 40% of Afghans and 15% of Pakistanis. Both Dari and Pashto are part of the Indo-European language family and are written in Arabic script – but the two languages are not mutually intelligible. Since Afghanistan is an Islamic country, speakers of both languages also use Arabic words and phrases in their daily speech. AFGHANI – The official currency of
HALWA – Generally considered a dessert,
Afghanistan.
but can either be flour-based (usually more gelatinous) or nut butter-based (often crumbly).
ALLAH’S WILL – God’s will. AZAN – The Islamic call to prayer.
HAMSHIRA – Sister; this term may also be
BABALOO PRAYERS – Family prayers
used formally when addressing strangers.
traditionally spoken by the head of the household. BABY MUSA – This refers to Prophet
Musa (Moses) whose mother is said to have sent him down the Nile as an infant to save him from danger. The river carried him to the Egyptian Pharaoh’s lands where he was saved.
HARAMI – A derogatory term for someone born out of wedlock; a child with no father. HASHISH – A recreational drug that is
part of the cannabis family. Afghanistan is the leading producer in the world. HEKMATYAR – Refers to Gulbuddin
BURQA – An enveloping outer garment worn by women in some Islamic traditions to cover themselves in public.
Hekmatyar, a politician and warlord who was the Prime Minister of Afghanistan from 1993-1994 and then again in 1996. He is known to many as the “Butcher of Kabul.”
CAESARIAN – An alternative method to
HERAT – The third-largest city in
BIWA – A widow.
giving birth vaginally that involves cutting through the walls of the abdomen and uterus for delivery. DEHATI – A villager from somewhere
rural. DOSTUM – Refers to Abdul Rashid Dostum who was a general in the Afghan army during the Soviet War and was an independent warlord and leader fighting the Taliban. In 2013 he apologized for his role in the civil war. DOZD – Thief.
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Afghanistan situated in the valley of the Hari River. JAN – Dear. KABUL – The capital of Afghanistan and its largest city, located in the east. KHALA – Aunt. KHASTEGAR – A suitor. KOLBA – A small shack or hut; a crude
shelter. KORAN – The central religious text of Islam which Muslims believe to be a revelation from God.
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A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS LAHORE – Located in Pakistan near the
RABBANI – Refers to Burhanuddin Rabbani who was the President of the Islamic State of Afghanistan from 1992 to 1996 and fought against the Taliban. He was killed in his home by a suicide bomber in 2011.
border of India, it is the capital of the province of Punjab. MALIKA – Queen. MASSOUD – Refers to Abdul Shah Massoud, a political and military leader. He fought the Taliban as the head of the United Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan, but was assassinated by a suicide bomber just days before 9/11.
SABZI – An Iranian herb stew.
MUJAHIDEEN – Guerrilla military outlets; Muslim-Afghan warriors. MULLAH – An educated Muslim trained in religious law and doctrine. NAMAZ PRAYERS – Prayers of Islam performed five times daily.
SOVIETS – Members of the Soviet Union’s army who invaded Afghanistan and assumed communist control from 1979-1989. TAJIK – Refers to people from Tajikistan, but Rasheed uses it pejoratively, as an insult. He insinuates Laila is privileged, as the Tajiks are known to be settled land owners. VOLGA & BENZ – The Volga is a brand of automobile that originated in the Soviet Union. It represents communism and functionality; they were often used as taxi cabs. The Benz refers to the automobile manufacturer Mercedes-Benz whose products are globally known as symbols of style and luxury.
NOOR – A nickname meaning “light.” PASHTUN – The largest ethnic group in
Afghanistan. PESHAWAR – Located in Pakistan near the border of Afghanistan, it is the capital of the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
WATAN – Land or country.
PIR PENJAL – A mountain range in the
ZAHMAT – Trouble.
Inner Himalayan region.
TAJIKISTAN UZBEKISTAN
CHINA
TURKMENISTAN
KABUL
HERAT
PESHAWAR
IRAN
Pakistan
AFGHANISTAN KANDAHAR
MAP SOURCE: FREEVECTORMAPS.COM/AFGHANISTAN/
Glossary courtesy Theatre Calgary’s A Thousand Splendid Suns play guide, compiled by Jenna Turk. march/april 2020
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Kelly Thornton, Artistic Director • Camilla Holland, Executive Director PRESENTS A CO-PRODUCTION WITH ARTS
CLUB THEATRE COMPANY
A Thousand Splendid Suns By Ursula Rani Sarma
Based on the book by Khaled Hosseini March 19 – April 11, 2020 preview March 18
Director / Fight Director...................................................... Haysam Kadri Original Staging....................................................................... Carey Perloff Choreographer...............................................................Stephen Buescher Set Designer.........................................................................Ken MacDonald Costume Designer........................................................................ Linda Cho Lighting Designer................................................................ Robert Wierzel Composer / Original Musician..........................................David Coulter Sound Designer....................................................................Jake Rodriguez Assistant Director................................................................. Marc R. Bondy Costume Coordinator............................................................ Alison Green Associate Lighting Designer....................................... Andrew F. Griffin Associate Sound Designer..................................................... Verne Good Stage Manager............................................................................ Caryn Fehr Assistant Stage Manager................................................. Alana Freistadt Apprentice Stage Manager................................................Katie Schmidt Original Fight Consultant................................................ Jonathan Rider Original Dramaturg.............................................................. Michael Paller Original Cultural Consultant......................................... Humaira Ghilzai Child Supervisor......................................................................... Paige Lewis Child Supervisor..................................................................Liam Naughten
The Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre is proud to call Manitoba home. Royal MTC is located in Winnipeg on Treaty 1 land, the traditional territory of the Ininew, Anishinaabe and Dakota peoples, and the homeland of the Métis Nation. We are thankful for the benefits sharing this land has afforded us, and we are committed to the responsibilities of the Treaty. Hiy Hiy, Miigwetch, Wopida and Maarsii.
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A Thousand Splendid Suns THE CAST (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)
Rasheed..............................................................................Anousha Alamian Ensemble.......................................................Al Montaser Bellah Al Jajeh Tariq / Driver / Militiaman................................................. Abraham Asto Mariam............................................................................................ Deena Aziz Zalmai / Boy............................................................ Lucian-River Chauhan Nana / Fariba / Doctor..........................................................Arggy Jenati Laila.........................................................................................Anita Majumdar Jalil / Abdul Sharif / Wakil / Talib................................. Shekhar Paleja Babi / Interrogator / Mullah / Faizullah....................Munish Sharma Ensemble.....................................................Sophie Smith-Dostmohamed Aziza / Girl................................................................................Ziyana Vasaya A Thousand Splendid Suns is performed with one intermission. Originally Commissioned by American Conservatory Theater, San Francisco, California Carey Perloff, Artistic Director – Peter Pastreich, Executive Director World Premiere production of A Thousand Splendid Suns co-presented by American Conservatory Theater and Theatre Calgary in 2017. Production photography by Dylan Hewlett.
A Thousand Splendid Suns covers topics that may challenge audiences. If you need a quiet space during your time with us, we invite you to visit our Cargill Boardroom, located on the second floor. Resources: • Manitoba Association of Women’s Shelters Inc. Toll-Free Crisis line 1-877-977-0007 or visit maws.mb.ca • Fort Garry Women’s Resources Centre – fgwrc.ca • Toll-Free Province-Wide Domestic Abuse Crisis Line (24 hours) – 1-877-977-0007 • Klinic Crisis Line – 1-888-322-3019 Toll-Free 24/7 or visit klinic.mb.ca • Klinic Sexual Assault Line – 204-786-8631 • Victim Services – 204-945-6851 • Mobile Crisis Service – 204-940-1781 (general) or 204-949-4777 (youth) • Manitoba Suicide Line – 1-877-435-7170 • Crisis Response Centre – 817 Bannatyne – 24 hours, 7 days a week march/april 2020
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A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS Anousha Alamian
Abraham Asto
Rasheed
Tariq / Driver / Militiaman
ROYAL MTC First appearance.
ROYAL MTC First appearance.
OTHER THEATRE The Men in White (Arts
OTHER THEATRE Selected: Miracle on
Club); A Thousand Splendid Suns (Grand); Satellites (Solo Collective); Long Division (Pi/Gateway); three seasons at Bard on the Beach – King Lear, Shakespeare’s Rebel, Equivocation, Cymbeline, The Merry Wives of Windsor, King John; The Kite Runner (TC/Citadel); Much Ado About Nothing (CS). FILM/TV Red Snow (premiered at VIFF 2019), The Predator (2018), The 100, Colony, Prison Break, Death Note, Wisdom of the Crowd, Arctic Air, Rogue, Diverted, Fringe, Degrassi, among others. He was also a regular on the CBC radio drama Afghanada.
Al Montaser Bellah Al Jajeh Ensemble
ROYAL MTC First appearance. OTHER THEATRE Drama Coach for Oliver
Twist (Arab adaptation), and Artistic Director of Sawa Theatre. TRAINING Trained as a facilitator by Drama for Refuge organization as well as a year-long theatre course at the University of Manitoba. ET CETERA Al Montaser won the Mayor’s award for his efforts with Sawa Theatre.
34th Street (Chemainus Theatre); Halfway There (Miracle Theatre); Reflector, Raging Dreams (Theatre Gargantua); Test Drive (Lighthouse); Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (Magnus); The Kite Runner (TC/Citadel). FILM/TV Blood & Treasure, Designated Survivor.
Deena Aziz Mariam
ROYAL MTC First appearance. OTHER THEATRE Behaviour (GCTC); The Tempest (Pittsburgh Public Theatre); Julius Caesar (Repercussion); Rice Boy (CS/Stratford); Intractable Woman, If We Are Birds (Imago Theatre); Bombay Black (Arts Club/Cahoots Theatre); Another Home Invasion (Tableau d’Hôte); Homebody/Kabul (Mercury Theatre). FILM/TV Being Human, Helix, This Life, Transplant, and a chorus of variously ethnic docs and shrinks.
For a complete list of theatre abbreviations, please refer to legend on page 4
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A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS Lucian-River Chauhan
Arggy Jenati Nana / Fariba / Doctor
Zalmai / Boy
ROYAL MTC First appearance.
ROYAL MTC First appearance.
ET CETERA Enjoying some of my 10 years
OTHER THEATRE A Midsummer Night’s
of life in theatre has been the BEST! So far, these experiences have enabled me to dive into great stories like The Secret Garden, which taught me the importance of family and when I saw what heroism meant through the legendary tale of Zorro. Parts of my journey included taking a stroll through adventure lane via imaginative worlds created by C. S. Lewis and Roald Dahl as well as an opportunity to travel back in time, learning about the Tudors, namely the infamous BLOODY MARY!! And with A Thousand Splendid Suns in my Royal MTC debut, I look forward to learning more about empathy. Insta: @lucianrivermirage twitter: @lucianRMirage.
Dream, Henry V (Bard on the Beach); The Curious Incident of the Dog in the NightTime (Arts Club); Lady Parts (Revolver Festival); Alice Munro Stories (Belfry); Envision: 3.7% (Boca Del Lupo). FILM/TV Ashbridge (CBC); Arrow (CW); The X-Files (FOX); This Is That (CBC). TRAINING The Actors Centre and RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art) in London, UK. ET CETERA Arggy is an improviser at Blind Tiger and Vancouver Theatre Sports. Recipient of the VTSL Jay Ono Diversity Scholarship. 2017 Playwright in Residence at Delinquent Theatre.
TONIGHT’S WAITING Join us before or after the show for a delicious cocktail and mouthwatering steak. Reservations are available.
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A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS The Day the Earth Stood Still, Elegy, Arctic Air, Gracepoint, Motive, Sanctuary. ET CETERA Betty Mitchell Award nominee. Shekhar is also an author. His novel An Extraordinary Destiny was published by Brindle & Glass in 2017, and he has written two children’s books.
Anita Majumdar Laila
ROYAL MTC First appearance. OTHER THEATRE Bombay Black (Arts
Club); Mules (Theatrefront/Hit & Myth); Jungle Book (Kidoons/WYRD Productions); Fish Eyes Trilogy (Factory/Nightswimming); Boys With Cars (YPT/Nightswimming); Same Same But Different (Theatre Passe Muraille/ATP); Ali & Ali: The Deportation Hearings (Neworld/Cahoots); Rice Boy (Stratford); Shakuntala (Pleiades); The Misfit (PuSh International Performing Arts Festival/South Asian Arts); Bloom (Modern Times Stage Theatre). FILM/TV Midnight’s Children, Murder Unveiled, Diverted, Bollywood Star. TRAINING Graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada. ET CETERA Four-time Dora award nominee and two-time winner. Governor General Protégé Prize in Playwriting recipient.
Shekhar Paleja Jalil / Abdul Sharif / Wakil / Talib
Munish Sharma Babi / Interrogator / Mullah / Faizullah
ROYAL MTC First appearance. OTHER THEATRE The Men in White,
Misery, The Matchmaker, The Orchard (After Chekhov) (Arts Club); All’s Well That Ends Well (Bard on the Beach); Bombay Black (Raghupriya Arts and Culture); Victim Impact (Theatre Conspiracy); The Ridiculous Darkness (Alley); The Invisible Hand (Pi); This Is War (Rumble); Brothel #9 (Touchstone); Iceland (Dirt Road Productions); Mrs. Singh and Me (South Asian Arts). TV The Murderers, Minority Report, Fringe. TRAINING Graduate of the University of Regina. ET CETERA Jessie award nominee; I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Chicken Troupe (08-12); Vancouver Pick of the Fringe winner 2015 and 2017. Instagram: @munisharma.com0
ROYAL MTC First appearance. OTHER THEATRE Mustard, King Charles III,
Hand to God, The Men in White, My Granny the Goldfish (Arts Club); Romeo and Juliet, Othello (Bard on the Beach); The Invisible Hand (Pi); Brothel #9 (Touchstone); Frost/ Nixon (VP/CS); The Humans (TC); Hippies & Bolsheviks (ATP); A Guide to Mourning (Globe). FILM/TV Riverdale, Arrow, Battlestar Galactica, Fantastic Four, Age of Adeline,
For a complete list of theatre abbreviations, please refer to legend on page 4
march/april 2020
Ovation
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A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS Sophie SmithDostmohamed
Ursula Rani Sarma Playwright
Ensemble
ROYAL MTC The New Canadian Curling
Club.
OTHER THEATRE Selected credits include:
Arcadia, Love’s Labour’s Lost (U of W); Animosity (Downside Up); Murder Oak, Road to Nowhere (Manitoba Mystery Co.). Assistant Director: Like Mother Like Daughter (Sarasvàti/Why Not Theatre Co.). Recent Co-Founder and Collaborator of Out From Under the Rug Collective, which highlights the experiences of people of colour. TRAINING University of Winnipeg Honours Acting; mentorship with Ann Hodges under Creative Manitoba; years of love and support from MTYP. ET CETERA Sophie is very grateful for her family. All of her love to her best friends, who mean everything. This is for them.
Ziyana Vasaya Aziza / Girl
Ursula Rani Sarma is an award-winning writer of Irish Indian descent. She has written plays for the Abbey Theatre, the Dublin National Theatre, A.C.T., Ambassador Theatre Group, the Traverse Theatre, Paines Plough, and the BBC, amongst many other companies. Recent productions include Joanne (Clean Break/ Soho Theatre), Débris (Théâtre La Licorne), The Ripple Effect (Ambassador Theatre Group/London Cultural Olympiad), Yerma (West Yorkshire Playhouse), Riot (A.C.T. Young Conservatory/Theatre Royal Bath), The Dark Things (Traverse Theatre) and Birdsong (Abbey Theatre). Sarma has been writer in residence for Paines Plough, the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center and the Royal National Theatre, among other companies. She is currently developing plays for the Abbey Theatre; the Traverse Theatre; and Djinn Theatre Company. For screen, her work includes Raw, Red Rock, Anywhere But Here and Judge Dee. She is currently adapting the book Henry’s Demons for BBC 1 and writing an original drama entitled Guardian for Channel 4.
ROYAL MTC First appearance. OTHER THEATRE This Is Our Youth (Go
Studios); A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Peter and the Starcatcher (Capilano University). TRAINING Recent Capilano University Acting for Stage and Screen graduate. ET CETERA Ziyana is thrilled to be making her Royal MTC debut by helping to tell this very important story with this incredible cast and crew.
For a complete list of theatre abbreviations, please refer to legend on page 4
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The Arts Club Theatre Company is pleased to partner with Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre for this production of A Thousand Splendid Suns. The Arts Club, one of the largest not-for-profit theatre companies in the country, is the principal gathering place for the theatrical arts in British Columbia. Comprising three unique venues across Vancouver, the Arts Club welcomes more than a quarter million guests annually, tours provincially and nationally, and engages students and artists alike through educational and professional programs. Above all, the Arts Club is dedicated to the advancement of local artists telling stories from around the globe and, in particular, those of our region. From this, we believe that culture expands, an understanding of differences is nurtured, and art bursts forth.
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A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS Khaled Hosseini Author
Khaled Hosseini was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 1965. In 1976, his family relocated to Paris. They were ready to return to Kabul in 1980, but by then the Soviet invasion was underway, so the Hosseini family moved to San José, California. Hosseini went on to become a doctor, practicing medicine as an internist between 1996 and 2004. He is the author of three award-winning and internationally bestselling novels: The Kite Runner (2003), A Thousand Splendid Suns (2007) and And the Mountains Echoed (2013). In 2006, Hosseini was named a Goodwill Envoy to the United Nations Refugee Agency. After a trip to Afghanistan in this position, he was inspired to establish The Khaled Hosseini Foundation, a nonprofit that provides humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan.
Haysam Kadri Director / Fight Director
ROYAL MTC First engagement. OTHER THEATRE Director: A Thousand
Splendid Suns (Grand Theatre); A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hammered Hamlet, The Three Musketeers, Hamlet, Titus Andronicus (The Shakespeare Co.); The Shoplifters, Romeo and Juliet, Victors, Villains & Vixens, Hamlet After Dark (TC); Better Off Dead: Nero Wolfe (Vertigo Theatre); Metamorphoses (University of Calgary); Dracula, A Prairie Boy’s Winter (Mount Royal University); The Hobbit
(Storybook Theatre); Dracula (Red Deer College); Double Falsehood (Shakespeare in the Park). ET CETERA Haysam is the Artistic Producer of The Shakespeare Company and Program Director of Shakespeare by the Bow in Calgary.
Carey Perloff Original Staging
Carey Perloff (careyperloff.com) recently completed an acclaimed 25-year tenure as Artistic Director of the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, an artistic journey documented in her award-winning 2015 book Beautiful Chaos: A Life in the Theater (City Lights Press). Known for innovative productions of classical plays and for championing new voices and new forms of theatre, Perloff is celebrated for her decadeslong collaborations with Tom Stoppard and Harold Pinter, and for such ambitious multi-disciplinary commissions as A Thousand Splendid Suns and Tosca Café. Recent work includes Ghosts with Uma Thurman at Williamstown Theatre Festival, Private Lives at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, and Colm Toibin’s Pale Sister at the Gate Theatre (Dublin). Also a playwright, Perloff’s work includes The Fit, Kinship, Luminescence Dating, Higher and her new play Bastiano, written on a Bogliasco Foundation Fellowship. She is a Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts and des Lettres of the French government, holds an Honorary Doctorate from University of San Francisco, and is always happiest when working in Canada!
For a complete list of theatre abbreviations, please refer to legend on page 4
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Ovation
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A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS Stephen Buescher
Ken MacDonald
Choreographer
Set Designer
Stephen Buescher is a choreographer, actor, director and teacher. Stephen has choreographed Hamlet, A Thousand Splendid Suns (World Premiere), Monstress, Orphan of Zhao, Stuck Elevator, Let There Be Love and Underneath the Lintel at the American Conservatory Theater; The Imaginary Invalid at the Old Globe Theatre; Stockholm at the Triptych Theatre Company (Best Choreography Nominee, 2019); A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Private Lives at Long Wharf Theatre; A Christmas Carol at Trinity Repertory Company; Love’s Labour’s Lost at Shakespeare Santa Cruz, and Blues for an Alabama Sky at Lorraine Hansberry Theatre. Stephen is a Movement Professor at UCSD. Stephen has directed The Taming of the Shrew, Black Orpheus, Romeo and Juliet, Galileo, Crazy for the Country and others for A.C.T.’s Graduate Acting Conservatory. Stephen has performed nationally and internationally with Dell’Arte International for over a decade. Buescher is a graduate of the Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre and CalArts.
ROYAL MTC First engagement. OTHER THEATRE The Waiting Room,
Art, 7 Stories, Vigil, Sweeney Todd, The Dishwashers (Arts Club); A Thousand Splendid Suns (A.C.T./TC/Grand/Old Globe, San Diego/Seattle Repertory Theater); Anything Goes, Sovereignty, The Shoplifters (Arena Stage, Washington); Engaged, Our Town, Sweet Charity, Arms and the Man, Our Betters, The Doctor’s Dilemma (Shaw); Privates Lives, Wanderlust, Moby Dick, The Trespassers (Stratford); Parfumerie, Picture This, Blithe Spirit (Soulpepper). TV The Overcoat – Gemini award for Outstanding Production Design (CBC). ET CETERA Four Dora awards, a Betty award and 17 Jessie awards. kenandmorris.com
Design with community in mind. Engineering, Architecture, Environmental Services, Project Management
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University of Manitoba Stanley Engineering Building
A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS of Kansas City). Dance (recent): Analogy/ Trilogy, Deep Blue Sea (Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company). TEACHING Adjunct Faculty at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. ET CETERA Partner at Spark Design Collaborative.
Linda Cho Costume Designer
ROYAL MTC First engagement. OTHER THEATRE Broadway: Anastasia
(Tony nomination), A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (Tony award, Henry Hewes award, Outer Critics nomination), The Lifespan of a Fact, Velocity of Autumn, Grand Horizons, The Great Society, Take Me Out. TRAINING MFA, Yale School of Drama. ET CETERA Linda Cho’s extensive body of work includes productions at acclaimed theatres and opera companies across the country and around the world. She received TDF’s Irene Sharaff Young Master Award, and is currently on the advisory committee for the American Theatre Wing. lindacho.com
Robert Wierzel Lighting Designer
ROYAL MTC First engagement. OTHER THEATRE Lady Day at Emerson’s
Bar & Grill, Fela!, David Copperfield’s Dreams & Nightmares (Broadway); Jubilee, Seven Guitars (Arena Stage, Washington); Bernhardt/Hamlet (Goodman Theatre, Chicago); Shout, Sister, Shout! (Seattle Rep Theatre); A Walk on the Moon (George Street Playhouse, NJ). Opera (recent): Blue, The Ghosts of Versailles (Glimmerglass Festival, 2019); Rigoletto (Houston Grand Opera); Salome (Atlanta Opera); Don Giovanni, Samson and Delilah (Washington National Opera); Freedom Ride (Chicago Opera Theatre); The Shining (Lyric Opera
David Coulter Composer / Original Musician
David Coulter is an English-born multidisciplinary artist, musician, composer, director and educator based in the Bay Area. Since the 1980s, he has directed shows, produced records, and played his musical saw and other assorted weird and less-weird instruments in studios, theatres and stages, and on recordings around the world with the likes of the Pogues, Tom Waits and Robert Wilson, Kronos Quartet, Laurie Anderson, Yoko Ono, Hal Willner and Gorillaz. Coulter curates and directs numerous multiartist events. Credits include Monkey: Journey to the West (Gorillaz and Chen Shi-Zheng), Double Fantasy Live, Rain Dogs Revisited, Twisted Christmas, In Dreams: David Lynch Revisited and An Anatomy Act. He was associate musical director and multi-instrumentalist on The Black Rider: The Casting of the Magic Bullets at A.C.T in 2004. He is a visiting lecturer at Goldsmiths, University of London. He has played the didgeridoo at the invitation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on a number of official occasions.
For a complete list of theatre abbreviations, please refer to legend on page 4
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Ovation
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A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS Jake Rodriguez
Marc R. Bondy
Sound Designer
Assistant Director
Jake Rodriguez is a sound designer and composer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His recent credits include Wink (Marin Theatre Company); Oedipus el Rey (Magic Theatre); Between Two Knees (Oregon Shakespeare Festival); The Great Leap, Her Portmanteau, Sweat, Vietgone (A.C.T.); Women Laughing Alone with Salad, The Events (Shotgun Players); Everybody (California Shakespeare Theatre); Angels in America, An Octoroon (Berkeley Repertory Theatre); we, the invisibles (Actors Theatre of Louisville); A Thousand Splendid Suns (A.C.T., Theatre Calgary, Grand Theatre, The Old Globe); The Christians (Playwrights Horizons, the Mark Taper Forum); Girlfriend (Kirk Douglas Theatre); Mr. Burns, a PostElectric Play (A.C.T., the Guthrie Theater). Rodriguez is the recipient of a 2004 Princess Grace Award.
ROYAL MTC First engagement. OTHER THEATRE I and You, Miss Warren
(Outlook Theatre); Storm Warning, Hockey Mom, Hockey Dad (Bruce County Playhouse); The Dining Room, The Dumbwaiter (Soulpepper); Richard III (Shakespeare in the Ruff); The Glass Menagerie, Twelfth Night, Strawberries in January (Globe); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Citadel); two seasons at the Stratford Festival, and many more shows across this vast country. Upcoming: Directing Stag & Doe by Mark Crawford (University of Windsor). FILM/TV Mayday, The Next Step, Doc. TRAINING/TEACHING Graduate of the University of Windsor and the Birmingham Conservatory; sessional instructor at the University of Windsor and the University of Waterloo. ET CETERA Recipient of the Christopher Plummer Fellowship Award (2004); Artistic Director, Outlook Theatre.
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A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS Alison Green
Andrew F. Griffin
Costume Coordinator
Associate Lighting Designer ROYAL MTC First engagement. OTHER THEATRE The Moors (Yale Rep);
ROYAL MTC First engagement. OTHER THEATRE Set and/or Costume
Designer: Singin’ in the Rain, Gypsy, Funny Girl, Cabaret, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Les Misérables, The Philanderer, The Producers, Hairspray, Mary Poppins, Pride and Prejudice, Billy Elliot, The Audience (Arts Club); Death of a Salesman, Dangerous Corner, This (VP); The Rape of Lucretia, Idomeneo (Pacific Opera Victoria); Seussical: The Musical, The Secret World of Og (Carousel Theatre for Young People). TEACHING Fifteen years on the faculty of the Department of Theatre and Film, UBC. ET CETERA Many Jessie awards and nominations.
Dracula (Triad Stage); Singin’ in the Rain, The Producers, Avenue Q, A Chorus Line (Olney Theatre Center); Nell Gwynn, Macbeth, Antony and Cleopatra, Timon of Athens, Twelfth Night, Henry V, Othello (Folger Theatre); Lifespan of a Fact, Sweat (Asolo Rep); A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, A Christmas Carol, Crowns, The Last Five Years, Once on This Island, Jelly’s Last Jam (Le Petit Theatre); Matilda (Newarts). TRAINING MFA, Yale School of Drama. ET CETERA Two Helen Hayes awards (Washington); two Big Easy awards (New Orleans).
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A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS Verne Good Associate Sound Designer
ROYAL MTC The New Canadian Curling Club, Hirsch (2013), originally produced by Stratford Festival. Assistant Sound Designer: In the Next Room or the vibrator play (with Tarragon). OTHER THEATRE Sound Design and Composition: Othello (Stratford); You Will Remember Me, The Normal Heart (Studio 180); Outside, Birds of a Feather (Roseneath); Tick (Carousel Players); The Atomic Weight of Happiness (StandUp Dance). Sound Design: Romeo and Juliet, Pericles, To Kill a Mockingbird, Long Day’s Journey into Night (Stratford); The Mountaintop, Art, Fences (Grand); Cake and Dirt, Was Spring, Communion (Tarragon); The Heidi Chronicles, The 39 Steps – Dora Nomination (Soulpepper). TRAINING Graduate of Bishop’s University, National Theatre School, Humber College.
Caryn Fehr Stage Manager
ROYAL MTC First engagement. OTHER THEATRE Recent: The Shoplifters,
New Play Centre, Carousel Theatre, Touchstone Theatre, Axis Theatre, the Vancouver Fringe Festival, TheatreSports and Solo Collective. ET CETERA She is a Jessie award recipient – the Mary Phillips Prize for behind-thescenes achievement.
Alana Freistadt Assistant Stage Manager
ROYAL MTC Every Brilliant Thing (with TiFT). OTHER THEATRE Cinderella, Disney’s
Beauty and the Beast, The Hobbit, Shrek The Musical, Us, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, G-Ram, Peter and the Starcatcher, The Secret Mask, The Hound of the Baskervilles, All Shook Up (Globe Theatre); For Art’s Sake, Jabber, Home is a Beautiful Word, Art, The Incredible Speediness of Jamie Cavanaugh (Persephone); Every Brilliant Thing (Burnt Thicket Theatre); Candide (TiFT); The Moonlight Sonata of Beethoven Blatz (Station Arts Centre); Monty Python’s Spamalot, Mama’s Country Record Collection, Tales of Ti-Jean, Jewel (Stephenville Theatre Festival). TRAINING Graduate of Sheridan College, Technical Production for Theatre and Live Events. ET CETERA For Grandma Bernice and Grandpa Arnie.
The Great Leap, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Once, Mary Poppins, The Men in White, The Waiting Room (Arts Club); Forget About Tomorrow, The Valley, How to Disappear Completely, Best Brothers, Proud (Belfry). Caryn has toured with productions throughout Canada and to Ireland. Other work includes productions with the Vancouver Playhouse, the For a complete list of theatre abbreviations, please refer to legend on page 4
march/april 2020
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A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS Katie Schmidt
American Conservatory Theater
Apprentice Stage Manager
Original Producer
ROYAL MTC Apprentice Stage Manager: The Cottage, A Doll’s House, Sense and Sensibility. Apprentice Costumer: Sarah Ballenden. OTHER THEATRE Apprentice Stage Manager: Ghost Light (PTE). Stage Manager: Tiny Treasures (MTYP); Fem Fest Bake-Off and Cabaret (Sarasvàti). Costumer: Mary’s Wedding (TPM). Props and Set Coordinator: Hamlet, Timon of Athens (SIR). TRAINING University of Winnipeg Theatre and Film. ET CETERA Katie is excited to be working on another Royal MTC production. Thanks and love to Mom, Dad, Raya and Moosie. She hopes you enjoy the show!
American Conservatory Theater is a Tony award-winning nonprofit theatre and educational institution in San Francisco, dedicated to cultivating the art of live theatre through its dynamic productions, intensive actor training in its Conservatory, and ongoing engagement with its community. Under the leadership of Tony and Obie award-winning Artistic Director Pam MacKinnon and Executive Director Jennifer Bielstein, A.C.T. embraces its responsibility to refresh, renew, and reinvent the rich theatrical traditions and literatures that are our collective legacy, while exploring new artistic forms and communities. Since opening its first San Francisco season in 1967, A.C.T. has presented more than 400 productions to a combined audience of more than seven million people. Today, A.C.T.’s performance, education and outreach programs reach almost 250,000 people in the Bay Area each year.
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SUPPORTERS Many thanks to our donors who made a gift between Dec 1, 2018 and Feb 1, 2020. DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE $10,000+ Gail Asper, OC, OM, LLD* & Michael Paterson Deborah Gray The Estate of Ellen Hirst June & Bob Jackson Memorial Fund for the Performing Arts – The Winnipeg Foundation Bernie & Rhonda Plett Hartley & Heather Richardson Susan Glass & Arni Thorsteinson $6,500-9,999 Kingfisher Foundation Leslie John Taylor Fund – The Winnipeg Foundation
$4,000-6,499 Pauline Braun – in memory of Duane Braun David Christianson & Vera Steinberger Hugh Conacher Ms. Sophie Gaska Sylvia Guertin-Riley Elizabeth Marr & Nick Slonosky Virginia Martin & the late Robert Martin Jim & Janice Tennant Marcel Van Woensel Anonymous
$2,000-3,999 Dianne J. Beaven Craig McIntosh & Lorraine Beck Fund David & Lianne Carefoot Dr. Bonnie Cham & Dr. Lorne Bellan Haderra & Mark Chisick David* & Barb Christie Gerry* & Chris Couture Kerry Dangerfield*‡ Tony* & Jennifer Fletcher‡ John F. (Jack) Fraser* Sara Gray Patrick Green & Shayla Harapiak Green Rita Gunn & Greg Mason John* & Nicola Guttormson‡ Ahava Halpern & Frank Lavitt‡ Linda Hamilton & Grange Morrow‡ Camilla Holland† & Colin Viebrock‡ Andrew & Wendy Jensen Derek & Mary Johannson
David & Diane Johnston Kevin & Els Kavanagh John Kearsey‡ Dr. Terry Klassen & Grace Dueck Dr. P. Kmet & Mr. B. Roslycky Bill & Shirley Loewen Jim* & Penny McLandress‡ Drs. Ken & Sharon Mould Leigh Murphy – in memory of Liam Murphy‡ Vivienne Nickerson Drs. Bill Pope & Elizabeth Tippett Pope Fund – The Winnipeg Foundation Sanford & Deborah Riley Bill & Laurie* Speers Maitland & Pat Sundmark Kelly Thornton†‡ Jeremy Trickett* & Brandon Barnes Trickett Helga Van Iderstine* Scott & Sonya Wright Fund – The Winnipeg Foundation Anonymous
$1,200-1,999 Dr. J Baluta & Ms. O. Kandia Leah Bjarnarson & Robert Malech John Borger Todd Bourcier Sheldon & Penny Bowles Doneta Brotchie, CM* & Harry Brotchie‡ Heather Clarke* Jan* & Kevin Coates Ben & Shari Diamond Andrew Drinnan†‡ Neil & Carol Duboff Lawrence & Brenda Ellerby Katherine Fox*‡ Susan* & Ab Freig‡ Sandy Gousseau*‡ Mintie Grienke Vivian Hilder-Skwark & David Skwark‡ Shawn Hughes* & Bruno Koehn‡ Katie Inverarity†‡ Jason Kasper* Serena Helen Kraayeveld Fund – The Winnipeg Foundation Brenda & Trevor Kriss‡ David* & Ellen Kroft‡ Katarina Kupca‡ Donna & Dave* Lalama Laurie Lam† & Larry Desrochers J. Lamothe Rick Lee & Laurie Shapiro Andrea Lochhead* Gail Loewen Reginald & Judy Low Dr. Ted & Harriet Lyons Dr. Douglas MacEwan Mark & Gloria Mancini‡
*Current Royal MTC Board of Trustees/Advisory Board members
march/april 2020
Ovation
Virginia Martin & the late Robert Martin Carol & Barry McArton Terri & Jim McKerchar‡ Dr. & Mrs. Kieran O’Keeffe M. Plett-Lyle Mr. & Mrs. Lawrie & Fran Pollard K. Heather Power & Harold Klause‡ Lawrence Prout* & Lisa Gardewine‡ Margaret Redmond* & Greg Gillis‡ Brad Regehr & Nalini Reddy Mrs. Shirley Richardson Barbara & Derek* Rolstone‡ Dean & Rachel Scaletta Cheryl & Lorne Sharfe Christine Skene & Nick Logan Ken & Susan* Skinner Kevin Hines & Shelly Smith-Hines‡ Jeff Sisler & Cathy Rippin-Sisler Joan Stephens – in memory of Annice Stephens‡ Shelley† & Mark Stroski‡ Sasha & Josh Thiem*‡ Albert & Sindee Wilhelmer Rick & Claire* Workman Richard L. Yaffe* & John A. Statham
COMPANY CIRCLE $600-1,199 Robert & Ina Abra Family Fund – The Winnipeg Foundation Margaret & Jim Astwood Ryan Bernier Bruce & Shelley Bertrand-Meadows Helga & Gerhard Bock Cathie & Brian Bowerman Charlotte Calnitsky Pam & Andrew Cooke J. Dawson Sharron & Joel Dudeck Robert & Florence Eastwood Ernest & Ruth Epp Paulo Fernandes*‡ Hon. Gary Filmon & Hon. Janice Filmon CM Barbara Hamilton Sylvia & Doug Hannah Gordon Hannon Gregg & Mary Hanson Gail Hechter Maureen Jay Hon. Justice William Johnston Dr. Laurence Katz & Ms. Zoe Kogan Ian Kirk†‡ Eileen & George Klassen Donna L. Korban & Family The Honourable Guy J. Kroft & Hester Kroft* Brent Kvern
†Current Royal MTC staff
‡Monthly donors
33
SUPPORTERS Peter & Karen Leipsic Peter & Maureen Macdonald Mr. G. Markham Gerry Matte & Lydia Surasky-Matte Kris Olafson‡ Richard & Bonnie Olfert Cam & Carole Osler Sandra Paterson-Greene & Russ Greene Donna Plant Beth Pollard Ms. Judith Putter Murray & Cindy Reimer Iris Reimer David & Joan Rew Henriette Ricou & Jure Manfreda Andrea & Michael Robertson‡ Shinewald Family Ms. Judy Nichol & Dr. Jim Skinner Carol & Ron Slater Fund – Jewish Foundation of Manitoba Debbie Spracklin Donald & Lorraine Swanson Shayne & Kathryn Taback Dr. Peter Triggs‡ Carol & Hugo Unruh Strang/van Ineveld Family Vicki Verville‡ Dorothy Walker Margaret Wollner 3 Anonymous
$250-599 Pat & Bob Adamson Elizabeth Adkins Brian Adolph†‡ Pat & Nazir Ahmad Dawn Andersen Jay & Judy Anderson Dr. Ignatius Anyadike Archie & Jo-Anne Arnott Dennis & Elaine Schultz Sheena Baird†‡ Jim & Elizabeth Ballance Larry Beeston & Anna Sikora Trish Bergal Mr. & Mrs. Ernest Bergbusch Bruce & Joyce Berry Heather Bidzinski Marnie Bolland Lilian Bonin Dr. Elizabeth Boustcha Billy Brodovsky & Libby Yager‡ Sheila & David Brodovsky France Adams & Stephen Brodovsky George & Ellen Bruce Gerald & Carmen Butler MacDonald/Cageorge Fund – The Winnipeg Foundation Rosemary Chapman Terri Cherniack & Steven Schipper, CM, OM‡
Shelley Chochinov Bobbi Chomiak Kenneth Clark & Pamela Lockman Katherine Cobor & Gordon Steindel Melonee Collins Diane Coughlin Jim & Gwen Court Robert Coutts Daniel Cowan Claudette Dalton Ms. Linda Daniels Chris Darazsi‡ J. Davidson‡ Andrea Hector & Kirk Dellebuur Diana Dinon Margaret & Sylvia Docker Carl & Wilma Doerksen Judith & Harold Dueck Karen Dunlop Craig & Claudette Dunn Helene Dyck H. Dyck Roberta Dyck Glen* & Joan Dyrda Mr. & Mrs. William Easton Dr. Michael Eleff & Chana Thau Andrew Enns Debra Evaniuk Doug & Pat Finkbeiner Anne Friesen Felicia & Trevor Frost Colleen & Dan Furlan‡ Frank Filbert & Linda Garwood-Filbert Brent & Debbie Gilbert Ms. Heather Gillander Ben & Serky Goldberg Barbara & David Goldenberg Dr. & Mrs. Andrew Gomori Lila Goodspeed Gary Goodwin Jeremy & Maureen Gordon Kayla Gordon & Art Maister Karen H. Guenther Sig & Leona Hackbart Kathryn & Wayne Harrison Frank & Sue Hechter Kristin Heinrichs Rodney Hick & Tracey Jackson Dennis & Betty-lynn Hodgkinson Tanis & Bernd Hohne Michael & Crystal Hollas‡ N & L Holliday Carol Holmes & Brian Duff Robert Hykawy Dan & Karen Ilchyna Marlis & David Jacobson Dr. James & Muriel Jamieson Sylvia Jansen Cliff Jeffers Margaret Jeffries Claire & Gerald Jewers
*Current Royal MTC Board of Trustees/Advisory Board members
34
Ovation
Dr. Danielle & Mr. Brendan Roddy G & C Jochum Lisa Johnston‡ James Tam & Katherine Jordan Marilyn & Sheldon Joyal Sheryl Kapitz & Aaron London Robert Kennedy & Claudette Leclerc Peter Kingsley Paula Klan Betty Klassen Vern & Roselin Klassen Julie Ann Kniskern Miriam Kohn E. Koop David & Denise Koss Carol Campbell & Andy Krentz Paula Kristjanson Hasiuk Howard & Jane Kroeger Glad & Lloyd Lamont Desiree Lavallee†‡ John & Heather Lea Katrina Lee-Kwen & Jeff Neufeld Wendell & Eleanor Lind Tim Preston & Dave Ling Charles & Diane Littman Pat & Jim Ludwig Dr. Sora Ludwig & Dr. Brent Schacter Brian & Christie Lysack N. Marr Dr. Donald McInnes Campbell & Lorraine McIntyre Marlene & Ian McKay Greg & Gloria McLaren Donald G. McNabb Barb Melnychuk Albert & Judith Metcalfe‡ Grant Mitchell & Cat Lambeth Dr. Catherine Moltzan & Paul Brault Marc Monnin & Donna Miller Sagan Morrow*‡ Cathy Moser & Jeff Itzkow Suzanne & Kenneth Munroe B. Nagamori Brad Nance Marika Nerbas Tracey Novak Dr. H. Nyhof & Jo-Anne Lutz D & G Nytepchuk Marie Ohta Helen Orestes Cam Mackie & Doris Mae Oulton Jeff Palamar Murray Palay & Ivy Kopstein Heather & Harry Panaschuk Linda & Wayne Paquin Dr. Philip & Joanne Pass Chris Pearce & Ruth Magnuson Peter & Anita Pelech Maryam & Izzy Peltz Fund – Jewish Foundation of Manitoba Aaron & Maureen Penner Linda & Rob Pettit
†Current Royal MTC staff
‡Monthly donors
march/april 2020
SUPPORTERS Denise Plett Calvin & Jen Polet Keith Powls Jocelyne Prefontaine Maureen Prendiville & Paul Jensen Tammy Rabkin Vivian E. Rachlis Carole Rankin‡ Vance & Bev Rehill Wayne Rempel Dr. & Mrs. J. Richtik Jean Riggall Cathy & Paul Samyn Sudhir Sandhu Barbara Scheuneman Marlis Schroeder Renate & Bill Schulz Harald & Vicki Schulz In memory of Sybil Shack for the benefit of MTC – Jewish Foundation of Manitoba Sharon Shaydak Margaret & Paul Shuckett Shayna & Merrill Shulman Sandra & Cliff Skrabek Chad Smith‡ Mrs. Lorraine Smith Evelyn Stephen Eleanor Suderman Mary Ann Supleve Mr. & Mrs. Paul Swart
Ross & Bette-Jayne Taylor Karen Tereck – Welcome to Winnipeg Inc. Leah R. Janzen & Ian R. Thomson Gord & Lorena Trann Louis Trepel & W.T. Grogan Ms. Marilyn Trepel B. Baydock & W. Tretiak Grant Tweed Dr. & Mrs. M. B. Vodrey Ed & Jesse Vorst Stirling Walkes Taylor Warren Deanna Waters Walter & Shirley Watts Florence & Donald Whitmore Murray & Nancy Wiegand Lionel & Lorraine Wiens Kathleen Gough & Timothy Wildman Catherine Wilkie – in memory of C. Noreen Wilkie Dennis & Gustine Wilton Dr. David Wiseman & Merilyn Kraut Valerie Wowryk Harry & Evelyn Wray Landice Yestrau Dr. Dorothy Y. Young 15 Anonymous
$150-249 Elena Anciro†‡ Bernice Antoniuk Elizabeth B. Armytage Fund – The Winnipeg Foundation Lynne Arnason Peter Attwood Michael Averbach Ian Backus Richard & Nancy Ball Robert Bamburak Lynley Baranyk June & Ted Bartman Kathrine Basarab Karen & John Bate James & Dawn-Lynne Bedford Susan & George Benias Terri & Morley Bernstein Edwin M. Bethune Irene Bilan Kelly Black Joan Blight Colleen & Stephen Bonner Morva Bowman & Alan Pollard Bruce & Karen Boyd Jackie & Steve Broda-Milian Brian Brown Gerald R. Brown Donna & Tom Bryk Carol Budnick
RARE EXQUISITE WORLDLY
GRA NT PARK LIQU OR MART 1120 GRANT AVENUE
SUPPORTERS Giles Bugailiskis & Margo Foxford Ken England & Gerri Burge John Burrows Enid Butler Donna Byrne Kelly & Judy Caughlin Paul Chard & Rhea Yates Lorraine Chatel Farouk & Laila Chebib Duane Cheskey‡ Glen & Lorna Clark A son’s Tribute to Berdie & Irvin Cohen-Flow Through Fund Lawrence & Reesa Cohen Agnes & John K. Collins Donna Collins Candace Conci Diane Connelly Joan E. Coombe Susan Cormack Ray & Brenda Crabbe Roy & Marie Craig Barbara & Brian Crow Gary & Fiona Crow Craig & Donna Cuddy Ellen Curtis‡ J. Dale G. L. Damphousse Bob & Alison Darling Diane de Rocquigny Clemence Deschouwer Beverley Doern Brion Dolenko – in memory of Emily Nett Sheila Domke & Stephen Ross Nancy & Brian Drad Jacqueline F. Drever Rob Dryden John & Ada Ducas Jay & Heather Duncan David & Barbara Ediger‡ Greg Edmond & Irene Groot-Koerkamp John Edwards & Wendy Stelko Dan & Lilianne Erickson Jemara Fay‡ Marion Fellinger Nelma Fetterman Jo-Anne Findlay Gayle Fischer Beverley & Ronald John Fitzpatrick Lawrence Foster‡ Jack Fraser Chris Freeman Janice French Menno H. & Jolanda Friesen Pamela & Kevin Friesen Dianne Frost Paul Daeninck & Monica Furer Ron Gaffray Daniel Gagnon
Basil & Judy Galarnyk Gloria & Rick Gallant Lynne & Lindsay Gauld‡ Denise & Ron George Michelle Georgi Trish Gibson Patti & Rick Gilhuly Alicyn Goodman‡ Michele Goossen‡ Shawn & Bill Gould John & Margaret Graham Rosa Graveline Abigail Grieder Kari Hagness†‡ Sharon Hamilton‡ Gregory & Heather Hammond Don Hardy Bruce & Judy Harris Joanne Harris Teresa A. Hay Ken & Ruth Hayes Evelyn Hecht Mr. Kyle Hendin Coral Hetherington David & Mary Hickling Ted & Cathy Hlynsky Rob & Jen Hochkievich‡ John & Lenore Hodge Mary Hodge Tom & Dianne Hodgson Gary Hook & Charmine Lyons Keith Horn Ken Houssin Mr. & Mrs. Richard & Karen Howell Mrs. Kadri Irwin G. C. Irwin-Kilfoyle Krista Jackson & Matthew Handscombe‡ Brenda Jenkyns Lynne Jentsch Dave & Lesia Johns Tiffany Johnson-Sheldon Robert & Karen Johnston Ijneb & Armand Joyal Brian & Renee Kaplan Dr. Arvind & Nancy Kati Penny & Brian Kelly Brenda Keyser & Peter Murdock Orah & Soody Kleiman Barb Kleysen L. Knodel John & Kathryn Knowles Paul & Tamara Kochan Ms. Julie Koehn Peter & Valerie Kohut Lisa Koss & Alex Vecherya Jacki & Sheldon Koven Lorraine Kraichy‡ Jonathan & Cara Kroft Teena Laird Barbara Latocki
*Current Royal MTC Board of Trustees/Advisory Board members
march/april 2020
Ovation
Pam Lawrence Bryen Lebar & Patricia Sauder‡ Bob Leggett Kathy & Saul Leibl Tim & Kate Letkemann‡ Carol & Clifford Levi Lilian Bonin & Daniel Levin Judy & Eric Lister Dianne & Laurie Logan Teresa Lopata & Bruce Wagg Chris, Lori & Sarah Luby Maylene & Israel Ludwig Carole Lupkowski Tom Lussier Dr. Shelley Mahoney Darlene Malazdrewich Tamara Mares Elaine & Neil Margolis Marcy Markusa Agatha Massey Cheryl & Eric Matheson Linda Matheson Roxana Mazur Bob & Betty McCamis J. McCleary John & Carolynne McLure Fund – The Winnipeg Foundation Barry McNabb‡ Mario Mendizabal Susie Miclash Jim & Karren Middagh Andrew & Pat Miles Marlene Milne David Moll Don Munro Leanne Nause & Family Lillian Neaman* Robert Nickel Iris Noiseux Helen Norrie Sheila Norrie Tom Nowicki Joanne Olchowecki R. Ooto Cynthia Orris Theresa Oye – in memory of Diane Stefanson Ray Palmer Beverly Pavlek Myron Pawlowsky & Susan Boulter B. Peterson & S. Slonosky Rick Pinchin Bill Podolsky Carolyn Porhownik Brett & Nancy Porth Linda & Michael Radcliffe W. John Rae Dr. R. & Audrey Ramchandar Angeline Ramkissoon Diane Ramsey Linda Ratynski
†Current Royal MTC staff
‡Monthly donors
37
SUPPORTERS Cheryl Reid Lorraine & Ernest Reinfort Shelley Rennie Laurel & Brian Repski Mr. & Mrs. William Reynolds Mr. Louis Ricciuto Henry & Sheila Riendeau Denise Robitaille Renee Roseman Olga A. Runnalls‡ Elizabeth & Laurence Russin – in memory of Patrick Brown Barbara Ryan Beverly Ryman Sandra Sadler Gordon Siemens & Cheryl Samson-Siemens Shona Scappaticci‡ M. & S. Schumann Ms. Faye Scott Carol Scurfield Jim & Susan Shaw Blake Shiaro Dr. & Mrs. A.M. Shojania Debbie Shymko Elinor Simons Meera Sinha Jennifer Skelly & Family‡ Donald Smith Lillian Smith Peter & Geri Spencer Cardiff Stacey Lisa & Daniel Stiver Hilde Strempler Heidi Struck‡ Tom & Shirley Strutt Lorne Sunley Dr. Robert Tate Aurora Tetrault Robert & Catherine Thiessen Sharon Timson‡ Malcolm & Shirley Tinsley Margaret Tobin Chris Turyk† & Bryce Weedmark‡ Irvin & Toby Vinsky Helmut & Gwen Waedt Jane & Don Walters‡ Bob & Sherry Ward Veralyn Warkentin Peter & Joan Washchyshyn Lois & Henry Wedel Hymie & Shaaron Weinstein Mary Agnes Welch Tamara & John Wells Al & Pat Wherrett‡ Les & Terry Wiens C. E. Wilmot Leslie Wilson Dorcas & Kirk Windsor Reed & Arla Winstone Dennis & Janet Woodford
Grant & Sheila Woods Raymond & Louise Wyant Brad Zander‡ Gary Zimak Olga & Roman Zubach 21 Anonymous
$25,000+ Johnston Group Inc. Richardson Foundation
SPONSOR
$5,000-9,999
The Asper Foundation The Gail Asper Family Foundation Assiniboine Credit Union Banville & Jones Wine Co Bell MTS Birchwood Lexus BMO Financial Group Canada Life CN C&T Rentals Culligan Water Dycom Direct Mail Services Esdale Printing Co. Ltd. Fillmore Riley LLP Freeman Audio Visual Canada Friesens Corporation Gardewine/Winnipeg Moving & Storage The Gates on Roblin Glitter & Glue The Great Canadian Travel Group HUB International Lawton Partners MacDon Industries Ltd. Manitoba 150 Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries McDiarmid Flowers McNally Robinson Booksellers MMP Architects Patent 5 Pinnacle Pizza Hotline PwC RBC Convention Centre RBC Royal Bank RE/MAX Relish New Brand Experience Sleeman Breweries Ltd. Stantec Consulting Ltd. Stewart-Renouf Group – Scotia Wealth Management Subway Franchise World Headquarters, LLC TD Bank Group The Thomas Sill Foundation University of Manitoba Wawanesa Insurance Winnipeg Richardson International Airport The Winnipeg Foundation The Winnipeg Free Press
*Current Royal MTC Board of Trustees/Advisory Board members
38
CORPORATE DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE
Ovation
Cambrian Credit Union The Albert D. Cohen Family Fund Qualico
$3,000-4,999 Terracon Development Ltd.
$1,200-2,999 Arthur J. Gallagher Insurance & Risk Management Astroid Management Ltd. Deloitte Foundation Canada Fillmore Riley LLP Manitoba Blue Cross Manitoba’s Credit Unions Maple Leaf Construction Ltd., Blake Fitzpatrick Maxim Truck & Trailer Pollard Banknote Limited PRA Inc. Regal Tours Safeway & Sobeys
CORPORATE COMPANY CIRCLE $600-1,199 Party Stuff/U-Rent-It Premier Printing Ltd.
$300-599 Gautron Management Services Inc. MCW/AGE Consulting Professional Engineers Mid West Packaging Limited
$150-299 Funseekers Ladies Travel Intergroup Consultants Ltd. Patill/St. James Insurance
†Current Royal MTC staff
‡Monthly donors
march/april 2020
The Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre
winnipegfreepress.com/subscribe
SUPPORTERS FOUNDERS’ CIRCLE Wayne & Lee Anderson Gail Asper, OC, OM, LLD* Zdzislaw (Zaz) Bajon & Patricia Hunter Marjorie & Morley§ Blankstein Duane§ & Pauline Braun Doneta Brotchie, CM* & Harry Brotchie David & Lianne Carefoot Len & Heather Cariou Terri Cherniack & Steven Schipper, CM, OM Jennifer Cheslock & George Buri David Christianson & Vera Steinberger David* & Barb Christie Gerry & Chris Couture Hugh B. Cowan Kerry Dangerfield* Laurie Lam† & Larry Desrochers Glen* & Joan Dyrda Robert & Florence Eastwood Don & Elfie Elias Bill§ & Gayle Fischer Anthony* & Jennifer Fletcher Jack Fraser James Gibbs§ Sandy* & Rheal Gousseau John* & Nicola Guttormson Ahava Halpern & Frank Lavitt Linda Hamilton & Grange Morrow Gary Hannaford* & Cathy Rushton Ted§ & Gail Hechter Elaine Heinicke§ June§ & Bob Jackson Fund for the Performing Arts Maureen E. Jay Andrew & Wendy Jensen David & Diane Johnston Dr. Leonard & Hope§ Kahane Janis Kaminsky Jason Kasper* John Kearsey Gordon & Anne Keatch§ Rob Kennedy & Claudette Leclerc Serena Helen Kraayeveld Leona J. MacDonald Mark & Gloria Mancini Virginia Martin Peggy Barker & Ron McKinnon Jim* & Penny McLandress Barb Melnychuk Bob & Pat Migliore Jeffrey Morton* Ken & Sharon Mould Dr. Liam Murphy§ Robb & Heather Paterson Chris Pearce
Gina & John* C. Petersmeyer Drs. Bill Pope & Elizabeth Tippett-Pope K. Heather Power & Harold Klause Margaret Redmond* & Greg Gillis Edward Fisher & Lyse Rémillard Joan D. Richardson Michelle Rowan Sharon Ryman Susan Skinner* Kevin Hines & Shelly Smith-Hines Bill & Laurie* Speers Joan Stephens Suzanne Ullyot Lionel & Lorraine Wiens Richard L. Yaffe* & John A. Statham Brenda Zaporzan§ 2 Anonymous
TRIBUTE GIFTS In memory of Jake MacDonald Provincial Judges Association of Manitoba In memory of Olwen Morgan Katherine Morgan In memory of Rosemary Scurfield Josh* & Sasha Thiem
ENDOWMENT – STEVEN SCHIPPER FUND Many thanks to the generosity of our Endowment Fund donors who gave a gift or fulfilled a pledge payment between Dec 1, 2018 and Feb 1, 2020. Amounts are cumulative. $5,000,000+ Government of Canada/ Gouvernement du Canada Canadian Heritage/Patrimoine canadien
$250,000-499,999 Gail Asper, OC, OM, LLD* & Michael Paterson
$100,000-249,999 Marjorie Blankstein CM, OM, LLD Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre Volunteer Corps of Ushers The Leigh & Liam Murphy Family Fund
*Current Royal MTC Board of Trustees/Advisory Board members
$25,000-49,999 J.K. May Investments Ltd. Elizabeth Marr & Nick Slonosky Virginia Martin & the late Robert Martin Cam & Carole Osler
$10,000-24,999 Estate of Mark Bernstein The Bowles Family Gus* & Diane Campbell James Cohen & Linda McGarva-Cohen Neil & Carol Duboff Bryan Klein & Susan Halprin Susan & Keith Knox Norma Anne Padilla L. Blair Philpott & Tom Kynman Terracon Development Ltd. Wearing Williams Limited
$5,000-9,999 Doneta Brotchie, CM* & Harry Brotchie Margaret Caie Helene Dyck Robert & Margaret Ferguson§ Gayle Fischer Gail Hechter Elaine Heinicke§ Garry Markham Gina O’Connor & John C. Petersmeyer* Jim & Jan Tennant Faye Warren Dr. Dorothy Y. Young Hyman & Esther Dashevsky*
$2,500-4,999 Irene Miller & the late Claire Miller Barbara Scheuneman Ruth Simkin Anonymous
$1,000-2,499 Joan & Edward Alexander Jack Armstrong & Doris Quinn Jean Bissett Don & Cheryl Breakey David* & Barb Christie Kerry Dangerfield* Bob & Alison Darling Dorothy Davidson Roberta Dyck Ernest & Ruth Epp Michael & Lynn Evans Christine Fleetwood David & Ewhenia Gnutel Gregory & Heather Hammond
†Current Royal MTC staff ‡Monthly donors If you have remembered Royal MTC in your will, please let us know.
40
Ovation
§ Fondly Remembered
march/april 2020
SUPPORTERS Marilyn & Helios Hernandez John Kearsey Barbara Main Gerry Matte & Lydia Surasky-Matte Estelle Meyers Rena & Reno Molinari Vera Moroz Paul & Elaine Neelon Jean & Lisa Neron Margaret Redmond* & Greg Gillis Bill Rennie Marc & Sherri Rittinger Pat & Michelle Rowan Beverley Vane & Bill Shepherd Howie & Sue Simpson Al* & Virginia Snyder Bill & Laurie* Speers Joan Stephens – in memory of Melanie Sexton Frits & Joan Stevens Margaret & Paul Wright Richard L. Yaffe* & John A. Statham
$500-999 Marge & Ted Avent Lawrie & Bea Cherniack Susan* & Ab Freig Patrick Green & Shayla Harapiak Green Evelyn Hecht
Jordan Janisse & Teresa Cooper Jason Kasper* Mr. & Mrs. Fred Kisil Barbara Latocki Peggy Barker Anthony & Joyce McWha Marcel & Louise Mollot Marlene Mortimer Edna Poulter Lawrence Prout* & Lisa Gardewine Ivor & Lorna Schledewitz Jim & Susan Shaw Peter & Sharon Taylor Gabor Vamos & Brenda Silver Anonymous
UP TO $499 Joan Blight Debbie Bond Helene Dyck Paulo Fernandes* Katherine Fox* Sandy Gousseau* L.D. Graham Abigail Grieder John* & Nicola Guttormson Yude Henteleff Dr. James & Muriel Jamieson Donna & Dave* Lalama Nancy Latocki
F. Lemieux Anne & Keith Love Shannon MacFarlane Doug McKeag Bob & Pat Migliore Sagan Morrow* Edward Fisher & Lyse Rémillard Katie Inverarity – in memory of Melanie Sexton Bryce & Jenna Simes Kevin Hines & Shelly Smith-Hines Brian Stein – in memory of Judith Hendry Evelyn Stephen Ross & Bette-Jayne Taylor Helga Van Iderstine* Mitch & Rosemary Vodrey Judy & Michael Wakefield Debbie & Sheldon Wiseman Graham & Vicki Young 3 Anonymous
THANKS TO OUR VOLUNTEERS!
SUPPORTING PARTNERS CORE FUNDERS
SEASON PARTNERS
TOM HENDRY WAREHOUSE SEASON SPONSOR
EXCLUSIVE PRODUCTION SUPPORTER
JOHN HIRSCH MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION SPONSOR
TOM HENDRY WAREHOUSE PRODUCTION SPONSOR
JOHN HIRSCH MAINSTAGE PERFORMANCE SPONSORS
YOUTH PROGRAMS
THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES
TD THEATRE UNDER 30
REGIONAL TOUR
42
Ovation
march/april 2020
SUPPORTING PARTNERS BLACK & WHITE BALL PREMIER SPONSOR
PLATINUM SPONSOR
SILENT AUCTION SPONSOR
COCKTAIL RECEPTION SPONSOR
BIRCHWOOD LEXUS
LAWYERS PLAY
BRONZE SPONSOR
STEWART-RENOUF SCOTIA WEALTH MANAGEMENT
DESIGN SPONSOR
CAPITAL ASSISTANCE
SEASON MEDIA SPONSORS
SUPPORTING SPONSORS
WINNIPEG FRINGE THEATRE FESTIVAL
MASTER PLAYWRIGHT FESTIVAL
march/april 2020
Ovation
43
BEHIND THE SCENES Front of House
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Adrianne Breyfogle, Front of House Manager, John Hirsch Mainstage Kim Cossette, Front of House Manager, Tom Hendry Warehouse Front of House Staff: Jennifer Brisson, Shaylene Cote, Rylen de Vries, Nick Fletcher, Elfie Harvey, Teresa Horosko, Marissa Kellett, Daniel MacPherson, Kimmy Martin, Graeme Olson, Kat Petrash, Kaitlyn Schuster, Dyonssalynn Stoll, Rita Vande Vyvere
Honorary Members
Her Honour, Lt. Governor Janice C. Filmon The Honourable Brian Pallister, Premier of Manitoba His Worship, Mayor Brian Bowman Executive Officers
David Christie, Chair John Guttormson, Chair-Elect Heather Clarke, Treasurer / Organizational Performance Chair Katherine Fox, Secretary Jason Kasper, Resource Development Chair Sandy Gousseau, Audience Development Chair Laurie A. Speers, Governance & Strategic Planning Chair Trustees
Jan Coates Paulo Fernandes Susan Freig Shawn Hughes David Kroft Advisory Council
Anthony C. Fletcher, Chair Gail Asper Doneta Brotchie, CM Angus Campbell Gerry Couture Kerry Dangerfield Hy Dashevsky Glen Dyrda, FCA John F. Fraser Jean Giguere
Maintenance
Andrew Drinnan, Building Superintendent Chris Fletcher, Assistant Building Superintendent Marketing & Communications
David Lalama Andrea Lochhead Linda Mcgarva-Cohen Sagan Morrow Derek Rolstone
Josh Thiem Jeremy Trickett Helga D. Van Iderstine Claire Workman Richard L. Yaffe
Charron Hamilton Gary Hannaford, FCA Yude Henteleff Ken Houssin Gordon Keatch Colin R. MacArthur, QC Patrick J. Matthews Jim McLandress Jeffrey Morton, FCA Hon. Jack Murta
Lillian Neaman Shelley Nimchonok James Pappas John Petersmeyer Lawrence Prout Jeff Quinton Patricia Rabson Margaret Redmond Susan Skinner Al Snyder Maureen Watchorn
STAFF Accounting/Finance
Sharon Burden, Payroll Administrator Yvonne O’Connor, Accounts Payable Administrator Shelley Stroski, Controller Administration
Sue Caughlin, Marketing & Communications Manager Kathleen Cerrer, Publicist & Online Media Coordinator Katie Inverarity, Director of Marketing & Communications Desiree La Vallee, Ticketing Application Specialist Savannah Lillies, Publications Coordinator Thomas Urish, Sales Manager Paint
Susan Groff, Head Scenic Artist Carla Schroeder, Head Scenic Artist Melissa Smigelski, Scenic Artist Production
Claire Bourdin, Assistant Production Manager Christine Corthey, Production Associate Chris Coyne, Technical Director, John Hirsch Mainstage Ian Kirk, Assistant Technical Director Rick MacPherson, Technical Director, Tom Hendry Warehouse Russell Martin, Director of Production Properties
Kari Hagness, Head of Properties Jamie Plummer, Properties Builder Lawrence Van Went, Master Builder Stage Crew
Joan Lees-Miller, Head of Wardrobe Gary Plouffe, House Stage Hand Claude Robert, Head Electrician Chris Thomson, Head Carpenter Michael Wright, Head of Sound
Brian Adolph, IT Manager Elena Anciro, Education & Community Engagement Manager Camilla Holland, Executive Director Daphne MacMillan, Administrative Assistant Kathrin Moncaster, Senior Developer & Systems Administrator Rachel Weessies, Director of Human Resources
Tom Hendry Warehouse
Artistic
Thora Lamont, Cutter Lorraine O’Leary, Head of Wardrobe / Cutter Jackie Van Winkle, Head Buyer & Accessories Coordinator
Jenn Bahniuk, Artistic Coordinator Casey Challes, Assistant to the Producer Audrey Dwyer, Associate Artistic Director Jeff Kennedy, Literary Coordinator Laurie Lam, Producer Kelly Thornton, Artistic Director Kim Wheeler, Curator, The Bridge Box Office
Sheena Baird, Director of Patron Services Olaoluwa Fayokun, Patron Services Coordinator Julie Gregorchuk, Box Office Manager Box Office Representatives: Rizaina Almario, Sharon Bunn, Meaghan Fletcher, Melissa Langdon, Robyn Pooley, Joshua Robertson, Katie Schmidt, Katie Spring, Lilian Talabis Carpentry (John Hirsch Mainstage)
Louis Gagné, Layout Carpenter Brent Letain, Master Carpenter Chris Seida, Acting Master Carpenter Development
Chris Brett, Head of Sound Rick MacPherson, Technical Director Jacqueline Robertson, Acting Head Electrician Rudy Wall, Head Carpenter Wardrobe
Wigs
Beverly Covert, Wigs & Makeup Supervisor Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival & Master Playwright Festival
Chuck McEwen, Executive Producer Tori Popp, Festival Manager Honorary Staff
Zaz Bajon, General Manager Emeritus Steven Schipper, CM, OM, Artistic Director Emeritus
ADDITIONAL PRODUCTION STAFF A Thousand Splendid Suns
Amanda Isaak, First Hand Kayla McSwain, Dresser Farrah Okolita, Scenic Painter Jim Sutherland, Prop Builder Zane Kirk, Hairstylist c/o Urban Crush Salon
Lisa Hunt, Special & Donor Events Coordinator Michael Joyal, Development Data Manager Melissa Novecosky, Associate Director of Development Chris Turyk, Development Manager
44
Ovation
march/april 2020
BEHIND THE SCENES A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS Arts Club Production Staff
Stephan Baeuml, Director of Production Ace Martens, Pre-Production Manager Dan Paterson, Technical Director, Stanley Theatre Dawn Padget, Production Administrator Josh Tompke, Production Assistant Alberto White, Stanley Theatre Head Electrician Lucas Hall, Stanley Theatre Head Stage Carpenter Sebastian Finch, Head Sound Technician Oriana Camporese, Head Dresser Joao Carlos d’Almeida, Head Scenic Carpenter Lorraine West, 2nd Scenic Carpenter Chris White, 2nd Scenic Carpenter Jeremy Vreeken, 2nd Scenic Carpenter Kristine Kavalec, Head Scenic Artist Tegan Klancnik, Scenic Artist Corinne Palmer, Scenic Artist Mike Gall, Head Properties Robyn Volk, 2nd Properties Kristen McGhie, Head Wardrobe Tiffany Bishop, 2nd Wardrobe Sarah Marchant, Cutter Victoria Kilppenstein, Stitcher Jennifer Reid, Stitcher Kate Rittenhouse, Stitcher Megan Veaudry, Stitcher Hackmans Head Office, Beard Builder
Groups of 10 or more
save! to book group tickets contact: Thomas Urish, Sales Manager P 204 954 6413 e turish@royalmtc.ca
MAINSTAGE BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS We’ve been working to improve your experience at the theatre. Here’s the update: • New seat cushions (yes!): the first 10 rows were completed this summer and we’ll continue until the whole auditorium is done. • The bathroom in the northwest corner of the building is now gender inclusive, which means all are welcome. It’s also wheelchair-friendly. • We have new hearing-assistance devices. You can get a headset from one of our friendly volunteers as you enter the lobby from the Box Office. • Water! Well, this isn’t new but a reminder that we have a water fountain near the Rorie Street entrance and water jugs on every bar. You can also bring in your own water bottle as long as you promise not to squirt your fellow patrons!
EDUCATION & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT The cast of Fun Home. PHOTO BY DYLAN HEWLETT
Scholarships & Apprenticeships Are you planning to pursue a career in theatre? We want to help you achieve your goals! Royal MTC is committed to supporting and cultivating local talent by providing opportunities through the Jean Murray-Moray Sinclair Theatre Scholarship and the Design and Directing Assistant Program. Through the support of generous donors and patrons, over 900 Jean Murray–Moray Sinclair Theatre Scholarships and Apprenticeships have been awarded to emerging Manitoban theatre artists. Many of these artists have gone on to work for Royal MTC and theatre companies around the world. We are now in the second year of our Design and Directing Assistant Program, which provides opportunities for early-career designers and directors to refine and strengthen their craft. Successful applicants work with established theatre artists to broaden their skills and obtain professional experience. The Design and Directing Assistant Program is generously supported by The Kingfisher Foundation. “It will absolutely help develop my career. I learned a lot from [the director] Sarah Garton Stanley and hope to continue to use the knowledge she shared with me in all my work. It has given me contact with artists and administrators who now recognize what I can do and will hopefully in turn hire me. It has also given me confidence that I am on the right path and can have a career in this field moving forward.” – rebekah jones, fun home assistant director
The 2020/21 application forms are online now! All submissions must be received by Friday, April 3.
royalmtc.ca/scholarships 46
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Ovation
royalmtc.ca/assistants march/april 2020
ROYAL MANITOBA THEATRE CENTRE & THE MANITOBA BAR ASSOCIATION PRESENT THE 28TH ANNUAL LAWYERS PLAY
AT THE
LAPIN AGILE
By Steve Martin Directed by Michelle Boulet STARRING DAVID DICK TASHIA DREGER REID GIRARD BENJI GREENBERG DANNY GUNN ASHLEY KORSUNSKY JIM MCLANDRESS JAIME ROSIN NEIL STEEN GEOFFREY TOEWS MARIA VERSACE
MAY 6–9
TICKETS $75–$100
ROYALMTC.CA/LAWYERSPLAY • 204 942 6537 In support of the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre
PRESENTING SPONSOR
SILVER SPONSOR
WINE SPONSOR
DESIGN SPONSOR
RECEPTION SPONSORS
Picasso at the Lapin Agile is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC.
LET’S GET THE SHOW ON THE ROAD
GFL Environmental is proud to support the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre and the Arts. Our diverse service offerings include solid waste management, recycling services, and hazardous waste collection. Green Today. Green For Life.
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gflenv.com