McMaster Musical Theatre's costume and set leads share the creative process behind their latest production
McMaster Musical Theatre captivated audiences with their production of Anastasia, which ran at the Robinson Memorial Theatre from Feb. 22 to March 1, 2025. The performance took audiences from the splendour of Imperial Russia to the dazzling freedom of 1920s Paris, telling the story of Anya’s journey to rediscovering her royal roots.
While much of the spectacle unfolded onstage, the magic began long before opening night. A dedicated team of designers and creators worked to bring this story to life through research, collaboration and creativity.
For Matthew Jackson, MMT’s set lead for this production, creating a visually immersive world for Anastasia was about more than just aesthetics—it was about setting the tone for each stage of Anya’s journey.
“Basically, I’m in charge of all of the large physical aspects of the play. Really, we were responsible for anything that isn’t meant to be handled by one particular individual,” said Jackson.
Historical references played a role in the set’s design, but there was also room for creative interpretation. Jackson shared that the team incorporated subtle details that audiences might not notice at first glance. One example was a cherry blossom tree in the Paris scenes, a nod to both the source material and a symbol of France during that period.
“It was something I didn’t know until I started doing this play, but felt significant once I had learned about it,” said Jackson.
It was something I didn't know until I started doing this play, but felt significant once I had learned about it.
Matthew Jackson, Set Lead for Anastasia
McMaster Musical Theatre
Bringing these ideas to life, however, wasn’t without its challenges. Working within the smaller confines of the Robinson Memorial Theatre meant making design adjustments.
“We kind of had to think practically. Our train, for example, folds into two four-foot pieces so they can be taken off stage and make things easier to manoeuvre around,” said Jackson, highlighting the team’s resourcefulness.
According to costumes lead Mays Alhellawi, the team took a research-driven approach to bring historical accuracy and character development into the wardrobe.
“We started by separating four key areas for each theme. We looked at the Romanovs’ portraits, who are seen in white during the performance. There’s St. Petersburg, the Russian townsfolk. Then there’s the Parisians. And finally, there’s the Neva Club,” explained Alhellawi. This breakdown helped guide the design process, ensuring each character’s attire fit both the era and their narrative arc.
The colours used in costumes were also chosen carefully and deliberately to signify character arcs.
“Anastasia is blue—because her final gown is blue—and we thought that over time, she could gain more blue within her outfit as she’s transitioning from Anya into Anastasia,” said Alhellawi.
Anastasia is blue—because her final gown is blue—and we thought that over time, she could gain more blue within her outfit as she's transitioning from Anya into Anastasia.
Mays Alhellawi, Costumes Lead for Anastasia
McMaster Musical Theatre
MMT sourced their costumes through a mix of thrifted finds and handmade pieces.
“We had 75 costumes to put together, and buying everything new wasn’t feasible,” said Alhellawi. “There’s a lot of taking things out and changing things along the way.”
Both Jackson and Alhellawi emphasized that the success of the production was thanks to the collective effort of their teams and the broader local community.
“A lot of the tools and materials we used were borrowed from friends, families and even local theatres . . . As wonderful as my team is, we couldn’t have done it alone. At least 20 people contributed to bringing the sets to reality. It really takes a village,” shared Jackson.
As wonderful as my team is, we couldn't have done it alone. At least 20 people contributed to bringing the sets to reality. It really takes a village.
Matthew Jackson, Set Lead for Anastasia
McMaster Musical Theatre
As Anastasia took to the stage, the audience saw the culmination of months of work, where every backdrop and stitch served a purpose. Offstage, it was a reflection of the countless hours, careful research and creative problem-solving that made the production possible.
With a two-person cast and minimal set, Constellations demonstrates the charm of a good story
Hamilton Theatre Project’s production of Constellations opened on Feb. 6, 2025 at the Lyons Family Studio, located in L. R. Wilson Hall. This is HTP’s second run of the show, which they performed at The Staircase in June 2024.
Constellations, written by Nick Payne, follows the relationship of Marianne and Roland through different universes, mapping out multiple possible endings and beginnings. Amber Mills, the artistic producer of HTP, discussed how the play's themes stood out to her. “I feel like it’s a really beautiful look at how we spend our time and why it matters and the choices we make and how they impact the way our lives unfold,” said Mills, “That concept or idea of “what if?” and exploring the multiverse from a love perspective is really appealing to me.”
I feel like it’s a really beautiful look at how we spend our time and why it matters and the choices we make and how they impact the way our lives unfold.
Amber Mills, Artistic Producer
Hamilton Theatre Project
Mills also acts in the show, playing Marianne, alongside Colin Palangio, who plays Roland. “In my mind, as an actor it’s super appealing to do a project like this that’s small. It’s really just about storytelling and just about the relationship and not really about any production value or other things,” said Mills.
For this production, the theatre was configured “in the round” with approximately 80 seats, creating an immersive experience. “I can’t really imagine this play not [in the round]. It feels like a play that kind of calls to have people all around. [A traditional stage] can feel quite limiting, you can only play in one direction. So this feels like it gives you a lot of freedom,” said Mills.
The stage was set with two wooden benches, a chair, and some small boxes. Throughout the show, the benches are reconfigured to create various settings, and a couple of props are taken out from the boxes. Colin Palangio, who plays Roland, explained how they decided on the set pieces. “We stuck with the sparse, very little going on, because really it’s about the couple. They’re traversing different universes so much, so that would be way too much prop and set,” said Palangio.
Without set changes, the multiverse is only indicated via alternate versions of the “same” scene. This structure presents a fun challenge for Mills and Palangio, who are responsible for conveying a new scene while repeating identical or similar dialogue. “It’s definitely an actor’s pleasure to do something like this because you really get to play,” said Palangio, “It reminds me of going back to not seeing the sunlight in theatre school and just trying a scene over and over. And I think what’s cool is that this show really sort of requires you to do that.”
As the only cast members, Mills and Palangio are wholly responsible for telling the story. “I don’t feel like I can hide, it really asks a lot of you as an actor,” said Mills. “There’s just the dialogue and the two people and trusting your scene partner because you’re only really as good as the people you share the stage with,” said Palangio.
You're only really as good as the people you share the stage with.
Colin Palangio, Actor
Hamilton Theatre Project
Both actors remain onstage throughout the entire 90-minute play and are only unlit during brief voice-over transition scenes and minor set adjustments. The play is impressively fast paced, often switching between universes without warning and requiring the actors to change their expressions, body language and tone of voice within a few seconds. “It’s kind of unrelenting, you don’t really get a breather per se. You go on this ride and you just stay on it for 90 minutes,” said Mills.
Mills shared that HTP was invited to bring the show to campus by the arts operations, resources and production department of McMaster’s school of the arts “[They were] excited about bringing something that was sort of from Hamilton. A Hamilton-based project, something semi-professional that the students could come and see, . . . that wasn’t the same type of theatre that they might see anywhere else in town,” said Mills.
Constellations is on until Feb. 15, 2025. To view the full list of showtimes or purchase a ticket, you can visit the showpass page. Current McMaster students can use the promotional code MAC50 at checkout to receive a 50 per cent discount. To keep up with HTP and their future projects, you can find them on Instagram or Facebook.
School of the Art’s fall major theatrical production explores love and power through a reimagining of Greco-Roman mythology
From Nov. 8 to 17, 2024, the school of the arts presented Woven Hearts, this year’s fall major theatrical production, in the Lyons Family Studio in L.R. Wilson Hall. Divided into two acts, the original production incorporated a series of Greco-Roman mythological figures and stories, drawing from Ovid's poem Metamorphoses.
Woven Hearts was produced by students taking the course iARTS 3MP6 – Devised Theatre Production. Through this course, students get hands on experience with production aspects like set and lighting design, costume and makeup design and choreography. These students also serve in key roles such as stage managers, script supervisors and assistant directors.
The central set piece for Woven Hearts was a loom that stretched from floor to ceiling and across the width of the theatre, splitting the stage in half. The Lyons Family Studio is arranged so that the audience sits on opposite sides of the stage, facing into the centre of the room.
Throughout the show, the actors interacted with the threads of the loom in various ways, pulling them aside to walk through the loom, leaning against them and entangling themselves between them. Different textiles were also woven into the loom to create imagery for certain scenes.
Peter Cockett, a SOTA associate professor who directs the fall major each year, discussed his selected source material.
“I wanted to do something about love, so we turned to a classical source, Ovid’s Metamorphoses, that has all these stories about love. And when we went to that source we discovered that it also had a lot to say about power and it actually was really political in our times, especially around issues of consent around this very patriarchal world of Ovid’s poem,” said Cockett.
Cockett emphasized that the fall major goes beyond just retelling old stories.
“I don’t think they’re important because they’re classical . . . but they’re here. They’re constantly being told and retold. They’re being idolized and idealized. So I think taking them on and seeing what they’re really about and changing them, that feels important still,” said Cockett. “But I think the most important thing is what the audience is responding to, which is this notion of centering love and the potential for a kind of altruistic social love that humans are capable of.”
But I think the most important thing is what the audience are responding to, which is this notion of centering love and the potential for a kind of altruistic social love that humans are capable of.
Peter Cockett, Director and Writer
Woven Hearts
In the spring 2024 term, Cockett taught THTRFLM 3PR3 – Text-based Devising: Research and Development, which is where the devising process for the fall major began. Cockett explained that the process involved studying Metamorphoses before writing and designing the entire production around the themes and stories from the text.
Mikey Gough, a fourth-year theatre and film studies student, described his experience working with Metamorphoses.
“There’s this instinct to have a lot of wonder surrounding the Greek myths, have a lot of positive associations. There was a lot of excitement . . . and when we were really kind of getting into the meat of them, I feel like we were running into these issues . . . it feels like they’re so harmful at times. And I think that friction, that incongruence with the wonder we had surrounding the stories and our problems with them is almost where we found our thesis,” said Gough.
Throughout the devising process, Gough and his peers asked questions like: “What about these stories are we not liking? What do we want to leave behind? And why? And what are these kind of new interpretations which we somehow or we suddenly find super beautiful?” said Gough.
Gough shared that he had heard positive reactions from others who watched the production.
“People in my age group, other students . . . have found it really moving. They’ve really enjoyed the upward arc of the show, which I would say there is . . . and I’ve heard a lot of people saying that the dose of hope it brings in our unprecedented times is really refreshing and important to see,” said Gough.
I've heard a lot of people saying that the dose of hope it brings in our unprecedented times is really refreshing and important to see.
Mikey Gough,fourth-year theatre and film studies student
Woven Hearts Actor
The annual SOTA fall major is a testament to the artistic talent of McMaster’s student body. Each production is creatively designed to convey an important message to its audience. Cockett shared that next year's production will focus on prison abolition, with a research-based devising process set to begin in January 2025.
It is possible to find a safe, inclusive, empathetic and accessible community through the magic of live theatre
Unless you went to an arts high school, theatre kids were likely the ones getting made fun of. It was never the sporty or popular ones, but the ones who spent their time pretending, dressing up, singing and dancing on a stage who were viewed as cringeworthy by most. But theatre is something that everyone should care about and it is an important activity that can improve the state of our world.
Today, finding a true sense of community is challenging. The rise of technology has changed and limited the way we interact, alongside the global pandemic affecting in-person social interaction for three years. But for human beings, specifically for young people and young students, finding a place in a community is crucial. Not only does community give you a sense of purpose, it also gives you a feeling of friendship and love. An easy and accessible way to find a sense of community is through participating in live theatre. Working with a group of people towards a common goal and to put on a show is a connecting experience unlike any other.
McMaster University theatre group, Mac One Act, is a uniquely accessible organization. All of their shows are original 20-30 minutes performances featuring one act as opposed to two with an intermission. Co-president of Mac One Act, Ashlyn Chou, elaborated on why the organization is accessible for both new members and experienced ones.
“For beginners especially, but also for veteran theatre kids who need something fun to balance with their other commitments . . . it's always an interesting blend — we tend to have a lot of first-time and veteran actors alike, but several of our writers, stagehands and technicians this year were also completely new to their roles" said Chou.
Theatre tends to be a very accessible and inclusive activity for many reasons. A lot of theatre is community based. Although you usually will not get paid like in professional theatre, it is typically free to participate in. Along with being financially accessible, theatre is a very inclusive space. Theatre has been rooted in queer culture since it originated, allowing queer people and other marginalized communities to find a safe space on stage. If you look for it, you'll find that there is likely a community theatre much closer to you then you probably ever realized.
Chou spoke of how there is great diversity within Mac One Act. Although everybody is different, there is also common thread between everyone.
“There's a sense of solidarity that we experience as a team, especially in theatre when a million things can go wrong at a moment's notice. It's the feeling of, "Shoot, that wasn't supposed to happen, but it's okay because we're in this together. Now how can I help in the next 20 seconds before the curtain comes up?"” said Chou.
There's a sense of solidarity that we experience as a team, especially in theatre when a million things can go wrong at a moment's notice.
Ashlyn Chou, co-president of Mac One Act
Theatre is so valuable because unlike a lot of other activities such as sports, theatre takes out any competitive nature. There is no winning goal; everyone is equally important to the show. Chou also explained this idea.
“Like any form of art, I think it's incredibly valuable to learn these new skillsets and challenge ourselves to think creatively. But with theatre especially, so much of the enrichment comes from being part of a team," said Chou.
With university being such a high stress time of life, having an opportunity to reconnect with your inner child and to be able to freely express yourself in a fun and safe space is a very beautiful thing. There aren’t many other spaces where acting like a child again is socially acceptable, yet in theatre you can do it without feeling judged.
Not only is it rewarding to participate in theatre as a performer, or a backstage hand, it is also equally rewarding to simply go and witness a live show.
In 2021, a study was conducted in Portland, OR and New York, NY, in which two groups of people were interviewed. One group was interviewed before watching a show and the other was interviewed after watching the show. It was found that the second group that saw the show was more empathetic towards individuals and groups that were portrayed onstage.
I would argue that today the world could benefit from a great deal more empathy. If a simple act such as consuming a live theatre performance can make people more empathetic, then we should all partake in theatre, either as active contributors or as consumers. Taking part in creating a show, or simply encouraging others to consume more theatre while consuming more ourselves, are both equally important.
If you talk to someone who is apart of the theatre community, they will likely speak highly of the benefits theatre can provide for you. Whether it be joining a theatre organization directly on campus like Mac One Act, participating in community based theatre, or simply seeking out live theatre to enjoy, theatre is something that can only make the world a better place and is something worth caring about.
At McMaster, there are many theatre and theatre adjacent groups along with Mac One Act, such as McMaster Musical Theatre, McMaster Music Society, McMaster Thespian Company and McMaster Artsci Musical. If you’re interested in performing, or simply watching more theatre, then these are all great student groups that you should get involved with.
The Westdale Theatre will showcase various Halloween classics so you can get your dose of the spookies just down the street from campus
The Westdale Theatre screens independent films and provides a space for public performances and exhibitions. They aim to showcase diverse Canadian content as well as classic throwbacks. They also host live cultural events throughout the year.
The theatre is managed by the Westdale Cinema group, a charitable organization that hopes to provide a space for the community to gather to enjoy cinema and culture.
For Halloween this year, the Westdale plans to once again screen various Halloween classics, as they have been doing since they opened. However, this year, they will also be hosting a drag and movie mixer entitled REEL QUEENS on Oct. 31 at 7 p.m., where they will be screening The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
This event will be sponsored by the House of Adam and Steve and will feature drag queen Jessie James.
There will also be a sensory-friendly screening of The Addams Family geared towards family and kids on Sunday, Oct. 29 at 1 p.m. The sensory-friendly screening allows those with heightened sensitivity to light and sound to come to the theater and enjoy the show. The lights will be turned on and the audience can roam around and make noise.
Neal Miller, the Executive Director at the Westdale Theatre, hopes that everyone who comes out to the Halloween showings will have a great time.
“[I hope they] just come and have fun in the theatre. I think the great thing for Mac students to know is that not all universities in our country have access to such a cool place that’s within walking distance of their campus,” said Miller.
[I hope they] just come and have fun in the theatre. I think the great thing for Mac students to know is that not all universities in our country have access to such a cool place that’s within walking distance of their campus
Neal Miller, Executive Director, the Westdale Theatre
With the growing norm of just watching movies alone in your home, Miller hopes this event will bring the community together, as watching a movie with group of people is a completely different experience from watching one alone. It is important for students to collectively experience things with the rest of the community.
“Watching Rocky Horror Picture Show at home on your TV is not nearly as fun as watching it with 300 other people screaming and calling back to the screen and bringing props and having fun, not to mention all of the cultural value and that the health values of having culture,” explained Miller.
For The Rocky Horror Picture Show, they encourage viewers to dress up and to bring props. Miller hopes that this will provide students and adults a time to have fun and relax by dressing up.
“Dressing up, [for] adults, allows [them] to be kids, not taking life too seriously. Life [can be] pretty serious and difficult,” said Miller.
Dressing up, [for] adults, allows [them] to be kids, not taking life too seriously. Life [can be] pretty serious and difficult
Neal Miller, Executive Director, the Westdale Theatre
Over the next few weeks, they will be other Halloween-themed films as well, including The Nightmare before Christmas.
In the future, the Westdale Theatre hopes to continue educating the community through the arts and provide opportunities for the community to come together by showcasing local art and film. The Westdale Theatre also hopes to bring more of the city’s cultural works to the big screen, so more people can enjoy them.
Theatre Aquarius celebrated its fiftieth anniversary as an important theatrical and cultural space in the Hamilton community
On Sept. 27, Theatre Aquarius officially began its fiftieth season, kicking it off with a performance of Norm Foster’s Jonas and Barry in the Home.
Theatre Aquarius was founded in 1973 under the leadership of Peter Mandia, the founding artistic director of the theatre. Until 1991, Theatre Aquarius primarily performed at the Studio Theatre at Hamilton Place, and it did not have a theatre centre of its own. However, in 1991, various donors facilitated the building of the Dofasco Centre for the Arts, Theatre Aquarius’s own theatre centre.
I was lucky enough to catch a performance of Jonas and Barry in the Home during its two-and-a-half week run at Theatre Aquarius, and I could understand why it was chosen to start off such a milestone season for the theatre. A three-actor performance detailing a friendship between two men in a senior’s home, I found Jonas and Barry in the Home to be full of heart, joy and nostalgia.
While Jonas and Barry in the Home is no longer showing at Theatre Aquarius, there will be many more shows to watch throughout the 2023-2024 season. Jake Epstein’s Boy Falls from the Sky is slated to appear next at the theatre, opening on Oct. 25. Detailing Epstein’s journey in theatre, Boy Falls from the Sky is a ninety-minute solo performance by Epstein himself.
“Boy Falls from the Sky is a story for anyone who’s ever tried to go after their dreams,” says the description on Theatre Aquarius' website.
The remainder of Theatre Aquarius’s season will showcase Pollyanna: The Musical, Uncle Vanya, Shirley Valentine and Beautiful Scars.
Along with putting on theatrical productions for the community to enjoy, Theatre Aquarius has made a number of other meaningful artistic contributions over the last fifty years. For example, in 1976, Theatre Aquarius launched their theatre school. Theatre school programs, such as acting classes and musical theatre classes, are still offered by Theatre Aquarius today.
“The program has run continuously, providing thousands of young people throughout the region with a chance to participate in the theatre arts at a high level, launching many to professional careers in the arts and providing many more with new confidence that helped them reach their dreams, and helping to instill a lifelong love of theatre,” reads the Theatre Aquarius website.
Along with longstanding community contributions such as this one, Theatre Aquarius has also made newer contributions to the community, such as their recently launched National Centre for New Musicals. This program is designed to support Canadian writers who are working on new musicals, and it is currently accepting applications until Dec. 15.
Back for their 2023-2024 season, Hamilton Theatre Inc. is putting on several popular Broadway musicals for the community to enjoy
Hamilton Theatre Inc. was founded in 1956 by a group of individuals passionate about musicals and the dramatic arts. The purpose of the theatre was to bring beloved Broadway musicals to the community, both to entertain theatre-goers and as an opportunity to help actors hone their skills.
McMaster University alumnus Riane Leonard has been a consistent member at HTI. Leonard has also been involved with Board of Directors, has worked as a secretary for HTI, and has worked with HTI social media.
The theatre is an outlet for those who have a passion for arts and performance and a training ground for those who are looking to pursue theatre professionally. There opportunities for everyone to get involved, depending on their interests, whether working on behind-the-scenes aspects, performing or just attending the show.
The theatre is an outlet for those who have a passion for arts and performance and a training ground for those who are looking to pursue theatre professionally. There opportunities for everyone to get involved, depending on their interests, whether working on behind-the-scenes aspects, performing or just attending the show.
HTI is also unique not only because it is completely volunteer-run, but also because it focuses on highlighting shows that are not usually put into the spotlight, with an emphasis on inclusive and diverse performances so that all groups are represented in theatre.
HTI has just come off a sold out season in 2022-2023. Leonard has said that people are very excited to see what the theatre has to offer this year, even buying tickets in advance for the spring shows.
Leonard explained the process for organizing performances at HTI has a lot of steps. First is assembling a show selection committee; this committee chooses the plays for the season. From here, HTI builds the production team applications and then, later, hosts cast auditions. Then, rehearsals and promotions for the show can begin to get the show ready to be performed.
Leonard hoped that everyone who comes to visit the theatre walks away with a desire to see more community-based theatre.
“I hope that they themselves want to become interested in the theatre, either volunteering, auditioning or supporting by coming out to shows. Also, [they can see] just what else Hamilton has to offer because there's just a lot of rich arts and theatre going on in the city at any given time,” said Leonard.
I hope that they themselves want to become interested in the theatre, either volunteering, auditioning or supporting by coming out to shows. Also, [they can see] just what else Hamilton has to offer because there's just a lot of rich arts and theatre going on in the city at any given time.
Riane Leonard, Board of Directors member, Hamilton Theatre Inc.
There are many chances for students to become involved with HTI if they have a passion for theatre and musicals. Opportunities includes everything from auditions to perform to technical or artistic crew, production and ushering.
HTI also offers a student ticket rate for anyone who wants to go see the show.
HTI is located at 140 Macnab St. N. and during the 2023-2024 season, their sixty-fifth season, HTI will be presenting three shows: Fun Home, Seussical and The Prom. Tickets can be found here.
Celebrate Valentine's Day with a night of theatrical shows and live music
On Feb. 10, the Gritty City Theatre Company held their first-ever fundraiser event, Gritty City Steels your Heart, at the Spice Factory in downtown Hamilton.
The Gritty City Theatre Company was founded in 2019 by Melissa Murray-Mutch and Jason Thompson. They wanted to explore race, class and all things theatrical in their productions and foster community and family through their spaces.
“We have a great group of people that are working with us and they want to do it and I started to think of our theatre company as a home – we want it to be a home for people,” said Murray-Mutch.
The purpose of the Feb. 10 fundraiser was to bring awareness to their company, thank the cast of their last Fringe digital exclusive performance and celebrate Valentine’s Day with the rest of the community.
The evening of the Gritty City Steels your Heart event was filled with live music by arttheboy, a Hamilton-based artist and filmmaker; a live band performance by Badnew, a local punk band by Lola Medina and brothers Jack & Ben Caunter performing the “Hammered 2.0” soundtrack and an art exhibit and market organized by Jessika and Natasha Reddy. There were also performances from the Canadian Slavery Project, directed by Melissa Murray-Mutch and screenings of “Hammered” and “Hammered 2.0”, directed by John-Riley O'Handley and Lucy Reddy respectively. There was also food, drinks and raffles offered at the event.
Murray-Mutch hoped attendees would learn more about the Gritty City family, their hidden talent and continue to support their work. She also hoped that this event will attract more artists to collaborate with them in future projects.
“[We] want to attract more artists as well. We want people who want to work with us, and we want to let people know that we are [a] driving force in the community as well. Even though we're small, we’re mighty,” said Murray-Mutch.
Most of all, she hopes attendees will have an enjoyable time at the event.
“We want to do quality work, but we want to make it fun for everybody. We want people to come there and just have a great time,” she said.
“We want to do quality work, but we want to make it fun for everybody. We want people to come there and just have a great time."
Melissa Murray-Mutch, Founder of Gritty City Theatre Company
Moving forward, Gritty City plans on starting a new community theatre project and collaborating more with local artists. Additionally, they hope to continue to produce more showings for larger audiences while exploring new genres.
Inclusive storytelling in theatre gives all folks an opportunity to see themselves on stage
From a young age, many of us have been inspired seeing versions of ourselves — or versions of ourselves we aspired to be — in TV shows, movies, books and theatre. However, we may have also come to realise there were no versions of ourselves in the media we had as children.
Hartley Reed Schuyler, a transmasculine queer performance artist, who attended McMaster University for history, saw an opportunity to provide this inspiration to youth audiences through theatre.
He applied to Carousel Theatre for Young People in Vancouver, B.C. and he became an outreach coordinator for the production Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls by Dave Deveau.
In LGBG nine-year-old Fin comes out as a boy and we observe his family adapt, with Dad accepting the change right away while Mom struggles. Both kids and parents in the audience watch Fin’s family move from good intentions to active support, embracing Fin’s transition and gender identity.
Schuyler was tasked with building a resource guide for teachers and students aged nine to 12 viewing the play to complement their classroom discussions.
“Our goal is to bring classrooms into the theatre,” explained Schuyler.
In adapting a new guide for LGBG, which was originally performed in 2018 at the Roseneath Theatre, Schuyler considered how the conversation around trans kids has changed even in just the past few years. Namely, beyond being a guide through the trans experience, it serves as a community-oriented invitation to parents, teachers, friends and peers alike to deeply evaluate their approach to caring for trans people in their lives.
The show weaves together the experiences of trans kids and those of their parents, allowing parents to also see themselves on stage. The audience learns what it means to be supportive and really show up for someone you love.
The show weaves together the experiences of trans kids and those of their parents, allowing parents to also see themselves on stage. The audience learns what it means to be supportive and really show up for someone you love.
Schuyler noted this duality in target audience is something we often don’t see, since we tend to target only one audience or another. LGBG strives to demonstrate everyone has a role to play in supporting trans youth, including parents, teachers and peers.
“Because it is a show that is so centralized in all facets of its storytelling that it doesn’t just target kids and it doesn’t just target the parents – there’s something in it for both communities and I think that’s really important,” said Schuyler.
"Because it is a show that is so centralized in all facets of its storytelling that it doesn’t just target kids and it doesn’t just target the parents – there’s something in it for both communities and I think that’s really important."
HARTLEY REED SCHUYLER, OUTREACH COORDINATOR FOR LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, BOYS AND GIRLS
For students interested in theatre, Schuyler encouraged them to seek out opportunities that feel safe in terms of their support systems and adds sometimes smaller spaces are the ones that make the most space for people. During his time at McMaster, he was closely involved with several theatre spaces on campus, including McMaster Activist Theatre, which he felt was one the most accessible ones on campus.
Schuyler also emphasized that there is always space for everyone, even if that sometimes means carving out a space for yourself, and while he notes that can be hard work, he hopes with so many working together towards this goal, as he felt working on LGBG, it will soon be less so.
C/O Will Francis (Unsplash)
Hamilton’s Red Betty Theatre is launching a new podcast for their tenth anniversary
By: Joleen Awad, contributor
The Red Betty Theatre is a non-profit and the only Indigenous, Black, Person Of Colour and women-run theatre in Hamilton. To commemorate their tenth anniversary, Red Betty Theatre is releasing a new podcast series.
The idea for the series first came about when Radha Menon, the artistic director and founder of Red Betty Theatre, saw a grant offered by the Canada Council Digital Fund and a podcast seemed like an excellent opportunity to create an archive of the work being done by Red Betty Theatre over the past decade.
The idea for the series first came about when Menon saw a grant offered by the Canada Council Digital Fund and a podcast seemed like an excellent opportunity to create an archive of the work being done by Red Betty Theatre over the past decade.
“I’m actually very excited that it gives a new lease of life to plays that were beloved by audiences, because theatre is ephemeral . . . And when it closes, it’s gone. It’s gone forever. So the podcasts give these plays a new lease of life, which is wonderful,” said Menon.
Their “10th Anniversary Podcast Series” will feature five original plays previously presented at the theatre. The plays will be split over three separate episodes and converted into radio dramas specifically for the podcast, making the production process more difficult than usual.
“When it’s a podcast, it’s totally sonic, you really have to be able to put the stories over narratives without the help of all the visual aids that we have on stage,” explained Menon.
Claire Burns, artistic producer at the theatre company, explained for each episode Menon and a dramaturge, a story editor specializing in theatre, sit down and take apart the play’s script, reworking it for the podcast. For example, each of the visual cues that would normally be found in a performance have to be substituted for an auditory cue instead.
Next, the casting is done, after which it takes around one week to produce all the episodes for a play.
The plays will be launched on a weekly basis, with each set of three episodes being released at the same time.
The best thing about the podcast is that you can experience theatre in your everyday actions. You can drive a car, take a walk, study and still become immersed in the play’s world. For students especially, this is a unique chance to explore new worlds from their own homes without having to attend a performance in person.
Both Menon and Burns hope people will walk away from each episode entertained and having experienced something new.
“It’ll broaden [students’] horizons for a start . . . if you listen to our podcast, you will be taken into worlds that you generally don’t see,” said Menon.
“It’ll broaden [students’] horizons for a start . . . if you listen to our podcast, you will be taken into worlds that you generally don’t see."
Radha Menon, the artistic director and founder of Red Betty TheatrE
“[Menon’s voice is] just so unique and there’s no voice like it, not even in Hamilton, but even in Canada. So that in and of itself stands alone. I would say, that’s another thing that kind of sets us apart from a lot of the mainstream companies in Hamilton,” added Burns.
Red Betty Theatre’s tenth anniversary podcast series captures the spirit of the company and offering audiences the opportunity to re-visit — or discover for the first time — some of their wonderful work. It’s a fitting commemoration of the company’s last ten years and a promise of more remarkable stories to be told.
