On Saturday, May 28^th we held our ‘Official Opening’ at TNL’s Gros Morne Theatre Festival 2011. A little earlier than most years but we wanted a special opening for the return of our production of “Tempting Providence” by Robert Chafe and directed by Jillian Keiley.

When I first came to TNL as Artistic Director in 2000 Gaylene Buckle talked enthusiastically about the possibility of creating a play about Nurse Myra Bennett of Daniel’s Harbour. She passed me Nurse Bennett’s auto-biography and I was immediately intrigued. We wanted to design a play that was very simple – in story and in set-up. A play that could easily play in our intimate Warehouse Theatre and tour – the dream was a play that we could put on the road through rural Newfoundland and Labrador that would play in schools, church halls and community halls. We would be able to do it with no lights, no sound scape – a set that should consist of four chairs, four actors and a table – that’s it. Jillian later added the table cloth. I decided to call up Robert Chafe, a young playwright based in St. John’s but who I met at CBC television writer’s workshop in Toronto. I knew his writing to be intimate and honest. Jillian was working closely with Robert and seemed to make sense to hire both at the same time so they could work out the story together. The rest of course, is history.

The play has since been performed over 400 times from the UK and Ireland, across Canada, to California and Australia. This coming year it will be performing in BC, Ontario and Nova Scotia. We felt it was time to bring it home for a full summer in Cow Head. We’re working hard to dovetail the summer performances with a finally realized rural Newfoundland and Labrador tour. We have pinned 84 communities and are currently working out the details of how to get the four actors, a stage manager, the four chairs and table (with table cloth) to each one of them. The logistics are a nightmare but we believe it’s well worth it – this is a story about rural Newfoundland and ultimately for a Newfoundland and Labrador audience.

The play features Didi Gillard-Rowlings who has performed in each and every one of the over four hundred performances of the play. And there’s a reason – she’s brilliant as Nurse Myra Bennett. Didi is from Englee on the Northern Peninsula and has been with TNL and the Gros Morne Theatre Festival from the beginning. To see her performance in this play is reason enough to make the trip to Cow Head. Playing across from Didi as her husband Angus is Darryl Hopkins – a solid and intense performance that I truly love to watch – especially as he and Didi create a complicated yet loving relationship between ‘nurse’ and husband. Robert Thorne, who’s been with the company since 1997, plays all other male characters in the piece showing off great versatility, sensitivity and humour.  Playing all the other female roles is Willow Kean – this is Williow’s first production of “Tempting” and has fitted in perfectly, not only bringing humour to the roles but a certain honesty.

So that’s it for our first week at the Gros Morne Theatre Festival. Two plays, seven performances, three other plays in rehearsal with our next opening, “Sinking of the SS Ethie” by Shane Ellis Coates scheduled for Saturday, June 11^th.

Opened “Ed & Ed’s B & B – Where you’re a Stranger but Once” on May 26 at the Warehouse Theatre in Cow Head. This year’s production features Rory Lambert as old Ed. It’s great to have Rory with us in Cow Head. In recent years he’s been working in Trinity and also does the yearly Revue Show. We’ve talked for years about getting him out here for a summer but he’s a pretty in demand actor so it’s just never worked out until this year. His performance is absolutely hilarious – off the wall, crazy-funny but also, honest with an underlying sense of truth. Playing across from Rory as young Ed is young Evan Mercer from Shearstown. Just starting his career, I saw him last summer in Cupids starring as Lysander in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” across from Andy Jones and directed by Brad Hodder. He was funny, smart and seemed much more accomplished than his young years and he’s proved it playing young Ed for us. Not an easy task playing across from Rory – you gotta be good! Willow Kean, GMTF veteran of nine season plays Mary, Ed’s ex-wife. Willow is as solid (and funny!) as ever as the ‘scary’ Mary. Anna Wheeler plays the young GMTF actress Claire who’s really somebody else who’s really…I won’t go there. She’s from St. John’s and about to enter her fourth year in the Ryerson Theatre Acting Program. Anna actually attended one of our first Stage Head Academies – a two week theatre intensive in Cow Head for students between the ages of 16 and 18. She’s simply terrific and brings a very slick sense of comedic timing and confidence to the role. Rounding out the cast is John Dartt, the ‘lost tourist.’ This is John’s sixth season at the Gros Morne Theatre Festival and brings a wealth of experience to our stage along with some of the most eccentric and wonderful characters to grace the Warehouse stage.

We decided to open this one first because of how complicated it is in terms of blocking. The set, designed by Derek Butt, is classic ‘British’ farce with 6 slamming doors and a secret spinning wall of booze. Last year at its premiere, we rehearsed the entire thing in the church hall with the walls and doors taped out on the floor, moved into the theatre and on to the set for the last three panic-filled days of technical rehearsals – learning to use the doors for the first time! It was a nightmare. This year we spent our full two and half weeks rehearsing on the set with the doors which made for a less panicked opening. There’s only one show in a season that gets the full use of the stage like this because once the plays start to open, the theatre is in constant use doing change overs from one set to another. There’s a different performance in the Warehouse every night during the summer, daytimes are taken up with the breakdown of one set and the set-up of the next performance.

So we’re off and running at GMTF 2011 – 1 down, 6 to go!

“Ed & Ed’s B & B – Where You’re a Stranger but Once!” opened at the Theatre Newfoundland Labrador’s Gros Morne Theatre Festival on June 18^th. It’s been a labour of love – actually it wasn’t much labour at all – the 15 or so drafts were a total pleasure to write.

The title pretty well sums up my ten years here in Cow Head! It’s a farce and fun to write. Just underneath the surface there are some pertinent questions regarding cultural tourism, out-migration and community renewal. The play is a love letter to people and town of Cow Head where I’ve spent the last 10 summers. My son, Jack, spent all his summers here since he was 3 immersed in our culture and our politics and we believe the people of Cow Head are simply wonderful. They’re also a people who have been on the ropes in recent years with a failing fishery and phenomenal out-migration to other exotic places in the world like Toronto, Barrie and Fort McMurray.

I believe after you spend a few days here enjoying the beauty and charm of the place, you come to see that there are real human issues that exist in our communities, our fishery and our people. But the Eds are like us – they know that in the face of adversity you can’t forget to love and sing and maybe have a few laughs…then get down to work in making this world a better place to live!

The production opened in repertory so rehearsal time was at a premium – especially hard when rehearsing a farce with six doors! But open we did to a full house and standing ovation with a great amount of gratitude and awe with our wonderful cast. Greg Blumer as old Ed is just simply Ed – who’s a little like Newfoundland – great sense of humour but with a dark streak running just underneath. Adam Brake as young Ed is terrific, his comic timing and the heart-felt honesty that lies underneath is just what the character needs. Heather Rumbolt as Claire is wonderful – a new addition to TNL and the Gros Morne Theatre Festival – an actress that has that wonderful innate sense of stage presence. Jerry Etienne as the mainlander, Theo, is excellent as he usually is and such a pleasure to work with! Rounding out the cast is Wendy Chambers as Mary, Ed’s ex-wife – she was perfect as the Irish – Newfoundland tough, no non-sense woman!

Our Technical crew was amazing as they put together a box set in our little Warehouse, starting with a terrific set design by Derek Butt. No detail was too small with Derek, from the six slamming doors to photos of Ed’s cat on the set and a secret revolving shelving unit.

It was a very satisfying process to get the Eds back on stage and it’ll be a lot of fun to see the play grow as the production settles into its summer long repertory run of two performances a week until the first week of September.

 A wonderful Christmas and grateful to be able to see productions of “The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood” at Carousel Theatre in Vancouver and “Peter Pan” at the Globe Theatre in Regina.

 Robin Hood was directed by Stephen Drover, a fellow Newfoundlander and featured yet another Newfoundlander, Lawrence Haegart as Robin Hood. I’m so impressed with Carole Higgins and the Carousel team – they took the playwright and the play very seriously and then set about having some serious fun. Drove and I had some initial discussions about the concept and it was decided he was going to approach the play in a whimsical fashion aiming at a younger audience. Because the play was to be performed for many school matinees it was important to get the play down to 90 minutes with no intermission! I was skeptical about the cuts I would have to make and remained so through the initial discussions with Drove but after that first reading I was overwhelmed by the sense of “team” that Carole had put together and that Drove was directing. They were open, friendly and very prepared.

 Opening night was full and I had with me 14 friends and family! The production was fast, light and keyed into today’s “pop” culture. Songs and music were modern with a very brave soundtrack designed by Noah Drew – I knew of Noah’s work, we had him designing a show for us at the TNL’s Gros Morne Theatre Festival a few years ago – his work does not disappoint! The set, designed by Al Frisk was beautiful, lush and practical. The main “tree” sat upstage centre and was sturdy enough to not only house actors but allowed them to act up there and make entrances and exits. There were ramparts with doorways DSR and DSL that enabled entrances and exits from above and below – all back-dropped by a brilliant cyc with lights. And the lighting was wonderful. Designed by Jeff Harrison he evoked all the moods that should be there from the leafy Sherwood Forest to the Castle Interior to the dingy Castle Dungeon. The costumes by Barbara Clayden were terrific – especially Justine’s!

 What can I say about that cast?! From the first reading they were so prepared – not only for the story and characters but to have fun, to play with the play. Ryan Beil as Guy of Gisborne was soooo funny. His sense of timing and “play” was awesome. In the Calgary production last year, Sir Guy was played with a French Canadian accent with characters sometimes pronouncing his name ‘Guy’ and sometimes ‘Gee’ which was very funny. Ryan took the joke farther and kept us in stitches throughout. His relationship with the Sherriff of Nottingham was hilarious. The Sherriff played by Josue Laboucane was simply beautiful – his ability to relish in the evilness was great. All the cast worked so well together to create the magic, Ian Butcher as the Knight, Genevieve Flemming as Maid Marian, Larwrence Haegart as Robin Hood, Laura Jaye as Justine the seer, Julie McIsaac as Will Scarlett, Sean Oliver as Alan of Dale, Joshua Reynolds as Little John, who also did the fight direction (which was crazy!) and Allan Zynck – who is always such a treat played Friar Tuck.

 A fine production by a wonderful company. Thank you!

 I also had the opportunity to see Peter Pan. I decided to take my son Jack to the production for a Christmas present. This play was originally commissioned by David Ross at Western Canada Theatre and I wrote it when Jack was only 4 or 5 years old. It has a special place in my heart because of David and Jack and of course J.M. Barrie’s story is simply beautiful. You just have to believe.

 Jack and I flew from a balmy 7 degree Vancouver to a chilly -22 degree (-39 Wind-chill) Regina on December 30^th. We dropped our backpacks, went for dinner and sat in for a 7:30 p.m. show. I really didn’t know what to expect – I’ve only seen this production with Fly by Foy where actors fly or with the Alberta Theatre Projects production where the actors flew on a system designed by Sven Johansson. The Globe’s theatre seats around 400 in the round. Ruth Smillie the Artistic Director and Director told me they wouldn’t fly but the sequences would be choreographed on the floor. I was curious and in the end thrilled. Johanna Bundon choreographed the actors and it was simply terrific. The play featured Harry Judge as Peter Pan and Jonelle Gunderson as Tinkerbell – another wonderful first, usually the role is played by a light! Lucy Hill as Wendy and Sarah Mennell as Mrs. Darling and Smee. Brendan Murray as Mr. Darling and Captain Cook and he was absolutely terrific. The rest of the cast included Duncan Fisher, Cole Humeny, Kyle Markewich, Daniel Maslany, and Amy Matysio. The sets and costumes were terrific and designed byKaryn McCallum. Lighting design by Loiuse Guinand and the wonderful music was composed by Allan Rae. Ruth Smille directed – wow. At the end, when Lucy Hill as Wendy stood isolated on stage and talked about childhood and our having to believe – I had  shivers up my spine, as I reached over and hugged Jack just a little tighter. We have to believe. 

 Thank you to the Globe for a great production!

This Fall I’m working on three scripts, all three at various stages.

Ed & Ed’s B & B is the third play in my Ed & Ed series. These characters just won’t quit! When I started the Ed & Ed idea in 1995 it was simply a 1 act play called the The Fisherman’s Trap written for Lunch Box Theatre in Calgary. The following year I wrote a second one act for Lunch Box called Ed & Ed – Trapped which eventually became the second act of the first full-length Ed & Ed play now titled, Ed & Ed – Trapped.

With the success of the production at Theatre Newfoundland Labrador’s Gros Morne Theatre Festival I decided to write a second play, Ed & Ed Do Florida. It’s an exploration of the Ed’s needing to get away from Newfoundland the politics and misery of Newfoundland by visiting a place – in their mind – that is the anti-thesis of Newfoundland. Where the winds are warm, the beaches are soft and opportunities for an entrepreneurial spirit many. Of course through many trials and tribulations they come to realize that there’s no place like home!

My new Ed & Ed is set in the home TNL’s Gros Morne Theatre Festival, Cow Head. The boys return to Newfoundland and decide “cultural tourism” is what it’s all about there days so they decide to settle into Cow Head and open a Bed & Breakfast Inn. In this particular play I’m trying to get to a place where the boys have to say good-bye. After three plays – I think it’s time!

The Death of Sir Arthur Currie is about the life and ultimately the death of Canada’s foremost military leader who led the Canadian Expeditionary Force through most of World War I.

I’ve visited the battle fields of France and Belgium twice mainly in pursuit of research about the Newfoundland Regiment and their battles – my play The Known Soldier is based on that story. On my last visit – funded by the Canada Council – I was incredibly moved by the Vimy Ridge Memorial to the fallen Canadian soldiers. Through the research I became angrier and angrier over the treatment of Arthur Currie upon his return to Canada after the war.

The idea of recording his demise rather than a glorification of his life was somewhat inspired by Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman. We don’t need a play that glorifies war or the men of war – we need a play to understand who Arthur Currie was and why his demise was so tragic.

It’s been a difficult play to write because I’ve been at pains to keep the piece as historically accurate as possible – that means many drafts! I feel I’m getting closer to the truth and decided that I needed fresh eyes to read it – not Artistic Directors or friends so I decided last year to send the play to 2008 BC Playwriting Competition and much to my delight it won!

In April the play received a reading in Kamloops and in October the play will receive a two day workshop at the Great Canadian Theatre Company in Ottawa, thanks to Jeremy Toew and Lise-Ann Johnson.

Jack Was Every Inch a Sailor is I suppose a play that I’ve been working on for twenty years! But this year – I will finish it! I originally wrote this text when working with Berni Stapleton and Amy House when we had Moonlight Productions back in St. John’s in the late 80s.

The play is based on the Newfoundland folk song by the same name which is based on the Book of Jonah from the Bible. Over the years the play has come to be very much a personal story – as Jack left Newfoundland to fish in India Harbour – I left Newfoundland to work in the theatre. Add to that, I have a son Jack who always has to deal with a Dad who is leaving home for periods of time to work. Where is dad can I get him back asks Jack.

I want to finish this play for him by the end of the year!