THE SEAGULL
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Stage Manager and Designer: Lesley Coo
Associate Producer: Christina Wood-Horton
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Arkadina: Marlo Alcock
Konstantine ‘Kostya’: Luis Garcia
Nina: Heather Dennis
Trigorin: Frank Kewin
Sorin: Robert Knapp
Medviedenko: Richard Varty
Masha: Marissa Caldwell
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As I read through various versions of The Seagull, a creeping sense grew that I should simply make my own. I wanted to explore questions like: what does fame in theatre mean anymore? And as I looked closer, I realized how easily the struggles of 1896 Russia mirror our own. Different causes, same effects: adult children unable to live without parental support, artists calling for a revolutionized theatre, and so on.
I wrestled with how much to change, ultimately keeping Chekhov’s heightened language and the lines that any Chekhov devotee would crucify me for altering, but infusing them with a modern, Canadian sensibility and the voice of an artist wrestling with many powerful uncertainties. I hope it works for you as it does for me.
It’s also been a joy to bring Burro’d Theatre back; re-filling a vital gap between community and professional theatre. A place where artists can stretch, take home what the show earns, and grow through meaningful, challenging work.
The blend of these forces, I hope, creates a Seagull that feels fresh and alive: light in design, letting Novalis Hall’s beauty breathe, and showcasing our remarkable cast in new and surprising ways.
Thank you to Marissa for walking beside me every step, to Lesley for her countless design hours and steadfast dedication, to Christina for her tireless support, to our cast for their patience and trust, and to Diane, Kathrine, and the Camphill community for their extraordinary hospitality. And thank you, our audience, for joining us.
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When I first moved to Barrie, I dreamt of doing The Seagull. It is one of my favourite plays - a ‘must do.’ But then, time went by and it didn’t call to me like it did when I first arrived.
But then the last year happened and I felt called to it once more.
And thanks to a partnership with Camphill, we will be presenting it in the most gorgeous of venues - a hall in the woods.
We are in the midst of rehearsals now but I am delighted. Delighted by what I am getting from the actors, delighted by the fact that my adaptation works, and the fact that I am getting to take on such a beautiful and powerful story of love, theatre, and the paths not taken.
More to come, but that is the update for now!
