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Tarragon sprouts
Spring comes early as the Tarragon Theatre offers a glimpse of works-in-progress by its 2004 Playwrights Unit. It’s one of the more exciting lineups because it includes pieces by Kate Hennig , Rick Roberts , Nicole Stamp and Jennifer Tarver , artists better known for acting and directing than for writing. The free readings kick off Sunday (January 23) with playwright-in-rez Morwyn Brebner , who offers two short plays, one of which is about theatre people and zombies. Gee, wonder where she did her research? See listings, page 80, for details.
Ring ruler
When’s the last time you were in the same room with royalty? Opera 101 , the Canadian Opera Company’s ongoing look at upcoming productions, continues its artist/audience discussions with guest Peteris Eglitis . Eglitis plays Wotan, the king of the gods, in Wagner’s monumental Ring Cycle. He took the role in last year’s Die Walküre – our top production of 2004 – and continues it in Siegfried , the third opera in the cycle, directed by François Girard and opening January 27. The always entertaining David Gale hosts the free discussion. See listings, page 81, for details.
Hooded BANG!
You can’t tell the players without a program, but you probably won’t get a program for the latest BANG! , the Theatre Centre’s occasional evening of works in development. Curated by Lisa Pijuan , the current BANG! is intentionally a mystery event.
Scattered throughout the audience, the dance, theatre and spoken-word artists will each be given a cue line. When that line’s spoken, they begin their performance. So don’t be surprised if the guy next to you starts a monologue, or the couple a few seats over begin a pas de deux in the aisle. Proceeds for the event go to the Red Cross Tsunami Relief Fund . See listings, page 81, for details.
Clever Carley
It’s about time we saw a production of Dave Carley ‘s tantalizing After You , which looks at cousins Adele and Jean both in their 70s and in their 20s. Set in Kawartha cottage country (the piece was originally called Kawartha for its 1994 Calgary premiere), it looks at the older characters, one tending the other after a stroke, and their younger counterparts, who interact with them and also with a young man who changes their lives. Carley (A View From The Roof, Taking Liberties) is an underproduced playwright locally, so it’s a treat to be able to see this script that deals with love and the sometimes comic differences between the idealism of youth and the wisdom of age. Jane Carnwath directs a cast that includes Elva Mai Hoover and Meg Hogarth as the elder cousins, Alicia Flaherty and Margaret Evans as their 20s selves and Aaron Hutchinson as the man in their lives, both past and present. See listings, page 80.
