News

• Voice Work the focus of special edition Canadian Theatre Review

  Monday, May 06, 2024 | By gminaker

  

  Dramatic Arts Associate Professor Danielle Wilson’s interest in voice work began with her very first voice class when she began her theatre education. The actor quickly realized how her voice was tied to her identity, and how much power it could have.

  Through her professional practice and creative research, Wilson now aims to broaden the definition of what voice work is and highlight its profound impact on theatre practice.

  Wilson recently co-curated and co-edited a special edition of the Canadian Theatre Review (CTR) dedicated to voice work.

  The special edition investigates voice work within a broad context expanding on the notion that voice work is solely a skills-based subject for performers.

  “Many people may think that voice work is only about projecting your voice, enunciating, and performing accents. While those are fundamental elements, I wanted to look beyond the basics and explore what ‘voice work’ means in all its complexity. The work goes beyond what we sound like when we speak”, Wilson says.

  There are eleven articles in the issue which delve into the ways that voice work intersects with other areas and disciplines such as social justice, cultural and gender identity, feminist philosophy, and performance practice.

  Wilson found it fascinating, and at times challenging, to curate and edit an issue about a discipline so tied to sound and physical presence.

  As part of the issue, Wilson interviewed three prominent voice coaches at the Stratford Festival — the only theatre company in Canada with a dedicated team of voice professionals —  to illuminate what a voice coach does and help expand the common understanding of voice work.

  Another contributor, Jane MacFarlane, explores how theatre-based vocal practice can help people support their gender identity.  MacFarlane offers gender affirming voice classes through a transgender support organization in Calgary.

  Peruvian-born scholar Nae Hanashiro Ávila discusses voice work and performance through a social justice lens and how it can provide a platform for women’s voices to be heard in the public sphere.

  “At the root of voice work is self-expression by helping people embrace who they are. It’s not about developing a brand-new voice but about expanding and deepening your relationship with your voice and all that it can do”, Wilson says.

  “One of my mentors, voice teacher Richard Armstrong, said, ‘If you work on your voice, you work on yourself’. That has always resonated with me.”

  Wilson is also helping to organize and host the inaugural conference for the newly formed National Voice Association which will take place at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts from June 8-9^th.

  The CTR special edition is now available on the Canadian Theatre Review website.

  Tags: Danielle Wilson, DART Critics, dramatic arts
  Categories: Department/Centre News, Events, Faculty & Instructors, News, Uncategorised

• Celebrating literary diversity in Niagara with SAFRAN 2024

  Friday, April 05, 2024 | By gminaker

  

  Image caption: Brock Professor Jean Ntakiturimana of Modern Languages, Literatures & Cultures, (right) at the Sunday morning long table about the world of publishing, hosted by Binta Wague of les Éditions Touana (Toronto , centre-right, in green). 

  Brock University recently welcomed the Salon du Livre des Francophonies du Niagara (SAFRAN) 2024 for a diverse and dynamic weekend of events and performances celebrating literary creativity and diversity in the Niagara region.

  Hosted by Brock’s Centre for Studies in Arts and Culture (STAC) and Department of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures (MLLC) in collaboration with SOFIFRAN, the event was held from March 21 to 24 at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, with an opening ceremony at the Film House in the First Ontario Performing Arts Centre. With the important collaboration of the Maison de la culture francophone du Niagara, the event coincided with the UNESCO World Poetry Day, World Puppetry Day and International Francophonie Day.

  

  Director of the Salon du livre and MLLC Instructor, Nafée Faigou, hosting the opening ceremonies at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.

  “It’s been an absolutely remarkable celebration of language and culture, beautifully led and produced by Director of the Salon du livre, Nafée Faigou and Fété Ngira-Batware Kimpiobi, Director General of SOFIFRAN,” said Professor David Vivian, Director of the Centre for Studies in Arts and Culture. “Our learning community is so much richer for having hosted SAFRAN.”

  Guests and community members from the Niagara Francophone community and beyond were treated to a diverse offering of cultural interactions including entertaining and thoughtful puppet shows by Le chemin qui marche from Quebec, workshops for youth on robotics and AI and compelling roundtable discussions  in the MIWSFPA venues.

  A highlight was the publisher’s fair in the MIWSFPA lobby, igniting important long-table discussions amongst publishers and authors that celebrated the Francophonie of the region, including both Franco-Ontarian and new Franco-Canadian voices.

  For more information about the event, please visit the STAC website.

  Tags: humanities, miwsfpa, MLLC
  Categories: News, Uncategorised

• Putting theatre skills to work at Edinburgh Fringe Festival

  Friday, November 10, 2023 | By gminaker

  

  Pictured above: Fourth-year Dramatic Arts student Manikham Marianne Vongboutdy recently returned from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival where she put her Brock theatre training to work gaining international experience.

  THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 09, 2023 | by Gillian Minaker

  Carrying with her the skills she’s learned as a Brock Dramatic Arts (DART) student, Manikham Marianne Vongboutdy recently headed overseas to work at the world’s largest performance arts festival.

  The fourth-year student spent time this summer with the prestigious Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where she was invited by her high school to work as a stage manager on the St. Catharines Collegiate and West Niagara Secondary School production, Piece of Me.

  With a concentration in production and design, Vongboutdy said her Brock theatre training was key to her landing the stage management gig in Scotland.

  “Working with Brock’s state-of-the-art technology in Dramatic Arts has been invaluable,” she said. “Learning tech in the theatre has been a special experience. I am developing the skills I will need in the professional theatre world.”

  Piece of Me navigates the relationship of a mother and daughter in a coming-of-age tale offering an innovative take on adolescence told through a teenager’s eyes. Like the characters in the play, Vongboutdy has found many moments of personal reflection as she has grown in her creative practice at Brock.

  Piece of Me was an adaptation based on two different plays exploring similar subject matter, which from a stage management perspective, meant merging two plays into one. This complex staging posed interesting challenges that Vongboutdy was prepared to take on.

  As an upper-year DART student, she was able to transfer the skills gained in her first few years at Brock to her international experience, such as learning to sew in wardrobe classes so she could step up and help with costumes or painting props using skills from props classes.

  “A unique thing about studying at the Marilyn is that we get to learn about different aspects of staging a show, which served me so well during my Edinburgh experience,” she said. “We are stronger artists because of it.”

  After her experience abroad, Vongboutdy said she has a wider perspective of what theatre can look like.

  “It was eye-opening for me,” she said. “As a stage manager, we try and put forward the best show possible, but part of our job is to work with what is happening in the moment. I am thrilled to put my experience into practice.”

  Vongboutdy is now working as stage manager for Brock’s upcoming winter mainstage production, The Mysterious Mind of Molly McGillicuddy, written and directed by DART Instructor Mike Griffin. The play explores brain injury and related mental health issues through the styles of full-mask, puppetry and physical theatre.

  Working with Griffin is a valuable experience for Vongboutdy, who aims to pursue a master’s degree in puppetry. Exploring the medium is especially important to her Laotian heritage, a culture in which many teachings occur using masks and puppets.

  “As an immigrant, I always hold my home and culture in Laos very close, and I try to incorporate elements of my culture into the work I do every day creating theatre,” she said.

  The Mysterious Mind of Molly McGillicuddy will run at the Marilyn I. Walker Theatre Feb. 15 to 19. More information can be found on the DART website.

  Tags: dramatic arts, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Marianne Vongboutdy, Mike Griffin, miwsfpa
  Categories: Announcements, Current Students, Department/Centre News, Events, Faculty & Instructors, In the Media, News, Uncategorised

• Visual Arts exhibition presents creative exploration of death

  Sunday, September 03, 2023 | By gminaker

  

  TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2023 | by Gillian Minaker

  A new faculty art exhibition featuring the work of Linda Carreiro, Visual Arts Professor and Associate Dean of Fine and Performing Arts at Brock, is now open for viewing.

  ‘Afterthoughts’, an exhibition showcasing Carreiro’s text-based artworks, runs until Saturday, Sept. 23 at the Visual Arts Gallery and Student Exhibition Space at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA).

  While Carreiro initially set out to make a confessional, emotive set of works about the afterlife, she found that words were inadequate to fully reflect her thoughts about the unknowable.

  “Vacillating between terror, anger and derision, the resulting writings try to express the inexpressible while acknowledging their limitations. The incongruence of the texts, alongside the ghostly ladder and boxes, come together as extracts rather than narrative,” Carreiro said.

  In her artist’s statement, Carreiro addresses the notion that the sea and space are seemingly infinite places, containing the unknown in their vastness and depth.

  “They are also environments where humans cannot sustain life without the aid of breathing apparatus. Therefore, stars and water are referenced here in the writings and application of materials. Swirls of ink, vapoury washes and hole-punched ‘stars’ with fallen perforations allude to this connection,” Carreiro said.

  All are invited to attend the ‘Afterthoughts’ closing reception at the gallery on Friday, Sept. 22 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the MIWSFPA located at 15 Artists’ Common in downtown St. Catharines.

  Summer gallery hours:

  • Monday, Aug. 29 to Friday, Sept. 1 from 1 to 5 p.m.
  • Wednesday, Sept. 6 to Saturday, Sept. 9 from 1 to 5 p.m.

  The gallery resumes its regular hours on Tuesday, Sept. 12 and will be open from 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.

  For more information, please visit the MIWSFPA Visual Arts gallery website.

  Tags: Linda Carreiro, miwsfpa, visual arts
  Categories: Announcements, Current Students, Department/Centre News, Events, Faculty & Instructors, News, Uncategorised

• New summer workshop puts students at centre of creative process

  Tuesday, July 18, 2023 | By gminaker

  

  Image caption: Dramatic Arts (DART) Research Assistants Geneviève Batista (left) and Ezri Fenton participated in the DART Summer Institute of Performance Research workshop session ‘Anthr-Apology.’

  Brock arts students have been honing their creative skills and working alongside professional theatre artists through a new summer workshop series presented by the Department of Dramatic Arts (DART).

  The inaugural DART Summer Institute of Performance Research ran from May 29 to July 7 at the University’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA).

  Conceptualized by DART Chair and Professor Jennifer Roberts-Smith, the workshop allowed students to be at the centre of the creative process as professional theatre-makers, artists and DART faculty explored performance ideas, working scripts and scenic possibilities for future work.

  Roberts-Smith said DART’s Summer Institute was founded to expand opportunities for what the department calls ‘vertically-integrated’ experiential learning.

  “It’s ‘vertical’ because members of the DART community at all career stages are learning together,” she said. “Collaborative research means we’re asking questions that none of us — not even the most seasoned professionals and faculty — know how to answer.”

  Roberts-Smith said the model sees students’ perspectives and contributions as just as important as workshop leaders.

  Anthr-Apology, a session led by DART Professor David Fancy and DART Scenographer and Associate Professor David Vivian, explored the creative possibilities of a new performance collective, with the first stage of presentation slated for 2024, building on creative research undertaken on the fall DART Mainstage production AnthropoScene.

  Fancy and Vivian are motivated by exploring the ways in which theatre and performance as art forms can be truly responsive to the climate crisis.

  “The project is based on the idea that the world needs a truth and reconciliation commission for all humans and their relationship with one another, as well as their individual and collective relationships with the planet,” Fancy said.

  Vivian said the workshop also generated opportunities for participating graduate- and senior-level MIWSFPA students “to bridge their undergraduate studies to the next level of scholarship and professional opportunities.”

  In another session, Packing a Punch, students worked directly with theatre artist Trevor Copp, Artistic Director and Founder of Tottering Biped Theatre (TBT). Students participated in the creative process of developing TBT’s new multimedia live-action play, Mr. Punch, adapted from a lesser-known Neil Gaiman graphic novel.

  “It was a brilliant week. In the end, what we really found was momentum and artistic excitement about this piece and its possibilities,” Copp said.

  Evalyn Parry, DART’s 2022-23 Walker Cultural Leader and award-winning queer performance-maker, theatrical innovator and artistic leader, led a workshop engaging with choral performance and text from their master’s research-creation thesis, “An Unsettled Account,” reflecting on queer arts leadership, decolonial futures and systems change.

  “Together with my longtime collaborator Karin Randoja (music director for the workshop), rich discoveries were made about how the choral arrangements — both sung and spoken — work on the page and translate into the bodies and voices of singers and actors,” Parry said.

  DART Instructor Mike Griffin, Faculty of Humanities’ 2023 Excellence in Teaching Award recipient, workshopped ideas for his DART winter mainstage production, The Mysterious Mind of Molly McGillicuddy. An original new work written and directed by Griffin, the play explores brain injury and related mental health issues.

  “A set of very strong projects with exciting futures emerged from the inaugural Summer Institute,” Roberts-Smith said. “DART students brought fresh and wise perspectives essential to the success of each project.”

  Tags: dart, DART Summer Institute, David Fancy, david vivian, dramatic arts, evalyn parry, humanities, Jennifer Roberts-Smith, Marilyn. I Walker School of Fine & Performing Arts, Mike Griffin, miwsfpa, Tottering Biped Theatre, trevor copp
  Categories: Alumni, Current Students, Department/Centre News, Events, Faculty & Instructors, News, Uncategorised

• Fine and performing arts grads ready to make impact in industry

  Monday, June 19, 2023 | By gminaker

  

  Image caption: A. gathering of some of the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts graduates from the departments of Dramatic Arts, Music, Visual Arts and Studies in Arts and Culture at Brock’s 113th Convocation.

  Some of the the newest graduates from the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA) are poised to take centre stage as they pursue their next challenges.

  After graduating on Friday, June 16 during Brock’s 113th Convocation, Dramatic Arts (DART) alumni Alyssa Campbell, Ava Robitaille, Thea Van Loon and Claire Stoll will get straight to work this summer on a production of Shakespeare’s The Tempest, put on by Tottering Biped Theatre (TBT), a Hamilton-based social justice inspired theatre company. 

  Having worked with TBT as Brock students, Campbell and Robitaille are thrilled to be with a professional theatre company again.

  Campbell said she is grateful to have made valuable connections during her time in DART that have turned into work opportunities.

  “I’m very excited to return to work with Tottering Biped with familiar and new faces post-graduation,” she said. “Outdoor theatre is a unique challenge that will be great revisit.”

  Mari Brint, who graduated with a double major in Visual Arts (Studio Art) and History of Art and Visual Culture, and a minor in English Language and Literature, fused their artistic practice with a passion for libraries which has shaped their future professional path.

  Working at the James A. Gibson Library, Brint enjoyed connecting with students and assisting library users with their requests. They also curated collaborative exhibitions on display for library users, further sparking their interest in curation.

  Currently working at the main circulation desk at St. Catharines Public Library, Brint hopes to pursue a master’s degree in library science or art history.

  “I love the community connection in libraries, and I am lucky to work with diverse populations,” Brint said. “Brock set me on the path for my future work and studies, and I look forward to giving back to the community.”

  Similarly to Brint, Music student Chloe Racho was committed to the Brock community and participated in many student activities in and around the MIWSFPA.

  In addition to her studies and composing instrumental music for ensembles, Racho worked as Stage Manager for Department of Music concerts at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre and led tours of the downtown arts campus as part of Brock’s Smart Start team.

  An aspiring educator, Racho will begin working toward a Bachelor of Education with a teachable in vocal music at Brock in the fall.

  “The music program has equipped me with transferable skills that I will use in future music endeavours and other aspects of my life,” she said.

  Sarah Fisher, who earned an Honours degree in Studies in Arts and Culture (STAC), with a concentration in Cultural Management and minor in Tourism Studies, said the STAC program’s interdisciplinary nature allowed her to explore a wide range of subjects and pursue her passions while acquiring additional certifications throughout her degree program.

  “My four years at Brock University have been an incredible journey filled with academic achievements, unforgettable experiences and personal growth,” Fisher said. “As a graduate of the STAC program, I am happy to reflect on my time at Brock and eagerly look forward to what the future holds.”

  Having learned about her passion for building relations in the world of arts and culture, Fisher looks forward to continuing her studies in public relations.

  “I am always so heartened by the graduating students at the MIWSFPA, who seem to flow seamlessly into opportunities of employment, internship and advanced study,” said Linda Carreiro, Visual Arts Professor and Associate Dean of Fine and Performing Arts. “They relish each new learning moment, which equips them with an openness to challenges and an impressive layering of skills.”

  Tags: miwsfpa, spring convocation
  Categories: Alumni, Announcements, Department/Centre News, Events, Faculty & Instructors, News, Uncategorised

• Dramatic Arts student to learn behind the scenes at Shaw Festival

  Thursday, May 25, 2023 | By gminaker

  

  Image Caption: Ava Robitaille, a fourth-year Dramatic Arts student, has been selected for an internship at the Shaw Festival for the 2023 season.

  Originally published THURSDAY, MAY 04, 2023 | by Charles Kim

  Like many fourth-year students, Ava Robitaille is excited to see what the future holds after graduation.

  Her vision will soon be a little clearer thanks to a valuable experiential learning opportunity in the world of professional theatre production.

  The Dramatic Arts (DART) student has been selected for an internship at the Shaw Festival for the 2023 season, which will allow her to dive deeper into directing and add to her growing list of skills.

  During the eight-week internship, which began May 2, Robitaille will learn how the Shaw season runs by working behind the scenes on a number of shows and performances.

  She is particularly excited about the opportunity to work with women directors.

  “The Shaw has a really wonderful set of female directors in this season, and I cannot express how important this is to me,” Robitaille says. “I really want to learn about the experiences of those women who have been involved in the industry for an extended period of time.”

  Having worked as a director and associate director in many DART productions, Robitaille is grateful for all the feedback from instructors throughout her time at Brock. She plans to take those remarks and hone in on developing her skills through this opportunity.

  “The biggest thing I want to focus on is learning how I use my directing voice in a room,” she says. “As I’ve been developing as a director through Brock and in DART, my No. 1 feedback has been ‘you’ve got it technically, but you need to bring yourself into the work.’”

  Robitaille recognizes the Shaw internship’s potential to impact her future in the industry. She says it’s a great opportunity for her to get to know some of the individuals involved in the profession, and provides her with a foot in the door with a local, but well-known, production company.

  “This really is the cherry on top of my whole experience with Brock,” she says while reflecting on her final days as a Brock student.

  Robitaille feels the confidence and skills she developed during her time at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts were crucial in preparing her for the internship.

  “What I learned at DART through my four years was incredible,” she says. “From not knowing where I was going in my first year to slowly figuring it out and being given opportunities like this, this is just everything I could have asked for.”

  Tags: Current Students, News, Shaw Intern Blog, Uncategorised
  Categories: Current Students, Department/Centre News, News, Uncategorised

• Exhibition builds bridges for community members

  Thursday, May 25, 2023 | By gminaker

  

  Image caption: Exhibiting artist Katherine Sunita (left) engages with her artwork Invisible Contents with Shauna MacLeod, Founder/Director of Willow Arts Community as part of an exhibition now on show at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts.

  A new exhibition is celebrating the work of local artists while breaking down barriers for individuals facing stigma and social isolation.

  ‘Visible: An Exploration of Intersecting Identities,’ which showcases work by Willow Arts Community members, is now open at the Visual Arts Gallery and Student Exhibition Space at Brock’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA).

  The exhibition explores themes of intersecting identities and overcoming personal challenges through creative expression. Original works include paintings, sculpture, interactive videos and listening stations.

  Located in downtown St. Catharines, Willow Arts Community (Willow) is an arts and peer support organization providing low-barrier opportunities for artists with lived experiences of mental illness or substance use disorder in Niagara.

  The partnership between Brock University and Willow aims to provide an enriching gallery experience for community members. For Shauna MacLeod, Willow Founder and Executive Director, the ability to publicly showcase artwork is significant and allows diverse perspectives to be shared.

  “This is an incredible opportunity for us to celebrate the original work of 41 Willow Arts members. This partnership provides a highly visible platform that helps us reduce stigma and break down barriers for the members of our community,” she said. “The artwork is exceptional, and the people we are proud to support are able to be visible in new ways.”

  Sonya Marie de Lazzer, Gallery Co-ordinator at the MIWSFPA, co-curated the exhibition alongside MacLeod and was struck by the uplifting and positive energy surrounding the experience.

  “From the early discussions of this show to the final exhibition coming together, there is so much spirit. We hope to continue to dream big with Willow, cultivating this special friendship,” she said.

  The exhibition runs until Tuesday, June 6 and is open to the public Thursday through Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. at the MIWSFPA, 15 Artists’ Common, St. Catharines.

  More information about Willow Arts Community can be found on the organization’s website.

  Tags: Department of Visual Arts, humanities, Katherine Sunita, Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, miwsfpa, Shauna MacLeod, Sonya Marie De Lazzer, visual arts, Willow Arts Community
  Categories: Announcements, Department/Centre News, News, Uncategorised

• Dramatic Arts students bring one-act visions to life

  Thursday, May 25, 2023 | By gminaker

  

  Image caption: DART student Celine Zamidar in a dress rehearsal of the play Video by Yvette Nolan, directed by DART student Benoit St. Aubin as part of the One Acts Festival 2023.

  Eight Brock students will debut their directing skills this weekend as the Dramatic Arts (DART) One Acts Festival returns to the stage.

  The 2023 One Acts Festival entitled ‘where are we now?’ runs in two parts from Friday, May 26 until Sunday, May 28 at the Marilyn I. Walker Theatre at 15 Artists’ Common in downtown St. Catharines.

  The program features a collection of eight short plays presented in two parts. Each one-act play is directed by a third-year Dramatic Arts student. As part of Directing II (DART 3P54), students had the opportunity to work with a design and production team, and a company of student actors to bring their vision to life.

  The One Acts Festival provides Dramatic Arts students hands-on experience to explore their creative voice and develop skills as theatre artists. For many students, this is their first chance to direct a full play from preparation to production and performance.

  This is the first year the festival will be hosted in the spring. Admission is pay-what-you-can at the door. Full program details can be found below and on the DART Current Season page.

  Program details:

  Part A – Friday, May 26 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, May at 2 p.m.

  Fifteen Minute Minimum by Roberto F. Ciccotelli, Directed by Hayley Bando

  Trial of a Ladies Man by Sally Clark, Directed by Meg Dobson

  The Yellow Wallpaper by Jeff G. Rach, Directed by Abby Malcolm

  Video by Yvette Nolan, Directed by Benoit St-Aubin

  Part B – Saturday, May 27 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday May 28 2 p.m.

  Hold the Phone by John Cook, Directed by Michael Naszados

  Excerpts from Daniel MacIvor’s ‘Here Lies Henry’ by Daniel MacIvor, Adapted/Directed by Zakk Milne

  Made for a Woman by Alan Ball, Directed by Laura Maieron

  Excerpts from Rosamund Small’s ‘Vitals’ by Rosamund Small, Adapted/Directed by Hayley King

  Tags: dart, dramatic arts, miwsfpa, one acts festival
  Categories: Current Students, Department/Centre News, Events, News, Uncategorised

• Vampires descending on downtown arts school for Brock’s mainstage production

  Thursday, March 02, 2023 | By ckim2

  

  The cast of A Vampire Story prepares the finals scenes of their upcoming performance, which premieres Friday, March 3.

  ---

  Originally published in The Brock News | TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2023 | by Charles Kim

  The undead will make their debut next month in downtown St. Catharines.

  Moira Buffini’s A Vampire Story, the mainstage production from Brock University’s Department of Dramatic Arts, opens at the Marilyn I. Walker Theatre Friday, March 3.

  The show follows Ella, a vampire who is new to a small town that has been plagued by disappearing high school students and teachers.

  Seeking to become more human, she decides to stop drinking blood and to be honest about her undead state, her vampire mother and her horrific past.

  But Ella’s honesty isn’t well received by the community. Her life is upended as she is ostracized and hunted — all while falling in love and sorting out her priorities in a small town where the residents are as bizarre and insatiable as the vampires who live among them.

  Led by Director and Adjunct Professor Gyllian Raby, the adaptation of A Vampire’s Story finds a perfect balance between the play’s gothic and comedic nature.

  Raby’s success both as a professional director and Associate Professor comes from her extensive experience and her affinity for intelligent, culturally astute comedy. She has worked as a freelance director, dramaturge and playwright/adaptor across the world.

  Her productions of Bernard Shaw’s Passion, Poison and Petrifaction, the jazz/tap musical Fingers and Toes, Nicolai Erdman’s Russian farce The Suicide! and the international clown show hit Don’t Do It – Do It have been widely enjoyed by audiences in Canada, the U.S., the U.K. and Thailand.

  Raby said A Vampire Story is more relevant now than its debut performance in 2016, especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The loneliness and anxiety caused by the pandemic are common motivating factors for vampire and infection stories, she said.

  “We can all identify with characters who are intensely alone amid society. Of course, this explains the success of the vampire genre,” Raby said. “Moira Buffini’s smart, witty play taps into the pop culture genre, relating loss of soul to the need for activist awareness.”

  Assistant Director and fourth-year DART student Lucas Irving said the use of monsters within the show is instrumental.

  “The production offers a fantastic opportunity to explore who and what the monsters in society are and how the definition changes from one period to another,” he said. “Vampires often surface during times of change and we’re certainly in a time of great change.”

  A Vampire Story includes set design by Nigel Scott, costume design by Alexa Fraser and lighting design by Chris Malkowski, with music direction and live band leadership by Joe Lapinski. The production showcases the talents of Brock DART students Hayley King, Simone Cinapri, Maiya Irwin, Thea Van Loon, Alex De Cicco, Cal Webb Wilkinson, Hunter Brown, Nathan Faigundo, Emma van Barneveld, Tyra Hayward, Celine Zamidar, Michelle Shortt, Benoit St. Aubain, Kaitlyn Boyer, Isaiah Alton and Zakk Milne.

  A Vampire Story opens Friday, March 3 at 7:30 p.m. in the Marilyn I. Walker Theatre inside the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts. Tickets are available for $20 for general admission and $16 for students and seniors. Performances will also take place Saturday, March 4 at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, March 5 at 2 p.m., Friday, March 10 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, March 11 at 7:30 p.m. To reserve tickets please visit the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre website.

  Tags: a vampire story, byzanthium, Department of Dramatic Arts, dramatic arts, FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, gyllian raby, Lucas Irving, mainstage, Marilyn I. Walker Theatre, miwsfpa, Moira Buffini, production
  Categories: Alumni, Announcements, Current Students, Department/Centre News, Events, Faculty & Instructors, Future Students, In the Media, Industrial Fabric, Media Releases, News, Walker Cultural Leader Series