Alumni News

March, 2011

The Department of Theatre is well-represented in this year's "M" Award short list nominations, including last fall's Phoenix production of Yerma for Best Overall Production! The Monday Magazine "M" Awards are based on the people's choice and public's voting, so if you haven't voted yet, please check out all the nominees and support our arts community!

Department of Theatre-related "M" Award nominations:

• Yerma, for best overall production (Phoenix Theatre, Directed by Professor Warwick Dobson)
• The Life Inside (Belfry Theatre) for best new play (including Professors Jan Wood and Clayton Jevne)
• A Streetcar Named Desire (Blue Bridge Theatre) for best overall production (Professor Brian Richmond)
• Love Kills (Theatre Inconnu, Professor Clayton Jevne) and Z-Day: Anthem for the Post-Zombie Apocalypse (student Jay Mitchell) for favourite musical
• Professor Clayton Jevne (Moscow Stations, Theatre Inconnu) and alumni Rielle Braid (BFA'09) (Smalltown Pickup, Theatre SKAM) for favourite performer
• Professor Brian Richmond (Streetcar Named Desire, Blue Bridge Theatre) and alumni Matthew Payne (BFA '93) (Smalltown Pickup, Theatre SKAM) for best director.

David Ferry (MFA '04), alumnus and director of the Phoenix production of Inside has been busy while in town. He has also directed the workshop of Mount Appetite, at the Belfry Theatre's Spark Fest. Mount Appetite is based on a short story by Bill Gaston, professor in the UVic Writing Department and features Matthew Payne (BFA '93).

Colin Plant (BFA '96) has been elected to a second term as President of the Association of BC Drama Educators (ABCDE). Congrats Colin!

The Other Guys Theatre Company is planning a busy summer with a tour of their show Good Timber: Songs and Stories of the Western Logger across the Pacific Northwest. The project includes theatre alumni Colleen and Kelt Eccleston (BFA), Ross Desprez (BFA '92), Keith Houghton (BFA '01) and Erin Macklem (costume designer) (BFA '98). Colleen Eccleston (BFA).

The crew at ITSAZOO Productions are on the road again. Chairs: A Parable, an absurdist comedy about three men as they struggle to coexist in a barren landscape was written by Sebastien Archibald (BFA '07). The show will be touring this spring through Vancouver, Tofino, Nelson and Galiano as well as the Metro Studio on March 30 - April 2, 2011. Directed By Chelsea Haberlin (BFA '07) features Cameron Anderson (BFA '07), Sebastien Archibald, and Chris Wilson (BFA '08). Intrepid Theatre is also organizing a live twitter interview this Friday, March 18 fro 12:30 to 1pm. Monday Magazine Arts Editor, Amanda Farrell will interview the play's director with the general public participating by asking questions on twitter or facebook. Find out more...

Our Applied Theatre program was applauded in the March issue of Focus Magazine (click to download PDF of magazine on their site). Will Weigler (current PhD candidate) participated in the UVic Diversity Conference this spring, co-directing an applied theatre presentation where actors recounted true stories from staff and instructors on campus to help draw linkages between the experiences from different cultures, identities, genders and races.