In Conversation
iPhoto caption: Photos courtesy of Lighthouse Festival.
Lighthouse Festival shines a light on Canadian comedies this summer
“When you laugh with a character, you connect with their story,” says artistic director Jane Spence. “You have more empathy and compassion for whatever their journey is. I believe that humour opens us up to each other’s life experiences. It’s what connects us.”
iPhoto caption: Kamyar Pazandeh and Julia McLellan in 'Waitress.' Photo by Dahlia Katz.
Ahead of the musical’s upcoming run at Hamilton’s Theatre Aquarius, I spoke with the production’s props and scenic design department to find out how they’re making the pie magic happen.
iPhoto caption: Photo courtesy of York University.
“I think the fundamental issue is that the foundation of inequity is still intact,” says co-curator Mariló Nuñez. “If you think about when Canadian theatre was first established, the theatre we were watching and learning about was Eurocentric, Western theatre… We place everything against that [perceived] ideal. Until that changes, I don’t think we can really make a change.”
iPhoto caption: Photo by Szymon Lazewski.
“We are all coming from somewhere, and we all have ancestors, and we all have this profound connection with not just where we come from but who we come from,” says playwright-performer Martha Knight. “That’s really connected me to the piece and connected me with everybody I’ve worked with on this show.”