2015/2016 Season

Advance Theatre: New Works by Women

This is your Advance notice: women are taking back the stage.

Ruby Slippers Theatre in partnership the Vancouver Fringe Festival and Equity in Theatre present Advance Theatre: New Works By Women, September 14-18 at 1:30pm

False Creek Gym (1318 Cartwright Street on Granville Island).

Admission by donation (suggested $5 – $10).

Five new plays by female-identifying playwrights will receive public readings in an exciting collaboration between some of Vancouver’s finest theatre artists. According to a national study, women account for less than a third of artistic directors, working directors, and produced playwrights in professional Canadian theatre. That means that a lot of political, haunting, enraging, and hilarious voices haven’t yet been heard. 

Curated by Ruby Slippers Theatre with priority given to diversity, the plays include: Kitmat, Sept. 14, a documentary play on the effects of the pipeline referendum on an industry town, by esteemed BC playwright Elaine Avila and directed by Suzie Payne; 27 Voices by S.M. Hunter, Sept. 15, directed by Quelemia Sparrow, a poetic and intense play in honour of Canada’s missing and murdered indigenous women and girls; Colleen Ann Fee’s After Love, Life, Sept. 16, a lyrical love song, directed by Tammy Bentz; Trialogue, Sept. 17, a complex and intellectual one-act by emerging playwright Carolyn Nakagawa directed by Marisa Smith; and Forget About Tomorrow, Sept. 18, a warm and witty tribute to the strength of family by Jill Daum directed by Vancouver theatre legend Pam Johnson, with songs by Jill’s husband, John Mann.


You Will Remember Me

Photo Credit: Lisa Wu | Actors: Kevin McNulty and Sereana Milani

November 17-28, 2015 at The Cultch Historic Theatre

1895 Venables Street, Vancouver, BC

Sunday Nov 22 at 2 pm Sat Nov 28 at 2 pm (and 8:00pm)

Written by François Archambault, translated by Bobby Theodore / Starring Kevin McNulty, Patti Allan, Sereana Malani, Marci T House, Craig Erickson / Directed by Diane Brown / Set and Props Design by Heidi Wilkinson / Costume Design by Jessica Oostergo / Lighting Design by John Webber / Video Design by Corwin Ferguson / Sound Design & Composition by Joelysa Pankanea / Stage Manager, Lois Dawson / Assistant Stage Manager, Melissa McCowell

A deeply personal and moving new play about a family and memory from one of Québec’s most compelling writers. When the aging patriarch of a modern family, a powerfully intellectual and political force in his community, suffers from dementia, the people who love him struggle to care for him.

From the people who brought you The Duchess a.k.a. Wallis Simpson…Ruby Slippers Theatre is back, and proud to present the Vancouver Premiere of You Will Remember Me as part of our Crucial New Voices From Quebec series, in partnership with and at The Vancouver East Cultural Centre. This eloquent drama by Francois Archambault and translated by Bobby Theodore is about family and memory, a deeply personal and moving new play from one of Quebec’s most compelling writers.

When the aging patriarch of a modern family, a powerfully intellectual and political force in his community, suffers from dementia, the people who love him struggle to care for him. This project furthers our mission of producing provocative works from the vanguard of the French Canadian canon, as with last year’s critically acclaimed Après Moi & The List, and deepens our relationship with Francois Archambault with whom we have worked with many times (most notably, on our multi-award winning productions of The Winners and The Leisure Society.)

The draw: Local legends Kevin McNulty and Patti Allan star and Diane Brown directs.


The List

Photo Credit: Tim Matheson | Actor: France Perras

March 10-19, 2016 at the Gateway Theatre

Studio B, 6500 Gilbert Road, Richmond, BC

Written by Jennifer Tremblay, Translated by Shelley Tepperman / Starring France Perras / Directed by Jack Paterson / Set and Lighting Design by John Webber / Costume Design by Drew Facey / Sound Design by Mishelle Cuttler / Stage Manager Lois Dawson

In this moving translation of Jennifer Tremblay’s play La Liste, we experience one woman’s struggle as she fights through the memories leading to her friend’s death. A woman constantly making to-do lists so as not to forget anything, she overlooks one item that leads to a tragedy. This causes her to question: “Could I have done more?”

5 @ 50

5-50-lrg.jpg

Photo Credit: Tina Kulic

May 13 – 28, 2016 at PAL studio theatre

#300-581 Cardero Street, Vancouver, BC

Written by Brad Fraser / Starring Veena Sood, Diane Brown,  Deborah Williams, Donna Yamamoto, and Beatrice Zeilinger / Directed by Cameron Mackenzie Deveau.

Ruby Slippers Theatre and Zee Zee Theatre present the North American premiere production of 5 @ 50 by Brad Fraser. When Olivia loses control at her fiftieth birthday party, her three best friends decide to intervene once and for all, much to the irritation of Olivia and her long-term partner Nora. But is she the only one battling a demon or does each of these women face an addiction of one kind or another? 5 @ 50 is a raw and darkly comedic portrayal of women in mid life. It is also a bold examination of addiction and intervention, and of the friendships we can’t live without.

View our Past Seasons of Ruby Slippers Theatre, a Vancouver-based Theatre Company

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