WINNIPEG, MB – The University of Winnipeg’s Department of Theatre and Film will present Enchanted April, directed by Blake Taylor, from November 25-29, 2014 at The Gas Station Arts Centre. The play, written by Mathew Barber from the novel by Elizabeth von Arnin, was nominated for a Tony Award and won the John Gassner Award for Outstanding American Play.
Enchanted April is that rarity: a play where every single element falls perfectly into place . . . – NYTheatre.com
Set in a post-World War I London bereft of pre-war joys and comforts, the story deals with the lives of four very different women who dream of escaping dreary lives to find happiness and rebirth in the Italian sun. Their challenges to escape an empty existence and rediscover themselves still resonate today as they inspire us to seek true connection to each other and life’s elusive gifts.
“As Winnipeggers, we all understand how Winter can make us feel like dried bulbs in basement storage awaiting rebirth in a new season,” says Director Taylor. “Spring weather is palpable in this play: cleansing rain nourishes and sunlight warms and dispels the gloom, not just around the characters onstage but in their hearts and ours, bringing joy and a feeling that each encounter reveals a new-found friend. Enchanted April is all of this for me.”
“It is also a terrific exercise for young actors,” explains Taylor. “Barber creates three-dimensional characters who employ pathos and humour in combination to challenge performers through a range in style from very dark realism to slapstick farce.”
Performed by students of our fourth-year Honours Acting class with the four female leads appearing on alternate nights, the set design is by Joseph Abetria, with costume design by Mimi Raglan, lighting design by Katherine Johnston, and staging and environmental elements provided by students of our production program.
Performances are Tuesday, November 25th through Friday, November 28th at 8:00 pm nightly, and Saturday, November 29th at 2:00 p.m. AND 7:00 pm at the Gas Station Arts Centre (445 River Avenue). Admission is free but reservations are recommended. Please call our 24-hour Reservation Line at 204.786.9152, or visit UWinnipeg’s Department of Theatre and Film website at http://theatre.uwinnipeg.ca
Based in the Asper Centre for Theatre and Film at The University of Winnipeg, the Department of Theatre and Film offers areas of study in Acting, Design, Drama in Education, Filmmaking, Playwriting, and Production/Stage Management. Our classes are small and our approach is practical. Our faculty is comprised of highly respected and award-winning professionals who are experienced teachers and remain active in their disciplines, bringing relevant and up-to-date instruction to our students.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Patty Hawkins, Dept. of Theatre and Film
The University of Winnipeg
T: 204.786.9955
p.hawkins@uwinnipeg.ca
Blake Taylor, Dept. of Theatre and Film
The University of Winnipeg
T: 204.786-9953
b.taylor@uwinnipeg.ca
