Western Gold Theatre's Gertrude and Alice brings a 40-year relationship to life onstage, November 6 to 23
Presented in partnership with Touchstone Theatre and in association with United Players of Vancouver, play touches on how lives are remembered
Gertrude and Alice. Photo by Nancy Caldwell
Western Gold Theatre presents Gertrude and Alice by Anna Chatterton, Evalyn Parry, and Karin Randoja—also known as the Independent Aunties—from November 6 to 23 at PAL Studio Theatre. Presented in partnership with Touchstone Theatre and in association with United Players of Vancouver, performances will take place at 7:30 pm from Wednesdays through Saturdays, plus at 2 pm on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Gertrude Stein and Alice B Toklas visit PAL Studio Theatre to recount stories about their 40-year relationship; their famous Paris salons, where the who’s who of artists gathered; and Alice’s overwhelming, consuming devotion to Gertrude’s genius. They survived in Paris during the Second World War. Now they want to find out how their lives are—or are not—remembered.
Gertrude and Alice was shortlisted for the Governor General’s Literary Award in 2018. Chatterton, Parry, and Randoja originally wrote the roles to perform them; Randoja directed the play’s 2016 premiere at Toronto’s Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, which featured Parry as Gertrude and Chatterton as Alice. In this upcoming production, a different team of artists will bring the story to life.
Directed by Lois Anderson, Western Gold Theatre’s production features Tanja Dixon-Warren as Gertrude and Kelsi James as Alice. The creative team includes sound designer Julia Lank, lighting designer Ben Paul, costume designer Sheila White, set and prop designer Cecilia Vadala, and stage manager Andy Sandberg.
Gertrude and Alice. Photo by Nancy Caldwell
On November 15 at 10:30 am at PAL Studio Theatre, playwright Chatterton will host a dynamic two-hour workshop inspired by the creation process behind Gertrude and Alice, developed with the other Independent Aunties. Space is limited and registration is required.
Through image-based prompts, guided writing tasks, and embodied exercises, Chatterton will engage with workshop participants to explore the beginnings of playmaking. This session offers an entry point into creating original work rooted in physicality, as a pathway to building characters and generating text.
Chatterton will also be present for the optional Act 2 Artist Salon after the performance of Gertrude and Alice on November 14 at 7:30 pm.
Tickets to see the production are available through Western Gold Theatre.
Post sponsored by Western Gold Theatre.
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