LIGHTS
By ADAM GRANT WARREN
A Touchstone Theatre Production, in association with the Firehall Arts Centre.
PRODUCTION
Director | Roy Surette
Assistant Director | Daniela Atiencia
Set Design | Carolyn Rapanos
Lighting Design | Gerald King
Costume Design | Jessica Oostergo
Sound Design | Dylan McNulty
Stage Manager | Angela Beaulieu
Apprentice Stage Manager | Taylor MacKinnon
Technical Director | Craig Alfredson
Head of Props | Carol Macdonald
Dramaturg | Lauren Taylor
Scene built at GNW Scene Shop
Publicist | Jodi Smith
Live Stream Director | Jordan Watkins
CAST
Evan Chaulk | Adam Grant Warren
Nancy Chaulk | Susinn McFarlen
Sarah Sasaki | Leslie Dos Remedios
Runtime: Approximately 95 mins with no intermission. Please turn off all digital devices and refrain from recording or photographing the performance.
Touchstone Theatre is a member of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatre and engaged under the terms of the Canadian Theatre Agreement professional Artists who are members of Canadian of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association.
Cover design by Markian Tarasiuk. Cover photo by David Cooper.
We are especially appreciative to the Coast Salish peoples, in particular the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations. We humbly acknowledge that we create and present our Canadian-identified work on their land.
PLAYWRIGHT'S NOTES
Adam Grant Warren
Gathering like this, like we are now – it still comes with an element of risk. So, first, I’m honoured that you’ve chosen to be here to share this show with us. Thank you. I know I can speak for the whole Lights team when I say we’ll make sure your decision was the right one.
Postponed three times because of pandemic restrictions, this play has been a long time coming. I owe Roy Surette and Lauren Taylor a great deal in exchange for keeping faith in the work through these strange and unprecedented times: for supporting and encouraging continued development of the script, even when we weren’t sure when or how we’d be able to share it with you folks at all. To Susinn and Leslie, (and Ange! What would any of us do without Angela Beaulieu?), thank you all not only for your incredibly hard work, but also for bringing your stories to the Chaulk family home as much as I did.
My deepest gratitude, though, goes to the people without whom it would have been impossible not only to share this story, but to have written it in the first place – Lynn, Tony, June, Myrna, Dave, Mike, Lorraine, Ken, Mark. With the support of the BC Alzheimer’s Society, these people welcomed me into their lived experience of dementia and of loving someone who lives with it.
Whether or not they are here, they are here. This is for them, and it comes with my thanks, above all, for the lessons in finding joy and humour…and hope.
DIRECTOR'S NOTES
Roy Surette
A large part of my reason for returning home to the west coast four and a half years ago was to be closer to my mother who has been living with Alzheimer’s for more than 15 years. She’s about to celebrate her 90th birthday this week and we are blessed that her condition has progressed very gradually. She still recognized and enjoys the company of her three kids and son in law and she functions fairly well in a great assisted living home with my awesome sister nearby. When I read Adam’s beautiful play I was moved and inspired by his ability present the complexities of adjusting to the realities of dementia. It was three years ago when the play was selected as our Flying Start winner. The themes of isolation and adaptation were relevant then, but have only become more timely. So many of us have been forced apart during the last two years, and the challenges have been undeniable. It’s been such a joy, and rather therapeutic to gather with this marvellous creative team and our many collaborators.
Thank you for being here and supporting this wonderful, unique early career writer/performer and for sharing our unusual, sometimes difficult, Christmas reunion story. As we embark on a large and ambitious 45th Anniversary Touchstone season I am filled with gratitude.
GENERAL MANAGER WELCOME
Susan Shank
I am so excited to be rejoining the Touchstone Theatre team during the Society’s 45th Anniversary Season! The season itself is exciting with three World Premieres but the joy is heightened as the BC Health Authority removes the restriction for 50% houses in favour of full capacity for vaccinated patrons! Safety is a top priority and we will follow all the restrictions set out to keep audiences, artists, and office staff well cared for.
What a time it has been, full of shifting, pivoting, pirouetting with a sprinkle of reevaluating life choices. Like many theatre companies during COVID, Touchstone has had to cancel, reschedule, cancel, reschedule, cancel……. We found ourselves filling our time with zooms, podcasts, and online streaming. To all the artistic hearts and minds that didn’t stop creating even if it was in your own living room – thank you. It has warmed our hearts and changed our perspectives. Although the pandemic has rewritten the meaning of “The Show Must Go On”, today we look ahead at illuminating the theatres with live performances. We look forward to our masked audiences taking in the sets, costumes, lights, sound, stories and characters! Let’s raise a cup and toast our return to the Theatres. Enjoy!
Adam Grant Warren
EVAN CHAULK
Originally from Newfoundland, Adam began his career as a radio columnist for the CBC Morning Show, at which time he also became Newfoundland’s youngest winner of both the Arts and Letters Award for Fiction, and the George Story Medal of Excellence in the Arts. A graduate and teacher at Vancouver Film school, his films have screened as official selections at California’s Newport Beach Film Festival, the National Screen Institute’s Online All-Star Reel, and the Vancouver International Film Festival – where his film Float took home the honours for Best Canadian Short. Conocerlos (Get to Know Them) earned him his first BC Film Leo Award Nomination for Best Screenwriting.
Adam is a frequent collaborator with Vancouver’s All Bodies Dance Project. He has appeared in stage productions of Frank Theatre’s All In, Real Wheels Theatre’s CREEPS, and Touchstone’s Kill Me Now — the latter two earning him Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards. Following development as part of the National Writers’ Colony at Vancouver’s Playwrights’ Theatre Centre, his solo show, Last Train In, premiered at Victoria’s UNOFest, and went on to critical acclaim at Vancouver’s rEvolver Theatre Festival. In addition to Lights, he has a new project in early development with Boca Del Lupo’s SLaM program. With generous support from both the BCAC and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, he’s also currently pursuing a Master’s in Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia. To see more of Adam’s work or get in touch, visit adamgrantwarren.com
Susinn McFarlen
NANCY CHAULK
Susinn McFarlen is an award-winning actress and writer based in Vancouver. Some will recognize her from her recent work in Dirty Old Woman (The Cultch), The Taming of the Shrew and Shakespeare in Love (Bard on the Beach) and The Birds and The Bees (Arts Club Theatre) to name a few.
Susinn is one of the founders of Wet Ink Collective, whose mandate is to promote gender equity on the stage by mentoring and supporting women playwrights and screenwriters. Her first play, Since You Left Us, was hailed by critics in 2014 as one of the best shows in Vancouver.
She is thrilled to be back on stage directed by Roy in this amazing new play.
Leslie Dos Remedios
SARAH SASAKI
Originally from the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat, Seneca and the Mississsaugas of the Credit (aka Toronto), Leslie is a graduate of York University (2008) and Studio 58 (2012). Favourite credits include “Jane” in Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, “Sam” in Thanks for Giving (Arts Club Theatre Company), and “Bap” in Baking Time (Presentation House Theatre). She is so happy to be working with Touchstone to bring this moving story to life – thank you Adam for the beautiful words. And as always, deep gratitude to SFB, Rosalind and my family, without whom, I couldn’t do what I do.
Roy Surette
DIRECTOR
Roy Surette was Touchstone Theatre’s Artistic Director from 1984 to 1997. He returned in July 2017 to Touchstone Theatre after twenty years: ten where he enjoyed island living as Artistic Director for the beautiful Belfry Theatre in Victoria and ten at the helm of Montreal’s esteemed Centaur Theatre in Montreal where he was Artistic & Executive Director. Much of his career has involved championing new work and Canadian playwrights and he is proud and happy to be back home working in Vancouver’s resilient and inspiring cultural community.
He has received multiple awards as a director, has directed across Canada, including for National Arts Centre, Canadian Stage, Shaw Festival, The Arts Club Theatre, The Vancouver Playhouse, Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Theatre Calgary, Axis Theatre, Carousel Theatre and productions in Scotland and Australia. Directing credits since returning to Vancouver include Happy Place, Kill Me Now and Certified for Touchstone. Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley for the Arts Club, The Light In The Piazza for CCPA and co-directing with Carole Higgins for The Carousel/Touchstone Lawyer shows, The Drowsy Chaperone and Urinetown: The Musical.
Roy has had the great pleasure of working with many incredible theatre makers since graduating from Studio 58 a long time ago. He is delighted to work with Adam and this amazing Lights team.
Daniela Atiencia
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Daniela Atiencia is a Latinx-Canadian theatre artist born and raised in Colombia. She works as a freelance bilingual director, dramaturg, and deviser. Daniela is currently working as co-director on Clean/Espejos with Neworld and recently co-directed for Green Thumb Theatre’s Cranked!. As dramaturg she is collaborating with Tetsuro Shigematsu’s latest commissioned piece for Pacific Theatre and served as Spanish Language Dramaturg for Made in Canada, an agricultural operetta by rice & beans theatre. She is currently based on the Unceded Territories of the Coast Salish peoples (Vancouver, B.C.) and is serving as Associate Artistic Director for Touchstone Theatre’s 45th season. Her work recently earned her a finalist spot in the RBC Rising Star Emerging Director award.
Carolyn Rapanos
SET DESIGNER
Carolyn Rapanos is a local set designer, and has been designing for about eight years for theatre companies large and small. Her most recent designs include Miracle on 34th Street (Chemainus), Mother of the Maid (Pacific Theatre), The Good Bride (Firehall Arts Centre), and 9 to 5 The Musical (Capilano University). Up next is the Arts Club remount of Kim’s Convenience at the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage. Carolyn has received multiple Jessie and Ovation award nominations and a design ensemble Jessie award. You can see her work at www.carolynrapanos.ca.
Gerald King
LIGHTING DESIGNER
Gerald has designed many shows for The Arts Club, Ballet BC, Bard on the Beach, Kokoro Dance, Theatre Calgary, The Citadel, Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, National Arts Centre, Centro Flamenco, Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre (vAct) and many other local companies. Selected credits include: Arts Club Theatre -Matilda and Beauty and The Beast. Bard on The Beach – Shakespeare in Love, As You like It, Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre (VACT)- Kuroko. The Citadel Theatre -As You Like It, Matilda and Crazy for You. Vancouver Opera- The Merry Widow, Otello, La Boheme, Evita. Royal Winnipeg Ballet – Fairie Queen. Circle Bright Productions – The 39 Steps. Childrens Theatre of Richmond- Peter Pan.
Gerald is a member of the Associated Designers of Canada.
Jessica Oostergo
COSTUME DESIGNER
Jessica Oostergo is an artist who explores Set and Costume Design for theatre and UX/UI for the digital world. Recent design credits include The Marvelous Wonderettes (Theatre NorthWest), Wakey, Wakey (Pacific Theatre), Done/Undone (Bard), Same Old Same Old (Belfry Theatre), The Amaryllis (The Search Party), The Dolls House Project (Studio 58), House and Home (Firehall), and It’s A Wonderful Christmas-ish Holiday Miracle (Arts Club Theatre).
Jessica is a two-time Jessie Richardson Award winner for Significant Artistic Achievement in design, with a total of five nominations. She has been the Assistant Head of Wardrobe at Bard on the Beach for 7 seasons. Jessica is a member of ADC 659, and a graduate of Studio 58 and Emily Carr University of Art + Design.
Dylan McNulty
SOUND DESIGN
After graduating from the University of West London, Dylan finds himself back in Vancouver talking in the third person. Having taken a hiatus from the theatre scene, Dylan was quite excited to get the opportunity to submerge his hands and ears into the wonders of the stage. Some of Dylan’s notable works include Dirty Old Woman (Winner of pick of the fringe in 2014) and Mom and Me (Winner of Best theme song in 2017). Forthcoming projects include Chicken (TBD) and Under the City of Glass (TBD).
Angela Beaulieu
STAGE MANAGER
Angela is thrilled to a part of the Lights creative team. Some of her favorite theatre experiences include, Shape of a Girl, Skydive, Belfry Theatre; Hey Viola!, Miss Shakespeare and J. Ceasar, Musical TheatreWorks; One Man, Two Guvnors, Theatre Calgary; The Pavilion, Osimous Theatre; Thanks For Giving, Hand to God, One Man, Two Guvnors, Venus in Fur, The 39 Steps, It’s A Wonderful Life, Blood Brothers, Arts Club Theatre; Urinetown, The Musical, The Shooting Stage, Firehall Arts Centre; Kill Me Now, Sex in Heaven, Lion in the Streets, Touchstone Theatre; Crazy For You, Shirley Valentine, Gateway Theatre. In June 2008, Angela received the Mary Phillips Prize for her work behind the scenes. All my love to SJT, forever in my heart.
Taylor Mackinnon
APPRENTICE STAGE MANAGER
Taylor is thrilled to be a part of Touchstone Theatre’s production of Lights as the
Assistant Stage Manager. Taylor is a proud graduate of the Technical Theatre
program at Capilano University. They have previously worked on We the Same
(Ruby Slippers Theatre), Steel Magnolias (Boone Dog Productions), The Twelve
Dates of Christmas (The Arts Club), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
(Gateway Theatre) and The 39 Steps (Blue Bridge Theatre).
Craig Alfredson
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
Carol Macdonald
HEAD OF PROPS
Carol is a Vancouver based props buyer, builder, finder, hunter, gatherer and persuader who is delighted to be back to work! Favourite credits: Kill Me Now, Happy Place, How to Survive an Apocalypse, (Touchstone) Children of God (Urban Ink) Empire of The Son (ACT) The Music Man, King of The Yees, Crazy for You (Gateway) 42nd Street, Romeo & Juliet (Studio 58). Props Buyer for Bard on The Beach since 2012 and occasionally spotted at The Arts Club and The Vancouver Opera prop shops. Carol is a graduate of the Production Program at Studio 58.
Lauren Taylor
DRAMATURGE
Lauren (she/her) is a director/dramaturg born on Warundjeri traditional land (Melbourne, Australia), grateful to be here as an uninvited settler guest on unceded Coast Salish lands. Recent credits: Studio 58: Tomorrow Love, Arts Club: The Birds and the Bees; Touchstone: C’mon Angie; Railtown: My Tom; UBC: Love and Information. Adjunct Professor, UBC Dept. Film & Theatre (MFA Directing: UBC, Grad Dip Directing: VCA/Melbourne University, BA: LaTrobe University, Alumna Lincoln Centre Directors Lab). Other: Literary Associate at Playbox/Malthouse Theatre, Australian National Playwrights Conference, Banff Playwright’s Conference, Interplay International Young Playwrights Conference, assistant tutor to Simon Stephens, Royal Court Young Writer’s Programme (London UK).
TOUCHSTONE THEATRE STAFF
Artistic Director | Roy Surette
General Manager | Susan Shank
Associate Artistic Director | Daniela Atiencia
Communications & Business Manager | Katherine Krampol
Bookkeeper |Jessie Li
TOUCHSTONE BOARD
Board President | Linda Sum
Vice President | Leslie Stark,
Treasurer | Lynn Zhou
Secretary | Kevin Hill
Members at Large |Paul Kressock, Elaine McHarg, Navi Gill
FIREHALL STAFF
Artistic Producer | Donna Spencer
Venue Technical Director | Stephen Beaver
Box Office and Marketing Coordinator | Jessica Gerlach
Artistic Associate and Production Manager | Jillian Perry
Touchstone gratefully acknowledges our show funders, sponsors, and partners.
DEEPEST THANKS TO TOUCHSTONE THEATRE INDIVIDUAL DONORS
$1000+
Elizabeth Reid, Tracy Proke, Marietta Kozak and Peter Hall, Ken Gracie and Philip Wardell
$300–$999
John Cooper, Julia Gibson, Wendy Lee, James Mactier, Sandra Marquardt, Karen Martin, Leslie Stark, Sharon Kahn, Leong Holdings, Katrina Dunn
UP TO $299
Darren Barefoot, Michelle Bjornson, David Bloom, Dawn Brennan, Robert Burns, Donna Celle, Judith Coffin, Rena Cohen, John Cooper, Larry Colcy, William Davis, Susan Dickson, Jason Dubois & Clayton Baraniuk, Ian Farthing, Jane Flick, Pamela Hawthorn, Jane Heyman, Marcella Helmer, Jane Heyman, Diane Kent, Kevin Kerr, David Kerr, Michael Levy, Linda Leong Sum, Roy Surette, Anne Mathisen, Elaine McHarg, Michael McLaughlin, Carol Newson, Julia Nichols, Alice Niwinski, Kathryn Oliver, John Malcolm Page, Rachel Peake, Tracey Power, Rory Runnells, Kathryn Shaw, Elizabeth Snow, Jane Stokes, Sally Stubbs, Anona Thorne, Camilla Tibbs, Sean Vanderfluit, Susan and Michael Walsh, Jerry Wasserman, Glynis Whiting,
DAVID KING PRIZE DONORS
Fran Gebhard, John Cooper & Esther Chetner, Janet Hodgkinson, Susanna Gray, Jan Van’t Hof & Harriet Hunter, Marcus Youssef, Greg Klassen, Debra Wiens, Jay Brazeau, Renee Ethans, Suzanne Ristic, Anthony Pare & Dawn Allen, Virginia King & John Penman, Susanna Bell-Irving Gray, Rory Runnells, Judy Cook, Susan Tessler, Leslee Silverman, Lynn Stoffman, Barbara Lobb, Lauren MacDiarmid, Peter Hill, Maureen & Hugh Taggart
SPECIAL THANK YOUS:
Carrie Roxburgh, Claire Love Wilson, Tia Evans, Deanna Jarvinen, Douglas College Stagecraft Program, Arts Club Theatre Company, Michael Gall, Robyn Volk, Frances Henry, Mitch Janzen.
Special thanks to Gerald King for his donation of technical gear.
Lights was developed through Touchstone’s Flying Start Program, an incubator supporting the next generation of theatre artists through the commissioning of new Canadian works by early career playwrights. Along with dramaturgical support, the program culminates in a full-scale production as part of Touchstone’s Mainstage series. Flying Start is supported by RBC Emerging Artists program and is produced In Association with Firehall Arts Centre.
