On January 14th, Walterdale will be hosting a virtual public reading with the Playwright’s Guild of Canada as a part of their PlayConnect program. This will be a free public event that will bring Canadian playwrights into Edmonton homes to learn more about the process of writing plays.
PlayConnect is a readings program for playwrights, theatre creators, and storytellers. It connects playwrights with communities and new audiences.
Walterdale Theatre will be hosting a digital joint reading, consisting of two playwrights, Kristine Greenaway and Liz Best!
The evening will consist of:
- A 10–20-minute excerpt read by each playwright from their play.
- A 15-minute Q&A period between the playwrights.
- Open discussion with the audience.
Start Time: 7pm
Approx. End Time: 8:15pm
Host: Monica Roberts, Artistic Director for Walterdale Theatre
Old Coots Commune by Kristine Greenaway
MJ and Alice have found the ideal house for the commune they want to create for elderly progressive feminist vegan ecologists (aka “old coots”). But they need at least three people to cover the rent. When a stranger named Sylvia appears saying she is broke and looking for a place to stay, it seems their prayers have been answered. Then they discover a Cartier brooch in Sylvia’s purse. Clearly Sylvia is not who she pretends to be. The arrival of Bill the handyman only complicates matters. How will MJ and Alice ever create a community from this motley crew?
NESTED by Liz Best
It’s been a long time coming but Elaine and David have sold the family home and are moments away from becoming empty nesters. Their three children are almost settled, Grandma Rose is moving to a retirement home and they’re about to start the next chapter of their lives. But what happens when one parent is more ready to move than the other? What happens when the kids want to remain kids? And where does Grandma Rose keep disappearing to? Nested begs to ask the question – Do kids ever really grow up and is parenting ever really finished?
Kristine Greenaway
Kristine Greenaway is a playwright and translator whose plays have been produced in Switzerland, France and Canada. Kristine is a member of the Playwrights’ Guild of Canada, the Société suisse des auteurs, the Geneva Writers’ Group, and Alumnae Theatre where she is active in the New Play Development group. The idea for Old Coots Commune comes out of her own experience of wondering how and where she will live as she grows ever older.
Liz Best
Liz started in theatre as a performer, bitten by the acting bug at the age of nine when she auditioned for Cinderella at summer camp. Favourite roles since then include: Malone, Pigeon, Amy, Company, Nana, For The Pleasure of Seeing Her Again, Beverly, The Shadowbox, Joanne, Company. Ultimately Liz took on the roles of producer and director as executive producer at Marion Abbott Productions, co-producer at Fireworks Festival, Alumnae Theatre and director of: Love Is A Virus, Toronto Fringe Festival, Outward, Toronto Queer Festival The Goodbye Girl, Scarborough Musical Theatre, Over the River and Into the Woods, Encore Entertainment. Liz’s play, Surrender, Dorothy has been performed at Alumnae Theatre and Procunier Hall, London, Ontario. Nested, Alumnae Theatre, January 2022 and a planned production at Curtain Club, 2022/23.Liz’s plays have had readings at Alumnae Theatre, PAL, (Performing Arts Lodge), Target Theatre, Village Players, Curtain Club and 4th Line Theatre.
If you are interesting in attending this free digital event, please register by clicking the button below:
