What is your role in this production? I am playing a Shadow in Shatter. Basically, the shadows are six people who represent the different points of view, types of people and stories of the people who would have been affected by the Halifax explosion. I am playing an child/ orphan character, so I represent all of the children who were left without their families after the explosion. The naivety of a child is important to recognize because the mind of a child can be swayed easily, which is one of the main focuses of Shatter.
What is your background in theatre? At Walterdale? Almost all of my theatrical training comes from High school/ school theatre! I go to Archbishop Jordan Catholic High school where we have an incredible fine arts program. I have been a costume designer for two shows at my school and have worked on about five shows in total there, mostly as a technical theatre member. This is my first community theatre show since I was in The Wizard of Oz at Festival Place (Sherwood Park) when I was around 11-years-old. I am so happy to be expanding my knowledge and learning about theatre because it is something that I’d like to pursue for my future. I have never done any other shows at the Walterdale but I have loved working there!
What brought you out for this show? I heard about auditions for Shatter through our director, Josh Languedoc, who I know from The Wizard of Oz where he played the Cowardly Lion. I was looking for auditions outside of school and I saw this audition, which was open for everyone; no matter what age or how much experience. I was just so excited to be out auditioning for the show, so, when I heard that I was cast, I was absolutely ecstatic!
What do you think audiences will take away from this show? Why should they come and see it? Personally, I think that the audience will take away a new awareness from the show. Shatter reveals how those around you can affect your decision making and beliefs and also how the media can influence your thoughts and actions. I hope that people will learn to question or research all of the different opinions that they hear about everything they see around them and I also hope that they can learn to be informed about everything that they read, hear or see.
Shatter deals with a major event in Canadian history that Canadians today might not know too much about. Are there any other major events in Canadian history that you feel we should know more about than we do?
I think that Canadians should educate themselves more about Residential Schools and the effect that they have had on the past, and the future, of our Canada. I know that a lot of people recognize the impact that Residential Schools have had, but I don’t think that everyone realizes the impact they still have. There are still familial and cultural ties within First Nations people that have been cut because of the mistreatment in Residential Schools, and I think it would be great if there was more awareness about this very current situation.