Tuesday, March 19, 2013

My Mother's Red Shawl - El Rebozo Colorado
Emma Middleton - Actor


Alex and I met when he came to see the United Players production of A Room with a View, and spoiled us all by writing lovely things about the show here on his blog. One moment in particular caught his attention: when my character, Lucy, entered at the end of Act I and "let down her hair to reveal a Baroque curl that left [him] breathless". Daniel Doerksen's score with Darren W. Hales' soft lighting and of course Sarah Rodgers' brilliant direction had created a romantic atmosphere and beautiful picture onstage. Backstage was another story. Moments before, I was in the wings having my braid ripped out and my clothes torn off - all in about twenty seconds. This is what's called a quick change, and to me it’s one of the most magical parts of working in the theatre.


A quick change is when an actor completely changes their costume in a very short amount of time. This often happens between scenes, sometimes to suggest a different character. Quick changes can involve wigs and make-up to the point where the audience (hopefully) can't tell he or she is the same actor they saw moments before. In one show at UBC I rotated between a high-powered business woman, a troubled schoolgirl and a dumpy landlady. My own mother didn't realize one of those characters was me! In A Room with a View I had a personal record of ten quick changes. Catherine E. Carr, our costume designer was brilliant and designed my costumes so that I could get in and out of them quickly. I was also incredibly lucky that Danielle, a fellow UBC theatre grad and friend, offered to be my dresser for the show. I could not have done it without her. She had my absolute trust - after all, her job was to make sure I never bolted onstage half-naked, as actors are wont to do when hit with a rush of performance adrenaline. Thankfully, I made it onstage fully clothed every single night.


Mark Pryor Author/Lawyer/Assistant DA Travis County TX
Brother Edwin Charles Reggio, CSC Mentor & Teacher
Veronica Vex Burlesque Dancer
George McWhirter Poet
Raúl Guerrero Montemayor Padre-Compadre
Alexandra Waterhouse-Hayward Maestra
Shirley Gnome Singer/Provocateur
Yeva & Thoenn Glover Dancers/Choreographers
JJ Lee Writer
Jacqueline Model
Cathy Marsden Psychiatrist
André De Mondo Wanderer
Colin MacDonald Saxophonist/Composer
Nina Gouveia Yoga Instructor
Stacey Hutton Excercise Physiologist
Colleen Wheeler Actor
Sarah Rodgers Actor, Director,Mother
Kiera Hill Dancer
Johnna Wright & Sascha Director/Mother - Son/Dreamer
Decker & Nick Hunt Cat & 19th century amateur
George Bowering Poet
Celia Duthie Gallerist
Linda Lorenzo Mother
Katheryn Petersen Accordionist
Stefanie Denz Artist
Ivette Hernández Actress
Byron Chief-Moon Actor/Dancer
Colin Horricks Doctor
Ian Mulgrew Vancouver Sun Columnist
Jocelyn Morlock Composer
Corinne McConchie Librarian
Rachel Ditor Dramaturg
Patrick Reid Statesman, Flag Designer
Michael Varga CBC Cameraman
Bronwen Marsden Playwright/Actress/Director
David Baines Vancouver Sun Columnist
Alex Waterhouse-Hayward Photographer
Lauren Elizabeth Stewart Student
Sandrine Cassini Dancer/Choreographer
Meredith Kalaman Dancer/Choreographer
Juliya Kate Dominatrix