— ON THE SUBJECT

Mercedes de la Zerda. Photo Credit: Tim Matheson

"Lizzie Borden took an axe..."

begins the classic schoolyard rhyme that sets the stage for Sharon Pollock's award-winning historical drama.  In 1892, Andrew and Abigail Borden were brutally murdered in their Fall River home. Their daughter Lizzie, though acquitted in court, was the only suspect ever charged. Debate as to her guilt continues to this day. Instead of a whodunit, Pollock has crafted a ‘whydunit’, examining life in the Borden household and in the world around it, to discover what might drive a spinster daughter to send her parents into the great beyond in such a memorable fashion. Most provocatively the play asks ‘Would you do it?’

Blood Relations features performances by BFA acting students Georgia Beaty, Alen Dominguez, Joel Garner, Kenton Klassen, Matt Reznek, Courtney Shields, Naomi Vogt, and Mercedes de la Zerda.The creative team includes BFA Production & Design students Diana Sepulveda-Navarette (Set), Brady Villadsen (Lighting), Elliot Squire (Costumes) and Scott Zechner (Sound), with English Literature and Theatre Design/Production student Shelby Bushell (Stage Management).                                                              

BLOOD RELATIONS, By Sharon Pollock, Director Jennette White | Run: Mar. 21– Apr. 6, 2013 | Frederic Wood Theatre, 6354 Crescent Rd., UBC MAP: http://bit.ly/94dLm6 | CURTAIN: Nightly 7:30 p.m. | TICKETS: Reg. $22/Senior $15/Student $10/Youth $2/Groups $2 off ~ plus service charges | $7 Preview Mar. 20 | $5 for UBC Alumni & Talk Back: Wed. Mar. 27 | BOX OFFICE: 604.822.2678 or box.office@ubc.ca | Online: http://ubctheatre.universitytickets.com | MORE: www.theatre.ubc.ca.

About the Playwright: Sharon Pollock

Sharon Polllock

Winner of the Governor General’s Award for Drama

Sharon Pollock is one of Canada’s most notable and prolific playwrights. She has taught at the University of Alberta, led the playwright’s colony of Banff Centre for the Arts, and was the artistic director at Theatre Calgary and Theatre New Brunswick. Pollock has been Playwright in Residence at Theatre Junction since 1999, where she premiered her three latest plays, Moving Pictures, End Dreams, and Angels Trumpet. Her more than thirty other plays include Generations, Doc, and Saucy Jack.

    “I’m engaged in an internal and eternal
questioning of what is, what isn’t and why
in the increasingly complex world around me and within me.
I know it’s impossible to find out what is,
what isn’t and why
but that in no way diminishes
or my desire or need to continue the search
which is not confined to my life in the theatre.
Sharon Pollock

 

For its World Theatre Day Talk Back on Mar. 27, after the 7:30 pm performance of Sharon Pollock’s Blood Relations, Theatre at UBC presents Professor Sherrill Grace, author of the award-winning biography,
Making Theatre: A Life of Sharon Pollock.

About the Director: Jennette White

Jennette White

Ms. White is extremely pleased to be making her directing debut at the Frederic Wood Theatre with this production of Sharon Pollock’s, Blood Relations. Prior to her MFA studies at UBC, Jennette was Director of Education for Neptune Theatre in Halifax as well as the Artistic Director of “The Young Neptune Touring Company”, from January of 1987 to June 2005. As Director of the Young Company, Ms. White wrote and directed plays on such wide-ranging subjects as AIDS, eating disorders, boyfriend/girlfriend abuse, the Halifax Explosion, the Acadian expulsion as well as plays for young children based on Robin Hood and stories by Hans Christian Anderson.  Ms. White is grateful to have had the opportunity to direct Narnia, Peter Pan, A Christmas Carol  and The Secret Garden  for the Neptune Main Stage series, as well as a wide range of productions presented in Neptune’s Studio Theatre such as: Annie Jr., Honk Jr., I Never Saw Another Butterfly and Our Town. During her tenure at Neptune Theatre Jennette also performed on the Neptune Main Stage in such productions as: Joseph…, Evita, Barometer Rising, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, Anything Goes, Good Night Desdemona, Good Morning Juliet and Anne of Green Gables.  Ms. White has been Artistic Director of the historical Alexander Keith’s Nova Scotia Brewery since 2000. 

Jennette would like to thank each and every Professor (and adjunct Professor) she has had the privilege of studying with these past two years; it has been a great honour to work with the best artists and scholars in Canada; bar none! Many thanks to Sherrill Grace, Sharon Pollock’s biographer, who although incredibly busy readily made herself available to answer my copious questions about this wonderful, Canadian play. To the talented production/design team and running crew – both staff and my fellow students – this show would not have been possible without your input! To the wonderful actors who have delved deeply to craft the incredible characters whom you will meet tonight, I proffer my deepest respect for their skilled collaboration on this artistic journey. To Stephen White, Joan Shoveller, Lynda Shoveller, Scott Ellison, Gregory, Claire and Timothy, Chelsea Haberlin, Suzanne Beaton, my fellow Teaching Assistants and students, Michael and Omanie, Woody Lidstone, Hal Forbes, Amanda Equality Campbell, Dorian Lang, Schoel Strang, Colleen MacIsaac, Holly Arsenault, Tessa Pekeles, Angela Gasparetto and Sean Robertson for believing me and urging me to pursue my dreams. To my mother, Theresa A. White, who I’m sure is watching over me and guiding me on my way, I hope I have made you proud. And last, but not least to “Miss Lily”, I would never have made it through that first winter here without your sweet, tail-wagging presence!

A Glimpse from the Past: Theatre at UBC's 1986 production of Blood Relations performed in the Frederic Wood Theatre.

Directed by Charles Siegel and starring The Actress - Susan Elsworthy, Miss Lizzie/Bridget - Cynthia Ford, Harry - Michael Fera, Emma - Kathleen Wright, Abigail - Tanja Dixon-Warren, Andrew - Dennis Kuss, Dr. Patrick - Neil Gallagher.