SummerWorks Interview: Susana Vera, Costume Designer for The Haunted Hillbilly

donna g: I like to think of costumes as the silent ammunition in an actorís arsenal, but in The Haunted Hillbilly the costumes are at the forefront of the play because the lead character, Hyram Woodside (Matthew Raudsepp) is trying to establish his country music image. Could you please describe your progression in developing Hyramís style?

Susana Vera: Well, from the beginning of the process I was in direct communication with both Graham Cuthbertson(playwright) and Andrew Shaver(director) to understand the story they wanted to convey through the wardrobe. I was informed that Nudie (the vampire) was based off a real man: Nudie Cohn. He's known for designing crazy rhinestone covered suits for celebraties such as Elvis Presley and Gram Parsons. And I was directed to 50's western wear for the general. With this base I was able to play with with my own sewing past.... how I made clothes before and after I studied costume making.

Hyram's clothes were first made by his loving wife Audrey with her self-made talents--as mine when I was young. Then his wardrobe was "professionalized" into super stardom with Nudie's tailored suits which I made with my new tailoring expertise.

donna g: Another major character in the play, Nudie (Greg Kramer) is a couturier with his own atelier, not an occupation, or a workplace that I ever expected to see in a hillbilly musical. What were your first thoughts about the character of Nudie, and how did you decide on his look?

Susana Vera: Nudie was a lot of fun for me. A tailor who has been on this planet lurking for who knows how long. Who would he have tailored for? Who would have he been taught his trade by? I decided to take him back to the 17th Century where men were just as decorated as women. I tailored his suit as a modern version of an embelished 17th suit with "goth" embeshiments. I embroidered the flowers with deep blood red floss in the form of stitches...stitches for repairing a cut on flesh.

donna g: How did you arrive at the contrasting looks of Audrey Woodside (Gemma James-Smith) and Bobbi (Alexis Taylor)? The two women have such distinctive styles.

Susana Vera: I wanted to make Audrey look like a "homemaker" and "supporter" of her husband's plans, what ever they may be. To do this I choose a red gingham blouse embelished with green trim. Why? Well it just reminds me of the "How to" Singer sewing books that most housewifes worked from in the 70's. The inspiration for Bobbi was was Katy Keene a sexy bombshell from the comics of 1940's. Someone who looks better than her capacity or need to achieve anything.

donna g: In a festival such as SummerWorks, the play is sandwiched between other shows on a daily basis. Do you have to design the costumes based on the fact that The Haunted Hillbilly doesn't have a permanent home?

Susana Vera: The Haunted Hillbilly was created to work on it's own no matter where it's presented. It wouldn't matter what it is sandwiched between as the play brings you into it's own fantastical world of music and blood.

ABOUT SUSANA VERA:
Susana Vera has been designing costumes for Montreal theatre and dance productions for the past five years. She is a recipient of a MECCA (Montreal English Critic Circle Award) for The Jungle Book (Geordie Productions). Recent credits include designing and constructing the flamenco show El12 by La Otra Orilla. Ohter credits include Death and the Maiden (Centaur), Swan Song of Maria (Black Theatre Workshop), Inherit the Wind (Segal Centre), and Dracula (Fallen Angel Production).

THE HAUNTED HILLBILLY
Friday, August 13, 8:00 PM
Sunday, August 15, 12:30 PM
Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace
(1 block east of Bathurst, 1 block north of Queen)

For complete details visit: www.summerworks.ca
Box Office: 416-504-7529

All photos by donna g

SummerWorks Review: Even Darkness is Made of Light

The aptly named, Even Darkness is Made of Light, is a one-woman dark comedy featuring the playwright herself, Edwige Jean-Pierre, as the teenage Carrie Edison, who develops depression following the death of Carlos, the object of her affection. The two used to hang out together in a favourite, but precarious spot, doing drugs and taking about homework and how life "sucks".

As a major Twilight fan, Carrie sees Carlos as her Edward but it is never quite clear whether or not Carlos sees Carrie as his Bella. We meet Carlos in flashbacks, but the whole performance is from Carrie's perspective, so we only have her words on the status of their relationship. The heightened emotions of a teenage girl combined with depression could lead the viewer into wondering what is true and what is imagined by Carrie. Are the health care providers and a youth motivational speaker who are supposed to help Carrie with her illness as incompetent as they seem, or is this Carrie's view of them? The play could be read either way which brings depth to the script.

What is certain is that Carrie's suicide attempts have alienated her from her friends at school, who don't know how to talk to her about her illness, and damaged the trust her younger sister had in her; the former scene is hilarious to watch while the latter is resonates with heartbreaking innocence. What is also certain is that Carrie cannot live without her Edward nor can she deal with the pain of her depression. Her plan to exit the world is both comic (the plan she masterminds is called "Operation Exit F!@#$% Up Planet") and tragic as she thinks up various ways to leave this world behind. Underscoring and enhancing the humour and pain in the play are music selections (from Lilly Allen to Frank Sinatra) that mirror and advance the story.

Well-directed by Patrick Conner, Edwige Jean-Pierre enthralls as she brings all the characters to life and pulls the audience into the chaotic, teen-romantic bubble that is Carrie's life.

Rating: **** 4/5 Stars

EVEN DARKNESS IS MADE OF LIGHT
The Theatre Centre (Queen/Dovercourt)
Friday, August 13, 10:00 PM
Sunday, August 15, 2:00 PM

http://www.summerworks.ca/2010/home.php
Box Office: 416-504-7529

SummerWorks 2010: An Interview with "Say Ginger Ale" Playwright, Marcia Johnson

donna g: I certainly did not expect to have the book Anne of Green Gables pop up in a play about a Jamaican-born Canadian woman traveling back to Jamaica. Was the book a favourite of yours or was the love of the book something you created for your character, Nadia?

Marcia Johnson: I loved that book when I read it at 13 and still loved it as an adult when I read it chapter by chapter to my goddaughter at bedtime when she was 7.

donna g: Say Ginger Ale had a reading at the 2009 International Women Playwrights Conference in Mumbai, India and was well-received. Were you surprised at the response to this Caribbean play, and could you share some of the feedback you received from the audience?

Marcia Johnson: I was very surprised. I thought that some of the humour and issues might not have translated but, in the end, family relationships and conflicts are universal. Plus, everyone has a “fitting in” or migration story. The lone male Indian actor in the reading said that he had relatives in the States. Say Ginger Ale helped them understand why they seemed to feel so guilty whenever they visited family in India.

donna g: You have a good team of actors in this play: Ordena, Andrew Moodie, Raven Dauda, Norma Clarke and Sharon Forrester. Did you hold auditions for the play or did you have these actors in mind?

Marcia Johnson: Luckily, I already knew the actors. I approached them and they all said yes. No auditions required. Thank goodness for talented friends.

donna g: You begin the play with what I call, “The Barrel Scene”. For those who haven’t seen the play yet could you please explain this very familiar item to those who may not be familiar with this item?

Marcia Johnson: Most Jamaican families I knew sent barrels filled with hand-me-downs, dry goods, toiletries and whatever else we could think to family members back home. My mother would shop and collect for months before sending a barrel or two. And yes, she would fill at as much as she could.

donna g: This play was inspired by your own trip “back home” and the legacy of your grandmother. What do you think she would have thought of the grandmother in your play? Also, Jamaican mothers can puff up with pride in public at their children’s accomplishments, but brutally honest in their criticism of the same child in private. What does your mother think of the play, and are there any elements of the play that she thought should not have been revealed about Jamaican life?

Marcia Johnson: The title of this play has been kicking around for years. I’d written a monologue about the flight from Jamaica, reuniting with my parents and meeting my new baby sister long before I’d identified myself as a playwright. I pitched the story to CBC Radio and had gotten the green light. My grandmother, who had been living in Canada for years, died and had arranged for her funeral in Jamaica. I told the story of the flight with her to Canada as part of my eulogy. I was touched that, even though people were sad, this story made them smile and even laugh. I knew it had to be in the play. My mother saw the play on Sunday. She laughed, cried, congratulated the actors on their good work, then announced that she was going to “bop me” for some of the things I’d written. Ah, yes a Jamaican mother’s compliments come laced with a few jabs to bring one down a peg. I’m sure she’ll give me all the details after closing. In the mean time, she asked for extra programs to give to her Jamaican friends here and back home.

donna g: Before going in to see the play, I was very concerned that the run time was only 45 minutes instead of the average 60 minutes of most SummerWorks plays. After seeing the play, I was pleasantly surprised at how much you covered in such a short amount of time. I was completely satisfied that I had seen a complete show. On the other hand, I could see how the play could be developed for a longer run time. Do you have any plans to expand the play after SummerWorks?

Marcia Johnson: Please pass your comments on to any producer you are in contact with. The truth is, I have been wanting to develop this play for a long time. In the 6 years since it aired on CBC and the five years since I adapted it for the stage, the furthest I ever got was staged readings. I’d submitted two scripts to the Mumbai conference and this was the one chosen. I decided to look at that reading as my fond farewell to Say Ginger Ale. I had grown to believe that it wasn’t meant to be staged. The reaction from that international audience and the offer of help from fellow Canadian playwright and attendee, Tara Goldstein, was the encouragement I needed. I submitted the script to SummerWorks and the rest is history. I’m working on several other projects now. I have no current plans for Say Ginger Ale but anything can happen. There is more than enough material for it to be expanded to two hours.

SAY GINGER ALE
Factory Studio Theatre
Thursday, August 12, 8:00 PM
Saturday, August 14, 5:30 PM
Sunday, August 15, 10:00 PM

www.summerworks.ca
Box Office: 416-504-7529

SummerWorks August 5th - 15th

There are five more days left of SummerWorks, Toronto's Indie Theatre and Arts Festival. Have you seen/heard anything yet? Tickets are a very affordable $10, so skip your coffee this week and put that money towards supporting great Canadian talent.

Don't forget to also check out the Performance Bar (free with your ticket stub or pay-what-you-can) with improve dynamos Ron Pederson, Naomi Snieckus, and Tom Baram of Impromptu Splendor. Expect a mix of comedy, theatre and music.

Learn how to relax and learn in the Playground with designers Beth Kates and Ben Chaisson. If you have them, bring them, but there's no need "borrow" your friend's or siblings' children as an excuse to gain entrance to this Playground; your creative curiosity is enough (of course, children are welcome). No experience necessary to make your own video (assistance provided), be a performance artist or build Lego buildings.

If you like to perambulate while you experience theatre, then the SummerWalks is the best bet for you. Invisible Toronto, A Heartbreaking Walk of Staggering Genius, and Uncle Lindy's Quit Yer Snivelin' Tour of Life will lead you throughout the Queen/Bathurst neighbourhood for an hour while opening your eyes to elements you may not have noticed as you dash around the city. Tickets are $5 per walk ($12 for a 3-Walk Pass). All Walks depart from the Factory Theatre (125 Bathurst Street, 2 blocks south of Queen).

For complete details visit www.summerworks.ca or call The Arts Box Office at 416-504-7529