Mary Lou Martin
As
the Artistic Director for the Chester Playhouse, Mary Lou Martin has her hands
full with a number of productions each year. These days she is busy putting the
final specs together on Broadway Without Borders, which debuts at the renowned
venue next Tuesday night.
How and when did you get
involved in with the Chester Playhouse?
My
first directorial effort for the Playhouse was 'The Fantasticks' in 2005. We
received a number of Merritt Award nominations for that production including
one for Outstanding Direction. I directed 'Berlin to Broadway' in 2006 and
again garnered a number of Merritt Award nods. This was the final season for
then Artistic Director Chris Heide. The following season, 2007, I took over the
programming on a consulting - interim basis. 2008 was my first season as
Artistic Director so this season, 2012, is my fifth. It was never a career goal
to be an Artistic Director but this was the best way for me to direct, a very
competitive field in the region. I pick and cast the plays and hire the
designers for the Playhouse productions; I have full artistic control.
What are your roles and
responsibilities?
I
am responsible mainly for programming the theatre for the Summer Festival. I
direct one or two plays each season. I also curate the productions we bring in
and present. I see a lot of plays each year and identify pieces I would like to
see at the Playhouse. I see theatrical offerings at Contact East and Theatre
Passe Muraille's Suitcase Festival among others and sometimes send out a call
for submissions. I do most of the communications with the artists until we
strike a deal. The biggest challenge of programming a season is to find a
balance in the mix of plays so we appeal to a wide range of audiences. I am
also involved in choices of plays programmed for other times of the year. Erick
Bickerdike, General Manager, programs the music, films and community events
throughout the year. I head and manage the team for the Summer Theatre School,
whether actually directing or hiring staff to do this. It has been an artistic
goal of mine to develop and produce new works for the Chester Playhouse. The
first of these will be produced in September of this year. 'Odd Ducks', a new
comedy by Bryden MacDonald, was commissioned in 2009 and workshopped in
November of 2011 with signfiicant support from the NS Dept of Communities,
Culture and Heritage and the Canada Council for commissioning, development and
production funding. I write all of the grant proposals and collaborate with the
GM on the financials. Our next endeavour in this vein will be a collaboration
with Allen Cole (creator of Rockbound, Pelagie and a number of other original
musicals) to do a revue style show of his formidable songbook. We received a
commissioning grant and have begun work. If further funding applications for
development and production are successful we will premiere this new piece in
2013. This is a very exciting project for me - revue style is very visceral for
me and allows for maximum imaginative and creative detailing. Allen is a gem in
the Canadian musical theatre community and I'm honoured to have the pleasure of
working so closely with him on this work.
How did you get involved
in Broadway Without Borders?
I
have known Stuart for many years and have cast him twice before at the
Playhouse in 'Once Upon a Mattress' (2007) and 'Musical of Musicals - The
Musical!' (2009). He is a joy to work with. I directed Karen when she was a
grade 10 student at St Patrick's High School. Her sublime talent was obvious to
me at that time and I am thrilled to reconnect with her now to really dig in
and help her craft what will be a star turn of a performance.
I
saw this show at the Company House last fall when it was titled 'Immigrant
Intent'. I was immediately taken by the piece and could easily see a remount
for the Chester Playhouse Summer Festival Season. We changed the title so it
was more explicit of the content, hence, Broadway Without Borders.
What are the challenges
of putting this production together?
The
process has been to take a very loose cabaret style show with the actors behind
mics, sharing a very small stage with a 3 piece band and to reimagine it for
the Playhouse stage with set, costumes, staging, choreography, unamplified
voices and the band visible but offstage. I have done a number of revue style
shows so am very well versed in how to focus and frame a songlist. The challenge
with this piece is to up the ante on presentation without losing the fantastic
exchanges and direct address style of story telling.
What can audiences
expect?
They
can expect a thoroughly entertaining, fast-paced, very funny show. It is
irreverent and deliberately so, sometimes ribald (I hate that word but it is
apt) spoof and at the same time it has poignant moments describing the
challenges in the theatre profession and in personal journeys. It is beautiful
visually with set and lights by Bob Elliot and fantastic costumes and set
decoration by Janet MacLellan. The movement, staging and choreography really
add a lot to the presentation of the great songlist. The songlist runs the
gamut from a romantic, classic Cole Porter section, to a medley of old-timey
Broadway shows with very politically incorrect themes and content by today's
standards (a little bit shockin' but hilarious), to more contemporary tunes
from the great composers who are creating for Broadway today. The musical
direction of Scott Taylor is simply wonderful; the trio of musicians including
Fayette Taylor on bass and Stephanie McKeown on percussion work very intimately
and sensitively, in tune with each other and the actors. Stuart and Karen are
fearless performers who practice their art with imagination, energy and
attention to detail. They will deliver with incredible singing and crack
comedic and dramatic timing. They've worked very hard to improve the structure
of the show for this production and I think we've achieved that and then some.
Their 'alien in New York' stories and observations are fun, funny and oh so
human. This is a great little piece that has grown and adapted beautifully for
the Playhouse stage and for my directorial style. It's all there, baby, they
will blow you away!
