Persephone Productions Brings Mary’s Wedding To Jean Valacourt Studio

Persephone Productions, brings Mary's Wedding by Stephen Massicotte to Jean Valacourt Studio Theatre from April 28th to May 7th 2011

When Mary and Charlie, filled with passion, vulnerability and the impulsiveness of youth, unexpectedly find one another sheltering in a barn during a thunderstorm, a tentative love is born. But the year is 1914, and Mary and Charlie must surrender their love and their fate to the uncertainties of their tumultuous times. Stephen Massicotte's two-character play was the winner of the full-length category in the 2000 Alberta Playwrighting competition.

It went on to be premiered by playRites '02, an annual festival of new plays hosted by Alberta Theatre Projects.

In the Fall of 2010 Persephone produced Henry V, another play concerning wartime. This is the fourth play chosen that concerns war in this instance specifically set during WWI. "I have to admit," said director Soskin, "that I have an affinity with the First World War and a lasting compassion for the lost generation of young men that were so cruelly sacrificed". The play uses the convention of correspondence via overseas letters between the lovers to move the story. Set designer Ariel draws a closer connection to this lost form of communication saying, "It inspires me to take the time in the fast-paced, technologically dependent world we live in, to write, to think about the people I love and seek deeper or more meaningful methods of communication".
The two characters in Mary's Wedding are performed by Persephone veteran Dustin Ruck (remembered fo his excellent portrayal of Fluellen in Henry V) as Charlie Edwards and recent Dawson graduate Allison Busner who plays both, the titular Mary and Charlie's commanding Officer Sergeant Flowers

The production sees the return of some more Persephone veterans in Melanie Michaud (Be My Baby), from John Abbott College who handles the costume design and Gordon Neil Allen (Henry V) who provides sound design. Concordia University alumni Ariel Loraine and Lorne Reitzenstein design set and lights respectively. Gloria Capano rounds out the production team as stage manager.

 

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