Interview: Vancouver Playwright Cheyenne Rouleau on her Latest Work: SUNRISE BETTIES

From February 21st to March 10th, a play inspired by Vancouver’s 1970s street gang crisis will take the stage at Vancouver’s Russian Hall. Putting the spotlight on a part of the city’s history that has been widely forgotten/ unknown is a bold move made by ITSAZOO’s Playwright-in-Residence, Cheyenne Rouleau. Her work, SUNRISE BETTIES, is a fictional tale telling the story of an all-female street gang operating 50 years back in time where gang violence and police corruption were at an all time high. The gang is responsible for a small drug trafficking ring and runs into trouble when a turf war is started with a mobster in the area. When a corrupt Vancouver Police officer offers to “help” the gang, their loyalty is put to the test. The gang learns the true meaning of being a close-knit “family” when a traitor is suspected amongst them. The work was inspired by the writings of Aaron Chapman, a historian that brought light to the infamous Clark Park Gang of Vancouver. 

ITSAZOO’s Co-Artistic Producer states, “SUNRISE BETTIES offers a glimpse into the origins of the economic disparity and opioid crisis that are synonymous with our “World Class City.” He also goes on to say that, “in a city notorious for erasing its history, pre-Expo ‘86, pre-gentrification East Vancouver period. We hold a mirror up to Vancovuer and say, ‘this is your history; this is how it used to be; this is how we got here.’”

Photo: Cheyenne Rouleau. Credit: Kristine Cofsky

Despite the play being a fictional tale, a lot of truth lies behind the writings of Rouleau as four consultants were enlisted for historical and tonal accuracy. Aaron Chapman (the author of The Last Gang In Town: The Epic Story of the Vancouver Police vs. the Clark Park Gang), Kim Brucker (one of the only surviving Clark Park members), Danny “Mouse” Williamson (a high ranking Clark Park member), and John Grywinski (a retired VPD Inspector and founder of the VPD’s Integrated Gang Task Force) offered their stories and will participate in post-show talks throughout SUNRISE BETTIES’ run. 

On behalf of BroadwayWorld, I had the opportunity to speak with Cheyenne Rouleau about her creative process of writing the play and her thoughts on this part of Vancouver’s history. Read the full interview below! 

What prompted or inspired you to write “SUNRISE BETTIES?” 

It all started when my husband asked me if I had ever seen the movie, “The Departed.” At the time, I said, “no,” as it never piqued my interest or felt like something I would be into watching. Shortly after this interaction, I started binge watching a bunch of gangster movies and fell in love with the genre. When watching, I couldn’t help but think, “where are all the women?” It’s like these movies were the inspiration behind the Bechdel test. I started to dream a little bit about writing my own crime/gangster drama script with women at the centre of it. When I came across Aaron Chapman’s book, “The Last Gang in Town,” highlighting Vancouver’s own Clark Park Gang in the 70s, the idea for “SUNRISE BETTIES” snowballed from there. 

Photo: (Left to Right): Patti Allan, Kaitlyn Yott, Kelsey Kanatan Wavey, Meghan Chernosky. Photo by Chelsey Stuyt. 

How long did it take you to write the show and how different is it compared to the other works you’ve written? 

I think we are coming up on 6 years now! While it is a huge departure from the absurdist comedy I normally write, being that it is dark, dramatic, and violent, SUNRISE BETTIES still has lots of humour in it! I can’t help myself. Life is inherently funny and inherently violent. 

Many people of the most recent generation aren’t familiar with the infamous Clark Park Gang and the history of Vancouver’s street gang crisis. Why do you think it’s important that this part of Vancouver’s history isn’t forgotten? 

Vancouver is very good at erasing its history. For someone who’s lived in Vancouver their whole life, I had very little understanding of what it was like pre-Expo. I think it’s important for those who may view the city as new, shiny, and young to understand that it was once a blue collar working class port town with a hard edge. While that underbelly still exists today, away from the sparkly new (completely unaffordable) condos, the roots go much deeper than you might think. Hogan’s Alley is an obvious example of this. It was slowly and steadily erased starting in the ‘30s and then finally paved over for the Georgia Viaduct. 

To capture the story of the Clark Park Gang in the most accurate way possible, you consulted Aaron Chapman, Kim Brucker, Danny “Mouse” Williamson, and John Grywinski. What was that experience like?

I cannot speak highly enough about all of our consultants! They were all very open and full of energy, which really helped me to bring authenticity to the project. They were a joy to work with and had some of the funniest, darkest, and wildest stories I have ever heard, which is always such a treat as a writer. Hearing their stories reminded me of some of the wild tales my uncles and aunts told me about their youth. It is important to note that although SUNRISE BETTIES is fiction, it has historically accurate references, informed by folks who lived similar lives. The Sunrise Betties were not a real gang, but the characters and their circumstances are inspired by real people. 

Photo: (Left to Right): Meghan Chernosky, Patti Allan, Kaitlyn Yott, Kelsey Kanatan Wavey. Photo by Chelsey Stuyt. 

What was the most challenging part of putting together “SUNRISE BETTIES?”

SUNRISE BETTIES includes the most characters of any show that I have ever written (I’m partial to two-handers). It was quite a task to not only create six distinct characters with unique personalities and needs, but to also keep track of them all! It is also a tenet of mine to only write characters that I would be stoked to play as an actor. The little performer voice in the back of my head had to be extra loud throughout the creative process! 

Is there anything about the story of the Clark Park Gang that particularly resonated with you? 

Coming from a large blue-collar family who grew up in and around Vancouver, I felt a deep kinship to these folks and their rebellious spirit. It was as if they were my own aunts and uncles telling me stories around the dinner table. In fact, when talking about the Stones riot of ‘72 with some of my family, I learned that my grandfather was working as a security guard at the Coliseum at the time and that both himself and my uncles were allegedly running a scam that night. They were pocketing untorn tickets and reselling them outside the stadium, which in part aided to the chaos of the evening. I am no snitch though, my grandpa and uncle have passed away, so if any nosey cops are reading this, there is no case here! 

What was it like working with director Jamie King to bring the show to life?

Not only am I a huge fan of Jamie’s work professionally, I’m also just a huge fan of them as a human being. They are so funny, smart, kind, and good at their job. Even at table read workshops, their direction and work with the actors  brought the absolute best out of the piece, so I can’t wait to see what they do with the whole show! 

What is the part of the show that you think audiences will gravitate the most towards?

My hope is that the audience feels and understands how important it can be to see five female characters kicking ass in a genre that has historically excluded them. For me, it's about time that everyone sees women portray the full spectrum of their existence, which includes the dark gritty violent parts that maybe make people uncomfortable. 

ITAZOO’s SUNRISE BETTIES will play at the Russian Hall in Vancouver, BC from February 21st to March 10th, 2024. For showtimes, ticket prices, and more information about the show and ITSAZOO Productions, please click the link below. AUDIENCE ALERT: This show contains Graphic Violence and Course Language. Not suitable for people under the age of 16. Contact hello@itsazoo.org for more detailed content guidance.

Top Photo: (Left to Right): Patti Allan, Kaitlyn Yott, Kelsey Kanatan Wavey, Meghan Chernosky. Photo by Chelsey Stuyt. 

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