Dr Canadiana

On this bonus episode of Dr Canadiana I discuss Total Theatre and Canada’s most famous example of the genre - Robert Lepage. This podcast was researched, written and recorded for Dr Kelsey Jacbson’s DRAMA 341 Directing class at the Dan School of Drama and Music, at Queen’s University.

The last episode of Dr Canadiana in 2020 will review and reflect on the last twelve weeks of topics.

Last week’s episode was delayed due to a technical issue and was “performed live” for my students on Monday, 23 November. I re-recorded it here. Topics include - The Birds by Yvette Nolan, Miss Julie: Sheh-mah by Tara Beagan, Harlem Duet by djanet sears and Good Night Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet) by Ann Marie MacDonald.

This week’s episode explores the way Canadian history is performed - at a historical house, heritage site or living history museum, or in a theatre. Topics include The Fortress of Louisbourg, The Trial of Louis Riel, Nellie McClung’s Mock Parliament and Video Cabaret.

The topics of this week’s episode include the development of Canadian dramaturgy, disability theatre and the development and legacy of David Freeman’s 1971 play Creeps. I am joined by Dr. Lisa Aikman, who explains what the heck dramaturgy is and what dramaturgy in Canada is like. She also has insightful things to say about the play’s use of language, poetic realism as a Canadian theatre “house style,” and why so many early Canadian works are about marginalized communities.

Here is an essay by Adam Grant Warren.

Topics on this episode of Dr. Canadiana include George Ryga, The Ecstasy of Rita Joe, Marie Clements, The Unnatural and Accidental Women, Indigenous theatre and drama in Canada and in the Canon, Serial killer Gilbert Jordan and Canada’s Missing and Murdered. Listener discretion is advised.

In this episode, my colleague, Dr. Cameron Crookston and I discuss John Herbert’s play The Fortune in Men’s Eyes. Topics include - how time changes language and the importance of historical context when discussing tricky words, gender and sexual identity, and John Herbert and this play’s role in the Canadian drama and theatre canon. This episode includes a discussion of violence and sexual assault; listener discretion is advised.

I briefly outline the life of playwright John Herbert to offer context to the play Fortune in Men’s Eyes which is the subject of the next full episode of Dr. Canadiana.

This week’s episode features a conversation between me and Factory Theatre’s Artistic Director, Nina Lee Aquino. Topics include - theatre manadates, being “the picker”, expanding audiences, the value of the canon, play and playwright development and our hope for Canadian Theatre in the future.

Topics in this episode include Factory Theatre, Tarragon Theatre, and their commitment to developing Canadian playwrights. Funding, community building and mandate shifts. Please stay tuned for Part 2, a conversation with Why Not Theatre’s Ravi Jain which will be uploaded in two days. [Update: The Audio for my interview with Jain was poor so I did not post it.]

Ray listens to me podcast.