April 8 25 / 2021 - by Hannah Moscovitch - WebProof
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2020/2021
by Hannah Moscovitch
April 8 – 25 / 2021
SPONSORED BY
PTE.mb.ca
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P R A I R I E T H E AT R E E X C H A N G E P R O U D LY P R E S E N T S
POST-DEMOCRACY
By Hannah Moscovitch
World Premiere
Director: Thomas Morgan Jones
Set, Props & Costume Design: Brian Perchaluk
Lighting Design: Scott Henderson
Sound Design: jaymez
Artistic Associate: Cherissa Richards
PTE Directing Mentorship: Julie Lumsden
Stage Manager: Karyn Kumhyr
Assistant Stage Manager: Ali Fulmyk
Film Director: Sam Vint
Film Company: Ice River Films
Featuring:
Alicia Johnston Shannon
Kristian Jordan Lee
Arne MacPherson Bill
Stephanie Sy Justine
Runtime: 60 minutes, no intermission
Audience Advisory: This production contains strong language, themes, scenes and
descriptions of sexual assault and harassment, racism, classism, alcohol consumption,
and mentions of child exploitation and sex with a minor.
Post-Democracy was commissioned for Prairie Theatre Exchange by former
Artistic Director, Robert Metcalfe.
We invite you to join us in recognizing that we are on Treaty 1 land,
the traditional territory of the Anishinaabeg, Cree, Dakota and Métis nations.
PTE is a committed partner of Winnipeg’s Indigenous Accord, and,
as a part of our journey to reconciliation, we are dedicated to bringing
Indigenous stories and voices to the PTE stage every season.
DIRECTOR’S NOTES So much is new. With Post-Democracy, we are bringing the words, characters and story of Hannah Moscovitch to life for the very first time. Hannah is a truly astonishing writer. Her understanding of the human condition and her ability to write with extraordinary depth and also astounding economy often leaves me breathless. The question that kept bubbling up for me (and continues to) as we worked on this production was, “What happens to human beings when they have seemingly limitless power and they feel they are accountable to no one?” The answer I see evidenced again and again in this story is, “They destroy themselves.” In so many ways, this play is a warning and also a call to action. So, we have a new play. Now, how do we bring it to life in a pandemic? Creating theatre felt so familiar and at the same time, completely new. The brilliant and courageous artists on this project followed strict protocol. We staged the production for physical distancing while choosing a design that still supported the story…we used the restrictions as artistic invitations to inspire our work. With the decision not to welcome live audiences for this production, we further embraced the idea of creating a theatre production for the screen by considering the language of film in how we use transitions in our production and also how we control what you as the audience will see. There has been so much learning, such an amazing curiosity and playfulness in collaboration, and now we have this digital production ready to share. As a digital production, we are overjoyed to not only share the play with our wonderful audiences here in Winnipeg and Manitoba, but also with audiences nationally and internationally. What an utterly amazing thing. As we began rehearsing, in many ways against all odds, the act of creating theatre felt like an act of resilience. We also knew and felt that it was an act of hope. PTE is so proud to bring you all of this newness: this new play and this new way of sharing stories for us as a theatre company. All of us here at the theatre are deeply grateful that you are engaging with this story, this production, and helping us to bring theatre back to life, again. Thank you. With love, Thomas Morgan Jones PTE Artistic Director 2 Post- D emocrac y
M E E T T H E P L AY W R I G H T
PLAYWRIGHT’S NOTE: Post-Democracy is based on my
real lived experiences of being around affluent high-level
corporate executives. We talk a lot about the 1% who hold
and exert power in in our culture but we rarely put them
onstage. I hung around with the 1% for a while. I want to
show them to you.
“Politics and government are increasingly slipping back into
the control of privileged elites in the manner characteristic of pre-democratic times.”
– Colin Crouch
Hannah Moscovitch is an acclaimed Canadian playwright and TV writer whose
work for the stage has been widely produced in Canada as well as around the
world.
Hannah has been honoured with numerous awards, including the Trillium Book
Award, both the Herald Angel and a Scotsburn Fringe First at the Edinburgh
Festival, the Nova Scotia MasterWorks Award, and the prestigious Windham-
Campbell Prize administered by Yale. She’s been a finalist for the International
Susan Smith Blackburn Prize and twice for the Governor General’s Award.
Hannah’s music-theatre hybrid Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story (co-created with
Christian Barry and Ben Caplan) played at both 59E59 Theatres off-Broadway
and at the International Edinburgh Fringe Festival where it garnered a landslide
of critical praise, including more than fifty four- and five-star reviews, becoming
a TimeOut and New York Times Critic’s Pick and receiving six Drama Desk Award
nominations. Before the pandemic hit, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story had been
touring internationally for two years.
Hannah’s other writing for the stage includes Sexual Misconduct of the Middle
Classes, East of Berlin, InAinity, Bunny, What a Young Wife Ought to Know, The
Russian Play, This is War, Little One and a confessional work for the stage, Secret
Life of a Mother, co-created by Ann-Marie Kerr and Maev Beaty.
Hannah is playwright-in-residence at Tarragon Theatre in Toronto.
Note: the character of Justine was developed in consultation with Stephanie Sy
Prairie Theatre Exchange is a member of the Professional
Association of Canadian Theatres and engages professional
Artists who are members of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association
under the terms of the jointly negotiated
Canadian Theatre Agreement.
Post- D emocrac y 3
Does PTE have a special
place in your heart?
It did for Ellen Hirst. She attended this theatre for
years. And she chose to remember PTE in her will.
Her final donation, a bequest, was added to our endowment fund.
Now every year the interest generated will go towards
all the things that make PTE special. It will help:
• fund new play commissions like The Third Colour.
• bring new, Canadian stories to life like Prairie Nurse.
• bring magic to this stage through the amazing work
of our artists in shows like How the Heavens Go.
Ellen’s gift is a gift to everyone sitting in the theatre right now.
We thank her for her generous spirit. We thank her for having
a special place in her heart for PTE.
Debbie Patterson as Mary
in How the Heavens Go
by Joseph Aragon.
Photo by Leif Norman
If you have named PTE in your will or would like to learn how to do so,
please contact Carman at 204-925-5263 or development@pte.mb.ca
MEET THE ARTISTS
Alicia Johnston - Shannon
Alicia is honoured to have been a contributor to the making of
this art, from the belly of this pandemic. A truly unforgettable
experience. Previous favourite productions include: Happy
Place, The Flats, Butcher (Prairie Theatre Exchange); Outside
Mullingar (Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre); Red Earth (One
Trunk Theatre/ Theatre Projects Manitoba); Que Faire d’Albert?,
Le Dieu Du Carnage, Deux Sur la Blalançoire (Théâtre Cercle Molière); Romeo
and Juliet, Antony and Cleopatra, the Taming of the Shrew (Shakespeare in the
Ruins); The Winter’s Tale (Tom Tom Theatre); Essay, The Russian Play (Winnipeg
Jewish Theatre). Alicia is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada.
Kristian Jordan - Lee
Kristian Jordan is a Winnipeg-based actor/playwright/
creator. He has worked for many of the professional stages
across the city and has had the opportunity to perform in
communities across northern Manitoba and Ontario on five
regional tours. He is a member of the Emerging Playwrights
Unit at Prairie Theatre Exchange and the Manitoba
Association of Playwrights. He recently appeared on screen in Burden
of Truth and I Propose We Never See Each Other Again After Tonight.
Arne MacPherson - Bill
Arne played the title role in Shakespeare’s Dog at the Royal
Manitoba Theatre Centre and the National Arts Centre in
Ottawa, and has performed in Winnipeg at Prairie Theatre
Exchange, Theatre Projects Manitoba, Winnipeg Jewish
Theatre, Shakespeare in the Ruins, and in many independent
productions. Contemporary dance performance includes
petites danses (Gearshifting), and Much Too Much to Say (Company Link). Arne has
directed dozens of plays (including a whole buncha Munsch at PTE). The most
recent was Hamlet (RMTC Shakespearefest).
Prairie Theatre Exchange gratefully acknowledges the ongoing and generous support of:
Post- D emocrac y 5
MEET THE ARTISTS
Stephanie Sy - Justine
Stephanie was born and raised on Treaty No.1, Winnipeg.
Selected credits include: Prairie Nurse (PTE), Vietgone (RMTC),
Beauty and the Beast (Rainbow), Tribes (WJT), Next to Normal
(Musical Stage Company/Mirvish/Dora Nominated), A
History of Breathing (Persephone), The Little Mermaid (Globe
Theatre), Prom Queen (Segal Centre), Queen’s We Will Rock
You (first National Tour). Stephanie enjoys Hannah Moscovitch plays, mountain
biking, winter, her 2004 RAV4, her loud family, and her roommates Matt, Billie Girl,
& Pancake. Check out: imdb.me/stephaniesy/ for enjoyable Christmas movies and
other films Stephanie has participated in.
Thomas Morgan Jones - Director
Thom’s work has been seen on stages across Canada and
internationally.This is his third season as Artistic Director at
PTE. He most recently directed Yvette Nolan’s Katharsis on
the PTE stage. Other PTE directing credits include: Happy
Place by Pamela Mala Sinha, Ghost Light by Shawn Wright,
Finding Wolastoq Voice by Natalie Sappier, The Third Colour
by Ian Ross and By Grand Central Station (A Heavy Bell production).
Brian Perchaluk - Sets, Props & Costume Design
Brian is pleased to be designing the set and costumes
for Post-Democracy. Brian is a Winnipeg designer whose
work has been featured on stages across the country. Recent
credits include The Wedding Party, New Magic Valley Fun
Town, Prairie Nurse, Gracie, The Flats for PTE; The Mountaintop,
The Color Purple, The Cottage, John, A Doll’s House, Once, The
Humans, Black Coffee for RMTC; La lecon and La Cantatrice Chauve for Théâtre
Cercle Molière; Beauty and the Beast, Mamma Mia, Les Miserables for Rainbow
Stage. Brian is a graduate of the University of Winnipeg and the National Theatre
School of Canada, and is a member of Associated Designers of Canada. He has
received a Gemini, Jessie Richardson, Prix Rideau, and Winnipeg Theatre award for
his work.
The filming of
Post-Democracy
was made with the
generous support of
6 Post- D emocrac y
MEET THE ARTISTS
Scott Henderson – Lighting Design
Scott is grateful to be back at PTE designing his first show in
a year. It is particularly exciting to work with Thom Morgan
Jones on this premiere production of Post-Democracy. Since
1996, Scott has designed the lighting for 48 PTE productions
including Happy Place, Butcher, Vigil, and Joni Mitchell: River.
Most recently, (January/February 2020) Scott designed the
lighting for Goodnight Desdemona, Good morning Juliet (SIR) and Awaken (TPM/
Zone41). Based in Winnipeg, Scott has designed theatre, opera and dance for
companies across Canada including the Stratford and Shaw Festivals and the NAC.
Scott is a member of the Associated Designers of Canada and graduate of Ryerson
Theatre School. Special thanks to Karen, Sean and Alex for their love and support.
jaymez – Sound Design
With a multi-faceted and distinct style, jaymez has worked
in the visual art, dance, theatre and music communities.
He has been the sound designer on multiple shows at PTE
including Prairie Nurse and The Third Colour, and for One
Trunk Theatre’s Red Earth. He was also the lighting designer
for Ghost Light and By Grand Central Station, and took on the
role of Production Designer for Exciting Consequences. His designs have appeared
in a number of international festivals, theatrical and dance productions and he
has created lighting, video and sound designs for a wide range of companies,
choreographers and musicians. His work has garnered him two Winnipeg Theatre
Awards for outstanding design. He is also a member and sits on the board of
directors of IATSE Local ADC659.
Cherissa Richards – Artistic Associate
Cherissa Richards has performed as an actor for the past
20 years across the country. Cherissa has recently been
pursuing directing here at home and in directing internships
at Bard on the Beach in Vancouver 2018, the Shaw Festival
2019 and the Stratford Festival in Ontario in 2020. This
year, Cherissa received the Crow’s Theatre RBC Rising Star
Emerging Director Prize and is one of the directors in Whynot Theatre’s This Gen
Fellowship.
Post- D emocrac y 7
Building
creative
communities
and bright
futures
Together, we can do more for
Canadians, for each other and
for the communities we love.
Canada Life and design are trademarks of The Canada Life
Assurance Company. Stronger Communities Together is a
trademark of The Great-West Life Assurance Company.MEET THE ARTISTS
Julie Lumsden – PTE Directing Mentorship
Julie Lumsden holds a Bachelor of Music in Classical Voice
Performance from the University of Manitoba Desautels
Faculty of Music. She will be starting her third season at the
Shaw Festival this year, and has performed on such stages
as: Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Prairie Theatre Exchange,
Manitoba Theatre for Young People, Rainbow Stage, Théâtre
Cercle Molière, Magnus Theatre, and Neptune Theatre.
Karyn Kumhyr – Stage Manager
It’s been a year of loss, learning, and love. Having been
fortunate to spend the first half of this pandemic year at the
Shaw Festival - learning to shift to digital creation through
the many resources the Shaw and its amazing collection of
theatre artists had to offer - I am now grateful to be a part
of this powerful work at Prairie Theatre Exchange. I have
had the opportunity to work with PTE on such productions as The Third Colour,
Happy Place, and The Secret Mask. I’ve also worked in Winnipeg on shows with the
Royal MTC (The Cottage, A Christmas Carol, Chimerica, Next to Normal), and Rainbow
Stage (Beauty and the Beast), as well as working at theatres across Canada. This
show has been an emotional and heartening experience, working with such an
extraordinary collection of artists on this brilliant piece of writing.
Ali Fulmyk – Assistant Stage Manager
Ali is honoured and excited to be back working after the
devastation the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the Arts,
and especially glad it is with this wonderful company at PTE.
Select credits include: The Third Colour, Happy Place, Prairie
Nurse, Mission: Munschpossible (PTE); Roger & Hammerstein’s
Cinderella, Beauty and The Beast, Mamma Mia!, Little Shop of
Horrors, Shrek: The Musical, Sister Act (Rainbow Stage); Danny & The Deep Blue Sea
(The Keep); Morning After Grace, Kill Me Now (Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre);
Seminar (RMTC/Mirvish); Fidelio, Of Mice and Men (Manitoba Opera); Tribes,
Another Way Home (Winnipeg Jewish Theatre). Much love to Mom and Dad, Paul,
and Gus the Theatre Dog!
Special thanks to
Post- D emocrac y 9“Because sharing stories changes
the way we see the world,
ourselves and each other.”
Thomas Morgan Jones,
Prairie Theatre Exchange
Join together with other caring Winnipeggers.
Give to your favourite Cause through The Foundation
and make Winnipeg better by helping local charities.
FindyourBeCause.org
#FindyourBeCause | 204.944.9474Post-Democracy had several workshops in its development:
February 5 – 7, 2019
Thomas Morgan Jones (director); Dutchess Cayetano, Kristian Jordan, Ross
McMillan, Heather Russell (actors); Hazel Venzon
November 5 – 7, 2019
Thomas Morgan Jones (director); Paul Essiembre, Kristian Jordan, Anna-
Laure Koop, Stephanie Sy (actors); Alissa Watson
September 28 - 30, 2020
Thomas Morgan Jones (director); Paul Essiembre, Amy Groening, Kristian
Jordan, Stephanie Sy (actors); Scott Henderson; jaymez; Erin McGrath, Brian
Perchaluk, Cherissa Richards
December 9-10, 2020
Thomas Morgan Jones (director); Alicia Johnston, Kristian Jordan, Arne
MacPherson, Stephanie Sy (actors); jaymez; Julie Lumsden; Erin McGrath;
Cherissa Richards
Music used in Post-Democracy, with permission of Universal Music
Canada Inc.:
“Dies Irae” performed by Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan,
Wiener Singverein
“Kyrie eleison” performed by Wiener Singverein, Berliner Philharmoniker,
Herbert von Karajan
“Lacrymosa” performed by Herbert von Karajan, Berliner Philharmoniker,
Wiener Singverein, Mirella Freni, Christa Ludwig, Carlo Cossutta,
Nicolai Ghiaurov
“Rex Tremendae” performed by Herbert von Karajan, Berliner
Philharmoniker, Wiener Singverein, Mirella Freni, Christa Ludwig,
Carlo Cossutta, Nicolai Ghiaurov
“Tuba mirum” performed by Herbert von Karajan, Berliner Philharmoniker,
Wiener Singverein, Nicolai Ghiaurov
“Requiem” performed by Herbert von Karajan, Berliner Philharmoniker,
Wiener Singverein, Mirella Freni, Christa Ludwig, Carlo Cossutta,
Nicolai Ghiaurov
Post- D emocrac y 11MEET THE PTE TEAM
PTE ADMINISTRATION
Kathleen Day Sean Neville
Box Office Representative Technical Director
Lise Desrochers Cari Simpson *
Accountant Head of Lights & Sound
Deborah Gay-de Vries Steven Vande Vyvere *
Facility Health & Safety Manager Head Carpenter
& Volunteer Coordinator
Andrew Gehrs-Whyte PRODUCTION CREW
Box Office Representative Lighting crew
Carman Johnston Patrick Bellemare *
Director of Development Ntara Curry *
Thomas Morgan Jones Drew Derbowka *
Artistic Director Andrew Sanger *
Cherry Karpyshin Head Painter
General Manager Emeritus Linda Beech *
Jenna Khan Scenic Painter
Director of Communications Tiff Taylor *
Lizabeth Kogan
ICE RIVER FILMS CREW
Box Office Supervisor
Director of Photography
Lisa Li
Managing Director
Sam Karney
Camera/Editor
Tracey Loewen
General Manager
Andrew Weins
Camera
Haanita Seval
Director of Marketing
Rudy Gauer
Audio
PRODUCTION STAFF John Hildebrand
Wayne Buss!
Production Manager * operates under a contract with
IATSE Local 63.
Elana Honcharuk *
Props Master
Brenda McLean * Men’s hair by Eve Rice
Head of Wardrobe
PTE’S PLAYWRIGHTS UNIT
Joseph Aragon, Sharon Bajer, Rick Chafe, Ginny Collins, Tricia Cooper,
James Durham, Debbie Patterson, Ellen Peterson, and Ian Ross
PTE’S EMERGING PLAYWRIGHTS UNIT
In association with Manitoba Association of Playwrights
Wren Brian, Kristian Jordan, Jo MacDonald, Alissa Watson, and Liam Zarrillo
12 P o s t - D e m o c r a c yPPTTEE BBOOAARRDD OOFF DDI IRREECCTTOORRSS
EXECUTIVEMEMBERS
EXECUTIVE MEMBERS FOUNDATIONTRUST
FOUNDATION TRUST
Jane Helbrecht
Sandra Zinchuk Dave Angus
Lawrie Cherniack
President
President Larry Frostiak
Barb Gamey
Jeff Kitchen
Maria Grande Barb Gamey
Vice-President Susan Goldie
Vice-President Susan Goldie
RyanVeselinovich
Palmer Gavin Rich
Peter JaneSimkin
Helbrecht
Treasurer
Treasurer Ruth
Ruth Simkin
MelissaGrenier
Debbie McAlister
Secretary
Secretary
The PTE Foundation Trust was
The PTE Foundation
established in 1987 to Trust was
provide
Greg Doyle
Dwayne Marling
established
ongoing in 1987
financial to provide
support to Prairie
Past President
Past-President
ongoing financial support
Theatre Exchange. The interest to Prairie
from
Dwayne Marling
Ryan Segal
Member at Large
Member-at-large the endowed funds is used each from
Theatre Exchange. The interest year
tothe endowed
support newfunds is used each year
play development, the
DIRECTORS
DIRECTORS to support new play development,
PTE School and outreach programs.
Nicole
AinsleyBarry
Cunningham as well as theatre education and
Kalyn Bomback
Shyamala Dakshinamurti outreach programs.
Lucia Grande
Sowmya Dakshinamurti TO DONATE AN ENDOWED GIFT
Jane
RobHelbrecht
Ferguson TO THE FOUNDATION TRUST,
Charles
PatriciaHuband
Hardy To donate
AND SUPPORT an endowed
THE FUTURE giftOF PTE,
Theresa
CharlesKuzina
Huband to the foundation trust, and
CALL HAANITA AT 204-925-5256.
Douglas Maughan
Sarah Luby support the future of PTE,
Brent
GaryPhillips
Pachal call Carman at 204-925-5263.
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PrairieTheatre
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is a proud member ofof
is a proud member
Post- D emocrac y 13
Har vest 9DINNER AND A SHOW?
You can still take in your favourite production and enjoy dinner
at the same time. Free city wide delivery on orders of dinner
for two or more. Order online from our website or call us today.
Limited delivery times.
6945 Roblin Blvd
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Call (204) 224-2837
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Post- D emocrac y 15A HEARTFELT THANK
YOU TO OUR DONORS
Your support over the past
13 months has meant everything.
To those who donated back their tickets for cancelled shows…
Tothosewhomadeadonationforthefirsttime…
To those who have been donating for years…
To those who increased their usual gift…
To those who couldn’t give their usual gift,
but gave what they could…
Youhavehelpedustokeepourheadabovethefloodwaters.
You have given us hope in a dark time.
THANK YOU!
Kathleen MacLean, Tracey Nepinak in The Third Colour by Ian Ross; Set by Andy Moro; Lighting by Leigh Ann Vardy; Costumes by Brenda McLean.
Photo by Leif Norman.EAT & DRINK LOCAL! Support our restaurants & purveyors of great tastes. Every year, Prairie Theatre Exchange is supported by the local food and beverage community in our annual fundraiser, PTE PAIRINGS. Now, it’s important for all of us to support our local restaurants, shops and producers. Here are some of our favourite places which have contributed to Pairings the last couple of years: • Aschenti • Fort Gibraltar • Prairie Oils & Vinegars • Baltic Brothers • High Tea Bakery • Princess Street Cheese • Brazen Hall • Kevin’s Bistro • Promenade Café & Wine • Clementine Café • KYU Grill • Shawarma Khan • Cocoabeans Bake • Loaf & Honey • Stella’s Café & Bakery Shop & Café • Melt Chocolate • The Cornerstone • Dead Horse Cider Co. • Patent 5 Distillery • The Gates on Roblin • Decadence Chocolates • Perogy Planet • VG Restaurant & Lounge • Flora & Farmer • Prairie 360 • Wall Street Slice
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