Mad Forest
In the spring of 1990, mere months after the overthrow and execution of Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife Elena, when the aftershocks of the “December Revolution” continued to reverberate among the Romanian people, playwright Caryl Churchill, director Mark Wing-Davey and a group of 10 students from the University of London’s Central School of Drama travelled to Romania to work with local students and artists to record and perform the events of the revolution and its aftermath. Mad Forest is the result of this journey. Far from being a documentary, the play explores the reactions of ordinary people to the confused events of December 1989, focusing in particular on two families. What emerges is a complex picture of the enduring damage on people’s lives after years of repression followed by new difficulties that come with change.
Mad Forest was directed by Andy Houston, with musical direction and composition by Meghan Bunce, film and video by Glenn Stillar, soundscape by Andy Allen, scenography by Scott Spidell, costume design by Jocelyne Sobeski, and stage management by Brenda Pilatzke.
Winter 2009 Production
By Caryl Churchill
A play from Romania
Directed by: Andy Houston
Performances: March 18-21 2009
Venue: Theatre of the Arts, Modern Languages Building
Cast:
Gabriel, Bulldozer Driver - Derek Cvitkovic
Ianos, Painter - Wes Errey
Wayne, Toma, Boy Student 2 - Shaw Fergeron
Sore Throat, Girl Student, Waiter - Katie Honek
Mihai Translator - David Lam
Bogdan, Grandfather (Bogdan’s Father), Dog - Chai Lavie
Adina - Eileen Li
Securitate Man, Priest, Patient, Soldier 2 - Derek Lindman
Florin, Boy Student 1 - Ciaran Myers
Rodica, Old Aunt, Ghost, Student Doctor - Amy O’Grady
Irina, Grandmother, Flower Seller - Jessica Smith
Lucia - Sarah Sosnoski
Flavia’s Grandmother, Housepainter - Miroki Tong
Doctor, Angel, Vampire, Solider 1 - Jeff Ulrich
Flavia - Aimee Villapando
Creative Team:
Director - Andy Houston
Assistant Director - Steven Chen
Music Director - Meghan Bunce
Sound Design - Andy Allen
Costume Design - Jocelyne Sobeski
Lighting/Set Design - Scott Spidell
Assistant Lighting Design - Heather Muir
Video Design, Photography - Glenn Stillar
Production Manager - Jen O’Connor
Student Production Manager - Laisa Gillis
Stage Manager - Brenda Pilatzke
Assistant Stage Manager - Tom Fawcett
Assistant Stage Manager - Kayla Pratt
Assistant Stage Manager - Amber Regier
Dialect Coach - Heather Hill
Dramaturgy - Tyler Emoff
Romanian Cultural Liaison - Sonia Laposi
Wardrobe Assistant - Kelly McNeely
Sound Operator - David Metcalfe
Light Operator - Fran Barker
Head of Publicity - Robin Atchison
Production Team:
Costumes - Joy Smith (Head), Joanna Hunter, Ada Tsang, Cecile Jenny, Elysia Cloet, Shaw Forgeron
Carpentry/Paint - Miroki Tong, Sean Errey, Jessica Smith
Prof. Bill Chesney - Dr. of Paint
Lighting - Hannah Michielsen (Head), Wes Rowley, Kristi Dukovic, Terry Reid
Props - Roz Armstrong-Durst, Eileen Li, Derek Cvitkovic (Head), Kaitlin Burns, Joe Lauria
Publicity/FOH - Katherine Ronzio, Rhiannon Berthelot
Sound - Dave Metcalfe
Video - Adam Proulx
Thank-yous:
Adina Stancu
Adriana Laposi
Alexandru Titeu
Cristina and Florin Todor
Daniella Iliescu
Doina from TD Bank
Forest Hill United Church
Gerd Hauck
Jacob Soica
Jeremy Choo
Jessica Horn
June Spidell
Radu Secasan
Stefan Russu
St. John the Baptist Romanian Orthodox Church
The Bomber
Wendy Philpott
Zeljka Stanivuk