MIMI
Theatre-goers
in Halifax are in for a real treat over the next few days, as TheatreSpeak presents Mimi, Allen Cole's tongue-in-cheek musical farce based on the true
story of France's most infamous serial killer - the tempestuous Marquise de
Brinvilliers - at the Neptune Studio Theatre. Recently, show’s producer
Kyle Gillis filled us in on what audiences can expect.
How long have you been
involved in theatre, and in what capacity?
Professionally,
I've been working in theatre for over 10 years, but I've been involved in
theatre since a young age. Growing up in Antigonish, I started doing plays in
school, then got heavily involved in community theatre, which provided me with
a great foundation for when I headed out west to attend The Canadian College of
Performing Arts in Victoria, BC. I've done everything from
performing, to doing the technical sides of things, to creating theatre, to
producing. You sort of have to be a jack of all trades in this business,
wearing many different hats.
How did
this particular production come about?
TheatreSpeak was awarded one of the
“Open Spaces” spots, which gives independent theatre companies in Halifax free
venue rental for a week at Neptune's Studio Theatre.
While we were work-shopping a musical revue of Allen Cole's
music last summer at Chester Playhouse, Allen mentioned “MIMI” to me as a
possibility for a show. As it has a smallish cast size, with great music, AND
it's an original Canadian musical, it seemed like a great fit for TheatreSpeak.
What are the challenges
of the role?
As
a producer, there are many challenges to putting up a show. I find it's the
“chicken and egg” analogy. What comes first? “Well I need to do this, to get
this – but I need to do that, to get this”. So it's all about the planning and
the timing. Add to that, being an actor in the show too can prove to be quite
the juggling act. As an actor, the challenges for
this particular production would be that there are a lot of quick costume
changes and set changes so you are constantly on your toes the entire show. The
goal is make all the backstage stuff run smoothly and quickly so that when
you're on stage you can just focus on what you have to do as the character and
not have to stress about what happens in between. Also, this show lends itself
to a few different devices in the telling of it. Parts of the show tend to lean
towards melodrama while other scenes want to be serious and tender. So it's
finding the balance between playing the seriousness and the comedy of the
piece.
What are the rewards?
Well,
I started my theatre company, TheatreSpeak, because I wanted to
create work for my peers and for myself. There are very limited opportunities
for work here in Nova Scotia for professional musical theatre, but I'm hoping
to be able to change that.
It's great hearing all the positive responses we've been
receiving from people who have attended our shows. It assures me that we're
doing good work and that it should be happening here more in Halifax and
Atlantic Canada. It's also nice to be able to offer different options for
people to see shows here in Halifax; a musical that you would not normally see
in a bigger theatre. And to be able to offer affordable options to attend
shows.
What can audiences
expect during the run?
Audiences
can expect to laugh, be entertained, and have a good time. This production is
funny and sexy and also delivers some tender and vulnerable moments - definitely
something for everyone. The cast is stellar, the music is wonderful, and the
costumes and wigs are absolutely stunning. It's a show not to be missed!
What are your thoughts
on the state of theatre in Halifax, and Atlantic Canada?
That
is a really good question! I find that people who work in the arts are very
good at going to shows and supporting their peers. What ends up happening
though is that the same $20 dollars gets passed around. We need to find a way
to get the 'general public' out to see more independent theatre. I find that
the 'general public' tends to air on the side of caution when choosing how to
spend their money on theatre. They want to know exactly what they're paying
for, which can be detrimental to companies that want to premiere new works or
works that don't have that title that everyone knows. And I don't think this
issue pertains to just Atlantic Canada, I'm sure it happens anywhere.
Another issue is that there are limited spaces to produce
theatre in Halifax, and ones that are affordable. Sadly, I think this issue
seems to be getting worse, which has an effect on the quality of the work.
Plus, it's tough to get people to come out to venues that they're not familiar
with. However, there is some pretty good stuff happening in Halifax and it
would be great if people got out to see it. Please support your local artists!
What's
next on your own theatrical agenda?
Nothing is official yet, but it looks like I
will be working on another Allen Cole musical, which I am very excited about. I
am also trying to put together a solo cabaret show featuring songs written
and/or sung by women. www.facebook.com/
Mimi
Feb
20-23, 8pm
Neptune
Studio Theatre, Halifax
www.neptunetheatre.com/default.asp?mn=1.181.298
