Shakespeare in Action Presents:
3Tempests
Created by Pete Smith
When: September 7th-12th, 2021 @7pm
Where: Little Avenue Memorial Park
What does Shakespeare, COVID-19, and Hurricane Hazel have in common? Join us at Little Avenue Memorial Park to join the adventure!
About this event
Join us at Little Avenue Memorial Park for 3Tempests; an original adaptation of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” that weaves in real stories of Hurricane Hazel with those of local seniors who have experienced increased isolation with the COVID-19 pandemic. Shakespeare in Action in association with the City of Toronto Arts & Culture SPARK Project is proud to animate Weston’s Little Avenue Memorial Park for a third consecutive year, in a free show that explores isolation, resilience, and the power of human connection.
When the pandemic hit, SIA began running a program with local seniors at York West Active Living Centre, exploring the relationship between Shakespeare’s plays and their personal stories. We are excited to share our first piece inspired by this incredible program and as a City of Toronto Arts & Culture SPARK Project.
All safety protocols issued by the Province of Ontario and the City of Toronto will be in place. Therefore, we ask that you pre-register for this event and arrive at least 10-15 minutes before the performance begins so you don’t miss any of the fun.
CAST
Madelaine Hodges (賀美倫)
Ariel Oh
Madelaine Hodges (賀美倫) is a recent graduate of RSP, where she played roles including Hamlet (Peter Pasyk) and Eliza Doolittle (Pygmalion/James Wallis). Other roles include Irina (Three Sisters, Tarragon’s YPU) and Tybalt (Romeo and Juliet, Panoply). Upcoming roles include Iris (Woking Phoenix, Silk Bath Collective/Theatre Passe Muraille) and Alexa (Killing Time, Mixtape Projects). She is incredibly grateful to be on stage again and to be working with SIA and this stellar team.
Deivan Steele
Cal Iban
Deivan is an actor, director, writer, and musician originally from K’jipuktuk/Halifax. His work has brought him to theatre companies including Neptune (Palany), Driftwood (Froxeaglousey), Bad Hats (Princess Frownsalot), Outside the March (programsound.fm), Unwrap Theatre (rihannaboi95), Shakespeare BASH’d (‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore), and Shakespeare by the Sea (Henry V, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Wizard of Oz).
Rhona McColman
Rhona
Is there life after retirement? I joined the York West Active Living Centre to get involved in activities in my community. At one of their Open Houses, I thought that I’ll just fill out a membership form for one of the displays. What is Shakespeare In Action all about? I had studied Shakespeare years ago in high school, but David D.G. encouraged me to just give it a try. I was a bit apprehensive if I would like the organization, or any commitment. I took part in 2 virtual presentations from the Centre and now, here I am, very pleased and excited to be making my debut with S.I.A. in a role with my name and a true experience! Could you imagine that a car has a mind of its own? It’s not the spirit of Sycorax, but it’s some kind of “good spirit” that at times somewhat coincides with the story.
Anna-Louise Richardson
Penny
Anna-Louise Richardson is a graduate of the three year acting course at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. She has performed with various theatres from the classics at The Stratford Festival to George F. Walker’s play at the Factory Theatre and has appeared in numerous film and television shows. As an active resident of York South Weston she participated in Shakespeare in Action’s Artists Supporting Community Initiative, is on the advisory committee for
GreenScapeTO, volunteers at the Community Place Hub (incredibly beautiful people), a founder of Friends of Smythe Park and is on the TRCA’s Rockliffe Riverine Flood Mitigation Community Liaison Committee. Yes, we still have terrible flooding issues! She hopes that the devastating event of Hurricane Hazel will always be remembered and the monument in Weston will be restored in the near future.
CREW
Julia Nish-Lapidus
Director
Julia Nish-Lapidus is a director, actor, and producer, as well as a Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director of Shakespeare BASH’d (Best Site Specific Theatre Company, NOW Magazine, 2018 & 2019).
Selected Directing Credits: Play On! (Co-Director & Co-Curator, Stratford Festival); Private Lives, All’s Well That Ends Well (Assistant Director, Stratford Festival); Cymbeline, Richard III, The Comedy of Errors (Shakespeare BASH’d); Romeo and Juliet (& Joni) (Untitled Productions); The Tom and Gertie Letters Project (SpringWorks).
Pete Smith
Playwright
Pete is an actor, director, writer/producer, educator, and story editor. His work in theatre, radio, television and film has taken him from coast to coast to coast in Canada. He has been an artistic director at the Blyth Festival on two occasions and AD at Playwrights Workshop Montreal, and an Associate AD at Canadian Stage. He has worked at a variety of play development centres across the country participating in developing new work for the stage, in both rural and urban communities.
Suchiththa Wickremesooriya
Dramaturg
Suchiththa is a multi-disciplinary Sri Lankan actor/educator/writer/poet who has recently been drawn to multi-sensory theatre as well as physical theatre. He was most recently seen in Bend it Like Beckham in its North American premiere in Toronto and in a Summerworks presentation of Deaf-integrated Theatre techniques. Other credits include The Tempest (Citadel Theatre), The Secret Garden (Theatre Calgary) and Pocket Rocket (Lost and Found Theatre). Since Covid19 hit, he’s been involved in a few Zoom readings, including a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure fantasy musical, Off the Beaten Path!. He greatly appreciates the opportunities that SIA has provided him to flex his non-actor creativity both in this and other projects that are coming up soon! Follow him @SuchiththaW on IG, Twitter and FB. He promises to post once a year.
Tamara Freeman
Equity Producer
& PA Voice
Tamara Freeman is the Associate Managing Producer at SIA, and is extremely excited to be part of 3Tempests as the Equity Producer and PA Voice (thanks Julia!). Freeman is also an actor and voice over actor. Selected theatre credits: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (SIA), A Christmas Carol (Soup Can Theatre) and Twelfth Night (a Company of Fools). Selected voice over credits: Taylor & Extra Doll 2 (Mattel, Barbie Ride ’N Style & Fashion Fun for Everyone).
Bex Tralli
Assistant PM
& Sound Designer
Bex Tralli is stoked to be a part of the 3Tempests team and is grateful to have collaborated with such a talented group of people to bring the show to life. She fell in love with theatre at a young age, and while attending the Claude Watson Arts program, gravitated towards backstage roles. Her love of stage crew prompted her to pursue technical production as a career, and she now studies audio and stage lighting at Sheridan College.
Lucy Wong
Designer
Lucy is honoured to design for 3TEMPESTS in her third year working with SIA. She is a primarily a costume designer for theatre and film, and a costumer for TV.
Select credits as costumer (2021): 11:11 (Theatre Passe Muraille), Strays (CBC), Kids in the Hall reboot (Amazon Prime), Zone (Apple TV). Select credits as costume designer (2021): Streams teaser (Fae Pictures), Cumpari (Can Creature Productions), Gem & Shaz (Harold Greenberg/Crave TV).
Anastasiya Popova
Production
Manager
Anastasiya is thrilled to be working with the wonderful team at SIA. She is a York graduate and is excited to be production managing a play for the Weston community.
Having spent the last little while honing her Theatre Management skills she is glad to face the new challenges of in person rehearsals and performance. Anastasiya is looking forward to all the beautiful works of art that are blossoming all around us. Thank you for your support.
Christopher Brackett
Stage
Manager
Christopher is a stage manager for theatre, live and virtual events.
Select Theatre Credits: Cymbeline, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Othello, Richard III (Shakespeare Bash’d); Mahabharata (WhyNot Theatre); The Virgin Trial, Romeo & Juliet (Stratford Festival); MATILDA the Musical (1st US National Tour, Mirvish); Rufus Does Judy, Contemporary Color, If I Loved You: Gentlemen Prefer Broadway (Luminato).
Other credits include work with Disney Theatrical Group, Disney Cruise Line and TIFF.
Always, love to mom and dad. For Grandpa.
Lizzie Moffat
Front of House
Manager
Lizzie is thrilled to be joining the Shakespeare In Action team this summer as Volunteer Coordinator & Front of House Manager! She is a theatre artist based in Tkoronto with a deep love for performing, directing, physical theatre & community storytelling! She’s also had the pleasure of working with companies like Frog in Hand, The Reflex Collective & Mainstage Theatre Company. Lizzie received her BAH in Drama from Queen’s University and has also trained at George Brown College’s Acting Conservatory & The Banff Centre.
Margaret Hillyard
Composer
Margaret's Piece 3T's
I‘ve had a love of music my whole life. I started piano at age four, and this eventually led to a Bachelor‘s and Master‘s of music. I became involved with Shakespeare in Action through York West Active Living Center, and it has been a lot of fun.
