If We Were Birds (2008)
Produced by
Presented by
The SummerWorks Performance Festival
Playwright: Erin Shields
Director: Alan Dilworth
Venue
Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace
Run
August 8th, 2008 – August 17th, 2008
Synopsis
If We Were Birds is a riveting re-imagining of Ovid’s masterpiece “Tereus, Procne and Philomela”. When King Pandion marries his daughter Procne off to war hero King Tereus, Procne returns with him to Thrace and is separated from her beloved sister Philomela. After years of isolation in a foreign land, Procne begs Tereus to fetch her sister for a visit. When confronted with Philomela’s beauty, Tereus’ desire triumphs over reason igniting a chain of horrific events. A harrowing exploration of violence and revenge, this adaptation features a chorus of ravaged women, each a victim of a 20th Century conflict: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Rwanda, Bangladesh, Nanking, and Berlin. (groundwaterproductions.com)
Cast
| Philippa Domville | Procne |
| Tara Rosling | Philomela |
| David Fox | King Pandion |
| Geoffrey Pounsett | King Tereus |
| Rose Cortez | The Young One (Rwanda, 1994) |
| Daniela Lama | The Pregnant One (Bangladesh, 1971) |
| Ieva Lucs | The Pious One (Bosnia-Herzegovina, 1992-1995) |
| Shannon Perreault | The Bleeding One (Nanking 1937) |
| Edwige Jean-Pierre | The One with Dwindling Dignity (Berlin, 1945) |
Creative Team
| Erin Shields | Playwright |
| Alan Dilworth | Director |
| Jung-Hye Kim | Set Designer |
| Jung-Hye Kim | Costume Designer |
| Kimberly Purtell | Lighting Designer |
| Thomas Ryder Payne | Sound Designer |
| Courtney Brown | Assistant Director |
| Monica Dottor | Choreography on "The Rescue" |
| Michael Dufays | Fight Coordination |
Production
| Scott Seetoo | Stage Manager |
| Gideon Arthurs | Producer |
| Miriam Fernandes | Associate Producer |
| Anthony Swaneveld | Postcard Design |
Staff
| Jason Golinsky | Venue Technician |
| Peter Eaton | Venue Technician |
| Michel Charbonneau | Festival Lighting Designer |
