The Emerald City Project
Created and performed by the men of William Head Institution and SNAFU, 2019
Directed by Kathleen Greenfield
Directed by Kathleen Greenfield
A New Play inspired by the characters in The Wizard of Oz
“Some people without brains do an awful lot of talking.” - Scarecrow
“What makes a king out of a slave? Courage.” - Lion
“Hearts will never be practical until they are made unbreakable.” - The Wizard
“Some people without brains do an awful lot of talking.” - Scarecrow
“What makes a king out of a slave? Courage.” - Lion
“Hearts will never be practical until they are made unbreakable.” - The Wizard
It is 2019, and we enter a run-down Kansas Avenue on the tipping point of Renoviction. Through the shades of grey we get glimpses of the technicolor hopes and memories of this neighborhood’s long-standing inhabitants. We meet Toto coming home after a long time away, a curmudgeonly Tin Man, and Scarecrow, who is afraid of his own potential. Auntie Em runs a cafe on Kansas Ave, which serves as a neutral zone for the Lions and Flying Monkeys. In this dramatic comedy with live music and hip-hop, we uncover what home means to a community trying to find balance on unsteady ground.
PUBLIC PERFORMANCES 2019Fri Oct 4 @ 7:30PM
Sat Oct 5 @ 7:30PM Fri Oct 11 @ 7:30PM Sat Oct 12 @ 7:30PM Fri Oct 18 @ 7:30PM Sat Oct 19 @ 7:30PM Thu Oct 24 @ 7:30PM Fri Oct 25 @ 7:30PM Sat Oct 26*Matinee @ 1:30PM Sat Oct 26 @ 7:30PM Fri Nov 1 @ 7:30PM Sat Nov 2* Matinee @ 1:30PM Sat Nov 2 @ 7:30PM YOU MUST ARRIVE EARLY to go through prison security. ABSOLUTELY NO LATECOMERS. All Evening Shows: Gates Open at 6:15pm Gates Close at 7:15pm Show Begins at 7:30pm Absolutely no late-comers *Sat Matinees Gates Open at 12:15pm Gates Close at 1:15pm Show Begins at 1:30pm |
TICKETS
$25 ON SALE SEPT 10th, 2019 w.h.o.s. is located inside
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"Now I’m finally here to see the streets again
I was on the wrong path back then,
Now it’s time to see who really is my friend
There’s no place like home."
Questions? Email whonstage@gmail.com
I was on the wrong path back then,
Now it’s time to see who really is my friend
There’s no place like home."
Questions? Email whonstage@gmail.com
CREDITS
This play was co-devised, performed, produced, co-composed, costume and makeup designed, and constructed by the men of William Head on Stage Prison Theatre Company
Director: Kathleen Greenfield
Production Stage Manager: Carolyn Moon
‘Outside’ Performers: Kate Rubin, Jeni Luther, Sam Redmond
Writing & Dramaturgy : Kathleen Greenfield and Kate Rubin
Set Design & Painting: Carole Klemm
Lighting Design and Ceiling Installation: Poe Limkul
Choreography: Ingrid Hansen
Movement coach: John Aitken
Guest Artist: Anne Cirillo, Emma Zabloski
Administrative support from the staff of William Head Institution
ABOUT THE COMPANY - William Head on Stage (W.H.o.S.)
William Head on Stage (or WHoS) is Canada’s longest-running prison theatre program. Since 1981, the prisoners have staged a play each fall and invited the general public. Anyone 19 or older can buy a ticket, go through prison security, enter the prison gymnasium and experience the show performed by the prisoners.
Director: Kathleen Greenfield
Production Stage Manager: Carolyn Moon
‘Outside’ Performers: Kate Rubin, Jeni Luther, Sam Redmond
Writing & Dramaturgy : Kathleen Greenfield and Kate Rubin
Set Design & Painting: Carole Klemm
Lighting Design and Ceiling Installation: Poe Limkul
Choreography: Ingrid Hansen
Movement coach: John Aitken
Guest Artist: Anne Cirillo, Emma Zabloski
Administrative support from the staff of William Head Institution
ABOUT THE COMPANY - William Head on Stage (W.H.o.S.)
William Head on Stage (or WHoS) is Canada’s longest-running prison theatre program. Since 1981, the prisoners have staged a play each fall and invited the general public. Anyone 19 or older can buy a ticket, go through prison security, enter the prison gymnasium and experience the show performed by the prisoners.
“WHoS is a safe place where we don’t have to wear a mask or project an image,” says one prisoner participant. “Going through prison...there are many messages we get put into our heads that you are inhuman...The process slowly chips away at you. I didn’t realize how deep it went until I was exposed to the community. Oh yes, this is what it is like to be treated like a person…we need normal human contact without an agenda.”
'OUTSIDE' ARTIST BIOS
Kathleen Greenfield - Director/Facilitator/Co-Writer
Kathleen is a community-based collaborative creator with a passion for developing new work. She is honoured to live and work as a settler on the territories of the WSÁNEĆ, Lkwungen & Wyomilth people where she received her BFA in Theatre from UVIC. As Co-Artistic Director of SNAFU, she has directed the premiere productions of Calling Home: Stories from Military Families, Little Orange Man, Kitt & Jane and Interstellar Elder. Kathleen joined the artistic team of WHoS as a facilitator, workshop leader, co-writer, director and/or performer for Time Waits for No One (2014), HERE (2015), Sleeping Giants (2016) and The Crossroads (2018).
Carolyn Moon - Production Manager/Stage Manager/Sound Designer
Carolyn is a Victoria-based multidisciplinary theatre artist. She has worked as a professional technician, designer, and stage manager for many local theatre companies, including Intrepid Theatre, The Belfry Theatre, Theatre SKAM, and the Greater Victoria Shakespeare Festival. Most recently, she worked as the assistant projection designer for Griffin and Sabine at the Belfry Theatre and as stage manager for Mamma Mia! with St. Michael’s University School. This is Carolyn’s third production with WHoS, where she has been involved with Antigone and The Crossroads: A Prison Cabaret. Carolyn is very excited to be involved in this year’s production, and especially enjoys the looks on people’s faces when she tells them she’ll be in prison for the rest of the day.
Poe Limkul - Lighting Designer/Ceiling Installations
Poe is a lighting designer based in London, Ontario and Thailand. She has created works in Toronto, Stratford, Banff, Calgary, Vancouver, and Victoria. Her current goal is to explore what she can do with her design skills. Recent work includes: Lighting design for “Lip Sync Battle Thailand Season 2” (Grammy Television, Thailand), Design and communication workshop (Lightsource Co., Ltd. Thailand), Theatre design guest speaker (Chiang Mai University and Bangkok University, Thailand) Design workshop (PQ2019 ,Prague), Lighting design for Exhibition/Fashion show “N’EXISTE PAS?” (WISHARAWISH Paris Showroom- Paris Fashion Week Kogan Gallery, Paris) Upcoming work: Every Brilliant Thing (The Grand Theatre, ON), Underdog (Petralai Theatre, Thailand). Poe has worked with WHoS for many years. Her previous WHoS productions include Fractured Fables, Time Waits for No One, Here, Sleeping Giants, and The Crossroads: A Prison Cabaret. She is excited to be back working with this amazing talented team again.
Carole Klemm - Set Designer/Scenic Painter
Carole is a Victoria-based designer and scenic artist. Her previous designs for WHoS include The Hobbit, Fractured Fables, Time Waits for No One, HERE, and The Crossroads: A Prison Cabaret. She has designed and painted for The Belfry Theatre, the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Pacific Opera Victoria, Theatre SKAM, Prairie Theatre Exchange, the Victoria Shakespeare Festival, Chemainus Theatre, Blue Bridge Theatre, Kaleidoscope Theatre and many others. Recent work includes the sets for Treasure Island for Lawyers on Stage and Beauty and the Beast for Glenlyon Norfolk School. Many thanks to the talented production team at WHoS and to her family.
John Aitken - Movement Coach/Cultural Consultant
John is a physical actor, carver, videographer, photographer, and educator. He identifies as a two spirit Indigenous person with a mixed ancestry of Coast Salish, Haida and Scottish. John has a rich background in performing arts, including dance, acting and film production. John’s current projects include the production of a performance art piece titled “The Gift,” based on John’s own challenging childhood. He is also working on the script for a solo performance titled “Mixed Up!” which will explore what it is like for him being of mixed ancestry.
Ingrid Hansen - Choreography
Raised by gregarious Danish immigrants, Ingrid is Co-Artistic Director of SNAFU (@snafudance). Her physical comedy shows Little Orange Man, Kitt & Jane, Interstellar Elder and The Merkin Sisters have toured to the National Arts Centre and festivals across North America. Ingrid puppeteers and voices the big orange monster named Heart on television for the new Sesame Workshop show ‘Helpsters’ on Apple TV+. Her first WHoS show was designing ‘Animal Farm’ in 2008. She has since directed, choreographed, performed in many WHoS shows including ‘Chalk,’ and ‘Fractured Fables: The Prison Puppet Project.’
Kate Rubin - Facilitators/Co- Writer/Performer
Kate is an independent theatre artist and consultant. She owned and ran Kate Rubin Theatre & Drama Studio for 23 years and has directed, performed and facilitated for many theatre companies and organizations in Greater Victoria, including The Belfry Theatre and The Greater Victoria Shakespeare Festival. Recently she directed for the Lawyers on Stage 2018 production of Treasure Island , an adaptation by Briony Lavery. This is her 7th play with WHoS and has performed in Macbeth and Ghormonghast, and directed The Hobbit, Time Waits for No One, HERE: A Captive Odyssey and last fall’s production of The Crossroads: A Prison Cabaret.
Jeni Luther - Performer/Administrator
Jeni is a visual and performing artist who moved to Victoria in 2001. This is her 7th year working with WHoS. She has been part of The Prison Puppet Project (2013), Time Waits for No One (2014). She has performed in Here: A Captive Odyssey (2015), Sleeping Giants (2016)and The Crossroads (2018). Recently she was in SNAFU's Calling Home: Stories from Military Families and has been a shadow puppet creator for Kitt & Jane: An Interactive Survival Guide and Chase Breyer; Part time Substitute Teacher, Full Time Canadian Super Spy. Thank you to WHoS for another amazing year in the land of Oz!
Sam Redmond - Performer/Musician
Sam has been based in Victoria for the last 4 years. Originally coming to Victoria to continue her schooling, she claims this town has allowed her to find her passion in criminal and social justice work. After volunteering at William Head for a couple years, this is her first WHoS production. She is very excited to be a part of this process, is inspired by how creative her team and all the men are, and can’t wait for you to see it all come together.
Guest Artists
Anne Cirillo, Shelley Macdonald, Emma Zabloski
Kathleen is a community-based collaborative creator with a passion for developing new work. She is honoured to live and work as a settler on the territories of the WSÁNEĆ, Lkwungen & Wyomilth people where she received her BFA in Theatre from UVIC. As Co-Artistic Director of SNAFU, she has directed the premiere productions of Calling Home: Stories from Military Families, Little Orange Man, Kitt & Jane and Interstellar Elder. Kathleen joined the artistic team of WHoS as a facilitator, workshop leader, co-writer, director and/or performer for Time Waits for No One (2014), HERE (2015), Sleeping Giants (2016) and The Crossroads (2018).
Carolyn Moon - Production Manager/Stage Manager/Sound Designer
Carolyn is a Victoria-based multidisciplinary theatre artist. She has worked as a professional technician, designer, and stage manager for many local theatre companies, including Intrepid Theatre, The Belfry Theatre, Theatre SKAM, and the Greater Victoria Shakespeare Festival. Most recently, she worked as the assistant projection designer for Griffin and Sabine at the Belfry Theatre and as stage manager for Mamma Mia! with St. Michael’s University School. This is Carolyn’s third production with WHoS, where she has been involved with Antigone and The Crossroads: A Prison Cabaret. Carolyn is very excited to be involved in this year’s production, and especially enjoys the looks on people’s faces when she tells them she’ll be in prison for the rest of the day.
Poe Limkul - Lighting Designer/Ceiling Installations
Poe is a lighting designer based in London, Ontario and Thailand. She has created works in Toronto, Stratford, Banff, Calgary, Vancouver, and Victoria. Her current goal is to explore what she can do with her design skills. Recent work includes: Lighting design for “Lip Sync Battle Thailand Season 2” (Grammy Television, Thailand), Design and communication workshop (Lightsource Co., Ltd. Thailand), Theatre design guest speaker (Chiang Mai University and Bangkok University, Thailand) Design workshop (PQ2019 ,Prague), Lighting design for Exhibition/Fashion show “N’EXISTE PAS?” (WISHARAWISH Paris Showroom- Paris Fashion Week Kogan Gallery, Paris) Upcoming work: Every Brilliant Thing (The Grand Theatre, ON), Underdog (Petralai Theatre, Thailand). Poe has worked with WHoS for many years. Her previous WHoS productions include Fractured Fables, Time Waits for No One, Here, Sleeping Giants, and The Crossroads: A Prison Cabaret. She is excited to be back working with this amazing talented team again.
Carole Klemm - Set Designer/Scenic Painter
Carole is a Victoria-based designer and scenic artist. Her previous designs for WHoS include The Hobbit, Fractured Fables, Time Waits for No One, HERE, and The Crossroads: A Prison Cabaret. She has designed and painted for The Belfry Theatre, the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Pacific Opera Victoria, Theatre SKAM, Prairie Theatre Exchange, the Victoria Shakespeare Festival, Chemainus Theatre, Blue Bridge Theatre, Kaleidoscope Theatre and many others. Recent work includes the sets for Treasure Island for Lawyers on Stage and Beauty and the Beast for Glenlyon Norfolk School. Many thanks to the talented production team at WHoS and to her family.
John Aitken - Movement Coach/Cultural Consultant
John is a physical actor, carver, videographer, photographer, and educator. He identifies as a two spirit Indigenous person with a mixed ancestry of Coast Salish, Haida and Scottish. John has a rich background in performing arts, including dance, acting and film production. John’s current projects include the production of a performance art piece titled “The Gift,” based on John’s own challenging childhood. He is also working on the script for a solo performance titled “Mixed Up!” which will explore what it is like for him being of mixed ancestry.
Ingrid Hansen - Choreography
Raised by gregarious Danish immigrants, Ingrid is Co-Artistic Director of SNAFU (@snafudance). Her physical comedy shows Little Orange Man, Kitt & Jane, Interstellar Elder and The Merkin Sisters have toured to the National Arts Centre and festivals across North America. Ingrid puppeteers and voices the big orange monster named Heart on television for the new Sesame Workshop show ‘Helpsters’ on Apple TV+. Her first WHoS show was designing ‘Animal Farm’ in 2008. She has since directed, choreographed, performed in many WHoS shows including ‘Chalk,’ and ‘Fractured Fables: The Prison Puppet Project.’
Kate Rubin - Facilitators/Co- Writer/Performer
Kate is an independent theatre artist and consultant. She owned and ran Kate Rubin Theatre & Drama Studio for 23 years and has directed, performed and facilitated for many theatre companies and organizations in Greater Victoria, including The Belfry Theatre and The Greater Victoria Shakespeare Festival. Recently she directed for the Lawyers on Stage 2018 production of Treasure Island , an adaptation by Briony Lavery. This is her 7th play with WHoS and has performed in Macbeth and Ghormonghast, and directed The Hobbit, Time Waits for No One, HERE: A Captive Odyssey and last fall’s production of The Crossroads: A Prison Cabaret.
Jeni Luther - Performer/Administrator
Jeni is a visual and performing artist who moved to Victoria in 2001. This is her 7th year working with WHoS. She has been part of The Prison Puppet Project (2013), Time Waits for No One (2014). She has performed in Here: A Captive Odyssey (2015), Sleeping Giants (2016)and The Crossroads (2018). Recently she was in SNAFU's Calling Home: Stories from Military Families and has been a shadow puppet creator for Kitt & Jane: An Interactive Survival Guide and Chase Breyer; Part time Substitute Teacher, Full Time Canadian Super Spy. Thank you to WHoS for another amazing year in the land of Oz!
Sam Redmond - Performer/Musician
Sam has been based in Victoria for the last 4 years. Originally coming to Victoria to continue her schooling, she claims this town has allowed her to find her passion in criminal and social justice work. After volunteering at William Head for a couple years, this is her first WHoS production. She is very excited to be a part of this process, is inspired by how creative her team and all the men are, and can’t wait for you to see it all come together.
Guest Artists
Anne Cirillo, Shelley Macdonald, Emma Zabloski
Grateful for this year's prison play supporters:
