Talisman Theatre presents
DOWN DANGEROUS PASSES ROAD
by Michel Marc Bouchard
translation by Linda Gaboriau
November 6 - 15, 2008
MONTREAL / August 1, 2008 – Talisman Theatre is proud to present the Montreal English premiere of the play DOWN DANGEROUS PASS ROAD by award-winning Michel Marc Bouchard, translated by Governor General award-winner Linda Gaboriau. This play, written in 1998 was produced by several theatres across Canada including Theatre Jean-Duceppe in Montreal.
In an eternal moment of déja-vu, on Dangerous Passes Road, three brothers attempt to confront the consequences of their father’s drowning thirteen years ago. Lines from his last poem repeat over and over in their heads - the same poem that span round and round in the whirlpool that pulled him down. Struggling to break the cycle, and striving for moments of frankness and lucidity, they repeat snatches of their conversation from that fateful day, over and over.
Talisman Theatre is a group of exceptional professionals drawn together from the Montreal community and collaborating since 2005. The company is now on their second Equity production, DOWN DANGEROUS PASSES ROAD, a play that explores the complexities of the human experience through the poetry of tragedy and triumph. Talisman members share the belief that theatre can profoundly affect how we see ourselves and our world and that this story must be heard.
“The ‘product’ that Michel Marc Bouchard has delivered can be qualified as work of art, on every level.” - Raymond Bernatchez, La Presse, February 25, 1998.
Talisman Theatre‘s creative team is: Emma Tibaldo (director); Marcelo Arroyo, Patrick Costello, Graham Cuthbertson (Actors); David Perreault Ninacs and Sarah Yaffe (Lighting Designers); Lyne Paquette (Set & Costume Designer); Michael Leon (Composer and Sound Designer); Mireille Couture (Video and Visual Designer); and Rasili Botz (Movement Coach).
Opening Night November 6 – 8:00 PM
Tues. – Sat. 8:00 PM
Sat. Matinée: 2:00 PM
Adults: $25
Students/Seniors: $20
Groups (10 or more) $17
Théâtre La Chapelle
3700, rue St-Dominique
Theatre Box Office: 514-843-7738
billeterie@lachapelle.org
Talisman Theatre: www.talisman-theatre.com
About the Play
DOWN DANGEROUS PASSES ROAD was written in 1998 and is Bouchard’s ninth play. In 2000, it was translated by Linda Gaboriau. This is the story of three brothers who come from vastly different walks of life. The play takes place in an eternal moment of deja-vu and examines three lives struggling for a final moment of lucidity. This is a frank play about guilt and death; as Ambrose says: “Nobody’s as frank as a dying man.”
The story unwinds on a logging road in a strange limbo where there are no mosquitoes. In a state of delayed shock after an accident, they reenact the trauma of their father’s death, each from his own perspective. Carl has returned to Alma to get married—fifteen years to the day since their father, a drunk
and a poet, drowned. On the morning of the wedding Victor takes his brothers on a trip to his isolated fishing camp in the Quebec woods. On the way they have a tragic truck-wreck near where their father died. DOWN DANGEROUS PASSES ROAD traces the consequences of this event.
In his Prologue to DOWN DANGEROUS PASSES ROAD, Bouchard draws our attention to the way we hide from the realities of guilt and death, protecting ourselves behind illusions and routines. The play shows how the complicated games of lies and truth we play in our relationships can precipitate us into unforeseen situations. With simple words, and in a simple setting, Bouchard evokes a gripping, multi-layered, allegorical commentary on Quebec culture through three brothers bound together by the death of their father.
About the Playwright
Michel Marc Bouchard wrote more than 25 plays that have all been staged. His works have been translated into many languages and are regularly performed around the world, including Japan. Stagings of his works regularly receive awards, especially Les feluettes, L'histoire de l'oie and Les muses orphelines. A recipient of awards from the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, Québec’s department of culture and the Fondation Beaumarchais (Paris), he has been appointed writer in residence at: Théâtre de Quat'Sous, Théâtre du Nouveau Monde (Montréal), New Dramatist in New-York, Banff Center for the Arts (Alberta), Festival de Limoges (France), University of Ottawa and Teatro della
Limonaia (Florence). Bouchard has earned numerous awards and much praise for the adaptations of his plays as the movie (Les feluettes/Lilies) and the tele-drama (L'histoire de l'oie/The tale of Teeka).
About the Creative Team
Marcelo Arroyo (Ambrose)
Since his graduation from UQÀM and the National Theatre School of Canada, Marcelo has worked with André Brassard, Wajdi Mouawad, Alice Ronfard, Kate Bligh, Cristina Iovita and Jacques L'Heureux at the New Experimental Theatre (NTE), Marcelo played an 8 year old boy too intelligent for his years in Aphrodite 04. He was part of the joyous team of Hamlete, princesse de Danemarquia which was presented in the gardens of the sculptor Armand Vaillancourt. He recently was part of the cast of Roméo et Juliette, adapted and directed by Daniel Paquette in April 2007 and the remount of That Woman In September last yeat at the Bain St-Michel. He also collaborated with L'Arrière Scène in Le garçon aux sabots, directed by Denis Lavalou in 2002 and in La chanson du fou in 2006. In 2008, he will be in Salvador, the remount with Le Carousel Theater at Maison-Théâtre. Marcelo’s next project is in Jonquière and Toronto in a new play Une maison face au nord by Jean-Rock Gaudreault
Down Dangerous Passes Road is his second collaboration with Emma Tibaldo and Talisman Theatre.
Patrick Costello (Carl)
Patrick is a theatre show playmaker who grew up in Victoria, BC. He has lived in Montreal for almost three years now. He studied film and theatre at Queen's University and then attended Circle and the Square Theatre School. He is founding member, along with Graham, of SideMart Theatrical Grocery and has acted in all their projects, including American Buffalo, which won the award for Best Production that year. He also spent many years as an associate of SaBooge Theatre. He is in the midst of writing a trilogy of one man shows about twentieth century pop music, in fact most days he likes music more than theatre. He has acted in several TV shows and films.
Graham Cuthbertson (Victor)
Graham Cuthbertson has a BFA from Concordia University in Theatre Performance and a certificate in Performance Arts Careers from George Brown College. Recently, Mr. Cuthbertson traveled with the Internationally acclaimed SaBooge theatre company to Dublin (Project Theatre), Philadelphia (The Wilma Theatre), Montreal (Centaur Theatre) and New York (P.S. 122 and The Bric Theatre) as Pat Garrett in their adaptation of Michael Ondaatje's The Collected Works of Billy the Kid entitled Every Day Above Ground. In 2006 he co-founded the SideMart Theatrical Grocery and their inaugural production of American Buffalo where he played Donny was recently nominated for four Montreal Critics awards including Best Production, Best Ensemble and Best Director. SideMart's most recent production of Morris Panych's The Dishwashers was met with critical acclaim and forced an extended, sell-out run. Graham has won two previous Montreal Critics awards, the ensemble distinction for Soulfishing Theatre's production on The Crackwalker (Alan) and the Revelation of the year 2004-05 for his work as Oedipus for the New Classical Theatre festival as well as 'Til We Meet Again (Panache Theatre). Graham has performed on the stage at GCTC, and The Saidye Bronfman Centre and in 2006 worked in Whitehorse with Emma Tibaldo and the Sour Brides Theatre Company in their production of Trout Stanley, where he played the title role. Mr. Cuthbertson is a regular contributor to Playwrights Workshop Montreal and with the Playwrighting department at N.T.S. He has won a bronze medal at the National level of the Canadian Improv Games and is a qualified C.I.G. trainer and judge. In December 2007, Graham played Da in the Canadian premier of Mark Doherty's Trad for SideMart Theatrical Grocery and recently adapted The Haunted Hillbilly by Derek McCormack for SideMart.
Emma Tibaldo Director
Emma Tibaldo is a graduate of Concordia's Theatre Department and the National Theatre School's Directing program, where she continues to be a guest artist. She has recently been appointed Artistic and Executive Director at Playwrights' Workshop Montreal where she had been the dramaturg in residence for three seasons. Most recently she has directed Lifedream by Herménégilde Chiasson, translated by Jo-Anne Elder for the NotaBle Acts Theatre Festival in New Brunswick, The Queens by Normand Chaurette, translated by Linda Gaboriau for Concordia University, That Woman by Daniel Danis, translated by Linda Gaboriau for Talisman Theatre, Lutz by Ryan Griffith for the NotaBle Acts Theatre Festival, Trout Stanley by Claudia Dey for Sour Brides Theatre in Whitehorse and Home and Beauty by Somerset Maugham for Theatre Lac Brome. She has been assistant director for Joseph Ziegler's Soulpepper production of A Winter's Tale, for Sarah Stanley's Inflagrante and directing intern at the Stratford Festival for Peter Hinton's The Swanne Part II. She has been dramaturg and director for staged readings at various festivals across the country including: Michael Redhill's Goodness at Teesri Duniya's Fireworks Festival; Martha Ross' And Up They Flew at Alberta Theatre Project's Platform Plays; Brian Drader's Crack at the NAC's On the Verge; Beatriz Pizano's Madre at Nightwood Theatre's Groundswell Festival. Down Dangerous Pass Road by Michel Marc Bouchard, translation by Linda Gaboriau is a project Emma has been burning to direct since she first read the play over four years ago.
Lyne Paquette Set and Costume Designer
Lyne is a founding partner of Talisman Theatre. She is preparing for the fall production of Down Dangerous Passes Road by Michel Marc Bouchard. Last season Lyne designed Set and Costume for Talisman's production of That Woman, by Daniel Danis. A graduate of the National Theatre School, theatre design is Lyne's second career; previously she had worked as a mechanical engineer. She has supplemented her theatre training with puppetry workshops and recently completed a three-month internship at Michael Curry Design. Since 2004 Lyne has designed for theatre, dance, and operetta productions in Montreal. She worked as Props Master at the Saidye Bronfman Theatre for 2 seasons. Prior to that Lyne was an Assistant Designer at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival.www.lynepaquette.com
David Perreault Ninacs Lighting Designer
Since graduating from NTS a few years ago, David has designed some 50 theatre shows and done lighting for visual arts shows, corporate galas, dance and musical shows; as well as designing domestic lamps. After all of this, he still enjoys light in all its forms.
Michael Leon Sound Designer
Michael Leon is a Montréal-based historian and composer/sound designer. Recent works have included music and sound for Talisman Theatre’s production of That Woman in Montreal, the Sour Brides production of Trout Stanley in Whitehorse, sound design for Teesri Duniya’s Montréal production of Miss Orient(ed), music and sound for Home and Beauty at Theatre Lac Brome and composition for productions of Medea and Vita at the National Theatre School. As a founding member of Johnny 2000 Arts Collective, Michael has composed music and performed in numerous theatre, film and performance projects throughout eastern Canada.
Mireille Couture Video and Visual Designer
Mireille designed the video projections for the Talisman production of That Woman at The Bain St-Michel last year. She recently completed at the L'Institut national de l'image et du son(INIS) an intensive documentary film program. She is presently creating web capsules for Ça manque à ma culture and code Chasteney, both broadcasted at Télé-Québec. The process that she is developping with film is a
prolongation of her photographic approach. A theatrical setting offers her a unique opportunity to unite both mediums in one same creative stream.
Rasili Botz Movement Coach
Born in the Loire Valley in France, Rasili moved to Montreal 3 years ago. She summarizes her approach to art with the words ‘’ Take matter in hand and tame it’’. Rasili has been leading the Tyalice groupe in France where she created the department for contemporary nude. She works in partnership with many other art forms – Project 244,
Olivier Py, Cie Off, Katy Roulaud and many other plasticiens and sculptors. She studied Butoh for many years: a Mai Juku with Tanaka Min, long cycles of workshops Katy Roulaud’s body labs with many Butoh dancers from different countries, in Montréal with Martine Viale. Rasili created two solos: En Chair et en Os, based on Phil Mullroy’s drawings and Valse Rouge. She was a Danceactor in films by Karim Hussain and Benjamin Guéguenne.
She is Movement Coach for Anglophone theatre – That Woman by Daniel Danis directed by Emma Tibaldo and Forever yours Marilou by Michel Tremblay directed by Sarah Stanley and in the collective of artistes of Talisman Theatre – Body Art facilitator in different cultural, social and medical structures.
Sarah Yaffe Lighting Designer
Sarah is a graduate of McGill University and The National Theatre School of Canada's Technical Production Program. She lives in Montréal and has worked at the Centaur Theatre, The Segal Centre for Performing Arts, the National Arts Centre, the Just for Laughs Festival, and many other theatres. She is the General Manager and Production Designer for SideMart Theatrical Grocery, an ensemble of professional artists dedicated to the production and development of innovative and thought-provoking contemporary theatre in Montréal. SideMart's December 2006 production of David Mamet's "American Buffalo" recently won the MECCA(Montreal English Critics Circle Association) award for Best Production. Some recent lighting design credits include, "Haunted Hillbilly" and "Trad" with SideMart, "A Promise is a Promise" and "Peacemaker" for Geordie Theatre, "The Facts Behind the Helsinki Roccamatios" at the Factory Studio in Toronto. She was recently on tour across Canada with Anita Majumdar's one-woman
show, "The Misfit", which played to sold out houses at the PuSh Performing Arts Festival in Vancouver and the HATCH festival in Toronto.
Barbara Zsiegovics Stage Manager
After producing her first play at the age of fourteen, Barbara directed two school plays at F.A.C.E., as a student. She is the ‘secret weapon’ of Q Art Theatre, and has participated in all of their productions (Lotte, The Tragedy of Man, The Party, Soap Opera, The Box Man, etc.) as stage manager and technical director. Last year she was technical director for Q Art in the productions of Mes Chers Amis and Ratamacue. She has worked with Gravy Bath Productions’ as a stage manager for their show The Portrait of Dorian Gray and has worked with Stacey Christodoulou and The Other Theatre in their productions of Crave and Expulsion.
Tanner Harvey Co-director of Talisman Theatre and show Technical Director
Tanner discovered his passion for theatre in Calgary. At University of Victoria he directed eleven plays, four of which were new productions with his 4horsemen theatre company. Since graduating Tanner worked as a technician and stage manager at The Belfry, Surrey Arts Centre, Soulpepper, Infinitheatre, and The Centaur. During the '06 Toronto Fringe he designed lights for Two-Wheeler's Living with Rick and assistant directed TheatreSKAM's The Lab. Other credits include directing Two-Wheeler's '07 production of The King of Fifteen Island, assistant directing Past Perfect (Tarragon), The Little Years (Neptune/NAC), Happy Days (NAC), and dramaturgy for John Gabriel Borkman (Soulpepper/Theatre Columbus). Tanner met Lyne Paquette on That Women and was honoured to be invited to join Talisman.
About the Translation
Linda Gaboriau
LINDA GABORIAU has translated some eighty plays, including the works of some of Québec's most prominent playwrights. Her translations of plays by Michel Marc Bouchard, René-Daniel Dubois, Normand Chaurette, Daniel Danis, Michel Garneau, Gratien Gélinas, Jovette Marchessault and Michel Tremblay have been published and widely produced across Canada and abroad. She has won the Governor General's Award for Translation (in 1996, for her translation of Stone and Ashes by Daniel Danis), three Chalmers Awards for her translations of Normand Chaurette's Les Reines (The Queens), Michel Marc Bouchard's Les Feluettes (Lilies), and for Bouchard's Les Muses Orphelines (The Orphan Muses) for which she also won the 1999 Masque for Translation awarded by the Académie québécoise du théâtre. Her translation of Michel Tremblay's book of autobiographical stories, Bonbons assortis, has been shortlisted for the 2006 Governor General's Award for Translation. Ms. Gaboriau has also worked as a free-lance journalist and broadcaster; she has a longstanding association with Montreal's Centre des auteurs dramatiques (CEAD) and is the founding director of the Banff International Literary Translation Centre.
About Talisman Theatre
Talisman Theatre is a group of exceptional professionals drawn together from the Montreal community and collaborating their second Equity production—DOWN DANGEROUS PASSES ROAD, by Michel Marc Bouchard, translated by Linda Gaboriau. When we learned that this play has not yet been presented on the English stage in Montreal, we made it our priority. This is a play that will unleash all of our creativity and demand that we expand our artistic vocabulary.
Talisman Theatre's vision questions concepts of gender, religion, history, and identification to a community. Talisman wants to make theatre that demands discussion after a performance and during the rehearsal process. It wants to engage with artists that feel as deeply about their work as it does and who are willing to put their beliefs front and center.
Talisman Theatre is interested in discovering and producing work by Quebecois playwrights in translation that have not been produced on English stages in Montreal. Many theatrical works written by Quebecois artists remain unseen by the Anglophone and allophone communities in this province. We feel it is crucial that these communities hear and share the experiences of the culture we live in and benefit from.
