Actors take on real stories

by · Castanet
Photo: Actors perform a scene from a TRU Actors Workshop Theatre production of Goodnight Desdemona, Good Morning Juliet directed by Catriona Leger.

A radio project that saw more than 120 Kamloops residents interviewed will now see the diverse range of local stories adapted for the stage.

CFBX, a community radio station located on Thompson Rivers University’s campus, began airing its Storied Voices series last August, which included more than 20 hours of material of stories from under represented or niche communities across the City of Kamloops.

The stories have been adapted into scripts based on which could best be performed on stage, and the casting and production process started in September. Rehearsals for the production are running up until the show premieres.

TRU performing arts associate teaching professor Wesley Eccleston said the production will see 22 actors play over 80 roles from nearly two dozen short plays.

“This type of theatre is called verbatim theatre,” he said.

“We're not allowed to edit the piece at all, which means that we can do what we want action-wise with it, but the lines are preserved, so there's no cleaning it out.”

Actors include TRU students, as well as actors and actresses from minority communities in Kamloops. Some of the people that originally shared their stories will CFBX will act in the plays, as well.

Eccleston said the show will include the single largest cast size of any production the theatre has staged, and will show off a diverse range of actors and stories.

Stories will range from lighter comedic pieces to romantic tales to dramatic and sometimes tragic stories.

“This is as close to realism as you can possibly get and it comes straight from here to you, from our region,” Eccleston said.

The plays will be performed on TRU’s campus beginning Thursday at 7:30 p.m., and will run until Nov. 30.

Tickets and further information on the production is available online.

“It's a beautiful piece told by people that live here, it was adapted by people that live here, directed by folks that are studying and living here,” Eccleston said.

“This is the kind of work that we should continue to do up here.”