Paula: What are some of the plays on the agenda for this upcoming season about which you are particularly enthusiastic?
Bob: The first one is Steve Martin’s Picasso at the Lapin Agile. It’s a wonderful play full of humor and it’s very loving; it’s a toast to a new century which we are all experiences. Into the Woods, Stephen Sondheims’s musical, is just a wonderful, brilliant piece of writing which has not been seen in the city. Conni Massing’s new play The Aberhart Summer, which is an Edmonton story, has so much relevance tot he city and is really going to touch people. Little Shop of Horrors because it is so much fun. Another one that is a bit unusual and probably the most outrageous is called Popcorn, and it is not for the faint of heart. It’s a comedy but really pushes the edge both theatrically and with it’s black humor it is very controversial. Paula: What is your own background in terms of the theatre? How did you get to this point today? Bob: I’ve always loved theatre, growing up in Edmonton. I went to high school and then the University of Alberta Drama department professional training program and graduated from there in 1974. Then I went all across the country on acting roles -- Stratford Festival for four years, then in 1979 I began a directing career and I stopped acting, and freelance directed. In 1982 I came to the Phoenix theatre and did that for five years, then left for Toronto and in 1990 started being Artistic Director of the Canadian Stage Company which is the largest regional theatre in the country, and was there for 8 years, and then the Citadel. This is my third position as an Artistic Director. I am doing what I love to be doing, and I’m doing it in my home city so it’s great. Paula: What are your general comments about the Arts scene in Edmonton? Bob: I’ve always felt that the city has a sophisticated audience for theatre and values theatre and attends it that they are actually quite discerning. It seems to me that the audiences aren’t as actively participating, not going as much as they used to in the late 80’s -- I guess there are a lot of reasons for that -- the economy, time constraints, people having families and not being able to commit as much. but when a piece is very good and they hear about it they go to it. They still like theatre, they just may have gotten out of the habit a bit. My goal is to make theatre fashionable again and to make people re-visit their habit of going to the theatre regularly. Previous Features
