Eduardo Garza's Photo Exhibit Featured at Sirius Theatrical Studios

Photographer Eduardo Garza along with invited guest photographers will exhibit works at Sirius Theatrical Studios during the run of OLD LOVE.  Here is Eduardo's description of the exhibit:

It was born in 2012 when I had to record ( photographically ) the different types of Streetlights for a solar-electric system personal project.
 
I was amazed to realized the beauty of them, and how they could have a relation with their surroundings. And when I started to name each one with a significant name, I decided to make this a new theme for a photographic series.
 
After the first exhibition I invited other photographers ( not have to be pros ) to participate and add pictures to the series. Now I have 2 guests who are excited to show their Works ( ideas ). The invitation is open for any of you 
 
This is a brief history of the exposition
 
Thank you again
 
Regards
 
Eduardo

Heather Dick, Actor/Artistic Director on OLD LOVE

Sirius Theatrical Company's Artistic Director, Heather Dick plays Molly and 6 other characters in Norm Foster's OLD LOVE

1. What draws you into the script of OLD LOVE?  What has made you want to work with this piece?

Norm Foster creates characters that are imperfect and believable and he has strong ear for dialogue that is easy to speak and very real.  I’m playing seven different women and each one of them talks in a unique way – vocabulary, speed of dialogue, phrasing, intonation.  They are clearly defined and easy to connect with – not necessarily easy to portray, but I can connect with all of them, something about each of them resonates with me.  I like to work on characters when I have strong connections to them.  There are also many layers to each scene and so many subtle nuances within the story.  Yes, this is a comedy, but beneath the humour are real and surprising truths.  It’s finding those deeper layers that is challenging and fascinating.  I also love the fact that the story is all about love the second time around.  We all want a second chance at love, I think.

 

 

2. You each portray multiple characters in this play, is there one character that you connect with over the others and why?

Molly, the character around whom the story revolves, is the person I immediately connected with when I read the play for the first time.  She’s a survivor who has never lost her sense of humour despite “crawling through some barbed wire”, as she says to Bud, to arrive at the place where she is now.  It’s her wit, and the fact that she tries not to take herself too seriously, that I connect with and love.  As well as Molly, I play six other women, all of whom are very, very different and just as much fun to portray.  I connect with all of them and have enjoyed finding the little bits of ‘me’ inside of each one.

 

3.  What for you are the biggest challenges of this work?

Playing seven very different women who vary in age from early 20’s to late 50’s is a huge challenge, especially as four of them appear back to back within three minutes and in the same scene.  I’m working to explore unique physicality and voices for each of them so that transitioning from one person to the next becomes easy and seamless.  I literally transform in front of the audience without being able to change costumes or leave the stage.  That’s a big acting challenge.

 

4. Where do you find inspiration for the characters you portray?

I find inspiration all around and within me – from personal experiences, imagination, people I observe, my director, Marianne McIsaac who is amazing, and Nick Rice who is a joy to act with.  For me, it’s very important during the rehearsal process to be as open to new ideas as possible because inspiration often comes from the most unexpected sources, if I can simply be open and aware of them.

 

5. Do you have a favorite moment so far of working on OLD LOVE?

The rehearsals have been filled with laughter and joy right from the first day so I don’t think I can say that I have a favourite moment.  I’m enjoying the whole process and I think that will shine through the performances.

Costume Designer - Diana Luszczek

OLD LOVE's Costume designer Diana Lusczek speaks about inspiration for her design.

1.  Where did you draw inspiration from for the costume design of OLD LOVE?  Was it directly from the script, from the director, from the time period, the characters?

I drew my inspiration for the costume design from reading the script and getting a sense of the characters as I first "met" them. Then, further inspiration came from a collective discussion of the characters and their transition between the past and the present. The director as well as the cast were contributors because of their understanding of their characters.

2. What challenges have you faced in creating the costumes for OLD LOVE?

The biggest challenge was to find a way to portray to the audience the various time periods (flashbacks & present) and character transitions. For instance, Sandra, Delores, Claire and Shirley are all played within a 5-10 minute time frame. All the characters transition right on stage. The costume pieces needed to be simple yet demonstrated a change in character. A scarf, a sweater, an accessory piece that made each character individual and set apart from the previous or next one.

3.  Do you have any favorite moments or experiences you would like to share from your time working on OLD LOVE?

My favorite time at any rehearsal, is watching the actors develop into their characters. Last week I was so engrossed not only in the performance but the story. I was totally drawn into the story being told that I felt I was part of all of their lives. It's strange how you begin to know these people, their intimate lives and at times almost feeling like you are intruding on their most private moments like when Molly confronts Arthur about knowing he is having a child with another women. 

I find I do the same thing when I'm engrossed in a good book except with a stage production the characters have come to life off the pages instead of flowing through my own imagination.