news | Thursday August 26, 2010

The Remarkable Emily Carr

This month, the audience at the Chemainus Theatre Festival is in for an educational treat.

The Remarkable Emily Carr traces the artist’s life, very much in her own words, from age 6 to 60. Two actresses share the role of Carr. Ella Simon portrays the artist as a young woman, while Barbara Pollard, a 30-year stage veteran, plays Carr in mid-life and beyond.

A former member of Stratford Shakespeare Festival, Barbara Pollard now lives in Vancouver. She’s one of the original authors of the smash Canadian hit, Mom’s the Word.

Sarah Rodgers, the director, is fresh from winning outstanding director kudos at the Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards for Billy Bishop Goes to War. She appreciates the fact that Susan Shillingford pieced together the play using Carr’s autobiography titled Growing Pains. “What’s unique about this play is that it’s all her own words,” Rodgers said.

The Remarkable Emily Carr runs from August 25th to September 18th.

Visit the Chemainus Theatre Festival web site for more information.