Summer of '17 Update

Rex has a 15 minute, one woman play in this site-specific theatrical event. "Photographic Evidence" is about a remarkable woman photographer, granddaughter of Susanna Moodie, one of the first to photograph portraits in the Canadian North West and High Arctic. Nicolle Wilson brings Geraldine Moodie to vivid life  in this Mixed Company production directed by Simon Malbogat.
Come and stroll along the Humber River in Toronto and see all six vignettes and find out about remarkable events and characters associated with the river. .

Rita --CBC Radio’s The Doc Project: a documentary about Rita has just been posted as part of a series featuring 15 black women:

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/docproject/upclose/rita-deverell-fought-her-way-on-stage-and-50-years-later-she-s-still-fighting-1.4207626

Rita and Anthony --Crestwood Preparatory School Oral History Project: Our grade 10 friend Anthony Radford-Grant crafted an excellent historical video doc about Rita:

http://www.crestwood.on.ca/ohp/

Rita--Canadian Race Relations Foundation: Check out Rita and others on the CRRF website: http://www.crrf-fcrr.ca/en/about/community/item/26468-deverell-rita-shelton

 Rita --Lakehead University Orillia: At the June 10^th. Convocation Rita had the great thrill of receiving the Honorary degree Doctor of Humane Letters:

http://www.ilrtoday.ca/lakehead-orillia-convocation-ceremonies-to-celebrate-honorary-degree-and-civitas-recipients/

 Rita --ROM Trustee: Rita was appointed by Order in Council to the Royal Ontario Museum’s Board of Trustees in January 2017. 

Rex -- has received a commission to write the text for the new hymn to celebrate the 190'th anniversary of First Baptist Church, Halifax.(September 24, 2017) 

/http://www.nsopera.org/ 

Time of Trouble 

An Opera in Two Acts

Composed by Elizabeth Raum, Libretto by Rex Deverell

 

Premieres December 15 and 16 , 2016

 Opera Nova Scotia will be presenting a fully staged production with chorus, instrumental ensemble, and star vocalists at the Dunn Theatre, Dalhousie Performing Arts Centre. 

Time of Trouble traces the history of The Sisters of Charity, Halifax from their arrival on a Halifax Pier, May 11, 1849, to the granting by Pope Leo XIII of autonomy from the Archbishop of Halifax.
Particular dramatic focus is setupon the contrasting attitudes to the sisters by the successive Archbishops of Halifax, Connolly and Hannan,and singles out the self sacrificing vision and fortitude of Mother Mary Francis in her pursuit of independence for her order.
As the opera ends we leave the sisters ready for new tasks of community service in education especially, leading to the establishing of Mount Saint Vincent University and in today’s global concerns for ecology and women’s dignity

 

New Learning Kit from Rita

Rita’s multi-media learning kit Women, Contemporary Aboriginal Issues, and Resistance (5 print pieces, rich visual arts, 83 minute dvd), first released in 2013, has just garnered much wider North American distribution through NFB Campus. Details  this link: http://www.msvu.ca/en/home/aboutus/news/AMIresourcemarch2016.aspx

For those who are not subscribers to NFB Campus please go to the Alexa McDonough Institute for Women, Gender, and Social Justice of Mount Saint Vincent University:

http://www.msvu.ca/en/home/research/centresandinstitutes/IWGSJ/Events/ToolKit.aspx/  

Rex and Rita Deverell News

Up Coming Rita to take part in April CSARN conference.  On April 18th, some 200 people will converge on Toronto Western Hospital for an inspiring day of workshops and discussions on what it means to be a senior artist. The day begins with a keynote address from Paul Hoffert - the founder of Canada's legendary band, Lighthouse - and ends with a panel discussion featuring Pachter; dancer and choreographer Peggy Baker; broadcaster and activist Rita Shelton Deverell; actor and singer Sheila McCarthy; and actor and producer R.H. Thomson. In between, participants will take part in breakout sessions covering a variety of topics, including A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Arthritis, Spirituality in Your Creative Life, Using Social Media, Stress Relief through Movement and Meditation, The Artist's Journey: Mapping Possibilities, and Protecting Your Intellectual Property. There is still time to be part of it, but registration is already at 70% and some of the breakout sessions are close to capacity. The cost is $60, but as a member of the CSARN Community, you are entitled to a special rate of $20, which includes lunch. If you haven't received our discount code, respond to this email and ask for one. Or click here. You can find out more about the conference here. Click here to go directly to the registration page.

News from December, 2015

Mimico Public Library

This Fall, Mixed Company Theatre and  I (Rex) have been resident artists at the Mimico Public Library gathering stories and holding workshops. This week a delightful cast bring to life stories of the Toronto West Lakeshore.

Time of Trouble Workshop Premiere

I'm in Halifax this week work shopping the new opera about the set-to between the Sisters of Charity and the Archbishop in the 1800's.. We had a dress rehearsal last night - the cast is terrific and Elizabeth Raum's music is great. The libretto hangs together so it is all good. I can't wait to see it in front of an audience now - tomorrow in Lunenburg and Saturday in Halifax.
Rex

Here's a link:
http://maritimeconcertopera.com/?p=813

Writing for Community Theatre

As part of Mixed Company's summer forum training programme, Rex will be leading a day-long workshop in writing plays for communities, July 11, 2015

"Developed by Artistic Associate and award winning playwright, Rex Deverell, this new hands on workshop will explore the whole process of developing a community play from concept, mobilizing participation, initial research, sources and resources, selecting characters and story lines to the final format. Participants will discuss ideas for community projects."

 For more information and registration go to:

http://www.mixedcompanytheatre.com/artists/training/?utm_source=Mixed+Company+Theatre+Newsletter&utm_campaign=69ce339622-More_Opportunities_Theatre_active_6_3_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d80da26739-69ce339622-71204209

 

Rita and Rex

Are both performing in Jose Rivera's amazing Sonnets for an Old Century at Theatre Passe Muraille Backstage in Toronto. As of today, Jan. 22, 2015, there are only three performances left and tickets are going fast. Sorry, for the late posting.  We are among a stellar cast - including our old friend, Michele George.

Fall, 2014

Rex

Boiler Room Suite is receiving a new production by Waterloo's Lost and Found Theatre. I'll be doing a talkback after the performance on November 8.

November 5-15, 2014

at the Kitchener-Waterloo Little Theatre

9 Princess Street, Waterloo

Tuesday-Saturday @ 8pm

Saturday-Sunday @ 2pm

Director: Richard Quesnel

Cast: Kathleen Sheehy, George Joyce and Alan K. Sapp

Set Design:  Nicole Lee Quesnel

Lighting Design:  Kirsten Watt

Sound Design:  Terry Barna

“Ah, they will say of us – how brave, how adventuresome – to launch off on a brand new voyage of discovery at a time when most would have given up...” -- Sprugg

Aggie Rose, a former actress, and Sprugg, a failed poet, are two elderly tramps who climb into the boiler room of an abandoned hotel on the Prairies to seek refuge from winter and from the world.  Together in the shelter of their “suite,” they deflate the pompous and powerful, acting out their fantasies as they try to bring "a little warmth, a little human kindness to each other's lives" until the outside world interrupts their reverie with the arrival of a mysterious stranger.

Winner of the 1977 Canadian  Authors Association Award for Drama.

Rita

Rita's latest in print:

Rita Shelton Deverell’s chapter Vocal Scholaristry: Giving Voice to the Art, Craft, Effectiveness, and Excitement of Speech-making is included in the October 2014 just published book Performing Scholaristry, $39.95, www.backalongbooks.com. Twenty authors reflect on issues, dilemmas, provocations and inspirations associated with imagining, designing, creating and performing non-traditional, innovative research projects.

Heading into the summer (2014)

Since the last posting, Rex has been continuing to work on "Time of Trouble" - the new opera with composer Elizabeth Raum.
Rita has been writing a screenplay based on Florence James, the subject of her play, McCarthy and the Old Lady. Florence's autobiography, Fist Upon a Star, was launched by University of Regina Press and has won the Saskatchewan book award. Rita has written an epilogue which reports on Florence's career in Canada following the Seattle trial.

Also you can see a brief article with pictures about Rita at home in Sugar Bush at the following link.

http://csreyes.wordpress.com/2014/06/16/at-home-with-rita-deverell/

Rita Rehearses East Coast Drama

Danger, Courage & Love

March 5th- 8th, 2014 • 8 pm

Alderney Landing Theatre

DARTMOUTH, NOVA SCOTIA

An original play by: Juanita Peters

Starring:

Arlene Duncan, Micha Cromwell

Rita Deverell ; Kirsten Olivia

Tickets: $25 Adults $20 Seniors/Students

with support

from:

THE CRAIG

FOUNDATION

THE MOTHER CLUB

Alderney Landing Theatre

March 5th -8 th, 2014 • 8 pm

Marge Sparks is a black midwife with 4 daughters, a dead husband and an entire village of problems. She wants all her girls to get up out of here and make a life somewhere where people who look like them can have a real chance in the world. She doesn’t know where that is, but she knows it’s out there.

Minnie Sparks is 12 years old and full of ideas. Her life is all planned out. She is going to take those beautiful sweet berries her grandmother and great Aunt Jessy pick for pies; make preserves and sell them at the market. She’s going to buy a big chunk of land and a big house so her family can live off their own resources instead of doing backbreaking work and sweating all month just to pay the rent.

When Minnie is raped and becomes pregnant, it’s the last straw. The nurturer now becomes the murderer. Instead of retaliating with the many useful tools on the farm, the women get together and concoct an intricate plan of intervention, protection and justice through their secret group THE MOTHER CLUB.

Starring:

Arlene Duncan

Micha Cromwell

Rita Deverell

Kirsten Olivia

THE CRAIG

FOUNDATION

with support

from:

An original play by: Juanita Peters

Rex is working on a Libretto

Composer Elizabeth Raum and I are busy at work on a new opera about a 19 century battle between unlikely combatants - The Sisters of Charity of Halifax and their Archbishop.