Winter Sunset
Fading slow.
Dark trees, red sun
White snow.
Short the days
And long the nights
Until our earth
Sets things to rights
All the best for the holidays and for 2014
David Ferry’s lecture on Directing Reaney
Thank you all for joining us on October 20 for the Fourth Annual James Reaney Memorial Lecture to hear David Ferry’s talk on “Directing Reaney: From Black Feet to Main Street.”
Forty years ago on October 20, 1973, David Ferry began rehearsals for the Tarragon Theatre’s production of James Reaney’s Sticks and Stones: The Donnellys Part I. Earlier that summer, director Keith Turnbull and James Reaney workshopped the play in Halifax with actors David Ferry, Patricia Ludwick, and Jerry Franken, along with other actors from the Neptune Theatre.
David spoke about his experiences both acting in and directing the Donnelly trilogy, including The St. Nicholas Hotel and Handcuffs. Questions from the audience included what attracts actors to the plays, what are the prospects for future professional productions, and whether each play truly stands alone outside of the trilogy.
Many thanks to the organizers of the lecture at the Stratford Public Library — Charles Mountford, Anne Marie Heckman, and Sam Coghlan — for your continued support of this event.
Next year’s speaker will be Tim Inkster, publisher at Porcupine’s Quill. See you then!
Here are photos David Ferry shared from his production of Sticks and Stones at Bishop’s University in March 2013.
