Stage Door News
Stage Door News
March 19, 2015 . . . A programming change to the 2015 SpringWorks festival will see a new spoken word piece introduced into its fifth-season line-up. Instead of the play Bag of Stones, award-winning playwright Donna-Michelle St. Bernard will present her long-form narrative, Sound of the Beast.
The change came about after Clare Preuss, contributing artist to Bag of Stones, had to withdraw from the festival for personal reasons.
“We’re sorry that Clare won’t be able to join us in May,” says Artistic Producer Eileen Smith. “She is an exceptionally talented artist whose performances have enriched our seasons. We wish her well and look forward to welcoming her back to the festival in the years to come.”
Sound of the Beast is another piece in Ms St. Bernard’s 54ology, in which she creates a performance work for every country in continental Africa. Developed with support from the Banff Centre’s 2015 Spoken Word Program, the narrative is inspired by Tunisian emcee Weld-El 15, who was pursued and eventually jailed for performing his song “Boulicia Kleb (The Police Are Dogs).” Through this lens, the piece touches on censorship, the solitude of self-imposed exile, civil disobedience and abuse of authority, while juxtaposing cuts from controversial tracks closer to home.
“Donna-Michelle has been with SpringWorks since our first season in 2011,” says Ms Smith. “Her work has always been captivating, whether it’s been in the form of a staged reading or musical selections from her plays. We’re delighted that she’s bringing her latest piece to our stages; I think our audiences will find her show to be a truly memorable experience.”
The SpringWorks festival runs from May 7 to 17 in venues across Stratford and Perth County. For performance details and tickets, visit springworksfestival.ca.
Photo: Donna-Michelle St. Bernard.
2015-03-19
Stratford: New spoken word performance to be featured at SpringWorks 2015