University of Lethbridge MFA candidate Sean Guist is excited about directing ‘The Madonna Painter.
He did a lot of research into the play about a priest who comes to a small Quebec town at the end of the First World War in 1918, in the middle of the Spanish flu epidemic and tries to save the town by commissioning a triptych of the Virgin Mary and bases it on a handful of women in the town.
It runs March 20-24 in the University Theatre.
“Sex, lies and religion all collide,” Guist described.
He even went so far as to interview playwright Michel Marc Bouchard about it.
“ I interviewed him over Skype. He was really excited about it. I sent him a list of questions. He was so gracious and humble,” he said.
“I was going to go to Montreal to research it, but he said ‘no, you have to go to Quebec City,’ and he gave me a whole list of museums to go to,” Guist enthused.
He has always been interested in Bouchard’s works and leaped at the opportunity to direct this recently translated play.
“The story is incredible and the cast is small. It gives the cast a lot to work with because all of the characters undergo changes ” he said.
“It’s brand new, it has just been translated,” he said.
“It’s a big part of my masters thesis.”
The production features a sparse set with an open pit in front of the stage and a very small cast of seven.
“There will be some surprises,”said Guist of the pit.
Erica Barr plays Marry-Anne, one of the women being auditioned to pose as the Virgin Mary.
“She is a very innocent naïve young girl,” Barr described.
“ She’s fearful of a lot of things. She meets the priest and falls in love with him, so she goes on a pretty interesting journey,” she described.
Cole Olson, who plays the priest is enjoying his first main-stage role.
“It’s very interesting. He thinks he can save the town from the plague, but it doesn’t happen.
“Ryan Reese, who plays the doctor who commissions the painting, has had a lot of experience with theatre Xtra, directing “Possible Worlds” and acting in “Red,” another art themed play from this season.
“I’d never directed before, but it is really nice to be back on stage again,” Reese said.
“They’re two very different styles of plays,” he said, adding it has been interesting being part of a science fiction play and a main-stage production which is more dramatic and historical.
Benjamin Goodwin, who plays the painter is not an artist in real life, but is enjoying playing one in his debut on the university stage.
“It’s my first production on stage and I didn’t think I’d get it because I’m only a first year and first years don’t usually get cast so to be cast is an honour,” he said.
The play also stars Ali Deregt, Makambe Simamba and Danielle Funk.
“The Madonna Painter,” runs March 20-24 in the University Theatre at 8 p.m. each night.
Tickets cost $10 for students and seniors, $15 for adults. The play has mature content.
