DIRECTOR'S NOTE

A few years ago, I found myself wanting to step outside of my comfort zone of musical theatre and explore playwriting. So, off I went to the library, and found a total of…well…2 scripts. One of them, as luck should have it, was Atlantis. I remember, vividly, the first time I read it. I was in the bath. And the water went cold as I just had to reach the ending. I did. And then I read it again. I was fascinated with the playwright’s use of language. The way she spins a story, the poetic nature of her monologues and dialogue, intrigued me. I invite you to also see or read her other works. But I digress. We all know, now, that I am a bit of a Maureen Hunter fangirl!

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When I was asked to direct the show, I was terrified, but I said yes. Why the terror? Because here’s my secret: despite the amount of times I have read the script I am still unsure about the ending, and my feelings towards the characters. And I love that. Each time we rehearsed, I saw something new, felt something new. Some days I was moved to tears, others to anger, others to compassion. This play is a living, breathing, entity. And the team had to embrace that to bring the script to life. It is not an easy task, but I have been blessed with the commitment of incredible people, who each brought their own magic to our interpretation of the words.

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For me, the play conveys loss, sorrow, joy, self-discovery, and, at its core, love. Love for the earth, for another person, for oneself, for whatever spirit moves through you. I know I am supposed to tell you, in this director’s note, what the central theme of the play is. Well, I’m going to cop out on that. Maybe it is because this is a new role for me, or maybe it is because I am afraid to paint my narrative on top of the viewers, but I will leave you with this: I strongly believe that the central theme of this play belongs to the audience, and I hope this passionate and creative team is able to leave the space for you to discover it.

Take a deep breath. Together, we are going to Atlantis.