Douglas students talk ‘Waiting for the Parade’
By Adam Tatelman, Arts Editor
This week, the cast of the Douglas College theatre program’s upcoming performance, John Murell’s Waiting for the Parade, sat down with the Other Press to discuss their work in the program and their personal methods for getting into character.
Rebecca Troock was cast as Marta, an immigrant from Nazi Germany facing discrimination from Canadians. “She is isolated from Canadian society,” Troock said. “For this specific role, I like to make connections to current events right now. We’re going through this refugee crisis, unfairly judging Syrian refugees coming to North America.”
Rachel Fournier found it very easy to get into the shoes of Catherine, a young woman searching for the positive aspects of life that can help to keep people hopeful and lighthearted even in wartime. “I think we have a lot in common,” Fournier commented. “She’s a very strong-willed, confident person, and she takes a weird observing role in everyone’s grief because she doesn’t indulge in it much herself.”
Pamela Carolina Martinez also found it easy to identify with Eve, the youngest character in the cast, on account of their personal similarities. “She tries very hard to be mature, like the other women, but sometimes her naïvety comes out. She’s sort of the comic relief in the play,” Martinez said. “With Eve, it’s not that hard to get into her shoes. I just warm up with her personality sinking into me—I start to move and speak and behave more like her. She tends to walk with a strut, for instance.”
Shannon Lindsey was cast as Janet, a woman who takes on the responsibility of contributing to the war effort in a civilian capacity because her husband will not join the fight. “I try to be on top of things. If I’m not, it would come as a surprise, and that kind of bugs the other ladies,” said Lindsey. “Janet’s one of the red triangle hostesses—a group of women who organize things around Calgary. We organize parcels for the men making their way east, like bandages. We also practice evacuation drills in case of a bombing.”
Lily Gillette took on a very different role from her own personality—Margaret, an aging mother of two whose sons are embroiled in the war. Her youngest son is jailed for being a communist, throwing her life into chaos. “Margaret goes from having the perfect family and being able to pay her rent to having nothing. She has friends, but none of them like her because she’s always miserable,” Gillette said. “I’ve never played anyone this old before, so I’ve been working on my physicality, the way I talk and carry myself.”
To find out what happens to these characters, catch the free preview of Waiting for the Parade in the Douglas College studio theatre on March 10 at 2:00 p.m. Performances run from March 11– 18 at 7:30 p.m.
