Lady Macbeth and The Not Quite Dead

LADY MACBETH AND THE NOT QUITE DEAD

Songs that will raise the spirits....

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A song cycle of 17 songs was commissioned from artists across the country to create a truly national new work. We are experiencing life in a different way, so why not experience creating in a different way. We hope one day to share this piece on the stage but until then the writers will be sharing their songs in a series of short videos.  

Lady Macbeth and the Not Quite Dead, finds us all in the middle of Lady M’s infamous sleepwalking scene, except this time… she doesn’t spend her final night alone. She calls on the spirits of all those Shakespearian women who have "not quite" died before her. A party ensues and we become witness to the words, the wisdom and the wise cracks of those who were written off.

This offering is a gift from us to you. But if you'd like to support the future of this show, and have the means, all donations to Musical TheatreWorks made between March 27 & April 4 2021 will go to the incredible writers whose work you're about to watch. Enjoy and may we all be in a theatre this time next year!

Commissioned by Musical TheatreWorks in collaboration with Bard on the Beach, The Confederation Centre for the Arts, Freewill Shakespeare Festival, Globe Theatre, Hit & Myth Productions, Persephone Theatre, Shakespeare by the Sea, The Shakespeare Company, The Stratford Festival and Western Canada Theatre.

Special thanks to Lori Marchand for her knowledge, kindness and guidance and the generous support of the Hamber Foundation.

THE WRITERS

Kate is a theatre performer. She's in love with Charlie Gallant.

Michelle hails from Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island and a graduate of Sheridan College’s Music Theatre Program. Some of her favourite credits include(theatre): UnCovered - Carole King & Joni Mitchell, Stevie Wonder & Prince (Musical Stage Co), Rose (Soulpepper), Grease (Winter Garden Theatre, Drayton Entertainment), Freaky Friday (Theatre Aquarius), Wizard of Oz (GrandTheatre), Aladdin -The Panto (Drayton Entertainment), Two Hit Wonders (StageWest Calgary), RENT( CAA Theatre). TV: The Moblees (CBC), Odd Squad (PBS/TVO),Mrs. America (FX/ Hulu), The Handmaid’s Tale (MGM/Hulu), Japanizi(YTV/DisneyXD), Over The Rainbow (CBC). She was the recipient of the MusicalStage Company’s 2018/19 Banks Prize and nominated for a Juno with “The Moblees”in 2018. Michelle is currently writing new music, with hopes to have an EP out this year. You can check out her music on Spotify, Apple Music and several other streaming platforms; as well as her debut Music Video, which is on YouTube.

Petrina  is an actor, singer, director, writer and composer from St. John’s, NL. She originated the role of ‘Bonnie Harris’ in the Tony nominated musical COME FROM AWAY, and continues with the show on Broadway. She made her Stratford Festival debut in 2016 as ‘Rosalind’ in AS YOU LIKE IT, and was a member of The National Arts Centre, English Theatre Ensemble, 2013-2014.

Working inside the limits of Covid, Petrina wrote and performed “What Hangs In The Balance”, a one-person ghost story inspired by the true story of the last woman hanged in Newfoundland and the contemporary retrial of her case. Filmed for Persistence Theatre in St. John’s, NL, it streamed internationally on BroadwayWorld.com in February 2021.

Petrina’s own musical A CALL TO ARMS, with music by Ged Blackmore, made its debut to sold out houses in St. John’s in 2017. Produced by Atlantic Light Theatre, the musical tells the heart-wrenching, true story of the Norris family from Three Arms Island, Norte Dame Bay, and the enduring sacrifice the country of Newfoundland made in WWI. It has subsequently been filmed for distribution within the NL school system as an educational aid.

Petrina has worked extensively with Artistic Fraud of Newfoundland since it's inception, having participated in the creation of ten of the company's original works including Fear of Flight, AfterImage, and Oil And Water. She is a familiar face in her home province from her work with Spirit of Newfoundland, Rising Tide Theatre’s annual REVUE, and most notably for her portrayal of the iconic Newfoundland entertainer, Joan Morrissey, in SO LET’S BRING ON OUR FAVOURITE: THE JOAN MORRISSEY STORY, by Jody Richardson and Sue Kent.

Ben has performed in theatres across Canada and the United States. Recently he’s had a fruitful association with the Stratford Festival, playing(among others) Hamlet, Leontes in The Winter's Tale, Brutus in Julius Caesar, Touchstone in As You Like It, Feste in Twelfth Night, and Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing, as well as roles ranging from Hildy Johnson in The Front Page, to the title role in Moliere’s The Misanthrope, to Lord Burleigh in Mary Stuart, to De Flores in The Changeling, to Captain Von Trapp in The Sound of Music. His Petruchio earned him a Canadian Screen Award in the Stratford HD Series' production of The Taming Of The Shrew. He’s performed in over 25 productions at the Shaw Festival, including John Tanner in a highly acclaimed(and uncut) version of Man And Superman. For Chicago Shakespeare Theater, he has played Hamlet(Joseph Jefferson Award), Macbeth, and Pericles, among others. Vancouver audiences might have seen his Macbeth, and his Jacques in the Beatles-infused As You Like It at Bard On The Beach in 2018. His musical credits range from A Little Night Music to Floyd Collins to Mary Poppins to London Road to She Loves Me.

Colleen is a musical theatre composer and pop singer/songwriter based in Vancouver, Canada. Together with lyricist Akiva Romer-Segal, she has penned the scores to the musicals Going Under, Toronto Fringe hit Bremen Rock City (with librettist Sara Farb), Grow (with librettist Matt Murray), and The Louder We Get (formerly Prom Queen, with librettist Kent Staines). The Louder We Get premiered at the Segal Centre in Montreal, received the 2016 Stage West Pechet Family Musical Award from the Playwrights Guild of Canada, and has been showcased at the 2017 NAMT Festival of New Musicals (NYC), The Other Palace (London, UK), and the Grand Theatre (London, ON). Colleen & Akiva's newest musical Grow has been workshopped and presented at the Canadian Musical Theatre Project (Sheridan College, Oakville), the 2018 Next Stage Theatre Festival (Toronto, ON), and the 2020 Goodspeed Festival of New Musicals (East Haddam, CT).

Colleen's songs have been performed internationally by cabaret performers, recording artists, and Broadway stars, including the Cutting-Edge Composers series (NYC) and the CMTWC's Blame Canada series (Toronto, London, Vancouver, NYC). Her music has also been featured on TV and in films and web series'. Colleen and singer/songwriter Zoe Sky Jordan released two albums as indie-pop duo Petty Victories, and their songs were featured on the Canadian classic Hockey Night in Canada, in the 2015 Max Landis film Me Him Her, and on the 2014 web series Other Men. Two of Colleen's most recent original songs are featured on the 2020 web series Avocado Toast, and she recently co-wrote the theme song for the #1 podcast "Bunga Bunga", produced by Wondery and narrated by comedian Whitney Cummings.

Colleen is an alumna of the Johnny Mercer Writers Colony at Goodspeed Musicals, the Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project in Chicago, Theatre 20’s Composium, and Musical Stage Company’s Launch Pad, Noteworthy, Make Me a Song and One Song Glory programs. These days you can find Colleen in her home studio, where she is writing and recording material for her new solo indie-pop album and for various web & TV projects. Learn more at www.colleendauncey.com

Video and music produced by Colleen Dauncey

Sheldon is a Métis actor, writer, stand-up comic, musician and director originally from Northern Alberta. As a stand-up comic, he has emceed and been host at both Breaker’s, and Dave’s Comedy Saloon, and has toured western Canada twice as the opening comedy act for Hypnotist, Marc Savard. Sheldon was also a Top 14 finalist on Canadian Idol in 2006. TV credits include: HANK WILLIAMS’ FIRST NATION, CAUTION: MAY CONTAIN NUTS (Gemini, and Canadian Comedy nominated writer) and DELMER AND MARTA (APTN, writer, co-star, and Co-Executive Producer), HELL ON WHEELS, (AMC). He is also a core-member of the ukulele rock band sensation, The Be Arthurs. His theatre credits include: CRAZY FOR YOU (Citadel Theatre), HAIR THE MUSICAL (Mayfield Dinner Theatre), ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS, EVANGELINE, ONE MAN TWO GUVNORS (Citadel Theatre), BEARS (Pyretic Productions), TARTUFFE, SOUND OF MUSIC, ENRON (National Arts Centre), IT’S A BIRD! IT’S A PLANE! IT’S SUPERMAN! – THE MUSICAL, FIORELLO, ANKLES AWIEIGH (Plane Jane Theatre), MARVELOUS PILGRIMS (Teatro La Quindicina) THE CRACKWALKER (Kill Your Television Theatre), THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, SHEAR MADNESS, THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY and THE FULL MONTY (Mayfield Dinner Theatre), BEOWULF (Workshop West Theatre), L’HOMME DE LA MANCHA (L’Unithéâtre), HROSES: AN AFFRONT TO REASON (Maggie Tree Theatre), NEVERMORE (Catalyst Theatre).

Charlie Gallant is an actor, musician, and photographer who has spent the pandemic travelling Canada in a DYI camperized 2004 Ford Freestar named Harriette and swimming the frozen lakes of Ontario. It’s been an unforgettable chapter of Life. Hope you’ve discovered something new, as well.

Marlene is an actor, screenwriter and occasional musician. Before the pandemic, she lived in New York City, but now she lives on the internet. She doesn’t know anything about Shakespeare and this is the first song she has ever written! Please keep these things in mind, should you choose to listen to it. She is grateful for this opportunity to get to learn GarageBand, and of course, to stay connected to the theatre community. Thank you.

Kristi is a disabled theatre artist who has called Edmonton home for the past 15 years.  Kristi trained as an actor atGrant MacEwan’s Theatre Arts Program from 1999-2001, and then at the University of Alberta’s Bachelor of Fine Arts Acting Program from 2001-2004.  Kristi is the co-founder and co-ArtisticDirector of The Maggie Tree and the former co-Artistic Producer of AzimuthTheatre in Edmonton, AB.

Acting credits include Candide (EdmontonOpera); The Silver Arrow, A ChristmasCarol, and Alice Through the LookingGlass (Citadel Theatre); TheInvisible: Agents of Ungentlemanly Warfare (Catalyst Theatre); Mr. Burns: a post-electric Play (You areHere Theatre/Blarney Productions); TheBad Seed, The Jazz Mother, Pith!, The Scent of Compulsion, and The Ambassador’s Wives (Teatro la Quindicina); The Hollow (Vertigo Theatre); SmallMouth Sounds, 10 out of 12, andPassion Play (Wild Side Productions); Irma Voth (Theatre Network); Christina/Philippe(Northern Light Theatre); The Sound ofMusic (National Arts Centre); Comedy of Errors, Hamlet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet and Love’s Labour’s Lost (FreewillPlayers); The Snow Queen and Apocalypse Prairie (Azimuth Theatre); The Supine Cobbler, Monstrosities, Age of Arousal, Hroses: An Affront to Reason, Folie à Deux, and Hunger Striking (The Maggie Tree). Her one-woman show, Woody, explores the themes of privilege and disability in a reflection of her life as a disabled human living in a white, cis body in North America in contrast with other amputees (real and imagined) around the world.

Deborah has performed many seasons at the Stratford and Shaw festivals, and in theatres across Canada and the US, most recently appearing at the Shaw Festival as Roxanne in Cyrano de Bergerac and Nell Gwyn in Victory, as Mary Poppins at The Grand Theatre, and a second time around as Rose Stopnick in Caroline, Or Change with Musical Stage Company. A smattering of highlights include Thaisa/Marina in Pericles, Emilia in Othello, Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing and Katherina in Taming of the Shrew at Stratford; Goneril in Groundling Theatre's King Lear; Sally Bowles in Cabaret, Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, and Billy Dawn in Born Yesterday at Shaw; Celimene in A School for Lies (Chicago Shakespeare); Canadian Stage’s North American Premiere of London Road, Nora in A Doll’s House, part two (MTC/Mirvish) and three seasons as Catherine Cardinal on CTV's Cardinal. Deb is delighted to be part of this fun project and looks forward to hearing what is on the posthumous minds of these Shakespearean dames.

Sierra (she/her) is a multi-disciplinary, mixed-race, 2LGBTQ+ artist. She is currently an Artistic Associate at Globe Theatre Regina and is also a councillor at ACTRA Saskatchewan. Sierra is completing her last semester of studies atStudio 58 in Vancouver, BC. In May 2020, her radio drama, I’M RIGHT HERE, was produced thanks to the National Theatre School of Canada’s #ArtApart initiative. Sierra has ongoing mentorships with award-winning Canadian stage and musical writers Tetsuro Shigematsu and Anton Lipovetsky. She has recently begun mentorship with award-winning TV screenwriter Nathaniel Moher through Women of Color Unite’s  JTC List (#StartWith8HollywoodNorth). Big love to her teachers, friends, family, and collaborators!

Tara was born and raised in Calgary,Alberta and is of Jamaican and Haitian heritage. An honours graduate of Berklee College Of Music, she has filled the past few years with theatre performances across Canada, include her Merritt, Sterling, and Evie award winning performances for her portrayal of Celie in The Color Purple. “What a blessing to connect in such disconnected times! Here’s to the light at the end of the tunnel and doing things on your own terms.” @taraatee

Amanda is thrilled to be a part of Lady MacBeth and the Not Quite Dead from her home in Nova Scotia. Selected Theatre Credits include: The Bitterest Time: The War Story of Mona Parsons (LunaSea/SarAndipity); Once (The Grand/MTC); Once, Annie (Neptune Theatre); Spoon River (Charlottetown Festival/Soulpepper Theatre); Bittergirl, Pride and Prejudice (Citadel);Twelfth Night, Anne and Gilbert (NAC); Adventures of a Black Girl in Search of God (Centaur/NAC/BTW); Dear Johnny Deere, (Charlottetown); The Miracle Man, Rockbound (Two Planks and a Passion); Dani Girl, Kiss of the Spider Woman (Talk is Free Theatre); The Paper Bag Princess (The Grand); A Mid-summer Night’s Dream, Noises Off (Stephenville Theatre) Film/TV: Flashpoint (CBS/CTV) Other: Amanda holds a Combined Honours in Theatre and Music from Dalhousie University. Amanda’s album, Yours, truly was co-produced with Don Kerr (Rheostatics, Ron Sexsmith). Many thanks to Tracey and Barb for carving out a new means of connecting creatively in these unprecedented times, and bringing us together from a distance.

Allison is based in Calgary and has appeared on most of Calgary’s stages either onstage as an actor or behind the scenes as a composer/sound-designer/music director (and sometimes all at the same time). Allison has multiple awards and nominations for acting/composing and musical direction in Alberta, Vancouver and Victoria, and you may have seen her outside Alberta at the NAC, The Grand, Rainbow Stage, Persephone, The Arts Club, The Drayton Festival, The Belfry or The Chemainus Theatre Festival. Allison is also a multi-instrumentalist and enjoys composing for live performance as well as film, radio and podcasts. Allison performs regularly with her jazz trio and her album Skin & Flame is available for streaming. Allison is thrilled to be a part of this incredible project!

VIDEO CREDITS - Directed by Michael Vincent Tan

‍Devon is just another poetic post-capitalist polyglot playwrighting long-limbed live-looping singing-songwriting storytelling genre-bending multi-instrumental musician, middle child, and Canadian.  Wielding Wit & Witchcraft with her Melody & Wordsmithery, Devon mixes music with musings to make Punk Pop for people who think a lot.  She also loves to stage sonic storytelling cabarets: all-original theatrical live shows featuring chordful commentary.  More Devon at www.devonmoremusic.com

VIDEO CREDITS: Director/Editor: Morris Bartlett - DOP: Walter Sawan Camera Assist: Rayne Sawan, Best Boy: Taylor Moorey Playback: Dimple Takhtanii, Audio Mastering: Marcus Smith, Catering: Catriona Leger, SPFX: Burkley King Producers: Devon More & Morris Bartlett

Ann is known by many to be a truly Renaissance woman: a unique and passionate performing artist, composer and librettist, narrator, workshop facilitator, author, and keynote speaker. Her albums, books, one woman shows, musicals, ballets and her deep work with people have won her, among many awards, theOrder of Canada and YMCA Woman of Distinction Award. She has been Chair of the BC Arts Council, travelled the world, worked with the dying, dined with theQueen, spent time with the head Sangoma of the Zulu Nation, worked in Calcutta with Mother Teresa, and co-founded The Trust for Sustainable Forestry and The Somerset Foundation.

Originally from Newfoundland, Jonathan debuted at Carnegie Hall as a pianist at 16. A musician and actor, he has performed on Broadway, at the Stratford Festival, and in theatres across North America. Favourite roles include: Ted in 2 Pianos 4 Hands (1st National US tour), Cosme McMoon in Glorious (Theatre Calgary, Vancouver Arts Club, CanStage), and Jean Valjean in Les Miserables (Atlantic Light). Musical Director credits include: Alan Menken and David Spencer’s The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz at Montreal’s Segal Centre, for which he also co-produced the Original Cast Album. Fun Home at the Vancouver Arts Club (Ovation Nomination), Piaf/Dietrich for Mirvish Entertainment in Toronto (Dora nomination) and the Segal Centre in Montreal, The Light in the Piazza for Musical Stage Company in Toronto and Theatre Calgary (Betty Award Nomination), Floyd Collins in Vancouver and Toronto (Jessie Nomination), Alice Through the Looking-Glass (Stratford Festival), his own musical With a Twist in Calgary (Four Betty Award wins, including best musical and best musical direction), and the world premiere of The Hockey Sweater (Segal Centre/NAC), which he co-wrote with Emil Sher. Jonathan won BMI New York's Harrington Award for Outstanding Musical Theatre writing, and was musical associate to Alan Menken, Adam Guettel, Charles Strouse, and Richard Maltby.

Tracey  is a west coast actor, writer and director/choreographer. She has written plays like GLORY inspired by the amazing women's hockey team the Preston Rivulettes which is soon to be published by Concord Theatricals and musicals like Miss Shakespeare which she'd love to see on stage again. She created and directed Chelsea Hotel; The Songs of Leonard Cohen which has toured much of the country and she has acted in shows like Blackbird, Clybourne Park (Citadel Theatre), Urinetown; The Musical, The Ecstasy of Rita Joe (Firehall Arts Centre), UBUNTU The Cape Town Project, Les Miserables (Western Canada Theatre), The One that Got Away(Electric Company), Midsummer Nights Dream, Henry V (Free Will Players) and The Back Kitchen, I Love You, You're Perfect.... (Arts Club Theatre). She has been focusing more on TV and film these pandemic days so it's a joy to imagine for the theatre again. Creating with a team spread across the country has been such an exciting adventure. I'm so grateful for this teams courage, creativity and willingness to explore something new. Creating has been a rollercoaster this past year, but knowing there are others depending on you has been both motivating and unbelievably rewarding. Enjoy... www.traceypower.ca

ARRANGEMENT: Steve Charles

VIDEO CREDITS: Directed by James MacDonald, Lighting by Liam Befurt - Final image taken by: John Webber

Amanda  (she/they) is a Cree and Saulteaux/settler artist, member of the White Bear Band, who calls Saskatoon home. Recent credits include: The Invisible: Agents of UngentlemanlyWarfare, Catalyst Theatre; exempt, Native Earth Performing Arts; I Lost My Husband, Persephone Theatre; Turn Turn Turn, Sum Theatre; Art of War, Hardly Art Theatre (upcoming). Amanda is an instrumentalist and composer as well, and was nominated for a SATA for her score of Ferre Play Theatre’s The Penelopiad. Since the pandemic started, she’s been busy with video games, many Zoom based acting gigs, Zoom acting classes, and being very thankful for her SSRI’s. Currently she’s in rehearsals for Yvette Nolan’s Art of War and is composing this summer’s Sum Theatre Theatre in the Park, which she’ll be performing in as well. To inhabit Cordelia was a gift - thank you toTracey and team for this breath of inspiration!

Parmida (she/ they - pronoun indifferent) is a multi-disciplinary artist based in Toronto. Since graduating from George Brown Theatre School, Parmida has focused her work on developing new plays. Within a few years, she has accumulated credits in acting, directing, development and co-creation. In 2018, Parmida originated the role of Fatima Al-Sayed in Mark Crawford's hit play, The New Canadian Curling Club which she has gone on to reprise in productions across the country. Following the halt of live shows in 2020, Parmida has kept busy with online shows including a virtual reality performance of Dance of Torn Papers coming up in 2021. As a songwriter and musician, Parmida has toured nationally. In July 2020 she released her debut self-produced EP "SOLE" under the moniker Päter. The EP was met with high praise and has collected over 500,000 streams on Spotify to date. For more on Päter’s music follow @paterverse on Instagram.