The Artist’s Children (NTS Drama Festival and SummerWorks) 2018 SummerWorks Review

Photo from The Artist's Children, Summerworks 2018

In the SummerWorks program it said that The Artist’s Children by Liv Hussey would receive ‘a play workshop reading’.  I interpreted that as a staged reading. I’ve enjoyed the staged readings that I’ve seen in the past so chances were I would like this. I did. It doesn’t feel appropriate to review a reading but it was lovely and I was glad I was there.

It was presented by SummerWorks in partnership with The NTS Drama Festival – Ontario, formerly Sears Ontario Drama Festival. It’s an annual adjudicated student drama festival.  Hussey was in high school when she wrote the play for which she won awards in the 2018 festival.

The play was about an artist who runs away and lives in an abandoned house in the woods. She finds magic and motherhood and when she dies she leaves behind secrets and mysteries.

The reading was in a gallery and the stage was along one of the long walls. There were six chairs; five, with music stands to hold scripts in front of them, for the actors. The sixth was for director Aviva Armour-Ostroff who read the stage directions.

Across from them there were two rows of seats for the audience. The front row was chairs. The back row was stools so the people in the back could see. I thought it was quite an ingenious idea.

I wish there had been a program so I could mention the actors’ names. They did introduce themselves but it was faster than I could takes notes.

I hope The Artist’s Children gets picked up and produced. It was a beautiful play. There was only one reading.

Details:

  • SummerWorks continues until August 19, 2018
  • SummerWorks tickets are now Pay What You Decide at $15, $25, or $35, whichever suits your budget. All tickets are general admission and there are no limits to any price level. Tickets are available at the performance venue (cash only), online, by calling 416-732-4116, and in person at the SummerWorks Central Box Office – located at The Theatre Centre (1115 Queen Street West), open August 9-19 from 12pm-8pm. Cash and credit accepted.
  • Several money-saving passes are available if you plan to see at least 4 shows.

Photo provided by the company