Altera Vitae is proud to present their third production, Death and the Maiden, playing at MainLine Theatre from May 13 to 24. Directed by Jesse Corbeil, the capable cast includes Sam Croitoru (Dr. Roberto Miranda), Carolyn Fe (Paulina Salas) and William Ward (Paulina’s husband, Gerardo Escobar). Altera Vitae produces works of theatre that engage and service the community. With each new production, the company partners itself with a valuable, charitable organization whose mandate is similar to themes in the play. For Death and the Maiden, Altera Vitae supports RIVO, assisting the organization in their public awareness strategies. Carolyn Fe, Altera Vitae’s artistic director, wants the public to know about this vital intervention network of therapists and community workers concerned with the well being of survivors of torture and other forms of organised political violence. “RIVO helps people like Paulina get on with their lives and thrive…not forgetting the past but moving onto the future with pride.”

Years after the fall of a dictatorship, a woman gets the chance to confront her torturer. Is this a time for forgiveness or revenge? Death and the Maiden is an inquest into the darker side of humanity – one in which everyone is implicated and justice seems like a fragile, ambiguous invention. Winner of the 1992 Olivier Award for Best Play, Ariel Dorfman’s explosively, provocative drama is set in a country that has only recently returned to democracy. Gerardo Escobar has just been chosen to head the commission that will investigate the crimes of the old regime when his car breaks down and the benevolent doctor Roberto Miranda picks him up. But Gerardo’s wife, Paulina Salas, thinks she recognizes another man – the one who raped and tortured her as she lay blindfolded in a military detention center years before. What would you do?

Director Jesse Corbeil comments on the unfortunate timelessness of the story, “Though it's not explicitly mentioned anywhere in the text, the play references the forces that were at work in Chile during the early post-Pinochet years; but the themes are still very fresh today.” He continues, “Torture and the presumption of guilt are everywhere, and habeas corpus is becoming nothing more than a notion.” Jesse would like audience members to come away questioning what it is that moves people to make assumptions where guilt and innocence are concerned, especially with so many people still imprisoned on the strength of extremely flimsy evidence.

Death and the Maiden is about survival and survivors’ will to live and show the strength in humanity. Producer/actor Carolyn Fe is passionate about the play on many levels, “It amazes me how much the human body and mind can take when there is a goal, a promise, a hope or objective that is held onto.” For Carolyn it is also deeply personal, “I've chosen to do this play to bring out the silent scream in everybody.” She continues, “This play makes you listen to that scream in the dark that nobody hears after barricading yourself for too long. Yes, it is political, but it also speaks to those who lack confidence.” Carolyn believes if you have a goal and you remain focused on it, you can attain anything.

Rounding out the team is stage manager and lighting designer Mindy Sirois, sound designer Dan Legault, fight choreographer Vladimir Cara, technical director Scott Drysdale, technical assistant Jeffery Farrer and photographer Litratista.

“If he’s innocent? Then he’s really screwed.” - Paulina

Death and the Maiden
Altera Vitae Productions
Playing at MainLine Theatre
3997 Blvd. St. Laurent

Tuesday to Sunday, 8:00 pm

Matinees: Saturday and Sunday, 2:00 pm
$20 regular, $15 student/senior

Pay-what-you-can: Wed. May 13 preview and May 16 and 17 matinees, to help spread word of mouth

Reservations: 514 849-3378 or www.mainlinetheatre.ca

Showtimes: May 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 23 at 8:00 pm

Matinées: May 16, 17, 23, 24 at 2:00 pm

www.alteravitae.com

This is Jesse’s second time directing for Altera Vitae Productions having directed ‘night Mother last year. Other directing credits include Craig Pospisil’s It’s Not You, David Ives’ Arabian Nights, Madeleine George’s The Most Massive Woman Wins and Caitlyn Murphy’s Brazen, all with 6th Avenue Players. Before that, he spent two seasons directing with Express O Theatre, the summer theatre programme of the Montreal School of Performing Arts. Jesse has also worked as a costume tech, dresser and stage manager for the Montreal West Operatic Society. When he’s not directing theatre, Jes plays 5-string bass for Montréal- and Calgary-based Celt/pop band, Squidjigger and Late for Dinner, a Montréal-area folk/rock band. He is also a freelance writer.. You can read more about Jesse and his projects at jessecorbeil.ca, squidjigger.ca and latefordinner.ca


This is Carolyn’s third production under the Altera Vitae Productions banner. As an actress, you may have seen her as the Mothers in Teesri Duniya Theatre’s Miss Orient(ed), Justine and Victor’s Mother in Fallen Angel Productions’ Monster and Berthe in MainLine’s staging of Hedda Gabler. Carolyn directed Altera Vitae’s previous production, Almost Blue. As a singer, she co-founded the local band DD Swank. She is also a solo blues/jazz singer with her latest CD getting airplay on CHOM (97.7FM) and Planète Jazz (91.9FM) among others, as well as an upcoming benefit show at Bourbon Street West. Carolyn continues the search for plays that will educate people about important issues involving Montreal’s local community groups.

William Ward performed in such notable plays as Twelve Angry Men and A Chorus Line but then put theatre aside for a few years while attending Concordia University where he got his degree in Communication Studies. Since graduating he has been slowly getting back into theatre and was most recently seen in MoonChild’s productions of When I Was Jesus, Full Moon Fever and La Bella Luna. In collaboration with his friends from Uncalled For Improv, William has also written, produced and performed in the award-winning sketch comedy shows THUNDERSPANK and Blastback Babyzap at the Montreal and Toronto Fringe and Just For Laughs festivals.

Sam Croitoru has just completed working in two Indie films, Killing Ruth-The Snuff Chronicles (produced by Cinegraphe Productions) and Section 753.2 (produced by Damascus Productions). Sam thanks Altera Vitae for the opportunity to be part of this important production.

Ariel Dorfman was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1942. At the age of two, his family was forced to flee to the United States because of his father's opposition to the Argentine government of Juan Peron. Dorfman's father was one of the architects of the United Nations, and the family lived in New York for ten years before leaving in 1954, during the McCarthy era, to settle in Chile. Dorfman has written fiction often dealing with the horrors of tyranny and, in later works, the trials of exile. His most famous play, Death and the Maiden, was made into a film in 1994 by Roman Polanski starring Sigourney Weaver and Ben Kingsley. Selected works include: How to Read Donald Duck: Imperialist Ideology in the Disney Comic (with Armand Mattelart), Widows, Reader, The Last Song of Manuel Sendero, Hard Rain, Mascara, Konfidenz, The Nanny and the Iceberg, My House is on Fire, Speak Truth to Power: Voices from Beyond the Dark, The Other Side, Burning City, Dancing Shadows, Heading South, Looking North: A Bilingual Journey.