Catalyst Theatre’s Scott Shpeley photo by Sean McLennan

Catalyst Theatre

Edmonton, Alberta
Performing: Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe

Edmonton’s Catalyst Theatre will join the Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad by performing their latest production Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe.

Developed in partnership with Magnetic North Theatre Festival, Luminato, Keyano Theatre and the Banff Centre for the Arts, Nevermore received seven Elizabeth Sterling Awards in June 2009, including Outstanding Production of a Musical, Outstanding Score of a Play or Musical, Outstanding Director and Outstanding Choreography.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to be positioned in an international context. I expect there to be some very wonderful performances by all artists involved, based on the energy and dynamics the Olympics will bring. Vancouver will be a very exciting place to be,” said Eva Cairns, Catalyst Theatre’s Managing Producer.

Written, composed and directed by Catalyst Theatre’s Artistic Director Jonathan Christenson, Nevermore takes audiences on a semi-biographical exploration of what Edgar Allan Poe might have experienced during his lifetime, and how those experiences shaped his imagination and influenced the creations of this famed American writer. Extracts and references to some of Poe’s most successful works are intertwined throughout the play’s plot and dialogue.

“His life is almost stranger and more intriguing than his work,” said Christenson. “There seems to be this constant through-line in his life of being almost literally pulled into his grave.”

Catalyst Theatre has developed a reputation for producing plays that contain innovative dialogue and plotlines, with visually stunning set designs and costumes. This reputation is a result of the collaborative partnership between Christenson and Catalyst Theatre Resident Designer Bretta Gerecke, who picked up Sterling Awards in Outstanding Set Design and Outstanding Lighting Design for her work on Nevermore.

“This is a visually stunning production that’s a hybrid of Victoria-era Goth meets punk rock. The costumes and set designs are absolutely fantastic and reinforce everything that an audience member would expect from Bretta Gerecke,” explained Cairns.

For more information on Nevermore and Catalyst Theatre, visit their website at http://www.catalysttheatre.ca/.

Q&A with Eva Cairns, Managing Producer, Catalyst Theatre

What is your fondest Winter Olympic memory?
The figure skating debacle of the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics that involved Canadian figure skaters Jamie Salé and David Pelletier.

What is your favourite Winter Olympic sport?
I enjoy watching the ski jumping event.

Ryan Parker and Scott Shpeley, photo by Bretta Gerecke	Garett Ross and Vanessa Sabourin, photo by Bretta Gerecke
Ryan Parker, Shannon Blanchet and Sheldon Elter, photo by Bretta Gerecke	Scott Shpeley and Beth Graham, photo by Bretta Gerecke
Nevermore company, photo by Sean McLennan