Resident at the Varscona Theatre, we produce an annual four-play subscription series & special events Resident at the Varscona Theatre, we produce an annual four-play subscription series, as well as special events such as concerts, variety programs, and readings. Teatro strives to provide an environment which enables artists to grow in all capacities as theatre practitioners. Our ensemble approach
extends beyond the stage and is evident in the company’s organizational model, which has seen artists involved at every level of operations, from governance to production and administration. Primarily though, the Teatro ensemble has always functioned as a source of inspiration for programming, with productions built around the particular strengths, skills, and personalities of the group. The vast majority of original plays premiered by Teatro have been written very specifically for these dedicated Edmonton artists. For most of our four-decade existence, our programming has been centered around the original works of playwright Stewart Lemoine, a co-founder of the company in 1982. In recent seasons, the Teatro repertoire has been expanded to include the work of other authors whose work aligns with Mr. Lemoine’s particular story-telling and comedic ethos. There are two key words at Teatro, and the first of those is comedy. Comedy will always be a key component of everything we do, whether it be out-and-out farce, elegant period screwball, sweeping tales of romance and adventure, or murder mysteries and thrillers. Even the most serious plays we undertake are always leavened with an ironic perspective. The other important Teatro word is language. We cleave toward work which is articulate, witty, and specific in tone, and has dialogue between characters as its fundamental organizing principle. In recent seasons we’ve programmed work by writers Neil Simon, Ira Levin, Noël Coward, and Maxwell Anderson, as well as original works by our own ensemble members Jana O’Connor, Elyne Quon, Belinda Cornish, and Jocelyn Ahlf. Teatro La Quindicina first came into existence in 1982, presenting the play All These Heels at the inaugural Edmonton Fringe Festival. Stewart Lemoine was one of the authors of that play and its cast included Leona Brausen, who has performed frequently with Teatro over the subsequent four decades, and who remains the company’s resident costume designer. After several seasons as a once-a-year-Fringe-only company, Teatro began to forge alliances with other local presenting companies, including the Phoenix Downtown and Workshop West. We also toured to Toronto as guests of Buddies in Bad Times Theatre and Factory Theatre. Teatro has toured to Calgary, Winnipeg, and Ottawa, and our production of Pith was seen three times in New York City. Since 1994, we’ve been one of the resident companies at the Varscona Theatre, where we’re part of the Varscona Theatre Alliance which manages the building, and we collaborated fully in the lengthy process of reimagining and rebuilding that wonderful venue. The company’s current leadership consists of Artistic Director Andrew Macdonald-Smith, General Manager Cassandra Duval, and resident playwright Stewart Lemoine.
