'The Self-Isolated Artist' Series: Cranbrook, British Columbia Profile of Trevor Lundy
Interview compiled by Joe Szekeres, Chief Toronto Critic
Throughout the many connections we make in the live theatre performing arts community, there will always be those with whom we wish we could have made personal connections long before we did finally meet them.
Such is the case for me with Trevor Lundy who is now the Production Manager of Cranbrook Community Theatre in the East Kootenays of British Columbia. When I met Trevor, he was the General Manager of the Oshawa Little Theatre. I had been cast to play Mr. van Daan in the theatre’s revival of the multi nominated and Thea Award winning production of ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’.
I was amazed and impressed at how calm Trevor was when he was the General Manager of the Oshawa Little Theatre. His organization, tenacity, and energy to ensure each show moved in as smoothly as possible was admirable. Trevor’s love of the local performing arts and live theatre scene was contagious. He always made sure the production team and actors felt comfortable and secure within the building. When I did have those opportunities to speak with him privately, Trevor’s enthusiasm as to where he saw the theatre going over the next few years was building. He was looking to get as many key people as possible involved in the vision he had.
I certainly wanted to be involved. The one area where Trevor wanted OLT to grow next was in holding the provincial finals for the now defunct Theatre Ontario Association of Community Theatres Festival – Central Ontario – performances. I got involved in this specific project because Trevor had some visionary thoughts and ideas.
Unfortunately, a few months into the Festival planning stages, Trevor, his wife, and boys decided to return to their hometown roots as Western Canadians. Many of Trevor’s friends at the theatre were saddened at his departure as we sensed that there would never be another individual who could replace or fill what Trevor had done at OLT and the ideas he had for the future.
Trevor is not one to forget how kind and supportive people were to him when he and his family lived in Oshawa. He continues to keep in touch with his Ontario friends through the internet and the marvels of social media while living a full life with Rebecca and his boys in Cranbrook.
Trevor likes to communicate online so that’s how I conducted this interview:
1. Life has certainly done a complete about face for all of us since you left Ontario and your friends here several years ago. I had just begun to get to know you when you were the General Manager of The Oshawa Little Theatre where I was playing Mr. van Daan in their production of THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK. How have you, Rebecca and your boys been coping during this crisis?
We are doing alright. As alright as we can be. We are both still working as we are considered essential services, which is truly a blessing and a curse. It’s scary to have to be out in public as often as we are – and both of us dealing with some of the most vulnerable in our community – but at the same time we are not in the scary financial situation of so many. Our boys are adjusting well to their new schedules – learning from home, trying to get out for exercise. They are missing their friends and activities but understand the importance of the social distancing.
But I am also bolstered by all the good that is going on right now. People are trying to look after each other and we are supporting each other through this. It gives me a lot of hope for who we can be as we come out the other side.
2. It’s obvious that the world of live theatre has never left you since you moved back home out West. Describe some of the community theatrical works in which you’ve been involved since you’ve returned out West. How is the support for the performing arts in Kimberley? Is the town supportive of your efforts? Are the residents supportive of the community theatre?
I was lucky enough to be welcomed into Cranbrook Community Theatre when I moved back. I have been on the Board of Directors for the last 4 years and am our Production Manager so I have been very involved in most of our productions for the last few years. I have directed 4 shows…or I guess I should say 3.5 shows as we have had to postpone my current project, “The 39 Steps” due to the health crisis. Hopefully, we will be able to get that up and running again in the fall.
My most recent production was the Canadian premiere of a play entitled “The Tin Woman”, by Sean Grennan and before that I had directed “Lucy” by Canadian playwright, Damien Atkins which was awarded Best Set Design and Best Actress in our regional play festival as well as receiving recognition by the Playwrights Guild of Canada. I was very proud of both of these productions. I have also produced and performed in a few other shows over the last couple years.
We have a very supportive audience base here in the East Kootenays. Our audiences allow us to experiment a bit in our production choices and they still come see the shows. It allows us to push the boundaries and produce some shows that many other community theatres may shy away from.
3. Tell me about ‘All The World’s A Stage’ as it’s obvious this task has kept you busy during this time of isolation. How did this idea germinate? Why was it important for you to gather these actors? What are your impressions about the final product which you’ve completed and which readers will be able to see at the bottom of this article.
This project actually stemmed from a research paper I wrote during my time as General Manager at Oshawa Little Theatre on how theatre companies were starting to use emerging technologies like Social Media in performance. It had been floating around in my head for some time, but I never really knew how I was going to tackle it. When the quarantine really began and I had to postpone my production, I was looking for an outlet and figured there would be a lot of other actors in the same boat. I figured now was a perfect time to jump in and see what happened.
I reached out, through Facebook, to as many theatre or other artist friends I could and proposed to them my idea. I asked them to also share the project with their circle of friends and, within 24 hours had hundreds and hundreds of people in the Facebook group.
I challenged them to record themselves performing the “All The World’s A Stage” speech from “As You Like It” but gave no other direction than that. It was important that they all brought their own interpretation to the project. I asked them to then send the video to me and I edited them all together into one video. In the end I received between 12 and 15 videos from people across the country and even some from as far away as Scotland.
The idea was to see if we could create a theatrical piece even though none of us were in the same place. I am quite happy with how it turned out. I was kind of learning how to edit the videos as I went along so I admit the technical aspects of it may not be perfect but, as a first attempt I think it turned out alright. I’m already thinking about what we can do next.
4. Do you believe that COVID – 19 will somehow affect the role of the performing arts within the various Canadian communities? Will there be a change or transformation of some kind?
I think it would be impossible for it not to change the arts. I read once that the role of the theatre was to “hold a mirror up to society” so, as society inevitable changes though all of this, the performing arts will follow suit. I think it will be a while before the vast majority of people are willing to sit arm to arm with strangers in a dark theatre but I believe they will still be yearning for the escape that the arts provided. And artists will adapt. We always have. We will still find a way to hold up that mirror. It just may not be in the traditional sense.
5. Your ‘All the World’s A Stage’ is a prime example of streaming and online performance. As part of the new normal that our current world seems to have entered, will streaming and online performance be the new norm? Is it one in which you would like to participate?
I think that with Social Media having such an important role in our society, for better or for worse, it was inevitable for our performances to start utilizing it as well. Even before the Covid crisis. I certainly don’t think they will ever replace live performance. There really is nothing like that performer to audience (and vice versa) interaction you get with live performance. But I do expect we will see more experimental works exploring digital technologies and how and where we reach our audiences. I find this very interesting and hope to explore it more.
6. What is it about ‘performance’ and ‘community theatre’ you still love after all these years?
I am a huge supporter of community theatre. I love theatre but it is the word community that I think is the truly important word in the phrase. There is something very special about a group of people coming from their very different “real lives” to produce theatre simply for the love of it. Cranbrook Community Theatre’s motto is “Theatre for the community, by the community”.
7. Would you like to return to working in a theatre again sometime soon?
I am assuming by “working” in a theatre, you mean getting paid. Hell yeah!.
But I certainly get a lot of joy on working on the productions we do. I get a lot of opportunities to try my hand at different roles. In the last 3 years alone I have had the opportunity to be an actor, director, producer, set designer, lighting designer and who knows what else. Community theatre gives that opportunity. And I am proud to be a part of it (but if anyone out there wants to pay me for this…lets talk…)
As a nod to ‘Inside the Actors Studio’ and the late James Lipton, here are ten questions he used to ask his guests at the conclusion of his interview:
What is your favourite word? Bubble. It just feels good to say
What is your least favourite word? Moist…even before our Prime Minister said it
What turns you on? Someone trying their best and giving their all. Passion
What turns you off? “That’s the way we have always done it.”
What sound or noise do you love? The collective intake of breath from an audience when a moment happens on stage that really gets them
What sound or noise bothers you? The sound my ankle made when I sprained it this past fall
What is your favourite curse word? Fuck. It really is an amazing word. It can be a noun, a verb, and every other part of speech.
Other than your own at this time, what other profession would you have liked to have attempted? I have always enjoyed writing, so I guess a writer…or an independently wealthy billionaire
What profession would you not like to attempt? Accountant.
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear as you approach the Pearly Gates? “Thank God you’re here…”
Trevor’s head shot courtesy of Ashlee Dawn Photography.
Here is Trevor Lundy’s ‘All the World’s a Stage’ Project:
Are you interested in having either yourself or a member of your theatre community profiled during this time of isolation? Email fabulistmedia@gmail.com for further information and address your inquiries either to Damon or Joe.