A new play by Des Walsh
Directed by Richard Rose

MUN Reid Theatre, St.John’s
October 8th -18th, 2009 (no show Monday October 12)
Previews: October 6th & 7th, 2009
Showtime 8pm
Preview Tickets 15.00 / All other shows 26.00
Tuesday October 13th is Student Night! Tickets for students are 10.00 with a student id
Tickets are available at Holy Heart Box Office 579-4424

Tarragon Theatre, Toronto
November 11- December 13, 2009
For Ticket information in Toronto call 416-531-1827 or email boxoffice@tarragontheatre.com

Featuring: Ruth Lawrence, Jane Dingle, Darryl Avalon Hopkins, Didi Gillard-Rowlings, Greg King, Monica Walsh and Kate Corbett. Assistant Direction by Kristina Nicoll and Stage Management by Elyse Summers.

Freely adapted from Lorca’s Yerma (a word applied to the land meaning empty/barren/bare), Rocking the Cradle explores the character of Joan, played by Ruth Lawrence, and her desperate desire for motherhood in a troubled marriage. The play contrasts the physical and emotional emptiness of Joan with other vibrant relationships in the community. Rocking the Cradle is set in rural pre-moratorium Newfoundland during the 1960’s and features many of the cast singing traditional ballads a cappella.

"There is no disease in the world like desire..." - Mary (played by Didi Gillard-Rowlings) from Rocking the Cradle

"I immediately thought of Des Walsh, knowing the playwright had to be poet, humourist and a musicologist much like Lorca." - Richard Rose

"When Richard Rose approached me, I read all of Lorca's plays, and in Yerma, I felt as if I knew those characters, almost heard them as a child." - Des Walsh

L-R Des Walsh, Richard Rose and Ruth Lawrence on the first day of rehearsal for Rocking The Cradle

RCA THEATRE COMPANY AT THE LSPU HALL RECEIVES FUNDING FROM
STATOIL CANADA TO SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT OF NEW PLAYS.

The Resource Centre for the Arts Theatre Company (RCAT) is pleased to announce its new partnership with Statoil Canada to develop a playwriting series that will bring together senior artists and young emerging playwrights to develop skills and produce new plays for the LSPU Hall.

Under this agreement, Statoil Canada will contribute $100,000 over four years to launch the Statoil Playwriting Series -- making the company a STAR Corporate Sponsor at the LSPU Hall.

"We are honoured to be a Star Sponsor among the truly amazing stars of the LSPU Hall," said Erik Abrahamsen, vice president of east coast operations, Statoil Canada. "The Hall is the heart and soul of the arts community in Newfoundland and Labrador. Without doubt, many of the province's best have used the Hall as a platform to become some of the nation's biggest stars. Our goal, as sponsor, is to add many names to the Hall's list of stars for years to come."

The board and staff of RCA Theatre are thrilled that Statoil Canada is making such a tremendous contribution to the development of Newfoundland's indigenous theatre. "This Star Sponsorship will go a long way to further creating, developing, and nurturing Newfoundland's theatre community. In turn, it will also provide audiences with the opportunity to enjoy even more stories told in this ever-changing, always culturally unique, contemporary Newfoundland and Labrador," says Sherry White, Chair of the RCA Board of Directors.

"It is a very exciting time for the Resource Centre for the Arts and for Newfoundland Labrador," says Amy House, RCA's Artistic Animateur. "It speaks volumes that a major oil and gas company, like Statoil Canada, is investing in our artists who contribute immensely to the fabric of our province. Our creative community is one of the reasons people want to visit, work and live in Newfoundland Labrador. This funding will create continued employment for our artists."

At this time, RCA Theatre Company has several plays in development as well as many scripts submitted for support. This Statoil Playwriting Series program will secure the future of some of these plays, as well as make a huge contribution to the performing arts in Newfoundland Labrador by providing funding to the source for all theatre... the play. This series will nurture young playwrights, support our senior playwrights and develop new indigenous scripts that reflect our culture. The partnership with Statoil will enhance our vibrant provincial arts scene for which Newfoundland Labrador is renowned.

Statoil Canada currently owns interests in several exploration, development and production licenses offshore Newfoundland. The company is a partner in the Hibernia and Terra Nova fields as well as a partner in developing the Hebron field.

This Fall, RCA Theatre is launching The Statoil Canada Playwriting Series For Young People, which will ensure a great future for the performing arts by involving young people in our vibrant arts community. This program will feature prominent Newfoundland playwrights working with student writers in a series of seminars to develop their skills as young playwrights. Scheduled to take place in the 2009-2010 school year, this program will creatively engage students in many ways. Here’s a more detailed look at the series:

Young People’s (14-21) Playwriting Seminars

• This series will target high schools, MUN, and Sir Wilfred Grenfell College for submissions. Students will be asked to submit an outline or first draft of a dramatic script in order to be considered for the program. Submissions can be based on topics such as where you live, your family, current social issues, or any topic that interests you.
• Twelve to fifteen students from different schools will be selected to attend four seminars (each four hours in length) over 2 months with senior playwrights speaking on topics such as structure, beats, character development, back story, arc of the play and/or genres such as comedy/drama, etc.
• During the seminars, our Senior Playwrights will discuss elements of playwriting in a general sense, in order to give students a chance to learn new techniques and apply those to their scripts.
• Young Playwrights will continue to work on their script over the two-month period.
• Following the series the young playwrights will be invited to resubmit their works-in-progress. Of these submissions, three playwrights will be chosen to work one on one with a senior playwright (dramaturg) for a two day workshop. At the end of this process there will be a public reading with actors of the three chosen plays.
• At the Public Reading the three selected playwrights will be awarded a $200 prize.
• The three selected young playwrights will be invited to attend all preview performances of RCAT main stage and/or SOS productions throughout the season.

Accomplished novelist, playwright, screenwriter and actor, Joel Hynes, will be visiting schools in the Fall of 2009 to talk about The Statoil Canada Playwriting Series with interested students. The playwriting seminars conclude with public readings in Spring 2010 at the newly renovated LSPU Hall. Please contact us if you would like to schedule a time for Joel to visit your school. You can call 753-4531, email Amy at rcat@nfld.net or Nicole at rcata@nfld.net with your inquiries and suggested appointment time. We look forward to hearing from you!