The Look — NLT 2021
- Our History
- NLT Memories
- 2020-2021 Season
The Look
BY ALEXA WYATT (AUSTRALIA)
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
Approximate running time 55 minutes
“We all like to be looked at, don’t we?”
Featuring: Linda Grass
Director, Set & Costumes: Trevor Schmidt
Assistant to the Director: Bethany Hughes
Original Composition & Sound Design: Darrin Hagen
Lighting Design: Rae Dunn McCallum
Projections, Multi-Media Design, Cinematography & Editing: Ian Jackson
Make-up Artist for Multi-Media Design: Kendra Humphrey
Stage Manager: Elizabeth Allison
Production Manager: Chris Hicks
The Look Trailer
Director’s Circle
Reviews
- Identity crisis in mascara and blush: The Look, streaming from Northern Light Theatre
— Liz Nicholls, 12th Night (Jan. 15, 2021) - The demise of cosmetic beauty takes centre stage in The Look
— Liane Faulder, Edmonton Journal (Jan. 19, 2021) - More than skin-deep: Northern Light Theatre sashays online with The Look
— Fawnda Mithrush, Taproot Edmonton (Jan. 21, 2021) - Northern Light Theatre mounts online production
— Anna Borowiecki, St.Albert Today (Jan. 22, 2021) - On Theatre: Alexa Wyatt discusses ‘The Look’
— Kate Stevens, CKUA (Jan. 22, 2021) - Linda Grass Has The Look
— Russell Bowers, CBC (Jan. 23, 2021) - Credit to the performance, and pandemic for unease watching The Look
— Jenny Feniak, Edmonton Journal (Jan. 24, 2021) - We All Like to Be Looked at, Don’t We?
— Alexandra Dawkins, Daze Magazine (Jan. 24, 2021) - THEATRE STREAM: NLT’s The Look Reveals Tragedy of Fashion
— Colin MacLean, Gig City (Jan. 25, 2021)
PROGRAM
Conversation Salon
A training session for Estelle Cosmetics that threatens to go off the rails…
Marilyn was once a celebrity, the original “Estelle Girl” of the Estelle Cosmetics line. Today she is an aged-out supermodel, giving lectures on cosmetics and demonstrating the various “Looks” and fantasy images that she inhabited as the “Estelle Girl”. Over the course of the lecture Marilyn is forced to confront her real self. But can she cope with this new found awareness?
PLAYWRIGHT
Alexa Wyatt
;)
Alexa Wyatt
Playwright
Alexa has worked as a story consultant, script editor, script writer and script producer on series including Janet King, Rescue Special Ops, All Saints, McLeod’s Daughters (8 series), Water Rats, Police Rescue, E Street, Heartbreak High, Big Sky, Home and Away, and Neighbours. Children’s drama credits include Mako Mermaids (3 series), The Bureau of Magical Things (2 series), 100% Wolf, Horace and Tina, Outriders and international projects. She also scripted a documentary for Foxtel’s History Channel, developed numerous TV dramas for Australian and New Zealand networks, was funded for a children’s television drama and sitcom from Create NSW and for a feature screenplay and book adaptation from Screen Australia. Playmaker Media optioned a series she created.
She is the recipient of a Distinctly Australian Script Editing Fellowship, working with London production companies, and has script edited numerous feature films. She has been a script assessor for Screen Tasmania, South Australian Film Corporation, Australian Film Commission and Australian Writer’s Guild. She is also a playwright with productions at the Adelaide Fringe Festival, Stables Theatre, Melbourne Writer’s Festival, Bridewell Theatre, London and Northern Light Theatre Company, Canada. She has taught for AFTRS, Screenworks and the Australian Writer’s Guild.
CAST & COMPANY
Trevor Schmidt
Director, Set & Costumes
;)
Trevor Schmidt
Director, Set & Costumes
Trevor is the Artistic Director of Northern Light Theatre as well as a performer, designer of set and costume, a published playwright and a multiple award winner. He has been awarded twice for playwrighting (THE WATERMELON GIRLS, and CHANGE ROOM),for directing the Canadian premieres of Carol Anne Duffy’s THE WORLD’S WIFE and Sean Graney’s THE 4TH GRADERS PRESENT AN UNNAMED LOVE-SUICIDE and the outstanding production award for the Canadian premiere of Elise Forier Edie’s THE PINK UNICORN. For Guys In Disguise, where he is an Artistic Associate, he has also performed the one-man show COFFEE DAD, CHICKEN MOM, AND THE FABULOUS BUDDHA BOI, penned by Nick Green in New York as part of the FRIGID FESTIVAL for which he also received the award for Outstanding Performance, and the Outstanding New Fringe Play (co-written and created with Darrin Hagen) for FLORA & FAWNA’S FIELD TRIP (both at the Sterling Awards), and Outstanding Touring Production at the Critic’s Awards in Calgary. Also for Guys In Disguise, he received an Orlando Fringe award for his performance for Bette Davis in the much-lauded BITCHSLAP.
Linda Grass
Marilyn Miles
;)
Linda Grass
Marilyn Miles
Linda is an Edmonton stage, film, television, and voice actor. She most recently appeared in Shadow Theatre’s premiere of THE WRONG PEOPLE HAVE MONEY. Previously for Northern Light Theatre, she has performed onscreen in THE LOOK, and onstage in CONTRACTIONS, MISS MARGARIDA’S WAY, THE BEARD, and URBAN TALES 9 & 10. In addition to working with NLT and Shadow Theatre, she has also appeared in the productions of Workshop West Theatre, Theatre Network, Teatro La Quindicina, The Citadel Theatre, Guys in Disguise, The Unconscious Collective, and Trunk Theatre.
Bethany Hughes
Assistant to the Director
;)
Bethany Hughes
Assistant to the Director
Bethany holds a BA in psychology and drama from the U of A. A playwright, director, and choreographer, she also co-founder Straight Edge Theatre. She served as the Artistic Director of the Walterdale Theatre. She was privileged to assistant direct EVERY BRILLIANT THING at the Citadel last year. Bethany is earnestly appreciative of the team working on this show and their support. Break legs and hearts.
Darrin Hagen
Original Composition & Sound Design
;)
Darrin Hagen
Original Composition & Sound Design
Darrin is an award-winning playwright, composer and queer historian. He is the author of THE EDMONTON QUEEN, which won a Sterling Award and was published in book form by Brindle & Glass Publishing. Darrin is the Artistic Director of Guys In Disguise, marking over 30 years of creating drag comedies that have toured across North America. He has received 7 Sterling awards and over 40 nominations for his work in Edmonton theatre. Other plays by Darrin include BITCHSLAP!: THE NEO-NANCIES: HITLER’S KICKLINE; TORNADO MAGNET: A SALUTE TO TRAILER COURT WOMEN (published by Brindle & Glass), WITCH HUNT AT THE STRAND; BUDDY; WITH BELLS ON; and THE EMPRESS & THE PRIME MINISTER (all nominated for the Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Award for Outstanding New Play).
Darrin has also teamed up with Trevor Schmidt to create the award-winning FLORA & FLORA’S FIELD TRIP (WITH FLEURETTE) and FLORA & FAWNA HAVE BEAVER FEAVER (AND SO DOES FLEURETTE), the hit musical KLONDYKES, DRAGULA (now available as a radio play through Bandcamp), PSYCHOBABBLE, 2 QUEENS & A JOKER, PREPARE FOR THE WORST!, PUCK BUNNIES, DON’T FROWN AT THE GOWN and the upcoming CRACK IN THE MIRROR.
Darrin has created sound and sometimes performed for many Northern Light Theatre productions going back 31 years, including CINDERELLA (THE REAL STORY), DOG’S TEMPER, METASTASIS, SPEECH AND DEBATE, 3 DIFFERENT HEAVENS, I GOOGLE MYSELF, BIFURIOUS, MOTEL HELL, MERCY OF A STORM, THE PASSION OF NARCISSE MONDOUX, CHRISTINA/PHILIPPE, DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME, BARONESS BIANKA’S BLOODSONGS, and most recently THE LOOK.
In 2005, Darrin was named one of 100 Edmontonians of the Century. To the best of his knowledge, he’s the only Drag Queen on that list. In 2017 he was named one of the most influential Alberta artists of the past 25 years.
Rae McCallum
Lighting Design
;)
Rae McCallum
Lighting Design
Rae (she/her) is an Edmonton-based freelance production manager, technical director, lighting designer, and technician in Edmonton. She has been part of the Edmonton backstage community for over a decade. She is also a proud board member of the Canadian Institute of Theatre Technology (CITT/ICTS) Alberta Section, promoting professional development and advancement of the theatre community.
Ian Jackson
Projections, Multi-Media Design, Cinematography & Editing
;)
Ian Jackson
Projections, Multi-Media Design, Cinematography & Editing
Ian is delighted to be back at Northern Light Theatre to work on THE GREAT WHOREHOUSE FIRE OF 1921 after filming each of NLT’s 2020-2021 productions for digital release last season.
Ian is also an accomplished professional photographer, videographer and Sterling Award Wining Multi-Media Designer.
Past Multi-Media Design work includes: METRONOME for Workshop West Playwright’s Theatre, INFINITY, IRMA VOTH, BUDDY, and HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH for Theatre Network, THE LOOK, SPEECH AND DEBATE, I GOOGLE MYSELF, URBAN TALES (multiple years), WATER’S DAUGHTER, and KAFKA’S AMERICA for Northern Light Theatre; PETER PAN for the Citadel Theatre.
Kendra Humphrey
Make-up Artist for Multi-Media Design
;)
Kendra Humphrey
Make-up Artist for Multi-Media Design
Kendra is an Edmonton based actor and makeup artist. She moved to Edmonton from Red Deer, Alberta to attend Grant MacEwan University’s musical theatre program. Since graduating she has been in several shows: Straight Edge Theatre’s CULT CYCLE, IMAGINARY FRIEND. Walterdale Theatre’s THE GREAT GATSBY and Thousand Faces Theatre’s THE NIGHTINGALE.
Kendra is a self-taught free-lance makeup artist, focused primarily on drag, fantasy and horror, however she also has roots in glam and natural makeup. Her credits as a makeup artist include: Northern Lights Theatre: 2020-2021 Season Premiere Photos, Grand Prairie Live Theatre: Drag Makeup Workshop and Ollie Quinn: Promotional Makeovers.
Liz Allison-Jorde
Stage Manager
;)
Liz Allison-Jorde
Stage Manager
Chris Hicks
Production Manager
;)
Chris Hicks
Production Manager
Christopher Hicks – But mostly known as Hicks since there is a saturation of Chris’s in the world – is a seasoned theatre and festival production creator. He has worked with magnitudes of major festivals in Edmonton and beyond, from dinosaur building and electronic music, to downhill canoe racing on snow. Graduating from the MacEwan Theatre Production program 10+ years ago, Hicks is still making art happen and enjoys it!
Like many still giving it out here, Chris has been successfully navigating the feast or famine, zero to sixty entertainment climate that has been the last 3 years. Avoiding burnout and learning all the intricacies of live streaming theatre, along with the reality of more multimedia shows in general, he has been quite proud of some of the recent achievements!
Hicks is stoked to be joining Northern Light Theatre for a return to full season action. This will be his 4th season in a row with NLT. He is once again pleased to be transforming the space into a powerful show you will be enjoying this time around.
However… Who wants to run away to the mountains with me?!
AN INTERVIEW WITH ALEXA WYATT
What inspired the play? What had been your playwriting career up to THE LOOK?
It was inspired by the part time job I got after leaving school and which I kept all through doing uni (I did a B.A in Communications majoring in writing). I worked in a chain of stores around Sydney that sold cosmetics and perfumes. Several of them had a beauty salon attached. They were high end stores so you had to look and dress the part. A lot of the brands we stocked ran “schools” for sales women (no man ever worked in these shops!), which we had to attend to learn about the products. I met quite a few “Marilyns” when I was obliged to do these courses. And of course serving the public always has interesting stories… The Look was written during the year I was a student at NIDA’s Playwriting Studio (National Institute of Dramatic Art – Australia’s premier drama school). I’d written one other play that had been performed for Interplay (International Festival of Young Playwrights), including a performance at the drama studio at the Sydney Opera House, and a tele-movie script that was funded for development by the Australian Film Commission. But I was pretty young and green, yes.
You seem to have made a sharp pivot toward TV work. How did that happen?
I wanted to be paid as a full time writer! And writing plays was definitely not going to do that. And I didn’t want to keep working in a shop. So I sent my cv around, phoned production companies, and did the spec script submission route – and was then offered 2 jobs in a week. One on Home and Away, and one on a show called E Street. I chose E Street because it was an hour drama and I thought I would learn more there. I stayed for about 5 years, starting as a story liner and finishing as senior script editor and script writer. I also met my partner on that show, and we have 2 children now.
How did your playwriting experience inform your writing for TV? How are they similar? Different?
A good story is a good story no matter the medium. The same with creating a compelling, complex and layered character. Playwriting tends to be more dialogue heavy, so I brought an ability to write dialogue to TV, albeit with a huge tendency to overwrite it. TV knocked that out of me pretty fast! Plus learning the pictures come first, then the words, on screen. TV also gives you the chance to craft much longer stories than the stage, so that was a great way to learn story structure. TV also teaches you how to collaborate with the massive team required to produce screen drama. Theatre can be bare bones, an actor on a stage and you can create extraordinary drama, but it’s never that simple for TV.
Here’s the SOPHIE’S CHOICE question — Which do you prefer?
Do I really have to choose? The immediacy of playwriting is appealing, watching the audience watch your play, seeing what they respond to, the slightly different performance you get every time. I remember watching a production of The Look in Adelaide years ago and this woman in front of me kept nudging her male partner as if to say “I get that, it’s my world”. I loved the recognition of her own life she was getting. But the reach of TV is amazing. I equally love knowing that something I wrote has been seen all around the world, and can be watched over and over again, years later. I love being in a writer’s room thrashing out new stories (and getting paid to talk about what mermaids do!).