Dancer and artist Debra McNie is looking for participants to help her fulfill a dream she had about creating a play about the Potato House Project.
She says she had a dream about creating the play shortly after attending the society’s open house last summer.
“So vivid was my dream I felt compelled to share the dream and concept for the play with the society,” McNie says. “The board of directors agreed I should move forward to make my dream a reality.”
As a young girl living in Williams Lake McNie remembers seeing Manuel and Alcina Quintela working in their garden when she made trips to town with her mother.
After a number of years living in Vancouver McNie and her husband moved their family back to Williams Lake in 1992.
“All felt right with the world to see Manuel and Alcina still living in their home and to see them in their garden once again was comforting for me,” McNie says. “When Alcina passed and Manuel moved out of the house it was a reminder that time does not stand still.”
She was pleased to learn about Potato House Project Society and the future plans for the Quintela’s house to become a centre for education on sustainability.
“It was wonderful to know that the house would not remain empty and would continue to have a garden,” McNie says.
The play she is creating will be called Potato Dreams and will be historic fiction to be performed outside, on location this summer.
McNie is seeking both actors and writers to join her in development of the play.
“No previous theatrical experience is needed to participate in this production. My team and I will be available to consult and mentor,” McNie says. “This is a great opportunity to experience from beginning to end the creation of an original production as it is developed to a quality fitting for an audience to see.”
The story line is about a woman who has lived in the house and revisits the house after many years being away. While she lived in the house she was visited in her dreams by magical people.
The dreams are woven throughout the story which is shared with the audience through a conversation between the woman in her later years when she returns to the house and an older man who visits the house when she returns.
“A message of sustainability for our people, our land, and arts and culture will be at the forefront of this production,” McNie says.
McNie is seeking input from individuals and/or groups to develop dream sequences for the play. She says dream sequences must be original and can include music, dance, story-telling and more, but should take no longer than 15 to 20 minutes to perform. The play is for all ages.
“The possibilities are endless when imagination is at play,” McNie says.
McNie asks that dream sequence outlines be submitted no later than April 10. Applications are available by contacting McNie at mcnie6@hotmail.com or on the web at www.potatohouseproject.com.
Hard copies are available at Dandelion Living at 271 Oliver St.
People interested in joining her writing team and enjoying the collaborative process of creating a play can leave a message at 250-398-6344 or contact her by e-mail at mcnie6@hotmail.com.
“We will be writing the fictional story/script of the woman’s life and integrating the dreams into the story,” McNie says.
Auditions for the play will be held on April 15 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Central Cariboo Arts Centre on Fourth Avenue North.
The lead character is the woman appearing to be in her mid 60s. She will narrate and tell the story of her life and dreams during the conversation with the older man who also appears to be in his late 60s and visits the house to listen to the woman’s stories.
Other main characters include a father in his 30s to early 40s; daughter seven to nine years old, daughter in late teens to early 20s, a young First Nations man in mid 20s, four-to-six other adult and youth actors to be in the audience, and a horse that must be good around people and work for hay.
She is also hoping to have the play filmed. There are also places in the production for dancers, musicians, singers, artists and set, make-up, costumes, and more to help with the production.
“Those involved, no matter what capacity, will help create a wonderful and uplifting magical play for all to enjoy,” McNie says.
For more on McNie’s story turn to Page A21.