Matchstick Theatre and LunaSea Theatre are co-producing a workshop reading of Post Alice, a play by Taylor Marie Graham.
Post Alice premiered in 2021 as part of Here for Now Theatre’s summer season in Stratford, ON. The play follows four women who weave a mystery from their past–the disappearance of Mistie Murray, a young woman from Goderich, Ontario–into an evening of secrets, stories, and song. Inspired by four characters from iconic Alice Munro stories, Post Alice is a stunning contemporary play which asks the question: what really happened to Mistie Murray? And what happens to all our missing girls?
In the wake of Munro’s death in 2024, her daughter Andrea Skinner came forward to reveal that the celebrated writer had been complicit in covering up Skinner’s abuse by Munro’s second husband. The news sent shockwaves through the literary world and made us reconsider our programming of Graham’s play. After careful consideration, Matchstick and LunaSea teamed up with playwright Taylor Marie Graham to revisit her work in light of Skinner’s revelations. Graham, through conversations with and input from Skinner, weaves this vital new context into the play with grace and intention. To our knowledge, it is the first time in professional Canadian theatre history that a published play has been rewritten and staged in light of essential, contextual revelations.
LunaSea and Matchstick are excited to present a workshop reading of this new version of Post Alice in Point Pleasant Park, September 23rd, 24th and 25th.
Post Alice will take place outdoors in Point Pleasant Park near the Prince of Wales tower.
The workshop reading runs for approximately 75 minutes with no intermission. Performances start at 6:00 PM.
Tickets are Pay What You Can, with proceeds going towards the future full production of the show.
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Venue Accessibility
Our production of Post Alice takes place in the clearing beside Prince of Wales tower, which is along a gravel path just off of the main entrance road into upper Point Pleasant Park. Attendees in power chairs and wheelchairs can access the area, and we will also have access to Shakespeare by the Sea’s golf carts for additional transport help if needed.
Please reach out to us at matchsticktheatre@gmail.com if you have questions, want more info about the path into the park, or would like to pre-arrange for a golf cart ride!
Content Notices
Post Alice examines themes of sexual abuse, as well as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
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We would like to acknowledge the support of Arts Nova Scotia and Halifax Regional Municipality for this workshop reading.
Featuring
Wenlock - Lily Falk
Belle - Leah Pritchard
Onora - Lara Lewis
Edie - Ailsa Galbreath
Playwright - Taylor Marie Graham
Direction - Kathleen Dorian
Cultural Consultation - Lisa Nasson
Stage Management - Chelsea Dickie
Choreography & Movement - Sarah Prosper
Lighting Design - Alison Crosby
Scenic Design - Brenda Duran
Costume Design - Kaelen MacDonald
Poster Design by Jessie Walker
About Taylor Marie Graham
Taylor Marie Graham is a Waterloo Arts Award-winning playwright, a Dora-nominated librettist, and an Assistant Professor at Bishop’s University. She has an MFA in Creative Writing and a PhD in English and Theatre studies from the University of Guelph. You can find Taylor’s articles in Canadian Theatre Review, Intermission Magazine, Routledge’s Journal of Applied Theatre and Performance, The Conversation, Theatre Research in Canada, Guernica Editions, as well as Canadian Literature. Critics describe her plays and operas as “arresting and funny” (Slotkin), “uncommonly cool” (Mooney on Theatre), “charmingly twisted” (Toronto Star), “powerful, and courageous,” (OnStage), “meaningful for all ages” (Intermission), “darkly evocative” (Istvan Reviews), “psychological, theological, and ornithological” (Our Theatre Voice), “as moving as it is scary” (My Entertainment World), and “profound, beautifully crafted” (StageDoor). In 2024, her play anthology Cottage Radio & Other Plays was published by Talonbooks and Human Voices Wake Us was published by Rosegarden Press.
Learn more about Taylor at https://taylormariegraham.com/
