Notice Board

The moment audiences take their seats for the first Drama Mainstage production of the 2016-2017 Season, they are submerged into a theatre experience like none other. The Drowning Girls, written by Canadian playwrights, Beth Graham, Charlie Tomlinson and Daniela Vlaskalic and directed by Gail Hanrahan, is an ethereal tale of mystery and betrayal, set in a twelve-foot pool at the centre of the David Spinks Theatre stage.  

Gasping up from underwater, three drowned brides are resurrected to piece together how a real life wife-killer duped them all. Originally written in 1999 for Edmonton Fringe by two U of A students and their professor, The Drowning Girls is based on the true story of the murderous George Joseph Smith who was hanged in 1915 for drowning three of his wives.

Hanrahan was drawn to the play for many reasons, but was most compelled to take on a project that centred around women and the voices of women. “This play was written by young, female, Canadian voices, and is a great example of the power of what students can do,” she says. Referring to both her cast, comprised of three talented drama students, and the playwrights, who had just graduated when they wrote and produced The Drowning Girls, Hanrahan notes that her directing approach is to facilitate those unique, female voices.

“As the director, I am guiding this process, but I’m allowing the cast to have their own voice and to take ownership of their characters. The cast may be small, for a Mainstage, but it has given opportunity for these actresses to develop their stamina and to take centre stage for the duration of the entire play,” Hanrahan says.

A collaborative process from start to finish, all artistic personnel have met since day-one to seamlessly blend all aspects of the production, resulting in an immersive experience for both cast and audience. With set and lights designed by Lee Burckes, and costumes by Jorge Sandoval, the Drowning Girls combines fabric, light, and water, transforming the David Spinks Theatre to a dream-like place, promising to leave audiences breathless by the end.

The Drowning Girls runs Oct. 18 – 22, 2016 at 7:30 pm, nightly.

Tickets for The Drowning Girls are available at the U of L Box Office, Monday – Friday (12:30 pm – 3:30 pm) or by calling (403) 329-2616. Tickets are also available online: ulethbridge.ca/tickets.

Ticket prices are $18 regular, $13 senior/alumni, $12 students.