Theatre Collingwood's next production aims to disarm audience

Theatre Collingwood is presenting a single matinee performance of a unique experience-driven presentation to mark World Seniors Day later this month at the Simcoe Street Theatre.

Disarming Venus mixes laughter and inspiration with heart-touching moments, says Erica Angus, the local theatre company’s executive director.

Angus explains that she was approached by Marni Walsh, founder of the theatre collective called Act 3, which is made up of older women who have had rich and varied careers in theatre.

The play features 13 performers, all women between the ages of 55 to 80 with rich and diverse backgrounds in theatre who draw from their own experiences and perspectives on love and beauty as ‘women of a certain age’. Angus said it won audiences over during the Toronto Fringe Festival last month.

“They wrote this piece to disarm the notions of what happens when people age, particularly women, the way we think about love and beauty, with regards to seniors,” says Angus. “They wrote this piece, almost cabaret style, where they’re doing all these little vignettes.

“I immediately thought this would be the perfect piece to do on Aug. 21, which is World Seniors Day…. It’s a beautiful piece for people of any age because we’re all going to get there or we hope we’re going to get there one day.”

The group, she adds, brings together diverse experiences in theatre and performing. Angus points to Nina Keogh, a third-generation puppet builder, puppeteer, performer and visual artist who worked on the long-time children’s series, Mr. Dressup, the Friendly Giant, as well as Jim Henson projects.

Disarming Venus features some of her puppetry.

Another member, Rita Shelton, is known for her career in broadcasting, journalism and theatre and being co-founder of VisionTV.

Beth Anne Cole, who, for many years, appeared on Mr. Dressup and has appeared at the Shaw Festival and Carnegie Hall and has performed in concerts across Canada and the U.S., is also part of the team.

“We’re just super-excited about being able to bring them in and have this really unique experience in Collingwood,” says Angus.

The performance, itself, runs 90 minutes. It is followed by a talk-back session.

Theatre Collingwood, like so many organizations, had to pivot during the pandemic, when social distancing was imposed and it came up with the concept of the Porchside Festival which featured smaller outdoor presentations allowing the audience to distance. During that period, said Angus, there was a time of contemplation about inclusion and the isolation felt by many seniors.

“Finding spaces that are accessible, that people with mobility issues can get into, it’s a struggle in Collingwood because we don’t really have a purpose-built arts centre. But this (Disarming Venus ) speaks to a lot of conversions we’ve been having around accessibility and inclusion, so the project really excited me,” says Angus.

With a staff of four and a volunteer brigade of 100 supported by a board of directors Theatre Collingwood has been working with other organizations to bring entertainment to town every month.

Angus explains that she came to Collingwood 13 years ago from Theatre by the Bay in Barrie when Theatre Collingwood decided it would shift from presenting its own productions as a summer theatre company, allowing it to present more productions.

Theatre Collingwood, she says, is a professional company that employs professional artists while charging “very affordable” admission prices.

The theatre company has just come off the fourth year of its Porchside Festival, entertaining 2,000 people this year.

Click here for tickets to the Aug. 21 Theatre Collingwood presentation of Disarming Venus.