Written and Performed by:
Mary Ellen MacLean
Co-directed by:
Mary-Colin Chisholm
Co-created by:
Christian Murray
Location:
Centre Wakefield-LaPêche
38, ch de la Vallée de Wakefield
(Recommended for ages 13+/
60min/English)
Frankie
A marriage of rich comedy and physical theatre, Frankie is a witty, honest and intimate play about what happens when Frankie goes to her high school reunion. With hilarious accuracy, MacLean plays eight different characters including a spokeswoman for Gay-Away, a drag queen, and Frankie’s guitar playing, dope-smoking girlfriend Tundra, as she tackles growing up gay in small-town Nova Scotia.
After Mary Ellen’s show, stay for a party in the lobby! A musical group will play, food will be served extravagantly, and all will be well!
Biography
Mary Ellen MacLean (a proud Nova Scotian now living in the Gatineau Hills) is a performer, creator, teacher, director, and producer who works in theatres across Canada (Young People’s Theatre, Great Canadian Theatre Company, The Grand, Theatre North West, Western Canada Theatre, The Belfry, Neptune, Mulgrave Road, Live Bait, Eastern Front) as well as internationally. She is a protégé of physical theatre and mime master/director Tony Montanaro, who was based in Maine, USA.
Mary Ellen was a founding member of the Halifax physical theatre ensemble, Jest in Time, touring worldwide for 20 years. Some highlights with Jest include performances at the Sydney Opera House, a tour of Japan, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Just for Laughs in Montréal, a performance for Queen Elizabeth and three national CBC specials.
Some TV/film credits include Hatching, Matching and Dispatching, Wilby Wonderful, Wound-Up, Made in Canada, Liocracy and Shattered City.
Nova Scotia Merritt Theatre Awards: Twenty Years of Theatre Excellence (Jest in Time); Best Production (Trip-Jest); nominations for Best New Play (Frankie), Best Actress (Trip, Frankie).She is co-artistic director of Frankie Productions who produced her play Velocipede, using 21 bicycles, and seven dancers/performers. Throughout the year Mary Ellen teaches physical theatre, movement, improvisation and performance to all ages and levels. She is currently teaching The Actor’s Body to first term acting students at Seneca College in Toronto.
Mary Ellen and her wife Wendy have created an artist retreat – The Skyridge Studio — located in the Gatineau Hills for artists of all disciplines. In her spare time, she plays hockey and collects vintage bicycles. Her one-woman play Frankie has toured across Canada and aired on Bravo TV.