UNews - Mary

World War I drama caps TheatreXtra season

trevor.kenney — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 16:09:45 +0000

Ethereal, mysterious and poignant, award winning Alberta playwright, Stephen Massicotte's World War I drama, Mary's Wedding, materializes in the David Spinks Theatre Feb. 28 to Mar. 2 at 8 p.m. nightly.

TheatreXtra's final production of the 2013-2014 season tells a sensitive and beautiful story of love and loss during a precarious time in history.

"The play is about Mary and Charlie, and their struggles of love during war, but it all takes place in Mary's dream. I know that audiences will be surprised with how emotional it is," says director Taylor Fornwald (third-year, drama/education major).

Although there are only two actors in the play, putting together a production that transcends reality is a challenge, and one Fornwald is excited to tackle.

"Above all else, this is a love story and its theme is something everyone can connect with," he says.

Tickets are available at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Box Office. Individual tickets are priced at $11 regular, $7 seniors/students.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ mourns passing of former Management professor

trevor.kenney — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 22:01:34 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community wishes to express its most sincere condolences to the family, friends and former colleagues of the late Geoffrey John England, a former long-serving member of the Faculty of Management.

A memorial service has taken place.

Geoff was born Jan. 9, 1950 in Cleethorpes, England and passed away at his home in Nelson, BC at the age of 61.

He leaves behind his mother Barbara England (nee Moody), sister Christine, his three sons James, Matthew and Ian and their mother, Marilyn (nee Race), his wife Sandra (nee Christou), and their three daughters Elizabeth, Mary and Barbara.

He was predeceased by his father Arthur England. As an arbitrator, educator, and academic writer he made a significant contribution to the field of labour law in Canada.

Geoff was a dedicated family man. He enjoyed many eclectic interests, spending hours playing guitar, learning languages, reading history but above all, he was a loving husband and father.

It was Geoffrey's wish that any donations be made to the Strathcona Society in support of soldiers and families of Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) tank regiment, PO Box 10500, Station Forces, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 4J5.

Oordt remembered as a prof who inspired students

trevor.kenney — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 14:57:34 +0000

The following is a story that appeared in the Apr. 13 edition of the Lethbridge Herald

By CAROLINE ZENTNER
Generations of university students were blessed to be taught by Marty Oordt although they may not have known it at the time.

Oordt was one of the first faculty members hired at the fledgling ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge in 1967. Owen Holmes, the dean of arts and sciences at the time, remembers meeting a lively and enthusiastic young man who wanted to inspire students.

"Marty was a real enthusiast for liberal education. I think of him as Mr. Liberal Education at the university," Holmes said. "In that context he was a great inspiration to a whole generation of students and a really great colleague when we were all trying to foster that kind of a beginning for the university."

Oordt passed away April 8 at age 73 after a brief illness. Born and educated in the United States, he joined the English department at the U of L and stayed for 30 years. He received the Medal for Distinguished Teaching in 1996.

Oordt was a writer and poet and, after he retired in 1997, publisher of Lethbridge Living magazine. He supported several local organizations as a volunteer.

"He was certainly an inspiration and a mentor to many students and to many people," said Jenn Schmidt-Rempel, a former student who took over Lethbridge Living from Oordt and his wife Mary in 2006. "He was always easy to talk to and you could always pick up where you left off when you saw him last. He was certainly more than just an instructor and he took a great deal of interest in his students and the projects they were working on."

Schmidt-Rempel had been a freelance writer for Lethbridge living for several years before she became managing editor in late 2006. As a student, she said Oordt helped her learn to think critically about her creative work, to take a step back and look at plot, structure and development. At the same time he was encouraging.

"Out of all the things that I really remember is probably my first day at university sitting in his English 1900 class. He was asking us to come up and develop characters for a short story that we were working on," she said, adding she had what she considered a ridiculous idea about a child and a cat. "He was really encouraging about that and he said 'You know what, it's your idea, go for it.' The whole thing spawned a series of probably 12 to 15 stories about this kid and her cat."

When Oordt joined the U of L, he came with the attitude that students should come first.

"Education was the flourishing of the student more than just the transmission of information. That was the spirit of it and Marty was right in that spirit all the way through," Holmes said. "He and some others organized a special program called Colloquium Study at the university. That was a pure form of liberal education; it was a
wonderful experience."

A celebration of Oordt's life is scheduled for Saturday, Apr. 30 at 6:30 p.m. at the Galt Museum.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ mourns passing of Oordt

trevor.kenney — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 22:07:36 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community offers its most sincere condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the late Dr. Martin (Marty) Oordt, a founding member of the U of L faculty community, legendary professor of English, and well-known writer, poet, magazine publisher and community volunteer.

The man credited with the birth of the Meliorist, the U of L campus newspaper, passed away Friday, April 8 at age 73. He is survived by his wife Mary, and a daughter, Marya (Oordt) Helm, BA'85, BEd '89.

A celebration of Marty's life will take place on Saturday, Apr. 30, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Galt Museum.

Condolence notes may be left at the Martin Bros website:

http://www.lethbridgefuneralhomes.com/obituaries/view_guestbook.asp?obitid=1662

He was born in Lynden, WA, in 1938, and received his undergraduate degree at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1960. He took both his masters and doctoral degrees at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Kentucky.

During his more than 30-year career at the U of L, Marty influenced many writers and poets through his classroom and on Whetstone, a literary magazine he founded.

He is described by former students as one of those people, that no matter how much time had passed between the last time you chatted with him, you could pick up right where you left off when you saw him next.

A former student who is now a reporter at a major daily newspaper recalled a particularly memorable experience:

"When I was a student at the U of L, I submitted a particularly lazy paper on Alan Ginsberg to Marty. Rather than let it ride, he gave me a little lecture I've never forgotten. It made a big difference and I never thanked him for it. But, Mary, I want you to know how grateful I am for having had Marty as a professor. He will be missed."

With his spouse and long-time business partner Mary, they published Lethbridge Living Magazine from 1997 until 2006, and for years produced the Faculty of Management's magazine, Management Matters, among other publication.

Age of Arousal a passionately-charged production

trevor.kenney — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:00:05 +0000

When two spinster sisters and a charismatic cad named Everard invade Miss Mary's School for Secretaries, they become the catalyst for political, sexual and emotional upheavals. Age of Arousal, by Canadian playwright Linda Griffiths, appears in the David Spinks Theatre Oct. 14-18, nightly at 8 p.m.

The play is set in 1885, a time of change and confusion, with corsets busting in
unbridled desire and Suffragettes threatening the status quo.

"The play deals with confusion, change and how what seems clear to the mind may not always be clear to the heart. It is all about people having a hard time figuring things out," says director Gail Hanrahan.

The plot revolves around Mary's lover Rhoda, who has dedicated her life to championing rights for women and "the Woman Question," and Monica, the younger sister of the spinsters, who is living through her physical desires. Both fall for the charismatic cad and in the end neither is fulfilled.

"Although set in Victorian England, these same issues touch us today and provide something for audiences to
contemplate," adds Hanrahan.

"This vibrant play takes audiences through the gamut of emotions, from some very funny bits to some extremely touching moments," she says, adding she was attracted to the play because of its emphasis on acting.

"I think this is the strongest cast I've had since coming to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and all six actors — Jocelyn Haub, Geneviève Paré, Caylee Stewart, Leeanne McLim, Jazlyn Dow and Adam Beauchesne — are excited about working hard to reinforce their skills."
The cast faces some interesting challenges.

"The play is full of 'thought speak', where character's feelings are spoken out loud," says Hanrahan. "So in some places there's a spoken conversation going on with the added complexity of thoughts also being spoken by the same actors. Actors have to develop contrasts to clarify that difference for the audience."

Unlike many U of L mainstage productions, Age of Arousal has a small cast and an intimate setting in the David Spinks Theatre.

"To emphasize that it is a time of change, we've contrasted the rich soft fabrics of Leslie Robison-Greene's beautiful costumes with the clean lines of David Barrus's shiny black set, which emphasizes the new industrial age," says Hanrahan.

Although not strictly of the Victorian period, the costumes reflect that rich draped and layered feel of Victorian times and include delicate embroidery and fine detail work — down to hand painted embellishments.

"I love fabric and I have to say the costumes are gorgeous, I'd call them succulent," she says with a smile.

Taking a little artistic license, the set pieces reflect what is new now, while props used by the actors offer a more Victorian feel.

Another unique feature of the production is original music composed by Bente Hansen of the U of L Music Department.

"There is a lyrical quality to the play," says Hanrahan. "I had heard Bente performing and asked her to get involved."

Hansen has been at most of the rehearsals and has woven her music into the production.

"Bente watches the actors and reacts to the action and mood she sees. Her piano became another voice and I can't imagine the play without music," says Hanrahan.

Tickets for Age of Arousal are priced at $15 regular and $10 student/senior at the U of L Box Office, 403-329-2616.
Katherine Wasiak is the communications/PR officer for the Faculty of Fine Arts

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