The April 2024 Brandon University Theatre production will be directed by Rochelle Douris.

Rochelle Douris is a Dora-nominated Canadian theatre writer, director and educator whose accessible style often includes visual media, original music and dance. Her innovative takes on Shakespeare’s classics have entertained and educated Toronto audiences since 2001. She has been commissioned to write original scripts for The Raleigh Little Theatre (NC,) The Hippodrome State Theatre (FL,) and StageKids (TO.) Her actor training program at the Upper Canada Repertory company hosted an exclusive group of young trainees from 2001 to 2017, many of whom have gone on to successful post-secondary studies and careers in acting. She has taught and acting and theatre at the University of Florida and Guelph-Humber University and holds an MFA in Acting from the University of Florida.

She was born in Saskatoon, SK, Canada in 1966, and grew up in Vancouver, B.C. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre from Concordia University (1989) and a Master of Fine Arts in Acting from the University of Florida (1999.) She began her theatre career in 1986 with a fledgling Montreal collective known as the Back Alley Players, which spawned award-winning playwrights Vittorio Rossi and David Gow. Her one-act play, “Jack Of Hearts” won the Special Juror’s Award at the Quebec Drama festival in 1987. Her follow-up, “Epilogue” appeared at the QDF 1989. In 1995, as a freelance writer in Toronto, she was commissioned by StageKids to write the book for their musical, “The Player Principle,” which went on to garner a Dora Mavor Moore nomination for Best TYA Production.

During her graduate work in Gainesville, Florida, she developed a professional relationship with the Hippodrome State Theatre which endures to this day. She has worked with them as a performer, teacher, director and writer. In the years that have followed, Douris worked as either a director or an actor on many main stages of Toronto.

Her numerous theatre credits include directing The Children’s Hour, Grease, and half of Shakespeare’s canon (she is currently working on the other half.) Her written stage adaptations include The Outsiders, Lord Of The Flies and a musical re-imagining of The Great Gatsby.  As an actor, her most treasured role was Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire.

Her approach blends the sound and colour of now with the framework of the past. Her teaching and directing styles are both strongly influenced by the time she spent in the U.S. with proponents of the approach favoured by the Group Theatre, In the class room her methodology includes Stanislavski, Meisner and Hagen: seeking the true. Her directing work is characterised by an on-stage environment employing all of the senses, connected by the thread of powerful, grounded acting.

Douris’ work has often pushed boundaries and explored social themes in creative mediums other than theatre. She has experimented with dance, movement, music and choral voice. She often incorporates projected video and live music into her pieces, with the cast taking an active role in their creation and implementation. She has directed for film, including the indie feature This Mortal Coil (currently in post-production.) Since 2021, she has produced and directed the Wilde On YouTube channel and podcast for professional wrestler Taylor Wilde (which has lead to an interesting side-career as an acting coach for professional wrestlers.)

Douris’ directorial style has earned her a reputation as a devoted auteur who is also an ‘actor’s director.’ Undaunted by hard work, she has a willingness to take creative risks in order to chase her vision. Her work has influenced countless young artists. Her ex-students call her Mamma D and tend to keep in touch. (She watches every movie and theatre appearance with joy.)

Douris’ influence and impact can already be felt in the world of theatre and film. Many of her former students are currently playing key roles in shaping the future of theatre.

“To truly empathize with The Other,” she says. “That’s the impossible goal that every actor must strive for.”

The Production

 The Theatre Performance I and II classes will present a new adaptation of David French’s “Salt-Water Moon.”   In-class, our time will be devoted to both individual character development and group rehearsal. The semester’s work will culminate in an evening performance of “Salt-Water Moon,” which will be open to the general public. “Salt-Water Moon” is one of French’s five Mercer plays, which follow the fortunes of a Newfoundland family transplanted to Toronto. The play will provide ample opportunities for actors of varying ages, gender-identities and experience-levels to take a run at one of the two leading roles. The final selection of scenes and roles will be determined by the make-up of the class. This staging of “Salt-Water Moon” may contain elements of dance and/or music. So-inclined cast-members may contribute their skills, should they wish. Character Study II students will have the opportunity to carry more intricate roles. It is suggested that all students familiarize themselves with the script before the semester begins.

Students in Character Study and Intro To Theatre classes will have the opportunity to work back stage on “Moons Of Mercer.” We will be studying scenes from the Mercer plays in both of these classes.

 There is no formal audition for this class, or the show. We will workshop the script together during the first two weeks of class and solidify individual roles, based on that process. To enrol in “Theatre Performance I or II,” please contact Rochelle Douris.