Season 8: Episode 131
Odyssey Theatre is Ottowa's premiere professional theatre company, specialising in the old tradition of masked performance. So what happened when the world when into lockdown and theatre became, for a while, a think of the past?
In the case of Odyssey, it became an opportunity to branch out into audio drama with 'The Other Path' - a magical podcast which reimagines traditional folk tales in a new and immersive modern setting.
In this episode we meet Laurie Steven (creator and director) and writers Marty Chan and Daniel Peretti to explore the process of developing these modern twists on some classic tales.
To support the Folklore Podcast on Patreon for as little as £1 a month and help us to keep producing free content, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast
Odyssey Theatre is Ottowa's premiere professional theatre company, specialising in the old tradition of masked performance. So what happened when the world when into lockdown and theatre became, for a while, a think of the past?
In the case of Odyssey, it became an opportunity to branch out into audio drama with 'The Other Path' - a magical podcast which reimagines traditional folk tales in a new and immersive modern setting.
In this episode we meet Laurie Steven (creator and director) and writers Marty Chan and Daniel Peretti to explore the process of developing these modern twists on some classic tales.
To support the Folklore Podcast on Patreon for as little as £1 a month and help us to keep producing free content, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast
EPISODE GUESTS
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LAURIE STEVEN
Laurie is an award-winning director, writer, dramaturge, and the founding Artistic Director of Odyssey Theatre. Laurie’s productions of over 30 original plays and adaptations of classics have incorporated masks, puppets, dance, bouffon, and Commedia dell’Arte. She has pioneered collaborations with artists practicing international forms of masked theatre including Peking Opera, Kathakali and Wayang Wong. These collaborations led to productions including The Wedding, for which she received a Capital Critics Best Director Award. Her original plays include the Commedia farce, Moonlight Mischief, the epic, Kamalay, and the social satire, A Guy Named Joe. She is currently writing The Blue Demon for a co-production with the Sri Lankan State Dance Company and an adaptation of the folktale The Handless Maiden. In 2017, Laurie received a Chalmers Arts Fellowship to further explore folklore-inspired theatre. In 2020, she launched Odyssey’s Digital Theatre program. |
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MARTY CHAN
Marty Chan writes plays for adults and books for kids. His dramatic works include romantic comedies, political satires, thrillers, and musicals. They have been produced around the world. His hit play Mom, Dad, I’m Living with a White Girl has been produced across Canada and Off-Broadway. His thriller, The Bone House, captivated audiences in Edmonton, Toronto, and Edinburgh. Marty’s children’s novels include The Mystery of the Graffiti Ghoul, which won the 2007 Diamond Willow Award. Marty has also written radio plays and television scripts. From 1994 to 2000 his weekly commentary series, The Dim Sum Diaries, aired on CBC Radio. This series was adapted into a television program, The Orange Seed Myth, winning a Gold Medal for Best Television Pilot at the Charleston World Film and Television Festival. Marty lives in Edmonton, Alberta. He was Citadel Theatre’s first playwright-in-residence and has served as the Chair of the Edmonton Arts Council. Marty received an Arts Achievement Award and a Performance Award from the City of Edmonton. |
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DANIEL PERETTI
Daniel Peretti is a writer and professor in the Folklore Department at Memorial University of Newfoundland. As a writer, he has an interest in contemporary fantasy, science fiction, and mysteries. His previous works include the feature film Own Worst Enemy (2012, directed by Michael Judd and Jessica Judd). His academic research covers subjects including ancient mythology, modern day legends, festivals, and holidays. His publications range from Superman in Myth and Folklore (2017) to articles on rock climbing walls, Halloween decorations, and Lex Luthor’s inferiority complex. His current work, combining interviews, archival and library research, focuses on the way parents, commercial enterprises, and various municipal authorities conspire to perpetuate belief in Santa Claus. |