SALT   

"We can be fair even if she is not fair."

Lark & Whimsy's first production was the world premiere of Erin Vandenberg's Salt, directed by Briana Brown. Featuring Philippa Domville, Cosette Derome, Lucy Hill, Stephanie Jung and Geoffrey Armour, Salt tackled mental illness in the form of alcoholism, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder as two teenaged sisters struggle to find a way to escape their alcoholic mother. Our design team, comprised of Dora winners Anna Treusch (set & costume) and Lyon Smith (sound), and three-time Dora nominee Gabriel Cropley (lighting) executed a complex technical set up that included a set that turned into a projection surface, stop motion animation projections, and a rain effect. Our publicity campaign garnered attention from Intermission Magazine and In The Greenroom, as well as an interview on CBC’s Here and Now with Gill Deacon. The production received praise from both audiences and critics. Mooney on Theatre called Salt a “beautiful and harrowing portrayal of mental illness and abuse” and likened Erin’s writing to Tennessee Williams. Stage Door said “director Briana Brown elicits a number of superior performances from the five-person cast” and that “the play receives the most technically advanced production I’ve seen in the Alumnae Studio Theatre.” With the support of three mental health organizations, Loft Community Health Services, East Metro Youth Services and Bellwood Health Services, we also hosted two talkbacks with mental health professionals to give the play a larger context. On both talkback nights, our audiences were deeply engaged, and went away with tools to positively further the conversation on mental illness in their own families and communities.

"Salt is a beautiful and harrowing portrayal of mental illness and abuse...Vandenberg’s writing in Salt was reminiscent of Tennessee Williams." Mooney on Theatre. 

"Consistently engaging and director Briana Brown elicits a number of superior performances." Stage Door. 

To read more about the play, visit our blog for interviews with Salt's creative team, a peek into our rehearsal process and more. There's also Erin's feature piece in Intermission Magazine and her interview with In the Greenroom's Hallie Seline.   

Salt was a Canadian Actors’ Equity Association production under the Artists’ Collective Policy.

Production photography by Robert Harding. 

creative team

Geoffrey Armour (George), Chris Baker (Producer), Briana Brown (Director, Dramaturge), Gabriel Cropley (Lighting Design, Production Management), Cosette Derome (Lilias), Philippa Domville (Vivian), Deanna Galati (Assistant Stage Manager), Lucy Hill (Petal), Stephanie Jung (Rose), Brittany Kay (Assistant Producer), Laurie Merredew (Stage Manager), Lyon Smith (Sound Designer), Anna Treusch (Set, Costume & Projection Designer), Erin Vandenberg (Playwright, Producer)

THANK YOU - fwyc donors

This production would not have been possible without the generosity of the donors to our Fund What You Can Campaign. We are delighted to say that because of their support, we reached our fundraising goal. They are: 

Dave & Cathy Armour, Patti Breen, Genevieve Georget Smyth, Clive Ledger, Joseph Hickey, Mark & Tamz Sykes, Don Baker Sr, Don Baker Jr, Naomi MacLeod, Teresa Hallas, Meg Hickey, Gerry Hill, Chantelle Laliberte, Glen & Rosemary Nevin, Lynn Nevin & Brent Millar, Shaun Robbie, Mike, Laura & Jake Lanteigne, Jeremy Doiron & Hannah MacDonald, Dan Chapman-Smith, Christina Lisinska, Robin Whitehead, Steve & Rosanna Mitchell, Gerry Jordan, Bryan & Amanda Kazragis, Marie Salcioglu, Kelly Read, Janet & Reg Thursby, Gabi Epstein, Christine Pellerine, Hallie Seline, Rennie Hickey, Jeni Walls, Ruth Smillie, Alix Kazman, Aviva Zimmerman, Ella Batten, Philip Connolly, Esther & Sheldon Spring, Fay Karp, Dan Leberg, Rebecca Hales, Danette Baker, Brianna Goldberg, Sarah Miller, Matthew MacFadzean, Emily Hughes, Wendi Schwindt and Lisa Li.

Our love and gratitude to all of you.