It’s the final blog of the season! The lovely Sereana Malani (Isabella, Measure For Measure; Lady Stanley, Elizabeth Rex) kindly shares her favourite moments of her first season at Bard. Enjoy!
“As I prepare to close my first season at Bard I recognize that there have been many wonderful memories made – too many for me to pick a favourite. However, one word does stick out. The common denominator, the singing constant of my season here has been: laughter.
I am grinning like a fool as I type this; there have been so many moments, ridiculous and sublime, that have sent me over the edge. Accompanying that laughter there has been love and respect, every step of the way.
I have loved:
– Bernard Cuffling tackling crosswords, Haig Sutherland and biscuits.
– Susinn McFarlen forever laughing, giving and planning.
– Luc Roderique lighting up the room with his smile and his arguments.
– Ben Elliott: bear, beard, beer (play on).
– Chris Cochrane: soul for days.
– David Marr who brings his full voice and his full heart to everything he does.
– Haig Sutherland teasing and testing, but always out of love.
– Anton Lipovetsky’s bold and honest work – this man has music in his bones!
– Dustin Freeland: so kind, so sweet, so talented.
– The beautiful Bonnie Northgraves wailing away (on the trumpet) every single night.
– John Murphy: profane and just perfect.
– Rachel Ditor’s quiet grace.
– Our amazing stage management team, wardrobe and technical support, who accept all of our backstage shenanigans with humour and patience.
– Having an acting partner as good and generous as Andrew Wheeler. Keeling over with delight at some insane joke David Mackay has made – laughing so hard I hurt myself.
– Watching Lois Anderson continuously practicing and refining her work, both in the rehearsal hall and backstage. You can find her in a controlled frenzy, whispering and weaving her text, making it bigger, making it better.
– Watching Colleen Wheeler carve out her performance in Elizabeth Rex. To see her breathe life into this iconic character, for her to share this incredibly complex journey with us, is no small feat. I have learned so much from watching her work, both in the rehearsal hall and in performance.
When I was offered this contract I was thrilled but I was also quite nervous. I felt like I had been invited to play with the big kids, and I was terrified of screwing up, or saying the wrong thing. The generosity and the lack of ego I have encountered among my company members has been wonderful. When I look back on this summer I will remember raucous sing-a-longs, cold beers and hot nights and getting to perform with these fantastically talented individuals. I could not have asked for better company. What a joy, what a treasure.”
Be sure to check in with the blog during our ‘off-season’ – we’ll be here! In fact, one of the most common misconceptions is that we don’t have anything to do between October and May – ha, we wish! Preparations have already begun for next season’s very special 25th anniversary so stay tuned for cast announcements and all sorts of exciting behind the scenes stories!