Shadow Theatre, a leading theatre company in Edmonton for edgy theatre, presents the world premiere of Robot Girls. Directed by John Hudson, Robot Girls was written by Trevor Schmit, an award-winning playwright-director and artistic director of Northern Light Theatre.
Playwrights write plays for a variety of reasons. To be artistically daring. To promote diversity. To advocate for social issues. To create laughter. To promote music.
Schmidt, one of the most sensitive promoters of women’s stories in the region, decided to write a play out of spite. Several years ago, he shared an idea with a woman colleague for writing a play about young women.
“She said I should not write plays for women, particularly young women because it’s not my story to tell. But I don’t believe we are meant to only tell the stories we’ve lived,” said Schmidt.
Frustrated at his colleague’s gatekeeping, “I started to write a play out of spite. What transpired is a play about young women, a sweet, good-natured play about girls who support each other.”
As the two-act play took shape, the playwright realized it was also his story to tell.
“Some of the things come from my lived experience. Even though I’m 55 and white, there’s something universal in all our lives.”
The story is set at Nellie McClung Charter School for Girls. Four adolescent girls from varying backgrounds join the science club to build a robot for an international student robot-building competition.
The junior high girls are at a fragile, awkward stage in life transitioning from naive kids to hormonally-affected young women who share a roller coaster of emotions, personal issues and the desire to fit in. During their robot-building sessions they face power struggles and negotiating relationships while trying to survive as adolescents.
Larissah Lashley plays Chashida Haroun, a Grade 8 Muslim girl who is on the honour role and is vice-president of the student council. She is scholastically inclined, organized and accepts leadership roles.
However, she has a sister who runs around. Although Chashida works hard to be a good daughter, her parents are busy dealing with her sister they don’t have time to validate her.
Abigail McDougall is Darby, a Grade 8 transfer student, who doesn’t know anyone. She leads a complicated home life that affects how she deals with people, and the play is viewed through her eyes.
Jayce McKenzie is Vanessa, a Grade 7 student, whose sister Tessa is the family star as a singer and dancer.
“Vanessa is left behind to figure things out. She’s a little lost and is trying to find her identity. She faces challenges, but she’s quirky, funny, emotionally immature and the youngest.”
St. Albert actor Hayley Moorhouse takes on the role of Bloody Mary, a tough Grade 9 school athlete. Moorhouse, who in addition to acting in Robot Girls, is workshopping a play for Common Ground Society. She fills the in-between hours writing Tough Guy (tentative title). The script set in the aftermath of a shooting at a queer nightclub when a filmmaker arrives to document the story.
“She’s (Mary) a bruiser. The other girls are scared of her, and she can be intimidating. She comes out of a place of wanting to be accepted. She wants to make meaningful relationships and friendships and you see a gentler softer side of her,” Moorhouse said.
The actor is hesitant to divulge too much about Bloody Mary, however she notes little clues about her home life are sprinkled throughout the script.
“Mary has an affluent family. She feels rebellious against her uptight family. She’s rebelling against her perfect, rich family values and wants to be tougher around the edges.”
As a teenager Moorhouse enjoyed different activities from Bloody Mary. Yet as a trained actor, she taps into her personal well of anxieties to develop her character.
“I was not an athlete in school. I felt I had to put on a front to avoid judgment. As a teen I had social anxiety. I was afraid if I showed people who I really was, they wouldn’t like me.”
Moorhouse enjoys the close-knit nurturing atmosphere and credits both Hudson and co-director Lana Hughes.
“I’ve been lucky to have John and Lana. They’ve provided a lovely room to experiment and try new things and bring our own ideas and experiences. It’s been open and collaborative. From my character’s perspective, I was encouraged to find the subtext and different layers and variety in my character.”
She notes that no matter what a person’s individual experiences growing up were like, there is something in the production for everyone.
“Trevor hits the experience of what it’s like to be a teenager, that awkward phase. He captures the teenage experience in a truthful, meaningful way.”
When Schmidt was asked what he would like the audience to take away, he simply replied, “Choose kindness. If you have a choice, choose kindness.”
Robot Girls runs March 13 to 31 at Edmonton’s Varscona Theatre. Tickets are available at shadowtheatre.org.
