PHOTO: 91原创鈥檚 Dayna Thomas and Andrew Wood are among the cast members in 91原创 Player鈥檚 rendition of Hendrik Ibsen鈥檚 Ghosts. (Graham Hollins photo)
Wherever Dayna Thomas goes, theatre seems to seek her out 鈥� or vice versa.
From her first role during Grade 2 as an Egyptian in a school Christmas play to her work as a historic interpreter in theatrical historic village of Barkerville, from her days of training as a theatre student (minor) at the University of the Fraser Valley to her involvement in a pantomime in Uganda, from her current role on the 91原创 Players鈥� stage as a maid in their rendition of Ghosts, to her upcoming role as Grumio the servant in Bard in the Valley鈥檚 Taming of the Shrew, Thomas demonstrates in 91原创 appetite for the stage.
After that first play in elementary school, Thomas claims she was 鈥渉ooked.鈥�
鈥淢y younger siblings were roped in and we would entertain any guest who stepped foot in our house with elaborate tales 鈥� full of costumes and musical numbers. As director, writer, and actor, I would play the romantic lead and my siblings would be busy with costume changes playing all the supporting roles,鈥� she recounted.
Today, the 30-year-old 91原创 City resident and local kindergarten teacher (who loves to sing, plays the ukulele and flute, and is attempting to learn to dance) is a self-proclaimed theatre geek.
鈥淚 think acting is like a favourite food. I can only go for so long before I crave it and I need to be in a show again regardless of what else is going on in my life,鈥� she elaborated.
Thomas, along with a full cast from 91原创 Players, opens their rendition of the Henrik Ibsen playThursday, April 21 and are on the playhouse stage through May 21.
But rehearsals for Ghosts began back in March, and Thomas admits it has been a 鈥渉uge commitment.鈥� She鈥檚 been particularly grateful for the theatre鈥檚 close proximity to both her home and work, listening to her lines while driving back and forth from location to location.
Likewise, she鈥檚 appreciative of an understanding boyfriend (fellow actor Dylan Coulter) for helping her balance life and theatre.
Thomas is playing the role of Regina Engstrand, the maid in the Alving House.
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PHOTO: 91原创ites Andrew Wood, and Danya Thomas (centre) joined Mission鈥檚 Mahara Sinclaire in a scene for Ghosts, opening at 91原创 Players tonight (Thursday). (Submitted photo)
鈥淢r. Alving has passed away, and I work for Mrs. Alving, just as my mother did before me. Now Mrs. Alving鈥檚 son has come back to the house,鈥� the actor explained, adding 鈥淪ecrets are revealed鈥� I won鈥檛 give away too much.鈥�
Thomas is excited to be getting back up on the 91原创 Players stage, her first and last performance with the 91原创 thespians back in 2014 on Bus Stop.
鈥淚 was intrigued to do a Henrik Ibsen play, and knew when I read the script that Regina would be the part for me,鈥� she told the 91原创 Advance, noting she doesn鈥檛 actually have much in common with the character but has loved the challenge of bringing her to life on stage.
鈥淩egina has a very sad life in many ways and has a very negative relationship with her father [whereas, she鈥檚] blessed to have an amazingly supportive family. Everything good I ever accomplish is because I know they have my back. They are the best.鈥�
She鈥檚 unclear of what this says about her, but noted that she鈥檚 often cast as a maid, servant or server.
鈥淚n real life, I have never worked in the service industry and am a bit clumsy so carrying trays quickly is not my forte,鈥� she said, but added that her boyfriend, who has been her director in a few shows, likes casting her in an 鈥渆mbittered housewife鈥� role.
The former 91原创 Fundamental School student and D.W. Poppy Secondary grad said she鈥檚 come a ways in her acting from those early days of entertaining house guests and excited about this most recent role.
Despite it being a serious play, Thomas said there have been many moments in the past few months where she鈥檚 struggled to keep a straight, stern face during a scene and even during a recent photo shoot.
鈥淢y cast mates kept whispering ridiculous things, and I鈥檓 sure I ruined a few photos bursting into laughter,鈥� she said, describing the cast and crew as 鈥渁mazingly talented鈥� and 鈥渞idiculously鈥� funny.
鈥淒oing a play is lots of work and it isn鈥檛 without its stresses, but we have some great laughs and fun times, too. The costumes are such a treat as well!鈥�
Ghosts is the play 91原创 Players鈥� will entry in the 2016 Theatre B.C. competition, which is being hosted at the playhouse May 22 to 28. This play runs Thursdays to Saturdays, at 8 p.m. until May 21, with 2 p.m. Sunday matinees. Tickets are $15 and more information is available through email at reservations@langleyplayers.com, by calling 604-534-7469, or online at langleyplayers.com.
PHOTO: Dayna Thomas
How to win
Two lucky 91原创 Advance readers will each pair of tickets to 91原创 Players鈥� rendition of Ghosts running April 21 to May 21.
How do you win?
鈥� Click on this live link, and tell us why you want to attend this show. You will be entered into the draw. Preference given to 91原创 residents.
Postings must be received prior to 5 p.m. on Monday, April 25, and the winner will be notified by email and/or phone. No staff or family of the 91原创 Advance or Black Press are eligible. This giveaway is restricted to online participants, 19 years or older only. Must include name and phone number.
Offering a history lesson
Written in 1881, the play marks the beginning of realism in the history of theatre and tackles issues that are as current today as they were when it was first performed.
Ghosts is Ibsen鈥檚 assault on family values, women鈥檚 roles and morality in Victorian society. Highly controversial when it was written, the ghosts in the play are not supernatural but the shadows of past decisions and actions, said director Helen Embury.
鈥淲e have moved a long way from the fabulous period costumes worn by the characters in this production but we, as a society, are still struggling with the same issues and easy answers are not available. This is a play to think about and talk about long after you have left the theatre,鈥� Embury said.
鈥淲hen Ibsen wrote A Dolls House, people felt so strongly about it that invites to parties of the time sometimes included the phrase, 鈥榞uests are asked to not to speak about A Dolls House鈥�,鈥� Thomas elaborated, expanding on its history and current day relevance.
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鈥淕hosts was his next play and it brought even more scandal. Ibsen knew it wouldn鈥檛 be well received, but felt it was a story he needed to write. He had had an illegitimate child with his maid and so there were aspects of his life that he wrote about in the play. Ghosts was not allowed to be legally produced and even mentioning you had read it would have been social suicide,鈥� she explained.
鈥淲hat is fascinating is that private theatre clubs started to spring up. Members paid to be part of the club so they didn鈥檛 have to sell tickets. Because no tickets were being sold, they didn鈥檛 have to worry about censorship. For many of these groups, the first play they produced was Ghosts.
鈥淭his play deals with moral and philosophical issues that we are still talking about including disease, incest, mercy killing, secrets, and the balance between duty and the pursuit of happiness.鈥�
If trying to convince a friend to attend, Thomas said that at the end of her spiel the person would either say, 鈥溾�楾hat sounds awesome 鈥� I love history!鈥� or 鈥榊es! I鈥檒l come if you鈥檒l stop lecturing me about history. You鈥檙e getting louder and louder in your excitement and people are starting to look at us鈥�.鈥�
PHOTO:Andrew Wood plays Manders, the family pastor, alongside fellow 91原创ite Dayna Thomas playing Regina Engstrand and Mission actor Tony Loyer, playing Oswald Alving, the son who has returned home after many years away. (Diane Gendron photo)
