Beginning the playwright’s journey

In September 2020 when Drama alumna Beth Graham (‘95 BA , ‘98 BFA) was appointed as the new UAlberta Lee Playwright in Residence, she knew she’d face unusual working conditions under the “new normal.”

Graham has only just begun the three-year process of crafting an original play commissioned exclusively for the BFA Acting class of 2023. It’s been especially challenging because of the pandemic restrictions, but the Department of Drama has found ways for their students to safely continue their training, and their work with Graham.

“I first met the BFA Acting students over Zoom and watched them perform monologues,” recalls Graham. “I was eventually able to meet them in person during one of their classes. That’s where I got to know them as individuals, learning what plays and types of theatre inspire them.”

It’s still very early in the writing process, but Graham is already excited about the possibilities of working with a large cast of 14 students.

Meanwhile, the award-winning playwright is still heavily involved in the Edmonton theatre community.

Her play Pretty Goblins, which originally premiered in 2018 at Workshop West Playwrights’ Theatre, became a published work in December 2020. The launch party, held on December 8 and hosted by Playwrights Canada Press, also celebrated The Breathing Hole, a new play by former Lee Playwright in Residence (2014-17), Colleen Murphy.

Graham is also working as a dramaturg on an exciting new project for the Brian Webb Dance Company, which will feature research and performances by Drama faculty members Lin Snelling and Mike Kennard, and Fine Arts alumni Brad Necyk (‘19 PhD, Art & Design) and Deepak Paramashivan (‘19 PhD, Music).

Graham’s play Working It Out will be adapted to video in February 2021 for the Alberta Workers’ Health Centre. As part of their Work Plays Schools Program, Working It Out has toured junior and high schools since 2013, informing young workers of their responsibilities and rights to safe, healthy and fair workplaces. The video adaptation will continue touring Alberta schools in 2021, alongside Safe & Fair: Scene at Work, a play by Drama faculty member Jane Heather.

As dramaturg in residence for Workshop West Playwrights Theatre, Graham oversees new play submissions. Since October, she had been busy reading the many new plays and providing individual feedback.

As 2021 begins, Graham is optimistic about her work with the BFA Acting students, back in the Timms Centre for the Arts where she was once a student herself in that same program.

“What really struck me is how passionate the students are about acting and theatre,” she says. “It’s a good reminder that the U of A is a wonderful place to experiment, challenge myself and try something new.”

For more information about Beth Graham, visit the Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia. Learn more about Graham’s published works at Playwrights Canada Press.