As part of Quest University’s program of spring events, the school will be welcoming award-winning playwright and artist-in-residence Elaine Ávila for an evening of readings on Feb. 16.
From a humble beginning of performing plays at children’s birthday parties when she was just eight years old, her work has now been performed in multiple languages in theatres across the world, from London, England to Panama City.
Though she’s earned a great deal of success, she almost didn’t become a playwright.
“I started as an actor, a director and an artistic director,” she said. “As an undergraduate I was thinking of taking a play-writing class and asked the tutor, ‘Well, what do you do in that course?’ and they said, ‘You write a play.’ And I said, ‘A whole play? That’s impossible! I’m not taking that class.’ I didn’t think I could do it.”
While studying one day, though, she came across a footnote that hinted at the story of a woman who’d led a 16th century troupe that was captured by terrorists, which led to the French government being overthrown. She felt driven to tell this unknown story and this became her first play.
After that, the calling to tell stories that go untold – many about women who’ve done amazing things – became the inspiration behind much of her work.
“There are too many great stories missing,” she said.
Her critically acclaimed Lieutenant Nun is one such example. Based on a true story, it’s about a woman conquistador who dressed as a man, fought on the fronts of Peru and Chile, and was almost beheaded for her violent temper until she confessed to being a woman and a virgin, after which she was locked up in a convent where she wrote her autobiography.
“That was one of my first plays,” she said. “It was about how did she manage that? How did that happen?”
Other plays include The Ballad of Ginger Goodwin, about a Canadian labour martyr; and Kitimat, an emotive story about how voting over the pipeline divided local residents, families and friends.
Though she spends more creative time off the stage than on it, Ávila couldn’t be happier than when she sees actors breathe life into her work.
“I love seeing my work come to life… sharing that with the audience and feeling the audience go on a journey with you is one of my favourite things.”
During her six weeks at Quest, in addition to working on her next project, Ávila will also be teaching a play-writing course to 20 aspiring students, who will present their work to fellow university members.
Ávila’s own work will be performed during an evening of readings on Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. at Quest University. Excerpts will be directed and curated by former CBC documentary and drama producer Kathleen Flaherty and performed by four Vancouver-based actors. Ávila will also be available for questions.
