Having grown up here, actress Alana Hawley said it's nice to be back in her hometown after years away.
Hawley plays Susannah Cibber, a gifted singer in Theatre North West's production of Joyful Noise until Dec. 5.
The professional theatre presents the play by Tim Slover that offers the back story to the creation of Handel's Messiah. The setting is 1741 London and there's controversy coming from all sides regarding the composer's latest work.
Hawley said Cibber is a historical character, and was a very strong muse for Handel during his creation of the Messiah.
"The play takes a bit of dramatic license in regards to when they met and how their relationship went but in reality she was a singer and an actress and she sang for Handel," said Hawley. "She was a huge celebrity at the time and very demure and a quietly sophisticated young lady that was known for doing tragical roles like Desdemona. It was said that she sang text but told the story through music. So she had this ability to bring a tear to everyone's eye in the audience and that was what she was known for. So it's a great part where you get to look into the real life of somebody."
Hawley lived in Prince George through young adulthood and then moved to Stratford, Ontario to participate in Stratford Festival of Canada, in the Birmingham Conservatory for the Classical Theatre Training education program. She still teaches at Stratford, traveling all over the States and Ontario. She volunteers with Es Artes, an education program in El Salvador that encourages students to avoid gang association. Hawley directs within that program as well as at Stratford.
"This is a bit of a sentimental journey," said Hawley, who said she's learning a lot from Joyful Noise's director, Kevin McKendrick.
Hawley said she never really thought about directing until the opportunity came up recently with Es Artes and Stratford.
"Acting is still definitely what I keep trying to do," said Hawley, who found herself in front of Ted Price at general auditions Theatre North West held in Edmonton in 2010. Hawley had moved from Stratford to participate in the Citadel/Banff Centre Profession Theatre Program at the Banff Centre and Citadel Theatre in Edmonton. From there, she followed up with an e-mail this year to Theatre North West's new artistic director, Samantha MacDonald, then did a video audition for the director and got the part of Cibber in Joyful Noise.
"So I was actually cast in this before I got to meet Kevin," said Hawley. "So it was a two-year process and I'm obviously ecstatic to be in my home town."
The plot of Joyful Noise twists and turns but finally it's a story of redemption.
"This is the journey of Susannah's path to redemption - her journey from judgment to redemption, as well as Handel's," Hawley explained. "There's something really beautiful about bringing these historical characters to life. It's gorgeous in that sense. We see that no matter who we are, we have all experienced heart break, we all have self-doubt and we all have massive things to overcome in order to survive. It's a beautiful story about the Messiah and humanity in general. I think it's a good show for Prince George."
Tickets are available at Books & Company or by phone at 250-614-0039.
