Gordon Armstrong

[David Akin]

At 02:02 AM 2/22/96 EST, you wrote:
>Playwright Gordon Armstrong died of complications arising from pneumonia on the
>morning of February 21st at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver. As a founding
>member of Out West Theatre Society and of the Betty Lambert Society, Gordon was
>a vital contributor to the theatrical life of Vancouver. He served as president
>of the BLS from '93 - 94 and wrote regular theatre criticism for Xtra and
>Theatrum magazines. Gordon of course will be best remembered for his highly
>theatrical, inventive, delightful and provocative plays which have played in
>theatres across the country: Hashish, The Mona Lisa Toodle-oo, A Map of the
>Senses, Blue Dragons, Scary Stories and Plague of the Gorgeous. Scary Stories
>will be produced in Toronto by Buddies In Bad Times in May and will be
published
>this year by Blizzard Publishing. His last play, Sex in Heaven, awaits
>production.
>
>His gentleness, keen intelligence and wit will be sorely missed by all who knew
>him.
 
I didn't know Gordon but I am saddened at the news of his death. I saw only
one of his plays in production - Blue Dragons at Canadian Stage Berkeley
Street Theatre. Bob Baker directed, if I remember correctly.
It was my first exposure to Armstrong's work and, although the production
was less than satisfactory, the vividness and clarity of Armstrong's writing
was overwhelming. I remember at the time looking forward to seeing more work
by him but was, unfortunately, posted here to Thunder Bay last year and away
from the kind of theatres who might produce Gordon's work.
I'm happy to hear Scary Stories will be published. I wonder if anyone can
enlighten me as to the publishing status of his other work.
 
David Akin                      jdakin at foxnet.net
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