Press Release

[Shemina Keshvani]

Media Inquiries:  Shemina Keshvani
                  416-539-0295
 
Theatre Asylum Presents
The Toronto Premiere of
"DEAR ELENA"
 
Directed by Jennifer Capraru
Featuring Judith Orban* as Elena Sergeevna
 
"Dear Elena" was written in 1980 and immediately censored. By one of Russia's most controversial and
successful women writers, Ludmilla Razumovskaya, "Dear Elena" kidnaps the audience to Leningrad,
where an idealistic high school teacher is held hostage in her tiny apartment by four of her own students. The
students desperately need Elena's help to escape from an overly corrupt system but their methods are far
from pure. Their attempts to convince her begin with charm, move into bribery and end in sexual violence:
no one's innocence is left intact. Directed by Jennifer Capraru, who directed the acclaimed "The Gut
Girls", with set and costume design by Dora Award winning Minda Johnson and lighting design by Arun
Srinivasan,  and dramaturgy by Cordula Quint; Elena's students will be played by students: Michael Emery
and Rachel Wilson of UofT, and Adam Gaudreau and Christian Potenza of George Brown.
 
"Brilliant..."Dear Elena" is spine tingling, seething with the anger and resentment that festered
underground for years before boiling over and changing the world."
The Chicago Tribune
 
Now eagerly produced all over the Soviet Union and Western Europe, this riveting play has been seen only
once in Canada. Its study of power reveals the politics of oppression in a starkly personal light which is
globally relevant: decent people forced to live in a corrupt society are themselves unfailingly driven step by
step to corruption. The end justifies the means. At any cost.
 
"...this would be a good play in any language, in any country, at any time. The play seeks to undermine
certainties, but not only those of Soviet communism...."
The London Financial Times
 
"Dear Elena"
previews May 30, opens May 31, closes June 16
Theatre Centre West
1032 Queen Street West
Nightly 8:00pm, Tuesday through Sunday
Tickets: $11, $13, PWYC on Sundays. Call 416-538-0988
 
*courtesy of C.A.E.A.
Theatre Asylum produces plays by and about women from the inter/national repertoire.
Theatre Asylum gratefully acknowledges the generous support of:
the OAC, Metro Cultural Affairs, The Nancy Jackman Foundation, and The George Lunan Foundation.
Thank you to CKLN