STUDY GUIDE

Make Yourself at Home

the
MOUSETRAP
BY AGATHA CHRISTIE
Directed by
Kate Newby
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction Pg. 3

Top 10 Things to know about going to the theatre Pg. 4

Astounging Facts about THE MOUSETRAP Pg. 5

Cast and Crew Credits Pg. 8

Synopsis and Characters Pg. 9

Inside Vertigo Theatre — An Interview with Sound Designer for Andrew Blizzard Pg. 10

Pre-Show Discussion Questions and Projects Pg. 11

Whodunnit Murder Mysteries

Cor, Blimey!
Sound Off
The Times They are a Changin’
Burning Questions

Pre-Show Activities To Get Students Up On Their Feet Pg. 16

Radio Play
Two Truths and a Lie

Post Show Discussion Questions Pg. 19

The Art of the Theatre Review Pg. 20

About Vertigo Theatre/Education and Outreach Pg. 21

Workshops/AYA Program Pg. 22


Vertigo Theatre is committed to creating a welcoming atmosphere for schools and to assist teachers and parent
chaperones with that process. It is our wish to foster and develop our relationship with our student audience
members. It is our intention to create positive theatre experiences for young people by providing study guides
and post-show “talk backs” with our actors and theatre personnel, in order to enrich students’ appreciation of
theatre as an art form and enhance their enjoyment of our plays.
Introduction
Welcome to the Study Guide for Vertigo Theatre’s production of The Mousetrap by Agatha
Christie.

In this guide you will find background information on the play, information about the crew and
performers, as well as a variety of activities to do with your class before and after the show. There
are activities suitable for class discussion, individual projects, as well as games and exercises that
get students moving around and learning on their feet.

For this production, we have chosen to highlight sound and music and how it plays a part in
theatre and storytelling. You’ll find links to music and videos that can be used as springboards to
intriguing writing assignments or lively discussions, as well as activities that get students thinking
like actors and sound designers.

This guide can be used solely by you, the educator, but it is also full of pictures and hyperlinks, so
it can be used interactively with a SMART Board. We have tried to keep the text and instructions
simple and straightforward to keep you and your students doing fun things rather than wading
through a bunch of text.

Sometimes your students might read an unusual word or term and feel some “vertigo”, so we’ve
got handy-dandy blood spatters that give definitions. Like this:

Vertigo is a medical condition one

of the symptoms of which is the
sensation of movement in a sufferer
who is not moving. Often it feels
like a spinning or swaying
movement. Vertigo is the most
common type of dizziness.

Enjoy!

PG. 3
Top 10 Things to Know about
Going to the Theatre
Because some of you may be first-time theatre attendees (and some of you more experienced theatregoers
may need a little reminder), we’ve compiled a Top 10 list of some of New York Show Tickets Do’s and
Don’ts of Broadway Theatre Etiquette as well as a few of our own:

1. Power Down
Turn off your cell phone, people. Turn. It. Off. And, no, putting your cell phone on vibrate isn’t good
enough - the people next to you can hear that weird buzzing sound, too. Besides which, the use of cameras
and recording devices in the theatre is strictly prohibited.

2. Don’t Send Text Messages During the Show

You may think you’re being all incognito, but in a darkened theatre, the light from your cell phone screen is
incredibly distracting to those around you. And why do you still have your phone on anyway? We just told
you to turn it off !

3. Eat Your Lunch Before the Show, Not DURING It

This isn’t the movies. Eating, drinking or chewing gum is not permitted in the theatre. There is a water
fountain out in the lobby for your use during the intermission.

4. Unwrap Cough Drops and Candies in Advance

If you anticipate any coughing fits during the show, be sure to unwrap your lozenges before the
performance starts and have them at the ready. That crinkling sound is like nails on a chalkboard during a
quiet play. And, no, unwrapping it S-L-O-W-L-Y does not help the situation ... it’s much, much worse.

5. PreShow=PreChatter
When the houselights go down at the beginning of the play, this lets you know that we’re starting. It is
at this moment that the actors and technical staff do their final preparation for the opening moment, so
please let them do their work by being quiet and respectful.

6. Don’t Be A Disruptive Miss Manners

Sure, it’s irritating when someone’s cell phone goes off, but what’s even worse is when it’s followed by a
series of annoyed “Tsks,” “Hmphs,” hisses, snarls, and shouts of “Turn it off !” can be just as distracting as
the original disruption.

7. Zip Those Lips

A quick whisper to your neighbour, or an audible reaction to something interesting that happens on stage
is fine (this is the live theatre, not the morgue), but keep conversations to the intermission and after the
show.

8. Stay put, watch and enjoy the play.

If you absolutely must use the washroom during the performance, please exit the theatre quickly and
quietly. You will be readmitted to the theatre at the discretion of the House Manager.

9. You’re not in your Living Room

Please do not stand up, walk around or put your feet on the seat or stage in front of you. Everyone around
you, including the actors, will appreciate it.

10. Enjoy Yourself!

Come to the theatre to get swept away into another world. Be sure to thank all of the artists for their hard
work by applauding during the curtain call.
PG. 4
ASTOUNDING Facts about
The Mousetrap:
1. It’s the world’s longest running show (of any kind) – playing in London’s West End for 63
years non-stop! The play is known for its twist ending which the audience is traditionally asked
not to reveal after leaving the theatre.

2. There is a wooden sign in the foyer of St. Martin’s Theatre (where the show has been running
in London, England) that keeps count of the performance number that you’re seeing that day. By
July 2013, they had done over 25,282 performances – just think what number they’re up to now!

3. It began as a 45 minute radio play in 1947 when Queen Mary was asked by the BBC (a radio
station in England) what she would most like as an 80th birthday present, and replied: a new
Agatha Christie.

4. It proved so popular that Christie rewrote it first as a short story and then as a three-act play.
She gave the rights and royalties as a birthday present to her nine-year-old grandson Mathew
Prichard (that’s quite the gift!), but in the meantime another stage play had appeared with her
original title, Three Blind Mice, so she had to change it to the title we know today, “The Mouse-
trap”.

5. The play had its origins in the real-life case of the death of a boy, Dennis O’Neill, who died
while in the foster care of a Shropshire farmer and his wife in 1945.

6. The cast has been changed annually. The change usually occurs around late November around
the anniversary of the play’s opening. There is a tradition of the retiring leading lady and the new
leading lady cutting a “Mousetrap cake” together.There are eight members of the cast, each signed
up for a 47-week stint. More than 400 actors have appeared in it over the years.

7. Christie herself did not expect The Mousetrap to run for such a long time. In her autobiogra-
phy, she reports a conversation that she had with Peter Saunders: “Fourteen months I am going to
give it”, says Saunders. To which Christie replies, “It won’t run that long. Eight months perhaps.
Yes, I think eight months”.

8. The play has also made theatrical history by having an original “cast member” survive all the
cast changes since its opening night. The late Deryck Guyler can still be heard, via a recording,
reading the radio news bulletin in the play to this present day.

9. The set was changed in 1965 and 1999, but one prop survives from the original opening – the
clock that sits on the mantelpiece of the fireplace in the main hall.

PG. 5
The original company

PG. 6
The cover of the original programme.
Note that it doesn’t actually include the play’s title.

PG. 7
 CAST AND CREW CREDITS
The Cast
(In order of appearance)

ANNA CUMMER Mollie Ralston

DEVON DUBNYK Giles Ralston
GEOFFREY SIMON BROWN Christopher Wren
LAURA PARKEN Mrs. Boyle
DUVAL LANG Major Metcalf
` PARE´
GENEVIEVE Miss Casewell
CAM ASCROFT Mr. Paravicini
STAFFORD PERRY Sergeant Trotter

Creative Team
KATE NEWBY Director
NARDA MCCARROLL Set & Lighting Designer
APRIL VICZKO Costume Designer
ANDREW BLIZZARD Original Composition & Sound Design
HEATHER RYCRAFT Stage Manager
KELLY CHEETHAM Assistant Stage Manager
MEREDITH JOHNSON Apprentice Stage Manager
TECHART CUSTOM CREATIONS Set Construction
KEVIN COREY Head of Props
JENNIFER LEE ARSENAULT Costume Design Assistant
KIRA SAMS Wardrobe Apprentice
DAWNA MARK Head Scenic Painter
KELLY SCHWAB Scenic Painter

TIME & PLACE

1962; The Monkswell Manor in Berkshire, England.

“Mousetrap, The” is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC.

The video and/or audio recording of this performance by any means

whatsoever are strictly prohibited
PG. 8
SYNOPSIS & CHARACTERS
SYNOPSIS

A woman has been murdered in London. A young couple, Mollie and Giles Ralston, have started a
guest house in the converted Monkswell Manor, and while a snowstorm begins to brew, their first
four guests arrive: Christopher Wren, Mrs. Boyle, Major Metcalf and Miss Casewell. Mrs. Boyle
complains about everything, and Giles offers to cancel her stay, but she refuses the offer. They become
snowed in together and an additional traveller, Mr. Paravicini, arrives stranded after he ran his car into
a snowdrift.

The imposing Mrs. Boyle complains to the other guests, first to Metcalf and then to Miss Casewell,
who both try to get away from her. Wren comes into the room claiming to have fled Mrs. Boyle in the
library. A phone call from the police informs Mollie that an officer is being sent to the manor in spite
of the raging snowstorm, and several of the guests are unnerved by the announcement. It becomes
apparent that the Ralstons really don’t know much about the guests who are staying in their
establishment and suspicion at Monkswell Manor grows rapidly.

Detective Sergeant Trotter arrives on skis to inform the group that he believes a murderer is at large
and on his way to the hotel, following the death of Mrs Maureen Lyon in London. When Mrs Boyle
is killed, they realise that the murderer is already there. It quickly transpires that the killer could be
any one of the guests, or even the hosts themselves. The characters re-enact the second murder, trying
to prevent a third. At last, Sergeant Trotter assembles everyone in the hall with the plan to set a trap
for one of the suspects.

CHARACTERS

MOLLIE RALSTON – Proprietor of Monkswell Manor, and young newlywed wife of Giles.

GILES RALSTON – newlywed husband of Mollie, who runs Monkswell Manor with his wife.

CHRISTOPHER WREN - The first guest to arrive at the hotel. A hyperactive young man who
admits he is running away from something, but refuses to say what. Wren claims to have been named
after the architect of the same name by his parents.

MRS. BOYLE – a generally unpleasant woman who is dissatisfied with just about everything and
everyone.

MAJOR METCALF - a middle-aged man who is an amiable ex-military man. Little is known about
Major Metcalf.

MISS CASEWELL - A strange, aloof, masculine woman who speaks offhandedly about the horrific
experiences of her childhood.

MR. PARAVICINI – an unexpected guest, who arrives claiming that his car has overturned in a
snowdrift. A man of unknown provenance who appears to be affecting a foreign accent and is artifi-
cially aged with make-up.

DETECTIVE SEARGENT TROTTER – The police detective who arrives at the Manor on skis
and questions the proprietors and guests.
PG. 9
INSIDE VERTIGO THEATRE
We chatted with Sound Designer Andrew
Blizzard about the role of sound and music in the
production, where he found inspiration for this
production, and the all-time scariest film music!

What are your top three favourite Suspense/

Thriller/Horror/Mystery themes from film? 

Almost impossible to narrow it down to three!

In no particular order would be Alien by Jerry
Goldsmith, North by Northwest by Bernard
Herrmann and Gravity by Steven Price (it is
incredibly effective!)
 
What is the role of sound design/music in theatre? What particular purpose does it serve in
the suspense/mystery genre?

I feel the main role is to always support the story emotionally. If it isn’t helping to make the
emotions of our characters more clear, then it is just muddying the water. Within the suspense/
mystery genre it’s all about tension and release. Those wonderful moments of intrigue or a big
scare need to be setup properly, with the sound or music building until it snaps. 
 
The Mousetrap is one of the longest running Murder Mysteries of all time. What’s the first
thing you do when approaching this script? Where do you look for inspiration?

The first thing I did was to think of ways to make the music and sound design different from
what you would normally expect to hear with The Mousetrap. How can we make it exciting and
unique from the numerous other productions, while still being true to this classic of the genre?
Instead of just following the script and creating exactly what is asked for, how can we change the
character of a sound effect to breathe some life into it?

For inspiration with music I almost always look to explore a new instrument or technique that
makes me approach it from a different angle. I tend to research a lot of film within the same
genre or time period to get a sense of what kind of sounds were used cinematically. It really helps
to give a sense of authenticity to the era we are trying to portray.

How does your relationship with the director work?

It is always a collaborative process, wherein we will discuss exactly the “mood” we are looking to
create, and then together layout some general guidelines on style and aesthetic. From there, it’s
all about sending ideas (musical or sound design) and getting feedback from the director. Having
sounds and music for the cast to work with in rehearsal is a designers best tool for being
collaborative. 

PG. 10
Do you know what kinds of sounds/effects/instruments you might be using for The Mousetrap? What kinds
of things can we listen for to get a more rich experience of the sound of the show?

With this production we are really playing with the fact that it is a dark old monastery. I’ll be playing with the
sound of old decrepit church bells for sure. Also, the tune “three blind mice” is a huge part of the narrative of the
show, but for the overall music I intend to only use that as a basic building block. It will be in there, but
disguised and hidden...much like how all of our characters have something to hide.
 
Who’d your favourite character in the show and what famous piece of music would you choose for their
theme?

I love the twisted and dark nature of Wren. I feel he would probably binge on Nirvana, given the chance...
Maybe “Nevermind” on repeat?
 
What’s the scariest sounding instrument?

There’s a reason that orchestral strings get used in almost every suspense/mystery/horror genre film made! They
can be really unnerving and off-putting, whether being played loud and aggressively or barely audible...like
something is hiding and ready to grab you. 

Or bagpipes.
 
What do you think is the scariest non-instrumental sound of all time?

Any sound that is distant and obscured to the point that you can’t tell what it is...the unknowing makes it
dangerous. Like “is that someone scratching from inside my bedroom wall, or just the trees outside in the wind”.

PG. 11
Preshow Discussion
Questions and Projects
Whodunit Murder Mysteries

In a classic Whodunnit, there are certain elements that

are set up ahead of time what are the elements of the
story that you need to make it work? (Think in terms of
setting, types of characters, qualities of those characters,
plot points, location, weather, time of day, etc.)

Often, murder mystery stories are set in a location

where the characters are isolated and cut off from the rest of the world. Or a situation where it’s
impossible for someone to know what’s going on and come and rescue them. If you were to write
a modern day version of a Whodunnit, what setting/location/situation would you choose? What
would the benefits be?

Whodunit or Whodunnit
- short for “Who [has] Done it?”
Or Who Did it?
a story or play about a murder in which
the identity of the murderer is not
revealed until the end. The audience is
given the opportunity to engage in the
same process of deduction as the pro-
tagonist throughout the investigation
of a crime. The investigation is usually
conducted by an eccentric, amateur, or
semi-professional detective.

PG. 12
Cor, Blimey!*
A glossary of British-isms in The Mousetrap
(*an expression of surprise)
With the popularity of the Harry Potter films, many of us have
become familiar with the
different words used for everyday things in the United
Kingdom. A bonnet is the hood of a car, a lift is an elevator,
sweets are candy, tea is dinner (and also the drink, as if that
wasn’t a confusing choice!), etc.

In THE MOUSETRAP, the characters use a variety of interesting words.

Can you find out what they are?

Word Sounds Like... It’s Actually...

Aga The sound a baby makes

Coke The soft drink.
Mugs What you drink tea and coffee with.
Guineas The cute little animals sometimes
kept as pets
Dogsbody Umm, the body of a dog?
Tabbie’s Delight Cat Food
A Red One of my checkers that you
skipped
Pinched Ouch, it must be St. Patrick’s Day!
Chillblains Cold...blains?
Wireless License Your internet provider
Cross What the chicken did
Coalscuttles The sound of coals crossing the floor
Fifteenth instant A lot of instant coffee
Spiv A tiny insect
Ration books I’d rather read Harry Potter
Barmy The sound you make when you’re
hungry?
“Hunt the Thimble” An unpopular safari choice

PG. 13
SOUND OFF!

Want to know how important sound and music are to storytelling?

Watch these short clips from the suspense films The Talented Mr. Ripley and Psycho with the sound
turned off.  Now watch them again with the sound on.  What did you notice? How does the sound
make an impact? How much of the story or the emotion was conveyed by what you hear?

The Talented Mr Ripley (1999)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7I9rx2wHd_g

Psycho (1960)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSlo44VO-lE

THE TIMES THEY ARE A CHANGIN’

Every generation thinks that their music is the

best and that their scary films are the scariest.
Have a listen to the following four suspense/
horror themes from some of the top films of the
last 60 years.

How has the style of music changed? Do these

songs have anything in common?

Vertigo (1958) - Bernard Herrman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC5AzFc3coo

Halloween (1978) - John Carpenter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWE4bFhx_MU

Scream (1996) - Marco Beltrami

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7NRzMJ0mcI

It Follows (2015) - Disasterpeace

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1QwC-y3XMc

What’s a favourite scary music theme or song that you would use if you were scoring a a show for Vertigo
Theatre? What would get the audience gripping their armrests and tensing their shoulders?

PG. 14
Burning Questions

There will be a question and answer session after the show. What questions do you have about putting
on the play? What have you always wanted to know about theatre? What do you want to know about
being an actor?

PG. 15
Preshow ACTIVITIES
TO GET YOU UP ON YOUR FEET
RADIO PLAY!

Radio drama (or audio drama, audio play,

or radio play) is a dramatized, purely
acoustic performance, broadcast on radio or
published on audio media, such as tape or
CD. With no visual component, radio drama
depends on dialogue, music, and sound
effects to help the listener imagine the
characters and story.

The Mousetrap originated as a radio play, and at the beginning of the stage play you are about to see,
there is a voice-over sequence that begins the show. Have your students try their hand at this unique
art form and create a voice-over soundscape by following the stage directions from the original script
(excerpt included below). The students should use only their voice, body, and props to make the
sound effects. Have the other students close their eyes when you present to see if they can clearly
understand the story you are telling.

Before the CURTAIN rises the House Lights fade to a complete BLACK-OUT and the music of
“Three Blind Mice” is heard.

When the CURTAIN rises the stage is in complete darkness. The music fades giving place to a shrill
whistle of the same tune, “Three Blind Mice”. A woman’s piercing scream is heard then a mixture of male
and female voices saying: “My God, what’s that?” “Went that way!” “Oh my God!” Then a police whistle
sounds, followed by several other police whistles, all of which fade to silence. This is followed by a voice on
the radio: “…and according to Scotland Yard, the crime took place at twenty-four
Culver Street, Paddington.”
PG. 16
Variation: Radio Play Project
Have your students write and produce a 1-3 minute radio play scene about an event that you have studied in class.
(it could also be a fictional scene if preferred).

REMEMBER: directions are seen from the viewpoint of the actor.

If the director calls out Stage Left, the actor will move to their left.

Tips for Success! Discuss sound effects use. (Playing an example of a radio play and providing a script for the
students to read along with the recording, may help).

Some important points about sound effects:

(1) Use sound effects sparingly.
(2) Sound effects should support the story and suggest action, but too many sound effects
may make the scene difficult to produce and detract from the story.
(3) Sound effects that must be timed precisely with the dialog should be done manually—a
knock on the door, for instance.
(4) Sound effects or music that serves as background or mood may be recorded earlier and
played back digitally fading in and out as needed.

PG. 17
TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE

In the play the Mousetrap, the guests are all strangers - never having met before. This is a great advantage
as they are able to disclose as much (or as little) information about themselves as they want to. Allowing for
secrets to remain hidden until the murderer is revealed…

Now’s your chance to see how much you and your students know about each other (or thought you did!)

Each person prepares three statements, two of which are true, and one of which is a lie. Decide who will go first.
That person lists the three “facts” about themselves in a random order. Examples:

- I had long hair down to my waist until I was 5 years old.

- I hiked up a mountain this summer.
- I went to my Grandmother’s house for dinner on the weekend and there were 22 people at the dinner table.

The rest of the group votes on each statement, and the person reveals which one is a lie. (They may also explain
the circumstances for the other two facts. Everyone else may talk about how they were fooled or figured out
which was the lie. This step is optional depending on how much time you have).

Variation: Two Truths and a Dream Wish

Instead of stating one lie, the students state one thing that isn’t true but something that they wish to be true. (for
example – someone that has always wanted to go to Hawaii might say: “I have visited Hawaii when I was young”).

Tips for Success! Try to recite all three “facts” in the same tone of voice, so you don’t give away the lie.

Discussion:
a) Were you surprised at how much you knew or didn’t know about someone?
b) How did you determine when someone was lying?
c) Did you make assumptions about someone only to discover the truth afterwards?
d) Think of other times in your life when you’ve made decisions about someone or something
before knowing the facts. Why do we this?

PG. 18
Post Show Discussion
Questions
1. What has kept this play popular for so long? What do you think draws the audiences year after year?

2. Why is the play called “The Mousetrap”?

3. Okay, so you’ve just seen the Mousetrap. Part of the fun of seeing a mystery is getting caught up in
the red herrings. What were some of the red herrings in the show? Which ones swayed you the most?
Did you correctly guess the murderer? What were some of the red herrings in the show? Which ones
swayed you the most? Did you correctly guess the murderer?

red herring
noun:
1. a dried smoked herring, which is
turned red by the smoke.
2. something, especially a clue, that
is or is intended to be misleading
or distracting.

4. A successful whodunnit is built upon a great twist near the end where the murderer is revealed.
How did you feel of the twist ending of The Mousetrap? Did you see it coming? Did it catch you
by surprise? Was it there in front of your eyes the whole time but you just couldn’t see it? Did it feel
satisfying?

5. Throughout the play the bonds of Mollie and Giles are tested as they both become suspicious of
each other. Mollie says, “Perhaps you never did know me. We’ve been married how long – a year?
But you don’t really know anything about me. What I’d done or thought or felt or suffered before you
knew me”. Having only been married for a year, would they have had inevitable
problems or were their problems brought about by the events in the play? Is Mollie’s reluctance to
divulge her secrets to Giles a good choice or bad choice? Is Giles right to demand her be honest with
him or should he respect her secrets?

6. Throughout the play, characters are frequently commenting on how they don’t really know each
other. In life is it ever really possible to know somebody or do we all have something to hide?

7. (**SPOILER ALERT IF YOU’RE READING AHEAD AND HAVEN’T YET SEEN THE
PLAY!!**) Now knowing that Inspector Trotter was the murderer, did he conduct a
satisfying investigation? Were there things that he could’ve done better? What un-police-like things
did he do, if any? Was he convincing as an investigator?

8. Think back to the voice-over sequence that you heard at the beginning of the play. How similar
was the soundscape that you created? (only applicable if the pre-show activity was done). What were
the biggest differences? Why do you think the playwright chose to start the play that way?
PG. 19
The Art of the
Theatre Review
Now that you’ve seen the production, it’s time to write a review. But how do you do it? Where do
you start? The Guardian Theatre critic Lyn Gardner suggests:

A traditional theatre review often begins by giving the reader some background
about a production, a brief outline of plot and themes, a sense of what the staging
looks (and sounds) like; it offers an evaluation of the writing, the production and
the performances and concludes with a summing up.

But, most importantly, she says that:

The first rule is that there are no rules – you’re writing a review to express your
thoughts and feelings about a theatre show, not taking an exam. There are as many
ways to write a review as there are personal responses to any production. There is
no right or wrong. Allow yourself to develop your own distinctive voice, and be
honest about what you really think about a production: convey your enthusiasm
for it or explain why you disliked it. Don’t worry about going out on a limb. A timid
theatre review is often a dull read. The hardest reviews to write are not about the
shows you passionately loved or hated, but about ones that were just so-so.

To begin, jot down what stuck with you in the production.

• What do you remember the most?
• Which performances did you love and why?
• What did you think of the costumes, the set, the lighting, the sound?
• Did you like the story?
• Did the production make you feel something?

This last question is perhaps the most important. Kenneth Tynan, one of the most celebrated
critics of all time said the following about that very topic:

If a play does anything—either tragically or comically, satirically or farcically—to

explain to me why I am alive, it is a good play. If it seems unaware that such
questions exist, I tend to suspect that it’s a bad one.

By “explain to me why I am alive”, Tynan is suggesting that a play should speak to you about
some aspect of your life. Some other questions you could address are:
• If you lost interest, where did the production go wrong?
• Was there a part of the story that you had difficulty accepting? A performance you didn’t
believe? A twist in the story that didn’t make sense?
• Would you recommend this play to others? Was it worth your time?

Bonus Activity!
Can you summarize your review in the length of a tweet? You get 140 characters. This includes
spaces!

If you’re on Twitter, tag Vertigo with @vertigotheatre, so we can know what you thought!
PG. 20
ABOUT VERTIGO THEATRE

We are a professional, not-for-profit charitable organization with a dual artistic mandate.

Our mission is to be a leader in developing, producing and presenting plays based in the mystery
genre, and plays for young audiences, while providing a performance home for other
organizations.

Our vision is to create exceptional entertainment experiences. Vertigo Theatre occupies a unique
place in Calgary’s cultural landscape as:
• The only professional theatre in Canada producing a series of professional plays based in the
mystery genre
• The only theatre in Calgary presenting a full series of theatre for young audiences either
produced by Vertigo Theatre or on tour across the country and beyond
• Providing a performance home for other arts and arts education organizations
• Committed to mentorship and training in all areas – artistic, production and administration

Vertigo Theatre is a member of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres and engages
under the terms of the Canadian Theatre Agreement professional Artists who are members of the
Canadian Actors’ Equity Association.

EDUCATION & OUTREACH

PROGRAM STUDENT MATINEES
BD&P Mystery Theatre Series
Vertigo is the only professional theatre company in Canada that produces a full season of plays
based in the mystery genre, encompassing classical and contemporary work that stimulates,
entertains and engages the audience.

Y Stage Theatre Series

Features plays that have been created specifically for young people by Vertigo Theatre or other
professional theatre companies on tour from across Canada and beyond. The Y Stage Theatre
Series separates itself from other child-oriented arts programming with plays that are socially
relevant and thought-provoking as well as entertaining, reflecting issues and concerns that
children face every day such as bullying, self-acceptance, cultural diversity, tolerance and the value
of friendship.

PG. 21
WORKSHOPS

Annual workshop programs are offered to support theatre arts and school curriculums by creating
structured, interactive workshops that encourage dialogue and spark young people’s imaginations.
Pre/post show or stand-alone workshops with an artist-educator are available for all BD&P
Mystery Theatre Series and Y Stage Theatre Series productions. Vertigo Theatre’s workshop
program assists teachers in expanding the theatre experience with hands-on activities specific to
each production.

Proudly Sponsored By:

ACCESS FOR YOUNG

AUDIENCES (AYA) PROGRAM
Theatre for young audiences is an exceptional art form that, over and over again, has proven to be
a significant contributing factor in the development of children. Studies have shown that
sustained exposure to the performing arts at an early age develops an appreciation of music, dance
and theatre that lasts a lifetime.

The Access for Young Audiences program offers a much-needed resource to schools and
community groups that represent children and teens who are considered ‘high needs’ by providing
low-cost or free tickets to productions in our BD&P Mystery Theatre Series and our Y Stage
Theatre Series. The AYA program levels socio-economic backgrounds and allows kids to be kids,
and teens to relate to each other on a deeper, more meaningful level. Children and teens are
exposed to positively positioned real-life issues (bullying, drug-addition or racism), and the
concept and impact of empathy for others. Most importantly, the AYA program is a tool to
incubate the next generation of artists and arts supporters.

Proudly sponsored by:

PG. 22