the wolves | more photos

A final round of photos before THE WOLVES closes up shop this weekend! We are so grateful to have shared this powerful story with you and to have had the opportunity to work with With a Spoon Theatre and Rumble Theatre.

Photos by Ron Reed. Featuring Georgia Beaty, Paige Loiter, Montserrat Videla, Shona Struthers, Danielle Klaudt, Jalen Saip, Amanda Sum, Kim Larson, and Ali Watson. Not pictured: Anjela Magpantay and Tanja Dixon-Warren. Costumes by Chantal Short. Lighting by Nicole Weismiller. Sound by Matthew Macdonald-Bain.

the wolves | director's notes

Jamie King wrote some beautiful director's notes for THE WOLVES and, sadly, we had to ask her to truncate them to fit into the program for printing. So here they are, in all their glory!

Once in a while you find a piece of art that speaks directly to your heart
(as if it has always been inside of you, noodling away in the back of your brain)
then
POW!
It has shape and words, completely tangible before you.
That’s what finding Delappe’s The Wolves was like.
From the first page alone the room I read in was filled with nine teenage girls:
sweating, swearing, chatting about politics and periods and so alive. They leaned over my shoulders while I read.

How could I resist this play?
Its haunting nostalgia, its humour, its life…
These girls are an extension of myself at seventeen. All the beautiful quirks and traits that time is pulling away from me.
Afternoons of lying on sun-washed porches after school, wondering who I would be… who I could be… who I wanted to be...

Coming back to this show after a year and a half away was a profoundly joyful experience.
A bit like going on a long trip and opening the door to your home: the still air, the sun shining through the windows, and clean sheets on the bed waiting for you.

So much has changed in the world (and in us) over this last year, while so much has stayed the same.
To quote Naomi Wadler:
"People have said I am a tool of some nameless adult. It's not true. My friends and I might still be 11, and we might still be in elementary school, but we know. We know life isn't equal for everyone and we know what is right and wrong."

As we move together into the stages of "What Next?" All I can think is to ask for more like this.
More plays about girls being intelligent and petty and oblivious and overachieving and shy and funny and rude and caring.
More art that shows our flaws and our triumphs.
More art that just shows us.
A glimpse of a future that we are just beginning to explore.

Thank you for being here.

we
are
the wolves
we are all The Wolves.

-Jamie King, Director

the wolves | responses

"I'm gonna go out on a limb here, and say The Wolves at Pacific Theatre might be the best show I will see this season - and yes I realize it's only October. Directed by Jamie King - perhaps the most mature of young Vancouver directors - this show is OUTSTANDING. I was especially impressed to learn how producers/actors Danielle Klaudt and Paige Louter had the wherewithal to secure the elusive rights for this Pulitzer-shortlisted play by a 27 year old first time playwright, then cast a soccer team's worth of kickass allstar acting talent to light up the stage." Tetsuro Shigematsu

"The script remains a nonet of interlocking character studies with stunning choreography and unusual respect for its audience."
- David Johnston, Colin Thomas' Fresh Sheet

"The Wolves is about family, community, and teamwork. It highlights bullying and acceptance, weaving in the mundane with the serious, and forces the talented cast to go through a roller coaster of emotions that one would with any chosen family."
- Alan Woo, Fun Fun Vancouver

"Director Jamie King and her cast are in perfect sync, nailing both the complex rhythms of the dialogue and the considerable physicality of DeLappe’s script. This show is a literal workout for the actors, who deliver many of their lines while doing running and passing drills on the tiny AstroTurfed stage... There’s not a weak spot on the field in this production. Go, team!"
- Kathleen Oliver, The Georgia Straight

"Like many stories that use sport as a metaphor for basic human endeavour, The wolves (the team, not the play) show us that a team of diverse personalities can move forward in the spirit of togetherness for the collective good."
- John Jane, Review Vancouver

"The Wolves is a smart and satisfying work, and it is easy to see why it is in such demand. Packing a lot into its relatively small container, more importantly, it also packs a punch."
- Mark Robins, Vancouver Presents

"I could say something about every one of these excellent performances, but the real strength of the show is its seamless ensemble. As #25 says, “Teamwork makes the dream work.” That’s as true on the stage as on the pitch, and these Wolves are certainly winners."
- Jerry Wasserman, Vancouver Plays

the wolves | opening night reception

We had a fantastic time opening THE WOLVES last weekend! Thank you to everyone who joined us, and congratulations to the wonderful team of artists who gave this show so much heart. Here are some shots from our opening night reception!

the wolves | meet the cast

There is an incredible cast taking the stage for THE WOLVES! With a handful of former PT apprentices and a number of new-to-us artists, we are so thrilled to introduce you to the cast! Read below to get a little insight into what their personal connection is to the play or why they were excited to be a part of this production.

Kim Larson: "The interactions on stage feel very real to me. The hurricane of nervous energy that is involved in being a teenager (or human) is something I still feel."

Amanda Sum: "I think it is a gift to revisit material. Having set it down for a good year and a half and picking it up again, there's so much more to bring to it. We're all in a different place than we were last year. I know I've grown as an actor and an artist and I think we can add a freshness to the show while still keeping its big heart from our first time."

Danielle Klaudt: "Although I was never on a soccer team, despite my parents' best efforts, these group dynamics are so relatable. I've definitely been in friend groups like this one- whew getting along is complicated!"

Georgia Beaty: "This show is such a gift! The authenticity of the the text, the playful energy, and the complexities of these teenage girls is what I love about this play and these characters.
I am also SO thrilled to be able to work with this group of artists!"

Jalen Saip: "I have played competitive sports for 26 years. This play is like a snapshot of my teenage years in ice hockey and fast pitch."

Ali Watson: "I do feel a lot of connection to my character, #13. She is the weirdo of the group and totally walks to the beat of her own drum. I have always identified as the weird girl in my friend group and I enjoy every second of having that title."

Monsterrat Videla: "I am interested in the gap between where we are and what we are taking in. What are we processing and how? Who are we within our social circle? Simply put, I am invested in these girls for their chaotic, nuanced lives."

Shona Struthers: "I played on a field hockey team at my high school for 4 years and this play is so eerily similar to the conversations we'd have, but I was absolutely never the captain. Our former captain went on to play for HARVARD!"

Paige Louter: "This remount is a dream come true, and I can't wait to take audiences on the journey of this play with us."

Tanja Dixon Warren: "I am jazzed about working with a pack of young up and comers / emerging artists who are full of talent, ideas and passion. I love the poetry and complexity of the script! I love that it has a young voice - which even I can remember having and relating to!!!"

the wolves | flashback

THE WOLVES started as an apprentice project produced by Paige Louter and Danielle Klaudt two seasons ago! Here's a throwback to the original Wolves crew - some of them are back this time around, and some aren't, but they are all wolves! Photos by Catchfall Photography.

the wolves | promo photos

It's time for THE WOLVES to move into the theatre! This show is fast, fierce, and powerful, and we cannot wait to bring it to our audience. Here are some promo photos by Riun Garner.

the wolves | first read

The team for THE WOLVES has already been hard at work, getting ready to follow KIM'S CONVENIENCE (closing this weekend)! Here are some shots from their first read through of the script a couple of weeks ago.