Our production
Director
Associate Professor Kate Foy is a respected and recognised contributor to the arts in Queensland. Currently Deputy Dean of USQ's Faculty of Arts, Kate has been Chair at the Queensland Theatre Company since 2003. She is also on the Board of Directors of the Empire Theatre and has directed numerous plays for the New England Theatre Company, Queensland Theatre Company, the University of New England in Armidale, as well as the University of Southern Queensland. Kate specialises in the study of traditional Japanese theatre and has directed seven Shakespearian plays during her directing career.
Kate was pleased when asked to direct the USQ production of Mad Forest, as she had seen a production of the play during the early 90's. She remembered it as "a very moving experience", and she hopes to repeat this for her audiences.
The rehearsal process
The USQ production of Mad Forest will reveal the talents of the 2nd year Acting students; it will be their first public performance at whilst at University. The rehearsal process began mid-March and spanned over ten weeks in order to develop and invest the actors' place in the political story of the play.
USQ's production of Mad Forest has used a traditional rehearsal process where the Director envisions the realm of the play with the Set Designers Chris Willems, Ben Stewart and Andrea Corish. Kate Foy has used her own unique style as a 'teaching director' to encourage the ensemble to work collaboratively. She has also made use of her own technical skills to encourage students to use the blog spot, where the actors can share research online and to voice issues experienced in relation with the play.
In undertaking this kind of rehearsal process it is hoped that the cast and crew will learn how to ‘rehearse' using the Stanislavski System via the use of exercises and discussion on the work being explored. During this production, Kate especially focused on naturalistic acting and the building of credible characters within a 'playful but purposeful' rehearsal room.