#53 Astrid Janson / by Michael Kruse

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This episode a great conversation with legendary Canadian theatre designer Astrid Janson. I joined Astrid in at her home in November of 2018 to discuss her early days at Toronto Workshop Productions and Toronto Dance Theatre and her set, costume, and yes lighting design work in opera and new theatrical works. Please find her complete portfolio at THIS link. and follow along with this key Canadian designer.

We also briefly remember costume designer Susanne Mess who we lost in Janary 2019, and Mallory Gilbert who passed in February.

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Links

Toronto Workshop Productions

Toronto Dance Theatre

Atlantis by Toronto Dance Theatre, choreography by David Earle, dancers most likely Cornelius Fischer-Credo and Peggy Baker, however could also be any combination of : Kathryn Brown, Barry (Artis) Smith, Sara Pettitt, Patricia Beatty, Danny Grossman…

Atlantis by Toronto Dance Theatre, choreography by David Earle, dancers most likely Cornelius Fischer-Credo and Peggy Baker, however could also be any combination of : Kathryn Brown, Barry (Artis) Smith, Sara Pettitt, Patricia Beatty, Danny Grossman, Ricardo Abreut, David Wood, Susan Macpherson, Helen Jones, Norey Drummond, Patricia Miner, John Preston, Merle (Germaine) Salsberg. Costume design by Astrid Janson

Roelof Peter Snippe

University of British Columbia

Joy Coghill and the Vancouver Playhouse

Brian Jackson, resident designer at Van Playhouse

John Brockington

Richard Ouzounian

John Grey

Larry Lillo, and a film about his life

Brent Carver

Goldie Semple

A Taste of Honey at UBC, not the same production, but a neat photo

Terminal, part of the Living Theatre tradition by Open Theatre

Much Ado About Nothing - musical at UBC

Susan McPherson

Jim Plaxton

David Earle

Patrica Beatty

Peter Rendazzo

Nancy (Jowsey) Lewis - resident designer at TWP

June Falkner, GM at TWP

George Luscombe

Joan Littlewood

Richard Two-time at TWP

Ten Lost Years at TWP by Jack Winter based on the book by Barry Broadfoot

You Can’t Get There From Here by Jack Winter TWP

The fire at TWP on Alexander St in 1974

CBC Design department and Susanne Mess and some of her designs

The Tommy Hunter Show

The King of Kensington, produced by Perry Rosemond

Home Fires, produced by Robert Sharen and production shots

AIDS crisis in the Arts in Canada

Expo ‘86 Ontario Pavilion and photos of the pavilion by Astrid

Ken Gass

Sholem Dolgoy

HMS Pinafore directed by Leon Major at Stratford Festival starring Michael Burgess

The Cherry Orchard at the Shaw Festival in 1980 notorious

Murray Laufer set designer

John Hirsch

Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s Firebird with Vincent Nabrada choreographer

Lotfe Mansouri, Canadian Opera Company, A Tales of Hoffman directed by Hans Nieuwenhuis

Malibar’s Costume House

Robert Desrosiers’ In Cognito at the Calgary Olympics 1988

Opera Philadelphia

Joe Papp at The Public Theatre in New York and his Stable of Designers

Rusalka with Ben Heppner at COC

Dancing at Lughnasa at the Grand Theatre

The Master Builder at TWP directed by George Luscombe 1983-4

Molly Sweeney directed by Miles Potter at Canadian Stage

Women in Mind directed by Martha Henry at the Grand Theatre London

Sweet Bird of Youth at Stratford Festival starring Martha Henry

From the House of the Dead directed by Dina Bertman

Les Canadians at TWP

The Grace of Mary Travers, directed by Martha Henry, Toronto Free Theatre

Village of Small Huts by Michael Hollingsworth

Shadowland Theatre

U of Toronto Drama Department

Buddies in Bad Times Theatre

Josef Svoboda

Michigan School of Music - Barber of Seville

Jacob Two Two and the Hooded Fang

Harry Frehner

Jacob Two Two and the Dinosaur

Kodachrome Slide Projector

The Waverly Gallery