Mary and I met at her home in Victoria BC in December of 2018. We speak of her early days growing up in Winnipeg dancing in her mother’s dance studio and her transition to majorette, sculpture and finally nationally renowned set and costume designer. We speak for considerable length about her collaboration with the late Stephen Katz and her work on the spectacular opening ceremonies for the Commonwealth Games in 1994. Mary’s work was featured in the seminal book Scenography in Canada by Natalie Rewa and she currently is a professor at the University of Victoria.
Links
Mary on the set of Toy Castle, flanked by actors (clockwise from right to left )Jorden Morris, Elizabeth Olds, Corinne Vessey, and perhaps David Lucas?
Donna Fiala - Winnipeg blue bomberettes
Royal Winnipeg Ballet - Arnold Spohr
Dr. Judith Flynn, St. John’s college University of Manitoba
John Hirsch, Manitoba Theatre Centre
Mother Courage and her Children, Manitoba Theatre Centre, Zoe Caldwell, Len Cariou, Martha Henry, Francis Hyland and Douglas Rain
Laurence A. Cummings, St Aethalwolds Players,
Dr. Alexandra Johnson, Chaucer scholar U of Toronto at the Medieval Centre
Secunda Pastorum, at Hart House
The Digby Play of Mary Magdalene Toronto Dance Theatre, 1969-70
The pageant of Herod the Great, directed by G.B. “Skip” Shand,
Professor Brian Parker, U of Toronto English dept
Sydney Katz and Dorthy Katz
Measure for Measure, directed by Stephen Katz at Hart House
Germain Peirce Memorial Tribute
La Mandragola Vancouver Playhouse
Campidoglio floor by Michelangelo
Expo ‘86, Vancouver, designed by Mary Kerr, Directed by
Frei Otto’s stretched membrane for the german pavillion, Expo ‘67
The Magnificent Voyage of Emily Carr by Jovette Marchessault directed by Glynis Leyshon
Ian Atkin - New Zealand designer
Sweeney Todd at the Mercury Theatre in New Zealand
Commonwealth Games Victoria BC 2994, Mechanical Wolf
Commonwealth Games Victoria BC 1994
The Three Penny Opera at Canadian Stage 1989
The Three Penny Opera at Canadian Stage 1989, costume design by Mary Kerr
Mary sitting with the final costumes for The Three Penny Opera at Canadian Stage in 1989