Submitted. Well-known Mission actor, Mahara Sinclaire, plays the role of the glamorous but somewhat jaded Madge, in the upcoming Canadian Premiere of The Game’s Afoot, written by accomplished American playwright Ken Ludwig.
Presented by Peninsula Productions and directed by Wendy Bollard, the play is set in 1936 in the extravagant Connecticut castle of Broadway star William Gillette.
The play offers mystery and spine-tingling thrills at every turn, building on the best traditions of ‘whodunits’ by Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and is laced with the rapier-like wit of an English drawing-room.
Born into a family of musicians and artists, Sinclaire’s great uncle, Willie Eckstein, was inducted into the Canadian Songwriter’s Hall of Fame a few years ago, and is often credited with bringing jazz to Canada. Her grandfather, Jack Eckstein, played violin in Willie’s band, and often featured her grandmother as vocalist.
When her family moved to Mission four years ago, the first thing Sinclaire did was audition for the the annual panto at Opening Nite Theatre – where she landed the role of traditional male lead.
She has been involved in just about every production since then –from props, hair and make-up, wardrobe, and set design and decoration, to onstage roles as the male lead in two of the pantos, this year as ‘slave’, peasant, and courtesan; as ‘Renee’ in the Female Odd Couple, and as Lady F, in Death Among the Delphiniums.
She joined the board of Opening Nite Theatre Society two years ago, and had her directorial debut in this season’s production of Death Among the Delphiniums, a comedic thriller written by local playwright, Thea Bates. She is slated to direct next season’s production of the Pulitzer Prize winning play, ‘Proof’, by David Auburn and was also nominated for a Muse Award this year in the category of performing arts, as an ’emerging artist’.
Photo Credit: Max Hirtz
Sinclaire has produced a documentary called ‘Survivors’ about sexual assault through Women Against Violence Against Women. She also produced and acted in a full length indie film called ‘A Quiet Apprehension’ (adapted from the play of the same name), written by Camille Atebe, a local playwright, that was shot in Mission a couple of years ago.
Sinclaire says, “When Wendy Bollard sent me the sides for the audition, I was hooked: Ken Ludwig’s writing is superb – the plot brilliantly executed, and the characters are whole and masterfully drawn.” According to Bollard Sinclaire is doing an excellent job of the role, “Mahara is a directors dream. She is constantly working to make things better.”
Variously described as “Murderously Funny!” by Broadway World and “a wild and funny ride” by Cleveland Fine Arts Examiner, The Game’s Afoot won the 2012 Mystery Writers of America Edgar Allen Poe Awards as Best Play.
Peninsula Productions presents the Canadian Premiere of The Game’s Afoot July 10-28 at the Coast Capital Playhouse, 1532 Johnston Rd., White Rock. Tickets ($18-23) are available at 604-536-7536 at the Playhouse Box Office, Tuesdays to Saturdays, 1-5 p.m. and online at www.whiterockplayers.ca.
Photo Credit Max Hirtz