≈ 2 hours · With intermission
Last updated: October 29, 2022
It’s an incredible feat bringing the remarkable story of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale to life through dance, but choreographer Lila York and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet have created a rich and evocative production. Since first premiering this piece in 2013, the impact of the story has taken on even greater relevance as the world wrestles with intense social issues. Audiences have flocked to the television series based on the novel and the continued significance of its themes is debated and discussed. Yet as we delve into the RWB’s production, we experience both the darkness and the light, a complex yet hopeful world that makes for an engaging and powerful dance experience.
Enjoy!
Message from the choreographer
Creating a ballet based on Margaret Atwood’s prescient novel, The Handmaid’s Tale has been a longstanding and passionate wish for me.
In the years since the novel’s debut in 1985, it has only grown in relevance and importance. Once seen as ‘controversial’, the story, its premise and its characters are now fully part of our culture and our lexicon.
The story is set in the (former) United States in the aftermath of an unnamed climate crisis when a radical religious cult stages a coup and takes power, renaming the country Gilead. In Gilead women are divided into functional classes, given no choices, and are stripped of all human rights. Sterility is the norm, and women still capable of bearing children - who have also committed some infraction of the new laws - are subjugated as surrogate mothers known as ‘handmaids’ to the ruling elite. They are given three chances to produce a healthy baby, and failure relegates them to nuclear waste clean-up in the “colonies”, the US Midwest. Abortion is illegal, and any doctor found performing this procedure is hanged in public.
This is the story of one handmaid, Offred – literally “of Fred” – the Commander she is assigned to, his wife, Serena Joy, a former television gospel singer, Offred’s best friend, the indomitable and fearless Moira, and the house chauffeur, Nick, who may or may not be a member of the resistance movement.
Adapting a contemporary novel for ballet presented unique challenges. The Handmaid’s Tale is an action story full of twists and turns that made it approachable as a ballet. But unlike Moira, Offred herself is a cerebral character. Enslaved and powerless she presents as obedient while searching out a means of escape. My challenge was to reveal her depth and her yearnings through her movement.
The story is, shall we say, dark but has a hopeful if ambiguous ending, emerging from a hellish totalitarian world into a world of restored light. I found my own ‘route to the light’ in the ballet, so that no one should leave the theatre in despair.
It has been a privilege for me to work with the RWB and their brilliant and dedicated dancers on this project. I am deeply indebted to Ms. Atwood for her support and her wisdom.
– Lila York
Choreographer, The Handmaid’s Tale, based on the novel by Margaret Atwood
Message from the Artistic Director
We are thrilled to bring one of Canada's most celebrated literary achievements to our Ottawa friends on the NAC’s Southam Hall stage. As you may be aware, the world premiere of The Handmaid’s Tale, based on the novel by Margaret Atwood, was presented in Winnipeg, on October 16, 2013 – and since then has only ever been performed outside of Winnipeg four times, in Brandon and Ottawa, plus Calgary and Edmonton last month. Now we are eager to share this riveting story once again with dance and ballet fans in our home away from home!
Choreographer Lila York's dance-drama portrays a dystopian future where we shadow the restricted, yet resilient, Offred as she navigates a world where women's rights have been stripped away in this powerful interpretation of Atwood's gripping novel.
Through a dialogue with the Governor General Award-winning author, York spent nearly a decade re-imagining the daunting world of Gilead. She then assembled a team of top international talent in lighting and costuming. Innovative set designer Clifton Taylor, who has worked with the world's leading dance and opera companies, was assisted by Anshuman Bhatia to take the world so vividly imagined by Atwood to the stage. Costume designer Liz Vandal lauded for her cutting-edge fashion design and costuming for Cirque du Soleil and Marie Chouinard, created original costuming to fit the narrative's dark romanticism.
Set to a pastiche score of renowned composers, including James MacMillan, Arvo Pärt, and Alfred Schnittke among others, this thought-provoking ballet will provide a rich array of characters to showcase the energy, athleticism, and theatricality of the RWB Company artists. This is a performance that is sure to spark conversation and leave a lasting impression.
Please sit back and be transported to the dystopian world of Gilead.
Thank you for joining us.
André Lewis, O.M.
Artistic Director & CEO
Program
2 hours – With intermission
RWB’s The Handmaid’s Tale will be performed with live orchestral music from the National Arts Centre Orchestra.
Content Warning
The Handmaid’s Tale contains mature content and may not be suitable for all audiences. This production isn’t recommended for children under 12.
Quote
“As Offred, Elizabeth Lamont delivers an emotive performance and maintains a quiet yet powerful stage presence. Lamont takes the audience on a moving journey as Offred evolves from a captive to a force to be reckoned with. Antagonists The Commander (Liam Caines) and his wife, Serena Joy (Jaimi Deleau) are fearsome as two of the Handmaids' myriad of oppressors. In one of the show's most memorable moments, Offred's lover, Nick (Stephen Azulay) joins Offred in a lyrical duet entitled Respite. Lamont and Azulay cut striking figures against the production's austere backdrop, creating an ethereal moment of unexpected peace.” Sarah Dussome, BroadwayWorld.com, Edmonton, Sep. 24, 2022
Synopsis
The Handmaid’s Tale is a ballet interpretation of Margaret Atwood’s prophetic novel portraying a future society where human rights - and women’s rights in particular - have been nullified. Following a staged terrorist attack that sees the deaths of nearly all elected officials in Washington, the United States is subject to a coup by a fundamentalist religious faction of the military. They replace the liberal democratic infrastructure of the U.S. with a theocratic dictatorship named The Republic of Gilead which institutes a rigid social hierarchy. Owing to radiation poisoning and subsequent low fertility, women of childbearing age who have committed any infraction of the new laws can be enslaved to the families of the upper echelon as surrogate mothers, or Handmaids. They are sent to an indoctrination center, known informally as the Red Center for the red habits the Handmaids are compelled to wear. Here they are instructed by Aunts, the only women in Gilead who are permitted the right to read, then sent on to the homes of Commanders. Each Handmaid has three chances to produce a baby. Failure means exile to the Midwest (the colonies) to clean up nuclear waste or to live a life of prostitution as a “Jezebel” to the military elites. In Gilead, abortion is outlawed, and any physician found to have performed one is hanged.
As in George Orwell’s 1984, Gilead is perpetually at war, the press consists of controlled propaganda, and the young are indoctrinated into compliance. And as in all repressive societies, there is a resistance movement in Gilead, called May Day, named for the day of the planned overthrow of the regime.
The Handmaid’s Tale is the story of one Handmaid, known as Offred – literally “of Fred” – for the military commander she is assigned to; her best friend, the indomitable Moira, a woman both fearless and reckless and embodying a clear counterpoint to the cautious Offred; the Commander and his wife, Serena Joy, a well-known gospel singer in “the time before” whose career was terminated after the coup; and their chauffeur, Nick, who may or may not be a member of the Resistance. Welcome to Gilead.
Whether it be from a stage, page, or television screen, Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale is resonating worldwide as we observe a climate where disdain for democratic institutions is on the rise.
Atwood’s dystopian bestselling classic was published in 1985 and has returned to the bestseller list in wake of the 2016 American Presidential election. Translated into over 40 languages, Atwood’s Governor General Award-winning novel has been adapted to film, opera, a novel-to-radio series, an award-winning audiobook, graphic novel, television series, and ballet by acclaimed New York-based choreographer Lila York.
The Handmaid’s Tale television series received 13 Emmy nominations and five wins in its first season alone and just launched its fifth season, emphasizing the significance of Atwood’s novel in the present day as civil liberties are viewed as threatened.
In this ballet, York, along with a talented creative team, preserves the novel’s prophetic spirit and human story, creating a powerful and poignant interpretation of the gripping tale. Deftly attuned to highlighting the narrative’s dark romanticism, forbidden desires and domineering regime, York’s dance drama transports audiences to a society where human rights have been stripped away
ACT 1 – 50 minutes
GILEAD
Offred/Nick/Luke
Daughter/The Eyes/Handmaids
MUSIC: James MacMillan’s Berserking Piano Concerto, by arrangement with Boosey & Hawkes, Inc., publisher and copyright owner.
THE RED CENTRE
Aunt Lydia/Moira / Offred
Handmaids/The Eyes
MUSIC: Andrzej Panufnik Tragic Overture, by arrangement with Bote & Bock Berlin and Boosey & Hawkes, Inc.
THE COMMANDER’S HOUSE
Offred/Serena Joy
The Commander/ Nick
MUSIC: Rock of Ages, courtesy of Essential Media Group.
SHOPPING HANDMAIDS
Handmaids
MUSIC: Leonard Bernstein’s Serenade after Plato’s Symposium (3rd Movement) Eriximachus (Presto), by arrangement with Boosey & Hawkes, Inc., Sole Agent for Leonard Bernstein Music Publishing Company LLC, publisher and copyright owner.
THE TIME BEFORE
Offred/Luke
MUSIC: Arvo Pärt Fur Alina for piano, used by arrangement with European American Music Distributors Company, Canadian and U.S. agent for Universal Edition Vienna, publisher, and copyright owner.
CEREMONY
Offred/Serena Joy/The Commander
MUSIC: Melissa Hui Dawn from Dusk to Dawn, by arrangement with Canadian Music Centre.
BIRTH PREGNANT
Handmaid/Lead Wife/ Handmaids
MUSIC: Alfred Schnittke Sonata for Violin & Orchestra, by arrangement with G. Schirmer, Inc., publisher and copyright owner.
THE TIME BEFORE (REPRISE)
Offred/Luke
MUSIC: Arvo Pärt, Fur Alina for piano, used by arrangement with European American Music Distributors Company, Canadian and U.S. agent for Universal Edition Vienna, publisher and copyright owner.
NICK
Offred/Nick
MUSIC: Alfred Schnittke, The Ball from Gogol Suite, by arrangement with G. Schirmer, Inc., publisher and copyright owner.
THE COMMANDER’S STUDY
Offred/Nick/The Commander
MUSIC: Alfred Schnittke, The Waltz from the Film Music, by arrangement with G. Schirmer, Inc., publisher and copyright owner.
ACT II – 45 minutes
JEZEBELS
Offred/The Commander/Moira
Artists of the Company
MUSIC: White Stripes, Astro and I’m bound to pack it up arranged by Joby Talbot, by arrangement with G. Schirmer, Inc., publisher and copyright owner.
RESISTANCE
Nick/ Resistance
MUSIC: John Corigliano Three Hallucinations (Third Movement), by arrangement with G. Schirmer, Inc., publisher and copyright owner.
SERENA JOY’S LAMENT
Serena Joy/ Offred
MUSIC: James MacMillan’s After The Tryst, by arrangement with Boosey & Hawkes, Inc., publisher an copyright owner.
RESPITE
Offred/Nick
MUSIC: James MacMillan’s Berserking Piano Concerto (Second Movement), by arrangement with Boosey & Hawkes, Inc., publisher and copyright owner.
SALVAGING/ MAY DAY
Offred/Serena Joy/ The Commander
Nick/Aunt Lydia/ Handmaids
Resistance Fighters/ The Eyes
MUSIC: James MacMillan’s Berserking Piano Concerto (Third Movement), by arrangement used with Boosey & Hawkes, Inc., publisher and copyright owner.
THE TIME AFTER*
Offred/ Artists of the Company
*Special choreography by Amanda Green
MUSIC: Arvo Pärt, Spiegel im Spiegel for violin and piano, used by arrangement with European American Music Distributors Company, Canadian and U.S. agent for Universal Edition Vienna, publisher and copyright owner.
Violin solos Jessica Linnebach
Piano solos Donna Laube
Funder Acknowledgement
Canadian Heritage, Canada Council for the Arts, Sport, Culture and Heritage, Manitoba Arts Council, Winnipeg Arts Council.
Artists
Margaret Atwood, C.C., O.Ont., was born in 1939 in Ottawa, and grew up in northern Ontario and Quebec, and in Toronto. She received her undergraduate degree from Victoria College at the University of Toronto and her master’s degree from Radcliffe College. A varied and prolific writer, Atwood is among the most celebrated authors in Canadian history.
Atwood, whose work has been published in more than forty-five countries, is the author of more than fifty books of fiction, poetry, critical essays, and graphic novels. Her latest novel, The Testaments, is a co-winner of the 2019 Booker Prize. It is the long-awaited sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale, now an award-winning TV series. Her other works of fiction include Cat’s Eye, finalist for the 1989 Booker Prize; Alias Grace, which won the Giller Prize in Canada and the Premio Mondello in Italy; The Blind Assassin, winner of the 2000 Booker Prize; The MaddAddam Trilogy; and Hag-Seed. MaddAddam is being adapted and will soon be released on series television, along as a ballet.
Margaret Atwood is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, the Franz Kafka International Literary Prize, the PEN Center USA Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Los Angeles Times Innovator’s Award. She has received two Governor General’s Literary Awards, two Booker Prizes, a Scotiabank Giller Prize, and numerous other honours and accolades. She is a Companion of the Order of Canada and a Chevalier of the l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres of France.
Margaret Atwood currently lives in Toronto.
Lila York danced with the Paul Taylor Dance Company for 12 years, appearing in over 60 works. Since 1990 she has choreographed works for Birmingham Royal Ballet, the Royal Danish Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Boston Ballet, Norwegian National Ballet, Houston Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Scottish Ballet, Washington Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, Ballet West, Colorado Ballet, Louisville Ballet, Ballet Memphis, Kansas City Ballet, Dayton Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Orlando Ballet, American Repertory Ballet, Connecticut Ballet Theatre, NBA Ballet of Tokyo, The David Parsons Company, The Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble, and The Juilliard Dance Ensemble. She recently premiered a new work for the Paul Taylor Dance Company that has been taken into the permanent repertory of the company. From 1989 to 1992 Ms. York directed a program for the production of new choreography at Pacific Northwest Ballet. She graduated from Skidmore College with a degree in English literature.
“Architect of the body in extreme movement”, Liz Vandal’s costumes reach the ultimate goal: “Equilibrium between esthetics and technique”, aesthetics as beautiful as it is functional. Vandal started her career as a fashion designer. Self-taught, she entered the universe of clothing more than 25 years ago. From dazzling beginnings she brought her originality to the rigorous domains of dance, circus, cinema and special projects, building a company of excellency. Great partnerships link her with numerous choreographers and dance companies around the world: Edouard Lock; Compagnie Marie Chouinard; Margie Gillis; José Navas; Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal; Le Ballet National du Canada; The Washington Ballet; Mannheim Theater; Stuttgart Ballet (Germany), l’Opéra de Paris; Göteborg Theater (Sweden), Hong Kong Ballet.
She explores all domains of show business, from creating costumes for The Backstreet Boys’ Black ‘n Blue Tour, to films including The Lathe of Heaven directed by Philip Haas and La Turbulence des fluides by Quebec director Manon Briand. In the circus world, Vandal designed flamboyant insect costumes for OVO, the 25th Cirque du Soleil show, CIRKOPOLIS, a Cirque Éloize creation and the opening duo for Les 7 doigts de la main’s new creation, Tryptique. Collaborating with multi-national IGT (International Gaming Technology) in Las Vegas, Vandal created AVATAR costumes approved by Jon Landau and 20th Century Fox.
As a consultant, Vandal offers her services to Sportswear multinational Oxylane to develop avant-garde products. As the company continued to expand, an incomparable opportunity led Vandal’s creativity to Azerbaijan for the first European games in 2015, where she designed an incredible 3,000 costumes for the closing ceremony. Since 2017, Cirque du Soleil has floated onto the sea on cruise ship Meraviglia with Vandal’s costumes dressing up two shows: Viaggio and Sonor. Vandal’s creativity has no boundaries!
Canada’s National Arts Centre (NAC) Orchestra is praised for the passion and clarity of its performances, its visionary learning and engagement programs, and its unwavering support of Canadian creativity. The NAC Orchestra is based in Ottawa, Canada’s national capital, and has grown into one of the country’s most acclaimed and dynamic ensembles since its founding in 1969. Under the leadership of Music Director Alexander Shelley, the NAC Orchestra reflects the fabric and values of Canada, engaging communities from coast to coast to coast through inclusive programming, compelling storytelling, and innovative partnerships.
Since taking the helm in 2015, Shelley has shaped the Orchestra’s artistic vision, building on the legacy of his predecessor, Pinchas Zukerman, who led the ensemble for 16 seasons. Shelley’s influence extends beyond the NAC. He serves as Principal Associate Conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in the UK and Artistic and Music Director of Artis—Naples and the Naples Philharmonic in the United States. In addition to his other conducting roles, the Pacific Symphony in Los Angeles’s Orange County announced Shelley’s appointment as its next Artistic and Music Director. The initial five-year term begins in the 2026-2027 season, with Shelley serving as Music Director-Designate from September 2025. Principal Guest Conductor John Storgårds and Principal Youth Conductor Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser complement Shelley’s leadership. In 2024, the Orchestra marked a new chapter with the appointment of Henry Kennedy as its first-ever Resident Conductor.
The Orchestra has a rich history of partnerships with renowned artists such as James Ehnes, Angela Hewitt, Renée Fleming, Hilary Hahn, Jeremy Dutcher, Jan Lisiecki, Ray Chen, and Yeol Eum Son, underscoring its reputation as a destination for world-class talent. As one of the most accessible, inclusive and collaborative orchestras in the world, the NAC Orchestra uses music as a universal language to communicate the deepest of human emotions and connect people through shared experiences.
A hallmark of the NAC Orchestra is its national and international tours. The Orchestra has performed concerts in every Canadian province and territory and earned frequent invitations to perform abroad. These tours spotlight Canadian composers and artists, bringing their voices to stages across North America, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Asia.
Casting
- Offred
Elizabeth Lamont (27, 29)
Alanna McAdie (28) - Serena Joy
Katie Simpson (27, 29)
Yayoi Ban (28) - Nick
Stephan Azulay (27, 29)
Yue Shi (28) - The Commander
Liam Caines (27, 29)
Peter Lancksweerdt (28) - Aunt Lydia & Lead Wife
Yayoi Ban (27)
Chenxin Liu (28)
Jenna Burns (29) - Moira
Amanda Solheim - Luke
Logan Savard (27, 29)
Joshua Hidson (28) - Guardians & The Eyes
Liam Saito
Yue Shi (27, 29)
Logan Savard (28)
Parker Long (27, 29)
Tymin Keown (28)
Peter Lancksweerdt (27, 29)
Liam Caines (28)
Zachary Rogers
Michel Lavoie
Tymin Keown (27, 29)
Parker Long (28)
Joshua Hidson (27, 29)
Stephan Azulay (28)
Cleighden Butler - Resistance Men
Nick with
Liam Saito
Michel Lavoie (27, 29)
Zachary Rogers (28)
Parker Long (27, 29)
Stephan Azulay (28) - Pregnant Handmaid
Alanna McAdie (27, 29)
Katie Simpson (28) - Handmaids & Wives
Amanda Solheim (29)
Kyra Soo
Brooke Thomas
Jenna Burns (27, 28)
Chenxin Liu (29)
Maggie Weatherdon
Julianna Generoux
Emilie Lewis - Jezebels
Commander and Offred with
Maggie Weatherdon
Chenxin Liu (27)
Kyra Soo (28, 29)
Amanda Solheim (29)
Julianna Generoux
Emilie Lewis
Jenna Burns (27)
Brooke Thomas (28, 29)
Joshua Hidson (27, 29)
Cleighden Butler (28)
Logan Savard (27, 29)
Parker Long (28)
Peter Lancksweerdt (27, 29)
Liam Caines (28)
Tymin Keown - Moira with
Zachary Rogers (27, 29)
Michel Lavoie (28)
Logan Savard (27, 29)
Parker Long (28)
Credits - The Handmaid’s Tale Creative Team
- Author
Margaret Atwood, C.C., O.Ont. - Choreography
Lila York - Music
James MacMillan, Arvo Pärt, Alfred Schnittke, and others - Costume design
Liz Vandal - Lighting design
Clifton Taylor & Anshuman Bhatia - Projection Design
Sean Nieuwenhuis - Scenic Design
Clifton Taylor - Associate Scenic Design
Anshuman Bhatia
Credits - Royal Winnipeg Ballet Artistic Team
- Artistic Director and CEO
André Lewis, O.M. - Associate Artistic Director
Tara Birtwhistle - Ballet Master
Caroline Gruber and Jaime Vargas - Stage Manager
Candace Jacobson - Assistant Stage Manager
Paige Lewis - Director of Production
Justin Dowbiggin - Production Manager
Jeff Ward - Wardrobe Supervisor
Diana Miller - Wardrobe Assistant
Barry Malenko - Company Manager
Ryan Bjornson - Lighting Director
Scott Henderson - Physiotherapist
Lexie Flynn
NAC Orchestra
- Conductor
Julian Pellicano - First Violins
**Yosuke Kawasaki (concertmaster)
Jessica Linnebach (associate concertmaster)
Noémi Racine Gaudreault (assistant concertmaster)
Marjolaine Lambert
Jeremy Mastrangelo
Manuela Milani
Emily Westell
Emily Kruspe
*Martine Dubé
*Erica Miller
*Heather Schnarr - Second violins
**Mintje van Lier (principal)
*Georgy Valtchev (guest principal)
**Winston Webber (assistant principal)
Frédéric Moisan
Leah Roseman
Mark Friedman
Carissa Klopoushak
Karoly Sziladi
**Edvard Skerjanc
*Andréa Armijo Fortin
*Renée London
*Oleg Chelpanov
*Sara Mastrangelo - Violas
Jethro Marks (principal)
David Goldblatt (assistant principal)
David Marks (associate principal)
Paul Casey
David Thies-Thompson
*Sonya Probst - Cellos
Rachel Mercer (principal)
Julia MacLaine (assistant principal)
Marc-André Riberdy
Leah Wyber
Timothy McCoy
*Daniel Parker - Double basses
Max Cardilli
Vincent Gendron
Marjolaine Fournier
**Hilda Cowie
*Paul Mach - Flutes
Joanna G'froerer (principal)
Stephanie Morin
*Kaili Maimets - Oboes
Charles Hamann (principal)
Anna Petersen - English Horn
Anna Petersen - Clarinets
Kimball Sykes (principal / solo)
Sean Rice
*Shauna Barker - Bassoons
Darren Hicks (principal)
Vincent Parizeau - Horns
Lawrence Vine (principal)
Julie Fauteux (associate principal)
Elizabeth Simpson
Lauren Anker
Louis-Pierre Bergeron - Trumpets
Karen Donnelly (principal)
Steven van Gulik
*Taz Eddy - Trombones
**Donald Renshaw (principal)
*Steve Dyer (guest principal)
Colin Traquair - Bass Trombone
*Peter CollinsTubas
Chris Lee (principal) - Timpani
*Aaron McDonald (guest principal) - Percussion
Jonathan Wade
*Andrew Harris
*Robert Slapcoff - Harp
*Angela Schwarzkopf - Piano
Donna Laube - Principal Librarian
Nancy Elbeck - Assistant Librarian
Corey Rempel - Personnel Manager
Meiko Lydall - Assistant Personnel Manager
Laurie Shannon
*Additional musicians
**On Leave
NAC Dance Team
- Executive Producer
Cathy Levy - Associate Producer
Tina Legari - Special Projects Coordinator and Assistant to the Executive Producer
Mireille Nicholas - Company Manager
Sophie Anka - Education Associate and Teaching Artist
Siôned Watkins - Technical Director
Brian Britton - Communications Strategist
Julie Gunville - Marketing Strategist
Marie-Chantale Labbé-Jacques
International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees