Meet Vancouver theatre artist, director, writer, visual artist and designer, Valerie Methot.
Valerie is part of the creative team behind the Roundhouse Youth Theatre Action Group presentation of Missing From Me (May 4-7). Missing from Me is a new and original Canadian production that brings together a culturally diverse group of youth in which eleven travellers at a train station must adapt to a sudden change in their plans. Confronted with life altering decisions they end up discovering true inner strength and what family means to them. Issues addressed in the play involve abuse, transphobia, and the importance of support.
Meet Valerie Methot
Valerie is a community engaged theatre artist, director, writer, visual artist and designer. In 2002 she created and implemented the Roundhouse Youth Theatre Action Group (RHYTAG) project. Since then, the project has grown into the development of Some Assembly Theatre Company to which she is co-founder, executive and artistic director. Valerie is passionate about artistic collaborations between youth and professional artists on the creation and development of engaging plays based on issues facing youth. The art practice is Valerie’s tailored methodology she developed for her UBC MFA thesis using first hand knowledge of the benefits theatre provides regarding expression of traumatic events and issues. Using theatre for social change, her innovative theatre work tackles important life issues with an authentic approach and raw absurdist style that is effective and entertaining. She has facilitated and directed twenty-four collaborative plays in Vancouver with several artists and more than seven hundred youth. The RHYTAG project received the City of Vancouver Youth Award for outstanding contribution to the youth community. Valerie was nominated for Canada’s Siminovitch theatre directing award, the Mayor’s Arts Award and is director/writer of several plays including: Treated with Tango, EXPOSE, Getting the Trendies, Marbles and Take a Breath. Her plays, paintings and installations have been shown provincially, nationally and internationally. Valerie achieved a BFA from Concordia and MFA in theatre directing from UBC.
20 Questions with Valerie Methot
1. Your first job.
Magician’s assistant. We toured shows in northwestern Ontario with a snake, rabbit and a dove.
2. The job you always wanted as a child.
To write and illustrate children’s books.
3. Your pet peeve.
Inconsiderate drivers.
4. Your hero.
So many to chose from. Miriam Toews, Judy Chicago, Kate Bush, Mary Wollstonecraft, David Bowie.
5. Your biggest indulgence.
Popcorn.
6. One thing no one knows about you.
Ha ha … I may not even know it myself.
7. Three things you would want with you on a deserted island.
Food, water, tools.
8. The one word your best friend would use to describe you.
Compassionate.
9. If you were not pursuing a career in theatre, what would you be doing right now?
Painting and writing a book.
10. Hero or villain?
Villain – Donald Trump.
11. Your life’s motto/mantra.
Be mindful, courageous and compassionate.
12. Your favourite movie.
Moonstruck.
13. The last book you read.
Miriam Toews: All My Puny Sorrows.
14. If you were a cartoon character what cartoon character would you be and why?
Piglet from Winnie the Pooh, so that I could live in the forest and paint
15. What will it say on your grave marker?
Love lives on.
16. Who would you most like to have dinner with?
Marie Antoinette.
17. Your idea of happiness.
Being with those I love.
18. The one thing in your life that makes you most proud.
My son Ethan.
19. If you could go back in time, what would you tell your 20-year old self?
Trust your instincts.
20. To be or not to be?
To be.