We’re Gonna Die
The idea of death can be fleeting or rarely thought about. It can also be more constant for some who must deal with it as medical professionals, or something personal that occurs to loved ones.
We’re Gonna Die is a solo performance by Elena Belyea that is being presented in Calgary by Verb Theatre. A play by Young Jean Lee, Belyea is a playwright and performer who has been drawn to the work of Young Jean Lee.
“She is one of my favourite playwrights,” Belyea says. “I started reading her plays a decade ago and I watched one of her shows – The Shipment. It blew me away.”
Working with the director Kathryn Smith, Belyea says she/they ended up loving the script,
After working on plays as a playwright, and running a theatre company that toured throughout Canada, Belyea is happy to just act in a show.
When asked if the show is a musical, Belyea says it is an interesting question. “Die-hard musical fans would say it is not a musical. It is a concert with storytelling.”
“The performance tells of being in moments of immense aloneness or pain. I hope people who see it will leave feeling better. I hope when they are in a hard place, they can return to a place of solace,” Belyea says.
While on the page Belyea is a solo performer in the piece, she will not be alone on stage. She will have musicians on stage while she is the one telling the story.
“It feels like an ensemble to bring the emotional highs,” Belyea says. “I will not be alone on stage. I will have the band.”
Caleigh Crow and Sacha Crow will be one stage playing bass.
We’re Gonna Die runs from April 28 to May 6th at Theatre 1308. For more information and tickets visit www.verbtheatre.com