“I learn about the strongest choice to make by trying out different things, by taking risks and being on my feet. There’s safety in being given permission to do that.”

Vivien Endicott-Douglas holds some highly regarded credentials in her training as a performing artist.

She started working professionally when she was ten. The first play in which she performed was Arthur Miller’s The Crucible at Hamilton’s Theatre Aquarius. From there, she says she didn’t attend a conservatory. She learned on the job and continues to train with teachers of her choice. 

From her website: Vivien studied Women, Gender and Equity with a minor in Film & Drama Theatre at the University of Toronto.  She graduated from the Centre for Actor Training at Shakespeare & Co. in Lenox, Massachusetts. She studied Advanced Voice and Text in Orkney, Scotland, with internationally revered voice teacher Kristin Linklater. In North America, Vivien has studied extensively with highly respected acting/voice instructors, including Rae Ellen Bodie (through Pro Actors Lab), Lindy Davies and Larry Moss.

Endicott-Douglas speaks fondly of more people whom she calls mentors. Richard Rose from Tarragon is one. Richard gave Vivien her first theatre job outside of high school in Rosa LaBorde’s second play, ‘Hush’. Vivien also speaks fondly of her dear friend, Layne Coleman, whom she says is a mentor to many other artists.

I’ve also had the opportunity to see some of Vivien’s work gracing the stages here in Toronto at Tarragon Theatre, Canadian Stage, Crow’s and Factory Theatre.

Next month, she will appear in Nightwood Theatre’s Enormity, Girl, and the Earthquake in her Lungs by Chelsea Woolley and directed by Andrea Donaldson, Artistic Director of Nightwood. Again, two more names I’ve read and heard.

Woolley’s play title fascinates me. I want to know more about it.  How fortunate to learn the production will be directed by Andrea Donaldson, who is the Artistic Director for Nightwood.  I’ve always liked hearing the name Nightwood Theatre. I know the company highlights feminist contributions to the theatre. I’m sure learning more about the theatre itself will provide valuable insight into Woolley’s upcoming play.

According to the theatre website, Nightwood (founded in 1979) remains highly respected as Canada’s preeminent feminist theatre that cultivates, creates, and produces extraordinary work by women and gender-expansive artists, liberating futures, one room at a time. Nightwood has produced some remarkable work over the years: Ann-Marie MacDonald’s Good Night Desdemona (Good Morning, Juliet) and Djanet Sears’ Harlem Duet are only two examples.

Recently, I had the chance to speak with Endicott-Douglas via Zoom.  Our time was limited. After she finished our conversation, she was on her way to an Enormity rehearsal.

Vivien holds a place in her heart for Nightwood. The first piece she did for the company was a reading during the Groundswell Festival when Kelly Thornton was running the theatre. Andrea Donaldson then ran the program “Write from the Hip”.  Endicott-Douglas met Andrea first at Tarragon Theatre a long time ago.  The first time Vivien worked with Andrea was in Romeo & Juliet, a Shakespeare in the Ruff production:

“Andrea was an amazing director during ‘Romeo’. The next year, we worked on Rose Napoli’s “Lo (or Dear Mr. Wells). Our relationship has continued to grow since then”.

In 2020, Endicott-Douglas signed on to perform Enormity, but Covid happened and changed everything. At that time, no one was certain if Enormity would return. Nighwood is delighted that Enormity returns to the stage in September and runs to October 5.

Vivien has learned a lot from director Andrea Donaldson:

“I feel a real safety [with Andrea] to be able to explore together. It feels like we’re always very much in conversation, finding any answers to questions together.”

Growing up in the performing arts industry and often being the youngest person in the room, Vivien says she did not always feel comfortable speaking up and sharing her feelings and ideas:

“Over our years of working together, Andrea has always created a space where my input feels respected, valued and integral. Our work together and her trust in me have contributed to building my confidence and voice as an artist.”

Our conversation then turned towards Enormity, Girl, and the Earthquake in Her Lungs.

According to Endicott-Douglas, the play begins with a woman in crisis and finds herself in a women’s shelter. As she attempts to process how she got there and what’s happened to her, these parts of the woman’s psyche (played by the other women in the play) emerge from her and begin to dialogue with each other and the woman.  These parts speak to the woman and try to convince her whether she should stay or leave, and they all have their incredible personalities.

These parts of the woman have their own needs, desires and objectives. The theatre’s brief online synopsis adds further to what Vivien says: “The more she tries to listen to her inner voice, the more the fractured perspectives of her personified mind clamour to be heard. Enormity offers a highly physical, fresh, and unexpectedly comedic take on a woman in her 20s seeking refuge.”

Vivien also adds:

“It’s quite poetic. What I’ve been finding in this first week of rehearsals is that, as the actor, you don’t have to do very much because the language itself is so powerful. Even in the title, ‘Enormity’, ‘Girl’ and ‘The Earthquake in Her Lungs’, the way that all these vowels and consonants are working together, there’s a strong image evoked in the mind.”

Also appearing in the production with Endicott-Douglas are Bria McLaughlin, Sofia Rodriguez, Philippa Domville, Emerjade Simms, Liz Der, Marta Armstrong, and Noa Furlong.

What does Endicott-Douglas hope audiences will take away after seeing Enormity?

She says Enormity is a play about coming home to yourself and finding yourself, the strength and resilience within yourself and connecting with the different parts of who you are: your history and your lived experience. From a first invited read and a few workshops, Vivien says a few people watching have shared how much they related to her character and what she’s going through. Vivien believes people are constantly searching for a place where they can fully be themselves and want to feel safe and at home in who they are, being seen, known and ultimately loved for who they are.

“Andrea once told me that I am a kinetic actor. I learn about the character by getting on my feet and doing it, trying it out. It was such a helpful thing to have reflected to me about the way I work.”

Vivien loves it when the risk-taking becomes part of the process. It’s okay if something doesn’t work right away. The idea is to get a feel for the shape of the play, make discoveries, learn what works and what doesn’t.

How would Vivien describe Andrea as a director? Donaldson has an incredibly sparkly energy, and Vivien went on glowingly:

“Andrea is very smart. She’s a great leader. She leads by example. She has an incredible capacity to listen and to see people and their essence and to honour the artists she works with. It can still be rare to feel you’re truly being cared for in a rehearsal space and creative process. By creating that genuine care, there’s permission for the artist to open up their hearts, be vulnerable and make great work. A really good director allows you to feel the idea was your idea even though she’s had the idea all along.”

Enormity, Girl and the Earthquake in Her Lungs opens September 16 and runs to October 5 at the Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre-Performance Hall, 877 Yonge Street. For tickets, visit nightwoodtheatre.net.