Giving voice to the voiceless

By Laureen F. Guenther Times Contributor

Prophecy, a play by Edmonton playwright Jesse Ardern, is being produced by Mikayla Whitehouse, a Rosebud School of the Arts graduating student, and will be performed in Rosebud, November 24-25.
Whitehouse and Jeany Snider are performing the show with Paul F. Muir directing.
“Prophecy looks at the Trojan War through the lens of the women of the city,” Whitehouse said. “It’s not looking at it from the point of view of the warriors. It’s not looking at it from the point of view of the traditional heroes of the story. It’s looking at it from the victims’ point of view.”
Though Prophecy is a modern retelling of an ancient story, Whitehouse said it highlights issues that are very current.
“It really speaks to the audience today about what is going on in the world around us, and what are we actually doing about it?” Whitehouse said. “Are you actually doing something about the problems in the world? Or are you sitting back and enjoying the comfort that comes from being in the west?”
Prophecy is also timely, she said, because it brings out the voices of women, voices that have recently begun to be heard in our society in a new way.
“The Me Too movement is very alive (now), and it’s fresh in this script,” she said. “(Prophecy is) looking at women being believed, or not being believed.
“Women need to be encouraged and given a voice or given permission to use their voice. We’re seeing more of that in this time, but I don’t think we can stop there. I think it needs to continue to be encouraged. Issues like sex trafficking and things that are involved in the Me Too movement, I don’t think they can be swept under the rug.
“My hope with this story is that in telling it, in putting these issues and these stories on stage that it can spark that conversation, and that that conversation can move to action and move to change,” Whitehouse added.
Despite the story’s heavy content, she said it’s not all depth and hard work.
“(Playwright) Jesse Ardern does a fantastic job of blending the two (challenge and entertainment). I think Paul (Muir) is really looking at that as well in rehearsals, of finding moments where we in the audience can enjoy the moment.”
She hopes Prophecy offers rich takeaways for the audience.
“I would hope that you would take away courage to know what’s going on around (you), and to see (reality), to make a change,” Whitehouse said. “I hope that you would take away hope that there actually is a difference that can be made and that it’s not an impossible task.”
Prophecy will be performed in the Quonset at the south end of Main Street, across from the Rosebud Hotel, on Nov. 24 at 4:30 p.m., and on Nov. 25 at 2:30 and 8 p.m. Get tickets and more information on the Facebook page The Voiceless Project, or by emailing prophecy.bookings18@gmail.com. Tickets may be available at the door, but seating is limited, so it’s recommended to purchase tickets early. Prophecy contains strong language and sexual violence.