Ken Smedley started writing the play in 1986 but found it as relevant as ever when it was published earlier this year.
The Rocky Mountain Prophet 乌鸦传媒� A Tragedy In Three Acts, published by Rich Fog Micro Publishing in Vernon, is the life-long playwright乌鸦传媒檚 most recent work and the eighth of Smedley乌鸦传媒檚 published productions with Rich Fog.
Following the life of Uri Gregarious, an internationally renowned author known as The Rocky Mountain Prophet for his work giving a voice to the disenfranchised, Smedley乌鸦传媒檚 play was inspired by events that followed the Vietnam War.
乌鸦传媒淭here was an influx of refugees known as Vietnamese boat people. It was a bit of a contentious issue,乌鸦传媒� Smedley said. 乌鸦传媒�(There was) a degree of skepticism in relation to taking in refugees.乌鸦传媒�
Gregarious, Smedley乌鸦传媒檚 protagonist, is on his way home to Hinterland after a three-week trip to China after the conclusion of the war. Ever the 乌鸦传媒楻ocky Mountain Prophet,乌鸦传媒� Gregarious takes in one of such Vietnamese boat people he finds eating garbage from the dumpster behind his Hong Kong hotel. Smedley乌鸦传媒檚 protagonist sponsors the beautiful young woman and brings her back to Canada where he intends to collaborate with her on an upcoming novel.
乌鸦传媒淭his was kind of the perfect storm for him,乌鸦传媒� Smedley said.
But, when Gregarious returns home, he finds a myriad of problems awaiting his attention and life soon gets in the way of his plan.
Gregarious乌鸦传媒� wife doesn乌鸦传媒檛 want the refugee in their home, his father has returned and is on his deathbed, his stepson is adamant that the now-penniless Gregarious should purchase Hinterland乌鸦传媒檚 hospital slated for demolition in hopes of converting the building to an arts centre and his publisher wields a three-week deadline above Gregarious like a sledgehammer.
乌鸦传媒淗e乌鸦传媒檚 got one thing after another. He becomes suddenly overwhelmed with all the different difficulties in his life,乌鸦传媒� Smedley said. 乌鸦传媒淗e乌鸦传媒檚 backed into a corner and he乌鸦传媒檚 trying to write his way out. As the play progresses, it continues to get worse.乌鸦传媒�
A true tragedy of classic Greek proportions, The Rocky Mountain Prophet denotes a new exploration for the Armstrong playwright and one that is as relevant now as when he wrote the first draft in 1986.
乌鸦传媒淲hen it comes to the plight of the disenfranchised, there are people in this society that do stand out for people that are voiceless. We乌鸦传媒檙e at a point in our own country where we乌鸦传媒檙e beginning to question,乌鸦传媒� Smedley said. 乌鸦传媒淚n Europe, it乌鸦传媒檚 just one day after the next that these boat people come from all over Africa. It乌鸦传媒檚 an unbelievable situation when you consider the scale of it.乌鸦传媒�
Smedley said that he often draws from the real world for his productions. And, despite having several published works, the magic never dissolves.
乌鸦传媒淭here乌鸦传媒檚 a real sense of satisfaction in actually getting the piece published. You really realize that in creating it and producing at this level it has been an effect of your own evolution and it乌鸦传媒檚 a product of the self. There乌鸦传媒檚 a definite degree of satisfaction that comes with realizing the fact that you created this ultimately for yourself and it乌鸦传媒檚 an expression that乌鸦传媒檚 validated,乌鸦传媒� Smedley said, adding that he one day hopes to see The Rocky Mountain Prophet on stage.
乌鸦传媒淵ou just never know 乌鸦传媒� theatre is a crap-shoot. You乌鸦传媒檙e a bit of an anomaly to be even doing such a thing. It乌鸦传媒檚 not the most marketable work that exists. It乌鸦传媒檚 a labour of love.乌鸦传媒�
Smedley has travelled the globe for his work in the theatre. He was a founding member of what is now the Western Canada Theatre in Kamloops where be began his playwright career. He was later employed in professional repertory theatre in England before living and writing in Mexico from the mid-1970s to the late 1980s.
He has also acted in numerous plays and made his directorial debut with George Ryga乌鸦传媒檚 controversial production Captives of the Faceless Drummer in 1975. From 1995 to 2012, Smedley was also the artistic director of the . This year, Smedley participated in 乌鸦传媒檚 National Playwrights Retreat alongside writers such as Peter Anderson, Scott Maynard, John Millard and Tracey Power.
And while he has done it all, Smedley said his heart belongs to writing.
乌鸦传媒淓ver since I was 16, I乌鸦传媒檝e been writing plays. It乌鸦传媒檚 always been an outlet for my inner self to work at the craft of creating theatre,乌鸦传媒� Smedley said. 乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檒l continue 乌鸦传媒� that乌鸦传媒檚 what I am and have been since adolescence. I乌鸦传媒檒l always continue to work as a playwright.
乌鸦传媒淎t the end of it all when all is said and done, the play will be there as a legacy.乌鸦传媒�
parker.crook@vernonmorningstar.com
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