Evelyn/ Glendale Development History

I attended my friend Wade Kinley’s play, Glendale at Little Mountain Theatre in Vancouver, BC in 2013. After the run of the play, my company red trike media inc. optioned the rights and began working with him on the adaptation. 

I was drawn to the play for its heart-breaking themes and its two female anti-heroes. The stories of these women and the choices they make fascinate and haunt me. Glendale addresses the universal themes of; love, loss, alcoholism, addiction, blended families, adoption, and abuse. We experience the grit of the working class trying to make their way, the best way they can. 

After graduating with my Honours Degree in Theatre, Film and Creative Writing from UBC, I ran a successful multi- media theatre co. called the absolut theatre company society for 15 years. We were funded by; the Canada Council for the Arts, BC Arts Council, City of Vancouver and many other funders. During that time, I became a published and produced playwright and a revered director. I received critical acclaim and reviews in almost every newspaper. The Canadian Theatre Review credited me at being “One of Canada’s most successful cross-over artists” 

I have always used the theatre as a venue for honing dialogue and work- shopping ideas and themes whilst building audience. I have three plays I am presently adapting from stage play to screenplay. They are all complex films with a plethora of locations and cast. When first I saw the play Glendale I knew right away it was the perfect formula for my feature film directorial debut. Small cast, few venues, incredible story. 

My first feature film that I spent 2 years developing was to be Celia McBride’s first feature film, Last Stop for Miles based on her stage play of the same title. It was developing Celia’s film that I had the fortune of scouting Whitehorse and it was then that I truly fell in love with the Yukon.  I had always had a fascination with the north. My first series that I developed was called, The Royal and it was set in Dawson City, Yukon. 

So, to place Evelyn in The Yukon is a dream come true for me. 

Over the years, I have assembled a great team and the film has received development supports for SuperChannel, Creative BC, as well as Yukon Film and Sound.  In 2015, we were incubated by the Whistler Film Festival 's Feature Project Lab as well as the VIFF Industry Digital Lab. 

 I have been to the Yukon three times since the inception of this film. 

In 2014, I attended the Available Light Film Festival and pitched Glendale to now producer / DOP, Neil Macdonald. 

In August 2015 Executive Producer Marc Stephenson, Producer Tracey Mack and myself spent five days with Neil location scouting Whitehorse and the lake regions surrounding the area. 

In February 2016, I returned for the Available Light Film Festival and Neil and myself pitched Chris McNutt at Northwest Tel and took meetings with the CMF. 

I have been drawn to this story because the plight a mother goes through to find their child speaks to me, as I have lived the horror of my child being taken.