Empty the House is an intimate story about family members in trauma, disclosing secrets and regrets.

- Steve Cohen, Broad Street Review, 2016

Empty the House

Composed by Rene Orth

Libretto by Mark Campbell

October 6-13, 2023

CSpace Marda Loop Theatre

Calgary, AB

Houston, 1995. Following a self-imposed estrangement of ten years, Faith returns to the small suburban house in which she grew up, to help her mother, Brenda, move out. Over the course of three days, mother and daughter pack up articles of the house into boxes, argue with each other, and share silent dinners, as time alternates between childhood and adulthood to reveal current and past recriminations and regrets. Faith accuses her mother of abuse for leaving her alone in the basement of their home while she was away and for abandoning her brother Paul when he was mortally ill with AIDS, while Brenda seeks forgiveness from her daughter for her inadequacy as a mother after her husband left her. As Faith leaves in the final scene, Paul returns as a presence to offer his mother solace and reassurance.

Meet the Cast and Creatives

  • Lauren Woods

    Soprano (Brenda)

  • Simran Claire

    Mezzo Soprano (Faith)

  • Marcel Sokalski

    Baritone (Paul)

  • Mari Coetzee

    Cello

  • Jaques Forest

    Double Bass

  • Anastasiia Lykhosherstova

    Violin

  • Ernest Flancia

    Percussion

  • Emily Phernambucq

    Flute

  • Natalia Peric

    Clarinet

  • Henry Wu

    Percussion

  • Bronwyn Schuman

    Pianist / Répétiteur

  • Maria Fuller

    Conductor

  • Tayte Mitchell

    Stage Director

  • Graeme Janzen

    Lighting Designer

  • Alison Yanota

    Set and Costume Designer

  • Rene Orth

    Composer

  • Mark Campbell

    Librettist

Thank you to all our private individual donors and corporate sponsors!

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