Opera McGill welcomes multi-hyphenate artist Sheree Spencer (BA’12) to direct the Canadian premiere of Plaything by Anna Pidgorna and Maria Reva. Born in Toronto of Barbadian heritage, Sheree graduated from McGill with a major in Music and Double Minor in Drama Performance and Environmental Science. She went on to receive her MA in Cultural Diplomacy and International Events from the University of West of Scotland & Institute of Cultural Diplomacy in Berlin, developing her production skill set for planning and coordinating the staging of international live events. Sheree was selected as the 2016 TD Emerging Producer for the Toronto Fringe Theatre Festival and has also worked internationally with the Holland Festival in 2017 and 2018.
In Toronto, Sheree has participated in a Performing Arts Internship at Tapestry Opera through the Metcalf Foundation, marking her Assisting Director debut this past summer with their production of Brian Current and Liza Balkan’s Gould’s Wall. Sheree recently worked with Luminato Festival Toronto as the Associate Producer of the Artist in Residency Program and is currently the company producer at Toronto based live-music theatre company, Volcano and is working on the following projects: The Book of Life which was a huge success at the 2022 Edinburgh International Festival, Scott Joplin's Treemonisha Opera (premiering in 2023) and the virtual reality operatic song cycle The Agreements (in development).
We’re excited to have Sheree as part of the artistic team for Plaything, which saw its world premiere, directed by Sheree and produced by Montreal-based company, Musique 3 Femmes, last month in Berlin at the ufaFabrik Cultural Centre. Always a joy to connect and reconnect with alumni, Sheree’s presence with our students also marks Opera McGill’s first Black female director.
We spoke with Sheree over email leading up to the Canadian premiere at Schulich to learn more about the different artistic roles she plays, the endless potential with new works, and how there was no doubt music was going to be a part of her world.
How did this project come about?
I was brought onboard as the stage director for Plaything in 2022, though I was introduced to the project in 2021 by pianist/music director and Musique 3 Femmes Co-Founder, Jennifer Szeto. Musique 3 Femmes focuses on producing works by female and non-binary composers and librettists and so by that point, Plaything had already been workshopped in various capacities.
You are a producer, performing artist and director — how do you find balance when having to assume different roles? Do they interrelate?
That's a great question! I would say pre-pandemic my balance was between working as a performing artist and producer and post-pandemic it is now mostly split between directing and producing. I find the combination of one being more artistic/creative and the other being more business logistics/project management-focused is a form of balance itself. The ability to work in the industry in these different capacities has allowed me to have a deeper understanding of the arts and culture sector and how both sides complement each other. The reality is that both sides need each other, and though it is natural for artists to be in tune with the creative elements of arts-making, understanding how to get your art out there in the most effective way possible is just as important — that's where the behind-the-scenes producer skill sets are valuable.
What drew you to studying music and/or directing? Was there a moment that confirmed your path?
Music is one of those things I always had around me growing up. My great-Godfather from my dad's side, Winston Hackett, was one of the main organists in Barbados during his time and he also produced classical music festivals on the island. My dad grew up playing music with friends who ended up forming the jazz calypso band, Troubadours International, but he decided to focus on more traditional forms of studies instead of continuing to focus on music. I share all of this to say that it was a natural desire for me to want to study music and more importantly, both voice and instrumental (violin). The curiosity of how one person transforms themselves into different characters always interested me, so when I saw that McGill had a Theatre Program I jumped on the opportunity to take acting classes and that is where my background in theatre/acting began.
How does Plaything explore your enjoyment of interdisciplinary art expression?
It's a contemporary opera with a well-written dramatic narrative and musical composition that supports the storytelling.
How does mounting a new work differ from an established piece for you? Do you favour one over the other?
Putting something out there into the world that has never existed before means there is an endless potential for new stories to be created, so that is one element of contemporary work that excites me a lot. I am also very intrigued with the relationship dynamics between environment and performance spaces, and I find this is more often played with in contemporary work. For example, the stage being a 30-foot wall that a singer is rock-climbing while singing.
What’s something that everyone should know (or what surprised you) about mounting new works?
I remember when I was a music student, the compositions for new works were more avant-garde and intellectual, so it's great to see how much new music now is personal, melodic and relatable.
What is something we should look out for in Plaything (a musical or dramatic moment or a line you love/etc.)?
"What's brown and sticky?"
Were you able to connect with the composer and librettist during the preparation of this opera? Is that usual when dealing with new works? How does it influence your work and/or the final outcome?
Both the composer, Anna Pidgorna and librettist, Maria Reva have been extremely approachable while preparing for Plaything and during its current tour run within Europe and Canada. I would say it is common to have the composer and librettist approached in preparation of a new work, because 1) they are, more often than not, still around, but also, they are just as eager to see their work brought into that next stage of conceptualization and eventually, performance.
What was opening night in Berlin like?
For the World Premiere of Plaything to have taken place internationally in Berlin was an incredible experience for everyone involved! With the arts and culture sector halted for two and a half years and then having the opportunity to travel and create art again was a huge feeling of gratitude for me personally. The added bonus was getting to take in how the German audience experienced the opera and the openness with how it was received and enjoyed.
If you had a mantra/philosophy/phrase for where you are right now, what would it be?
Dreams come true.
What advice would you give to your starting-at-university self?
Listen to what makes your heart beat faster and what intrigues you. Some of the best paths in life are not straight roads, so even if it takes some time to figure out what you want to do, that's ok. Enjoy the journey and stay true to yourself
What's something that every student should leave McGill knowing?
You are more resilient than you think.
How does music move you?
I am that person that will break out into dance in public if I hear my favourite song.
Is there a composer / genre / single piece of music that never fails to transport you?
80s music always transports me to a place of nostalgia.
How does Plaything represent the future of new music?
Plaything is a Canadian Opera that had its world premiere in Europe which if you thought of this 20 years ago, it would have been unheard of. Both the composer and librettist are women, the opera includes a diverse cast and crew which includes a non-gendered character and also features one of Canada's first black woman stage directors in opera.
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Follow Sheree on Instagram: @itsladyree
Plaything is part of the 2022 Lisl Wirth Black Box Festival at the Schulich School of Music
