Stage dialogue is the cornerstone of storytelling. It brings characters to life. Every word spoken adds depth. But crafting dialogue always takes time, practice and understanding. And the words flowing in a playwright’s head may not always resonate with audiences.
St. Albert playwright Lynda Celentano is acutely aware of this pitfall facing all playwrights. She is writing Giorgi of the Jungle, a one-act based on her experiences growing up in an Italian family. As an emerging playwright eager to master the craft of dialogue, Celentano is workshopping her play at Script Salon.
Script Salon is a practical workshop aimed at new playwrights who want to hone and develop their theatrical writing skills. It takes place Sunday, Feb. 9 at Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Edmonton’s Whyte Avenue theatre district.
The workshop is a live-action presentation that gives playwrights an opportunity to see their script through the audience’s eyes. In Celentano’s case, it is additional preparatory work for Giorgi’s summer premiere at the 2025 Edmonton Fringe Festival.
“This is a dream come true. It’s not something I would have imagined,” said Celentano.
Giorgi of the Jungle follows a young school girl who is surprised and hurt after a classmate draws a picture of her with a unibrow and a moustache. In her innocence, she misses an important social cue.
“Giorgi is devastated and tries to remove the hair using a razor and bleach cream and does damage to her face. She looks for help from her two older sisters,” Celentano said.
Adelé is a tomboy who isn’t particularly concerned about aesthetics, whereas Marcella, a beauty school student, places a more serious focus on beauty. Giorgi’s mother weighs in promoting old-fashioned beliefs that are outdated and out of sync with the current Canadian culture.
“She doesn’t get what a big deal it is and how it’s part of the culture. From a simpler time in the '80s to now with social media, things have changed a lot. These kids live in a different world from their mother, and she’s not equipped to deal with it.”
The script delivers some weighty themes dealing with peer groups, generation gaps, insecurities, self-esteem and bullying, but Celentano also softens the edges with lighthearted comedy.
Jake Tkaczyk directs four actors — Robyn Clark (Giorgi), Lindsey Walker (Marcella), Jason Hardwick (Adelé), and Antonella Cascione as Ma.
The reading starts Sunday at 7:30 p.m. Holy Trinity Anglican Church is located at 10037 – 84 Ave.
