Dreary and Izzy

1975, Lethbridge Alberta. When the Monoghan sisters lose their parents in a car accident, Deirdre remains as the sole caregiver to her older sister, Isabelle. Just as Deirdre is poised to enter university and begin exploring, for the first time, her own future and independence, she must choose how much of her own life she will sacrifice for the love of Isabelle. Deirdre is barely staying afloat under the strain of this reality when hope arrives in the form of gorgeous vacuum cleaner salesman Freddie Seven Horses. Both sisters find in Freddie a new world of unexplored emotions and ideas, where Freddie is a port in a storm.

AUTHOR

Tara Beagan

Tara Beagan is a proud halfbreed of Ntlaka’pamux and Irish Canadian heritage. She is Artistic Director of Native Earth Performing Arts. Her debut play, Thy Neighbour’s Wife garnered three Dora Award nominations in ’05, winning for Best New Play. Ensuing plays include Dreary and Izzy, The Fort at York, for which she was head writer and co-director, and Miss Julie: Sheh’mah, which earned five ’09 Dora nominations. Short plays include Quilchena, Here, Boy!, Foundlings, BLUEBEARD’S WI7E, TransCanada, and Anatomy of an Indian. She was playwright-in-residence at the National Arts Centre in 2011, at NEPA in 2009/2010, and at Cahoots in 2007/2008. As well as a mentor for emerging theatre artists, Tara has written for film and radio, and is a Dora- and Betty-nominated actor.

Reviews

“If you want to see how a gifted playwright stages strong emotions, you can find no better example than Dreary and Izzy, Tara Beagan’s heartfelt look at a family affected by fetal alcohol damage.”

“A droll and engaging story… the second act is completely unpredictable. Dreary and Izzy is a thought-provoking exploration of family dynamics, sexuality and faith. By the end of the play, the laughter had been replaced by tears.”