Benefit for the Actors’ Fund of Canada

On Sunday, January 9, many of Vancouver’s finest actors, directors, writers and poets are starting the new year with a resolution of compassion: they are donating their time and talents to read from the prodigious body of work of Irish poet and playwright William Butler Yeats in a benefit for the Actors’ Fund of Canada. For 12 straight hours, 10:00am to 10:00pm, the public has the opportunity to hear some of the most famous (and not-so-famous) words of the man many consider to be the greatest 20th century poet to write in the English language. Chapters Books has generously provided space for the event, and all proceeds raised – through donations and the raffling off of Yeats’ Complete Poems (donated by Chapters and signed by all the readers) – will go to the Actors’ Fund. There is no admission charge.

Featuring such local luminaries as Dean Paul Gibson (soon to appear in Humble Boy at the Playhouse); John Burns (book editor, Georgia Straight); Kim Collier and Kevin Kerr (Electric Company); Johnna Wright (Solo Collectives), David Adams, Raugi Yu and Kathleen Duborg (appearing soon at The Firehall in Einstein’s Gift); Donna Wong-Juliani (Bardathon, Savage God); Richard Wolfe (Western Theatre Conspiracy); Anna Hagan (Western Gold); Patrick Gallagher and Fred Keating (Da Vinci’s Inquest); David C. Jones and Brad MacNeil (The Compleat Works of Wllm Shkspr at the Arts Club); and the entire cast of Beggars at the Waters of Immortality, which was written by Yeats and is opening January 14 at Pacific Theatre (Donnard MacKenzie, Bill Moysey, Kyle Rideout, Varya Rubin, Valerie Sing Turner and director Anthony F. Ingram), the event is also an opportunity for Vancouver audiences to get to know more of this city’s vibrant but often overlooked artistic community.

Inspired by Felix Culpa’s 24-hour marathon reading of James Joyce’s Ulysses, the Dumb Prophet Equity Co-op, producers of Beggars at the Waters of Immortality, decided to plan an event that would benefit not only the Actors’ Fund, but also raise awareness of the Vancouver theatre community, local actors and current or upcoming shows in Vancouver, as well as foster a community relationship amongst Vancouver’s writers and performing artists. To raise funds, Chapters Books has donated a volume of Yeats’ poetry, which, after being signed by each artist who reads, will be raffled off at the end of the marathon.

The Actors' Fund of Canada promotes artistic excellence for performers, creators, technicians and other members of creative and production teams in all entertainment industry sectors. The Fund carries out this mission by providing encouragement and short-term financial aid to help entertainment industry workers maintain their health, housing and ability to work after an illness, injury or sudden unemployment. The Fund has helped more than 10,000 people working in film & television, theatre, music and dance since its creation almost 50 years ago and has delivered more than $2.5 million in financial aid within the past 10 years.