Taking the Lead

Meg Roe stood in the wings of the Epcor Centre’s Martha Cohen Theatre five years ago as Bob White, then artistic director of Alberta Theatre Projects, introduced her to the audience.

“Meg is going to do a little skit, and then we’ll have some drinks,” White said on the opening night of the acclaimed play, The Syringa Tree, in a massive understatement that would soon be obvious to the more than 400 audience members.

“I was standing backstage thinking, wow, I am actually going to go out there by myself to do this in front of all those people,” Roe recalls.

Roe stepped onstage and, for 90 minutes, the Calgary-born actress completely disappeared. The audience focused on the 23 characters she played, using just her talent and a prop swing to tell the story of apartheid South Africa.

“Sometimes you watch an actor and think, what great acting, but with Meg you only think of the character,” says Alberta Theatre Projects’ current artistic director, Vanessa Porteous. “She has incredible skill and technique as an actress.”

Porteous directed Roe in The Syringa Tree, as well as in her role as Catherine, the daughter of a mentally ill mathematical genius, in Proof, both of which earned Roe a Betty Mitchell Award, Calgary’s version of a Tony.

This month, Roe and Porteous are hoping for more accolades when the actor and director duo team up for The Penelopiad, Margaret Atwood’s wry, feminist retelling of Homer’s The Odyssey. Roe will play the role of Odysseus’s wife, Penelope, who tells her version of the epic adventure story from the afterlife. Playing such a leading role in one of ATP’s largest productions to date is a testament to Roe’s talent.

“She looks for connections that aren’t obvious off the top,” says Porteous. “She is intelligent about the path of the characters and is interested in the real human behaviour. She is never in her head, but is instinctive.”

Roe’s strategy of deconstructing a character and portraying them in a way that is relatable to the audience involves reading the script voraciously. She also relies on the collaboration of the director, actors and designers. Her preparation allows her to portray intense characters, while appreciating the audience sitting in front of her.

“Different pieces require different focus, but for the most part I am kind of cheeky,” says Roe. “I don’t mind looking out and seeing the audience. I wouldn’t say I am totally engrossed in my character, but I try to be engrossed in the moment and, for me, that includes all of the people watching.”

Offstage, Roe is an all-around theatrical talent. She is an accomplished sound designer and budding director — in April, she’ll direct Theatre Calgary’s Mom’s the Word.

Whatever her role, Roe’s unabashed love of her industry is clear.

“Theatre is this really present and vibrant communication between a huge group of people,” says Roe. “I love that we are sharing the same space at the same time and having this communal experience. It’s moving and thrilling. It can be all kinds of things, but it is always together.”

The Penelopiad runs September 21 to October 9. For more information, call 403-294-7402, or visit atplive.com.