The Phoenix, the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Not many of us get to bring our spouses to work, but for two UVic theatre alumni, acting together makes their careers more rewarding.

Mack Gordon (BFA '08) and Kaitlin Williams (BFA '09) met 10 years ago as two fresh-faced first-year students in the Department of Theatre. Now married, they return to the stages of the Phoenix Theatre for the Spotlight on Alumni with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, running October 9-18, 2014.

In 2012, they were cast as Peter and Lucy in Pacific Theatre's much-loved adaptation of C.S. Lewis' classic Narnia tale, and then last winter toured it across BC. "Kaitlin and I are blessed to work together as often as we do," says Mack. They keep an eye out for projects where they can perform together, whether it's playing fianc&e#180;s in the Jessie-winning production of The Foreigner or a gold miner and his wife at Barkerville Historic Town. "We joke that we are a 2-for-1 package," Kaitlin laughs. More than just convenience, working together makes a big difference on stage. "Sharing the stage with someone you already trust completely," says Mack, "allows you to take risks that you might otherwise be apprehensive about. I sometimes feel akin to husbands and wives who work in the circus on the flying trapeze; our first safety net is always each other," Mack explains.

Having their show selected as the Spotlight on Alumni presentation this year also means an opportunity to share post-graduating advice with current students. "Our comprehensive education helped get us involved in many areas of theatre, not just acting. The skills and connections we gained -whether backstage, studying marketing, working in the box office, or collaborating with community groups -have kept us working in theatre over the years," adds Kaitlin.

Both actors have busy and multi-faceted careers for what they call their "patchwork pay cheque." Mack is an actor for theatre, film, and TV and also writes his own plays, works as a director-recently assisting director Meg Roe (BFA '04) at Bard on the Beach-and does simulation acting for training purposes. Kaitlin has performed on stages around Vancouver and was also the Community Engagement Manager for Pacific Theatre, where she began right after university as an apprentice. She now finds acting takes up all her time.

For Kaitlin especially, this show is close to her heart. As a 12-year old girl, she attended Pacific Theatre's adaptation of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, a two-person version that sees the Pevensie siblings return as grown-ups to the room where their adventures began and find themselves reliving their fond memories of Narnia. Watching the actors transform into the story's various characters-from Mr. Tumnus and the Beaver, to the evil White Witch and the mighty lion Aslan-inspired Kaitlin to become an actor herself. "It feels like coming full circle-times 10! Not only am I performing in this same play, but I get to perform with my husband at my side, at the school where we met, 10 years later!"