billy's director, and founder of Shakespeare By The Sea, Patrick Christopher, died suddenly yesterday after having a serious stroke on sunday night. a total freak and notorious trouble-maker, he was recently forced into retirement as an Acting Professor at my university due to relentless complaints about his behaviour ... but also formed a huge colony of artists around himself into a discombobulated, struggling, talented, and often tightly knit family.
he and his wife elizabeth were together 29 years before they finally got married, on the 1st of July, less than one month ago. they were married on stage, at the end of the Midnight Twelfth Night, an annual fundraiser event that begins at midnight and closes at sunrise on Canada Day each summer. i believe i've read that it was the overwhelming turnout at the first of these events that gave P&E the encouragement to start up the company with a full season of plays. every summer since, they've been doing several Shakespearian works and 1 kid's show in Point Pleasant Park.
P&E also generously hosted me & billy's wedding reception at their home. the picture you see above is from that event.
http://www.hfxnews.com/index.cfm?sid=435&sc=8
http://www.shakespearebythesea.ca
