Save Freewill: Troy O'Donnell's Story

Much has been written about the creation of The Free Will Players Theatre Guild and the Freewill Shakespeare Festival over the years, so I’m going to let those stories stand for themselves. Instead, I want to share why the Freewill Shakespeare Festival is so near and dear to my heart after all these years.

Troy O'Donnell as Malvolio in Twelfth Night (2011)

In my graduating year from the University of Alberta’s BFA Acting Program, several of my classmates, and a couple of other friends, realized that we were about to be out in the real world and completely unemployed. So, what started out as a make-work project to give ourselves a job, slowly, over the years, grew to be what the City of Edmonton recognizes as a Foundational Festival. As we grew, the impact on the Edmonton Theatre Community grew with us. We moved from a pass-the-hat admission to the stability where we are able to offer artists and technicians payment at professional rate.

We have excelled in developing new talent. We’ve brought on students from the two acting training programs in Edmonton. We’ve offered recent graduates from those programs their first jobs. Most exciting, though, we’ve brought many of these students and recent grads back over the years, as they grew as artists. We’ve also provided opportunities to many directors, both emerging and established.

Troy O'Donnell as Adam in As You Like It (2015) with Andrew MacDonald Smith

Technically, we have grown, too. Original sets and costumes were cobbled together by actors literal begging, borrowing, or stealing… and even dumpster diving. Through the years we’ve come to the point where we are engaging fantastic set, prop, costume, light, and sound designers to work at the festival. We’ve brought on incredible Stage Management teams. We’ve been blessed with the skills of technicians, carpenters, painters, builders… and the list goes on.

Administratively, we’ve grown, too. Founding members on summer work grants has given way to year round salaried employees providing stability and vision for the company.

That, to me, is the real joy of over three decades of Freewill and why it means so much to me. From creating an opportunity for ourselves to being able to offer opportunities for so many others in the Edmonton theatre community is my biggest source of pride, in regards to Freewill. I sincerely hope the Freewill Shakespeare Festival will continue to provide these opportunities for years to come.

Finally, I’ve been asked if any specific memories stand out for me.  Many do, but the ones that I enjoy most have nothing to do with what happened on the stage.

I think of strangers stopping me on the street to tell me their parents brought them to Freewill shows when they were children and now they are introducing their own children to the festival. Seeing a hundred people slogging across the park in a torrential downpour because the weather will not stop them from enjoying a performance tonight. Having audience members tell me they wait for the gloomy weather because it brings ambiance to the serious plays. Those examples of our audience’s commitment to us and to the experience of outdoor theatre are the memories I treasure most.

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