Naomi Ngebulana excited about new role

Actor to star in Educating Rita at Watermark Theatre

The role of Rita in Educating Rita is a challenging and much coveted role among actors of a certain age. The play will run at Watermark Theatre in North Rustico July 12-30. In this Q&A submission from the theatre, actor Naomi Ngebulana talks about taking on the iconic role.

Q: Had you heard of Educating Rita before auditioning for the role?

A: I had not, but pretty much everyone I told about it after already had. It was even one of my old classmate’s favourite play. Go figure.

Q: What was the process of getting cast in the role?

A: I guess one very different point of the experience is the fact that the entire process was virtual. I submitted a tape and then my callback was via a Zoom call. That’s a quintessential COVID-ERA experience, I think.

Q: In the theatre world, Rita is such an iconic part. How are you and the director approaching the part?

A: I think the main thing Martha (director Martha Irving) doesn’t want to shy away from is, for lack of a better word, the implications that are present because the role is embodied by a woman of colour. It’s not about leaning into stereotype – because the lines and setting don’t change – it’s just recognizing and acknowledging that things may be understood differently by an audience because of the picture they’re seeing.

Q: What would you like audiences to take away with them after seeing the play?

A: I always hope people leave the theatre feeling inspired. About anything really. But maybe with this play in particular, maybe I hope they leave with a new zest for life, an excitement about life and what it has to offer and all of the ways that they have a say

in it/about it.

Q: What’s it like working with director Martha Irving?

A: It’s been exciting. Lots of food for thought. I’m always in awe of the perspective the director brings to the process because it’s so … comprehensive (obviously LOL). Compared to maybe the actor’s perspective which can be wholly preoccupied with their own character. But this is the awesome thing about theatre/ acting/etc., you have these different perspectives or ideas of character or whatever, that come together and then shift and change and allow themselves to be influenced and that’s when you make something that’s altogether new. Because it can only exist in this way, with these people. And there’s something so special about honouring the way the story wants to show up now, in this moment. Because sometimes that can be different from what you’d imagined, but it’s so much better when you let it have a life of its own.

Q: This is your first time to P.E.I. How are you enjoying it?

A: I haven’t been able to explore anywhere yet, but biking from the theatre to where I’m staying takes me along the path in Orby Head and, as everyone here probably already knows, it’s beautiful out there. I haven’t smelt the ocean in years, so it was almost an emotional experience when I did. Not gonna lie, that’s kind of embarrassing to say.