On November 8, 1946, Viola Desmond was arrested in a New Glasgow, Nova Scotia movie theatre for refusing to give up her seat in a section reserved for white patrons. Her courage sparked the beginning of the end of segregation in the province. She is the subject of Andrea Scott’s new play Controlled Damage, which gets its world premiere at Halifax’s Neptune Theatre.
“Viola Desmond committed a small act in a small town motivating massive, historical change,” says playwright Andrea Scott. “She tried to take on the system and lost. Her loss is our gain; she started a revolution without taking off her white gloves and took a stand by sitting down.”
Halifax Presents contributing editor Mark Robins was live at Neptune Theatre as the company of Controlled Damage prepared for opening night. In this Facebook Live event, he chats with director Nigel Shawn Williams and Halifax actor Deborah Castrilli who plays Viola Desmond, to find out more.
Controlled Damage plays Neptune Theatre’s Scotiabank Stage February 4-23. You can get tickets and more information at neptunetheatre.com.