AWAKEN
by Tracy Penner
Inspired by The Winter’s Tale
The story of Paulina and Hermione that Shakespeare never wrote.
2020 Evie Award Nomination: Best Outstanding New Work
HERMIONE: But if I don’t go back…
PAULINA: Then we need to keep you dead.
Hermione’s son is dead, her daughter taken from her. All because the jealous king thinks she’s been unfaithful. When Hermione wakes up after fainting in court, she’s with Paulina, her devoted counselor. With her help, Hermione escapes from the castle. Everyone else thinks she’s dead, but Paulina and Hermione still need to cover her disappearance. With only a little garden shed as their refuge, they buy themselves some time. But is it enough time to heal and move on? These two women who have lost so much and risked everything, must change their entire lives to keep this secret from King Leontes. With the added complications of keeping Hermione hidden, Paulina has a missing husband and still has to work for the king and take care of her three children. Meanwhile, Hermione is stuck in a shed with nothing to do but lament the death of her boy and the kidnapping of her baby. Striving to survive, how do they change and grow? Are they strong enough to hold each other up? And what happens to their relationship when unexpected tensions make things even more complicated? Then, with the sudden reappearance of Hermione’s lost daughter, Perdita, Hermione has a longing to be reunited, but that means she must come out of hiding. Our heroines are faced with the biggest decision of their lives. And what kind of sacrifices are they forced to make in order to leave everything behind?
Witness the untold story of two of Shakespeare’s most iconic female characters, during the 16-year gap of time in The Winter’s Tale, shown through the female lens. From the death of the queen to Paulina’s reveal of the queen’s statue. See what happens when Paulina and Hermione are given the permission to explore their struggles and heartaches, as well as the freedom to discover each other in new and exciting ways.
The script is available through The Playwright’s Guild of Canada or The National New Play Network.
Playwright’s Guild of Canada:
National New Play Network:
“Awaken is a beautiful play. Penner’s conceit is ingenious as she imagines the 16 lost years of Queen Hermione, cloistered in Paulina’s garden shed. The world she has created is lush and the intimacy and longing between her characters is utterly beautiful.”
— Kelly Thornton, Artistic Director - Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre
Awaken premiered in 2020, produced by zone41 Theatre with Shakespeare in the Ruins, as part of the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre’s Playwright Festival, Shakespearefest. Dramaturgy was lead by Krista Jackson and Michelle Boulet with the support of the Manitoba Association of Playwrights. Directed by Krista Jackson, Awaken featured Daria Puttaert as Hermione and Tracy Penner as Paulina.
For more information on the original production go to one of the following websites:
“Though contemporary in use of language, the well-paced two-hander draws from select Shakespearean techniques — evocative imagery, recurring symbolism, the occasional monologue — and forgoes others (there is nary a fourth-wall break to be found here) to create something of an impressionistic companion piece to one of Shakespeare’s last plays.”
— Frances Koncan, The Winnipeg Free Press
“This is a gripping and beautiful tale for right now. Power, passion, resistance, justice and freedom. Awaken has deep classical roots and is utterly contemporary. “
— Ardith Boxall, Artistic Director - Theatre Projects Manitoba
Poster image: Sarah Constible and Doowah Design
Production photos: Dylan Hewlett
Featuring: Tracy Penner as Paulina and Daria Puttaert as Hermione.
Tracy Penner (she/her) is a Canadian actor and playwright, living in Winnipeg. After graduating from the University of Alberta’s BFA acting program, she wrote her one-woman show, simple gifts. Tracy produced simple gifts for Edmonton’s Fringe Festival (directed by Melissa Thingelstad) and received a Sterling nomination for her performance. She was invited to bring her play to the Capital Fringe in Washington, D.C., and performed it at the Canadian Embassy. She also brought simple gifts to Winnipeg, and her hometown, Steinbach. Almost 15 years later, inspired by Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale, Tracy wrote Awaken, the untold story of Hermione and Paulina during the 16-year gap of time. Dramaturgy was lead by Krista Jackson and Michelle Boulet, with the support of the Manitoba Association of Playwrights. Awaken was produced by zone 41 Theatre with Shakespeare in the Ruins, as part of the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre’s ShakespeareFest 2020. Awaken received an Evie nomination for Best New Work.
As an actor, Tracy’s worked with Edmonton companies including Vault: Theatre of Invention, Shadow Theatre, and Concrete Theatre. She also played Lucy in Catalyst Theatre’s production of Frankenstein which toured to theatres across Canada. In Winnipeg, Tracy’s worked with companies such as Dry Cold Productions, the Winnipeg Jewish Theatre, Shakespeare in the Ruins, Sarasvati, and Red Hen Productions. She has performed in several Theatre Projects Manitoba productions, including John and Beatrice as Beatrice. At the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre she played Masha in The Seagull, and Dull Gret and Angie in Top Girls, including various other roles both on the Mainstage and at the Warehouse. Zone41 featured Tracy as Z in their production of Village Wooing and showcased Tracy playing Paulina in the premiere production of her play, Awaken.