theatre by Leanne Campbell Horned Moon Productions w h a t they b o t h t e r m " m e a t y " roles. " T h e r e may be ten parts in a play, w i t h eight m e n and t w o w o m e n , and the w o m e n are m i s t r e s s e s o r maids," says M o r r i s . In February, t h e t w o d e c i d e d t o f o r m t h e i r o w n theatre company. By A p r i l , H o r n e d M o o n P r o d u c t i o n s was incorporated, a non-profit company w i t h a t r i p l e mandate: t o p r o v i d e roles for e m e r g i n g a c t o r s , t o stage plays w i t h substantial female r o l e s , and t o k e e p t i c k e t prices affordable. T h e n a m e c o m e s f r o m a line in A M i d s u m m e r Night's Dream, and T h e i r first p r o d u c t i o n is Beautiful Bodies, o p e n i n g N o v e m b e r 18 at P r e s e n t a t i o n H o u s e . W r i t t e n by Laura C u n n i n g h a m , the play is set at a baby s h o w e r , a n d t h e c o n v e r s a t i o n turns t o sex. marriage, m e n , c a r e e r s , single p a r e n t h o o d -- a n d the issues plaguing the friendships of t h e six w o m e n in the cast. " W e ' r e n o t an all-female c o m p a n y , n o r w o u l d w e e x c l u d e a play simply because a man w r o t e it," says M o r r i s . " O u r s e c o n d p r o d u c t i o n , The G u l Cirls (slated for spring of n e x t year), A c t o r s beginning their c a r e e r s face a universal c a t c h - 2 2 . C a s t i n g d i r e c t o r s say t o t h e m , " C o m e back w h e n you've g o t s o m e credits," But h o w can y o u fatten up y o u r r e s u m e , w h e n y o u can't get o n s t a g e ! Gillian M o r r i s and Tracy Leigh C a m p b e l l are b o t h 23-year-old a c t o r s w h o faced this, a m o n g o t h e r trials, after they g r a d u a t e d f r o m the professional theatre p r o g r a m at John A b b o t t C o l l e g e in M o n t r e a l last year. M o r r i s was b o r n and raised o n the N o r t h S h o r e , and C a m p b e l l hails f r o m " L a Belle P r o v i n c e , " but she's always w a n t e d t o live " o u t west." " G i l l i a n invited m e o u t here for a visit," says C a m p b e l l . " and I'm still here." B e s i d e s t h e difficulties in amassing p r o f e s s i o n a l c r e d i t s , b o t h w e r e f r u s t r a t e d w i t h t h e n u m b e r of available r o l e s f o r w o m e n , specifically. has t w o roles for m e n . W h a t w e are really l o o k i n g f o r is s t r o n g roles for women." B o t h artistic d i r e c t o r s have c h o sen roles f o r themselves in Beautiful C a m p b e l l d e s c r i b e s it as " a bit of an in-joke f r o m t h e a t r e s c h o o l . " By their o w n a d m i s s i o n s , neither o n e of t h e m k n e w w h a t they w e r e getting i n t o by launching a n e w t h e a t r e company, "It's crazy, but I think w e ' r e d o i n g s o m e t h i n g g o o d , " says M o r r i s . Bodies, but are m o r e than willing t o step aside s h o u l d their d i r e c t o r ( w h o , as of this w r i t i n g , has n o t been named) say that they aren't right for the parts. H o w e v e r , because the c o m pany is f o r e m e r g i n g artists, and acting careers are the goals of b o t h M o r r i s and C a m p b e l l , they see no r e a s o n that they be b a r r e d f r o m appearing in H o r n e d M o o n productions. In keeping w i t h t h e i r goal t o make t h e a t r e a c c e s s i b l e , tickets are $ 1 2 for adults and $ 8 f o r students and s e n i o r s . M o r r i s is a d a m a n t a b o u t keeping p r i c e s low. " W o r k i n g , as I d o , at the b o x office of o n e of V a n c o u v e r ' s largest t h e a t r e c o m p a nies, I k n o w that n o t e v e r y o n e can afford t o pay t o p d o l l a r for t h e a t r e . I really w a n t t o have o u r c o m p a n y appeal t o e v e r y o n e , n o t just p e o p l e w h o can pay m o r e than $ 2 0 f o r a ticket" Keep a watch out for a " H o r n e d M o o n " -- y o u n e v e r k n o w w h a t might appear. Beautiful B o d i e s opens November at Presentation 990-3473 18 House Arts Centre. Call information. The dymanic duo for more Leanne Campbell and broadcaster. is a freelance writer behind the Horned Moon