Alberta Theatre Projects’ latest production depicts a historic event, recreating a special moment when Princess Diana visited Canada back in 1991. Casey and Diana is based on a real-life visit that Diana made to Toronto’s Casey House, which was Canada’s first free-standing AIDS hospice. She shook hands with a patient without gloves, breaking a stigma at the height of the AIDS crisis. Those involved in the production say it’s a powerful tribute to love, resilience and compassion. “Truly I’ve been so intimidated stepping into this one,” said Emily Howard, who plays Diana. “(When) I found out I got the part, part of me was almost scared, because they are such big shoes to fill.” “But what I really took comfort from,” she added, “was the fact that I felt like Diana probably felt a bit of impostor syndrome herself.” Howard said she hopes to capture Diana’s humanity in the performance. “There’s a lot of Diana’s cheekiness and silliness that I wanted to bring to this,” she said. “Her humanity with these people. There’s a version of Diana that you see in hospices. She’s so calm and she’s actually very silly, and I wanted to just be that presence in this show.” The show’s director, Lana Michelle Hughes, said Casey and Diana is a timely reminder of the impact the AIDS crisis had on the global queer community. “It’s really surreal, and it’s really special as a queer individual myself,” said Hughes. “This (AIDS crisis) plays a great role in one of the big pieces of our history. “The AIDS crisis was a real tragedy and seems to have been erased. A lot of people, even in my generation -- and I’m in my 40s -- don’t know about it.” Casey and Diana is on at the Martha Cohen Theatre at Werklund Centre through March 15.
