Heartbreak House: Tim Carroll, Ximena Pinilla and Claudio Vena in Conversation

What happens when a creative team strips away the clutter of a turn-of-the-century classic to find its modern, urgent heartbeat? Director Tim Carroll, set and costume designer Ximena Pinilla, and composer Claudio Vena sit down with movement director Alexis Milligan to pull back the curtain on their minimalist reimagining of George Bernard Shaw’s Heartbreak House. Tim Carroll marks his 11th season as the Artistic Director of the Shaw Festival, directing Heartbreak House, Amadeus, and A Christmas Carol this year. Since taking the artistic helm, Tim has directed acclaimed Shaw productions such as Flush, Gnit, The Importance of Being Earnest, and Desire Under the Elms. His illustrious international career includes directing the Tony-nominated Broadway productions of Twelfth Night and Richard III starring Mark Rylance. A former associate director at Shakespeare’s Globe, Tim has staged productions for the Stratford Festival, the Royal Shakespeare Company, and opera houses and national theatres worldwide. Ximena Pinilla returns for her 3rd season at the Shaw Festival as the set and costume designer for Heartbreak House, as well as the design assistant for A New Work in Progress by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. Her previous design footprints at Shaw include serving as the set designer for A Recluse and His Guest and The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine. A graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada, Ximena’s diverse design credits span theatre, contemporary dance, and opera across Canada, alongside production and costume design work for independent films like Clara! and Soleil de nuit. Claudio Vena brings his musical mastery to the Shaw Festival for Heartbreak House as the music director, composer, and sound designer. His extensive history with Shaw includes creating original music and soundscapes for Gnit, Everybody, and Saint Joan. A Gemini Award winner and two-time Juno nominee, Claudio is the current music director of the Phoenix Orchestra and a founder of the renowned Quartetto Gelato. His diverse career spans conducting for the Stratford Festival and the Canadian Opera Company, scoring films like TO in 24, and performing alongside legendary vocalists including Pavarotti, Domingo, and Bocelli. Tickets to all of our shows are available now at shawfest.com (https://shawfest.com) .  Hosted by Alexis Milligan Produced by Kelly Wong Original Music by Travis Seetoo We want to hear from you! Drop us a line at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])