WITHIN THE GLASS
WORLD PREMIERE
by Anna
Chatterton
directed by Andrea Donaldson
Jan 6, 2016 – Feb 14, 2016 in the Mainspace
Opens Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Resource Guide
Created by: Kristin Raposo, Brittany Wiessler, and Anne Wessels
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABOUT THE PLAY
Play Synopsis …………………………….…………………….……...............…2
Character List …………………………………………………………………......2
Playwright Biography: Anna Chatterton.…………………………………….….2
ONTARIO CURRICULUM RESOURCES
Family Studies Curricular Expectations.....……………………………….……3
THE PLAY: USEFUL DEFINITIONS
Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE), Pheromones, Midwife, Intrauterine
Insemination (IUI), In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), Frozen Embryo Transfer,
Fetus, Fertility Cycle, and Amniocentesis..………………………………...3 - 4
CONTEXTUALIZING THE PLAY
Fertility and Reproductive Health: Articles, Services and Videos...……..4 - 6
Adoption ……………………………….……………………………………....6 - 8
Surrogacy……………………………………………………………………….....8
APPLICATIONS IN THE CLASSROOM
Pre-Show Discussion Questions……………………………………………… 9
Post-Show Discussion Questions……………………………………………...9
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ABOUT THE PLAY
Play Synopsis
Two very different couples meet after a critical mistake at a fertility clinic. A fertilized egg
has been implanted into the wrong woman. Over the course of an absurd evening, they fight to
determine the uncertain future of their IVF child. This extraordinary pregnancy forces each of
them to reassess their relationships, the depths of their desire to parent, and their hopes for the
future – asking each person what they are willing to give up in the pursuit of a child.
Character List
DARAH: Forty-four, married to Michael
MIACHAEL: Mid forties, married to Darah
LINDA: Thirty-six married to Scott, 19 weeks pregnant
SCOTT: Early forties, married to Linda
Playwright Biography
Anna Chatterton is a playwright, performer and librettist. She writes and performs with
her theatre company Independent Aunties (with Evalyn Parry and Karin Randoja). The Aunties
have created six shows together, produced by Theatre Passe Muraille, Buddies in Bad Times
Theatre and the Theatre Centre. Their work has been nominated for various Dora Awards, and
won Best New Play at the SummerWorks Festival. The Aunties are currently a company-inresidence at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre creating Gertrude and Alice, a play about Gertrude
Stein and Alice B Toklas slated for production in 2016.
As a librettist Anna’s work includes Swoon (Canadian Opera Company), Voice Box(World
Stage/Harbourfront Centre), See Saw (Tapestry Opera), and Stitch (Theatre Centre, Voice ++
Festival, The Sound Symposium) which received two Dora Mavor Moore nominations for Best
New Opera and Best Production. Anna is currently working on a new libretto The Man Who
Married Himself for Toronto Masque Theatre (Fall 2016) and Sweat for Centre for Contemporary
Opera (NYC). Crush, a two-act opera commissioned by the Canadian Opera Company will
receive a workshop production at the Banff Centre, partnered with Against the Grain Theatre
this summer. Anna will be performing a workshop production of her first solo show Quiver at
Theatre Aquarius’s studio series in the spring.
Anna has her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Guelph and a BFA in
Theatre Performance from Concordia University.
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ONTARIO CURRICULUM RESOURCES
"Exploring Family Studies." The Ontario Curriculum Grades 9 to 12. Government of Ontario,
2013. Web. 13 May 2015.
http://edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/secondary/ssciences9to122013.pdf
The play Within the Glass acts as an entry point for teachers and students to discuss the
changing composition of families. Contemporary notions of ‘the family’ have changed as new
kinds of families emerge. These families include: non-conforming parental gender roles, samesex parents, transgendered parents, co-parents, blended families, multi-generational families,
step-parents, and single parents to name a few.
Within the Glass can help teachers address the following expectations from Exploring
Family Studies (HIF10/20) Ontario Curriculum. Discussions around topics found in the play:
B3. Family Lifestyles: describe lifestyles in diverse families and the impact of a range of
factors, including social and cultural factors, on these lifestyles.
B3.1 Describe the impact of change, including social, economic, technological, and
environmental change, on the lifestyles of past and present families.
B3.2 Describe differences in lifestyle among families from diverse backgrounds.
THE PLAY: USEFUL DEFINITIONS
"Reproductive endocrinology." Mosby's Medical Dictionary, 8th edition. 2009. Web. 12 May.
2015.
http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/reproductive+endocrinology
This medical dictionary provides the definition for reproductive endocrinology and for
other fertility and reproduction-related terms:
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Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE)
Pheromones
Gestational Carrier (Surrogate)
Midwife
Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
Frozen Embryo Transfer
DNA and Genetics
Fetus
Fertility Cycle
Amniocentesis
The resources provided in this section are direct references to the terms used in Within
the Glass.
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"Amniocentesis Test: Risks, Benefits, Accuracy, and More." WebMD. WebMD, 2012. Web. 12
May 2015.
http://www.webmd.com/baby/guide/amniocentesis
This online article answers basic questions about the amniocentesis test. It describes the
test, the reasons for its use, its accuracy, timelines, and post-test care.
Nordqvist, Christian. "What Are Pheromones? Do Humans Have Pheromones?" Medical News
Today. MediLexicon International, 26 Sept. 2014. Web. 12 May 2015.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/232635.php
This medical article provides a brief overview of what pheromones are, what causes
humans to secrete phenomes and the different types of pheromones that exist in the human
body. This article also discusses the reactions we have to pheromones.
CONTEXTUALIZING THE PLAY
Fertility and Reproductive Health
 Articles
McCoy, Rajiv, and Dmitri Petrov. "Chromosome Errors Cause Many Pregnancies To End Before
They Are Even Detected." IFLScience. IFLScience, 16 Apr. 2015. Web. 12 May 2015.
http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/chromosome-errors-cause-many-pregnanciesend-they-are-even-detected
This article discusses miscarriages and highlights the surprising fact that most
pregnancies are actually miscarried before the mother is even aware she is pregnant. This
happens when embryonic cells do not divide properly (aneuploidy). Downs Syndrome is a rare
form of aneuploidy that allows the baby to survive and have a live birth. This article is relevant to
the issues of infertility addressed in this play.
Powell, Kimberly. "Nature vs Nurture: Do Genes or Environment Matter More?" About
Parenting. Genealogy.com, 2015. Web. 13 May 2015.
http://genealogy.about.com/cs/geneticgenealogy/a/nature_nurture.htm
This online article provides a succinct description of the nature versus nurture debate.
The article references other studies that have examined the relationship between behaviour
conditioning and genetic determination. It provides links to useful information on this topic. The
characters in the play, Within the Glass, discuss technological advancements and their
consequences.
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 Services
"Services - Centre for Fertility and Reproductive Health." Mount Sinai Hospital. Mount Sinai
Hospital Joseph and Wolf Lebovic Health Complex, 2013. Web. 11 May 2015.
http://www.mountsinai.on.ca/care/fertility/services
This hospital website provides usful information on fertility and reproductive services
mentioned in the play such as Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET), Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)
with Sperm Wash (Artificial Insemination), and In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).
 Videos
Vidali, Dr. Andrea. "IVF Procedure. A Simple Explanation of an In Vitro Fertilization Cycle."
YouTube. www.vidali.net, 3 Apr.2011. Web. 11 May 2015.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oNg6Lm4ZJ4
This informative animated video shows the complex process of in vitro fertilization (IVF).
"3D Animation of How IUI Works." YouTube. YouTube, 4 May 2009. Web. 11 May 2015.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCdIiLLF0vw
This short informative 3D animated video provides a brief description of intrauterine
insemination.
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"DNA Structure and Replication: Crash Course Biology #10." YouTube. CrashCourse, 2 Apr.
2012. Web. 12 May 2015.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kK2zwjRV0M
This video provides a detailed explanation of DNA and breaks down its molecular
structure. This video shows the complexity of DNA, its importance to the situations the
characters face.
Surrogacy and Adoption Resources
Adoption:
This portion of the resource provides information regarding the changes in adoption
policies in Canada and internationally. This section also addresses the ethical dilemmas and
economic issues that contribute to the challenges of adoption. This is relevant to the play, Within
the Glass, because these characters cannot rely on adoption to create their families.
"Adoption in Canada." Home | Adoption Council of Canada. Web. 12 May 2015.
http://www.adoption.ca/
This online resource provides extensive information about the adoption process in
Canada and about how to adopt internationally. This website offers resources for parents that
include support and referral information regarding the many layers of the adoption process.
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Prior, Lisa. "If You're Thinking of Acquiring a Third World Baby, Adopt a New Attitude." The Age.
Fairfax Media, 4 Sept. 2010. Web. 12 May 2015.
http://www.theage.com.au/it-pro/if-youre-thinking-of-acquiring-a-third-world-baby-adopt-a-newattitude-20100903-14ubs.html
This article discusses the difficulty of adoption in third world countries and suggests that
women need to freeze their embryos before they begin to age. Presented are statistics from
UNICEF that challenge the myth that international adoption is accessible to all.
Pearce, Tralee. "The Painful New Realities of International Adoption." The Globe and Mail. The
Globe and Mail Inc, 17 Feb. 2012. Web. 12 May 2015.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/parenting/the-painful-new-realities-of-internationaladoption/article547159/?page=all
This article addresses the complications for families trying to adopt internationally and
offers personal testimonies regarding these challenges. This article uses statistics to chart the
policy changes, the ethics and economics of international adoption since the early 2000’s. Also
discussed are the bureaucratic hurdles experienced in this international adoption process.
Conn, Steven. "The Ethics of International Adoption?" The Huffington Post.
TheHuffingtonPost.com, 20 Jan. 2015. Web. 12 May 2015.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steven-conn/the-ethics-of-internation_b_6506198.html
This article examines the ethics of international adoption; specifically it discusses the
trends of children adopted from international countries (such as Korea) who have chosen to
move back to their countries of birth after living for years in North America. The article features
interviews with returnees and features their stance against international adoption in Korea.
Weeks, Carly. "We Need to Talk about Assisted Reproduction in Canada." The Globe and Mail.
The Globe and Mail Inc, 15 Feb. 2015. Web. 12 May 2015.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/we-need-to-talk-about-assistedreproduction-in-canada/article22988791/
This article analyses the growing debate regarding the use of reproductive technologies
in Canada. Weeks discusses the legal and ethical dimensions of this process. Highlighted are
the lack of regulation and the markets that have developed outside Canada for prospective
parents looking for assisted reproduction.
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Segundo, Kiyoshi Takahase. Digital image. The Globe and Mail. 15 Feb. 2015. Web.
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Surrogacy
"Surrogacy in Canada Online." Surrogacy in Canada Online. Surrogacy in Canada, 2001. Web.
13 May 2015.
http://www.surrogacy.ca/
This online resource provides detailed information about the surrogacy process and
discusses options in Canada. This website provides support for intended parents, surrogate
mothers, and egg donors.
"Surrogacy in Canada: What Are the Laws?" CTVNews. CTVNews.ca, 11 Aug. 2014. Web. 13
May 2015.
http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/surrogacy-in-canada-what-are-the-laws-1.1954565
This news article examines the laws surrounding surrogacy in Canada. Throughout the
article it discusses surrogacy payment, couple screening, surrogacy expenses, how to find a
surrogate in Canada, and the average amount of Canadians using surrogacy.
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APPLICATIONS IN THE CLASSROOM
Pre-Show Discussion Questions:
1.
Have you ever heard of medical error? What were its consequences? How might it have
been prevented?
2.
What options do same sex couples have for having children?
3.
In the future what might reproductive technology make possible?
4.
Have you ever thought something belonged to you but you found out it really belonged to
someone else? What did you do? Did you find the rightful owner? How did you solve this
problem?
Post-Show Discussion Questions:
1.
If you were faced with the same dilemma as the characters in this play, what choices
would you have made?
2.
How do you think these couples will negotiate parenthood in the future?
3.
This play discusses the ‘ownership’ of children. Do you think parents ‘own’ their children?
Why or why not?
4.
Why would the playwright have chosen to write a comedy about such a serious topic?
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