New ATP production ‘Casey and Diana’ recreates Princess Diana’s 1991 visit to Toronto AIDS hospice

Emily Howard and Nathan Cuckow in Alberta Theatre Projects' Casey and Diana at Martha Cohen Theatre through Mar. 15.

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.