Page 15 – Walterdale Theatre

Announcing the Cast of SHATTER

CAST:

Anna MacLean – SIAN GODSMARK
Jennie Maclean – YANIT TEREFE
Elsie Schultz – SAMANTHA WOOLSEY
Brian Davidson – BERKLEY ABBOTT

Ghosts: BRITTANY HINSE, DYLAN BRENNEIS, MIKAYLEE BOUTIN, VIKTORIA BRADLEY, STUART OLD, SYDNEY JINJOE

Shatter by Trina Davies
December 6, 2017 – December 16, 2017
Director: Josh Languedoc

Anna MacLean’s eye has been turned by all the handsome soldiers roaming about the streets of her hometown of Halifax. She feels the promise of something great is lingering on the horizon for her. Those feelings are as fleeting as a dream. With Anna’s mother, her best friend, Elsie Schultz are thrown into chaos when their world explodes around them. Based around the events of the Halifax Explosion of 1917, Davies’ intense and thought-provoking work paints a haunting portrait of the aftermath of tragedy.

THE WAIT at the Edmonton International Fringe

The Wait

Description: For Elena, Frankie, Miles, and Frank, waiting is an institution. But just because the people are standing still, it doesn’t mean life has to. With the help of superheroes, dancing, gin, snacks, and fellow humans, waiting ceases to be an annoying chore, and instead becomes an opportunity for personal connection. This show will give you a whole different perspective to think about while waiting in line outside Fringe venues!

Location: Venue 9 – Telus Phone Museum

Times:
Fri, Aug 18 – 8.30 pm
Sun, Aug 20 – 10.30 pm
Mon, Aug 21 – 12 pm
Tues, Aug 22 – 6.30 pm
Thurs, Aug 24 – 3.45 pm
Sun, Aug 27 – 1.45 pm

Creative Team:

Written and directed by Maria Colonescu (Walterdale member)

Cast:
Samantha O’Connor
Alex D. Mackie (Walterdale member)
Syrell Wilson (Walterdale member)
Derek Kaye

The Novus Actors present The Charm Offensive at the 2017 Edmonton International Fringe.

Edmonton’s cadre of misfit lawyers are at it again, returning to the Edmonton International Fringe Festival for their third outing with local playwright Stewart Lemoine.

The Charm Offensive is a brand-new, cutlery-filled comedy by Stewart Lemoine, in which a determined duo sets out to kick incivility to the curb … for good and always!

Venue #12 – Varscona Theatre
Written by Stewart Lemoine
Directed by Stewart Lemoine and Mathew Hulshof
Stage Manager Gaby Phaneuf

Featuring: Mark Facundo, Stacey Grubb, Don MacCannell, Morgan McClelland, Ed Picard, and Marissa Tordoff.

All proceeds from the show will be donated to Teatro La Quindicina, a not-for-profit professional theatre company based in Edmonton.

For more information check out the Facebook event. Tickets are $16 and available here.

Poster Design: Ed Picard

See Walterdale Members this Fringe in THE TURN OF THE SCREW!

The Turn of The Screw by Jeffrey Hatcher
Directed by Maria Colonescu

Featuring:
Darrell Portz – Man (Walterdale Member)
Shanni Pinkerton – Woman

Based on the provocative tale of suspense, horror and repressed sexuality, this adaptation gives the famous story yet another turn of its own. A young governess journeys to a lonely English manor house to care for two recently orphaned children. The new governess has begun to see specters haunting the children, and she must find a way to stop the fiends before it is too late. But one frightening question tortures the would-be heroine: Are the ghosts real, or are they the product of her own fevered imagination?

VENUE 9
Telus Phone Museum
10437 83 Avenue

Thursday, August 17 – 11:30 PM
Saturday, August 19 – Noon
Monday, August 21 – 6:45 PM
Wednesday, August 23 – 4:15 PM
Friday, August 25 – 7:15 PM
Saturday, August 26 – 2:00 PM

For tickets click here.

https://www.facebook.com/TTOTS2017/

Introducing the Cast of A DOLL’S HOUSE!

We’d like to welcome the first cast of our 2017/18 Season:

A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen

Directed by Alex Hawkins

Cast:

Nora Helmer – Nicole English

Anne-Marie – Leslie Caffaro

Torvald Helmer – Tim Marriott

Mrs. Christine Linde – Marsha Amanova

Nils Krogstad – Dave Wolkowski

Dr. Peter Rank – Dale Wilson

Creative Team:

Alex Hawkins – Director

John Anderson – Assistant Director
JOAN HAWKINS – Set Designer/ Master Painter
Geri Drittich- Costume Designer

Jackie Lotery – Production Manager
Cassie Duval – Stage Manager
Pierre Valois – Master Builder
Alayna Hunchak – Props Master
Richard Hatfield- Technical Advisor/Lighting Designer

A Doll’s House runs from October 11-21, 2017

Tickets are available at Tix on the Square – 780.420.1757 or www.tixonthesquare.ca

Meet the Cast of FOLLIES – Allan Cabral de Sá is Young Buddy!

What is your role in this production? My role in Follies is Young Buddy, the thirty years old memory of Buddy himself. He is a youthful, eager, and energetic character in the show who demonstrates to be very committed to his romantic relationship with Sally and his friendship with Ben. Young Buddy had a good life at his time (1940’s), and he was also responsible for introducing Phyllis to Ben. Little did he know that Ben was interested in Sally as well…

What is your background in theatre? My background in theatre started three years ago, when I auditioned for my first play – I don’t even know why I auditioned, but it felt like it was the right thing to do at that time. Before that, I’ve only sung in rock bands and never really considered acting. After graduating business school, I originally wanted to take a university level music program. Some close friends and mentors started suggesting that I applied for the Theatre Arts program at MacEwan University. They said “I think that suits you”, so I gave that a shot. It was the right thing to do. This is my first show at the Walterdale Theatre, and I’m very grateful to be surrounded by people with different backgrounds, sharing their talents with each other on a daily basis.

Why did you want to be involved in this show? I wanted to be involved because I love Sondheim’s music. On the other hand, it is a career goal of mine to work with the best people I can, and I did have a taste of that in this show.

What do you love about doing theatre? What I love about doing theatre is the ability it has to touch hearts. The audience must leave the theatre more awake and alive than when they first arrived there. I see it as a business of compassion, even if the play is a greek tragedy.

What has been the most challenging part of doing the show? A little line in the beginning of Act 2, when I say “No!”. It took me so long to find the right motivation for it and make it feel natural!

What has been the best thing about doing the show? To learn new material, meet new people and build relationships… Simple things like smiles and hugs are very meaningful to me.

Allan Cabral de Sá, Veronica Masik, Aidan Spila and Teagan Kamstra

Photo Credit: Nanc Price Photography

Meet the Cast of FOLLIES! Christina O’Dell is Young Heidi and Sound Op.!

What is your role in this production? I am doing double duty this show; onstage I am playing Young Heidi, the recollected self of a once famous operetta star, and then as soon as I am offstage I scoot down to the booth to take my place as the show’s sound operator. It’s my first time on the tech crew, which is very exciting! It’s also likely the first time a tech will be dressed a gown and tiara in the booth…

What is your background in theatre? At Walterdale? After having basically grown up onstage, I took a 6 hiatus from theatre while I was at university. I returned to performing after finishing my masters degree, and Follies will actually be my 18th show since graduating 6 years ago. I’m beyond thrilled to be back at the Walterdale this time around too; it’s my third show here, and it always feels like coming home!

What brought you out for this production? Barb, our lovely director, was the one who brought me to this show. Initially she just needed a sound operator, and as I was very interested in learning about the technical side of things, I jumped at the chance. As the process unfolded, she ended up needing a soprano and also someone to do a bit of tap dancing, so I jumped into those roles as well; it really is quite exciting having both an onstage and an offstage presence in this show!

This show is about theatre and nostalgia – got any good theatre stories? What do you love about doing theatre? Honestly I love the sense of play that is inherent to theatre. As adults we have so few opportunities to play and engage in story telling and make-believe! As for wild theatre stories: I was was once in a show called Titanic the Musical, and before one of our matinees a massive snow-storm triggered a power outage that resulted in our curtain time being delayed……we ended up having to cut half an hour from Act 2 on the fly; the Titanic sank very abruptly that day!

What has been the most challenging part of doing the show? I would say picking up the tap dance last minute…it has been an exhilarating challenge!

What has been the best thing about doing the show? The best part by far is being back with my Walterdale family; I feel so lucky that I get to come to rehearsal to play and explore alongside these wonderful and talented people.

Meet the Cast of FOLLIES! Erin Foster-O’Riordan is Heidi Schiller!

What is your role in Follies? I play Heidi Schiller, diva of divas, and muse of many early 20th-century Austrian composers.

What is your background in theatre? At Walterdale? I started dancing at the age of three, and have always loved performing. I’ve been active in local theatre for about 14 years, and have had the chance to work with some amazing people and play some amazing roles such as Polly in Crazy for You (Festival Place), Cathy in The Last Five Years (Round Barn/TOWTTB), and The Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods (TOWTTB). I also have been able to collaborate with some dear friends while working on projects under the Round Barn Productions banner which Monica Roberts and I co-founded a number of years ago, including twice producing the 60’s inspired SHOUT! The Mod Musical. I am also a sound designer, and have worked with many wonderful production teams to help establish mood, time and place in their shows. At Walterdale, I have designed sound for Crimes of the Heart, Village of Idiots, Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, The Rabbit Hole, Love of the Nightingale, Proof, Nine, and Chess. I have also had my one-act play, Uncle Robert’s Funeral, produced as a staged reading. The last time I was onstage at Walterdale was almost 11 years ago in 2006’s Steel Magnolias as Truvy Jones.

What brought you out for this production? Being (ahem) past the age of playing any of the memory girls, I was enticed by the number of mature roles for women in this show. I was also enticed by knowing that many of my fellow mature woman actors would be auditioning, and the chance to work in that kind of ensemble is rare. Also–Sondheim. I’m a sucker for Sondheim.

This show is about theatre and nostalgia – what do you love about doing theatre? I think this show is also about the fleeting camaraderie of theatre–relationships that are brief and beautiful. There is something lovely about the point-in-time magic of any show you are a part of–relationships that quickly become intense and personal because you are working with each other intensely and personally. But then it’s over, and you may never see or work with some of those people again. Yes, you have friendships that transcend that point in time, but for the most part, doing a show is a unique experience with a built-in expiry date–knowing that makes me breathe it in more deliberately somehow, and not take it for granted. It forces you to be present in the moment.

What has been the most challenging part of doing the show? Time management. Life is very busy!

What has been the best thing about doing the show? I have gotten to do things that are completely new to me. I have never had any experience with tap, so even learning the “faking it” version has been a lot of fun, and I have never sang a song that is so operatic before. I want to thank Michael and Barb for trusting that I had those capabilities when I really did think I did!

Meet the Cast of FOLLIES! Alyssa Paterson is Young Carlotta and Co-Choreographer!

What is your role in this production? I’m in the ensemble as a memory girl (Young Carlotta), and I’m also dance captain and co-choreographer for the show.

What is your background in theatre? At Walterdale? I grew up doing a lot of musical theatre, and took a long break from it before joining the cast of Chess at Walterdale last summer. I had such a fantastic time that I knew I had to come back for Follies!

What brought you out for this production? I’ve always held a secret desire to be a showgirl, and this show lets me do that! Plus the show contains some of my favourite Sondheim songs, and I knew that there’d be lots of great dancing.

This show is about theatre and nostalgia – got any good theatre stories? I was once in a show where I had to “die” onstage while holding my “baby” in my arms, which was a plastic doll wrapped in a blanket. One night during the scene, the actor who was supposed to scoop the baby out of my arms didn’t make it in time, and the doll started falling off of me and rolling onto the bed. I had to pretend to be dead, so I could only lie there, completely still, as I felt it happening! Thankfully the other actor just managed to catch the doll before it fell onto the floor…

What has been the most challenging part of doing the show? As dance captain, I get to sub in for the dances of missing cast members when they’re away. There’s plenty of dancing in this show, so it’s a lot for me to keep straight in my head.

What has been the best thing about doing the show? It’s been a long time since I’ve done any choreography, and I’ve really enjoyed collaborating with Barbara (the director and co-choreographer) to create and set the many dance numbers in this show. I’ve also loved getting to know the fabulous cast and crew – this show is filled with talented and lovely people!

Meet the Cast of FOLLIES – Leslie Caffaro is Sally Durant Plummer!

What is your role in Follies? I play Sally, a former dancer attending a reunion of her fellow Weismann girls. She still tries to maintain a veneer of bubbliness, but is forced to face some dark realizations during the reunion.

What is your background in theatre? I didn’t start acting until I was an adult, taking some local classes and then doing a summer session at New Actors Workshop in NYC. A friend suggested I audition for the Walterdale, funnily enough I’d already seen shows there but hadn’t realized it was a community theatre. This is my 11th Walterdale show (not all of them musicals). I’ve also done shows with Abbedam, Two One Way Tickets to Broadway and Round Barn productions. In theory, I am still reworking a musical I wrote and co-directed for Stagestruck.

What brought you out for this show? It’s a musical! I had worked with Barb Mah before on Sweet Charity, my first real musical, which was a magical experience, and hoped to work with her again. I’d seen a show Michael Clark had done and was impressed by the characterization in the songs. The challenge of approaching these complex characters was also exciting.

What do you love about doing theatre? I love the open, accepting atmosphere in theatre and the sense of collaborating on a common goal, and of course playing and pretending and escaping my own little world for a while.

What is the most challenging thing about doing this show? I’ve never done a Sondheim show before so the music itself was challenging for me. Also, on paper, I didn’t find my character Sally to be very likeable but didn’t want this to interfere with presenting a multidimensional character.

What is the best thing about doing this show? The best thing about this show are all the people involved who constantly inspire me. As I’ve played with many of them before it’s almost like a reunion within a reunion and there’s also the joy of finding new partners in crime.