Programme: Waiting for the Parade

Catherine – Ruth Wong Miller

Ruth is a proud Chinese Canadian artist and thrilled to return to Walterdale Theatre. Recent credits include Miss Adelaide (Guys and Dolls), Lauren Yee (King of the Yees), and Mabel (The Pirates of Penzance). She is the co-founder and artistic associate of local indie company Foote in the Door. @womie

Janet – Tanya Lawrence

Tanya studied theatre in Vancouver. Her voice can be heard on radio, audiobooks, and podcasts. She has 2 cats and drives a fun car in the summer; because you’re always 25 in a convertible! She’s very excited to bring this play to life with such an amazing cast and crew!

Margaret – Anglia Redding

Anglia’s at it again! She’s been onstage in Walterdale’s According to the Chorus, and Shakespeare in Love; LDS’s production of The Ballad of Maria Marten and Paper Crown’s The Cat and the Canary. When not agonizing over lines, she can be found curled up somewhere with a good book.

Eve – Ginny Sandness

Ginny is a first-year BA Drama student at University of Alberta. She enjoys reading, exercising, and is writing several books. She is a black belt in the Korean Martial Art of Tang Soo Do, and aspires to become a professional stage and screen actor in the future. She loves music and plays five instruments including piano and flute. Her favorite composers are Hans Zimmer and Chopin.

Marta – Sarah Gibson

Sarah is honoured to join the cast of Waiting for the Parade! Previous credits include The Ballad of Maria Marten (Leduc Drama Society), Hearts Left Open (Heart and Ash), A Party to Murder (Walterdale), and Dick Piston (Nacho Pals). Thanks to Eilidh Tew for assistance with German breakdown. Enjoy the show!

Matthew Baker – Sound Designer

Matthew is extremely excited to be serving as Sound Designer for this wonderful production! Come see the amazing show that this talented cast and crew has put on. He hopes you enjoy! Recent Sound Design Credits: According To The Chorus (Walterdale Theatre) and Cafe Intrigue (MoxyB Studios).

Rebecca Cave – Co-Lighting Designer

Rebecca Cave has been working with Walterdale for nearly nine years and is as thrilled as ever to be a part of this production of Waiting for the Parade. She’s delighted to be working with such a committed and considerate cast and crew, and hopes you enjoy the show!

Harmen de Vries – Master Builder

At the midway point of a construction career including carpentry and architecture, Harmen is starting a new journey and fulfilling a long-held dream to build and design theatre sets. Here’s to manifesting our dreams! See you in the theatre or out in the beautiful river valley.

Laura Eschak – Costume Design Mentor and Assistant Lighting Design

Laura has enjoyed all areas of performing including theatre and film for many years. Recent productions include: light operator This is War, performing in Annie, stage managing Hearts Left Open (Fringe 2025), set painting and costume work. Laura looks forward to mentoring Olivia and Aisling and learning lighting design.

Laurel Bailey Ferchoff-Sander – Set Designer

Laurel Bailey Ferchoff-Sander graduated from the BFA Theatre Design program at the U of A and recently completed her Architectural Technology diploma at NAIT. As set designer for The Walterdale Theatre’s production of Waiting for the Parade, she is thrilled to be back in theatre and hopes you enjoy the show!

Liam Ferchoff-Sander – Co-Properties Master

As a new member to Walterdale, Liam is very excited to enter into the world of props design. His latest experience with the Walterdale was set painting for Shakespeare In Love. Now a part of the Waiting for The Parade team, Liam is thrilled to join Kristen as Co-Head of Props. He hopes you enjoy the production!

Kristen M. Finlay – Co-Properties Master

Kristen has made Walterdale her theatre home for 20 years and has filled many roles including Artistic Director, Board President, Director, Set and Props Designer, Dramaturge, Actor, and Playwright. Next for Kristen is the inclusion of her play, The Easy Road, in the 2026 From Cradle to Stage Festival.

Moemen Gaafar – Assistant Lighting Designer

Moemen Gaafar is a writer from Alexandria, Egypt, now based in Edmonton. His debut play Genesis premiered at the 2025 Edmonton Fringe. He first joined Walterdale Theatre as ASM on Present Laughter. He’s thrilled to join this production as Assistant Light Designer.

Mike Harding – Production Manager

Mike is delighted to serve as Production Manager for Waiting for the Parade at Walterdale Theatre. Typically seen onstage or in choirs, this is his first time in the PM role. Previous Walterdale credits include Next to Normal and Chess.

Richard Hatfield – Lighting Designer

Richard has been performing many roles at Walterdale since 1991. Some of these roles include Set Builder, Technical Director, Lighting Designer, and many more. Some of the recent shows Richard has designed are, Present Laughter, Stag and Doe, All My Sons, and Shakespeare In Love.

Ian Hicks – Sound Operator

Ian is delighted to be back at Walterdale as part of the amazing “Parade” team. He was recently Assistant Stage Manager for According To The Chorus (2025), It’s A Wonderful Life (2024), and appeared on stage in Shakespeare In Love (2025).

Sally Hunt – Music/Vocal Advisor

Sally is a frequent contributor to Walterdale productions, and is delighted to assist one of her favourite Canadian plays. Past Walterdale projects include Nine, Chess, and next to normal, and recent productions of The Penelopiad and The Swearing Jar. Sally teaches musical theatre at the Citadel Theatre’s Foote Theatre School.

Aisling Kelly – Assistant Costume Designer

Aisling Elia-Kelly is happy to be working with the Walterdale Theatre with Waiting for the Parade as an assistant to costumes and wardrobe. She has always had a love for theatre, dancing and acting through her childhood and continues to support local productions from Fringe to the Citadel.

Carol Ljuden – Master Painter

Carol Ljuden has provided scenic work on the following Festival Players productions: Anne of Green Gables, Charlotte’s Webb, Snow White, Elf, Oklahoma, Matilda, Narnia, Cinderella, Sound of Music, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, and Footloose. She has worked on Disney Cruise Ships, Disney World, and Universal Studios Theme Parks.

Olivia Nash – Costume Design

This is Olivia’s first Walterdale production. Olivia trained at Olds College, graduating with a diploma in costume design in 2020. She is currently pursuing her Masters of Arts at U of A. Olivia loves theatre and history, and is excited to bring the characters to life through their clothing in this production!

Sydney Paterson – Stage Manager and Poster Design

She/Her They/Them
This is Sydney’s first official time in a stage management role, but she’s no stranger to theatre, starring as Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables and Annie Sullivan in Miracle Worker in High School. She is currently a History of Art, Design and Visual Culture student at the U of A.

Rebecca Reti – Assistant Stage Manager

This is Rebecca’s first show with Walterdale. She has been behind the scenes doing lighting, sound, and stage management since high school. Her passion has continued into community theatre with multiple different shows in different companies. Rebecca hopes to continue with the great community at Walterdale as she advances in her career as a paramedic.

Monica Roberts – Director

As the director of Waiting for the Parade, I am honored to bring John Murrell’s poignant exploration of the Canadian home front to life. Walterdale Theatre has been central to my theatre practice for decades, most recently as Artistic Director 2020-22 and Director of 1984 in 2020. I am honoured to lead this talented team in a production that honours the human need for connection when faced with difficult and uncertain circumstances.

Vaishnavi Sadul – Lighting Operator

Vaishnavi has previously worked as Lead Set and Costume Designer and appeared in cameo roles. She is thrilled to collaborate, learn, and contribute as Lighting Operator for Waiting for the Parade. She looks forward to working with talented artists, continuing to grow, and helping wherever possible. Fun fact: she can bring laughter to any group!

Jacquelin Walters – Fight Choreographer

Jacquelin Walters is fight coordinating her 3rd Walterdale show! Jacquelin is an emerging fight director and intermediate certified actor combatant with Fight Directors Canada. Recent fight direction credits include Present Laughter and Stag and Doe (Walterdale), Sam’s Clam and Oyster Bar, Divorced Dad’s Guide to Slaying Vampires, Sheep Play, The Bone House (Fringe), Televangelists (Nextfest).