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| Personnel Photos & Bios | ||||||
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Mainstage Adjudicator / Workshop Plays Instructors / Special Course Instructors |
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| MAINSTAGE ADJUDICATOR | ||||||
| JOHN COOPER Mainstage 2002 is pleased to announce that this year's Adjudicator will be John Cooper, well-known professional director. John has directed over 100 productions in theatres across Canada. He has received Jesse Richardson awards for his direction of Terence McNally's LIPS TOGETHER, TEETH APART and George Walker's LOVE AND ANGER, both for The Vancouver Playhouse. This past season, John directed Arthur Miller's THE CRUCIBLE for Theatre Aquarius in Hamilton, Cheryl Foggo's HEAVEN (Theatre BC National Playwriting Competition Finalist in 2000) for Lunchbox Theatre in Calgary, BIG MAMA; THE WILLIE MAE THORNTON STORY for Theatre Network in Edmonton, Arthur Miller's ALL MY SONS for The Arts Club Theatre in Vancouver, and Peter Anderson's HORSEPLAY for The Guild Theatre in Whitehorse. For Theatre BC, John has served as a Zone Festival Adjudicator, Scene Development Instructor at MAINSTAGE and workshop instructor for Zones and Clubs. |
 John Cooper |
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| WORKSHOP
PLAYS INSTRUCTORS Garry Davey / Fran Gebhard / Ross Desprez |
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| GARRY DAVEY Garry is an actor, director and instructor who has been teaching with William Davis at the William Davis Centre since 1987. Besides appearing in principle and co-starring roles on such series as The X-Files, Millennium, The Sentinel, and Outer Limits, Garry regularly works in theatre as an actor and director, having recently originated the roles of the Father in the Jessie Nominated Jericho Pier by John Keith, and Harmon in All I Ever Wanted by Frank Moher. A graduate of the Vancouver Playhouse Acting School, he has continued to work with such Master Teachers as Carol Rosenfeld of New York's HB Studios, Yoshi Oida of Peter Brook's Company, and Larry Silverberg . Theatre BC: Garry has been a Workshop Instructor, teaching Script Analysis and Who Am I? (character development) and has also served as Adjudicator for the Okanagan and North Shore Zones in 2001 and North Island Zone this spring. |
 Garry Davey |
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| FRAN GEBHARD Fran is an actor, director and dramaturge. Her acting credits include stops with the Blyth Festival, Manitoba Theatre Centre, Theatre Calgary, Northern Lights Theatre, New Play Centre, Arts Club Theatre, Playhouse Theatre and both Shakespeare Kelowna and Theatre Kelowna. She recently performed the 10th Annual Canadian National Playwriting Competition’s One Act Winner, Dried Flowers by Maryjane Cruise at the new Creekside Theatre in the Okanagan and at the Bluewater Playhouse in Ontario. Currently completing her Masters in Theatre at UBC, Fran is again acting in BC's Lower Mainland. Her work in film and television includes a nomination for a Genie Award for Best Supporting Actress. In 1998, Fran was awarded The Arts Person of the Year award in Kelowna, BC. Fran was involved with the Banff Playwrights Colony for many years, including terms as Program Head from 1976 – 1985 and Co-ordinator of the Screenwriters Workshop from 1986 – 1990. Theatre BC: Fran was a juror for both the10th (1998) & 12th (2000) Annual Canadian National Playwriting Competitions and also served as a Round Table dramaturge at TheatreBC's New Play Festival in Victoria in 1999. |
 Fran Gebhard |
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| ROSS DESPREZ Since the age of six, Ross has worked as an actor, stage manager, props builder, scenic carpenter, technician, playwright, university acting instructor, composer, and director. Ross is most proud of his one-man show, The Ballad of Phil Ochs. Ross composed the music for the Belfry's Collected Works of Billy the Kid, and learned to play the bass in four weeks for Pump Boys and Dinettes, and the banjo for Lies & Legends-The Musical Stories of Harry Chapin. He wrote and directed Sex:The Musical. Ross' most recent credits include directing Of Mice and Men for Langham Court Theatre and Feathering Loretta for the Belfry Theatre in Victoria. Ross' parents, Roger and Barbara Desprez, co-founded the Nanaimo Theatre Group 36 years ago. He received his MFA from the University of Victoria and is currently an instructor in the theatre dept. at Malaspina University-College in Nanaimo. Theatre BC: Ross served as juror for the 12th Annual (2000) Canadian National Playwriting Competition and was a Scene Development Instructor for Mainstage '99. |
 Ross Desprez |
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| SPECIAL
COURSE WORKSHOPS INSTRUCTORS Bruce Halliday / Joelle Rabu / Vivien Frow / Douglas Newell / Denise de Montreuil Robin Kelley / Richard Tchamourian / Ian Forsyth / Libby Mason / Sandy Halliday / Keith Digby Allan Stichbury / David Lewis / Scott Fidyk / Kait Burgan / Shadow Foster / Robin Boxwell |
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| BRUCE HALLIDAY Over the past twenty-three years, Bruce has been involved in technical theatre in a myriad of capacities, from truck loader to lighting designer …from "SL Dune" mover on Aida to technical producer of the "Queens Gala" during the 194 Commonwealth Games. He began his career at the McPherson Playhouse/Royal Theatre as Assistant Technical Director in 1979. After 7 years Bruce moved from Victoria to Thunder Bay to open the new 1600 seat theatre as Head of Lighting. Bruce follower this with two years at the Banff Centre instructing in the lighting dept. He has toured extensively nationally and internationally into spaces of every possible shape and size from Goose Bay to the National Arts Centre an through South East Asia. Bruce spent an exciting eight years at the Belfry Theatre as Production Manager/Technical Director, seeing vast growth in the production department while creating a product in demand across the country. Bruce has designed the lighting for many theatre companies including Bastion Theatre, Victoria Operatic Society, The Belfry Theatre Co., University of Victoria, Lola McLaughlin Dance, Judith Marcuse Dance, Karen Jamieson Dance, Pacific Opera Victoria. This work has taken him from coast to coast, working in theatres across the country, such as The McPherson Playhouse, Royal Theatre, National Arts Centre, Alberta Theatre Projects, Belfry Theatre, Vancouver Playhouse, Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Thunder Bay Arts Centre, Manitoba Theatre Centre, Theatre New Brunswick. Bruce is currently the Technical Director at the Port Theatre in Nanaimo. As T.D. he is putting all of his experience, knowledge and effort into the development of a positive atmosphere for dedicated and creative professional technicians/artists to hone their crafts and nurture new audiences. Sharing his experience and experiences are a favorite pass time for Bruce. Bruce is enjoying living on Gabriola Island, with his wife Sandy, their two young children and a big dog and a couple of cats. |
 Bruce Halliday |
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| JOELLE RABU Over the past 18 years, Joëlle has traveled throughout 4 continents touring Joëlle Rabu in Concert, as well as her musical drama Tonight…Piaf. Most recently, Joëlle was honored with the BC Touring Council’s Touring Artist of the Year award. Her theatre credits include the City Stage production of Piaf, Her Songs, Her Loves (which won her 2 'Jessie' Awards); the Vancouver Playhouse production of Goodnight Disgrace; the Arts Club’s Don Messer’s Jubilee (for which she received a 'Jessie' nomination). As well as the Shakespeare Plus (now TheatreOne) productions of Cabaret, Taming of the Shrew and Irma la Douce; and the Belfry’s production of Lies & Legends, the Musical Stories of Harry Chapin. Joëlle has released 6 recordings of which one garnered her a 'Juno' nomination for Best Female Vocalist of the Year. You can visit Joëlle’s web site at www.joellerabu.com |
 Joelle Rabu |
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| VIVIEN FROW Vivien has been designing and costuming for 40 years. She has worked in the UK, East Africa, Australia, and Canada for film, stage and television. Designing in Canada started as resident designer at Theatre Calgary in the early 70's. Since then she has traveled coast to coast freelancing in theatre, TV, film. Sharing the 'tricks of the trade' is a treat for Vivien. Most recently, Vivien designed all the costumes for the Local University-College Production of The New Musical TITANIC. Many will remember Vivien's very popular Special Course Workshop on Costumes (through illustrating a number of plays, participants got to see how to cope in relation to budget, time and workforce) at the Mainstage '99 Festival in Nanaimo. |
 Vivien Frow |
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| DOUGLAS NEWELL Douglas has worked and received numerous awards in theatre, radio, TV and film for over 20 years across North America as a performer, director, writer, teacher, designer and stage manager. He has a BFA in Stagecraft, Production and Design from York University (Dean's list); an MFA in Directing and Acting for Stage, Audio, TV and Film from the University of Georgia which he attended on a full academic scholarship and graduated Summa cum Laude; intensive training in voice, movement and performance from the Banff Centre for the Performing Arts, a Professional Teaching Certificate from the University of British Columbia and a Literacy Certification from the Vancouver School Board. He is a published and produced author of works for stage, video and audio including a 3 part mystery series produced for CBC radio. One of his stage plays was selected for a national grade 6 reading textbook. Douglas has extensive performance experience in cartoons, commercials, audio, new media, television and film. He’s a member of Acting Faculty at the Vancouver Film School teaching Voice over Performance and Physical Action in the full time and part time programs. Douglas is currently a partner in Stuffed Moose Audio, an audio book publishing company that creates, produces and markets humorous audio books globally. He’s been a practicing martial artist since 1976. |
 Douglas Newell |
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| DENISE de MONTREUIL Denise had her first experience as a props builder in 1958 in the deMontreuil Front Lawn production of Cinderella for which she also wrote, designed, directed, and played the title role. After a stint at the Asparagus Theatre in Armstrong, B.C., she received a BFA in theatre from the University of Victoria. She spent eight seasons at The Belfry Theatre as Props Coordinator before taking up her present position as Head of Properties at the Theatre Department of the University of Victoria. She is the proprietor of Big Imagination, supplying props to corporate and government clients and providing workshops in luminara and mask building |
 Denise de Montreuil |
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| ROBIN KELLEY A graduate of Studio 58, Robin has worked professionally in theatre, film/TV, and voice-overs for 14 years. Favourite theatre roles include Renee, in Under the Skin, Iris, in Down the Road, Rose in Dancing at Lughnasa and Maria in Twelfth Night, and of course, Kate, in Sylvia for Theatre One last season. TV and film credits include The X-Files, Cold Squad, The Net, Dead Man's Gun and the MOW remake of Harvey as well as Double Jeopardy with Ashley Judd. Robin has taught acting since 1991, primarily at The William Davis Centre for Actors' Study in Vancouver. She has continued to hone her own skills as an actor and teacher by studying with master teachers from Europe, the US, and Canada. In the classroom, Robin is known for her ability to give direct, specific feedback, while maintaining a sense of comfort, encouragement and fun. She and her husband, Garry Davey, recently gave a workshop together in Parksville, and they look forward to working again with Theatre BC. After 10 years of weekending, they are happy to now be living full-time on Gabriola Island and working with the theatre community there and on the "big island". Robin is particularly pleased to be a part of Mainstage 2002. |
 Robin Kelley |
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| RICHARD TCHAMOURIAN Originally from Montreal, Richard learned at a very young age that we live on a fashion-oriented planet. Most of Richard’s training was in Montreal where he learned that hair, cosmetics and apparel all formed an overall "look". Richard has trained and shared the palette with make-up and hair artists of the stars. Receiving illustrious reviews for work with popular 80's rock bands Honeymoon Suite and The Thompson Twins, as well as many fashion shows where he displayed his talents with period, fantasy and science-fiction themes. Richard is a recipient of the Matrix Award of Excellence. His extremely trendy techniques with application of wigs and hairpieces, as well as dynamic stage and platform work, have garnered him many invitations to share his art with other professionals. He still enjoys working with fashion shows and his local theatre group. His message is to educate and to be educated, but most of all; Have Fun! |
 Richard Tchamourian |
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| IAN FORSYTH Ian was born and raised in Vancouver, graduating from UBC with a BFA in Theatre. Since University, Ian has done numerous TV shows, commercials and movies. While freelancing as an actor, director and writer, Ian got into arts administration working at the Arts Club Theatre. During Expo 86, he became general manager of The Vancouver Theatresports League. Ian directed for TheatreSports, and assistant-directed Maniac Bride at the Arts Club, while teaching acting and directing at Carousel Theatre School. In 1992, after working with the New Play Centre, Carousel Theatre and Pink Ink (PI), Ian accepted an opportunity to open and run the North Peace Cultural Centre in Fort St. John. This is where he continued to direct local theatre productions and to conduct workshops in Improvisational Theatre and Acting for Film and TV. Moving to Kelowna in August of 1998, he became the city’s Cultural Services Manager; administrating the Community Theatre, has afforded Ian even more opportunities to be involved with the arts community. Theatre BC: In 1999 Ian directed A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum for Theatre Kelowna, and worked as a Theatre Instructor for Zone Tours, as well as a dramaturge at Theatre BC's New Play Festival and a Youth Workshop Plays Instructor at MAINSTAGE 2001 in Kamloops. |
 Ian Forsyth |
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| LIBBY MASON Libby is a British director, writer, and teacher of some 30 years experience, who moved to Victoria in 1998 Winnipeg, where she directed a number of plays for Prairie Theatre Exchange, including the world premiere of Ian Ross’ Governor General’s Award winning play, ‘fareWel’. While in Winnipeg she co-founded Shakespeare in the Red, a company dedicated to working on Shakespeare’s texts with First Nation's performers and directed six productions for the University of Winnipeg Theatre Department. Her British credits include directing over 20 productions, writing two published plays, the Artistic Directorship of Theatre Centre in London, England, faculty membership of The Rose Bruford College and giving birth to her beautiful daughter Joanna, now 18. Since moving to Victoria, she has worked for Kaleidoscope Theatre, Theatre BC, The BC Festival of the Arts. The Canadian College of Film and Acting, The Victoria Motion Picture School, where she was Manager of the Acting Program for two years and the University of Victoria Theatre Department, for whom she teaches two Acting courses. She has recently returned from the Yukon, where she directed a production of The Glass Menagerie in Whitehorse, and has been collaborating on the casting of a feature film to be directed by Mori Ransen and shot on Saltspring Island. Theatre BC: In1999 Libby directed a Re-Working Session at the Theatre BC New Play Festival, adjudicated 3 times; Yukon and C.I.Z. in 2000 and N.I.Z. in 2002, and served as juror for the National Playwriting Competition. |
 Libby Mason |
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| SANDY HALLIDAY Sandy is very pleased to return to Mainstage to instruct the Stage Management Workshop. She began her career many years ago as assistant stage manager for the National Ballet of Canada & the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. After a season as stage manager for the Royal Winnipeg, she spent 6 years freelancing, stage managing for theatre companies all across the country. She was with the original Bastion Theatre, the Muskoka Festival, Theatre Passe Muraille and Stratford Festival before she got the opportunity to return to her dance roots with Judith Marcuse Dance Company and the Universal Ballet of Seoul, Korea. A move to Victoria prompted a seven-year run as one of Pacific Opera Victoria’s stage managers. Most recently, Sandy, her husband Bruce and their two children are achieving an idyllic life on Gabriola Island. There she strives to attain the delicate balance of rural wife & mother and free-lance stage manager. |
 Sandy Halliday |
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| ALLAN STITCHBURY Allan has designed sets and lighting for theatres all across Canada. Recent designs include sets and lighting for "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" at the Shaw Festival, "A Christmas Carol" at Theatre New Brunswick and "Three Tall Women" at the Manitoba Theatre Centre and sets and costumes for "The Beauty Queen of Leenane" at Alberta Theatre Projects. He is a Professor at the University of Victoria, Theatre Department and is the Past President of Associated Designers of Canada and has exhibited his work, as part of Canada's national exhibit, at the Prague Quadrennials in 1995 and 1999. |
 Allan Stitchbury |
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| DAVID LEWIS David has a BFA degree in Acting from the Cornish College of the Arts, with an emphasis on Classical Text. He "loves Shakespeare" and is anxious to get more young people exposed to The Bard. He has extra training in voice, dialects and stage combat to enhance his performances, which include 2 seasons at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the Seattle Shakespeare Festival and the Seattle Repertory Theatre. Theatre BC: David gave a Character Development Workshop for Rivercity Players, Campbell River in March 2002. |
 David Lewis |
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| SCOTT FIDYK Scott graduated from the University of Saskatchewans Theatre Department in 1990. He has worked as an actor, teacher and arts administrator for the last 10 years on Vancouver Island and on the mainland. Scott is the creator and co-owner of Spilt Milk Comedy Theatre, which has been entertaining and teaching for over 10 years. Scott enjoys teaching improvisation, character acting, mask making and storytelling, as well as offering a wide range of team-building seminars to corporations. He is also happy to be acting with Spilt Milk and other companies on a regular basis. Scott has also trained in commedia del'arte with Lina De Guevera, participated in a mime workshop with Marcel Marceau and is participating in a comedy workshop with Christine Lippa and was chosen to participate in an intensive week long class with Mark Breslin of Yuk Yuk's. |
 Scott Fidyck |
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| KEITH DIGBY Mr. Digby has over twenty years' experience as director and adjudicator with professional theatres in Alberta and BC. He was the Founder of The Phoenix Theatre in Edmonton, former Artistic director of Theatre 3, also in Edmonton, and the Bastion Theatre of BC in Victoria. He has directed several award winning productions and numerous Canadian premieres across Canada. For six years he has been a regular at Theatre BC's Backstage. Currently, Mr. Digby is Head of Performing Arts at Brentwood College, a private co-ed boarding school on Vancouver Island. Keith can now add professional screenwriter to his resume with multiple scripts being produced on film. Theatre BC: Keith has been a popular Adjudicator and Workshop Instructor over the years for Theatre BC. He has also served as a Juror for the Canadian National Playwriting Competition three times. Keith is the adjudicator for the Central Interior Zone Festival this spring. |
 Keith Digby |
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| KAIT BURGAN Kait was a producer at Shaw TV in Victoria from 1994 to 1998 and then moved to Nanaimo and took over Publicity and Development for TheatreOne. "I figured having been on the receiving end of requests for media coverage in my position at Shaw, it should be pretty easy to establish good working relationships with the media in Nanaimo." She did it so well in fact, that today she’s an on-air Correspondent for Go! Magazine on CH Television, Channel 6, and a columnist and feature writer for the Nanaimo Daily News and Harbour City Star. |
 Kait Burgan |
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| SHADOW FOSTER Shadow is a graduate of both Studio 58 and UBC, where he won the Yvonne Firkins award as best director. He toured with Kaleidoscope children's theatre (Victoria) and Caravan Theatre (Armstrong). He wrote & directed a docudrama based on the history of Japanese-Canadians for Touchstone Theatre (Vancouver). Performance credits include 8 roles in The Caucasian Chalk Circle by Brecht. He recently directed Red Hot Mamas , proving to be the most successful show in the history of Qualicum’s Village Theatre. In March, Shadow appeared in the Titanic the Musical at Malaspina University College. He will be directing Dracula the Musical? for ECHO Players next season, as well as the the female version of The Odd Couple for Dori McGarrigle's Dinner Theatre. |
 Shadow Foster |
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| ROBIN BOXWELL As well as being Technical Director for Theatre BC's Mainstage for the past 2 years, Robin has been Production Manager/Technical Director for TheatreOne in Nanaimo for the past 5 years He has done freelance work as designer and technical director to many theatre and production companies. Robin has done professional sound design, operations and live mix for many professional shows including Forever Plaid, Sylvia, Titanic the Musical, Intimate exchanges, Hot Flashes the musical. |
 Robin Boxwell |
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