Playbill : We Are Not Amused

WE ARE NOT AMUSED

WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY GORDON SHERIDAN

Producer ... Stage Manager ... Jared Teneese Vine Madder

...

CAST

Jackie Kennedy ... John F. Kennedy ... Rod Serling ... Queen Elizabeth ... Winston Churchill ... Miss Norman ... The Wild Card ... The Porter ... Conductor ...

Jelena Jensen Jarrod Bondy Gordon Sheridan Amanda Casey Micheal Prestwich Shaye Wood Kealey Spoljarevic Hudson Gross Travis Illerbrun

The Trans Canada Railway is on it’s last journey across the country with a compliment of very important people for a very special reunion. Someone on the train is mysteriously murdered. Who had the motive? The opportunity? The cold, cold heart? Was it you?

...

CREW

Sound Design ... Prop & Costume Design ... & Creation Make Up ... Hair ... Marketing ...

Alicia Porter Rhonda Sheridan Jean Neve Kathy Newton Shannon Platt Marsha Blom Andrea Ostash Vine Madder Gordon Sheridan

The Cranbrook History Centre is located on the traditional territory of the Ktunaxa, Kinbasket & Shuswap people. CHC is honoured to create and share stories here.

AND NOW

A WORD FROM OUR DIRECTOR

The credit for this goes really to my team. The cast and crew of We Are Not Amused is comprised of seasoned veterans of theatre, along with some new faces who had never set foot on a stage before. And this is exactly what I want for this new theatre initiative here in Cranbrook—an open opportunity for any and all who have performance in their heart and want to find their spotlight. All future shows and endeavors here will be an inclusive environ ment where all are welcome. Please consider auditioning or helping out in the crew in the future.

Another group of people this could not have been done without is our generous sponsors, who are all recognized in this playbill. I reached out to lo cal businesses, which I feel is important in our mountain city, and they responded with a kindness and enthusiasm that moved me. They were just as excited about our initiative and it’s future as we are. Each and every one of them has been a pleasure to work with, and I can honestly say that they all care about this community immensely.

How could I be here? Me? Write and direct an immersive Murder Mystery in The Cranbrook History Centre? What a surreal dream! How many people honestly get paid to do this?? With this project I have had the chance to uti lize my skills in the arts to create not just a story, but an experience. I get to invite people to visit The History Centre for a new event, exposing visitors who may never have seen our museum or taken a historic rail car tour to immerse themselves in the history of the East Kootenay in a new and en tertaining light set against the backdrop of The luxurious Royal Alexander Hall. Wow!

I am so grateful for the community response. We sold out the first show in a few days, added a second show that sold out even faster and that has rolled into a series of shows for next year. I cannot deny that I was euphoric on seeing the tickets fly. It seems I have hit upon a perfect storm of zeitgeist. People want to get out and socialize after a draining pandemic, they want to see more entertainment offered in this town, and they want to see it in this beautiful venue. I feel like the alchemist who turned lead into gold!

Of course, I couldn’t have anticipated what an experience it would be for myself, and the cast and crew along the way. Auditions were September 6th, 2022, and casting was decided that night. A rigorous rehearsal sched ule followed, not to mention costume fittings, props acquisition, promotion al photos…the list goes on, and anyone involved in theatre knows it. It has been a blast every step of the way. What is really impressive is the fact that the show is ready for you now 6 WEEKS later, just a quarter of the time that it often takes a show takes to prepare.

I look forward to continuing to share with you humerous, punchy and some times dramatic immersive adventures on these trains through up coming productions at The Cranbrook History Centre.

MEET OUR CAST

JELENA JENSEN AS JACKIE KENNEDY

Jelena is very at home on stage and excited to be a part of this show. It has been so much fun and she has enjoyed getting to experience a new style of theatre. The dinner theatre format is so different from anything else she has worked on before.

Jelena is no stranger to theatre in Cranbrook. You may have seen her on stage recently in 9 to 5 the Musical, and you can see her later this season on stage at the Key City Theatre in their production of Cabaret, and in The Importance of Being Earnest at The Stage Door.

JARROD BONDY AS JOHN F. KENNEDY

After two long years of being locked in a basement stocked full of gallon bags of expired Halloween candy and a half-dozen boxes full of vintage Mad Magazines, Jerrod Bondy has emerged to lend his talents to the madcap murder mystery We Are Not Amused! He hopes you will enjoy the show as much as he is enjoying his newfound freedom and he would like to remind you to refrain from making any sudden noises or movements, especially those involving modern dance.

Cheers!

MICHAEL PRESTWICH AS WINSTON CHURCHILL

Michael Prestwich is a kindly but somewhat gullible old man who got roped into memorizing 111 lines, attending 40 or more hours of rehearsal, and (worst of all) shaving off his oh so handsome beard all for your amusement. Michael often wears a hat. Previously, Michael has performed on stage with Cranbrook Community Theatre (Making God Laugh, Lucy, The Bridge) and with Key City Theatre (The Producers, Chicago). In his spare time, Michael has a law practice that he operates out of Kimberley, BC.

SHAYE WOOD AS MISS NORMAN

Shaye Wood is down to earth and enjoys bringing laughter to those around her. Playing a part in this production has given her the opportunity to explore a new way of creative expression. As a mom, Shaye strives to inspire her daughter to be true to who she is, to have fun in and take chances in life. We Are Not Amused is Shaye’s first time on the theatrical stage. So far she has enjoyed the experience, the cast members and she is excited to keep learning and performing in the future.

AMANDA CASEY AS QUEEN ELIZABETH

First there were corsets. Then it was a cruise ship. Next was a first job and cheating husband. Now I am honoured to be portraying a wonderfully absurd version of Queen Elizabeth. I am honoured to have the opportunity to play in this beautiful hall with these wonderfully talented humans. I hope you love it!

KEALEY SPOLJAREVIC AS THE WILD CARD

Kealey-Shay is excited to play The Wild Card for We Are Not Amused at the Cranbrook History Center. She has previously played multiple characters in a staging of the Čapek Brothers, while also contributing costume and props support. She spends her free time supporting individuals with diverse abilities. She is driven by her passion for the fine arts and returning to the theater community.

HUDSON GROSS AS THE PORTER

Hudson likes long walks on the beach, going on picnics with his girlfriend, and his favourite body part is his chiseled abs. But seriously he wants to enjoy the ocean in Hawaii, teaching annoying teenagers the art of theatre. He is 16 going on 17, he has someone older and wiser folks taking care of him. Currently attending Mount Baker Secondary school, absolutely loving all the homework he has due at any moment. The KEY to Hudson’s acting is watching way to many Jim Carrey movies and wishing he was as good. Watch out for Another who-dunit in which Hudson is acting in, sometime closer to Christmas.

GORDON SHERIDAN AS ROD SERLING

Okay, okay, lets finally address the immaculately dressed, chain-smoking, ver bally dexterous elephant in the room. Yes, I did not just write the script, direct and co-produce the play; I also play the character Rod Serling. This was largely motivated by the fact that we simply didn’t have enough people audition, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I wanted to play him. The man is my hero, and I can only hope I do him justice.

Thank you for coming to the show, and please remember not to ruin the ending for your friends. I can honestly say you won’t see it coming.

steak.pizza.pasta

MANAGING CREW

PRODUCER & HOST ... JARED TENEESE

Did you say you need some assistance setting up a theatre production? This guy’s got you!

Jared has been managing operations at the Cranbrook History Centre for a few years now. He loves the space and the people who travel through it. He envisions building more programs like this for a future where the centre is bustling with people sun up to sundown. He welcomes the adventurous spirit of this production where guests can emerse themselves in this beautiful collection.

STAGE MANAGER & HOST ... VINE MADDER

Vine has been acting, directing and working back stage for theatre and film sporadically for over 20 years. She has carried cigars for sale to patrons, swung from a trapeze, ridden a mechanical bull, descended from the rafters with flaming wings and bossed a few people around among a few other roles. She’ll never tell which was her favourite.

THE CRANBROOK HISTORY CENTRE IS AVAILABLE FOR YOUR EVENTS

Weddings Celebrations

. Recitals . Music . Film Festivals . Meetings Training Educational Programming . Conferences . Workshops . Holiday Parties

...

CRANBROOK HISTORY CENTRE

57 Van Horne St S, Cranbrook, BC V1C 4H9 (250) 489-3918 info@cranbrookhistorycentre.com

Museum Hours: Monday Closed Tuesday 10am to 4pm Wednesday 10am to 4pm Thursday 10am to 4pm Friday 10am to 4pm Saturday 10am to 4pm Sunday Closed

Closedallstatutoryholidays.

...

...

ARCHIVES

...

The Archives are accessible to researchers by appointment with the curator. To make an appointment, please email info@cranbrookhistorycentre.com

www.cranbrookhistorycentre.com

The Cranbrook History Centre is home to one of the largest antique train collections in North America. Cranbrook resident Gary Anderson began collecting the trains in 1977. Over the next 30 years, Mr. Anderson and his team scoured the continent and carefully restored these artifacts to their former beauty.

The collection includes seven of the cars from the 1929 “Trans-Canada Limited” (a classic “Jazz Era Art Deco” design), two cars from the 1907 “Soo-Spokane Train” (a deluxe example of “Edwardian Art Nouveau Elegance”), and the 1927 executive night car “Strathcona” which has housed many VIP guests during its time in service, including Queen Elizabeth II, John & Jackie Kennedy and Sir Winston Churchill.

The Cranbrook History Centre collection also contains historical buildings. The Elko Station, a Crowsnest B Type Train Station that was assembled from a kit shipped to Elko in 1901, joined the Cranbrook History Centre’s collection in 1987. It served as the headquarters for the Canadian Museum of Rail Travel (now the Canadian History Centre) until 2002.

The Royal Alexandra Hotel, built in Winnipeg in 1906, is a rare example of Edwardian architecture amongst the series of luxurious Canadian Pacific hotels that were built between 1888 - 1930. It was considered the social centerpiece of Winnipeg for nearly sixty years before its closure in 1967. Four years later it was demolished with only the Grand Cafe of the hotel, carefully disassembled into hundreds of pieces and stored in a semi-trailer, surviving.

For the next 25 years these pieces remained in storage until they were acquired by the Cranbrook History Centre in 1999. After being moved to the current site in Cranbrook, restoration and construction of a new exterior shell began. By 2004, with the support of millennium grants and public contributions, the rebuilding of the Royal Alexandra Hall was complete, and the facility was opened to the public for both public viewing and special events. Widely considered the most elegant public venue in southeastern British Columbia, the Royal Alexandra Hall seats over 200 people and features an adjacent catering kitchen.

With the support of the City of Cranbrook, the BC Arts Council, the Columbia Basin Trust, and many other organizations and individuals who recognized the importance of this preservation work, The Cranbrook History Centre has created a unique legacy to capture this essential part of Canadian history.