Kiss Me, Kate ........................................................................... Petruchio, Katharine, and Company
Intermission
Act Two
Entr’ Acte................................................................................................................... The Orchestra
Too Darn Hot ................................................................................... Paul, Bill, Hattie and Ensemble
Where is the Life That Late I Led ...................................................................................... Petruchio Always True to You in My Fashio ............................................................................................... Lois
From This Moment On ............................................................................. Harrison Howell and Lilli Bianca .................................................................................................................. Bill and Ensemble
So in love (reprise) .................................................................................................................... Fred
Brush Up Your Shakespeare.................................................................. First Man and Second Man
Pavane ............................................................................................ Bianca, Lucentio and Ensemble
I Am Ashamed That People Are So Simple ....................................................................... Katharine
Kiss Me, Kate (reprise) .............................................................. Petruchio, Katharine and Company
campus Drayton Entertainment Youth Academy TERM | Tuesday, September 10th -Sunday, December 1st, 2024
The Company
(in alphabetical order)
Matthew Armet (Hortensio)
Drayton Entertainment: Holiday Inn, Thoroughly Modern Millie, How To Succeed…, Hairspray. Other Theatre: Six Seasons (Stratford Festival); White Christmas (Shaw); Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Grand); A Year with Frog and Toad (MTYP); The Hockey Sweater, Cinderella (Rainbow Stage); Cabaret, White Christmas (Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre); Hairspray (Charlottetown); High School Musical (Neptune); Peter Pan (Ross Petty). Film/TV: SkyMed, The Porter (CBC); Odd Squad (Netflix).
Graduate of The Canadian College of Performing Arts. Choreography: Rent (Rainbow Stage); Fame (Winnipeg Studio Theatre); Guys and Dolls: In Concert (Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra). Matt is so excited to share the stage once again with his husband, Tyrell. Love to 10 Talent!
Instagram: @mat2eh
Neil Barclay (Gangster #2)
Drayton Entertainment: Fiddler on the Roof, Twelve Angry Men. Other Theatre: The Gig (Theatre Aquarius); Shaw Festival Ensemble since 1990, more than 70 productions including The Apple Cart, The Shadow of a Doubt, The Importance of Being Earnest, Too True To Be Good, Trouble in Mind, Charley’s Aunt, The Orchard (After Chekhov), Stage Kiss, Androcles and the Lion, Me and My Girl, Uncle Vanya, My Fair Lady, Maria Severa, After the Dance, Detective Story, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Peter Pan, Village Wooing, You Can’t Take It With You, Lulu, Ubu Rex, Misalliance and productions with Persephone, Capitol, Grand, Studio 180, TNW, Geva, ATP, Tarragon, Canadian Stage, NAC, TPM and TFT among others.
Jean Blandon (Ensemble)
Drayton Entertainment: The Prom, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Other Theatre (selected): Sweeney Todd in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Theatre Sheridan), Buddy/Caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland (Bad Hats), Midwinter Mosey (MTYP Mainstage), The Snowman (Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra), Mamma Mia!, Pirates of Penzance, Footloose (MTYP/MTCO), The Witches (WPG Fringe Fest.). He’d like to thank his fantastic agent Shari Quallenberg, his partner, family, and friends for their continuous guidance and support in the arts, and Drayton Entertainment for the amazing opportunities!
Instagram: @jeanblandon
Jacqueline Burtney (Ensemble)*
Drayton Entertainment: Debut. Other Theatre: Mrs. Darling in Wendy & Peter Pan, Spamalot, Louise in Carousel, The Adventures of Pericles, Camelot, Jesus Christ Superstar, Funny Thing...Forum (Stratford); Jesus Christ Superstar (Broadway); Matilda, Anything Goes (First National Tours); Belle in Beauty and the Beast (Globe Theatre); Referee in Never Swim Alone (GDTP); Cinderella, The Little Mermaid (Ross Petty Productions); Jesus Christ Superstar (La Jolla Playhouse); Funny Thing...Forum (Mirvish). Training: Sheridan College. This is my first show since becoming a mom to my little firecracker, Alison Paige. This one is for her & for my husband, Eric Craig. I think you’re pretty cool & I love you. @jacksonbendesigns
*Dance Captain
Mariah Campos (Ensemble)
Drayton Entertainment: Rock of Ages, Evita, Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story, Jack and The Beanstalk: The Panto! Other Theatre: Peter’s Final Flight, Lil Red Robin Hood, A Christmas Carol (Ross Petty Productions); Freaky Friday (Theatre Aquarius); The Music Man (The Stratford Festival); Rock of Ages (Stage West Calgary). Film/TV: Cruel Intentions (Amazon); Take Note (Family Channel); Ginny & Georgia (Netflix); Inn For Christmas (Lifetime); Background Singer for Alessia Cara (MTV). All the love to my husband Stefan and my son Kato!
Mark Cassius (Harry Trevor/Baptista)
Drayton Entertainment: Damn Yankees, The Little Mermaid, Sweet Charity, Dance Legends. Other Theatre: Original Cast of Ragtime, Jesus Christ Superstar, Shenandoah (Broadway); Toronto Premiere of The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!) for which Mark received a Broadway World “Best Actor” nomination, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat with Donny Osmond, Miss Saigon, Showboat, Cats (Toronto); performed at the Shaw Festival and Stratford Festival. Mark is thrilled to be back for Kiss Me, Kate. Insta: @themarkcassius
Eric Craig (Fred Graham/Petruchio)
Drayton Entertainment: The Prom, Evita. Other Theatre (selected): Paradise Square (Original Broadway Cast); Matilda (1st National Tour/ Toronto Company); Sunday in the Park with George (Eclipse Theatre); Intimate Apparel (Winnipeg Jewish Theatre); The Secret Garden (Theatre Calgary); Fun Home, Pride and Prejudice, Les Misérables (Arts Club); Hamlet (St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival); Fiddler on the Roof, Beauty and the Beast (Stage West); The Hobbit (Grand Theatre); The Last Five Years (Angelwalk); Edges, Retold (Musical Stage). TV/Film: The Handmaid’s Tale, Workin’ Moms, Good Witch, Reign, 12 Monkeys, Murdoch Mysteries; voice work on Cyberchase, Peg+Cat and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided. Most importantly he’s a very proud husband and dad.
Rachel Fairbanks (Lois Lane/Bianca)
Drayton Entertainment: Debut. Other Theatre: Camelot (Broadway: Lincoln Center Theater); Hoagy Carmichael’s Stardust Road (OffBroadway: York Theatre Company, and World Premiere: Temple Theatre); Ella/Gabrielle Understudy in Cinderella (First National Tour); Young Elise/ Patton in The First Wives Club (Chicago Premiere); Mitzie in Brush Strokes (World Premiere); as well as many shows regionally with North Shore Music Theatre and Pittsburgh CLO. TV/Film: The Today Show. Rachel has a B.F.A. in Musical Theater from Penn State University. Thank you to everyone at Drayton! Love to my husband, NYC/Boston/Kitchener family and of course our fearless leader, Michael! @rachelgeorgea
Drayton Entertainment: Frau Schmidt in Sound of Music, Miss Flannery in Thoroughly Modern Millie, Ethel Tofflemeier in Music Man, Jellylorum/ Jennyanydots in CATS & Wee Wifey in Brigadoon. Other credits: Irina in Myrtle Mystery (Stirling Festival Theatre), Signora Naccarelli in Light in the Piazza (Acting UpStage) & 7 non-consecutive seasons at Stratford Festival. Film/TV: Special Ed #2 in Superstar! and Greta/Gossamer in Stan Lee’s 7th Portal webisodes. Another opening, another show – Give’er.
Eddie Glen (Gangster #1)
Drayton Entertainment (selected): It Runs in the Family, The 39 Steps, Spamalot, Les Misérables, Man of La Mancha, Little Me. Other Theatre (selected): Spamalot, Music Man, Moby Dick (Stratford Festival); The Rocky Horror Show (CanStage, Dora Nomination). West End Theatre (selected): Miss Saigon (Theatre Royal Drury Lane); Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (London Palladium). Eddie has also starred in over 20 Ross Petty Productions at The Elgin Theatre. Film/TV (selected): Odd Squad, Murdoch Mysteries, The Firm. Eddie lends his voice to numerous animated series and has been “The Voice” of YTV for the last 27 years. Thank you to friends and family and T.H. for all the support. One day at a time!
Alexandra Grant (Ensemble)
Drayton Entertainment: Evita. Other Theatre: Lead Vocalist with Oceania Cruises, Disney Cruise Line and Tokyo Disneyland; Killing Time Workshop (Mixtape Projects, Dora Award Nomination for Outstanding New Musical); Moll: A New Canadian Musical (Randolph College); Teen Fiona in Shrek the Musical, Wednesday in The Addams Family (The Grand Theatre). Alexandra is a graduate and a Triple Threat Award winner of Randolph College for the Performing Arts. She also lends her voice to the world of voiceover. Big love and thank yous to all her friends and fam. Always for you Daddio. @alyxgrant
Christina Gordon (Hattie)
Mark Harapiak (Ralph)*
Drayton Entertainment: Rock of Ages, The Prom, The Sound of Music, Rock of Ages, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Foursome, Camelot, High School Musical, Footloose, Damn Yankees, Mamma Mia!. Stratford Festival: Billy Elliot, The Music Man, Camelot, Coriolanus, Equus, Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Winters Tale, Man of La Mancha, The Boyfriend, Alice Through the Looking Glass. Shaw Festival: She Loves Me, Pal Joey, Pygmalion, Floyd Collins. Other Theatre: Mary Poppins (North American tour), Billy Bishop Goes to War (Rose Theatre); The Gingko Tree, Cruel Tears, McGillicuddy (Blyth Festival); Cabaret, Legally Blonde, Sound of Music (Theatre Aquarius); Man of La Mancha (Mirvish Productions); Evita, Camelot (RMTC, Theatre Calgary, Citadel Theatre); The Last Resort (Charlottetown Festival).
*Fight Captain
Kaylee Harwood (Lilli Vanessi/Katherine)
Drayton Entertainment: Debut. Other Theatre: The Invisible (Catalyst, Grand); Controlled Damage (Grand); Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (First National Tour, Arts Club); Radio City Christmas Spectacular (Radio City); Serving Elizabeth (Aquarius); Cabaret, Trifles, The Light in the Piazza (Shaw); Camelot (Stratford); Jesus Christ Superstar (Broadway/Stratford/ La Jolla Playhouse); also Arts Club, Citadel, Musical Stage Company, NSO. Film/TV: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Workin’ Moms, Reign, Good Witch, Christmas Movie Magic, Mayday, Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, America’s Got Talent, The View, The Tony Awards. Director: UnCovered, Retold – Dora nomination (Musical Stage Company); In Studio (Theatre Sheridan). Thanks TH & DPR. www.kayleeharwood.com
Kae Kae Lee (Ensemble)
Drayton Entertainment: Rock of Ages, Peter Pan The Panto. Other Theatre: Rock of Ages Dance Captain (Elgin Theatre/More Ent); Live Show (selected): Art on Ice (Switzerland Tour, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2024); Big Ticket Summer Tour (Family Channel); The Fine Line (Royal Caribbean); Brace Yourself (Debra Brown). Dancer for Emeli Sande, Aloe Blacc, James Blunt, Eurythmics, Natalie Imbruglia, and more. Film/TV (selected): Zombies 3, SPIN (Disney); What We Do in the Shadows (Fox); A Christmas Dance Reunion (Lifetime); Frankie Drake Mysteries (CBC); The Next Step (Family Channel). Thank you to my wonderful friends and family for all the love and support. @kaekaelee
Cory Lingner (Bill Calhoun)
Drayton Entertainment: Debut. Other Theatre: Disney On Classic (Japan); Charlie in Stardust Road; The Jester in Once Upon A Mattress; I Married An Angel (New York City Encores). Broadway: Carousel (Enoch Snow Jr); Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Original Broadway Cast); An American In Paris (Adam understudy); On The Town (Chip/Ozzie understudy). Huge thank you to Michael Lichtefeld, my friends and family for their continuous love and support! Social media: @corylingner www.corylingner.com
Chad McFadden (Gremio)
Drayton Entertainment: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (North American tour), The Little Mermaid, White Christmas, Valentine in Mary Poppins, Big Band Legends, Annie, Bob Enright in 9 to 5: The Musical, Dance Legends, Harry Beaton in Brigadoon, Guys and Dolls, Peter Pan, Robin Hood, Me and My Girl, Evita. Other Theatre (selected): 11 seasons with Stratford Festival, most recently Fred Casely in Chicago; Siegfried (Canadian Opera Company); Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Sweet Charity (Stage West); Beauty and the Beast, Legends (Grand); Guys and Dolls (Citadel, Theatre Calgary, Manitoba Theatre Centre); Anne of Green Gables (Charlottetown); Broadway Encore! (Tokyo Disneyland). Instagram: @Chad910
Kent Sheridan (Harrison Howell)
Drayton Entertainment: High School Musical 2. Other Theatre: Conrad in Blood Ties (Edinburgh Fringe); Sam Carmichael in Mamma Mia! (Mirvish/ Capitol Theatre/Tweed); Singin’ in the Rain (Capitol Theatre); Billy Flynn in Chicago (Various); Zach in A Chorus Line (Various); Danny Zuko in Grease! (U.S. Tour and Various); Greaseball in Starlight Express (Germany). Directorial credits include Oklahoma, Will Rogers Follies, and Chicago (Croswell Opera House, Michigan), Chicago, Grease!, and South Pacific (GCP St. Catherine’s). Film/TV: Suicide Squad, Georgetown, Orphan Black, Murdoch Mysteries, Nikita, 2 seasons on Chesapeake Shores, Tiny Home Christmas, Writing a Love Song, Nightalk, Colors of Love, and numerous Christmas movies and voiceovers. Host at Calgary Stampede Grandstand Show. Kent performs with “Yazoo Delta”, an acoustic blues/vocal group. Instagram: @kentsheridan
Éamon Stocks (Ensemble)
Drayton Entertainment: Fiddler on the Roof, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Prom, Disney’s Newsies. Other Theatre: Billy Elliot The Musical (Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre); The Nutcracker (National Ballet of Canada). Film/TV: Gen V (Amazon); The Umbrella Academy (Netflix); The Next Step (Family). Éamon is a proud graduate of Sheridan College’s Honours Bachelor of Music Theatre Program. Special thanks to Léah and my parents, as well as the good folx at The Talent House, for their support!
Stéphanie Visconti (Ensemble)
Drayton Entertainment: Rock of Ages. Other Theatre: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Tweed & Co.); Anne of Green Gables (Charlottetown Festival); Don Giovanni (Canadian Opera Company); Bend It Like Beckham (Starvox Entertainment); Soirée des Filles (Théâtre français de Toronto); Mamma Mia! (Arts Center of Coastal Carolina); Mame (Riverside Theatre); Sérieux? Bravo!: Les Chiclettes (DMC Productions). Film/TV: Fear Street: Prom Queen (Netflix); Cell Block Tango Reimagined (EveryBODY on Stage); Why We Dance: The Nature of Things (CBC). Stéphanie is a proud Franco-Ontarian who studied musical theatre at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in NYC. Thanks to my family, da Costa, and Alex Batycki. @stephanievisconti stephanievisconti.com
Tyrell Witherspoon (Ensemble)
Drayton Entertainment: Mamma Mia!, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, All Shook Up. Other Theatre: Medea (Canadian Opera Company); Rent, Wizard of Oz, The Hockey Sweater, Cinderella, Footloose (Rainbow Stage); Billy Elliot (Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre); Mary Poppins, Beauty and the Beast (Theatre Aquarius); Anne of Green Gables, Evangeline, Canada Rocks (Charlottetown Festival); Anne of Green Gables (Theatre Calgary); West Side Story (Vancouver Opera); Beauty and the Beast (Citadel Theatre). Film/TV: Never Been Chris’d (Hallmark); Nobody (Universal); Bring It On: Cheer or Die (Syfy); Hellcats (CW). Thank you to my husband, Matt, for your continued love and support and to 10 Talent Management for keeping the dream alive. Instagram: @tlwither
the creative team
Michael Lichtefeld (Director & Choreographer)
Drayton Entertainment: directed/choreographed 11 musicals, including, Evita, ELF: The Musical, White Christmas, and Thoroughly Modern Millie. Michael choreographed six Broadway Musicals including The Secret Garden, Sweeney Todd, Little Women and The Sound Of Music (revival), nine Off-Broadway Musicals, and nine seasons at the Stratford Festival. His shows have played all over the world from Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Europe as well as the US and Canada. He has been nominated for The Drama Desk Award, three Outer Critic’s Circle Awards, and won the Independent Reviewers of New England Award.
Jeannie Wyse (Music Director)
Drayton Entertainment: Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Holiday Inn, Drowsy Chaperone, Anything Goes, Chicago, The Wizard of Oz, Mary Poppins. Other Theatre: The Sound of Music, The Book of Mormon, Mamma Mia! (Mirvish), Jersey Boys (DanCap), Seussical (YPT/Citadel Theatre), Urinetown, She Loves Me, Into the Woods (Randolph College), Freaky Friday (MainStage), HAIR (The Grand). Film/TV: Over The Rainbow (CBC), Copper (BBC America). Jeannie is in demand as a vocal coach and audition pianist. Much love to Michael, Elle and Leonardo.
Douglas Paraschuk (Set Designer)*
Drayton Entertainment (selected): Jersey Boys, Fiddler on the Roof, American Son, The Music Man, South Pacific, Dial M for Murder. Over 30 productions for the Stratford Festival. Director of Design and Associate Director for the UAE Golden Jubilee Celebration (2021) Expo, Dubai. Designer for Stephen Fry’s Mythos (Shaw Festival, Edinburgh Festival, English National Tour). Director of Design for the Calgary Stampede Grandstand show (2014-23). Director of Design for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics opening, medals, and closing ceremonies. Director of Design for the opening and closing ceremonies for the Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. For over 35 years, Doug has designed for television, theatre, film, opera, ballet, and touring productions and has created hundreds of productions in Canada, the United States, Asia, and Europe.
*Indicated designers on this production are represented by the Associated Designers of Canada, IATSE Local ADC659.
Rachel Berchtold (Costume Designer)
Drayton Entertainment (selected): Peter Pan: The Panto, Sh-Boom! Life Could Be a Dream (2023), Mamma Mia!, Annie, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty: The Panto, Disney’s Newsies, Holiday Inn, The Drowsy Chaperone, HONK!, Million Dollar Quartet, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Sister Act, Cinderella, Anything Goes, Anne of Green Gables, The Music Man, Snow White: The Panto, The Wizard of Oz, Les Misérables, Mary Poppins. Other Theatre: Million Dollar Quartet (Stage West Calgary/Mirvish Productions); The King and I, Crazy For You (Theatre Under the Stars); My Favorite Year, Cyrano de Bergerac (Randolph).
Michael Walton (Lighting Designer)*
Drayton Entertainment: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Grease, Oliver!, Blue Champagne. Stratford Festival (selected): 20 Seasons including: Rent, Chicago, Richard III, Billy Elliot, Little Shop of Horrors, The Rocky Horror Show, The Music Man, The Tempest, Guys and Dolls, A Chorus Line, Macbeth, The Sound of Music, Hamlet, Oedipus Rex, King Lear, Othello, Fiddler on the Roof. Other Theatre: Jesus Christ Superstar, Million Dollar Quartet, Mamma Mia!, Anne of Green Gables (Charlottetown Festival), Piaf/Dietrich (Mirvish), A Doll’s House Part 2 (Mirvish/RMTC), The Little Prince – The Musical, A Christmas Carol (Theatre Calgary), Cosi Fan Tutte (Canadian Opera Company/Israeli Opera), Bluebeard’s Castle (COC), Chimerica (RMTC/Canadian Stage), Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Sideways (La Jolla Playhouse), Jenufa, Albert Herring (Pacific Opera). Michael is the Head of Design for the Stratford Festival.
Allan McMillan (Sound Designer)
Drayton Entertainment: Evita, Man of La Mancha, Fiddler on the Roof, Twist and Shout, Kinky Boots, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, The Drowsy Chaperone, and Rock of Ages. For over 35 years Allan has been “rattling” about in theatres in Ontario in various technical positions, from Technical Direction, Production Management, Lighting Design, Carpentry, and of course, Audio. Allan came to Drayton Entertainment in 2013 from Stage West Mississauga. Allan looks forward to having another go at some of the above and to the new challenges each season brings.
*Indicated designers on this production are represented by the Associated Designers of Canada, IATSE Local ADC659.
Ashley Rees (Stage Manager)
Drayton Entertainment: Fiddler on the Loose. Other Theatre: The Ballad of Georges Boivin, Countries Shaped Like Stars (Lunchbox Theatre); The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Murder on the Orient Express, The Extractionist (Vertigo Theatre); The House of Bernarda Alba (Sage Theatre); Noises Off, A Christmas Carol (Theatre Calgary); Mamma Mia!, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (Stage West). Special thanks to my family and their unending love and support.
Sadie Wannamaker (Assistant Stage Manager)
Drayton Entertainment: The Prom, A Few Good Men, Sleeping Beauty: The Panto, Rocky: The Musical, The Drowsy Chaperone, Footloose, The Men’s Foursome, Little Shop of Horrors, Les Misérables, White Christmas, Mary Poppins, Sleuth, Tap Dogs, Shear Madness, The Pirates of Penzance, A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline. Other Theatre: Mix Tapes From My Mom (RMTC Tour), Tales of An Urban Indian (TIFT), The Secret to Good Tea (RMTC), Assassinating Thomson (Blyth Festival), British Invasion (Stage West), Sword and the Stone (Theatre Orangeville), The Neverending Story (Roseneath). Sadie is glad to be in her 25th season with Drayton Entertainment. She would like to pass on love to her family for all their support.
Lyrie Murad (Apprentice Stage Manager)
Drayton Entertainment (Stage Management): Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, (Performer): Fiddler on the Roof. Other Theatre: Alice in Wonderland (Bad Hats/Theatre Sheridan); Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella (TUTS Vancouver); A Christmas Carol, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Diocesan Arts Movement). Lyrie is so thrilled to be a part of this production and working alongside this incredibly talented cast and crew. A big thank you to her family and friends for their constant love and support. Enjoy the show! @lyriemurad
THE BAND
Jeannie Wyse (Music Director/Piano)
Drayton Entertainment: Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Holiday Inn, Drowsy Chaperone, Anything Goes, Chicago, The Wizard of Oz, Mary Poppins. Other Theatre: The Sound of Music, The Book of Mormon, Mamma Mia! (Mirvish), Jersey Boys (DanCap), Seussical (YPT/Citadel Theatre), Urinetown, She Loves Me, Into the Woods (Randolph College), Freaky Friday (MainStage), HAIR (The Grand). Film/TV: Over The Rainbow (CBC), Copper (BBC America). Jeannie is in demand as a vocal coach and audition pianist. Much love to Michael, Elle and Leonardo.
Dave Dunlop (Trumpet)
Drayton Entertainment: Chicago, West Side Story, Big Band Legends, Newsies. Residing in Toronto, Dave has had a successful career backing artists like Michael Bublé, Shania Twain, and Paul Anka, as well as jazz legends Maynard Ferguson, the Boss Brass, and Diana Krall. His extensive theatre credits include Dirty Dancing, Fosse, Singing in the Rain, and Mean Girls. Dave has released three recordings on Bandcamp, including The Hang (2006), which received a Smooth Jazz nomination, Midnight Gamble (2020), and Soul Inspiration (2023). Visit davedunlop.ca
Lorne Grossman (Drums)
Drayton Entertainment: Anne of Green Gables, Cats, Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Elsewhere, Lorne served as the house percussionist for the O’Keefe Centre (now Meridian Hall) from 1969-1991 and as drummer/ house percussionist for The Royal Alexandra Theatre from 1971-1985, both in Toronto. He performed in the original Toronto production of Cats at The Elgin Theatre (1985-1987) and toured with Phantom of the Opera across Canada, Alaska, and Hawaii (1991-1994). His tours continued with Music of the Night (1995-1996). Returning to Toronto, Lorne was a part of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat with Donny Osmond. Additional credits at theatres around Ontario, including Kiss Me, Kate with the Sunshine Festival in Orillia. Lorne is thrilled to return to Drayton Entertainment.
Peter Hysen (Trombone)
Drayton Entertainment: Holiday Inn, West Side Story, The Drowsy Chaperone, Anything Goes, The Music Man, Chicago, Big Band Legends, How to Succeed…. Peter Hysen is a freelance musician and arranger. He leads many of his own ensembles and has performed and recorded with numerous top musicians in the jazz and commercial fields. He has been commissioned to write arrangements by various artists across Canada. He recently played bass trombone and tuba on the “Cuphead” video game soundtrack and also played bass trombone on the Juno Award-winning album “Cry Me A River” with The Hilario Duran Big Band.
Mike Wark (Reed-Clarinet/Tenor Sax)
Drayton Entertainment: Debut. Woodwind specialist Mike Wark maintains a busy freelance career working across multiple genres. From jazz groups such as NOJO and Gary Morgan’s PanAmericana Ensemble, to various pit orchestras for Shaw Festival, Theatre Aquarius, Ed Mirvish Theatre, and St. Lawrence College. From backing up blues artists like Shakura S’Aida and Jack De Keyzer, to working with the likes of The Canadian Tenors, children’s entertainer Fred Penner, and celebrity personality Hugh Jackman. Mike is also a composer/arranger, a recording session musician, and is heavily involved in music education as a private lesson instructor and founder of Toronto Jazz Explorers. www.mikewark.com
