Ovation Volume 30, Number 3 (January/February 2023)

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Book by James Lapine Originally Directed on Broadway

by James Lapine Orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick

Welcome to the theatre. Into the Woods marks our first full musical since 2020, and we are thrilled to be back! What better way to return than with the glorious work of Stephen Sondheim.

Sondheim and his collaborator, James Lapine, set out to write a quest story and wandered into the world of fairy tales for fodder. But as Lapine noted, the plot of one fairy tale would not hold for an entire musical. So they created a mash-up of colliding tales all sewn together with a story of their own invention – that of the Baker and his Wife, whose quest to undo a spell on their house leads them deep into the woods. Here they find familiar faces like Jack, Cinderella, Little Red and Rapunzel all pursuing their own wishes. And while on the surface this may seem like child’s play, Sondheim noted they were less interested in the false expectations set up by ‘Happily Ever After’ and more concerned with “the little dishonesties that enabled the characters to reach their happy endings.”

When I programmed this piece, foremost it was driven by the sheer genius of its music but as I have dug deeper, I continue to hold that this is indeed a musical for our times. A cautionary tale about what can happen when our selfish pursuits supersede our collective responsibility. There is such richness found in the woods, and not from the gold stolen from the giant but from the lessons learned through one’s actions; how we treat each other, what we pass on to our children and our profound interconnectedness. With brilliant simplicity, Sondheim’s message is “No one is alone.”

Thank you so much for joining us,

Kelly Thornton

The Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre is proud to call Manitoba home. Royal MTC is located in Winnipeg on Treaty 1 territory, the lands of the Anishinaabeg, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota and Dene peoples, and the National Homeland of the Red River Métis. We are thankful for the benefits sharing this land has afforded us, acknowledge the responsibilities of the Treaties, and embrace the opportunity to partner with Indigenous communities in the spirit of reconciliation and collaboration.

A.C.T. American Conservatory Theater • San Francisco, CA

Arts Club Arts Club Theatre Company • Vancouver, BC

ATF Atlantic Theatre Festival • Wolfville, NS

ATP Alberta Theatre Projects • Calgary, AB

BAM Brooklyn Academy of Music • NYC

Bard on the Beach Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival • Vancouver, BC

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Blyth Blyth Theatre Festival • Blyth, ON Broadway Theatre district • New York, NY

CBC Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Centaur Centaur Theatre Company • Montreal, QC

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COC Canadian Opera Company • Toronto, ON CS Canadian Stage • Toronto, ON Dora Dora Mavor Moore Award • Toronto, ON Drayton Drayton Entertainment • Ontario

Dry Cold Dry Cold Productions • Winnipeg, MB

Factory Factory Theatre • Toronto, ON

GCTC The Great Canadian Theatre Company • Ottawa, ON Grand The Grand Theatre • London, ON

HGJT Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company • Toronto, ON Mirvish Mirvish Productions • Toronto, ON

Moving Target Moving Target Theatre Company • Winnipeg, MB

MTYP Manitoba Theatre for Young People • Winnipeg, MB

NAC National Arts Centre • Ottawa, ON

Necessary Angel Necessary Angel Theatre Company • Toronto, ON

Neptune Neptune Theatre • Halifax, NS

NFB National Film Board of Canada

NTS National Theatre School of Canada • Montreal, QC

Persephone Persephone Theatre • Saskatoon, SK

PTAM Popular Theatre Alliance of Manitoba • Winnipeg, MB

PTE Prairie Theatre Exchange • Winnipeg, MB

OVATION

VOLUME 30, NUMBER 3 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2023

Ovation is published six times per theatre season and has an approximate yearly circulation of 85,000.

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ADVERTISING INQUIRIES Savannah Lillies telephone: 204 934 0309 email: slillies@royalmtc.ca

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RSC Royal Shakespeare Company • Stratford-upon-Avon, England

RWB Royal Winnipeg Ballet • Winnipeg, MB

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Segal The Segal Centre for Performing Arts • Montreal, QC

Shaw Shaw Festival • Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON SIR Shakespeare in the Ruins • Winnipeg, MB

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TC Theatre Calgary • Calgary, AB

TiFT Talk is Free Theatre • Barrie, ON TNB Theatre New Brunswick • Fredericton, NB

Toronto Free Toronto Free Theatre • Toronto, ON TPM Theatre Projects Manitoba • Winnipeg, MB

TSO Toronto Symphony Orchestra

U of M University of Manitoba

U of T University of Toronto

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ViC The Village Conservatory for Music Theatre • Winnipeg, MB VP Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company • Vancouver, BC West End Theatre district • London, England

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Ushers • Royal MTC’s loyal volunteer ushers are available at every performance to assist patrons.

Latecomers • Latecomers will be seated at the discretion of the House Manager.

Courtesy to others • Talking, candy wrappers and coughing are distracting to fellow patrons and actors. We ask each patron to please keep noise to a minimum during a performance. Thank you for your cooperation.

Scents and Allergies • A number of Royal MTC patrons have expressed concerns regarding medical reactions caused by scented products, so much so that they can’t enjoy the show. Please consider others before using items such as colognes, perfumes and hairspray. Your thoughtfulness is appreciated.

Royal MTC is a member of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres and engages, under the terms of the Canadian Theatre Agreement, professional artists who are members of the Canadian Actors’ Equity Association.

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Hearing enhancement • Sennheiser Infrared Listening Devices are available free of charge in the lobby at the John Hirsch Mainstage and Tom Hendry Warehouse, supplied by the Royal MTC Volunteer Corps of Ushers Capital Campaign donation. Please see the House Manager for details.

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Warnings • On occasion, Royal MTC’s productions may contain script-specific smoking of non-tobacco products, special effects and language/content warnings. For more information on specific productions, please visit royalmtc.ca.

Into the Mind of Sondheim

S ongs that defined the characters, moved them forward and were wonderful stand-alone songs in their own right. These were the reasons that Stephen Sondheim loved The Wizard of Oz and what inspired him to write his own quest story with the help of collaborator James Lapine. “We had nothing we wanted to say, merely a desire for a form, which is not a good way to begin writing a play,” Sondheim mused about the whisper of an idea that spawned the fairy tale-inspired musical.

The biggest hurdle they faced was the brevity of fairy tales. These short fables had plots that changed on a dime and were driven by few characters and even fewer complications. This created the need, not only to combine several tales to build the depth and length needed for a musical, but to craft a new tale to tie them all together. From this necessity, the Baker and his Wife were born. At their core they are a sarcastic, bickering, contemporary couple trying to have a baby and make a living. Their relatable banter and modern struggles are juxtaposed by the fantastical world they are surrounded by and the whimsical people they encounter.

The stories and characters of Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Ridinghood, Rapunzel and the Baker and his Wife interact and intermingle with each other as they all work towards fulfilling their wishes in a frenzy of intricate interactions. In this whirl of commotion, the score binds the show together with a sophisticated consistency of subtle auditory motifs, callbacks and reprises.

The first song sets the stage through character introductions, plot exposition and solidifies a musical language that brings the audience into this world. To start, a continuous quarter note motion underlines the entire song that repeats often in songs throughout the show. When Cinderella makes the first wish, to go to the festival, the progression of notes follows her and this motif subtly announces her arrival in later scenes. This song also lays out the quest for our ragtag group of protagonists and creates a five-note motif to go along with it that is repeated along the journey. These are just a few examples of aural associations established in the first 15 minutes alone.

While these orchestral easter eggs create associations and continuity in our subconscious, lyrical callbacks take the forefront. Cinderella sings “I wish”, the first lyrics in the show. This is repeated by her and her quest cohorts over 30 times and is even the last line in the show. While Cinderella is told to be nice and good by her father, the words are later differentiated by Little Red who states that nice is different than good. The Witch says that she is neither nice nor good. Some lines are repeated verbatim such as “if you know what you want” sang by Cinderella’s mother and the Baker’s Wife. Having these women

sing the same words in the same tune ties together the theme of desire across seemingly unrelated characters. These callbacks link much of the show.

While aural associations and callbacks take a subtle approach to creating and solidifying themes, the use of reprises offer an even more concrete thread throughout the show. They are also used to create a juxtaposition between where the characters started, singing these songs and phrases for the first time, and where the quest has taken them, turning the obtaining of their heart’s desires into something unexpected. Agony, sung in the first act displays the yearning the princes feel for their respective princesses, while its reprise in Act II shows just how disloyal they are once their wishes come true. When the familiar notes of a reprise fill the theatre, the audience immediately knows which

scene and which story the musical is about to build on.

Sondheim put endless hours into perfecting the musical marvels in this show to help enhance the audience’s understanding of the story and enjoyment of the production. Each note, chord or beat is there with a purpose to drive the story, define the characters or create an emotional reaction. His dedication to his craft and his desire to share it with the world is so evident. Sondheim made videos to accompany the licensing of his musical so that anyone who shared his work with their community could understand the intricacies and reasoning behind his musical choices. In these videos he demonstrates on a piano, talking directly to the viewer. Now, it’s Royal MTC’s turn to share Sondheim and Into the Woods with our community.

Stephen Sondheim Productions on Royal MTC Stages

gypsy - 2011 - lawyers play Cast

PHOTOGRAPHER UNKNOWN

PHOTO BY B. MONK

side by side by sondheim - 1982 Richard Hurst and Ilena Zaramba

PHOTO BY LAURA LINDEBLOM

A Grimm Origin

The tale of Cinderella … Girl meets boy, girl falls in love with boy, boy is inexplicably unable to recognize her and requires every girl in the kingdom to try on a single shoe, boy finally finds girl and saves her from a life of servitude under her wicked stepmother and stepsisters, and they live happily ever after. A tale as old as… 72 years ago. Well, at least that’s the age of the most popular version of the story created by Walt Disney. The original story arc dates back as far as 7 BCE, with versions shared in Italy, France, Malta, Vietnam, China and Germany.

The German interpretation of the story, by The Brothers Grimm, marks the origin of the name Cinderella. In their story, the future-princess protagonist is named Aschenputtel which translates to The Little Ash Girl. When anglicised, you get the feminisation of the word cinder, AKA Cinderella the princess we know and love. Where The Brothers Grimm fairy tale truly differs is the extent to which the stepsisters would go to secure their dream of marrying the

prince. Just how far will they go? Let’s just say it’s not pretty. Advised by their mother, the stepsisters cut off parts of their feet in hopes of fitting the glass slipper. If it wasn’t for a meddling magic dove who whispers to the prince that there is blood spilling out of the shoe, they just might have gotten away with it.

In fact, many fairy tales received a gruesome makeover by the infamous siblings in the 19th century. Rapunzel’s original Grimm-telling has her banished by the witch who has imprisoned her, cast out for getting pregnant. Not before the witch cuts Rapunzel’s hair, however. While Rapunzel gives birth, alone in a desert with a poorly cut bob, the prince unknowingly climbs Rapunzel’s disembodied hair straight into a trap set by the witch. He falls from the tower where thorns blind him. Several years pass and fate has the two lovers reunited. Rapunzel’s tears restore his vision and they live happily ever after. Who says Grimm tales don’t have happy endings?

Little Red Riding Hood may have kept a touch of the macabre origins in Into the Woods, as she wears the wolf, just as the huntsman did in the Grimm telling

of the story. However, the odd detail of filling the wolf’s stomach with rocks, making him unable to move is left out. Similarly, the second wolf, drawn in by Little Red Riding Hood’s trough of hot sausage water only to be drowned is left out completely from most modern-day adaptations. All’s well that ends well, however, as Little Red Riding Hood “went joyously home, and no one ever did anything to harm her again” according to the brothers.

Of the fairy tales that make up Into the Woods, the only one that didn’t get the Grimm treatment was Jack and the Beanstalk. Jack and the Beanstalk has kept its 17th century British integrity and has never been adapted into a Disney film. All of the giant-killing and

gold-stealing that you know and love date back to the original English fairy tale.

The moral of the story? Each of these stories have countless possibilities of retelling from the soft and sweet Disney versions to the slightly unhinged Grimm versions. In the modern-day, these fairy tales offer the bones of a story to create something new just like Stephen Sondheim did with Into the Woods, which combines these stories into an epic quest that pushes the characters to the limit. Sondheim also answers questions like “What happens after Cinderella marries the Prince?” or “What does Jack do with his stolen goods?” Find out in Act II what happens after “happily ever after.”

SYNOPSIS – Sometimes the things you most wish for are not to be touched. When the childless Baker and his Wife learn of a curse that can only be broken by restoring a witch’s beauty, they promise to deliver four items in three days’ time. A cow as white as milk, hair as yellow as corn, a cape as red as blood and a slipper as pure as gold. Into the woods they venture to find a colourful cast of characters, each in pursuit of their own dreams. Actions, however, have consequences, and each member soon finds that the choices they made may come back to haunt them.

PRESENTS

Into the Woods

Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Book by James Lapine

Originally directed on Broadway by James Lapine Orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick January 12 – February 4, 2023 previews January 10 & 11

Director ................................................................................... Kelly Thornton Music Director ............................................................... Andrew St. Hilaire Choreographer...................................................................... Jillian Willems Set & Costume Designer .................................................... Gillian Gallow Associate Costume Designer....................................... Joseph Abetria† Lighting Designer .............................................................. Hugh Conacher Sound Designer .........................................................................Chris Coyne Fight Director ..................................................................... Jacquie Loewen Intimacy Director ..................................................................... Sharon Bajer Assistant Director / Assistant Choreographer ....... Rebekah Jones Assistant Music Director ........................................................... Phil Corrin Stage Manager................................................................ Michael Duggan† Assistant Stage Manager .................................................... Zahra Larche Assistant Stage Manager ................................................. Katie Schmidt† Apprentice Stage Manager ...................................... Samantha Desiree

Into the Woods is performed with one intermission.

Original Broadway production by Heidi Landesman M. Anthony Fisher Rocco Landesman Frederic H. Mayerson

Originally produced by the Old Globe Theater, San Diego, CA.

Rick Steiner Jujamcyn Theaters

Into the Woods is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com

Any video and/or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited. Prosthetics by Christian Hadley. Production photography by Dylan Hewlett.

*Position funded through the Jean Murray - Moray Sinclair Theatre Apprenticeship Program †Past Jean Murray - Moray Sinclair apprenticeship or scholarship recipient

Kelly Thornton, Artistic Director • Camilla Holland, Executive Director

Into the Woods

THE CAST (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)

Rapunzel’s Prince / Steward ........................................... Vinnie Alberto† Jack’s Mother ................................................................ Mariam Bernstein† Lucinda .....................................................................................Rochelle Kives

Rapunzel .........................................................................................Sarah Luby Witch Jennifer Lyon Baker Jawon Mapp

Little Red Ridinghood ...................................................... Clea McCaffrey Florinda .................................................................................... Laura Olafson

Cinderella’s Mother / Granny / Giant ............................. Tracy Penner Baker’s Wife Jade Repeta† Cinderella Rhea Rodych-Rasidescu†

Narrator / Mysterious Man ............................................... Ray Strachan† Cinderella’s Stepmother .................................................. Melanie Whyte Cinderella’s Prince / Wolf ................................................. Tenaj Williams Jack ....................................................................................... Chase Winnicky†

UNDERSTUDIES / STANDBYS

(IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)

Understudies / Standbys never substitute for listed performers unless a specific announcement is made at the time of their appearance.

Jack, Cinderella’s Prince / Wolf, Rapunzel’s Prince / Steward Matthew Fletcher†

Little Red Ridinghood, Jack’s Mother, Cinderella’s Stepmother, Cinderella’s Mother / Granny / Giant.......................................................................... Katie German Baker’s Wife ............................................................................. Rochelle Kives Rapunzel, Cinderella, Lucinda, Florinda ................. Emily Meadows† Witch ............................................................................................ Laura Olafson Baker, Narrator / Mysterious Man Justin Stadnyk†

MUSICIANS

Lawton Cello

Bery Filsaime Trumpet

Shane Hicks French Horn

Todd Martin Contractor Dave Lawton

Into the Woods

MUSICAL NUMBERS

ACT I

Act I Opening ..............................................................

Narrator, Company Cinderella at the Grave..... Narrator, Cinderella, Cinderella’s Mother Hello, Little Girl .......................................... Wolf, Little Red Ridinghood I Guess This is Goodbye ............................... Baker, Jack, Baker’s Wife Maybe They’re Magic ............................................... Baker’s Wife, Baker Our Little World ....... Narrator, Rapunzel, Witch, Rapunzel’s Prince Baker’s Reprise .................................................................... Baker, Narrator I Know Things Now ............................................... Little Red Ridinghood A Very Nice Prince ........................................... Cinderella, Baker’s Wife First Midnight .................................................................................. Company Giants in the Sky Jack Agony Cinderella’s Prince, Rapunzel’s Prince A Very Nice Prince Reprise Cinderella, Baker’s Wife It Takes Two Baker, Baker’s Wife Second Midnight Company Stay with Me Witch, Rapunzel On the Steps of the Palace Cinderella Act I Finale Narrator, Company

ACT II

Act II Opening ...............................................................

Narrator, Company Agony Reprise ......................... Cinderella’s Prince, Rapunzel’s Prince Witch’s Lament ....................................................................................... Witch Any Moment ...................................... Cinderella’s Prince, Baker’s Wife Moments in the Woods .......................................................... Baker’s Wife Your Fault Jack, Little Red Ridinghood, Baker, Witch, Cinderella Last Midnight Witch, Cinderella, Baker, Little Red Ridinghood No More Baker, Mysterious Man No One is Alone Cinderella, Little Red Ridinghood, Baker, Jack Act II Finale Company

Vinnie Alberto Rapunzel’s Prince / Steward

ROYAL MTC 2022/23 National Mentorship Program (with Kimberley Rampersad). Actor: Cory and Daisy (Pimootayowin: A Festival of New Work).

OTHER THEATRE Selected: Sky in Mamma Mia! (Drayton); The Wizard of Oz (Rainbow); Destination Wedding! (Musical Stage Co.); Twelfth Night: Musical, Working Title (Theatre Sheridan).

TRAINING Graduate of Sheridan College’s Honours Bachelor of Music Theatre Performance.

ET CETERA Vinnie could not be happier to be making his Royal MTC debut with this beautiful cast and crew! As a Métis artist himself, Vinnie is grateful to have been taught and mentored by some of the nation’s leading fellow BIPOC artists. Vinnie is the recipient of Musical Stage Co.’s Banks Prize award for emerging musical theatre artists. He would like to send a special thank you to Royal MTC, Kelly, his dear friends, family, 10 Talent, Ray and Kimberley. Instagram: @vinniealberto

Mariam Bernstein Jack’s Mother

WOODS

Magnus); Spring Awakening (WST); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Neptune). Director: Dieu de Carnage (TCM); Falsettos, Death of a Salesman, Speedthe-Plow (WJT); Company, The Secret Garden (Dry Cold).

TRAINING/TEACHING Graduate: National Theatre School of Canada; U of W. Theatre educator and acting coach for over 30 years.

ET CETERA For Miranda, Cinna and my parents, and with profound gratitude to Stephen Sondheim.

Rochelle Kives Lucinda / Understudy Baker’s Wife

ROYAL MTC Calpurnia, Where.Are.You. From. (Tiny Plays, Big Ideas). 2021/22 National Mentorship Program.

OTHER THEATRE Most recent: The Hockey Sweater, Ma-Buhay Workshop, Miss Saigon, South Pacific, Little Shop of Horrors (Rainbow); 25 Questions for a Jewish Mother, Precipice (WJT); Elizabeth Rex (Bunbury Productions); A Year with Frog and Toad (MTYP); South Pacific (WSO); Kiss of the Spider Woman (Dry Cold); South Pacific (Regina Symphony Orchestra).

FILM/TV A Kiss Before Christmas (Hallmark); Larry Saves The Canadian Health Care System (Tripwire Media Group); Not Funny (Imaginary Productions).

TRAINING Graduate of Sheridan College’s Musical Theatre Performance Program.

ROYAL MTC Actor: Alice Through the Looking-Glass, The Heidi Chronicles, Mrs. Klein, Les Belles-Soeurs. Director: Romeo and Juliet (‘94), The Things We Do For Love.

OTHER THEATRE (selected) Actor: Becoming Dr. Ruth, Angels in America Parts 1 & 2 (WJT); Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods (Dry Cold); Selkirk Avenue (PTE/

ET CETERA Rochelle is co-founder and producer of the vocal group UNIQUE3, who travel and perform on cruise ships all over the world. Huge thank you to Royal MTC for this opportunity!

For a complete list of theatre abbreviations, please refer to legend on page 4

Sarah Luby Rapunzel

WOODS

A Christmas Carol – The Musical, Steel Magnolias (1993). Assistant Director: The Fighting Days.

ROYAL MTC 2020/21 National Mentorship Program.

OTHER THEATRE Selected: Antigone (Sick + Twisted); A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, The Bridges of Madison County (Dry Cold); Mamma Mia!, The Sound of Music, South Pacific (Rainbow); Featured soloist (WSO); Werther, Falstaff (MB Opera).

FILM/TV Selected: Orphan: First Kill (eOne/ Dark Castle); The Disappearance of Cari Farver, Let’s Meet Again on Christmas Eve (Lifetime); Burden of Truth (CBC); The Spencer Sisters (CTV); SkyMed (Paramount+).

TRAINING Desautels Faculty of Music –BMus. Vocal Performance.

ET CETERA Sarah is extremely honoured and humbled to be part of Royal MTC’s production of Into the Woods. A lover of Sondheim, Sarah cannot think of a better production to welcome audiences back to the theatre and remind them that “no one is alone.” Thank you to director Kelly Thornton and music director Andrew St. Hilaire for their fearless leadership.

Jennifer Lyon Witch

OTHER THEATRE Selected leading roles: Jacques Brel (PTE); The Drowsy Chaperone (Globe); Spamalot (Drayton); Guys and Dolls (TiFT); The Road to Hell (Persephone); My Fair Lady (Arts Club); Skylight (TNB); Comet in Moominland (MTYP/YPT/Montreal/Broadway); 19 shows at Rainbow Stage; The Who’s Tommy (Mirvish/Toronto/Canadian Tour); Man of La Mancha, The Miracle Worker (Stratford Festival, as an understudy who went on for the lead. Now, that’s a story.).

Jawon Mapp Baker

ROYAL MTC All is Bright, The Cottage, A Doll’s House, It’s a Wonderful Life: The Radio Play, Myth of the Ostrich, Billy Elliot the Musical, The Secret Annex, A Christmas Story, The Penelopiad, Next to Normal, White Christmas, Pride and Prejudice, Guys and Dolls (with TC/Citadel), My Fair Lady,

ROYAL MTC First appearance. OTHER THEATRE Crack of Doom (Toronto Fringe Festival); Killing Time: A Game Show Musical (Hamilton Fringe Festival); Twelfth Night (St. Clair College); West Side Story (Windsor Symphony Orchestra); Going Under, Drama 101 (New Music Theatre Intensives). Upcoming: The Amen Corner, A Grand Night for Singing, The Game of Love and Chance (Shaw).

TRAINING Graduate of St. Clair College’s Musical Theatre Performance Program 2020.

ET CETERA Jawon is thrilled to be making his Royal MTC debut with an exceptional show and equally exceptional role! All thanks to Kelly and Andrew for believing in my truth! Grateful to everyone who has helped me to grow into the artist I am today! “Don't get it right, get it true!”

– Stephen McKinley Henderson Instagram: jmoneyswagswag

For a complete list of theatre abbreviations, please refer to legend on page 4

“I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.”

- Oscar Wilde -

www.asperfoundation.com

Proud to be production sponsors for the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre’s production of Into the Woods.

INTO THE WOODS

Clea McCaffrey Little Red Ridinghood

FILM/TV Pumpkin Everything (Cartel); SkyMed (CBC/Paramount+); The Pinkertons (Buffalo Gals).

TRAINING/TEACHING Laura graduated from Grant MacEwan University’s Theatre Arts program. She also works as an EA in WSD1’s Inclusion Support programs.

ROYAL MTC First appearance.

OTHER THEATRE Sam/Lucy in The Written in Blood Trilogy (TiFT); Grow (Grand); Dynamites in Hairspray (TA); Sister Act, Jan in Grease (Drayton); Rumspringa Break! (Next Stage Festival); Mabel Washington in Fame (Creativiva Dubai). TV Y: The Last Man.

TRAINING Graduate of St. Clair College. ET CETERA Driven by healing through raising marginalized voices and representing those who ever felt like an outcast, Clea is unapologetically her. XO to the real ones, TH and baby. Life’s too short, eat the #stickybun… or four!

Laura Olafson Florinda / Understudy Witch

ROYAL MTC Fun Home, Million Dollar Quartet, Private Lives, The Things We Do For Love, Harvey.

OTHER THEATRE Funny Girl, Falsettos, Intimate Apparel (WJT); Footloose, Joe’s Coat, Mary Poppins, Breaking Up Is Hard To Do, Beauty and the Beast, Guys and Dolls: In Concert, Cinderella, Wizard of Oz (Rainbow); Urinetown, A Man of No Importance (Dry Cold); The Comedy of Errors, Romeo and Juliet (SIR); Iceland, Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet) (TPM); Into the Woods, Tigers Be Still (District Theatre Collective); The Savannah Disputation (PTE); Skriker (Echo (Beach) Theatre).

ET CETERA Laura is an Evie award winner. For Sid.

Tracy Penner

Cinderella’s Mother / Granny / Giant

ROYAL MTC It’s a Wonderful Life: The Radio Play, Private Lives, The Seagull, Ed’s Garage, Top Girls, Camelot (with Citadel/TC).

OTHER THEATRE Selected theatre in Edmonton: Shoe! (Vault: Theatre of Invention); A Year of Winter (Shadow); Frankenstein (Catalyst); Three Mysterious Women (StageLab Festival, U of A). Selected theatre in Winnipeg: A Short History of Crazy Bone, John and Beatrice, The Moonlight Sonata of Beethoven Blatz (TPM); Shiksa (WJT); Village Wooing (zone41); Passion (Red Hen); Fefu and Her Friends, Eden (Sarasvàti); Awaken, a new play by Tracy Penner, featuring Tracy as Paulina (zone41/SIR). Most recently, Tracy played Miss Shingle in A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder (Dry Cold).

FILM/TV Spencer Sisters, Pumpkin Everything, Somebody’s Someone, The Grudge, Scopophobia, Cemetery Love Story.

TRAINING Graduate of the BFA Acting Program at the University of Alberta.

For a complete list of theatre abbreviations, please refer to legend on page 4

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Jade Repeta Baker’s Wife

TRAINING BAH Acting University of Winnipeg, Creative Manitoba’s Mentorship Program, Opera NUOVA Emerging Artist Program, Rainbow Stage’s Acting Intensive.

ROYAL MTC Cabaret, Billy Elliot the Musical.

OTHER THEATRE Damn Yankees, Chitra (Shaw); Hairspray, Freaky Friday, Prom Queen workshop (TA); Portrait of a Collaboration: Little Pinks (Stratford/ Alan Menken); The Little Mermaid, Mary Poppins, Footloose, Hairspray, The Sound of Music (Rainbow); Mary Poppins (YPT); Beauty and the Beast, Rock of Ages, All Shook Up, Footloose, Marathon of Hope, Anne of Green Gables (Drayton); Shrek (Globe); Mary Poppins (Neptune).

TV Less Than Kind, Season 2 (HBO Canada); Noonbory (Dacapo).

TRAINING Graduate with Honours of Sheridan College’s Music Theatre Performance Program.

ET CETERA Dora Mavor Nomination for Mrs. Brill in Mary Poppins (YPT). Thank you to family, friends and the TH gang for the unending support. No one is alone.

Rhea Rodych-Rasidescu Cinderella

ROYAL MTC 2022/23 National Mentorship Program.

OTHER THEATRE Tuck Everlasting (Opera NUOVA); The Recipe (MAP Workshop); People, Places and Things, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Arcadia (U of W); Bake-Off (Sarasvàti: FemFest); Ok, Probably (Sister From Another Mister/Winnipeg Fringe); Women of Manhattan (Beau Theatre Co/ Royal MTC ShanleyFest).

ET CETERA Rhea is also a dialect and accent coach; her most recent credit being Frozen River/nîkwatin sîpiy (MTYP). She is a proud recipient of the Jean MurrayMoray Sinclair Scholarship. Thank you Kelly, Andrew and the entire company for our adventures in the woods, and my friends and family for your love and support.

Ray Strachan Narrator / Mysterious Man

ROYAL MTC The Three Musketeers, Calpurnia, The Mountaintop, It’s a Wonderful Life: The Radio Play, Shakespeare in Love (with Citadel), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Romeo and Juliet, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (with TC).

OTHER THEATRE Director: The Velveteen Rabbit (MTYP). Actor: The Wizard of Oz (Rainbow Stage); The Tempest (Citadel); *Deserter, Remember the Night (Moving Target); *The Whipping Man (WJT). *Evie Award Winner.

FILM/TV The Porter (CBC Gem/BET); Violent Night, Vandits.

ET CETERA Ray is also co-host of the Ray & Benny Talk Sports podcast. You can find it on YouTube and on your preferred podcast platforms. @raybennysports on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. To Chris Johnson.

For a complete list of theatre abbreviations, please refer to legend on page 4

INTO THE WOODS

Melanie Whyte Cinderella’s Stepmother

ROYAL MTC The Audience (with Mirvish).

OTHER THEATRE Selected: The Light in the Piazza, A Man of No Importance, Into the Woods, A Little Night Music (Dry Cold); Much Ado About Nothing, Hamlet, Timon of Athens (SIR); Cinderella, Sister Act, The Full Monty (Rainbow); Fly Me to the Moon, Till It Hurts (PTE); Spelling 2-5-5 (MTYP); The Game, Miss N’ Me (Sarasvàti); Sunday in the Park with George (Gallery Works).

FILM/TV Larry Saves the Healthcare System (Research MB/Tripwire); Burden of Truth (CBC/Eagle Vision).

TRAINING BMus (UBC) Diploma Program (Film and Theatre School Vancouver).

ET CETERA Melanie teaches singing in Winnipeg and online, is a member of the Fu Fu Chi Chi Choir, which is really a band, and shares her love of Sondheim’s work with her family – Emma, Andrew and Paul –love to you all!

Tenaj Williams

Cinderella’s Prince / Wolf

ROYAL MTC Network (with Citadel), The Color Purple (with Citadel).

OTHER THEATRE Ragtime: A Concert Performance, A Christmas Carol (TC); Clue, Cipher (Vertigo Theatre); The Fianceé (Citadel); Sweat (TA); The Color Purple (Neptune); Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Charlotte’s Web (ATP); King Lear, Macbeth (Shakespeare Company); Naughty But Nice (Forte); Sextet (Verb).

FILM/TV JANN (CTV/Hulu); Wynonna Earp (Sci-Fyi); Big Sky (NBC); Meet Me at Christmas (Hallmark).

ET CETERA Recipient of the Lieutenant Governor General Award 2022.

Chase Winnicky

Jack

ROYAL MTC 2021/22 National Mentorship Program.

OTHER THEATRE The Wizard of Oz (Rainbow); Kiss of the Spiderwoman, The Addams Family (Dry Cold); Alice in Wonderland – the Panto (Diversified Theatre); Much Ado about Nothing (Dauntless City Theatre); Andy Warhol Musical (Mirvish workshop); The Nutcracker (National Ballet of Canada); Oceania Cruises. Assistant Director: Million Dollar Quartet (TC – Betty Mitchell & Calgary Theatre Critics Award nominations). Upcoming: Directing the Canadian Premiere of The Prom (Dry Cold).

FILM/TV A Christmas Cookie Catastrophe, ’Tis the Season to be Merry, Crashing through the Snow (Hallmark); SkyMed (Paramount+); The Porter (CBC/BET+).

TRAINING Randolph College for the Performing Arts.

ET CETERA This performance is dedicated to his giants in the sky – Velma and Darlene. chasewinnicky.com @chase_winnicky

For a complete list of theatre abbreviations, please refer to legend on page 4

THE WOODS

Matthew Fletcher

Standby – Jack, Cinderella’s Prince / Wolf, Rapunzel’s Prince / Steward

ROYAL MTC Shakespeare in Love (with Citadel).

OTHER THEATRE Antigone (Sick+Twisted/ AA Battery); The Hockey Sweater, Les Misérables (Rainbow); Grease (Winter Garden); Million Dollar Quartet (Port Hope); James and the Giant Peach (MTYP); Kiss of the Spider Woman, A Man of No Importance (Dry Cold); Spring Awakening (Griffin); Heathers (WST); Les Misérables (Drayton); Crazy for You (TBTB).

FILM/TV Champions, The Porter, The Pinkertons, Triple Sensation.

TRAINING Northwestern University, Soulpepper Training Room, Rainbow Stage Conservatory.

ET CETERA Love to my friends and family. < 3 Rest In Paradise, Stephen! @mcwfletcher

Katie German

Standby – Little Red Ridinghood, Jack’s Mother, Cinderella’s Stepmother, Cinderella’s Mother / Granny / Giant

ROYAL MTC The Rez Sisters. Assistant Program Director of the Pimootayowin Creators Circle. Assistant Director: The (Post) Mistress. Mentee in the 2020/21 National Mentorship Program.

OTHER THEATRE Midwinter Mosey, A Year with Frog and Toad, Seussical The Musical (MTYP); The Hockey Sweater, Breaking Up Is Hard To Do, South Pacific (Rainbow Stage); Evil Dead The Musical, The Last Five Years, The Rocky Horror Show (Wasteland Productions); Sweeney Todd (Dry Cold Productions).

TV Wolf Joe (Media RendezVous/Big Jump Media Inc.).

TRAINING Graduate of Grant MacEwan University, Theatre Performance.

ET CETERA Katie is a mother to two beautiful kids who challenge and encourage her to be a better human and is also the owner and director of Junior Musical Theatre Company (JMTC). Miigwetch.

Emily Meadows

Standby – Rapunzel, Cinderella, Lucinda, Florinda

ROYAL MTC 2021/22 National Mentorship Program. Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley.

OTHER THEATRE A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder (Dry Cold); Reefer Madness (WST); Stronger Together: Opening Doors to Mental Health (Suitcase Theatre); The Dream Catchers (Charlottetown Festival YoCo/Eastern Canada touring company); We All Got Lost (Hamilton Fringe); The Last 48 (Winnipeg Fringe); world premiere of Senza Luce (Theatre Sheridan); Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Rainbow).

FILM/TV Kara Robinson Story, Safehaven.

TRAINING Honours Bachelor of Music Theatre Performance from Sheridan; the Second City Conservatory Programme for Improv and Sketch Comedy, Toronto.

ET CETERA Grateful five-time Royal MTC Jean Murray-Moray Sinclair Scholarship winner; recipient of the Elizabeth MawsonMaud Whitmore scholarship for voice. Thank you to Royal MTC, my supportive family and friends, especially mom, dad and Josh.

For a complete list of theatre abbreviations, please refer to legend on page 4

Justin Stadnyk Standby – Baker, Narrator / Mysterious Man

ROYAL MTC As You Like It (with Citadel), Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical (with Arts Club/Citadel), Grumpy Old Men: The Musical, White Christmas, The Boys in the Photograph (with Mirvish), Fiddler on the Roof, The Wave.

OTHER THEATRE Kinky Boots (Mirvish); A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder (Dry Cold); Dear Jack, Dear Louise, Falsettos (WJT); Pal Joey, Into the Woods (TIFT); Saturday Night Fever (National Tour); Hairspray, Camelot, The Mikado (Drayton); Rock Legends, Footloose (Chemainus); Mamma Mia!, Legally Blonde, Blood Brothers (TA); Anne of Green Gables, Ring of Fire, The Full Monty (Charlottetown); Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Rent (Rainbow); Robin Hood, Cinderella (Ross Petty).

TV King of the Camp (YTV).

ET CETERA Thank you for continuing to support the arts! Say hi to Justin @j_stadnyk. justinstadnyk.com

Stephen Sondheim Music & Lyrics

Stephen Sondheim wrote the music and lyrics for Saturday Night (1954), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1962), Anyone Can Whistle (1964), Company (1970), Follies (1971), A Little Night Music (1973), The Frogs (1974), Pacific Overtures (1976), Sweeney Todd (1979), Merrily We Roll Along (1981), Sunday in the Park with George (1984), Into the Woods (1987), Assassins (1991), Passion (1994) and Road Show (2008) as well as lyrics for West Side Story (1957), Gypsy (1959) and Do I Hear a Waltz? (1965) and additional lyrics for Candide (1973). Anthologies of his work include Side by Side by Sondheim (1976), Marry Me a Little (1981), You’re Gonna Love Tomorrow (1983), Putting It Together (1993/99) and Sondheim on Sondheim (2010). He composed the scores of the films Stavisky (1974) and Reds (1981) and songs for Dick Tracy (1990) and the television production Evening Primrose (1966). His collected lyrics with attendant essays have been published in two volumes: Finishing the Hat (2010) and Look, I Made A Hat (2011). In 2010 Broadway’s Henry Miller’s Theatre was renamed The Stephen Sondheim Theatre in his honour; in 2019, London’s Queens Theatre was also renamed the Sondheim.

Photo/UnsplashJoshua Stannard

James Lapine Book

Hotel (Theatre Passe Muraille); and nine seasons of Nightwood’s Lawyer Show. TEACHING Associate Director of the Directing Program at National Theatre School 2010-2013. Guest Instructor at University of Toronto Graduate Centre for Drama, and Sheridan College.

James Lapine is a playwright and director. On Broadway he has worked with Stephen Sondheim on Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods and Passion. He also conceived and directed the musical review Sondheim on Sondheim. With William Finn he created Falsettos, recently revived by Lincoln Center Theater; Little Miss Sunshine, Muscle, and directed Finn’s The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Other Broadway credits include his play based on Moss Hart’s memoir Act One (also LCT), Amour, The Diary of Anne Frank, Golden Child and Dirty Blonde. He has written the plays Table Settings, Twelve Dreams, The Moment When, Fran’s Bed and Mrs. Miller Does Her Thing. Lapine has been nominated for 11 Tony Awards, winning on three occasions. He has also been the recipient of the Pulitzer Prize, SDC’s Mr. Abbott Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theater and inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame.

Kelly Thornton Director

ET CETERA Kelly is Royal MTC’s Artistic Director. She’s been honoured with the Pauline McGibbon Award, the YWCA Woman of Distinction, a Harold Award, and Dora and Evie Award nominations. She wishes to thank her incredible family for their love and support.

Andrew St. Hilaire Music Director

ROYAL MTC Orlando, All is Bright, Bang Bang (with Belfry).

OTHER THEATRE Eighteen years as Artistic Director of Nightwood Theatre, where credits include Unholy, The Penelopiad, Between the Sheets, The List, That Face, The Danish Play (NAC, Aveny-Teatret, Copenhagen; Magnetic North), Bear With Me, Mathilde and China Doll . Elsewhere: Vigil (TiFT); Comedy of Errors (CS); This

ROYAL MTC Billy Elliot the Musical, Cabaret, Next to Normal, White Christmas, The Boys in the Photograph (with Mirvish), The Drowsy Chaperone (with TC), The Rocky Horror Show (with CS).

OTHER THEATRE Selected: Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical, The Color Purple, Mamma Mia!, Crazy For You (Citadel); The Wizard of Oz, The Hockey Sweater, Les Misérables, A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline, West Side Story, Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Mary Poppins, Annie, Footloose, Cats, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, RENT, The Producers, Beauty and the Beast, The Wizard of Oz, The Sound of Music (Rainbow); Mary Poppins, Les Misérables (WCT); The Addams Family (Dry Cold); Mary Poppins (Persephone); Carousel, Parade (Opera NUOVA).

For a complete list of theatre abbreviations, please refer to legend on page 4

WOODS

Jillian Willems Choreographer

ROYAL MTC Director/Choreographer: The World Goes ‘Round (Lawyers Play). Mainstage debut.

OTHER THEATRE Select creative credits: The Snail and the Whale (Director – MTYP); Guys & Dolls (Director – WSO/Rainbow); The Golem’s Mighty Swing (Assistant Director – WJT/Outside the March); Pippin (Choreographer – The ViC/WST); American Idiot (WST). Select performance credits: Antigone (Understudy – Sick + Twisted/AA Battery); Cinderella (Rainbow); South Pacific (WSO/Rainbow); Charlie Brown (MTYP); South Pacific (Regina Symphony); Heathers (WST).

TRAINING/TEACHING Artistic associate and movement instructor with the Village Conservatory for Music Theatre. Teacher at Industria Dance Centre. Mentored by Ari Weinberg in theatre management and by Brenda Gorlick in musical theatre choreography.

ET CETERA Endless gratitude to my family, friends and community who always guide me through the woods.

Gillian Gallow Set & Costume Designer

ROYAL MTC The Runner (with Human Cargo), Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, A Christmas Carol, Hand to God, Million Dollar Quartet, Seminar (with Mirvish), Hirsch, Venus in Fur, God of Carnage (with VP), One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (with TC).

OTHER THEATRE Selected: Hadrian and Louis Riel (COC); Long Day’s Journey Into Night, The Physicists, Hirsch, The Three Musketeers (Stratford); An Octoroon, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Russian Play, The Devil’s Disciple (Shaw); Art, August: Osage County, Idomeneus, Orlando (Soulpepper); King Lear, Stuff Happens (NAC). Upcoming: The Shadow of a Doubt and Mahabharata (Shaw).

ET CETERA Awards: Gillian is the recipient of the 2021 Siminovitch Prize in Theatre, the 2018 Viriginia and Myrtle Cooper Award in Costume Design and she has been awarded four Doras.

Joseph Abetria Associate Costume Designer

ROYAL MTC Costume Designer: Calpurnia, Tiny Plays, Big Ideas, Bang Bang (with Belfry), Last Train to Nibroc (tour). Apprentice Costume Designer: Billy Elliot the Musical . 2020/21 National Mentorship Program.

OTHER THEATRE (selected) Costume Designer: Grand Ghost (The Grand); Voice (PTE); Plé (Plé Collective presented by MTYP); Spelling 2-5-5 (MTYP); Women of the Fur Trade (Vault Projects); Mary’s Wedding, Iceland (TPM); Concord Floral, Vinegar Tom, The Laramie Project (U of W). Production Designer: The Player King (SIR); The Game, Two Indians (Sarasvàti). Assistant Costume Designer: Othello, The Neverending Story, The Rocky Horror Show, Romeo and Juliet (Stratford).

TRAINING University of Winnipeg.

For a complete list of theatre abbreviations, please refer to legend on page 4

Great theatre lives here.

We are pleased to support the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre and the artists who have been captivating audiences with exciting, innovative, and entertaining productions.

BMO is proud to be the 2022/23 Tom Hendry Warehouse Season Sponsor.

Hugh Conacher Lighting Designer

WOODS

Hound of the Baskervilles Mar. 2015, Little Thing Big Thing Sep. 2015 (PTE); EDEN 2013 (Sarasvàti); Bashir Lazhar Mar. 2013 (TPM); Angels in America 2012, Perestroika 2014 (WJT); Three Sisters 2011 (zone41).

TRAINING Chris is a graduate of the Ontario Institute of Audio Recording Technology.

ROYAL MTC (selected) Video Designer: Network. Lighting & Video Designer: The Mountaintop, Vietgone, Venus in Fur. Lighting Designer: New, Calpurnia, Orlando, All is Bright, Women of the Fur Trade, Fun Home, The Color Purple (with Citadel), Kill Me Now (with NAC), Seminar (with Mirvish), Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing and many other productions since the ‘80s.

OTHER THEATRE Hugh has collaborated with choreographers, visual artists and dance and theatre companies worldwide.

ET CETERA Hugh enjoys working beyond the constraints of traditional lighting design using various forms of interactive media, video and photography. His photographic work resides in private collections and has been published worldwide. Hugh is a member of the Associated Designers of Canada and L’Association des professionnels des arts de la scène du Québec. www.pellucid.me.

Chris Coyne Sound Designer

ET CETERA Chris has been involved in the theatre industry in Winnipeg for many years. Currently working as Royal MTC’s Head of Sound at the John Hirsch Mainstage.

Jacquie Loewen Fight Director

ROYAL MTC Calpurnia, The (Post) Mistress, The Mountaintop, Fun Home, Kill Me Now (with NAC), The Hound of the Baskervilles 2016 (Tour). Technical Director at the John Hirsch Mainstage (2018-2022).

OTHER THEATRE Chris has had the pleasure of working with many local and international theatre groups. Credits include Routes 2016/17 Tour (MTYP); The

ROYAL MTC Fight Director (selected): The Rez Sisters, Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical (with Arts Club/Citadel), Vietgone (with fu-GEN/Hope and Hell), Hand to God, Private Lives, Gone With the Wind, August: Osage County, Romeo and Juliet, The Seafarer. Actor: The Three Musketeers, Alice Through the Looking-Glass, Top Girls.

OTHER THEATRE Fight Director (selected): Macbeth (Bard on the Beach); Indigenous Playwrights New Works Workshop (PTC – Vancouver); Beauty and the Beast (Rainbow); The Flood Thereafter (CS); Don Giovanni (Manitoba Opera); Macbeth, The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Taming of the Shrew (SIR); Prairie Nurse (PTE).

TEACHING U of Winnipeg, U of Manitoba, Trinity Western, Simon Fraser University, Kansas State University.

ET CETERA Jacqueline was a founding member of the Canadian Comedy Awardnominated sketch group Hot Thespian Action.

For a complete list of theatre abbreviations, please refer to legend on page 4

SHOP ONLINE

or delivery

Sharon Bajer Intimacy Director

THE WOODS

Cold); Les Misérables, Shrek the Musical (Rainbow); Heathers, Avenue Q (WST).

ROYAL MTC (selected) Intimacy Director: New. Actor: The Three Musketeers, Sense and Sensibility, Kill Me Now (with NAC), Hand to God, Late Company, The Seagull, A Christmas Story, August: Osage County, Top Girls, Steel Magnolias, Humble Boy, Of Mice and Men, Angels in America, Les Belles-Soeurs, Our Country’s Good.

OTHER THEATRE The Outside Inn (Premiere – Festival Antigonish); The Wizard of Oz (Rainbow); coming up Afterlight (Premiere – The Keep and Walk&Talk).

TRAINING Studio 58, Michael Langham Directing Program (Stratford). Certified Intimacy Director and Coordinator with Intimacy Coordinators Canada and Intimacy Directors and Coordinators (New York).

FILM/TV Recent projects include Dark Harvest, Ordinary Angels, Acting Good, Little Bird, Run ; Intimacy Coordinator for The Porter, SkyMed, Wintertide, El Toro and Alter Boys.

ET CETERA sharonbajer.com

Rebekah Jones Assistant Director / Assistant Choreographer

ROYAL MTC Assistant Director: Fun Home Actor: Lesley in Billy Elliot the Musical.

OTHER THEATRE Actor: The Wizard of Oz, Mamma Mia! (Rainbow). Choreographer: The Prom (Dry Cold). Apprentice / Assistant Director / Choreographer: A Man of No Importance, The Addams Family, Kiss of the Spider Woman (Dry

TRAINING/TEACHING Completed the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School Teacher Training Program (2007) and Rainbow Stage Creative Mentorship Program for Choreography (2016). Currently teaches at Kickit Dance Studio.

ET CETERA Many thanks to my family and the Kickit Directors for their continued support.

Phil Corrin Assistant Music Director

ROYAL MTC First engagement. Upcoming: 9 to 5 The Musical (Lawyers Play).

OTHER THEATRE Selected: Silence! The Musical (Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival); Annie, Beauty and the Beast, Mamma Mia!, Little Shop of Horrors (Rainbow); A Chorus Line (WSO); School of Rock, Avenue Q (WST).

TRAINING Brandon University, University of Calgary.

ET CETERA Phil taught music for 25 years in the Seven Oaks School Division. Into the Woods marks his 66th musical theatre production. He’s excited and scared!

For a complete list of theatre abbreviations, please refer to legend on page 4

Michael Duggan Stage Manager

TRAINING Graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada – Production Program (2017).

ROYAL MTC (selected) Stage Manager: New, Calpurnia (with NAC/BTW), Vietgone (with fu-GEN/Hope and Hell), Hand to God . Assistant Stage Manager: The Mountaintop, The Color Purple (with Citadel), A Christmas Carol, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (with Citadel), Chimerica.

OTHER THEATRE (selected) The Wizard of Oz (2022), Mamma Mia! (Rainbow Stage); The War Being Waged (PTE); The Winter’s Tale / Le conte d’hiver (SIR/TCM); MTYP’s Midwinter Mosey (MTYP); The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk (WJT); Meet Me at Dawn (TBTR).

TRAINING B.A. (Hons) in Theatre Production and Stage Management at the University of Winnipeg.

ET CETERA Enjoy the show!

Zahra Larche Assistant Stage Manager

ROYAL MTC Assistant Stage Manager: Network (with Citadel), Calpurnia (with NAC/BTW), Bang Bang (with Belfry). Apprentice Stage Manager: Buying the Farm (tour), Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical, Vietgone (with fu-GEN/Hope and Hell), The Humans. Assistant Production Manager (2017/18, 2020/21, 2021/22 seasons).

OTHER THEATRE (selected) Stage Manager: The Hockey Sweater (Rainbow). Various credits with Hudson Village Theatre, Cart Before the Horse, Manitoba Opera, Geordie Productions and A Company of Fools.

ET CETERA A very special thanks to my Royal MTC family, my parents, my family and friends from Gatineau to Tasmania, Ilana Modulevsky, Brooklyne Alexander, my graduating class at NTS, and all the wonderful folks who made this show possible!

Katie Schmidt Assistant Stage

Manager

ROYAL MTC Assistant Stage Manager: The Runner. Apprentice Stage Manager: The Cottage, A Doll’s House, Sense and Sensibility. Apprentice Costumer: Sarah Ballenden.

OTHER THEATRE Assistant Stage Manager: The Wizard of Oz (Rainbow); Bad Parent, VOICE (PTE). Apprentice Stage Manager: Ghost Light (PTE). Stage Manager: Frozen River, Tiny Treasures (MTYP). Costumer: Mary’s Wedding (TPM). Props and Set Coordinator: Much Ado About Nothing, The Player King, The Winter’s Tale, Hamlet, Timon of Athens, Romeo and Juliet (SIR). TRAINING University of Winnipeg Theatre and Film.

ET CETERA Thanks and love to Mom, Dad, Raya and Felix.

For a complete list of theatre abbreviations, please refer to legend on page 4

INTO THE WOODS

Samantha Desiree Apprentice Stage Manager

ROYAL MTC Network, The Rez Sisters, Orlando.

OTHER THEATRE SM: Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers Season Launch and upcoming new work; People, Places and Things (U of W). Apprentice SM: The Wizard of Oz (Rainbow). Production & Tour Coordinator: Seven Visions digital school tour (Sarasvàti). Associate Producer/Sound Design: Othello (Echo). SM/Production Assistant: FemFest 2019 & 2020 (Sarasvàti). Designer: Seascape with Sharks and Dancer (Beau). Director/Designer: Wait, So Do I… (Buried Seeds); Animosity (DownsideUp); The Student Body Project, Tuesdays & Sundays, Women of Manhattan (Beau). Associate Company Member of Winnipeg Independent Theatre (WIT). Artistic Founder of Beau Theatre Co.

TRAINING U of W Bachelor of Arts Honours – Stage Management, Production and Design. Creative Manitoba Mentorship in Stage Management. Upcoming mentorship with Associated Designers of Canada in Lighting Design on Narrow Bridge (WJT).

ET CETERA As always, couldn’t do it without my partner, Matt, and cat, Zella.

Music Theatre International Licensing Agency

Music Theatre International (MTI) is one of the world’s leading theatrical licensing agencies, granting theatres from around the world the rights to perform the greatest selection of musicals from Broadway and beyond. Founded in 1952 by composer Frank Loesser and orchestrator Don Walker, MTI is a driving force in advancing

musical theatre as a vibrant and engaging art form.

MTI works directly with the composers, lyricists and book writers of these musicals to provide official scripts, musical materials and dynamic theatrical resources to over 100,000 professional, community and school theatres in the US and in over 150 countries worldwide.

MTI is particularly dedicated to educational theatre, and has created special collections to meet the needs of various types of performers and audiences. MTI’s Broadway Junior™ shows are 30- and 60-minute musicals for performance by elementary and middle school-aged performers, while MTI’s School Editions are musicals annotated for performance by high school students.

The Asper Foundation & Gail Asper Family Foundation Production Sponsors

Israel Asper, O.C., O.M., Q.C., L.L.D. (1932–2003) and Babs Asper (1933–2011) believed that philanthropy is a driving force behind positive change in people’s quality of life. For this reason, they formed The Asper Foundation in Winnipeg in 1983 to build upon their and the Asper family’s philanthropic objectives. The Foundation develops major projects and provides general support to the Jewish Community while also supporting the broader community in areas of culture, education, community development, and human rights on a local, national and international scale.

For a complete list of theatre abbreviations, please refer to legend on page 4

RESOURCES

EXPLORE MORE Into the Woods

Explore More Re-Envisioned Fairy Tales

The Bloody Chamber, by Angela Carter. Carter’s masterpiece spins familiar fairy tales and legends like “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Bluebeard,” and “Beauty and the Beast” into subversively dark and sensual versions told in gorgeous Gothic prose. FICTION CARTER

Gingerbread, by Helen Oyeyemi

Influenced by the mysterious place gingerbread holds in classic children’s stories, this bewitching and inventive novel tells a delightful tale of a surprising family legacy, in which the valuable inheritance is a recipe. FICTION OYEYEMI

The Princess Bride, by William Goldman . This modern classic is a timeless story about quests for riches, revenge, and, of course, true love. You may find it inconceivable to think of The Princess Bride as anything other than the sweet romance of Westley and Buttercup, but the movie tells only a fraction of the full satirical and ingenious tale. FICTION GOLDMAN

The Tiger’s Wife, by Téa Obreht In a Balkan country mending from war, a young doctor tries to unravel the mysterious circumstances surrounding her beloved grandfather’s recent death. Searching for clues, she turns to the stories he told her of his encounters over the years with “the deathless man.”

FICTION OBREHT

Wicked , by Gregory Maguire. The basis of another famous Broadway musical, this enchanting novel views the land of Oz through a darker lens and tells its story from the viewpoint of the much-maligned Wicked Witch of the West. FICTION MAGUIRE

Explore

More Musicals

Look, I Made a Hat: Collected Lyrics , by Stephen Sondheim . All the lyrics (together with excluded songs and early drafts) of multiple musicals, including Into the Woods, plus behind-the-scenes anecdotes, advice on songwriting, discussions of theatre history and the state of the industry. Essential reading for any fan of musical theatre. 782.140268 SON 2011

Musicals: the Definitive Illustrated Story. A beautifully illustrated book covering the complete history of the genre, from its earliest origins in dance halls and vaudeville to the spectacular West End and Broadway shows of today. 782.1409 MUSICALS 2021

The Secret Life of the American Musical, by Jack Viertel . Beginning with an overture and concluding with a curtain call, with stops in between for production numbers, star turns and finales. Viertel shows us how musicals happen, what makes them work, and how one landmark show leads to the next. 792.60973 VIE 2016

There are 1.4 million books, movies, audiobooks, eBooks, and more at the Winnipeg Public Library, and all you need to borrow them is your library card. There are 20 locations throughout the city, and there’s an online catalogue for requesting items for pick-up at your library of convenience. An online e-Library has thousands of eBooks, eAudiobooks and more! All free to use with your library card. Visit us online at winnipeg.ca/library.

heads, it was gone.

It’s just that good.

You might have better luck. Pick some up in the lobby, your favourite beer store, Liquor Marts and in our very own taproom.

330-830 King Edward Street torquebrewing.beer

BALL

Some Enchanted Evening

On Saturday, October 29, more than 430 guests joined us to BE ENCHANTED by the Black & White Ball in support of Royal MTC. From the moment guests passed under the forested archway festooned with fairy lights, to their final turn on the dance floor, it was an evening not soon forgotten.

On behalf of the artists supported by this fundraising event, we are deeply grateful to all the guests, sponsors, corporate table purchasers, donors and volunteers for creating another unforgettable evening.

Theatre has the power to transport audiences into a new world. For over 65 years, Royal MTC has been creating enchanting evenings at the theatre. Thanks to your help, we’ll be here for another 65 years.

Please join us at the Black & White Ball for a full evening of dining and dancing at the Fairmont Winnipeg on Saturday, November 4, 2023 . Reserve your corporate table or individual tickets early so you don’t miss the party of the year!

Thank you for joining us at the Black & White Ball!

Event photography by Red Photo Co.

VACATION RAFFLE

Fillmore Riley LLP

TRAVEL PARTNERS

Shelter Canadian Properties Limited

Bonaventure Travel

Air Canada

SILVER SPONSOR

Janzen Wealth Management Group

BRONZE SPONSOR HUB

LIVE AUCTION SPONSOR

ADESA

ENTERTAINMENT SPONSOR

Taylor McCaffrey Lawyers

AUCTION SPONSOR

The Tanchak Wealth Management Group

COCKTAIL SPONSOR

Birchwood Lexus

AFTER DARK SPONSOR

East India Company

WINE SPONSOR

Jones & Company Wine Merchants

SUPPORTERS

300 Main

Collective Event Rentals

Dycom Direct Mail Encore Esdale Printing Company Ltd. EventLight.ca

Fairmont Winnipeg

Flour & Flower

Manitoba Liquor Mart McDiarmid Flowers Nonsuch

Planned Perfectly POS Systems

Relish New Brand Experience Soirée Event Planning Winnipeg Free Press 6 Degrees Photobooth

PRIME TABLES

Duha Group Terracon Development Ltd. Gendis Inc. WGI Westman Group Inc.

CORPORATE TABLES

ADESA Boke Inc.

Cambrian Credit Union Cardinal Capital Management Carlyle Printers Services & Supplies Ltd.

CIBC Capital Markets

Fillmore Riley Global Drain Technologies Granite Financial Group Inc.

Janzen Wealth Management Group KPMG LLP

Elsebeth & André Kriening

Liquor Mart

Manitoba Blue Cross Nault Group Private Wealth Management

Number Ten Architecture Group Parrish & Heimbecker Ltd.

Plett and Associates Wealth Management

Prairie Research Associates Inc. Red River Polytechnic Richardson International Limited

Scotiabank

Smiles On Dental

Tanchak Wealth Management Taylor McCaffrey LLP

TD Asset Management

The Scotiabank Women Initiative Winnipeg Free Press

DONORS

The Jessiman Foundation

Lisa & Steve Kroft Wawanesa

VIP SUPPORTERS

Gail Asper & Michael Paterson

Bruce & Joyce Berry

Brenlee Carrington Trepel QC & Brent Trepel

SPECIAL THANKS TO

Big City All Star Band Our incredibly hard-working volunteers, and Royal MTC Staff

COMMITTEE

Elsebeth Hansen-Kriening – Chair

Antonio Buccini

Brenlee Carrington Trepel, QC

Alana Chernecki

Samantha Duha

Paulo Fernandes

Kathryn Gompf

Brandi Johnson

Kelly Johnston

Brad McCabe

Sachit Mehra Melanie Paragg Dana Plett

Rhonda Plett

Bronya Rae-Pemberton Jenny-Lou Ryan Shelly Smith-Hines

2022 Black & White Ball Committee

Many thanks to our donors who made a gift between Oct 1, 2021 and Nov 30, 2022

DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE

$10,000+

Gail Asper, OC, OM, LLD* & Michael Paterson

Estate of David Didluck Susan Glass & Arni Thorsteinson June & Bob Jackson Memorial Fund for the Performing Arts – The Winnipeg Foundation

$6,500-9,999

Ted & Ruth Northam

Leslie John Taylor Fund – The Winnipeg Foundation

$4,000-6,499

Pauline Braun – in memory of Duane Braun‡

David & Lianne Carefoot

David Christianson & Vera Steinberger

Dr. Lawrence & Ms. Brenda Ellerby Sara Gray

Rita Gunn & Gregory Mason

Camilla Holland† & Colin Viebrock‡

Houston Family of Bradwardine Fund – The Winnipeg Foundation

Diane & Dave Johnston

Leigh Murphy – in memory of Liam Murphy‡

Bernie & Rhonda Plett Hartley & Heather Richardson

The Jim & Janice Tennant Foundation

Dr. Marcel Van Woensel Estate of Doris Wainstock

$2,000-3,999

Dr. Lorne Bellan & Dr. Bonnie Cham

David* & Barb Christie

Phil & Kanning Burns

Heather Clarke* Gerry* & Chris Couture

Kerry Dangerfield*‡

Issac Ben Diamond

Sylvia Flam‡

Tony* & Jennifer Fletcher‡

Linda Hamilton & Grange Morrow‡

Sharon Hamilton‡

Derek & Mary Johannson

Dr. P. Kmet & Mr. B. Roslycky

Donna & Dave* Lalama

Katrina Lee-Kwen & Jeff Neufeld Bill & Shirley Loewen

Jim* & Penny McLandress‡

Dr. Harold Nyhof & Ms. Jo-Anne Lutz Mr. & Mrs. Lawrie & Fran Pollard Drs. Bill Pope & Elizabeth Tippett

Pope Fund – The Winnipeg Foundation

Sanford & Deborah Riley Shinewald Family Bill & Laurie* Speers Maitland & Pat Sundmark Kelly Thornton† & Josep Seras-Gubert‡ Jeremy Trickett* & Brandon Barnes Trickett‡

Helga Van Iderstine Scott & Sonya Wright Fund Anonymous – in memory of Shannon Hirsch

$1,200-1,999

Edward* & Jaime Acuna‡ Margaret Astwood Dr. J Baluta & Ms. O. Kandia Craig McIntosh & Lorraine Beck Fund

John Borger Cathie & Brian Bowerman

Sheldon & Penny Bowles Chambers Family*‡ Haderra & Mark Chisick Jan* & Kevin Coates‡ Hugh Conacher‡ Andrew Drinnan‡ Helene Dyck

Katherine Fox*‡ Susan* & Ab Freig‡ Mintie Grienke John* & Nicola Guttormson‡ Vivian Hilder-Skwark & David Skwark – in memory of Mike Skwark‡ Jeff Hirsch & Liz Murray Shawn Hughes & Bruno Koehn‡ Katie Inverarity†‡

Lisa Johnston‡ Hon. William Johnston Serena Helen Kraayeveld Fund – The Winnipeg Foundation David* & Ellen Kroft‡

J. Lamothe‡

Andrea Lochhead* Dr. Ted & Harriet Lyons Mark & Gloria Mancini‡ Brendan McKeen ‡

Carolyn Garlich & Peter Miller Gift Fund

Melissa Novecosky†‡

K. Heather Power & Harold Klause‡ Lawrence Prout* & Lisa Gardewine‡

Iris Reimer

Nancy & Loren* Remillard Jim & Leney Richardson Mrs. Shirley Richardson

Sudhir Sandhu*‡

Jeff Sisler & Cathy Rippin-Sisler‡

Logan Family Fund

Ken & Susan* Skinner‡

Kevin Hines & Shelly Smith-Hines‡

Joan Stephens – in memory of Annice Stephens‡

Shelley† & Mark Stroski‡

Sasha & Josh Thiem*‡

Geeta* & Michael Tucker‡

Sindee & Albert Wilhelmer

Rick & Claire* Workman Dr. Dorothy Y. Young Nicole Zajac‡

Anonymous

COMPANY CIRCLE

$600-1,199

Robert & Ina Abra Family Fund

– The Winnipeg Foundation

Dr. Liz Adkins

D. T. Anderson

Dianne J. Beaven

Bruce & Shelley Bertrand-Meadows

Pam & Andrew Cooke

Barbara Hamilton

Gregg & Mary Hanson

Marilyn & Helios Hernandez N. & L. Holliday

Gerald Jewers

Gerard Kennedy & Jane Hilderman Belinda Knopf

Donna L. Korban & Family

The Honourable Guy J. Kroft & Hester Kroft*

Brent Kvern

Ian & Nicki LeGrand‡

John & Roberta Lewis Shirley Liba

Reginald & Judy Low

Pat & Jim Ludwig

Brian & Christie Lysack‡ Mr. G. Markham

Gerard Matte & Lydia Surasky Matte Barry§ & Carol McArton

Michael McGovern

Terri & Jim McKerchar‡

Ron McKinnon & Peggy Barker‡

Tracey Novak

Richard & Bonnie Olfert

Ivan & Cathy Oresnik‡

Cameron & Carole Osler

Rachel Waenink

Wayne & Linda Paquin

Sandra Paterson-Greene & Russ Greene

Lousie & Ruth

David & Joan Rew Henriette Ricou & Jure Manfreda

*Current Royal MTC Board of Trustees/Advisory Board members †Current Royal MTC staff ‡Monthly donors § Fondly Remembered

Tony Robbins

Barbara Scheuneman

Sydney Shore & Wayne Sharpe‡

Carol & Ron Slater Fund – Jewish Foundation of Manitoba

Deborah Spracklin

Janet Taylor

Dr. Peter Triggs‡

Vicki Verville‡

Murray & Nancy Wiegand Reed & Arla Winstone

Margaret Wollner‡

Anonymous

$250-599

Darci Adam

Pat & Darrell Adams‡

Brian Adolph

Dawn Andersen

Jay & Judy Anderson

Bob & Joy Antenbring

Elizabeth B. Armytage Fund – The Winnipeg Foundation

Dennis & Elaine Schultz

Peter Attwood

Peter Bagot

Sheena Baird†‡

Glenn & Norma Baldwin

Earl & Cheryl Barish

Betty Iris Bartush

Larry Beeston & Anna Sikora

Ryan Bernier

Bruce & Joyce Berry

Susan & Edwin Bethune

Laurie Bleeks

Lilian Bonin & Daniel P Levin

John & Marilyn Bourbonnais

Dr. Elizabeth Boustcha

The Hon. Patricia Bovey Ron & Joan Boyd‡ Kris & Ruth Breckman

SUPPORTERS

Billy Brodovsky & Libby Yager‡

Sheila & David Brodovsky

Brian Brown

Ellen & George Bruce

Cheryl Chaban

Rosemary Chapman

Lawrie & Bea Cherniack

Nancy Chuback

Kenneth Clark & Pamela Lockman

The Convery Family Karen & Marek Corbett

Jim & Gwen Court

Robert Coutts‡

Elaine Black – Creative Spaces

Limited

Drs. Kristen Creek & Josh Manusow

Matthew Cutler & Dr. Avery Miller

Ashleigh Czyrnyj

J. V. Dale

Linda Daniels

Chris Darazsi‡

J. Davidson‡

Doug De Graff

Diane Degraves

Diana Dinon‡

Carl & Wilma Doerksen

June Dutka

Roberta Dyck Glen* & Joan Dyrda Greg Edmond & Irene Groot-Koerkamp

Don & Elfie Elias

Jemara Fay‡

Kate Hodgert-Fennell‡

Andrea Forbes-Avila‡

Anne Friesen

Chad & Gina Friesen Curwin & Jill Weber Friesen Felicia & Trevor Frost

Paul Daeninck & Monica Furer Colleen & Dan Furlan‡

Daniel Gagnon

Basil & Judy Galarnyk

Lynne & Lindsay Gauld‡

Denise & Ron George Serky & Ben Goldberg

Gary Goodwin

Kayla Gordon & Art Maister

M. Gray

Brian & Dawn Hanson – in memory of our Daughter, Kristin Dawn Hanson

Linda Harlos & Adrian Wildsmith

Barbara Harrison

Kathryn & Wayne Harrison

Frank & Sue Hechter‡

Gail Hechter

Dr. Kristin Maria Heinrichs Medical Corp.

Rodney Hick & Tracey Jackson

Ted & Cathy Hlynsky

Lenore & John Hodge

Dennis & Betty-lynn Hodgkinson

Michael & Crystal Hollas‡

Ken Houssin*

Robert Hykawy

Jean Hyrich

Dan & Karen Ilchyna

Dr. James C. & Muriel Jamieson

Sylvia Jansen

Neil & Herta Janzen

Danielle Jobb & Brendan Roddy

Robert & Karen Johnston

Maria Jones

Katherine Clements & James Tam

Marilyn & Sheldon Joyal

Sheryl Kapitz & Aaron London‡

Sam Katz

Eileen Keck

Peter Kingsley

Eileen & George Klassen

Julie Ann Kniskern

Peter & Valerie Kohut

MELISSA LANGDON IN

THREE MUSKETEERS. PHOTO BY DYLAN HEWLETT.

Lorraine Kozub

Howard & Jane Kroeger

Randie & Jan Kushnier

Lisa & Ted Landrum

Barbara Latocki

Desiree Lavallee†‡

John & Heather Lea

E. Kerrie Halprin & Richard Leipsic Tim Preston & Dave Ling

Lois Litz

Chris Loepp

Gail Loewen

Teresa Lopata & Bruce Wagg

Tom Lussier

MacDonald/Cageorge Fund – The Winnipeg Foundation

Jim MacGregor & Christine Halma

Shawn Madak

Judith Manning

Ilse Marotta

Ms. Grace Martel

Liz Martin‡

Jim & Lynne McClelland

Campbell & Lorraine McIntyre

Greg & Gloria McLaren

John & Carolynne McLure Fund

– The Winnipeg Foundation

Donald G. McNabb

Constantina Metaxas

Albert & Judith Metcalfe‡

Susie Miclash

Janine Milani

Catherine Lambeth & Grant Mitchell

Marc Monnin & Donna Miller

Vera Moroz

Cathy Moser & Jeff Itzkow

Charlotte Murrell

Brad Nance

Marika Nerbas

Joanne Olchowecki

John Osler

Terry Panych

Jean-Pierre Parenty & Michelle Smith

Dr. Philip Pass

Ruth Pearce

Peter & Anita Pelech

Maryam & Izzy Peltz Fund – Jewish Foundation of Manitoba

Bonnie Penno‡

Rick Pinchin

Leonard & Ruth Podheiser & The Podheiser Family Foundation

Calvin & Jen Polet

Beth Pollard

Maureen Prendiville & Paul Jensen

Tammy Rabkin

Linda & Michael Radcliffe

Carole Rankin‡

Elizabeth Ready

Brad Regehr & Nalini Reddy*

Laura Richman

Jean Riggall‡

Andrea & Michael Robertson‡

Jay & Andria Ross

Tamara Rossie

Deborah & Neil Rostkowski

Muriel Rowe§

Michael T. Ruta

Onnolee Scharf

Carolyn Schellenberg

Roland Schneider

Faye Scott

Darcia & Gary Senft

Jewish Foundation of Manitoba – in memory of Sybil Shack for the benefiit of MTC

Blake Shiaro

Shayna & Merrill Shulman

Jan Shute & Doug Harvey

Elinor Simons

Eva Smith Mrs. Lorraine Smith

Mark C. Smith & Sabrina Smith Irene & Jim Snell – in honour of Jim Pappas Mrs. S. Sobey

Peter & Geri Spencer

Steve Stephanson & Tracy Nesbitt

Eleanor Suderman

Lorne Sunley

Mary Ann Supleve Ray & Fenella Temmerman

Karen Tereck – Welcome to Winnipeg Inc.

Leah R. Janzen & Ian R. Thomson Malcolm & Shirley Tinsley Jen & Kevin Tomanek

Gord & Lorena Trann B. Baydock & W. Tretiak Irvin & Toby Vinsky

Stirling Walkes Norma & Ron Westcott Lionel & Lorraine Wiens Kathy Gough & Tim Wildman Catherine Wilkie Klaus & Elsa Wolf Deborah A. Wolfe Margaret & Paul Wright Ms. Landice Yestrau & Mr. Kyle Reeves A Young Olga & Roman Zubach 15 Anonymous

$150-249

Sherry Allard-Harber

R.E. Allison‡

Jay & Judy Anderson

Tatiana Arcand Jennifer & Scott Ash

Nadine Audet‡

Zaz Bajon & Patricia Hunter Richard & Nancy Ball Dr. Corinne Barrett DeWiele

Richard Bartlinski

Mary Barwinsky

Karen & John Bate

Dr. Catherine Baxter & Mr. Mark

Conrad

Susan & George Benias

Trust Beta Carole Bhakar

Kelly Black & Sheila Curry

Marjorie Blankstein CM, OM, LLD

Joan Blight

Marnie Bolland

Sandra Brabant

Jackie & Steve Broda-Milian France Adams & Stephen Brodovsky

Debby & Bob Brown

Gerald R. Brown

Terry Bruneau

Carol Budnick

Linda Bulka John Burrows

Enid Butler

L. K. Butler

Diane & Gus* Campbell

Sandra Campbell‡ Arlene Carr

Jody Chalmers & Monique Perro‡ Norma & Victor Chernick Hy & Pat Cohen Fund

Agnes & John K. Collins

Sarah Corley

Larry & Christine Cowan R. Lynn Craton

Janet Cutler

Susan Cuvelier

Georges Damphousse

Kenneth DeLisle

Stan Diachun

Margaret & Sylvia Docker Sheila Domke & Stephen Ross

Rob Dryden

John & Ada Ducas

Heather Goulden & Jay Duncan Craig & Claudette Dunn

Pamela Dykstra

David & Barbara Ediger‡

John Edwards & Wendy Stelko

Gloria Emslie

Ken & Lesley Enns

Anthony Esposito

Marion Fellinger

Nelma Fetterman

Doug & Pat Finkbeiner

Elvira & Harry Finnigan

Gayle Fischer

Bev Fitzpatrick

Lawrence Foster‡ Christine Freeman Gloria & Rick Gallant William S. Gardner

Frank Filbert & Linda Garwood-Filbert

*Current Royal MTC Board of Trustees/Advisory Board members †Current Royal MTC staff ‡Monthly donors § Fondly Remembered

Jane Park & Blair Geisel

Trish Gibson

Patti & Rick Gilhuly

Heather Gillander

Darlene Golinoski

Dr. & Mrs. Andrew Gomori

Jan Gordon‡

John & Marcia Gordon

Harry & Cheryl Green

Dr. Darrell Grymonpre

Rodger & Marion Guinn

Rhonda & Glen Haight

Jackie Halliburton

Ahava Halpern & Frank Lavitt‡

Don Hardy

Hans & Sandra Hasenack

Shellie & Grant Hatch‡

Ken & Ruth Hayes

Kyle Hendin

David & Mary Hickling

Rob & Jen Hochkievich‡

Mary Hodge

Ann Hodges

Ramona Hodges

Tom & Dianne Hodgson

G. C. Irwin-Kilfoyle

Chuck Isaak

Elizabeth Janzen

Margaret Jeffries

Dave & Lesia Johns

Tannis & Owen Johnston

SUPPORTERS

Michael Joyal, esq.‡

Joanne & Rod Kamins

Koren Kaminski

Sherry Kaniuga‡

Paula Klan

Melvin & Margaret Klassen

Vernon & Roselin Klassen

John & Kathryn Knowles

Ms. Julie Koehn

Marvin Koop

Jennifer & Andrew Kosie

Mykola & Michelle Kowalchuk‡

Lorraine Kraichy‡

Carol Campbell & Andy Krentz

Paula Kristjanson Hasiuk

Jonathan & Cara Kroft

Teena Laird

Dale Lakevold

Ms. Cynthia Lau

Bryen Lebar & Patricia Sauder‡

Helen Leeds

Saul & Kathy Leibl

Tim & Kate Letkemann‡

Jay Lev

Wendell Lind

Stan & Susan Lipnowski

Judy & Eric Lister

Sarah Luby

Carole Lupkowski

L.L. MacDonald

Kathleen Malone

John & Helen Marakovits

Elaine & Neil Margolis

Agatha Massey

Cheryl & Eric Matheson

Roxana Mazur‡

Barbara McCandless

Melanie McCannell‡

Mr. & Mrs T. Simoes‡

Marlene & Ian McKay

Jim McLaren

Barry McNabb

Linda Meckling

Catarina Mello Schultz‡

Barb Melnychuk

Mario Mendizabal

Loretta Merriam

Heather Mian

Jim & Karren Middagh

Cressida Mills

Darwin Monita

Tom & Susan Mooney

Rodney Moorhead

Kelly Murray

Sharon & Mel Myers

B. Nagamori

Rhea Nelken

Leslie Nichol

Tom Nowicki

Irene Onuch

Doris Mae Oulton & Cam Mackie Kristen H. Pachet

Francie Palmer

Pak-Wai Chan

Judith Parker

Linda Pashniuk

Marlene & Richard Paterson

Myron Pawlowsky & Susan Boulter

Jo-Anne & Harvey Peltz

Donald & Elaine Peters Linda & Rob Pettit

Jocelyn Pitsch

Virginia Platt

Carla Plummer

Nancy & Brett Porth M. Lois Powne

Sheila Rabb

Roberta & Rick Rackal

Jim & Kathy Ranick‡

J. Rapai

Linda Ratynski

Dr. Martin Reed & Joy Cooper

Cheryl Reid

Arnold & Shirley Reimer

Art Reimber

Shelley Rennie Brian & Laurel Repski

Mr. & Mrs. William Reynolds

Ron Richert – in memory of Gail Richert

Roslyn Roberts‡ Nicole Robidoux

Gail MacAulay & Kevin Rollason

Pat & Michelle Rowan

Debbie Roy

Olga A. Runnalls‡

Barbara Ryan

David & Tammie Sainsbury

Cheryl Samson-Siemens & Gordon Siemens

Rodrigo Sanches Cunha‡ Heather Sandilands

Terry Sargeant & Margaret Haney

Hans & Gabriele Schneider

Harald & Vicki Schulz

Greg Sexsmith & Joni Lavender

Sexsmith‡

Linda Simpson

David Smith

Donald Smith‡ Michelle Smith

Jon Sorokowski

Kim Stephens

Lisa & Daniel Stiver

Heidi Struck‡ Shirley & Tom Strutt

Pam Sveinson & Brad Oswald

Shelley & Jeff Tallin

Sharon Timson‡

W. Torch

Marilyn Trepel

Mona Turcotte Eric Turner‡

Chris Turyk & Bryce Weedmark‡

United Way

Jane & Don Walters‡

Paul & Laura Walton‡

Robert & Sherilyn Ward

Peter & Joan Washchyshyn

Mary Agnes Welch‡

Jesse Wente

Michael & Lydia West

Al & Pat Wherrett‡

Florence & Donald Whitmore

Theresa Wiktorski

Leslie Wilson

Dennis & Gustine Wilton

Evelyn Witwicki Robyn Wolfe

Jason Woywada 29 Anonymous

SPONSOR

300 Main Air Canada

The Asper Foundation

The Gail Asper Family Foundation Bell MTS Birchwood Lexus BMO Financial Group Bonaventure Travel Inc.

Calm Air Canada Life Collective Event Rentals Culligan Water Dycom Direct Mail Services East India Company Esdale Printing Co. Ltd. The Fairmont Hotel Fillmore Riley LLP Friesens Corporation HUB International IG Wealth Management

Janzen Wealth Management Group Jones & Co Wine Merchants Lawton Partners

Liquor Mart Manitoba Bar Association

Manitoba Public Insurance McDiarmid Flowers

McNally Robinson Booksellers MTC Foundation POS Systems RBC Foundation

RE/MAX

Red River Co-operative Ltd. Relish New Brand Experience

Richardson Foundation Sleeman Breweries Ltd.

Soiree Event Planning Stantec Consulting Ltd. Tanchak Wealth Management Group

Taylor McCaffrey LLP

TD Bank Group

Torque Brewing University of Manitoba Wawanesa Insurance The Winnipeg Free Press Wuchien Michael Than Foundation

CORPORATE DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE

$25,000+

Johnston Group Inc. Richardson Foundation

$5,000-9,999

Cambrian Credit Union

$3,000-4,999

Terracon Development Ltd.

$1,200-2,999

Arthur J. Gallagher Insurance and Risk Management

Domo Gasoline Corporation Ltd., Kate M. Everett, President Gendis Inc. Manitoba’s Credit Unions

Maple Leaf Construction Ltd., Blake Fitzpatrick

Maxim Truck & Trailer – Doug Harvey & Jan Shute

Pollard Banknote Limited PRA Inc. Qualico

CORPORATE COMPANY CIRCLE

$600-1,199

Astroid Management Ltd. Mid West Packaging Limited Premier Printing Ltd.

$300-599

MCW/AGE Consulting Professional Engineers Winnipeg Building & Decorating Ltd.

$150-299

Diva Lingerie and Swim Wear FWS Group of Companies

*Current Royal MTC Board of Trustees/Advisory Board members †Current Royal MTC staff ‡Monthly donors

CONNECTING YOU WITH THE WORLD

CONNECTING YOU WITH THE WORLD

Book your next trip with Air Canada to enjoy convenient connections to 1,300+ destinations worldwide and experience our award-winning service for yourself.

Book your next trip with Air Canada to enjoy convenient connections to 1,300+ destinations worldwide and experience our award-winning service for yourself.

FOUNDERS’ CIRCLE

Wayne & Lee Anderson

Gail Asper, OC, OM, LLD*

Zdzislaw (Zaz) Bajon & Patricia Hunter

Marjorie & Morley§ Blankstein

Duane§ & Pauline Braun

Doneta Brotchie, CM* & Harry Brotchie

Ken & Denise Brown

David & Lianne Carefoot

Len & Heather Cariou

Terri Cherniack & Steven Schipper, CM, OM

Jennifer Cheslock & George Buri

David Christianson & Vera

Steinberger

David* & Barb Christie

Gerry* & Chris Couture

Hugh B. Cowan

Kerry Dangerfield*

Laurie Lam & Larry Desrochers

Glen* & Joan Dyrda

Robert & Florence Eastwood

Don & Elfie Elias

Bill§ & Gayle Fischer

Anthony* & Jennifer Fletcher

Jack Fraser

James Gibbs§

Sandy & Rheal Gousseau

Rita Gunn & Gregory Mason

John* & Nicola Guttormson

Ahava Halpern & Frank Lavitt

Linda Hamilton & Grange Morrow

Gary Hannaford* & Cathy Rushton

Ted§ & Gail Hechter

Elaine Heinicke§

Shawn Hughes & Bruno Koehn

June§ & Bob Jackson Fund for the Performing Arts

Maureen E. Jay

Andrew & Wendy Jensen

David & Diane Johnston

Dr. Leonard & Hope§ Kahane

Janis Kaminsky

Jason Kasper

John Kearsey

Gordon & Anne Keatch§

Rob Kennedy & Claudette Leclerc

Serena Helen Kraayeveld

Leona J. MacDonald

Cheryl Johannson§ & Michael Mainman

Mark & Gloria Mancini

Virginia Martin

Peggy Barker & Ron McKinnon

Jim* & Penny McLandress

Barb Melnychuk

Bob & Pat Migliore

Jeffrey Morton*

Ken & Sharon Mould

Dr. Liam Murphy§

Robb & Heather Paterson

Chris Pearce

Scott Penner

Gina & John* C. Petersmeyer

Drs. Bill Pope & Elizabeth

Tippett-Pope

K. Heather Power & Harold Klause

Margaret Redmond* & Greg Gillis

Edward Fisher & Lyse Rémillard Joan D. Richardson

Jean Riggall

Michelle Rowan

Michael T. Ruta

Sharon Ryman

Susan Skinner*

Kevin Hines & Shelly Smith-Hines

Bill & Laurie* Speers

Deborah Spracklin

Joan Stephens

Joanne Tait

Suzanne Ullyot

Lionel & Lorraine Wiens

Margaret§ & Alfred Wikjord

Richard L. Yaffe* & John A. Statham§

Brenda Zaporzan§ 2 Anonymous

TRIBUTE GIFTS

In honour of Jean Bedford

In memory of Sonia Cumming Laurel Cumming

ENDOWMENT – STEVEN SCHIPPER FUND

Many thanks to the generosity of our Endowment Fund donors who gave a gift or fulfilled a pledge payment between Oct 1, 2021 and Nov 30, 2022. Amounts listed are cumulative.

$5,000,000+

Government of Canada/ Gouvernement du Canada Canadian Heritage/Patrimoine canadien

$250,000-499,999

Gail Asper, OC, OM, LLD* & Michael Paterson

$100,000-249,999

The Leigh & Liam Murphy Family Fund $25,000-49,999

Susan Glass & Arni Thorsteinson J.K. May Investments Ltd. Cam & Carole Osler Terracon Development Ltd.

$10,000-24,999

The Bowles Family Don & Sheila Katz Susan & Keith Knox Norma Anne Padilla L. Blair Philpott & Tom Kynman Dr. Bill Pope & Dr. Elizabeth Tippett-Pope George Sigurdson Faye Warren Margaret & Alfred Wikjord

$5,000-9,999

Margaret Caie Ron & Carol Chapman Pam & Andrew Cooke Gail Hechter Maureen E. Jay Irene Miller & the late Claire Miller Gina O'Connor & John* C. Petersmeyer* Barbara Scheuneman Terry & Les Wiens Anonymous

*Current Royal MTC Board of Trustees/Advisory Board members †Current Royal MTC staff ‡Monthly donors § Fondly Remembered If you have remembered Royal MTC in your will, please let us know.

$2,500-4,999

Don & Cheryl Breakey

Rita & Don Campbell

Roberta Dyck

Michael & Lynn Evans

David & Ewhenia Gnutel

John & Margaret Graham

Carol Campbell & Andy Krentz

Jean & Lisa Neron

Iris Reimer Anonymous

$1,000-2,499

Joan & Edward Alexander

David & Pamela Bolton

Carol Budnick

Art & Donna Chow

Agnes & John K. Collins

Dorothy Davidson

DGH Engineering Ltd.

Brenda & Michael Evans

Christine Fleetwood

Dr. Jeremy & Maureen Gordon

Teresa A. Hay

Marilyn & Helios Hernandez

Lynne Jentsch

Barbara Latocki

Barbara Main

Peggy Barker & Ron McKinnon

Paul & Elaine Neelon

SUPPORTERS

Myron Pawlowsky & Susan Boulter

Edna Poulter

W. & N. Rennie

Howie & Sue Simpson Deborah Spracklin 3 Anonymous

$500-999

Marge & Ted Avent

Nan Carson

Katherine Cobor & Gordon Steindel

Valerie Dunsmore – in memory of Beverly Muzyk

Sandra Giercke

Evelyn Hecht

Mr. & Mrs. Fred Kisil

Anthony & Joyce McWha Lorraine & Ernest Reinfort

Sandra Sadler

Bryce & Jenna Simes

Peter & Sharon Taylor Gabor Vamos & Brenda Silver

Erin, Bryan, Brooklyn & Jameson Wills – in memory of Beverly Muzyk Anonymous

UP TO $499

Helen M. Arkos

Ingrid Bolbecher

James Barrie & Sarah Anne Cranston

Helene Dyck

Allan & Evelyn Hardy

Nancy Latocki

Bob & Pat Migliore

Diane Schurek

Elaine Walker

Linda L. Wiebe Anonymous

MANY THANKS TO OUR VOLUNTEERS!

FUNDERS

SEASON PARTNERS

TOUR

JOHN HIRSCH MAINSTAGE PERFORMANCE SPONSORS

TOM HENDRY WAREHOUSE SEASON SPONSOR EXCLUSIVE PRODUCTION SUPPORTER

JOHN HIRSCH MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION SPONSORS

TOM HENDRY WAREHOUSE PRODUCTION SPONSOR NATIONAL MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

THE SCENES

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Honorary Members

Her Honour, Lt. Governor Anita R. Neville

The Honourable Heather Stefanson, Premier of Manitoba

His Worship, Mayor Scott Gillingham

Executive Officers

Laurie Speers, Chair

John Guttormson, Past-Chair

Ed Acuna, Nominating Committee Chair

Heather Clarke, Treasurer & Organizational Performance Committee Chair

David Kroft, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility Committee Chair

Sudhir Sandhu, Secretary

Jeremy Trickett, Governance & Strategic Planning Committee Chair

Claire Workman, Resource Development Committee Chair

Trustees

Jan Coates

Katherine Fox

Susan Freig

David Lalama

Andrea Lochhead Linda McGarva Cohen

Advisory Council

David Christie, Chair

Gail Asper

Doneta Brotchie, CM

Angus Campbell Gerry Couture

Kerry Dangerfield Hy Dashevsky Glen Dyrda, FCA

Anthony C. Fletcher

Jean Giguere

Charron Hamilton

Gary Hannaford, FCA Yude Henteleff

Ken Houssin

STAFF

Accounting/Finance

Kim Friesen, Payroll Administrator

Nalini Reddy

Loren Remillard Jennifer Tesoro Josh Thiem Geeta Tucker

Colin R. MacArthur, KC Patrick J. Matthews Jim McLandress

Jeffrey Morton, FCA Hon. Jack Murta Lillian Neaman John Petersmeyer

Lawrence Prout Jeff Quinton Patricia Rabson Margaret Redmond Susan Skinner Al Snyder Maureen Watchorn

Yvonne O’Connor, Accounts Payable Administrator

Shelley Stroski, Controller

Administration

Kurt Brown, HR Generalist

Camilla Holland, Executive Director Kathrin Moncaster, IT Manager

Artistic

Audrey Dwyer, Associate Artistic Director (on leave)

Katie German, Assistant Program Director, Pimootayowin Creators Circle

Melissa Langdon, Apprentice Artistic Director Isabelle Ly, Producer

Ian Ross, Program Director, Pimootayowin Creators Circle

Kelly Thornton, Artistic Director

Leslie Watson, Company Manager

Box Office

Meaghan Fletcher, Box Office Manager

Box Office Representatives: Jane Hunter, Beatrice Jackson, Harlan Kumps, Melissa Langdon, Jazz Marcelino, Shayla Meeroff, Daniel Mitchell, Carolin Schroeder, Katie Spring Carpentry (John Hirsch Mainstage)

Louis Gagné, Layout Carpenter

Brent Letain, Master Carpenter

Chris Seida, Scenic Carpenter

Development

Patrick Hanan, Development Database Specialist

Brendan McKeen, Individual Giving Manager

Melissa Novecosky, Director of Development

Stephanie Porrior, Event Coordinator

Front of House

Samantha Harrison, Front of House Manager, John Hirsch Mainstage Ntara Curry, Front of House Manager, Tom Hendry Warehouse

Front of House Staff: Jennifer Brisson, Renelle Chartier, Shay Cote, Bee Dasuki, Rylen De Vries, Christopher Douglas, Laurel Fife, Melanie Fowler, Cassidy Groening, Darrah Horobetz, Joanna Houston, Brooklyn Kilfoyle, Kyra Lyle, Kimmy Martin, Graeme Olson, Christina Reid, Coral Ross, Cobi Winston

Maintenance

Chris Fletcher, Building Manager

Wesley Leask, Assistant Building Manager

Marketing & Communications

Ksenia Broda-Milian, Education and Enrichment Manager

Sue Caughlin, Marketing & Communications Manager

Katie Inverarity, Director of Marketing & Communications

Desiree La Vallee, Ticketing Application Specialist

Savannah Lillies, Marketing & Communications Coordinator

Lauren Wagn, Communications & Social Media Manager

Paint

Carla Schroeder, Head Scenic Artist

Production

Christine Corthey, Production Associate

Ian Kirk, Production Driver

Jaxun Maron, Assistant Production Manager

Russell Martin, Director of Production

Don Osler, Technical Director

Jacqueline Robertson, Assistant Technical Director

Properties

Khaeler Bautista, Props Builder

Zoë Leclerc-Kennedy, Props Builder/Buyer

Jamie Plummer, Head of Props

Stage Crew

Chris Coyne, Head of Sound

Kayla McSwain, Head of Wardrobe

Gary Plouffe, House Stage Hand

Claude Robert, Head Electrician

Chris Thomson, Head Carpenter

Tom Hendry Warehouse

Tim Clark, Head of Sound

Ryan Spracklin, Master Carpenter

Fisher Wohlgemut, Head Electrician Wardrobe

Thora Lamont, Head of Wardrobe

Jackie Van Winkle, Head Buyer & Accessories Coordinator

Wigs

Beverley Covert, Head of Wigs/Make-Up

Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival

Chuck McEwen, Executive Producer

Tori Popp, Festival Manager

Honorary Staff

Zaz Bajon, General Manager Emeritus

Steven Schipper, CM, OM, Artistic Director Emeritus

ADDITIONAL PRODUCTION STAFF

Into the Woods

Madison Summer Bautista, Props

Rachel Baziuk, Props

Linda Beech, Props / Scenic Artist

Tim Clark, Audio 3

Kim Crossley, Cutter

Jo Dixon, Scenic Artist

Ray Galinaitis, Stagehand

Christian Hadley, Witch Prosthetics

Kari Hagness, Props

Penny Hanford, Seamstress

Ellen Hatley, Scenic Painter

Alanna Holder Ridges, Dresser

Shauna Jones, Scenic Artist

Karen Luchak, Seamstress

Barbara Mackenzie, Seamstress

Van McLean, Carpenter

Farrah Okolita, Scenic Artist

Adrianna Oliphant, Wigs Assistant

Sharon Ryman, Additional Wigs

Martha Schram, Seamstress

Larissa Shabaga, Scenic Painter

Liam Shattuck, Carpenter

Ryan Spracklin, Props

Lela Stairs, Cutter

Craig Strong, Audio 2

Bennette Villones, Props

Andrea Von Wichet, Scenic Artist

Joy Willis, Seamstress

Anna Yaworski, Seamstress

Additional Crew Provided by IATSE 63

Act Like a Star!

Everyone at the theatre is part of the show. Yes, even you. You want to be a star, don’t you? These tips will make you a stand-out performer (in a good way)!

Scents and Sensibility

Many theatre lovers experience adverse medical reactions from scented products. Please consider others before using scented products.

Park Your Mobile Device

We know something interesting is happening on social media. It always is. But your neighbours want to watch the play. Please turn off all mobile devices.

The Sound of Silence

Our theatre has great acoustics. So when you’re talking during the show, everyone can hear you. Your neighbours, the ushers and even the actors. We want you to talk about the show but at intermission or after the final bows.

We’re always happy to see you at the theatre. Thank you for coming!

Stephen Sondheim, Theatre’s Encourager-in-Chief

After he passed in 2021, The New York Times named Stephen Sondheim “Theatre’s Encourager-in-Chief”. He devoted countless hours to nurturing the talent of tomorrow. He wrote thoughtful letters filled with warm, abundant guidance to any developing artist who reached out to him. His words encouraged many young people as they began their artistic journeys.

These journeys are not short. Today, you are seeing years of studying and training at work on stage and behind-the-scenes. These amazing artists have completed post-secondary education at universities and theatre schools, countless apprenticeships, and numerous assistant positions. Many of them received support for their journey from people just like you.

Every year, 20 emerging artists receive assistance from the Jean Murray-Moray Sinclair Theatre Scholarships offered by Royal MTC. These artists are full-time students enrolled in post-secondary education who intend to pursue a career in theatre.

Nine of the artists you see onstage and several production team members are past recipients of a scholarship and people like you helped get them there.

After intermission, our usher teams will be passing a hat to collect funds for the scholarships. Every dollar goes directly to students to support their training. And today, your dollars will go even further. Thanks to the Zita and Mark Bernstein Family Foundation, gifts received will be matched up to a total of $5,000!

To make a donation to the scholarship program, contact Brendan McKeen, Individual Giving Manager, at bmckeen@royalmtc.ca or 204 954 6412.

Empowering creative young minds

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