The Wizard of Oz, the Musical
By L. Frank Baum, with Music and Lyrics by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg, background Music by Herbert Stothart
Dance and Vocal Arrangements by Peter Howard Orchestration by Larry Wilcox
Adapted by John Kane for the Royal Shakespeare Company
Based upon the Classic Motion Picture owned by Turner Entertainment Co. and distributed in all media by Warner Bros.
Tara Blue - Choreographer
Tara Blue is a dance artist and proud Calgarian. Studying at the feet (literally!) of dozens of movement masters including Bessie Schonberg (namesake of the New York Dance and Performance Award), Amelia Itcush, Peggy Baker, as well as Calgary’s own Denise Clarke, Vicky Adams Willis, and Davida Monk, instilled within Tara a devotion to the entire spectrum of embodied movement in arts and in life. Tara was the first graduate of the Dance Degree Program at The University of Calgary. She is the Artistic Director of The Blue Collar Dance Company, a founding director of The Calgary Urban Arts Festival Society, Producer of both the LiveStyle Urban Arts Festival and the Slammenberry Jam Urban Dance Festival, and serves as director on the boards of several dance organizations in Calgary. An admitted musical theatre geek, Tara was honored to have produced two original musicals, Dawson and The Paper Bag Princess, through Blue Collar Dance.
Dante Camacho - Dog Trainer
Dante Camacho has been a professional dog trainer for the last 13 years and has worked with a variety of different breeds in dog sports, animal therapy, TV commercials, and entertainment, always bringing a very gentle and efficient style of teaching dogs and people. Originally from Brazil he moved to Canada in 2007 after been to France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Peru, Mexico and Sweden, either teaching or competing with his dogs. His skills have made him the Team Leader of the famous Canadian show "Superdogs", where he sets the standard of performance for all trainers and aspiring cast members as well as choosing suitable dogs to perform with the shows across Canada. Dante is thrilled with the opportunity to work with Alberta Theatre Projects and share his knowledge on the stage.
Kevin Corey - Cowardly Lion/Zeke
Kevin was last seen at Alberta Theatre Projects in last year’s production of Seussical™ The Musical. Other past credits include. A Midsummer Night's Dream (Caravan Farm Theatre), Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Vertigo Theatre), Twisted (Forte Musical Theatre Guild), Much Ado About Nothing, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Theatre Calgary), Tyland (Enbridge playRites Festival), Ground Zero Theatre's Vancouver production of Evil Dead the Musical, seven seasons with the Free Will Shakespeare Festival (Edmonton), George Dandin (The Globe Theatre), Julius Caesar, A Christmas Carol (The Citadel Theatre), The Blue Orphan (Catalyst Theatre), The Black Rider (November Theatre).
Ruby Dawn Eustaquio - Assistant Stage Manager
Ruby Dawn is so excited to be playing in the land of Oz with her fellow ATPers! Other Alberta Theatre Projects credits include: Seussical™ the Musical, The Highest Step in the World and Shakespeare’s Dog. She just finished Dangerous Corner (Vertigo Theatre) and will see her next with Enron at Theatre Calgary. Other selected credits: Much Ado About Nothing (Theatre Calgary), Faust (Calgary Opera), Twelve Angry Men, Evelyn Strange, Rebecca (Vertigo Theatre), Evil Dead: The Musical - Calgary and Vancouver (Ground Zero Theatre/ Hit&Myth Prod.), [title of show] (Forte Musical Theatre). She is also a member of the cast and crew of Dirty Laundry, Calgary’s only improvised soap opera. Ruby Dawn would like to thank Aaron, her best but quiet supporter.
Corwin Ferguson - Projection Designer
Corwin, Vancouver based, is thrilled to design his first show with Alberta Theatre Projects. Projection credits include such companies as: Studio 58, The Virtual Stage, The Vancouver Playhouse, The Arts Club, Chemanius Theatre, The Electric Company. Corwin’s a co-founding director of Awkward Stage Productions, and works as a youth instructor in theatre, digital and visual arts for The Arts Umbrella. Professional theatre experience includes acting, projection design, stage management, graphic and props design. Recent projection credits: Anything Goes & Bye Bye Birdie (Theatre Under the Stars), 1984 (Studio 58/Virtual Stage). Upcoming: Ash Rizin’ (Alberta Theatre Projects/Green Thumb Theatre). Corwin is a Studio 58 acting graduate.
Vanessa Holmes - Ensemble
Vanessa is thrilled to be back at Alberta Theatre Projects. Select credits include: The Blue Room, Sage Theatre;Ways and Means, Lunchbox Theatre; A Doll's House, Globe Theatre; Murder on the Nile and An Inspector Calls, Vertigo Theatre; The Ends of the Earth, The Belfry Theatre; That Elusive Spark and The Gift of the Coat, Enbridge playRites Festival '08, Rabbit Hole, Alberta Theatre Projects; The Constant Wife, Citadel Theatre/MTC; Trying, Theatre Calgary/Citadel Theatre; A Christmas Carol, Theatre Calgary. Film credits include Blackstone, The 19th Wife, The 12 Men of Christmas, and A Friend of the Family.
Elinor Holt - Wicked Witch/Miss Gultch
Elinor was last seen on stage at Alberta Theatre Projects in The Penelopiad. Selected credits elsewhere include: Rebecca for Vertigo Theatre, Twisted with Forte Theater/Bitter Suite Society, Under the Bright Sun for Lunchbox Theatre, Mom’s The Word for Theatre Calgary, The Attic, The Pearls and Three Fine Girls for Sage Theatre, Helen’s Necklace for Urban Curvz Theatre, Urine Town for Ground Zero/Hit&Myth, The Piper for Downstage Theatre, Boeing, Boeing for Stage West, Becky’s New Car for Theatre Northwest in Prince George, BC. Up next Elinor will travel to Northern Light Theatre in Edmonton for The Ecstatics. Elinor's three children have been playing a part in ATP's Holiday Presentation for the past two years by voicing the pre-show chat. Elinor is happy to make this year an even bigger family affair. Happy Holidays!
Bruce Horak - Scarecrow/Hunk
For Alberta Theatre Projects: The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood (Musician/King Richard) and This is CANCER (Performer/Co-creator). When not acting, Bruce spends his time writing, directing, composing music and painting portraits. His portraits will be on display across the street at the Auburn Saloon for the month of December, and can be viewed online at brucehorak.com. You can also download the iPhone app by searching ‘Bruce Horak’ or “the way I see it”.
This performance is dedicated to my cousin, Randy who loves OZ more than anyone I know.
Chris Jacko - Sound Design
Chris has been involved in theatrical sound design and production for the past eighteen years, having earned his BFA in Technical Theatre from Ryerson University in Toronto. Previously, he has worked as the head of sound for the University of Calgary’s University Theatre Services and for Theatre Junction at the Grand. Past credits include Sound Designer – Seussical™ the Musical (Alberta Theatre Projects); Sound Designer – The Drowsy Chaperone, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Beyond Eden (Jessie Richardson Award nomination), Sound Engineer – Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Disney’s Beauty & the Beast (Theatre Calgary); Sound Designer – British Invasion, A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline, Canadian Explosion, Nunsense, Victor Victoria (Stage West Calgary); Sound System Designer – Urinetown (Ground Zero Theatre/Hit & Myth Productions); Sound Designer – Grease, The Rocky Horror Show, Anne of Green Gables, A Chorus Line, Fiddler On The Roof (Stage West Mississauga). Chris would like to thank his wonderfully understanding wife Lisa for her continued support.
Kathryn Kerbes - Glinda/Auntie Em
Kathryn is thrilled to be working with this magnificent ensemble on one of her favorite shows of all time. For Alberta Theatre Projects: The Penelopiad, Shakespeare’s Dog, Half Life, Who Has Seen the Wind. Recent credits: A Christmas Carol (Theatre Calgary), Dangerous Corner, Snake in the Grass and Spider’s Web (Vertigo Theatre), Anything Goes, Murder on the Nile and Mr. Pim Passes By (Chemainus Theatre Festival). Film/TV: Into the West, Identity Theft. As an artistic director and ensemble member with Shadow Productions for 20 years, Kathryn was co recipient of the 1998 Harry and Martha Cohen Award. Up next: Enron at Theatre Calgary. Thanks to the wonderful staff at Alberta Theatre Projects and her incredibly supportive family, Hal, Hannah, Sarah and Wyatt.
David LeReaney - The Wizard/Prof. Marvel
David LeReaney’s career as a professional actor spans 33 years. He is a recipient of the 1993 Best Actor Alberta Media Production Industries Association (AMPIA) award, the 2007 Best Narrator AMPIA, the Harry and Martha Cohen Award (for sustained and significant contribution to theatre in Calgary) in 2000 and the 2010 Supporting Actor Betty Mitchell award For his role in Shakespeare’s Dog at Alberta Theatre Projects. He is also a dialect and acting coach and President of the Calgary chapter of Performing Arts Lodges. Last season David appeared in Vertigo’s 12 Angry Men and in And So It Goes for Downstage. Among his man film and TV appearances, David can be seen in Passchendaele, the AMC TV series Hell on Wheels, and the APTN series Blackstone. For more on David visit www.davidlereaney.com
David Leyshon - Tin Man/Hickory
For Alberta Theatre Projects: Debut. Most recently: Shady Business (Stage West). Other theatre credits include: The Three Musketeers, Little Women (Citadel Theatre); Guys and Dolls (Chemainus Theatre); This Could Be Love (Lunchbox Theatre); Evelyn Strange (Vertigo Theatre); My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding (Mirvish); An Ideal Husband (Theatre Calgary); Little Shop of Horrors (Persephone Theatre); Hamlet, The Taming of the Shrew, All’s Well That Ends Well (Stratford Festival); A Christmas Carol (The Grand Theatre); seven seasons with The Shaw Festival, including roles in The Importance of Being Earnest, The Cassilis Engagement, Major Barbara, Misalliance, High Society; Blood Brothers (Theatre Aquarius); Cinderella (Globe Theatre); The Fantasticks (Theatre Calgary); Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare in the Park).
Glynis Leyshon - Director
One of Canada’s most respected stage and opera directors, Glynis has worked across Canada for a wide variety of theatres including several seasons at the Shaw Festival (The Devil’s Disciple, Lady Be Good); Canadian Stage (Private Lives); Tarragon Theatre (Mrs. Klein); The Citadel Theatre (Mrs. Warren’s Profession) and the National Arts Centre (Death and the Maiden). As the Artistic Director of Victoria’s Belfry Theatre and the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre, she directed and acted in over 50 productions, including the award winning Equus, Wit, and Oleanna. Most recently, Glynis has dramaturged and directed the Governor General award winning Where the Blood Mixes by Kevin Loring, which premiered at Toronto’s Luminato Festival. She directed Blithe Spirit with Chris Hunt for Blue Bridge Theatre this summer. In Calgary, she has directed for Calgary Opera (Don Giovanni), Theatre Calgary (Vigil), and Alberta Theatre Projects (M. Butterfly, Seussical™ The Musical). Upcoming productions include For the Pleasure of Seeing Her Again at Western Canada Theatre, and God of Carnage at the Belfry.
Lily - Toto
Lily is a five-year-old mixed breed adopted from a shelter in Montreal, Quebec. Lily did not have an easy start in life. She had five different families before being adopted by her forever-home. Lily is a very smart and eager little dog. She loves to do agility, flyball, frisbee, and many other tricks. Lily is part of the President’s Choice Superdogs performance team. Watch for Lily in The Wizard of Oz as she encounters new friends on her journey back home!
Amy Lippold - Stage Manager
Amy is thrilled as always to back home at Alberta Theatre Projects. Favorite Credits include: Stage Manager: Seussical™ the Musical, The Penelopiad, Shakespeare's Dog, Toad of Toad Hall, Robin Hood, Unity (1918), The Drowning Girls (Alberta Theatre Projects), Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, Evelyn Strange (Vertigo Theatre), Evil Dead: The Musical (Ground Zero Theatre/Hit & Myth), Princess of the Stars (Patria Opera), Cosi Fan Tutte, La Tragedie de Carmen, Phaedra/Dido & Aeneas (The Banff Centre), Little Mercy's First Murder (Ground Zero Theatre), Bat Boy the Musical (Mob Hit Productions). As ASM: The Full Monty, Urinetown The Musical (Ground Zero Theatre/Hit & Myth), Peter Pan, Stones in His Pockets, 2 Pianos 4 Hands (Alberta Theatre Projects), Filumena (Banff Centre & Edmonton Opera) and multiple shows over the last six seasons at Calgary Opera. Amy will be back shortly to stage manage The Wizard of Oz, The Musical! She would also like to thank the amazingly wonderful folks at Alberta Theatre Projects and Brett...for all his love and support!
Narda McCarroll - Lighting Design
Narda is an Edmonton-based set, costumes and lighting designer. She is always happy to return to Calgary and to the great team here at Alberta Theatre Projects. Designs for ATP include: set/lights for Rabbit Hole, Plan B; Set/Costumes for Vincent in Brixton, Stones in His Pockets, and lights for Shakespeare’s Dog, and The Drowning Girls which went on to play in theatres across the country from Toronto to Victoria. Other favorite credits include: Set/Lights for The 39 Steps (Vertigo Theatre); Set/Lights for True Love Lies, production design for Extinction Song, Shining City and co-design for Vimy (Citadel Theatre); Set/Costumes for The Trespassers (Belfry, Vancouver Playhouse); lights for The Forbidden Phoenix (Citadel, Lorraine Kimsa, Manitoba Theatre for Young People); and production design for Mary’s Wedding and Apple (Workshop West Theatre). Narda has designed costumes for the Freewill Shakespeare Festival in Edmonton for thirteen seasons. She is the recipient of three Sterling Awards and one Betty Mitchell Award.
Karyn Mott - Ensemble/Dorothy Understudy
Karyn Mott is thrilled to be making her Alberta Theatre Projects debut in The Wizard of Oz, The Musical. She is so grateful for the opportunity to work with such an amazing and talented cast, crew and company. Getting the chance to play a monkey is truly a dream come true for Karyn. Selected credits include A Christmas Carol and Oliver (Citadel Theatre), Two Gentlemen of Verona and The Winter’s Tale (Freewill Shakespeare Festival), Tudor Queens: A Burlesque (Send in The Girls), Forsooth My Lovely and The Crimson Yak (Acme Productions), Goodnight Desdemona, Good Morning Juliet, Spine, The Good Person of Szechuan (Studio Theatre). Karyn is a graduate of the University of Alberta’s BFA Program. She wishes to send special thanks to her family and Robert for their constant love and support.
Morag Northey - Musician
Morag has performed with the Austin Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Winnipeg and the National Ballet touring Orchestras, Les Miserables (Mirvish Productions), The Phantom of the Opera (Live Ent. Inc.), West Side Story, Anne of Green Gables, Beauty and the Beast, and 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Theatre Calgary). Theatrical collaborations (Composition, Songwriting, Singing, Celllist, Sound Design) include: Why Freud Fainted by David Rhymer (Alberta Theatre Projects), Blanche Onalea Gilbertson, Queen Lear by Eugene Stickland (UrbanCurvz). Her debut album This is the Life with Red Venus Blue Tango (RVBT) features Morag as Singer, Songwriter, and Cellist. Lilies of the Field (composer, arranger, cellist, singer, co-producer) was nominated "Outstanding Inspirational Album of the Year" Gospel Music Association 2007. RVBT opened for East Village Opera Company, closed the VIP reception for the Dalai Lama's Now tour, and headed to Vancouver where Morag had repeat performances at the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games Athletes Village stages as Solo artist, with RVBT, and her show Love is the Subject. Morag is thrilled to be playing Wizard of Oz this season with Alberta Theatre Projects & Mr. Joe Slabe! moragnorthey.com
Jeffrey Olynek - Ensemble
Jeffrey Olynek is an actor and special skills performer in Calgary. Theatre credits include Kung Fu Panties (Ground Zero Theatre/Hit & Myth Productions), Freakshow and iRobot Theatre (Swallow-a-Bicycle), Office Hours and Neuroses (Motel Theatre), Go with the Flow (Evergreen Theatre), Duck Duck Bang (Firefly Theatre) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Opera Nuova). He is a graduate of the University of Alberta appearing in The Cherry Orchard, The Clink and The Double Inconstancy (Studio Theatre). Jeff’s special skills include fire poi, juggling and unicycle, and he is proud to be an Advanced Actor Combatant with Fight Directors Canada.
John Pennoyer - Set/Costume Design
Armed with a pass degree in Humanities from McMaster University, John Pennoyer began his theatrical career as a props apprentice at Stratford, Ontario in 1972. Three years and several theatres later, he began design training under Daphne Dare, Stratford’s first Head of Design. In 1976 Pennoyer designed Robin Phillip’s production of Hamlet. This was followed by Ghosts, Henry VI, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Taming of the Shrew, Love's Labour’s Lost, Measure for Measure, Pericles, Twelfth Night, Of Mice and Men, and A Winter's Tale. Pennoyer has also designed for Tarragon Theatre, the National Ballet of Canada, and the Canadian Opera Company.Outside of Toronto, he has worked for Alberta Theatre Projects, Theatre Calgary, Le Theatre du Trident in Quebec City, the Banff Centre, the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre, and the Welsh National Opera. He is currently teaching design at Dalhousie University in Halifax.
Kevin Rothery - Guard/Uncle Henry
For Alberta Theatre Projects: Shakespeare’s Dog, Half Life, Amadeus, Zadie’s Shoes, Who Has Seen the Wind, A Guide to Mourning, Billy Bishop Goes to War. Elsewhere: the premiere of In Flanders Field (Betty Mitchell nomination) (Lunchbox Theatre), Girl in the Goldfish Bowl (Betty Mitchell Award Nomination) (Sage Theatre), Dangerous Corner, 12 Angry Men, Rebecca, The Woman in Black (Betty Mitchell Award nomination) (Vertigo Theatre); A Christmas Carol (2003 - 2010), Saint Joan, Macbeth, Death of a Salesman, Cabaret (Theatre Calgary); The Alan Parkinson’s Project (Ghost River Theatre), A Man For All Seasons, and The Wizard of Oz (Globe Theatre, Regina). Film and Television: Tying the NOT (Lazysusan Productions), Snowglobe (for ABC Family), I Dream of Murder, Hollywood Wives: The Next Generation, Rat Race, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (the series), Incredible Story Studio.
Joe Slabe - Musical Director
Joe Slabe is thrilled to return to Alberta Theatre Projects as the musical director for The Wizard of Oz! Recent MD credits include Seussical™ The Musical (Alberta Theatre Projects); [title of show], Twisted*, Austentatious, but this IS my day job…* (Forte Musical Theatre), In Flanders Fields* (Lunchbox) and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee* (Theatre Calgary), for which he won the 2010 Betty Mitchell Award for outstanding Musical Direction. Joe co-wrote the musical Austentatious and, after playing New York, London, Philadelphia and Calgary, it is soon to be published by Playscripts Inc. Joe is the founding artistic director of Forte Musical Theatre Guild and received the 2004 Greg Bond Award for outstanding contributions to musical theatre in Calgary. Joe will premiere his latest show, Jeremy de Bergerac, this February at the Joyce Doolittle Theatre. (*Betty Mitchell nomination for Musical Direction)
Ksenia Thurgood - Dorothy
A joyous scream was heard all across Calgary when Ksenia Thurgood was offered Dorothy. She is honoured to be playing the iconic character as well as spending another holiday season at Alberta Theatre Projects with this amazing group of artists. She has performed all across Canada, USA and Bosnia/Herzegovina. Select theatre: Seussical™ The Musical & Toad of Toad Hall (Alberta Theatre Projects), The Drowsy Chaperone, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Theatre Calgary), John & Beatrice (Verb Theatre), Pageant (Last Exit Theatre), Private Lives (Northern Light Theatre), Evita (Persephone Theatre), Anne of Green Gables (Globe Theatre) and [title of show] (Forte Musical Theatre Guild). This summer, Ksenia was writing and performing with the live sketch comedy company The Late Late Breakfast Show. Upcoming: Ksenia will be playing Clean in the world premiere of Ash Rizin' in the Enbridge playRites Festival at Alberta Theatre Projects. (La mia famiglia: grazie tanto. amore.) www.kseniathurgood.com
Tyson - Toto
Our little fur ball Tyson has been waiting patiently for his stage debut. With many years of training behind him and a natural love to perform tricks, act and his love of attention, owner Darcy McNabb knew it was just a matter of time. Wherever they go Tyson steals the show. He hates grooming but will be bribed by his love for cookies, and if you think this cutie will cuddle and you are not his mom, he will let you know loud and clear to back off. Tyson is a nine-year-old Shih Tzu Pomeranian cross. He would love to be your Facebook friend!
Guillermo Urra - Ensemble/Dance Captain
Guillermo, or Guilly as he's known to most, is thrilled to be heading down the yellow brick road here at Alberta Theatre Projects, last seen as lost boy Tootles in Peter Pan in 2006. A born and raised Calgarian, he now calls the lovely city of Montreal home. Recent theatre credits include [title of show] (Forte Musical Theatre Guild), Evil Dead the Musical (Ground Zero Theatre), Jesus Christ Superstar (Stage West), A Christmas Carol (Theatre Calgary), and Urinetown The Musical (Ground Zero Theatre). Thanks and love, as always to my family and friends for all of their love and support. But most of all to my G, for all of your support and patience for being away from home over the holidays. Enjoy the show everyone, and happiest of holidays! Lions, and Tigers, and Bears....