Armstrong’s War

Jamie is thrilled to make his Theatre Network debut with ARMSTRONG’S WAR. Selected acting credits include VENUS IN FUR, ROMEO AND JULIET, A CHRISTMAS CAROL and DEATH OF A SALESMAN (Citadel Theatre); FLIGHT OF THE VISCOUNT (Shadow Theatre); MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, MACBETH, TITUS ANDRONICUS, COMEDY OF ERRORS and TAMING OF THE SHREW (Freewill Shakespeare Festival); EAST OF BERLIN (Punctuate Theatre/East West Collective); ZASTROZZI: MASTER OF DISCIPLINE, THE SURVIVAL OF PIGEONS AS STUDIED BY HUMAN LOVERS (Surreal SoReal Theatre); GENIUS CODE (Catalyst Theatre/Surreal SoReal Theatre); SEXUAL PEVERSITY IN CHICAGO and 3…2…1 (Quiet Things Creative). Later this season Jamie will be performing in ROMEO AND JULIET and COMEDY OF ERRORS (St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival). For more updates on what Jamie is up to, you can follow him on twitter: @JamieKnifefight.

Eva Foote is an actor and singer/songwriter from Edmonton. Selected credits include 19/18 (Theatre YES), ONE FLEA SPARE (Trunk Theatre), the very recent live reading of SUMMER OF MY AMAZING LUCK (Theatre Network) and soon NO ONE SHOWED UP TO THE ANARCHIST RALLY for Nextfest’s 20^th Anniversary Showcase. She is honoured and humbled to be working with Theatre Network on ARMSTRONG’S WAR and is looking forward to travelling next year.

Colleen Murphy was born in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, and raised in Northern Ontario. Her play PIG GIRL won the 2016 Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama as well as the 2014 Carol Bolt Award. THE DECEMBER MAN / L’HOMME DE DÉCEMBRE won the 2007 Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama, the CAA/Carol Bolt Award and the Enbridge Playwrights Award.  Other plays THE BREATHING HOLE (shortlisted for the Susan Blackburn Prize, U.S.), BRIGHT BURNING, ARMSTRONG’S WAR, THE GOODNIGHT BIRD, BEATING HEART CADAVER (shortlisted for the 1999 Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama), and THE PIPER.  Libretti include FANTASMA (c. Ian Cusson), OKSANA G., (c. Aaron Gervais) for Tapestry Opera, and MY MOUTH ON YOUR HEART, (c. August Murphy-King) for Toy Piano Composers and Bicycle Opera.  Colleen twice won prizes in the CBC Literary Competition.  She is also an award-winning filmmaker and her distinct films have played in festivals around the world. Colleen has been Writer-in-Residence at ten theatres and universities including the Lee Playwright-in-Residence at the U of A and Finborough Theatre in London UK. In 2017, Colleen was awarded a Canada Council New Chapter Grant to write a six-hour play GEOGRAPHY OF FIRE / LA FURIE ET SA GÉOGRAPHIE about The Battle on the Plains of Abraham in 1759, and in 2019 she received the Playwright Guild of Canada’s Lifetime Membership Award for her body of work.

Bradley is an MFA graduate in directing from the University Alberta. He joined Theatre Network in 1996 to create the multidisciplinary emerging artist festival – Nextfest. In 2014 Bradley accepted the dual role of Artistic & Executive Director for Theatre Network. Some recent productions include: BED AND BREAKFAST, THE EMPRESS & THE PRIME MINISTER, MINERVA – QUEEN OF THE HANDCUFFS, INFINITY, The Sterling Award Winning Production IRMA VOTH, BUST, GORDON, RED, THE LAST FIVE YEARS, ARMSTRONG’S WAR, the Governor General Nominated THE GRAVITATIONAL PULL OF BERNICE TRIMBLE, the Sterling Award Winning LITTLE ONE, DRIVING MISS DAISY, the Governor General Award Winning PIG GIRL, the Sterling Award Winning LET THE LIGHT OF DAY THROUGH, WHERE THE BLOOD MIXES, IN ON IT, MOVING ALONG, TWELFTH NIGHT, PUBLIC SPEAKING, DOG, THUNDERSTICK, BUDDY, ALIAS GODOT, MISERY, CLOSER AND CLOSER APART, the Sterling Award Winning SUMMER OF MY AMAZING LUCK, TRUE WEST, GIRL IN THE GOLDFISH BOWL, HOSANNA, MARION BRIDGE, A SKULL IN CONNEMARA, the Sterling Award Winning glam rock musical HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH, and HIGH LIFE.

Cory is an award winning designer, currently residing in Charlottetown, PEI. His set, costume and lighting designs have received both national and international recognition. His work has been seen throughout Canada, as well as throughout Europe and Russia. Cory earned a degree in Architectural Studies from Carleton University before studying design at Ryerson Theatre School in Toronto. He also holds a MFA in Theatre Design from the University of Alberta. Recent Designs: EVANANGELINE, BITTERGIRL THE MUSICAL (Charlottetown Festival) LIBERATION DAYS (Theatre Calgary/WCT), PETER AND THE STARCATCHER, LES MISERABLES (WCT); MARY POPPINS, NEXT TO NORMAL, (Theatre Calgary/Citadel Theatre); MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, VENUS IN FUR, ROMEO AND JULIET, SPAMALOT, THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW (Citadel); LAST 5 YEARS, MICHEL AND TI-JEAN, and LET THE LIGHT OF DAY THROUGH (Theatre Network). www.corysincennes.com

Darrin Hagen is the Artistic Director of Guys In Disguise, which is celebrating over three decades of creating drag comedies that have toured across North America. He has received 7 Sterling awards for his work in the Edmonton theatre scene, and over 40 Sterling nominations. His writing debut in 1996 was the award-winning THE EDMONTON QUEEN (transformed into book length and published by Brindle & Glass Publishing). Other plays by Darrin include WITCH HUNT AT THE STRAND (nominated for Outstanding New Play); BUDDY (nominated for Outstanding New Play); With Bells On (nominated for Outstanding New Play); BITCHSLAP!; THE NEO-NANCIES: HITLER’S KICKLINE!; TORNADO MAGNET: A SALUTE TO TRAILER COURT WOMEN (published by Brindle & Glass); as well as TYPHOON JUDY (co-written with Christopher Peterson); and PILEDRIVER! (co-written with Wes Borg). His plays have been produced across Canada, in the U.S. and as far away as Ireland.

With his creative partner Trevor Schmidt, he has co-created the hit musical KLONDYKES (nominated for 5 Sterling awards); FLORA & FAWNA’S FIELD TRIP (Sterling Award for Outstanding New Fringe Work); PREPARE FOR THE WORST! (Sterling Nominee for Outstanding New Fringe Work); PUCK BUNNIES (Sterling Nominee for Outstanding New Fringe Work); DON’T FROWN AT THE GOWN; PSYCHOBABBLE; DRAGULA and the children’s musical MY OTHER MOTHER.

He has been inducted into the Q Hall of Fame Canada and the Edmonton Queer Hall of Fame. In 2005 he was named one of 100 Edmontonians of the Century, and last year was named one of Alberta’s 25 Most Influential Artists in the last 25 years. To the best of his knowledge, he’s the only drag queen on that list. He was one of the official Cultural Ambassadors of Canada’s 150 Celebrations, and was appointed as the Writer In Residence for Edmonton Public Libraries for 2018. Most recently, he was one of the recipients of the Edmonton Artists’ Trust Fund.

Recent Stage Management credits include; THE GRAVITATIONAL PULL OF BERNICE TRIMBLE for Theatre Network, THE TAMING OF THE SHREW for the Freewill Shakespeare Festival and Assistant Stage Manager for ROMEO AND JULIET for the Citadel Theatre. Special thanks to Bradley Moss and everyone at Theatre Network for their guidance and support! It has been a blast working with such a wonderful and talented ensemble! Tracey sends her love to John, Liam, Grace and Emma.