Habitat

Reneltta is a graduate of the BFA Acting program from the University of Alberta as well as an alumnus of the Centre for Indigenous Theatre. Her recent acting credits include: A TASTE OF THE WILDCAT (Dramamuse), ARE WE THERE YET? (Concrete Theatre), WHERE THE RIVER MEETS THE SEA (Nakai Theatre) & TIME PIECES (Longest Night Society). This is Reneltta’s premiere at Theatre Network and she is very excited to be a part of such a great cast and crew. I hope you enjoy and Mahsi!

Jeff last appeared with Theatre Network in HABITAT in 2006. Among his previous credits with the company are THE LAST BUS, UNCLE JOE AGAIN, and THE OTHER SIDE OF THE POLE. He’s just completed his second years as Artistic Director of Teatro La Quindicina, where in addition to recent onstage appearances in THE OCULIST’S HOLIDAY, MOTHER OF THE YEAR, CONNIE IN EGYPT, HAPPY TOES, and A ROCKY NIGHT FOR HIS NIBS, he also directed THRUBWELL’S PIES, and produced the hit musical EVERYBODY GOES TO MITZI’S. Jeff’s other recent projects include appearing in HMS PINAFORE for the Edmonton Opera, and writing and performing for CBC Radio’s THE IRRELEVANT SHOW. He’s a four-time Sterling Award winner, for performances in BURN THIS, 2-2-TANGO, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, and CITIZEN PLATE. He’s also a core company member of the live improvised soap opera DIE-NASTY, and last February, he improvised for 50 straight hours in the SOAPATHON in London, England. Jeff continues to appear as Eros, god of Love on the monthly variety show OH SUSANNA at the Varscona. In December, he’ll once again appear as George Bailey in Teatro’s holiday presentation of the live radio version of IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, and in the New Year he’ll be in DIAL M FOR MURDER at the The Mayfield Dinner Theatre.

Christine is very pleased to be back in Edmonton at Theatre Network. The last time she appeared on this stage was in Judith Thompson’s PERFECT PIE, directed by Marianne Copithorne. Recently Christine has been living and working in Saskatchewan where she works primarily in film and television. Recent credits include CBC’s THE VELVET DEVIL and THE TOMMY DOUGLAS STORY and recurring roles in APTN’s RENEGADEPRESS.COM and MOCCASIN FLATS, the feature film MOVE CLOSER and the play I LICKED A SLAGS DEODERANT for Wildside Productions. You may remember Christine from days gone by as a staple of the Edmonton Theatre scene for many years. She then went off to Toronto where she became a Huge Star ! – but, alas the trappings of the celebrity life were overwhelming and it brought her back out west to her roots and her beloved Edmonton Oilers.

A 28-year veteran of the Canadian Stage, Maralyn has appeared across the country from New Brunswick to Victoria. Selected acting credits include: CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF and HAMLET for The Citadel Theatre; WIT for Globe Theatre; HOMEWORD BOUND for Grand Theatre and the National Arts Centre; JOY and SHOP AT SLY CORNER for Shaw Festival; LEND ME A TENOR for Manitoba Theatre Centre; THE WOMAN WHO COOKED HER HUSBAND and PRIVATE LIVES for Northern Light Theatre; TRUE WEST and HABITAT for Theatre Network. Ms. Ryan has received 3 Sterling Nominations for Outstanding Performance, and founded the St. Albert Children’s Theatre. This past summer Maralyn travelled to Turnin, Italy where she performed in SHOULD’VE, a play written by Noble Prize winner, Dr. Ronald Huffman. Next up, Maralyn can be seen in A CHRISTMAS CAROL at the Citadel Theatre where she will be happily performing with Kevin, Chris and her two daughters.

Marianne is delighted to be able to return to Theatre Network and collaborate with this fabulous team of creative artists on Hannah Moscovitch’s WHAT A YOUNG WIFE OUGHT TO KNOW. Previous directing credits with Theatre Network include COMMUNION by Daniel MacIvor, CHOKE by Cathleen Rootsaert, THE WOMAN IN BLACK by Stephen Mallatratt, and PERFECT PIE, PALACE OF THE END and HABITAT by Judith Thompson. Marianne is currently Artistic Director of the Freewill Shakespeare Festival, and will celebrate her eleventh year in that position this coming summer. She is a graduate of the BFA Acting and MFA Directing programs at the University of Alberta, and teaches Theatre Arts students acting at Grant MacEwan University. Much love and thanks to Bradley Moss.

Judith Thompson lives in Toronto with her husband and five children, dog and two cats. She enjoys walking in the wilderness, cross country skiing. Playwriting credits include: THE SECRET CREED, HABITAT, MY PYRAMID, ENOCH ARDEN ON SORAUREN, CAPTURE ME, PERFECT PIE, SLED, YELLOW CANARIES, THE LEAVES FOREVER, LION IN THE STREETS, I AM YOURS, WHITE BITING DOG, and THE CRACKWALKER. Film and Television writing credits include: BITE THE STARS (Movie Central), PERFECT PIE (Rhombus Media), LOST AND DELIRIOUS (Cite-Amerique), LES BITCHES (Chesler Productions), and TEENAGE GIRLS SAVE THE EARTH (The Film Works Ltd.). Judith received the Order of Canada in 2005. Other awards include: the Toronto Arts Award, Writing & Editing Award, the Governor General’s Award (The Other Side of Dark, White Biting Dog), the Chalmers Award (I Am Yours, Lion in the Streets) and the Susan Smith Blackburn Award (Palace of the End). Judith is currently an Instructor of Acting, Playwriting and Screenwriting at the University of Guelph.

Roger is thrilled to be back at Network re-inhabiting his own little habitat, the costume sweatshop he sets up in the corner of the Roxy’s lobby. He has won Sterling awards for his work on Network’s productions of THE LEISURE SOCIETY (outstanding set), HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH (outstanding costumes) and A SKULL IN CONNEMARA (outstanding set) as well as receiving numerous Sterling nominations for his design work on HOSANNA (outstanding set, costume and lighting). He is a busy Edmonton designer having worked for The Citadel, Teatro La Quindicina, Mayfield Dinner Theatre, Shadow Theatre, Workshop West Theatre, St. Albert Children’s Theatre, Keyano Theatre and L’Uni Theatre, as well as Prairie Theatre Exchange and Manitoba Theatre Centre in Winnipeg. Recent designs include: FOOTLOOSE, DRIVING MISS DAISY, DOGBARKED and COMEDY OF ERRORS. Up coming will be a trip to Fort McMurray for TREASURE ISLAND and then back to the U of A to inspire a flock of young theatre designers as they create art under his tutelage.

Dave is a musician, actor and writer.  He has composed music and produced sound designs for theatre, film, dance and multi-media for three decades. Recent designs include MOVING ALONG (Theatre Network), 6.0 HEAP & PEBBLE (Northern Light Theatre) and EVIE’S WALTZ (Shadow Theatre). Other projects include THE MISSIONARY POSITION (University of Alberta),  a soundtrack for the feature film THE PHARMACIST and a family musical about a profoundly deaf mother with a hearing son based on his own experience entitled SONGS MY MOTHER NEVER SUNG ME. Dave is the co-writer and composer for the animated cartoons at Rantdog.com. He is also the sound guy for CBC Radio’s THE IRRELEVANT SHOW. Dave has won several awards for his work, including Sterling Awards for Outstanding Score (DOG, Surreal SoReal Theatre), Musical Direction (ILSA, QUEEN OF THE NAZI LOVE CAMP) and Sound (SHAKESPEARE’S WILL, VIMY, THE ECSTATICS).

Betty is very pleased to be part of the company of WHAT A YOUNG WIFE OUGHT TO KNOW. Betty has stage managed Workshop West Playwrights’ Theatre’s production of CAFE DAUGHTER in Belgrade, Serbia, Herceg Novi, Montenegro, at the sPARK Festival/ Belfry Theatre, Victoria, BC, the National Arts and Cultural Centre, Yellowknife, NWT, and at CANADA SCENE at the National Arts Centre, Ottawa, ON.  Other credits include: producer; WiLDLIFE — a video installation at River Valley Crossing in Edmonton, assistant stage manager; DON GIOVANNI, Edmonton Opera, stage manager for the Alberta Ballet.  She goes onto co-produce and stage manage Conni Massing’s, OH! CHRISTMAS TREE, as part of the Roxy Performance Series this December.