Midlife

Midlife

by Eugene Stickland

March 28– April 7, 2002

Eugene Stickland’s funny, heartfelt black comedies are so hilarious about asking the questions…that you almost don’t realize that the answers are creeping up on you. - Edmonton Journal
Midlife

Sometimes you gotta lose it – to get it.

Theatre Network Artistic Director, Bradley Moss, and renowned Alberta playwright Eugene Stickland (A Guide to Mourning) team up again to bring you another unique theatrical experience. It’ll make you howl! Centred around the midlife crisis of an oil company executive, Stickland probes contemporary relationships and the stumbling blocks to intimacy in our age of chat rooms, downsizing and hands free passion. Midlife takes a comic and heartfelt look at relationships, golf (a lot of golf), art films, and the corporate world.

Starring: Medina Hahn, Kevin Kruchkywich and John Wright
Directed by: Bradley Moss
Set, Properties and Lighting Designer: David Fraser
Original Music and Sound Designer: Darrin Hagen
Costume Designer: Leona Brausen
Short Film by: Clinton Carew
Stage Manager: Gina Moe
Production Manager: Gina Puntil
Lighting Technician: Kate Bagnall
Sound Operator: Kevin Humphrey
Set Construction by: Ron Lavoie, Kevin Humphrey, Kate Bagnall and Bobby Smale
Scenic Painters: Brenna Paul and Angie Sotiropoulos
Production Assistant: Mike Takats

“Deliciosly absurd.” – The Globe and Mail


March 28– April 7, 2002

Times
Previews March 26
Opening March 28

CAST & CREW

JACK

JOHN WRIGHT

A 35 year Veteran of the Canadian Stage, John has appeared across the country from Halifax’s Neptune Theatre to the Vancouver Playhouse.

2006-2009 theatrical engagements include TITUS ANDRONICUS and A COMEDY OF ERRORS for the FreeWill Shakespeare Festival,  PALACE OF THE END for Theatre Network, FIRE for CanStage and The Citadel,  YHE MIGHTY CARLINS for Workshop West, STILL DESIRE YOU for WCTC and Alberta Theatre Projects.  THE WINTERS TALE and TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA for the RiverCity Shakespeare Festival, THE FLYFISHER’S COMPANION for Shadow Theatre, OLIVER and A CHRISTMAS CAROL for The Citadel Theatre and OF MICE AND MEN for Theatre Calgary and CanStage.

He is also a regular TV and Film performer whose credits include CBC OPENING NIGHT, CHASING THE CHAMELEON, MENTORS, MACGYVER, THE BEACHCOMERS, DANGER BAY, RAY BRADBURY THEATRE, SMALL SACRIFICES and the features DEADLY ARRANGEMENT, WALLS and THE ASSASINATION OF JESSE JAMES.

A four time Sterling Award winner, John is delighted to be back with the TN Team.

DIRECTOR

BRADLEY MOSS

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.

PLAYWRIGHT

EUGENE STICKLAND

Eugene Stickland is the award-winning author of several frequently produced plays, most notably SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED and A GUIDE TO MOURNING, which were written during a decade long residency with Alberta Theatre Projects in Calgary. His play EXCAVATIONS won the Alberta Playwriting Award and received its premiere production at Theatre Network in 2002. Eugene is the current board president of the Alberta Playwrights Network. He lives in Calgary with his daughter Johanna and writes a feature column for the Calgary Herald.

SET/PROPS/LIGHTING DESIGNER

DAVID FRASER

David is an Edmonton based, award-winning theatrical and dance lighting designer. He works extensively across the country and frequents theatres such as Alberta Theatre Projects, Vertigo Theatre (Calgary), The National Arts Centre (Ottawa), Buddies In Bad Times Theatre (Toronto), Workshop West Theatre, L’Uni Theatre, (Edmonton), and The Globe Theatre (Regina). Previous designs with Theatre Network include ALL CLEAR, VINCENT IN BRIXTON, HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH, MIDLIFE, PLAYING BARE, PILEDRIVER!, SUBURBAN MOTEL, and A GUIDE TO MOURNING. Throughout the last eight years, David has also been the resident designer with Concrete Theatre, and with the Brian Webb Dance Company, and in 2002 his design for Tania Alvarado’s AZUL ABIERTO toured throughout the country and Europe. Most recent credits include lighting for DEATH AND THE MAIDEN and the Globe Theatre, and the assistant light designer for THE CIRCLE AND THE PHILANDERER at the Shaw Festival.

COMPOSER/SOUND DESIGNER

DARRIN HAGEN

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.

COSTUME DESIGNER

LEONA BRAUSEN

In the past few seasons Leona has designed costumes for Theatre Network’s productions of EXCAVATIONS, PERFECT PIE and ALL CLEAR. Other recent credits include HONOUR, THE ODD COUPLE, THE BEGINNING OF AUGUST, THE GLACE BAY MINERS’ MUSEUM and THE LAST TRAIN, all for Shadow Theatre,The Citadel Theatre’s HOMEWARD BOUND; THE MARGIN OF THE SKY, SKIRTS ON FIRE, THE VILE GOVERNESS and PITH for Teatro la Quindicina; Leona recently returned from performing in Winnipeg and New York in PITH and she will design and perform in that companies upcoming production of FEVERLAND. Leona is a regular cast member of Edmonton’s on-going weekly soap opera DIE-NASTY.

SHORT FILM CREATOR

CLINTON CAREW

Clinton is beside himself to be working on this project with Human Loser Theatre and Morgan Smith. Previously, he directed Morgan’s play Electra at the Edmonton Fringe. In 2013, he directed and translated Anton Chekhov’s Three Sisters for Broken Toys Theatre. This is his first time directing for the Roxy stage, but not his first time integrating cheer routines into a theatre show.

STAGE MANAGER

GINA MOE

Recent Stage Management credits include: THE EMPRESS & THE PRIME MINISTER and THE LAST FIVE YEARS for Theatre Network; OH CHRISTMAS TREE for the Roxy Series; THE COLOR PURPLE for The Citadel Theatre; THE BAD SEED, SHOCKER’S DELIGHT and THE SALON OF THE TALKING TURK for Teatro La Quindicina; and WITCH HUNT AT THE STRAND for Workshop West Playwrights’ Theatre.

PRODUCTION MANAGER

GINA PUNTIL

This is Gina’s second season back out in the freelance world of stage management. She is delighted to be on familiar territory for her first official apprenticing gig – a full circle moment. Gina was Theatre Network’s production manager from 2000 to 2004 giving her some of her favorite productions under her belt (A SKULL IN CONNEMARA, HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH, VINCENT AND BRIXTON, FOR THE PLEASURE OF SEEING HER AGAIN, LAWRENCE AND HOLLOMAN, …). She has also been the production manager for NEXTFEST for the past five years – a festival that takes place in June right where you are sitting. Other Select credits include BITCHSLAP! and the Tranny Trilogy, TRANNY GET YOUR GUN, L’IL ORPHAN TRANNY and TRANNE OF GREEN GABLES (Guys in Disguise) THE BLACK RIDER: THE CASTING OF THE MAGIC BULLETS (November Theatre), THE INCREDIBLE ADVENTURES OF MARY JANE MOSQUITO (Concrete Theatre) and looks forward to THE ANGER OF ERNEST AND ERNESTINE with George and Sharla and DRUNKEN F*CKER (Ground Zero, April 2006).

SET CONSTRUCTION

BOBBY SMALE

As a freelance Technician/Technical Director he has been able to work on such projects as building puppets for the IAAF World Championships Opening Ceremonies, Special FX for Fringe Theatre Adventures’ production of THE HOBBIT, and be the Sound and Multimedia Operator for Theatre Network’s production of EXCAVATIONS. He also enjoyed working as a rigger on Fire Fly Theatres PRIMORDIAL BLUES and touring as a technician for METIS MUTT and THE BLUE ORPHAN. Bobby has studied at the Victoria School and Grant MacEwan College. His most recent work is on THE SECRET SPACES BUS SHOW for Workshop West Theatre.

Drag