Perfect Pie

Cathy was last seen in a mausoleum, an apartment and on a bus in Workshop West’s SECRET SPACES: THE BUS PROJECT. Theatre Network shows include most recently PERFECT PIE (directed by Marianne Copithorne), and long ago THE OTHER SIDE OF THE POLE (directed by Stephen Heatley). Cathy has been performing in and out of Edmonton for the past 16 years. She has played many times in many really big shows with Teatro La Quindicina, The Citadel, and Leave it to Jane (founding member). Cathy is also a musician, musical director, Pisces, and a mother of two beautiful girls. She had a fish once…

Vanessa was last seen on the Roxy stage in PERFECT PIE for which she earned a Best Supporting Actress Sterling nomination. Since then, she has been up to Whitehorse where she performed in the new Sally Clark play WANTED for Nakai Theatre. She also just finished working on the film CHICKS WITH STICKS (working title) – which, contrary to popular opinion, is actually a hockey flick – not a porn – hence ‘working title’. She is now very happy to be back at Theatre Network working with so many wonderful people and for the opportunity to explore the world of such a talented and troubled artist.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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).