The People of Perchance
Meet some of the talented artists involved with our theatre.
The Cast
Christa Borden
Mary Mag / Ella / Mame, High Steel; Egeus / Starveling / Peaseblossom, A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Veranda, Flying Doctor
Dearest gentle reader…Christa Borden is thrilled to be rejoining the magical force that is Perchance Theatre Co. She is most grateful to Danielle and Mary for this opportunity.
This season marks her third run of High Steel and her very first Shakespeare play! She is grateful to her family and to her daughter, Brooking, for all the love, patience and support they so generously give. Christa holds a vocal performance degree from MUN and an elementary education degree from UNB. She is a proud member of the Spirit of Newfoundland theatre troupe and has also been fortunate to join the Tada company this past winter. She is most grateful to you, the bums in our seats and the applause in our hearts. If music be the food of love, play on!
Zoe Cleland
Julie / Juliet / Soldier, GND; Lucille, Flying Doctor
Zoe Cleland is a Canadian Screen Award–nominated actor, writer, and emerging director. Since graduating from the National Theatre School of Canada in 2012, she has been known for her featured roles in Murdoch Mysteries (CBC), Reign (CW), and as Tatiana in CBC Gem’s The Communist’s Daughter—a performance that earned her a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Supporting Performance in a Web Program or Series. In 2020, Zoe launched her production company, Sweet Sorrow Productions. She wrote, directed, produced, and starred in her debut short film, Blueberries for Iris, which premiered at the Atlantic International Film Festival in 2023 and went on to win an award and receive multiple festival nominations, including Best Short Film Director, Best Atlantic Canadian Film, and Best Acting in a Short Film for her performance. Her second short, The Newcomer, premiered at the Fog Fest Horror Film Festival in 2024. Now based in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Zoe is thrilled to be part of the province’s dynamic and growing arts community.
Diane Flacks
Constance, Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet)
Diane Flacks is a writer/actor, dramaturge, story editor, and producer in theatre, TV, radio, and print media. Diane writes and produces TV, including as a key creative on Workin’ Moms, Baroness von Sketch Show, Young Drunk Punk, Working the Engels and Kids in the Hall – for which she was nominated for an Emmy. She co-created and written numerous TV series for CBC, and works as a story-breaker on new series for production companies, including Shaftesbury, and has developed series for Accent Entertainment, eOne, and First Generation films to name a few. She was the supervising producer for three seasons on the APTN series Qanurli? in Iqaluit. She also has a number of series in development, including The Wreck, a new comedy with Incendo Productions, and Bruce McCulloch’s Dog Park, with Lionsgate.
As a playwright, this spring, her fifth one-person play, Guilt (a love story) directed by Alisa Palmer, premiered at the Tarragon, and then toured to the Centaur and the RMTC to rave reviews, and is headed to Victoria. Diane also recently co-wrote and acted in a new play, PALS, at the WJT, directed by Jillian Keiley, with her theatrical brother, Richard Greenblatt, with whom she also wrote SIBS and CARE, both for the Tarragon Theatre. Diane and Richard adapted SIBS into a film for CBC. Also written for the Tarragon, is her play about medical risk and compassion, Waiting Room. She also wrote and starred in Unholy, her hit, critically acclaimed play about women and religion for Nightwood Theatre, directed by Kelly Thornton. Unholy was remounted twice in Toronto, nominated for a Dora for outstanding new play, and was filmed live for TV
Most recently, Diane played Mayer Lehman in The Lehman Trilogy for Theatre Calgary, directed by Sarah Garton Stanley. Diane also appeared in the long-anticipated adaptation of Ann-Marie MacDonald’s Fall on Your Knees, directed by Alisa Palmer at CanStage, NAC, Neptune and the Grand theatres. FOYK was Dora nominated, and a recipient of a number of Robert Merritt awards in Halifax. Diane played the titular role of Nathan in Nathan the Wise in Stratford. Diane also received a Dora nomination for outstanding performance in Body Politic, by Nick Green, directed by Alisa Palmer. Her solo play for Luba Goy, Luba, Simply, Luba won the prestigious Kobzar literary award.
Diane was part of the Stratford playwright residency, and is working on a new play, which received the Elliot Hayes Playwright Award from the Stratford festival. Her four other solo shows Myth Me, By A Thread, Random Acts and Bear With Me (adapted from her book of the same name), have been critically acclaimed and remounted internationally. She played the lead in the independent queer film Portrait of A Serial Monogamist. She was CBC radio’s national parenting columnist for 7 years, and a featured columnist at The Toronto Star and the Globe. She has written the Dora Awards for the last 8 years. Diane is the proud mom of two astonishing sons.
Aiden Flynn
Professor Night / Othello / Tybalt, Nurse, Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet)
Back working with Danielle! I’ve had a working theatre relationship with Danielle Irvine longer than I think I’ve had with anyone else. It goes all the way back to Dick’s Kid’s Productions at MUN and the founding of the Shakespeare by the Sea Festival. Back in the 20th century.
Back outside! I’ve done a lot of acting, producing, writing, and directing for things outside. The aforementioned SBTS. Rising Tide. This festival, in fact, that moved to this lovely location but we originally started in Cupids in 2010. I’ve worked outside at the viking village in Nortsead on the Great Northern Peninsula. I’ve even done a turn with improv shows at the Calgary Stampede. A lot of sun-screen and “Off!” in that list.
Back and forth in the car! I’m very happy to be working with this incredible company (what a collection of humans) but I still have my gig as Director of the Arts and Culture Centres and my beautiful wife and daughter (Sarah and Evelyn) are all in town. Reminds me…I’ve got to find my mixed tapes for the road.
Back with a sword! Just…yay!
Back with the Bard!
Let’s do this!
Aiden
Colin Furlong
Roly / George / Dr. McPherson, High Steel; Angus, Tempting Providence; Mudder / Reg / Reverend / Man, Flying Doctor
Colin Furlong is an Actor from Mount Pearl, NL and is delighted to be back in beautiful Conception Harbour with Perchance this summer! No stranger to Newfoundland Theatre, Colin has spent his career performing and touring with companies across the Island and abroad. Favourite roles of his include The Colony of Unrequited Dreams, AfterImage (Artistic Fraud); The Only Living Father, Outside Mullingar, and the UK tour of Our Frances, (Theatre Newfoundland Labrador). Colin can often be found bringing you the TV News on CBC’s Son of a Critch, he also appears on the SYFY Television series’ Astrid and Lilly Save the World, and SurrealEstate, as well as on local favourite Hudson & Rex (CityTV). Thank you so much for coming to see us, and please enjoy the show!
Andrew Halliday
Demetrius / Snug the Joiner, A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Multiple Characters, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare [Abridged] (Revised) (Again); Romeo / Chorus / Iago / Ghost, Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet); Valere, Flying Doctor
Andrew Ryan Halliday is a stage and screen performer based in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Holding a fine arts degree in theatre from Memorial University’s Grenfell College, he has been performing across the island from the Northern Penninsula to the Avalon for the last eight years – and he is elated to be making his debut with Perchance this season! Notable credits include Saltwater Moon (Rising Tide), Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare by the Sea), and 17 Men (TNL).
Una Hill-McMullin
Mom Durham / Mama Goddammita / Alice / Dora, High Steel; Myra, Tempting Providence; Myra, Tempting Providence; Ramona / Desdemona / et al, Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet)
Una (she/her) was born and raised in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, but now calls St. John’s home. She came to Newfoundland in 2012 to earn her BFA in Theatre from the Grenfell Campus of
Memorial University and upon graduating in 2016, decided to make NL her permanent home. Her select credits include: Boeing Boeing and The 39 Steps (Beyond The Overpass), Fly Me To The Moon and Our Frances (UK Tour) (Gros Morne Theatre Festival); Mr. Burns: A Post Electric Play (Hard Ticket Theatre), Hay Fever, The Tempest, and High Steel (Perchance Theatre); Seal Slippers: A Christmas Panto and Supper Club (Provincial Tour) (RCA Theatre). Her TV credits include: Son of a Critch, Hudson & Rex, and The Missus Downstairs. Una is so excited to be back for another season with Perchance for the remount of High Steel and can’t wait for audiences to experience Tempting Providence. She would also like to express her deepest gratitude for High Steel’s choreographer, Lynn Panting. Without her expertise, guidance, and movement vocabulary, we wouldn’t have been as secure and confident in remounting High Steel. Lynn, you are my rock and I’m proud to be taking the reins of Dance Captain thanks to you.
John Sheehan
Man, Every Brilliant Thing
Primarily a stand up comic, John found his way on to the Perchance stage in 2015, to play a dream role, that of Benedick in Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing.
This is his first time back in theatre, since 2017, and to do so in Duncan Macmillan’s EVERY BRILLIANT THING, under the direction of a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada, is both humbling, and an honour.
For more about his comedy career, tour schedules, and clips from shows, visit johnsheehancomedy.com
Gavin J. Snow
Phonse, Flying Doctor
Gavin J. Snow is an actor hailing from North River, Newfoundland. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre from Memorial University in 2023 and has worked with many theatre companies throughout Newfoundland since. Some of his past credits include Jersey Boys and Cabaret (TaDa! Events). No Man’s Land and The Trinity Pageant (Rising Tide Theatre). Turncoat Hill (King’s Point Theatre Project). He is also a writer and performer with the sketch comedy trio, “The Four Idiots”. Gavin is thrilled to make his Perchance Theatre debut and hopes you enjoy this season’s productions!
ANDREW TREMBLETT
Man, Tempting Providence; Yaffle, Flying Doctor
Andrew Tremblett is an actor, writer, and producer for stage and screen based in Toronto, ON and St. John’s, NL. Tremblett received a BFA in Theatre performance at MUN’s Grenfell Campus. Following his degree, he went on to study with The Second City Training Centre in Chicago and Toronto. Some of Tremblett’s notable theatrical credits include: Tuzenbach – Three Sisters (2013), Bernard – Boeing Boeing (2014), Frankie – A Lie Of The Mind (2014), Romeo – Romeo and Juliet (2015), Feste – Twelfth Night (2016), Tranio – The Taming of the Shrew (2017), Puck – A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2018), Konstantin – The Seagull (2018), and Pantalone – The Servant of Two Masters (2019), Aaron Lenord – West Moon (2021). He can also be seen on television in shows such as JackTV (Bell Fibe TV1), Astrid & Lily Save The World (Syfy), and Hudson & Rex (CityTV). Tremblett is also known for his professional work in sketch comedy, with Halfhandsome as well as serving as the Festival Director for Newfoundland & Labrador Sketch Fest.
Marquita Walsh
Petra / Quince / Philostrate / Fairy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Woman, Tempting Providence; Amanda Lynn, Flying Doctor
Marquita Walsh is a multidisciplinary artist from Fleur de Lys, Newfoundland. Her
outport upbringing has always been her biggest inspiration for storytelling. In 2013,
Marquita graduated from Memorial University’s Grenfell Theatre Program with a
Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting). For the past ten years she has worked extensively
across the island and country as an actor and singer. Walsh is also a songwriter. Her
debut album Into The Night was nominated for Music NL’s Pop album of the year in
2018. Select Credits include:
For Theatre: Tell Tale Harbour / Anne of Green Gables – Confederation Centre of the
Arts, No Change in the Weather – Terra Bruce Productions, Tempting Providence / Bye
Bye Birdie – Theatre Newfoundland Labrador. Revue 2018 – Rising Tide Theatre. Brazil
Square – Resource Centre for the Arts, The Marvelous Wonderettes / Crimes of the
Heart / Boeing Boeing – Beyond The Overpass.
For Film: Hudson & Rex Season 6 / CityTV, Little Dog / CBC, Astrid and Lilly / CTV Sci-
fi, SurrealEstate / CTV-Sci-fi, Iskander / French Kiss Productions.
The Crew
Jayne Batstone
Box Office
Jayne Batstone is a NL born and raised singer / songwriter and actor, currently between semesters from the Fine Arts (theatre program) at MUN’s Grenfell campus. Her debut EP “Line Art” was released in 2021 and earned Jayne her first Music NL award nomination for Pop Artist of the Year. Reviews have described her vocals as “smooth and haunting” and her songwriting as “heartfelt and authentic”. Jayne is a fierce defender of equality, a lover of all things theatre, and as her song “Pastel Angst” says, believes that “dreaming is compulsory”.
Emma Cole
Marketing and Communications Officer with Artistic Fraud
Emma Cole is a writer, costume designer, and anarchist bookseller from St. John’s, NL. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Acadia University in English and Theatre. By day she works for local arts organizations in communications and administration (AAMP, Artistic Fraud), and on other days she coordinates and designs costumes for theatre (Shakespeare By The Sea, Kittiwake Dance Theatre). Her creative writing has won awards from Kiwanis, Arts and Letters, and WritersNL, and been featured by CBC and estuary Arts Magazine. You can find her writing at emmacharlottecole.com, her custom clothing at @charlatandesigns, and her bookselling at @saltpagesnl.
Tucker Ellis
Costume and Set Design, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare [Abridged] (Revised) (Again)
Tucker Ellis is a costume and clothing designer based out of St. John’s, NL. Tucker grew up in a small community in central Newfoundland, and has had an active interest and training in musical theatre from an early age. After wandering from home and eventually landing permanently in St. John’s, Tucker attended the Textile and Apparel Design program at the College of the North Atlantic and graduated with first class honours, returning for an additional year of extended study focusing on pattern construction. Since leaving the program they have played an active role in the St. John’s theatre, fashion and craft communities. Tucker is excited to return to the Perchance Theatre team for their seventh summer with some Shakespearean nonsense with the “Come-By-Perchance Players.”
Christina Fox
Fight director, Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet)
Christina is a non-binary, queer actor and artist based in Tkaronto. While their first passion is acting, Christina has been delighted to work as an Intimacy Coordinator and Fight Director as well. They are a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada. Christina is delighted to be joining the Perchance Theatre team and has thoroughly enjoyed their first visit to Newfoundland!
Select Credits: Cabaret (TheatreTO); Blackbird, Perfect on Paper (Talk is Free Theatre); Oliver! (Yes Theatre Sudbury); Mad Madge (Nightwood Theatre) Associate Fight Director (Stratford Festival)
Ann-Marie MacDonald
Writer Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet)
Ann-Marie MacDonald is a novelist, playwright, actor, and broadcast host. Her work has been honoured with numerous awards, including the Chalmers, the Governor General’s, Gemini, Dora Mavor Moore, John Drainie, the Gascon-Thomas, the Canadian Authors Association, the Canadian Booksellers Association, and the Commonwealth Prize. Her writing for the stage includes the plays, Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning, Juliet), Belle Moral: A Natural History, and Hamlet-911; the libretto for the chamber opera, Nigredo Hotel, and book and lyrics for Anything That Moves; her novels are Fall On Your Knees, The Way the Crow Flies, Adult Onset, and Fayne. Ann-Marie graduated from the Acting Program of The National Theatre School of Canada in 1980. In 2019 she was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. She is married to theatre director, Alisa Palmer, with whom she has two children.
Sophia Molnar
Stage manager Every Brilliant Thing and Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet)
Sophia (she/her/elle) has a BFA from Grenfell’s Technical Theatre program. Selected theatre credits include: 76 Centimeters (TODOS Productions); J’aime ma francophonie (Amandine & Rosalie), An American Hymnal (Terra Bruce Productions); How To Make Bread; Jewel, The Birds, The SS Ethie, Bingo Ladies (The Gros Morne Theatre Festival). Merci à tous and enjoy the show!
Liam Kavanagh-Penney
Box Office
Liam Kavanagh-Penney is from and lives here in Conception Harbour. Liam is a grade 11 student at the local high school, Roncalli Central High. Interested in the arts Liam is excited to work with us over the summer. Over the previous season and into the fall Liam has volunteered with us many times, from helping to build the theatre to scaring the community in the Halloween Harbour Haunt. Liam is very excited to work with us again this season and hopes to add to the already positive atmosphere we have here as a team.
Jillian Keiley
Director, Tempting Providence
Jillian Keiley has directed and taught across Canada and Internationally. She was the Associate Artistic Director at the Resource Centre for the Arts in St.John’s, Newfoundland, and founding Artistic Director of Artistic Fraud of Newfoundland. She assumed her role as the Artistic Director of English Theatre at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa in 2012. Highlights from Artistic Fraud include In Your Dreams Freud, Under Wraps, Afterimage, The Cheat, The Chekhov Variations, Salvage: The Story of a House, Oil and Water, Between Breaths, The Colony of Unrequited Dreams, and I Forgive You, most of which toured Canada. NAC highlights include Andy Jones’ Tartuffe, A Christmas Carol, Twelfth Night as Imagined by the Old Trout Puppet Workshop, Metamorphoses, and Copenhagen. She also directed Anne Carson’s Bakkhai, The Diary of Anne Frank, As You Like It, The Neverending Story, and Alice Through the Looking Glass as well as this years’ Richard II for The Stratford Festival. Her Production of Alice Through the Looking Glass travelled across the country engaging local casts in Ottawa, Edmonton, Charlottetown, Stratford and Winnipeg. Tempting Providence, her collaboration with Robert Chafe for Theatre Newfoundland Labrador toured nationally and internationally for 12 years. Earlier this year she directed Pals with Richard Greenblatt and Diane Flacks for Winnipeg Jewish Theatre. Jillian finished her tenure at the NAC in August of 2022. Her productions of TellTale Harbour for the Charlottetown Festival and her all new production of Come From Away set in Gander Newfoundland were among the top selling productions in Canada in 2022 and 2023. She is directing a remount of Tempting Providence and a remount of Come From Away this year. Jillian has directed Opera, Musicals, Children’s Theatre, Music Theatre, Puppet Theatre, New Work and recognized Classics, as well as concert choreographies, an Olympic medal presentation ceremony, and large scale experiential installations. She has directed productions in Italy, Australia and Ireland. She teaches and mentors regularly, including recurring contracts with the National Theatre School in Montreal. She holds Honorary Doctorates from Memorial University in Newfoundland and Toronto’s York University. She is the Winner of the Canada Council John Hirsch Prize and the 2004 Siminovitch Prize for Directing.
Allison Moira Kelly
Director, Every Brilliant Thing; Assistant Director, A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Allison is an actor, director, and writer from Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, who
has a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts from Memorial University, Grenfell Campus, a Masters of
Fine Arts from York University, and a diploma in directing from The National Theatre
School of Canada. As an actor, Allison has worked for theatre companies across Atlantic
Canada including Perchance Theatre (Hamlet, Our Eliza, Julius Caesar, Midsummer
Night’s Dream), Resource Centre for the Arts (The Drowning Girls, Dedication, Seal
Slippers), Rising Tide (Saltwater Moon), Two Planks and A Passion (Unity, 1918), and
more.
As a director, she has directed for Gros Morne Theatre Festival (Our Eliza, NL Rocks),
Memorial University’s Theatre Department (Midsummer Night’s Dream, Bedlam) and was
the associate director to Jillian Keiley on Come From Away. Recently Allison directing the
remount of Rising Tide’s Maiden Voyage. Allison is currently the Artistic Director the St.
John’s Short Play festival, where she helps to program the festival.
Select television and film credits include Son of a Critch, Republic of Doyle,
Surrealestate, Hudson and Rex, and Little Dog. Allison is one fourth of the sketch
comedy troupe Mom’s Girls who have been performing to audiences since 2018,
including four sold out shows at the Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival. Their children’s
television series Tales from the Floordrobe is streaming on BellFibe.
Brittany King
Administrative Assistant / Front of House Manager
Brittany King (she/her) is the mother of one cat named Sophie (cutest cat in the world). In her free time she enjoys watching the same three tv shows over and over and over again. She was a part of the local community theatre scene in St. John’s both on and off stage for a decade. She worked in background casting for the first four seasons of Hudson & Rex. This is her third year with Perchance Theatre and she is constantly pinching herself that she has the privilege to work with so many brilliant and kind people! Enjoy the show!
Leo Mackey
Stage Manager, A Midsummer Night’s Dream
BA, BEd, MEd
Since graduating from Memorial University in 1993, Leo has taught junior and senior high school in Newfoundland until his retirement in 2024. This is his third season working with Perchance Theatre. He has thoroughly enjoyed his experience as the stage manager for Flying Doctor.
Woody Meaney
Lead Contractor on Site
I’m 51, married to Johannah for 29 years. I have two kids, Nathan, and Noah, and I’ve lived in Avondale most of my life. I’ve been a contractor on and off for most of my life.
Evan Mercer
writer/adapter Flying Doctor
Evan Mercer (he/him) is an actor/writer/director/musician from Shearstown Newfoundland and Labrador. He graduated the National Theatre School of Canada in Acting in 2023 and is currently near finishing the Birmingham Conservatory program at the Stratford Shakespeare festival. In his 15 year career as an actor he has been fortunate to have worked with many of the best theatre companies in Newfoundland and Canada: Having completed seasons with Perchance Theatre, the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, Theatre Newfoundland, Poverty Cove Theatre, Rising Tide Theatre and more. In film and television he as had recurring roles on CBC and Netflix productions and in 2017 was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award for best supporting actor in a feature film for his work in Riverhead. As a writer his Commedia Dell’arte love letter Help my Doctor is a Bayman or The Flying Doctor has been produced twice since 2023 and he has been a staff writer for Rising Tide’s politcal satire show Revue multiple seasons and has written material with HalfHandsome (where he was a producing member) that has travelled to the New York, Toronto, and Chicago Sketch Comedy Festivals respectively. In leadership positions he assistant directed both …The Flying Doctor and The Tempest in Perchance Theatre’s 2023 season, and continues to advise in programming and development. Also he has taught several workshops at the Stratford Festival and during his time at NTS under the Creative Facilitation Program guided a cohort of high school students in a project to find their original voice through writing. As a proud Newfoundlander he is eager to continue in the free exchange of learning from his experiences in other parts of Canada to Newfoundland and vice-versa.
Graham McGonagle
Set designer Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet)
Graham McMonagle is an award-winning interdisciplinary production designer, performer, and educator. Working in a range of styles from ballet (performance and design) to text-based theatre from the classic canon, and music-theatre (both opera and musicals), their work has received national and international recognition. Recent collaborators include Pacific Opera Victoria, Jimbo the Drag Clown, Blue Bridge Repertory Theatre, Terra Bruce Productions, Crimson Coast Dance, and UVic Phoenix Theatre. Awarded their MFA Theatre Design (UVic) in 2017, their doctoral research questions the relationship between image and commodification in nineteenth century dance. McMonagle is excited to be working with inspiring collaborators on this beloved Canadian play as their Perchance debut.
Anita Nittoly
Fight, movement and intimacy director, Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet); Fight Director, A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Fight & Intimacy Director (selected):
Stratford Festival 2025 season; Fat Ham, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf, Hamlet, Fairview (Canstage); GroundHog Day (YES); CRAZE (Tarragon); Midsummer Night’s Dream (Perchance); The Bidding War, Wights, Bad Roads, Prodigal (Crow’s); Roberto Zucco, Angels in America (Buddies in Bad Times); The Retreat (Imago); Truth (YPT)
Jesus Christ Superstar (Here For Now); WildWoman (Soulpepper); Hamlet (The Rose); Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes (TIP); Fall on Your Knees (CanStage/NAC/The Grand); Counter Offence (Segal Centre)
Stunt Performer/Stunt Actor credits (selected):
Copenhagen, Slasher, Twisted Metal S2, Law & Order: Toronto, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, The Boys, Handmaid’s Tale.
Upcoming Theatre Projects:
Robin Hood, Slave Play (CanStage); The Welkin (Soulpepper); Powers and Gloria (Blyth Festival)
Upcoming Theatre Projects:
Robin Hood, Slave Play (CanStage); The Welkin (Soulpepper); Powers and Gloria (Blyth Festival)
Upcoming Film/TV Projects:
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy S2; Emerald Inn
James Richardson
Managing Producer with Artistic Fraud
James is an award-winning producer, cultural manager, director, sound designer, actor and collaborator with over 20 years experience in theatre and music across Canada. Originally from St. John’s, James founded Third Wall Theatre in 2001 in Ottawa, where it quickly became one of the city’s leading theatre companies. As producer / artistic director, he has won several Prix Rideau Awards and Capital Critics Circle awards and in 2016 he was awarded the Special Jury Prize from the Capital Critics for his work with TWA, Third Wall’s youth wing that he established. He has served as General Manager for Odyssey Theatre and the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival in Ontario and worked with the Ottawa Jazz Festival and Ottawa Children’s Festival. As an actor, James has worked with Third Wall Theatre, Vision Theatre, Actors’ Co-op, Gros Morne Theatre Festival and Theatre By The Bay; he holds a BFA in Fine Arts (Theatre) from Grenfell College and a MFA in Directing from the University of Ottawa. Over the years he has worked all jobs from baggage handler to nanny to overnight stocker. When not in the theatre he can be seen building things, playing piano, participating in orienteering events or on a hike with Laurel Anne and their dog Zeke.
Jodee Richardson
Season Sound Design and Composition
Jodee Richardson is a lifelong Newfoundland creator who focuses on local people, places and projects, hopefully using his abilities to further enrich the cherished culture of our province. He is currently developing a new original 9-member dance band, HIT PIECE (debuting at Writers at Woody Point 2024) and tours the island each September with his partner Nicole Hand and their dog Nan. Next year his new play Sorrow’s Tree will debut with the beloved Perchance Theatre.
Richard Rose
Director, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare [Abridged] (Revised) (Again)
For 40 some years, Mr. Rose has been a distinguished director in the Canadian theatre community, as well as having directed internationally. Recently retired as Artistic Director of the Tarragon Theatre, Canada’s leading new play theatre, and was the Founding Artistic Director of the highly regarded Necessary Angel Theatre Company (1978 – 2002), plus the Director of Stratford Festival’s Young Company and Associate Director of the Canadian Stage Company. He has directed in theatres across the country from major regional theatres like the Manitoba Theatre Centre to smaller theatres like GCTC, Ottawa and he has directed internationally from commercial productions in the West End, New York and Los Angeles to training institutions like the Shepherd School of Music in Houston. Awards include 5 Toronto Dora awards for Direction, the Los Angeles Drama Critics Award for Direction and Bitef Festival’s (Belgrade) Audience Choice Award. Mr. Rose received the prestigious Walter Carsen Prize and City of Toronto Mayor’s Award for career achievements plus an Honourary Doctorate from Thorneloe University, Sudbury. He has directed nearly 200 productions across Canada and internationally in Los Angeles (his production of Tamara ran 10 years) New York’s Off Broadway (Tamara ran 3 years) and London’s West End and in the mediums of opera and film.
Martin Rotchford
Box Office
Martin Rotchford (he/him) is a local lad. He was born and raised in Conception Harbour, NL. He just finished Grade 11 at Roncalli Central High School in Avondale. He intends to pursue a career in Engineering at Memorial University. He is an avid crib player, loves swimming, and going on adventures with his family. He is an active member in the community, always contributing to local events. Martin lucked in to a three-day stint with Perchance Theatre last season. That was all it took to get him hooked, so he’s making a comeback this year. You’ll see him milling around, so be sure to say hello! He’s a pretty nice guy.
Perry Schneiderman
director, Flying Doctor
Listed in Canadian Who’s Who for his contribution to Canadian Theatre as director, master teacher, translator and administrator.
Stratford Festival: Comedia coach The Hypochondriac, Don Juan; Choral direction Comedy of Errors; Comedia Master class, Taming of the Shrew; Comedia/Mask Master classes Birmingham Conservatory throughout directorship of Michael Mawson /David Latham.
Former Artistic Director, National Theatre School of Canada (initiated Writing/Directing programs), Former Artistic Director, Piggery Theatre, Former Chair RyersonTheatre School.
Selected Directing: Place Des Arts: Nathalie Choquette’s La Diva (Charles Dutoit/MSO) NTS: Servant of Two Masters, The Miser, Flea in Her Ear; Piggery: Noises Off, Lend Me a Tenor, Crimes of the Heart; Theatre Francais de Toronto: Les Fridolinades; Theatre du Vieux Terrebonne/Quebec Tour: Tenor Recherché with Benoit Briere. Translations English/French: Lend Me a Tenor, Old Love, East of Berlin, The Little Years and Perchance Theatre: Servant of Two Masters.
Mask Master classes: Las Vegas (Cirque de Soleil), Moscow Art Theatre, Glasgow (RSAMD), Shanghai Theatre Academy, Capetown (Emerging Artists).
Training: L’École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq, University of Washington
Jordan Vincer
Production Manager
Jordan is a graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University and holds a BFA in theatre production. Jordan is primarily a stage manager. Select Credits include Come From Away (You Are Here, Inc.) , The Empire Strips Back – Star Wars Burlesque Parody (NX5 Theatrical) , Man of the Year (Artistic Fraud), Jesus Christ Superstar (TIFT), There’s Nothing You Can Do (RCAT), and Once: The Musical (Theatre St. John’s). Jordan is thrilled to be back with Perchance Theatre and wants to thank you for coming out and enjoying our 2025 season. Instagram @jordanvincer
Board of Directors
Perchance Theatre is a registered Canadian charitable organization (819766650RR0001) and is incorporated provincially as a non-profit organization under the governance of a volunteer board of directors:
Natasha Hart
Chair
Giles Ayers
Vice Chair/Treasurer
Aleksandra Stefanovic-Chafe
Secretary
Danielle Irvine
Artistic Director, ex-officio
Allison Catmur
Co-Chair
Don Fitzpatrick
Member
Patrick Mackey
Director
William Newton
Member
A Tribute to
Ian Watson
Ian was a dear friend and mentor to some of us here at Perchance. And through those of us who were his students – his knowledge, passion, and electricity touches all.
He was an actor, director, teacher and coach, with a specialization in classical text. He worked at the Stratford Festival, the National Theatre School...
Ian was a dear friend and mentor to some of us here at Perchance. And through those of us who were his students – his knowledge, passion, and electricity touches all.
He was an actor, director, teacher and coach, with a specialization in classical text. He worked at the Stratford Festival, the National Theatre School of Canada, Ryerson Theatre School, and even came to our province to lead workshops with his beloved wife, Janine Pearson (Head of Coaching at the Stratford Festival). Every step of our text analysis was informed by Ian and Janine’s work. Our joy in the taste of the power of words came directly from their guidance. Ian unlocked the key to argument and through his passionate, unwavering and infectious deep commitment to specificity in performance, he made us all better. And he did it all with a kindness, generosity, and wisdom that brought out the best in each individual.
Our 2019 season was dedicated to the honour of Ian Watson. In 2020, Ian’s family honoured Perchance Theatre with a bequest in Ian’s name that changed the course of the company. This transformative gift has allowed our company to weather a pandemic and come out as a strong, year-round organization that has the ability to pay forward Ian’s love of words.
“He gave his honours to the world again, His blessed part to heaven, and slept in peace.” (Henry VIII)
Perchance Theatre is a proud member of Business and the Arts NL and the international Shakespeare Theatre Association.
