CREATIVE TEAM
1.
Caroline Smith (Writer)
Caroline has
enjoyed a long career in professional theatre as a performer,
director, choreographer, adjudicator and playwright. As
Artistic and Managing
Director of
the Stirling Festival Theatre, she received three Lieutenant
Governor's Awards, numerous business achievement awards and an
honorary Arts & Technology degree from Loyalist College. A
published playwright, Caroline's long-running and popular play The
Kitchen Witches won the
2005 Samuel French Best
Canadian Play Award. She is currently a Guest Director for the
Toronto Film school and works on New Play Development with Gaslight
Tours in Collingwood and Loyalist College in Belleville. Caroline's
Panto scripts have been enjoyed across Ontario for over 20 years, in
Stirling, Belleville, Port Hope, St. Jacob's, Grand Bend, Kitchener,
Penetanguishene and now, thanks to dear friends Rob Torr and
Stephanie Graham, finally in Toronto!
2. Stephanie Graham (Co-Director & Choreographer)
Stephanie has
lived in this neighbourhood for eleven years and so excited to share
this holiday treat of a show with her community. She is a Dora Award
winning choreographer and her credits include: Crazy
For You (Capitol Theatre), Grey
Gardens, The Wild Party (Acting
Up Stage), It’s A Wonderful
Life (Theatre Aquarius), All
Shook Up, Mary
Poppins, The Drowsy Chaperone (Globe
Theatre), Spamalot (Stephenville
Festival), The Addams Family
(Neptune Theatre), Johnny
Belinda (Smile Theatre),
Dogfight in Concert
(Tranzac), Back in ’59
(Showboat Festival), Next to
Normal (Royal Manitoba Theatre
Centre), The Sound of Music
(Cornerstone University), The
Last Resort (Charlottetown),
Dogfight, Godspell
, Colours in the Storm, Oberon
and, She
Loves Me (Theatre Sheridan) and
three seasons as a performer at the Stratford Festival of Canada.
Upcoming in 2017:
Director/Choreographer for The
Little Mermaid (Globe Theatre).
Stephanie is a graduate of the Musical Theatre Performance Program at
Sheridan College.
Rob started
singing at a very young age and then writing songs at the age of
seven. He began his professional career singing with Montreal
Symphony Orchestra as a chorister and in choirs across the country.
Theatre credits include: Gomez in The
Addams Family, Harry Bright in
Mamma Mia, Highpockets
in Buddy Holly, Bert
in It’s a Wonderful Life, Bob
Crachit in A Christmas Carol,
Felix in The
Odd Couple, Hysterium in A
Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,
Mike in Irving Berlin’s White
Christmas, The Genie in
Disney’s Aladdin, Frankie in
Forever Plaid, Freddie in My
Fair Lady, Matt in
The Fantasticks, Motel in
Fiddler on the Roof, Stephen in
Godspell,
and in the Canadian cast of Miss
Saigon. Producing credits
include Killer Business-The
Musical, A Sentimental
Christmas, Berlin, Broadway and Beyond, Hipcheck-The Musical and
An Old Fashioned Musical
Christmas for St. James United
Church in Montreal. Rob attended McGill University for music in Voice
Performance. He was a member of the first graduating class of
Canterbury School of the Arts in Ottawa.
4. Noah MacDougall (Musical Director)
Noah is a
composer/music director originally from Prince Edward Island who has
enjoyed working across the country doing what he loves. Select
credits include: The Wizard of Oz
(St. Lawrence College), Mamma
Mia! (Associate MD, Port Hope),
Canada in Love and
The Legend of Dan McGrew
(Smile Theatre), Back in 59'
(Stephenville Theatre Festival), Dogfight
(In-Concert Reading), Anne &
Gilbert (The Guild). This
summer, Noah and cast member Luc Trottier debuted their original
musical Perry Loved Mary
in Port Perry, Ontario, with the cast recording to be released
shortly! A big thanks to wonderful friends and colleagues Rob and
Steph for their creation, and having me on board. Thanks for
coming out!
5. Kirsti Bruce (Stage Manager)
Kirsti is
thrilled to be stage managing this Christmas extravaganza after
having taken a hiatus to work in Foster Care as a Case Manager and
Child and Youth Worker. Favorite shows she has Stage Managed include;
Kindness
(Manitoba Theatre for Young People), I,
Claudia (Thousand Islands
Playhouse-Firehall Theatre) and The
Maritime Way of Life (Live Bait
Theatre). As an Assistant Stage Manager, a couple of favorites
include Cabaret
(Neptune Theatre) and Fiddler on
the Roof (Thousand Islands
Playhouse). Kirsti would like to thank her friends and family for
their support over the last few years.
6. Joe Pagnan (Lighting Designer)
As a production designer he has had the pleasure of creating for companies including Magnus Theatre, Obsidian Theatre, Buddies in Bad Times, Coleman Lemieux & Compagnie, Theatre Sheridan, Hart House Theatre, Suburban Beast, Sampradaya Dance Creations, Living Arts Centre, Art Gallery of Ontario, Birdland Theatre, Talk is Free, and Harbourfront Centre to name a few. He currently resides in Toronto, Ontario (Canada). Actively engaged in exploring emerging performance practice and theory, he hopes to answer the question: Can we define performance space in an unstable or degenerative organic world influenced by technology? By fostering innovation through sustainable approach aimed toward eco positive solution, he believes performance through experience is vital in understanding the other.
CAST of ROBIN HOOD
7. Kevin Aichele (Little John)
Kevin is very
honoured to be apart of this inaugural Christmas Panto for Torrent
productions. Working primarily in Musical Theatre, some selected
credits include: Sam in Mama
Mia: Western Canada
Theatre/Theatre Aquarius; Johnny Cash in Million
Dollar Quartet: The Globe
Theatre; Warden in the North American premiere of From
Here To Eternity: Finger Lakes
Musical Theatre Festival; Javert in Les
Miserables:
Rainbow Stage; Sweeney in Sweeney
Todd (Betty Mitchell and
Calgary Critics Award): Vertigo Theatre; and Galahad in The Citadel
Theatre’s production of Spamalot.
His Film and TV credits include Something
Beneath, Faces
in The Crowd, True
Crime, and The
Pinkertons. In addition, over
the past several years, Kevin has had the opportunity to voice more
than a dozen characters for animated series across Canada and
overseas. He has recently relocated to Toronto’s East End, and is
happily sharing a home with his beautiful girlfriend Marisa and his
step-dog Evie. Happy Holidays and enjoy the show!
Al Braatz is
honoured to be sharing the stage with such talented performers. He
studied at Sheridan College and The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
While in the UK he was mentored by Berwick Kaler a renowned Dame at
York Theatre Royal. His study of UK pantomime has brought him back to
Canada and he is thriving in the industry. Theatre Credits: Buddy
Holly in ‘Legends of Rock and
Roll’, Joe B. Mauldin in ‘The
Buddy Holly Story’, Jim
Hawkins in ‘Treasure Island’,
Scott in ‘Evil Dead’,
Ensemble/Understudy Prince Herbert in ‘Spamalot’,
Tom in ‘Puss in Boots’,
Aladdin in ‘Aladdin and the
Twankeys’, Will Scarlet/King
Richard in ‘Robin Hood and His
Merry Mam’, Mike in ‘The
Guinea Pig Club’, Peter in
‘Company’,
The Balladeer/Lee Harvey Oswald in ‘Assassins’,
and Robert Martin in ‘The
Drowsy Chaperone’. Thanks to
family, friends, and the cast and crew.
Ryan is very
excited to be spending this holiday season in Nottingham Forest with
Robin Hood! Selected theatre credits include Beauty
and The Beast, Shrek – The Musical, The Addams Family, A Christmas
Carol (Neptune), The
Wedding Singer (Stage West), Les
Miserables (Drayton), Spamalot
(The Citadel), Forever
Plaid (Orillia Opera House),
Starbright Christmas (VPP).
Ryan is a proud graduate of Sheridan’s Music Theatre Performance
program, where he received the Brian Linehan Triple Threat Award. He
would like to send congratulations to Rob and Steph on this wonderful
production, and a huge thank you for opportunity, and the chance to
spend the holidays at home. He sends love to his family and friends
for all their encouragement, his parents for their endless support
throughout the years, the Talent House Gang, and Teenie. Happy
Holidays everyone!
10. Greg Campbell (Sheriff of Nottigham)
Greg Campbell has appeared in many productions with VideoCabaret, such as Trudeau and the FLQ, Life and Times of Mackenzie King, The Great War, Confederation, Mackenzie/Papineau Rebellion, and The War of 1812 (co-production at the Stratford Festival), and been nominated three times for a Dora for Best Ensemble. For the past three summers, he has played villains in Dial “M” For Murder, Wait Until Dark, and An Inpsector Calls, all at Classic Theatre Festival. He recently wrote, produced, and starred in the critically-acclaimed one-man show, OUT, at the Fringe Festival, which was picked up by Best of the Fringe and cited by NOW Toronto as a Best New Play of the Fringe. Other theatres: Heart Of Steel (Next Stage); Mary Poppins, The Secret Garden and the Man In Chair in The Drowsy Chaperone (Globe Theatre); Firebrand (Single Thread); Ballad of Weedy Peetstraw (Summerworks); Twelfth Night (Direct Flight/Gromkat); Educating Rita and Oleanna (Theatre and Company); Amadeus (Theatre Aquarius); Mesa and 1949 (Theatre NorthWest). Film and television: American Gods, Cardinal, Reign, The Strain, Hemlock Grove, The Kennedys.
11. Stuart Dowling (Nurse Tickle)
Selected
Credits include: "Prom Queen" (Segal Centre), "Lenny"
in "Of Mice and Men" (Tribal Productions/Dora Nominee),
"West Side Story International Tour" including London's
West End, "A Christmas Carol" (Sudbury Theatre
Centre/Theatre New Brunswick),"Dirty Rotten Scoundrels",
"Spamalot", "Looking" (Stephenville Festival),
"The Last Resort", "A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline",
"On Golden Pond", "Legally Blonde",
"Buddy"(Drayton Festival), "The 25th Annual Putnam
County Spelling Bee" (Persephone Theatre),'Driving Miss Daisy",
"Night of the Living Dead" (Magnus Theatre), "Book of
Days" (Theatremanation), "Hairspray" (Port Hope
Festival), "Twelfth Night" (Walking Shadow). Television
credits include: "Murdoch Mysteries", "The 5th
Estate", "Mayday: Air Crash Investigations" as well as
numerous commercial. Wishing you and yours a Very Merry
Christmas/Happy Holiday Season.
12. Cameron Francis (Allan A Dale)
Cameron
is originally from Lady Fane, PEI. Theatre Credits: The Blonde/Dirty
Blonde in Perry Loved Mary; Baby
John in West Side
Story (Citadel); Male Swing
in Anne & Gilbert (Guild
Theatre); Benson/Nate in Brantwood (Audience
Choice Dora Award), Ernie Lally in A
Man of No Importance, Barnaby
Tucker in Hello,
Dolly! (Theatre
Sheridan); Trannie in Moll (Canadian
Music Theatre Project); There’s
No Business like Irving Berlin (Harold
Green Jewish Theatre); Les
Feux Follets, Abegweit
- Soul of the Island, and Assistant
Choreographer for the world premiere of Evangeline (Charlottetown
Festival). TV: Featured Dancer on Canada’s Smartest
Person (CBC); Man
Seeking Women (FXX); Prince
William & Kate’s Royal Tour (BBC,
CBC). Cameron is a graduate of Sheridan’s Bachelor of Music Theatre
Performance Program and the 2016 Citadel/Banff Professional Theatre
Training Program. Cameron is the two
time Eastern Canadian Tap Champion and British Association Teachers
of Dance Rosebowl Champion.
Thanks to Stephanie and Rob,
daCosta, my family back home and to YOU for supporting local
theatre!
13. Cynthia Hicks (Maid Marian)
Cynthia is
thrilled to be working with Torrent Productions. Born and raised in
Alberta, she grew up in the Edmonton theatre community before
moving out east to pursue her career on the other side of the
country. Cynthia is a graduate of
the National Theatre School of Canada and a proud member of
Hataw, a Filipino-Canadian performing arts group. Theatre
credits include Spelling 2-5-5
(Carousel Players), Hothouse
Prince (Teatro La
Quindicina), Cleave
(New Words Festival), Scorched
(NTS) and Cynthia can be seen this spring touring with Carousel
Players in Boys, Girls and
Other Mythological Creatures.
14. Matthew Pinkerton (Will Scarlet)
Matthew
is a recent graduate of Sheridan College where he completed his
Bachelor of Music Theatre Performance. Past Credits include Crazy
for You, Mamma Mia! (Capitol
Theatre) Grand Hotel, Damn
Yankees, Legally Blonde, In The Heights (Theatre
Sheridan). It’s been a true pleasure working with such a talented
team. Enjoy the show!
15. Sacha Stewart (Fred the Fairy)
Hailing from
Markham, Ontario, Sacha Stewart, a graduate of Randolph Academy for
the Performing Arts, is thrilled to be a part of this cast of
talented artists. Select credits include; Sophia Greenaway in
Disney’s Believe
(Disney Cruise Line), Mary Magdalene in Jesus
Christ Superstar (The LOT),
Little Red Riding Hood in Into
The Woods, and Eric in Lord
of the Flies (Randolph Academy),
Destiny Brown in My Brother’s
Keeper, and Araminta in Railroad
to Freedom (Exousia Media
Group). Sacha continues to give all the glory to God and endlessly
thanks her family, friends, and all of her supporters throughout the
years. To holiday warmth, cheer and a good dose of justice – enjoy
the show! Website: www.sachastewart.com Instagram:
@sheissachastewart
Luc Trottier
loves making people laugh. He recently collaborated with composer
Noah MacDougall and wrote his first musical comedy, Perry
Loved Mary, which had a sold out
run in Port Perry this summer! Luc can be seen as the stuttering ass
clown on Suits Season 6, and is looking forward to producing more
original works in 2017! He'd like to thank Steph, Rob, his family,
and his fiancé, Jessica for their constant support!
www.luctrottier.com
Torrent Productions is comprised of Rob Torr and Stephanie Graham. Both have extensive performance credits from The Stratford Festival, Charlottetown Festival, Mirvish Productions, The Canadian Opera Company, Opera Ontario and with many regional theatre companies across Canada. Rob is a performer, composer, arranger, writer and director. Stephanie is a director, choreographer, producer and writer. Torrent premiered an excerpt from “The C-Word” at Upstaging Cancer in the spring of 2009 and then went on to co-produce Hipcheck – the Musical with Joan Jamieson and Shelley M. Hobbs at the 2009 Toronto Fringe Festival. Hipcheck was a Patron’s Pick and presented as a part of the Best of Fringe. Their show Canada in Love which was originally produced by Smile Theatre has had four productions across Canada. Killer Business-The Musical had its world premiere at the Next Stage Festival in 2014. Torrent Productions is committed to creating, developing and producing musical theatre.