Meet the Production Team!
Lynn Olson - Stage Manager
I have been involved with community theatre for well over 20 years and have thoroughly enjoyed it. I have staged managed many plays but have also assisted in several other areas - properties, set decoration, back stage, lighting, and makeup. I have also dabbled in acting and directing. I am retired so when I’m not volunteering for a theatre project, I’m walking/hiking, bicycling, golfing, painting, anything that keeps me active and youthful. I am really excited, as Stage Manager for ABVS, to see this awesome play come to life under Lori Lane’s direction.
And Stage Management is not possible without assistance from:
Michael Leek, Alexis Morehead
Hello! I am Michael Leek and I am the Treasurer of Red Deer players. For this production I will be serving as Stage Crew to help manipulate this lovely set our designers have come up with. As an actor I have been in plenty of plays around Red Deer, most recently I was in Central Alberta Theatre's Miracle on 34th Street as Mara. I was blown away when I first saw Absinthe put on as a Breaking Cover, and I hope that you all enjoy it!
Ken Matthews - Set Designer
Ken Matthews is a theatrical designer originating from Red Deer Alberta. Having just completed their BFA in theatre design in Victoria, BC, they are grateful and excited for this project to take form in the summer before going off to their MFA at the University of Alberta. As a theatre artist, Ken has had the opportunity to design for the Phoenix Theatre’s productions of Spring Awakening (Set) and Vinegar Tom (lights), as well as for UVic’s student Theatre company SATCo’s Straw (set). Outside of the theatre, they are an avid artist, loving to draw and make models that are not necessarily all theatre related! Their art centres mainly around dungeons and dragons and other high-fantasy settings, in which they create a vast amount of various characters that stoke their craving for improvisation and spontaneity. They hope you love their set, and that you enjoy the show!
Randall Trites - Construction Head
Randall has been involved in community theatre in Central Alberta for 30 years. His onstage experience includes, Fiddler on the Roof, Evita and Jesus Christ Superstar, among many others. His recent involvement is behind the scenes as Chair of the Red Deer Players Board of Directors. He is excited about being involved in a “World Premier”. When not involved in the theatre Randall spends his time running a small civil engineering firm in Central Alberta.
And construction is not possible without assistance from:
Grant Woodcock, Dennis Jaffary
and Michael Smith
Cassidy Crawford and Lori Lane - Sound Design
As a theatre technician graduate from both John Abbott College in Montreal and Red Deer College, Cassidy is currently working at the Red Deer Memorial Centre as the Assistant Venue Technician and Lighting Tech. Cassidy has worked with many Alberta based theatre and events organizations including Central Alberta Theatre, Northern Crossing Music and Drama Society, Red Deer Players, Red Deer College, Jubilations Dinner Theatre, and numerous others as a freelance technician. She has worked in such capacities as sound design, sound tech, lighting tech, scene painting, production manager, stage manager, technical director and stage technician. Cassidy’s involvement with Red Deer Players was on the board as treasurer for a couple of years and as a sound and/or lighting tech for Calendar Girls, Mixed Nuts and Air Raids and Siren Songs and has enjoyed the opportunity to work with RDP again on Absinthe, Bourbon, Vodka and Sake.
And sound is not possible without sound operators Ethan Versluys and Corey Machney!
Corey is a grade 13 student at Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School, and they have done work on 4 of their mainstage productions. He was running crew and a set designer for 'Urinetown', a set designer and audio playback for 'Little Shop of Horrors', and head of the sound department for 'Annie' and 'Legally Blonde'. She also has a passion for painting and fashion and attends any punk or metal show they can. After graduation, he plans to help out with sound in the Edmonton punk scene. She is grateful to be a part of Absinthe, Bourbon, Vodka and Sake and hopes you enjoy the show!
What some people will not be aware of is that Corey is also quadri-lingual - for the sake of doubt, this means she speaks four languages! And she is using this ability to act as dialect coach, in this multi-layered production.
What some people will not be aware of is that Corey is also quadri-lingual - for the sake of doubt, this means she speaks four languages! And she is using this ability to act as dialect coach, in this multi-layered production.
Sebastian Edwards-Collins - Lighting Design
Sebastian is thrilled to be working with such a great team. He is typically at the Mayfield Dinner theater in Edmonton, selected credits include Mamma Mia!, Rock of Ages, and Nashville Outlaws. He is very grateful for this opprotunity to explore the world of lighting design and he hopes you enjoy the show!
And lighting is not possible without lighting operator Gabbie Gades!
Gabrielle Gades (Lighting Board Operator) is a twelfth grade student at Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School. She has been involved in multiple musicals including: Annie, Legally Blonde: The Musical, and Head Over Heels. Although she’s used to being on stage, Gabrielle also loves the tech elements of theatre and has found love for lighting the stage. She is currently the Stage Manager for Elephant’s Graveyard and is directing her own show, A Beautiful View, as a part of the Thurber Drama 30 class. She loves the arts and her cat. Gabrielle is heading to Edmonton next year to study music at the University of Alberta.
Marilyn Kowalski - Costumes and Props
Marilyn got her start working on costumes back in the 1990’s, working on both dinner theatre productions as well as shows in the Nickle Studio for Central Alberta Theatre, in addition to spending 8 years working in the CAT costume department. In 2017, Red Deer Players was excited to have Marilyn join the team of “Calendar Girls” as Costume Designer. With a cast of 14 and hundreds of different costume pieces, it has been her biggest costume challenge to date. Not to be thwarted, she took on costumes for RDP’s “Diary of Anne Frank” and before Covid put a halt to the production, had assembled a collection of close to 200 costumes. Absinthe, Bourbon, Vodka and Sake is Marilyn’s fourth Red Deer Players production in the role of Costume Head, and with a cast of only two, decided to challenge herself by also taking the lead on Props. She is eternally grateful for the sewing assistance provided by Debbie and for the assistance with props provided by Glorene and Audrey. Marilyn and her husband Ray, are long time theatre-lovers and supporters, attending productions all over Central Alberta and lending a hand as ushers on a variety of productions
And costumes and props are not possible without assistance from:
Debbie Oostindie (costumes), Glorene Ellis (props) and Audrey Shaw-Edwards (props)!
Audrey is so excited to be a part of this production. She has been doing theatre since she was twelve and started doing costuming and makeup since she was sixteen and is very excited for my first show doing props! She works full time and enjoys reading, writing and playing music. This is her first production with Red Deer Players, and she is so happy for this opportunity!
Debbie is a Metis mother, Kokum and educator originally from Saskatchewan. She lived in the Yukon for over 25 years when, 17 years ago, she moved to Sylvan Lake with her husband and daughter. Debbie has been involved with the theatre assisting Marilyn for two plays now. It has pleasure to work as part of the production.
Jill Craig - Set Decoration
I am excited to be part of the production team for Absinthe.... I just realized that I have been participating on the crew side of Red Deer theatre for 10 years now. From lighting to front of house and backstage to concession there are lots of ways to play. Come play with us. For this production, I am learning set decoration - thankfully under a detailed director and set designer so the task is relaxed and straight forward. Thank you for coming to this production! An enthusiastic, live audience is what gives theatre life.
And set decoration is not possible without assistance from:
Ken Matthews
Alexis Moreside is a grade 11 student at Lindsay Thurber. She has been involved in many productions throughout the community, including The Comeback Cabaret with Red Deer Players. Alexis is involved in Improv at Thurber where she is a part of the Nosebowl and Canadian Improv Games teams this year. Along with Improv she also takes dance and drama at Thurber, and assisted as Fight Captain in a couple of Thurber's productions this year.
Simone Methot-Edwards - Front of House
Simone Methot-Edwards is thrilled to join the Red Deer Players family as the Front of House Manager. Simone has been involved with theatre since the age of 15; working Front of House, costuming, stage makeup, hair and wigs with multiple theatre groups.
