Smile Theatre - Theatre for Seniors

The writings of Lucy Maud Montgomery intertwined with original music by Hank Stinson and Dean Burry. After its Ontario run, this enchanting show will tour to Charlottetown and area. Available October 17 to December 22, 2005. Click for show photos and the tour schedule.
Artist Biographies
	Catherine O’Brien ACTRA, CAEA. Catherine O’Brien is an Actor, Singer, Director and Choreographer. Her nearly 20 year career has taken her to stages all across Canada, including The Shaw Festival, Manitoba Theatre Centre, Persephone Theatre, Canadian Stage, Theatre Aquarius and The Charlottetown Festival. She just completed her fourth season with the Charlottetown Festival. She is a graduate of the Sheridan College Musical Theatre Program, where she received the Ben McPeek Outstanding Performance Award and the Greg Bond Scholarship. Since 1993 Catherine has also been employed with the Standardized Patient Program at the University of Toronto. In 1996 she became an Associate Trainer and Tutor. Early in her career Catherine performed in her first Smile Theatre Production. Since then she has been involved in a dozen more as an actor and choreographer. Witnessing the extraordinary response these shows received from the seniors, Catherine, with the support of the Smile Theatre Company and the help of Hank Stinson and many others, is in the process of creating a Smile Theatre in PEI! Catherine was born and raised in Deep River, Ontario, and now resides in Pownal, PEI with her husband Boyd Allen.
	Hank Stinson Actor, writer, composer, director Hank Stinson is a twenty-five year veteran of the Charlottetown Festival. This season he is co-creator of the world premiere mainstage production, Canada Rocks! Previous roles include: Truman King, Fire; Matthew, Anne of Green Gables–The Musical™; Host, Songs of the Island, Cousin Jimmy, Emily™; Billy Bishop, Billy Bishop Goes to War, Czar Nicholas, Alexandra–The Last Empress, Dan McGrew, The Shooting of Dan McGrew, Stephen Leacock, Lunch with Leacock. Writing credits include: co-creator of Something Wonderful, Charlottetown Festival; Flash in the Pan, New Zealand; The Winkle Pickers, Norway; A Child’s Garden of Verses, USA; and musical adaptations of Rainbow Valley, Emily of New Moon, and The Blue Castle.
	Kevin Etherington Kevin is excited about working for Smile Theatre again. It has been seven years since he did Stardust Circus and even longer since he was paired with Catherine O’Brien. Recently Kevin was in Twist and Shout for Drayton Entertainment. Kevin has performed throughout Canada for such companies as The Charlottetown Festival, Winnipeg Jewish Theatre, Theatre Aquarius, Theatre Orangeville, Sudbury Theatre Centre, Theatre New Brunswick, Georgian Theatre Festival, Stirling Festival Theatre and more. His favourite roles include Yvon in Art, Narrator in For The Pleasure of Seeing Her Again, and Roger in The Long Weekend. Kevin sends his love to Lezlie Wade for her support and would like to dedicate this performance to his big sister Karen who passed away this past Summer. May God bless you all and enjoy the show!
	Anne Putnam, Stage Manager Anne is pleased to be the stage manager for her first Smile Theatre Production Through the Gable Window which will be touring in Toronto and PEI. She has worked in theatre for most of her life, beginning with props for children’s theatre in the sixties. Since earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theatre Production, majoring in stage management from York University, she has worked across Canada from opera in Manitoba, outdoor theatre in the Rockies, comedy in Cape Breton, drama on the shores of the Bay of Fundy, murder mystery at Toronto’s Winter Garden Theatre to musicals with the Charlottetown Festival. She recently added work on a television series and a film documentary to her list of credits. In the summer Anne returned to the Charlottetown Festival to stage manage A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline and returned to Theatre New Brunswick last season for Vinci and The Hobbit.
Garnett Gallant, Set, Costume, and Props Design Garnett started his career as a stagehand for the Charlottetown Festival. He then went on to a 10-year stint with the National Ballet of Canada and four years with the Stratford Festival. After returning to his native PEI, he became the props construction foreman for the Charlottetown Festival. Recent designs include Jesus Christ Superstar and Lend Me a Tenor for ACT in Charlottetown. He is happy to be part of bringing “Smile” to PEI. Michelle Blore, Set, Costume, and Props Design This is Michelle’s third season with Smile having designed Everything’s Coming up Rosie, Home for the Holidays, Has Anybody here seen Willy? and Consider this Lillie. She is a proud graduate of York University’s Theatre Design Program. Her recent design credits include Market of Tales with Artword Theatre, The Train with Thirty Below Theatre, Klapps Trap with Film@York, Fillin’ the Blank with Arts Etobicoke and Expect Theatre and puppets for the film Labrats. She is delighted to be returning to Smile and looks forward to every bright moment shared with them. Donald Fraser, Musical Arranger Donnie is Musical Director of the Charlottetown Festival for 2005, which includes productions of Patsy Cline, Anne of Green Gables, and Canada Rocks! Previously he was Associate Music Director from 1991 to 2004, on such shows as Something Wonderful, Fire, Bending the Bows, 18 Wheels, A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline, Forever Plaid, After Marlane, and the 1991 Japan tour of Anne of Green Gables. He is also Director of Choral Music at the Confederation Centre, Music Director at Trinity United Church and Orchestrator for Symphony Nova Scotia, and Winnipeg Symphony. Dean Burry, Composer Born in Newfoundland, Dean is one of Canada’s most innovative emerging composers. He has worked on many projects with the Canadian Opera Company since 1997 and leads the company’s very popular After School Opera Program. In April 2005 the COC commissioned Dean to write an exciting new opera specifically for young people, entitled Isis and the Seven Scorpions. In 1999, the COC had commissioned Burry to write an opera for young people, entitled The Brothers Grimm. It is currently touring to elementary schools across Ontario with the 2005 Zellers Ensemble Studio School Tour. On May 6 The Brothers Grimm reached a significant milestone in Canadian music history when celebrated its 100th performance.