We chatted with Reid Janisse about our upcoming production of Here on the Flight Path. We asked why he wanted to be involved in this production, what he loved about his character, and what type of person would enjoy this show.

Lighthouse Festival (LF): Why did you want to be involved in this production? 

Reid Janisse (RJ): I wanted to be involved in this production because of this great script and the fantastic team at Lighthouse.  I also jumped at the chance to spend the summer on Lake Erie.  I grew up in Kingsville, camp at Port Burwell, and have spent a couple of summers in Port Stanley.  Now I can cross a couple more Ports off my list. 

(LF): What do you love about your character? 

(RJ): I love lots of things about my character.  John is a great listener, quick with a joke, a good storyteller, an excellent golfer and an all-around good guy.  Well, I don’t know for sure that he’s an excellent golfer, but in my interpretation of the character, he is.  Because of this, I’m trying to convince the theatre to spend several days of rehearsal developing my character on the golf course… Fingers crossed. 

(LF): What type of person is going to love this show? 

(RJ): I think this show has a little bit for everyone. The characters are charming and very relatable, and their interactions are both funny and heartfelt.  There are lots of laughs in this show, and just the right amount of heart.  Classic Norm Foster. 

We chatted with Julia Dyan about our upcoming production of Here on the Flight Path. We asked why she wanted to be involved in this production, what she loved about her character, and what type of person would enjoy this show.

Lighthouse Festival (LF): Why did you want to be involved in this production? 

Julia Dyan (JD): I wanted to be involved in this production because I love the chance to play a range of characters and personalities. It’s a gift to an actor to explore these differences – and similarities! 

(LF): What do you love about your character? 

(JD): I play 3 characters: Fay, I love that she’s a fighter, Angel embodies hope, and Gwen, who listens to that little voice inside.  

(LF): What type of person is going to love this show? 

(JD): The type of person who is going to love this show is open to meeting new people and enjoys comedy with substance! 

We chatted with Evelyn Wiebe about our upcoming production of Pinkerton Comes to Prospect. We asked why she wanted to be involved in this production, what she loved about her character, and what type of person would enjoy this show.

Lighthouse Festival (LF): Why did you want to be involved in this production? 

Evelyn Wiebe (EW): Why did I want to be involved with this production… Besides loving the Lighthouse team, summers in Dover, the wonderful script written by Jamie, and getting the chance to work with Steven, I probably appreciate the fact that I get to be silly and fiery with such a bold character.  

(LF): What do you love about your character? 

(EW): What I love about Lacey is her ability not to take crap from anyone. She’s bold and upfront, and full of fire. There’s no timidness here. However, just like we can all learn, a mix of softness and boldness is healthy. I think that’s something that Lacy learns throughout the play. 

(LF): What type of person is going to love this show? 

(EW): People who love a good laugh will love this show. I think because there’s a period element, it adds so much more room for over-the-top absurdity that all those comedy lovers will eat up. It’s the definition of farce.

We chatted with Matthew Olver about our upcoming production of Pinkerton Comes to Prospect. We asked why he wanted to be involved in this production, what he loved about his character, and what type of person would enjoy this show.

Lighthouse Festival (LF): Why did you want to be involved in this production? 

Matthew Olver (MO): I wanted to be a part of this production because it’s a comedy and a western, two of my favourite things. It’s a brand-new Canadian play written by the brilliant Jamie Williams and it’s at The Lighthouse Theatre… A match made in heaven! 

(LF): What do you love about your character? 

(MO)What I love about the character of Doc Hennessey is that he may be a scoundrel and a bit of a knave, but he has a good heart, and he loves the town of Prospect.  

(LF): What type of person is going to love this show? 

(MO): I think that all types of folks will love this show. It truly is a comedy for the whole family.  

We chatted with Jessica Sherman about our upcoming production of Pinkerton Comes to Prospect. We asked why she wanted to be involved in this production, what she loved about her character, and what type of person would enjoy this show.

Lighthouse Festival (LF): Why did you want to be involved in this production? 

Jessica Sherman (JS): I wanted to be in this production because, firstly, I would be in anything Steven Gallagher loves or directs. Also, the script had me at “howdy”. It’s fun, it’s energetic, it’s the perfect summer theatre piece. And who doesn’t want to perform within a stone’s throw of a swimming hole (or Great Lake)? 

(LF): What do you love about your character? 

(JS): What I love about Widow Hazard’s Friend is she’s like a dog with a bone. She knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to put herself out there to get it. 

(LF): What type of person is going to love this show? 

(JS): So many people will love this show; anyone who loves a farce, a western, a romance, a rom-com, or this cast!   

We chatted with Ryan Bommarito about our upcoming production of Pinkerton Comes to Prospect. We asked why he wanted to be involved in this production, what he loved about his character, and what type of person would enjoy this show.

Lighthouse Festival (LF): Why did you want to be involved in this production? 

Ryan Bommarito (RB): I wanted to get involved with Pinkerton Comes to Prospect because I grew up in Norfolk County and am thrilled to be performing for my friends and family. Also, there’s so much physical comedy in this show and I love the opportunity to be a wily buffoon who with absurd dance moves.

(LF): What do you love about your character? 

(RB): I love Herschel’s hypnosis persona.

(LF): What type of person is going to love this show? 

(RB): I think the type of person who will love this show is the type of person who loves a good dose of physical comedy, slapstick and silliness with a dash of heart and a whole lotta love.

We chatted with Adrian Shepherd-Gawinski about our upcoming production of Pinkerton Comes to Prospect. We asked why he wanted to be involved in this production, what he loved about his character, and what type of person would enjoy this show.

Lighthouse Festival (LF): Why did you want to be involved in this production? 

Adrian Shepherd-Gawinski (ASG): When I acted with Jamie Williams in Baskerville back in 2017, he was working on his first play. Now he’s got a whole passel of hilarious plays under his belt, and I’m thrilled to be in one finally! I also had an incredible time working with Steven Gallagher last summer on Murder at Ackerton Manor, so I was very, very excited to say yes to this part.

(LF): What do you love about your character? 

(ASG)My character, Amos, is a total riot. He’s got some of the funniest lines in the show and the wildest physical gags. But there are some surprises there – he might have more of a brain and more of a heart than you expect! 

(LF): What type of person is going to love this show? 

(ASG): This show has everything: physical comedy, wisecracks, romance, fights, Texas accents. If you like a little action mixed in with your comedy, you’ll love this show. 

We chatted with Stephen Sparks about our upcoming production of Hidden Treasures. We asked why he wanted to be involved in this production, what he loved about his character, and what type of person will enjoy this show.

Lighthouse Festival (LF): Why did you want to be involved in this production? 

Stephen Sparks (SS): I want to be part of this production because Lighthouse theatre is part of my family.  

(LF): What do you love about your character? 

(SS): I love that my two characters are very different. One is confident and suave. The other is very, very flawed.  

(LF): What type of person is going to love this show? 

(SS): I think anyone who has ever been in a relationship, or tried to start one will love this show. 

We chatted with Jennifer Dzialoszynski about our upcoming production of Hidden Treasures. We asked what she loved about her character, what type of person would enjoy this show, and what the audience might be thinking on their way home from the show.

Lighthouse Festival (LF): What do you think the audience members will be thinking on their way home from the show?

Jennifer Dzialoszynski (JD): I hope audiences will be thinking about what it would be like to get a second chance in their own lives, or what it would be like to have a personal narrator, and what they would do differently, if anything, if they did. 

(LF): What do you love about your character? 

(JD): I play two different characters, and what I like about them is how different they are from each other. I get to explore various creative directions, and I love stretching my creative boundaries. 

(LF): What type of person is going to love this show? 

(JD)I think the type of person who will love this show is someone who likes to think about the “what ifs” in life, with a grain of salt and a good laugh. 

We spoke with Melanie Janzen about our upcoming production of Hidden Treasures. We asked why she wanted to be involved in this production, what she loved about her character, and what type of person will enjoy this show.

Lighthouse Festival (LF): Why did you want to be involved in this production? 

Melanie Janzen (MJ): I want to be involved in this production for the same reason I am blessed to work in any production; it’s challenging, always a wonderful learning opportunity, and it’s fun! 

(LF): What do you love about your character? 

(MJ): What I love about the characters I play in this production is that they don’t exist in the accepted ‘reality’ that we all collectively agree on. They live in a fanciful realm – discovering what motivates them and determining what their wants and needs are will be coloured by that. 

(LF): What type of person is going to love this show? 

(MJ): I think the type of person who would love this show would be anyone who loves theatre! This production of two one-act plays by Norm Foster is quirky, surprising, and fanciful, and we often look to the theatrical experience for those qualities.  It’s Norm Foster in a particularly playful mood! 

We chatted with David Leyshon about our upcoming production of Hidden Treasures. We asked what he loves about his character, the last thing he does before stepping out on stage, and what he thinks the audience members will be thinking on their way home from the show.

Lighthouse Festival (LF): What do you love about your character? 

David Leyshon (DL): What I love about all of Norm’s characters is that there is always a ready connection to them, both from the perspective of the actor and the audience. He writes characters that are complex and real, which makes them instantly relatable – audiences can see themselves in these people. He gives his characters a voice that always seems to resonate. These characters make us laugh, but also make us reflect. Writing like that is always a joy to play! 

(LF): What’s the last thing you do before you step out on stage?

(DL): I suppose I try to quiet my mind, focus and put myself in the world of the play. Every audience deserves the best we’ve, so ensuring I’m as focused and ready as possible gives me the best chance of making the show fresh and alive every night. 

(LF): What do you think the audience members will be thinking on their way home from the show?

(DL)I think the audience will leave the theatre with giant smiles on their faces, and maybe give a thought to the things they would say to those they care about if they were given the chance to say one last thing. 

We chatted with Andrew Scanlon about our upcoming production of The Hound of the Baskervilles. We asked why he wanted to be involved in this production, what he loved about his character, and what type of person will enjoy this show.

Lighthouse Festival (LF): Why did you want to be involved in this production? 

Andrew Scanlon (AS): I wanted to be involved in this production because my first season with Lighthouse last summer was absolutely incredible. Everyone, from the staff to the technical teams, crew, my fellow actors, and the amazing volunteers and the wonderful, supportive audiences – made me feel so welcome, and reinforced what an incredibly joyful and special place this is to come and create theatre. When the opportunity came along to return to Lighthouse in another fabulous comedy, I jumped at the chance!  

(LF): What do you love about your character? 

(AS): I get to be Sherlock Holmes! Who wouldn’t love the chance to play one of the most fantastic characters in literary history? I love his confidence, his mischief, and his dramatic flair. I love that he always remains one step ahead of everyone, but is sure to give very little away. love that in this version, all of the high-stakes drama of a Holmes mystery is set against a very irreverent, silly comedic backdrop. It’s a fun line to walk as an actor. It’s going to be a total blast from start to finish!  

(LF): What type of person is going to love this show? 

(AS): I think anyone looking for the opportunity to slip away into a world of mystery and intrigue and rollicking laughs. I think fans of Sherlock Holmes will love this adaptation, which plays very cleverly with all the creepy twists and turns of the classic story. But if you’ve never seen a Holmes mystery in your life, this is the absolute perfect comedic entry point!