Tag: Main Season

Meet the cast of The Sweet Delilah Swim Club | Debra Hale as Sheree

Debra Hale kept you laughing in 2022’s Halfway There by Norm Foster. She kept you entertained in Freedom 85! as the writer/performer in multi-character, 2 woman show. She made you think and care in Storm Warning. And this was just at Lighthouse! She’s also performed in numerous other productions at Theatre Orangeville, Orillia Opera House, and 1000 Islands Playhouse, plus she’s been in TITANS on Netflix! Debra was kind enough to chat with us about what she loves about the character she’s playing, how she prepares for a new role, and what’s the most challenging part about working in theatre.

Debra Hale as Sheree in The Sweet Delilah Swim Club

Lighthouse Festival (LF): What do you love about the character you’re playing?

Debra Hale (DH): I love that my character is soooo organized! I’m a Virgo so I really get that about Sheree. 😉

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

(DH): I’m jazzed about working with the director and cast on this show and the entire team. Out of the 4 other actresses I’ve worked with 3 before and they were all fantastic experiences. I hadn’t worked with one but had seen her work, she’s awesome onstage and off! And of course being directed by the insightful, collaborative and supportive Jane Spence is the best.

(LF): How do you prepare for a new role?

(DH): I research and look for details of connection between me and my character. And in this show, I’m finding a different fanny pack for each time we see Sheree. It’s all about the fanny pack!

(LF): What’s the most challenging aspect of working in theatre?

(DH): The most challenging aspect of theatre is saying goodbye to the family that inevitably the show creates. It’s bittersweet. 

(LF): What’s the best piece of acting advice you’ve ever received?

(DH): Listen to what is being said to you in the scene. It’s not just about waiting for your cue…listen and respond. That’s ‘alive’ theatre. 

REVIEW: ‘Mary’s Wedding’ shows the people behind the statistics of war (The Haldimand Press)

Evelyn Wiebe & Daniel Reale in Lighthouse Festival’s 2024 production of Mary’s Wedding.

By Tamara Botting | The Haldimand Press

July 11, 2024

PORT DOVER— Without having a personal connection to someone who has served in the armed forces, it can be all too easy to let pinning a poppy to your chest and attending a Remembrance Day service each November be the rote extent of honouring those who fought so we could be free. 

It’s not a malicious mentality; it’s just that because war is something many are largely unfamiliar with – as many haven’t experienced or seen the impact firsthand – we have an emotional disconnect from even the concept of war, let alone the realities of it. 

Facts and figures are part of the picture, but to truly touch hearts, stories are needed. We need to know the people behind the statistics. 

PORT DOVER—Actors Evelyn Wiebe and Daniel Reale in a scene from Lighthouse’s Theatre’s third show of their 2024 summer season, ‘Mary’s Wedding.’ The heartfelt show tells the story of young love set across the tragic backdrop of the First World War. —Submitted photo.

One such story is ‘Mary’s Wedding,’ written by Stephen Massicotte with Derek Ritschel now directing the show for Lighthouse Festival Theatre. 

The show boasts the talents of Daniel Reale as Charlie and Evelyn Wiebe has Mary, both in their debuts on this particular stage, but each with a number of acting credits under the belts. 

Charlie, a Canadian farmer’s son, and Mary, whose family recently emigrated to Canada from England, find an immediate attraction to each other and soon discover shared interests, including horseback riding and poetry. 

The two actors – the only performers on stage throughout the entire production – are charming and engaging, expertly drawing the audience in. We thrill, we rejoice, we fear, we grieve alongside them as their tender love story is soon overshadowed by the horrors of the First World War. 

The story, the audience is told in the opening scene, begins at the end and ends at the beginning. Besides a non-linear timeline, the story is also told with Mary sharing her dreams of Charlie. 

Memories of her time with him before he shipped out blend with his experiences on the front lines. But rather than her being an omniscient observer with the latter, she walks alongside her beloved in the role of his commanding officer, Gordon Flowerdew. 

Flowerdew (1885-1918) was a real soldier, who emigrated to Canada from England in 1903, but 11 years later, returned to Europe and was part of the Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians) calvary unit. He led a calvary charge against a fortified German position in the Battle of Moreuil Wood, which proved to be critical to the Allies’ defensive efforts. He was severely injured during the charge and died the next day. 

His experiences are interwoven into the play, giving an authentic grounding to the story as it unfolds. 

PORT DOVER—A placard in the theatre’s lobby tells the real life story of Gordon Flowerdew. —Haldimand Press photo by Tamara Botting.

Very often, stories about war will glory in the heroism, the honour, the valour of it – Charlie himself is caught up in the romantic notions of war before the realities of it come crashing in on him. 

‘Mary’s Wedding’ is unflinching when bringing to a sharp focus the horrors of war – the mud, the blood, the death, and the terror.

But as much as this play is about war, it’s also not.  

It’s about Charlie and Mary; the sweetness of young love and the funny, awkward, fluttery moments of trying to figure out how you feel about this person, and whether they feel the same about you. It’s tender moments and stolen glances, feeling so full of joy that you might burst.  

And that’s the strength of the play. The impacts of war matters because Charlie and Mary matter. 

To experience this heartfelt story for yourselves, see ‘Mary’s Wedding’ in Port Dover until July 20, or in Port Colborne from July 24 to August 4. 

For tickets, visit lighthousetheatre.com or call 1-888-779-7703

REVIEW: Mary’s Wedding (The Slotkin Letter)

Evelyn Wiebe & Daniel Reale in Lighthouse Festival’s 2024 production of Mary’s Wedding.

Intensely emotional. A bitter-sweet, gentle play about love and war.

By Lynn Slotkin | The Slotkin Letter

July 9, 2024

THE PASSIONATE PLAYGOER

The Story. It’s 1920, the day before Mary’s wedding. She dreams of a time a few years before, of a thunderstorm and the first time she met and probably fell in love with Charlie, a young man about her age. Because of the thunderstorm, Mary found shelter in a barn. There she saw Charlie and his horse. Charlie was cowering in fear of the thunder. He still found the ability to calm his also terrified horse. Mary calms Charlie as well after they introduce themselves. She has recently arrived from England with her parents. Charlie is a local farm boy in the prairies. When the storm passes Charlie returns to his usual self. He offers Mary a ride home on his horse. Her mother is not happy about Mary meeting what she describes ‘as a dirty farm boy.’ A friendship forms between the two young people and that slowly grows into love.

World War I is raging in Europe. When Canada joins the war effort Charlie feels it’s his duty to sign up. Mary is upset by this. They have a fight and Charlie goes off to war without Mary saying goodbye to him, but Charlie writes her the most personal letters. Their love grows deeper and it leads up to the day before Mary’s wedding.

The Production and comment.  William Chesney has designed a multi-leveled set with planks here and there that could be a barn or the trenches etc.  Alex Amini has designed the costumes that are simple and effective. Charlie (Daniel Reale) wears a shirt, suspenders and army pants and boots. Mary (Evelyn Wiebe) is dressed in what could be a white nightgown or a long dress.  Tim Lindsay’s soundscape captures the nearing thunder storm, and its receding. It could be the bombs of the war as well.  So that melding of the technical aspects of the production beautifully establishes the world of

Stephen Massicotte has written an ache of a play about an enduring love, compassion, friendship, doing one’s duty and the horrors of war. It’s about how differences don’t matter when the similarities are so aligned, as Mary’s and Charlie’s are. Her mother is a snob when she refers to Charlie as ‘that dirty farm boy.’ Mary ignores it. She is so eager to see him again as he is eager to see her again after that first meeting.

As Mary, Evelyn Wiebe is forthright, confident and sweet. She has a consistent English accent that is endearing. She is compassionate about Charlie’s fear of thunder and charmed by him. As Charlie Daniel Reale is initially our narrator. He tells us the year and what will happen the next day. But first he tells us it’s the day before Mary’s wedding and she is dreaming of everything that leads up to this moment.

When Charlie is properly introduced to us Daniel Reale as Charlie is as shy as Mary is confident—one imagines her snob mother might have tried to instill that attitude in her young daughter, but Mary is also compassionate and understanding. Charlie has the confidence of place. He was born on the prairies and is confident with horses. He can show Mary his confidence and compassion in his own way. The awkwardness they both initially have with each other grows into easy love, affection and trust. Charlie is willing to go into strange territory for Mary, having tea at her house for example; dancing as well. Daniel Reale is almost awkward around Mary, he likes her so much but is unsure it will be returned. But he shines in the scenes in the war. He is terrified, thrilled, excited and compelling. Evelyn Wiebe also has many emotional moments which are heart-squeezing.

Director Derek Ritschel has realized the beating heart of the piece, the awkwardness and intensity of first love. This is also one of the most emotional rendering of the play that I’ve seen. Very moving. Bring Kleenex.

Lighthouse Festival presents:

Plays until July 20, 2024.

Running time: 2 hours (1 intermission)

www.lighthousetheatre.com

Preview: ‘Mary’s Wedding’ promises sweeping, heartfelt drama set against the backdrop of First World War (The Haldimand Press)

By Mike Renzella | The Haldimand Press

June 27, 2024

PORT DOVER—While Lighthouse’s second show of the season, Murder at Ackerton Manor, continues its run in Port Dover as its first show, Doris and Ivy in the Home, wraps up its run in Port Colborne, the theatre’s behind-the-scenes creative team is already busy preparing for this season’s third show, the epic World War I drama Mary’s Wedding.

Lighthouse’s Artistic Director Derek Ritschel is pulling double duty as the show’s director, bringing forward the company’s first and only dramatic entry of the 2024 season.

Mary’s Wedding Director Derek Ritschel

“I was lucky enough to be an actor in its first go-around through the Canadian theatres back in 2004. I fell in love with the play then,” said Ritschel of Mary’s Wedding.

“It’s the kind of storytelling I think is beautiful.”

While Ritschel played one of the show’s two lead characters back in the day, he doesn’t recall a lot from the experience, instead noting, “I’m surprised at how much of this play I’m discovering rather than remembering. It’s more like it’s a new play to me than something I’ve done and have a background in.”

This iteration of the show stars Daniel Reale as Charlie and Evelyn Wiebe as Mary.

“I think the audience will leave thinking about a few things,” said Reale. “The absolutely stunning poetry and writing in the piece, the impacts of the First World War, the social constructs of the early 20th century – but mostly I hope they leave thinking about all those incredible sensations that come with first love…. I love this show for giving me the opportunity to live in that world.”

Wiebe added of her character, “She feels everything so deeply and that’s just the most satisfying thing as an actor. To hear a woman in the 1900s being bold. A lot of folks tend to dismiss a woman falling in love as ‘typical,’ or trope-like. Mary is so much more than that. She’s just a beast of a woman. It’s just the most fun to play.”

Ritschel said the heart of the story amounts to a collision of innocent young love and world-changing devastation.

“Young love can feel like it’s the biggest thing on the planet. It’s the most moving, it’s the biggest thing you’re going to experience in your life. In this place, it is interrupted by a world war,” he explained. “It has all these sweeping themes of love, but also the absolute devastation and horror of war as a major character. It’s not even a backdrop in this show, that’s kind of what I dig about it. It is such a prevalent presence in their lives.”

The show is an outlier in Lighthouse’s season, which is typically focused on bringing big laughs to attendees.

“Once every two or three years Lighthouse will do a play that is more dramatic than it is comedic,” said Ritschel. “The comedy is great, and that’s what the majority of people want and we’re happy to deliver it because people love it, but every now and then we throw one of these in there so people can get a different flavour, a little taste of something different.”

The audience will be taken on a journey through Mary’s memories, with events unfolding both before and after the war over the course of the time-hopping show.

The Cast and Creative Team of Mary’s Wedding.

“It’s one of those plays that pushes the capabilities of Lighthouse. It really utilizes the light and sound and set design, and the creativity of staging a play,” said Ritschel. “That’s what I love.”

Matching the show’s sweeping themes of love and loss, Lighthouse’s technical team has been hard at work utilizing every resource at their availability to ensure the show is one to remember.

“A play like Mary’s Wedding has a lot of ambiance. It’s fun for those of us at the theatre to play with what she’s technically capable of,” said Ritschel.

The play will run at Lighthouse’s Port Dover theatre from July 3-20 and at Port Colborne’s Roselawn Theatre from July 24-August 4.

For more information on the show, and to purchase tickets, visit lighthousetheatre.com/event/marys-wedding or call the box office at 1-888-779-7703.

After studying journalism at Humber College, Mike Renzella desired to write professionally but found himself working in technical fields for many years. Beginning in 2019 as a freelancer, he joined the team full-time later that year. Since then, Mike has won several awards for his articles thanks to his commitment to presenting an unbiased, honest look at the important news and events shaping our community.

Meet the cast of Mary’s Wedding | Evelyn Wiebe as Mary

Making her Lighthouse debut, Evelyn Wiebe is playing an iconic Canadian role. Mary’s Wedding is a play that tells a story that will make you think about first loves, about the sacrifices of war, and the triumph of the human spirit. Before Lighthouse, she played Cindy in The Darkest Dark, which was nominated for a Dora for best TYA ensemble at Young People’s Theatre, Phoebe in The Judas Kiss at Talk is Free Theatre, and as Janice in Murdoch Mysteries on CBC. We sat down with Evelyn to talk about the challenges of bringing this script to life on stage, why she wanted to be involved in Mary’s Wedding, and how she continues to learn and grow as an actor.

Evelyn Wiebe as Mary in Mary’s Wedding.

Lighthouse Festival (LF): What sort of person is going to love this show? 

Evelyn Wiebe (EW): Anyone and everyone who has ever fallen deeply and helplessly in love will love this show.

(LF): What’s challenging about bringing this script to life? 

(EW): This show isn’t any easy one – it’s a huge wave that we actors must ride. There are ups and downs and turns and twists in it, and aside from meticulously learning everything I can learn about The Great War, it really comes down to just letting go and letting the text do it’s thing. It’s best when you don’t try to control the narrative so much. 

(LF): Why did you want to be involved in this production of Mary’s Wedding?

(EW): Mary reminds me of Juliet. Young, in love, passionate, fiery, witty and curious. She feels everything so deeply and that’s just the most satisfying thing as an actor. To hear a woman in the 1900s being bold. A lot of folks tend to dismiss a woman falling in love as ‘typical’ or trope-like. Mary is so much more than that. She’s just a beast of a woman. It’s just the most fun to play. 

(LF): How do you build chemistry with your fellow cast members?

(EW): Since it’s just dear Daniel and I, I don’t think he has any choice but to build chemistry with me. We laugh a lot, poke fun at one another, grab teas and coffees and lunch breaks when we can, and are enjoying exploring Dover together. So even if he can’t stand me, he’s really just stuck with me. 

(LF): How do you continue to learn and grow as an actor? 

(EW): Oh boy. It never really stops does it? Even if we try. I think the heart of growing as an actor really comes down to practice in trusting oneself. Self doubt is a part of it, curiousity is a part of it, and passion is always there too. It’s often messier than we want it to be, growing that is, but little by little over time, you see small, but wonderful habits that form. Like when I feel, “wow, today I feel like a horrible actor!” (as one sometimes does), you learn that that feeling comes and goes, but the growth is really knowing that – it will do just that: it will come and it will go

Meet the cast of Mary’s Wedding | Daniel Reale as Charlie

For his first time on stage at Lighthouse Festival, Daniel Reale chose one heck of a role! After all, Mary’s Wedding is a play that will reach deep into your soul and make you think about first loves, the sacrifices of war, and the triumph of the human spirit. Previous to Lighthouse, he’s been in productions at the Bruce County Playhouse, The Hogtown Collective, and Theatre by the Bay, plus as Dr. Bradley Wilson in DOC (Sony/Fox) and as the Handsome Man in Crave/Bell Media’s MADE FOR TV. In between learning all those lines, Daniel was kind enough to chat with us about how he builds chemistry with cast members, what’s the best piece of acting advice he’s received, and what he loves about the character he’s playing in Mary’s Wedding, Charlie.

Daniel Reale as Charlie in Mary’s Wedding.

Lighthouse Festival (LF): What will the audience be thinking about in the car as they drive home after this show?

Daniel Reale (DR): I think the audience will leave thinking about a few things. The absolutely stunning poetry and writing in the piece, the impacts of the First World War, the social constructs of the early 20th century- but mostly I hope they leave thinking about all those incredible sensations that come with first love. All of the joy, ease and excitement of finding a person that you can’t ever imagine living without. I love this show for giving me the opportunity to live in that world.

(LF): What do you love about the character you’re playing?

(DR): Charlie isn’t someone who holds back what he is feeling. It’s a gift to get to experience the world of the play through the innocent, hopeful and sometimes naive colours that Stephen has used to paint him with. He speaks his mind and wears his heart on his sleeve, something we can all afford to adopt from him!

(LF): How do you build chemistry with your fellow cast members?

(DR): Since it’s just Evelyn and I performing in the piece, it’s important and has luckily been really easy to build rapport and find common ground in the world of the play. It’s also hard to not become close friends while hanging in the DREAM of a town that is Port Dover. At the end of the day, we’re stuck with each other, so I think we’re very lucky we get along as well as we do. 

(LF): How do you see the role of theatre in today’s society?

(DR): Oof a tough one. Theatre is one of the oldest forms of art and I think there will always be a need for it. As we move towards a world where we are just constantly taking in different forms of media and watching Oscar award winning films on our phones an inch away from our faces… maybe that’s just me… I think it’s important that theatre remains THEATRICAL. We shouldn’t go to the theatre to get something we could watch on TV- but to get a real intimate experience. Something unique to the art form. That’s where this show really sings for me. It has beautiful, grounded realism, but it’s wrapped up in poetry and theatricality that you couldn’t get in another medium. That theatre “magic” is special, it’s the key to the heart of this work and I think the key to keeping theatre relevant for years to come. 

(LF): What’s the best piece of acting advice you’ve ever received? 

(DR): I think the best piece of acting advice I’ve ever received is “Acting is hard. If it was easy everyone would do it.” I feel incredibly lucky to be a part of this industry- it’s probably the most fun I could ever imagine myself having at “work”. But it’s important to remind myself that it’s hard. There is a level of athleticism and effort you need to bring to the table when working in theatre – it’s a marathon not a sprint. And without the stamina and rigour that you put into your training, you’ll never be able to perform. The other great advice that goes in tandem with that is “Do the work- work hard, then throw it away” When it’s time to perform you can’t show the audience how hard you are working. You’ve built the framework- now it’s time to live in it.

Mary’s Wedding promises to pack an emotional punch at Lighthouse Festival Theatre (Intermission Magazine)

By Nathaniel Hanula-James | Intermission Magazine

Friday, June 21, 2024

This summer, Lighthouse Festival’s audiences are advised to BYOK — Bring Your Own Kleenex. 

They’ll need them for Mary’s Wedding, which begins previews at the Lighthouse Theatre in Port Dover on July 3. Written by Stephen Massicotte and first produced by Alberta Theatre Projects in 2002, Mary’s Wedding transports audiences to the Canadian prairies of the early 20th century, where a young woman named Mary Chalmers, seeking shelter from a thunderstorm in a barn, stumbles upon a young man named Charles Edwards and has her world turned upside down. The ensuing love story, both epic and intimate, spans continents as Charlie sails off to fight in the trenches of the First World War. 

“I liken it more to poetry than I do to your standard text of a play,” said Derek Ritschel, the director of Mary’s Wedding and the artistic director of Lighthouse Festival, in an interview. “Sometimes when a writer writes a show they have all the right ideas, but the rhythm of the lines just doesn’t work. [Mary’s Wedding] is the opposite. It’s the right amount of syllables. It’s the right amount of pace. The scenes change just at the right time. It is, to me, the perfect Canadian play.”

The last time Lighthouse mounted a production of Mary’s Wedding in 2005, Ritschel played the role of Charlie. As the director of this new production, he brings not only a profound understanding of the text but a desire to lean into the sweeping, cinematic nature of the play’s love story.

“I get accused of directing films for the stage all the time,” joked Ritschel. “My style has always been very cinematic.” One example is Ritschel’s vision for the play’s opening, created in collaboration with sound designer Tim Lindsay. “There’s a sequence at the top of the show where we’re going to have audio from the Vietnam War, the Korean War, then World War Two, [then World War One],” explained Ritschel, “to the point where, at the end of the opening sequence, all we’re hearing is the wind in the wheat. We want to slow the audience down to [the world of] the prairies in 1916.”


Ritschel also plans to play with montage and slow motion as a way to capture Charlie’s terrifying experiences at the front.

“What would have been a brief moment in real time, I’m going to slow right down,” Ritschel said. “I’m creating these time pockets.” Ritschel compared the slow motion quality he’s aiming for to his experience of being in a car accident. “The car that drove into me — it took all of 1.4 seconds,” he shared, “but the amount of thought that went through my head in that blip is what I’m going for with Charlie and Mary. The train of events in their storyline is very quick, so I’m trying to create spaces where we can actually breathe and [sit with] thought and memory and love.”

Ritschel’s filmic approach to Mary’s Wedding doesn’t equal hyper-realism. On the contrary, Ritschel wants to embrace the opportunities for play and imagination that theatre offers as a medium. “We’ve gone uber-dream,” he said. “Nothing is what it seems to be. Charlie doesn’t have a gun in our show. It’s a broom.”

At the heart of this production are two incredible emerging actors: Daniel Reale (Charlie) and Evelyn Wiebe (Mary). This is Ritschel’s first time collaborating with both performers.

“There’s something thrilling for me to work with people I don’t know,” he said. “It makes me think about my words a little more, and how I’m delivering a thought. “I kind of hate the term ‘director.’ I like to think of myself as on the outside looking in for [actors] and watching their backs, and saying ‘here’s what I’m seeing.’ [Wiebe and Reale] are so open and so smart, and so willing to say ‘No, Derek, I think it’s this.’ I love it. It challenges me, and I love the energy of young actors and new people.”

Mary’s Wedding will be quite the tonal shift from Lighthouse’s current offering, the madcap mystery farce Murder at Ackerton Manor

Ackerton is nuts,” said Ritschel. “The characters are huge caricatures of [murder mystery] archetypes. It’s so absurd and fun and ridiculous. It’s very funny. Then [the audience is] going to get Mary’s Wedding, and it’s going to be the biggest 180 — which I’m loving. 

“We always do a show that has some serious heart and drama to it,” he continued. “I something refer to it as ‘the one for the heart.’”

How does Ritschel hope Mary’s Wedding might touch the hearts of Lighthouse audiences and subscribers? 

“I hope that people who see Lighthouse as a comedy house will give it a chance,” he said. “What these two fine actors are about to do is going to be something pretty spectacular.”


Mary’s Wedding runs July 3 – 20 at the Lighthouse Festival Theatre in Port Dover, and July 24 – August 4 at the Roselawn Theatre in Port Colborne. You can learn more about the show here.

For Immediate Release: Lighthouse Festival presents heartfelt drama Mary’s Wedding as the third production of the 2024 summer season

Written by Stephen Massicotte and directed by Derek Ritschel, the production runs from July 3 to 20 in Port Dover and from July 24 to August 4 in Port Colborne

June 21, 2024 – Port Dover, ON | Lighthouse Festival is thrilled to announce its third production of the season, Stephen Massicotte’s evocative play Mary’s Wedding. This poignant and deeply moving drama explores the themes of love, loss, and the lingering shadows of war, set against the backdrop of World War I.

Mary’s Wedding is a beautiful, lyrical journey that begins the night before Mary is to be married. As Mary dreams, she revisits her memories of Charlie, a young soldier she fell in love with. The audience is taken on an emotional ride through their budding romance, the trials of separation, and the heartache of war, all told through a seamless blend of reality and dream.

Daniel Reale, who plays Charlie, shared his thoughts on the play: “I think the audience will leave thinking about a few things. The absolutely stunning poetry and writing in the piece, the impacts of the First World War, the social constructs of the early 20th century – but mostly I hope they leave thinking about all those incredible sensations that come with first love. All of the joy, ease and excitement of finding a person that you can’t ever imagine living without. I love this show for giving me the opportunity to live in that world.”

Mary’s Wedding director Derek Ritschel.

Evelyn Wiebe, portraying Mary, added: “Mary reminds me of Juliet. Young, in love, passionate, fiery, witty and curious. She feels everything so deeply and that’s just the most satisfying thing as an actor. To hear a woman in the 1900s being bold. A lot of folks tend to dismiss a woman falling in love as ‘typical’ or trope-like. Mary is so much more than that. She’s just a beast of a woman. It’s just the most fun to play.”

The production is helmed by Lighthouse Festival’s Artistic Director, Derek Ritschel, who brings a unique perspective to the play, having starred as Charlie in the 2005 production. “Directing this play has been a deeply rewarding experience and a passion project of mine,” says Ritschel. “I fell in love with the show over 20 years ago and I’m thrilled to bring the show to the Lighthouse audience. The cast and crew have poured their hearts into bringing this story to life, capturing the delicate balance between the sweetness of young love and the harsh realities of a world at war. Their dedication and passion are evident in every scene.”

Maquette of the set for Mary’s Wedding designed by William Chesney.


Ritschel continued: “Mary’s Wedding is not just a love story; it is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of dreams to transcend time and space. Through Mary’s dreams, we experience the beauty of love and the harrowing impact of war, all while navigating the ethereal boundaries between reality and imagination.”

Mary’s Wedding promises to be a standout production in Lighthouse Festival’s season, offering audiences an unforgettable experience filled with heartfelt performances and stunning storytelling.

The play runs from July 3 to 20 in Port Dover’s Lighthouse Theatre and from July 24 to August 4 in Port Colborne’s Roselawn Theatre. Don’t miss this chance to witness a powerful narrative brought to life by an exceptional cast and creative team.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit https://lighthousetheatre.com/event/marys-wedding/ or contact the box office at (888) 779-7703.


Cast

Daniel Reale as Charlie
Evelyn Wiebe as Mary

Creative Team

Director: Derek RitschelPlaywright: Stephen Massicotte
Set Designer: William ChesneyCostume Designer: Alex Amini
Lighting Designer: Wendy LundgrenSound Designer: Tim Lindsay
Stage Manager: Josephine Ho Apprentice Stage Manager: Katherine Hunter

About Lighthouse Festival
Lighthouse Festival is a charitable organization devoted to the development and production of new and existing Canadian plays. Lighthouse Festival strives to be artistically excellent, support and encourage local and regional artists, and be a source of enjoyment and pride in local communities while promoting local tourism. Located in two beautiful towns on Lake Erie, our theatres operate on a central policy of hospitality, accessibility, and affordability for all.


Media Contact
For media inquiries, cast interviews and further information, please contact:

Don Kearney-Bourque
Marketing & Communications Manager
Lighthouse Festival Theatre Corporation
don@lighthousetheatre.com
Direct: (226) 290-0070
Cell: (289) 541-7410


Review: Inspired comic lunacy awaits those who enter ‘Ackerton Manor’ at Lighthouse Festival Theatre (Haldimand Press)

By Mike Renzella | The Haldimand Press

June 20, 2024

PORT DOVER—Three amazingly manic performances from the three stars of Lighthouse Theatre’s latest comedy, ‘Murder at Ackerton Manor,’ are sure to equally delight fans of absurdist comedy and good ol’ fashioned whodunnit mysteries in the vein of Agatha Christie or Arthur Conan Doyle.

Those performers are: Andrew Scanlon, pulling double duty as both murder victim Roger Ackerton and the detective sent to investigate, alongside Eliza Jane-Scott and Adrian Shepherd-Gawinski performing a cavalcade of suspects, each more ridiculous than the last.

While the mystery pleasantly unfolds, comedy is the star of the show. 

The play zips along with a slapstick style akin to classic Looney Tunes, or one of the classic spoof comedies, like Spaceballs or Three Amigos.

Scanlon pulls off the admirable task of playing two characters, often within the same scene, costume changes and all. 

His French detective is constantly a step behind and proves a perfect foil to the gallery of suspects, while switching easily into the role of Ackerton in a series of flashbacks where he continually finds new ways to make the audience loath the character more and more.

Pictured (l-r) are the stars of ‘Murder at Ackerton Manor’ Eliza Jane-Scott, Adrian Shepherd-Gawinski, and Andrew Scanlon in a scene from the show.  —Submitted photo.

Jane-Scott is electric in her appearances, throwing caution to the wind in a masterclass of a comic performance that sees her playing both a sexually repressed sibling of Ackerton, and a crotchety old scientist. 

If you didn’t know better, you would swear the characters were performed by different actors.

Not to be outdone, Shepherd-Gawinski is the third lynchpin in this trio of gifted comedic performers. 

Following up on his masterful turn in last summer’s ‘Bed and Breakfast,’ Shepherd-Gawinski once again impresses with his ability to, like Scanlon, play multiple characters within the same scene. From a stuffy family butler to a shrewd temptress in full drag, Shepherd-Gawinski draws some of the show’s biggest laughs, amiably popping up in doorframes and windows to deliver a line of dialogue between one of his many backstage costume changes.

The show is the brainchild of writer/actor/director Steven Gallagher. 

While the actors bring the thunder with their manic, committed performances, Gallagher’s script is the anchor that ties the zaniness together. The jokes come fast with a high hit-percentage, and the mystery, while absurd, holds together logistically as clues are planted throughout to help audiences try and outsmart the detective.

Andrew Scanlon and Eliza-Jane Scott in Steven Gallagher’s Murder at Ackerton Manor. -Submitted photo.

Gallagher has a firm grasp on physical comedy, employing a number of fun theatrical tricks. 

From perfectly placed lightning strikes at a shocking revelation, to the elegant way spotlights are used to highlight a monologue (allowing other performers to magically switch characters in the darkness), the play is the clear result of a talented creative person let loose to full effect.

He is aided in that effort by the stellar workmanship of Lighthouse’s backstage team, who have created a wonderful, versatile set and ensure everything runs smoothly to amplify the physical comedy happening on stage. 

Like always at Lighthouse, it’s a perfect marriage of performance and backstage craft.

So, if you are the kind of person that cracked up watching Spaceballs when actual jam leaked out of the computer screen after a cadet yells, “They jammed our transmission!” then you owe it to yourself to check in for a night’s stay at Ackerton Manor.

The show runs at Port Dover’s Lighthouse Theatre until June 29. 

It will then enjoy a run at Port Colborne’s Roselawn Theatre from July 3-14. 

For tickets and information, visit lighthousetheatre.com.


After studying journalism at Humber College, Mike Renzella desired to write professionally but found himself working in technical fields for many years. Beginning in 2019 as a freelancer, he joined the team full-time later that year. Since then, Mike has won several awards for his articles thanks to his commitment to presenting an unbiased, honest look at the important news and events shaping our community.

Lighthouse Theatre’s new show a mix of Agatha Christie and Mel Brooks (Haldimand Press)

By Mike Renzella | The Haldimand Press

June 13, 2024

PORT DOVER—If you have ever wondered how legendary comedy director Mel Brooks might adapt an Agatha Christie mystery novel, you’re in luck. Lighthouse Theatre’s newest production, ‘Murder at Ackerton Manor,’ now on stage at Port Dover’s theatre, promises a healthy dose of both.

Murder at Ackerton Manor playwright and director Steven Gallagher.

Actor and playwright Steven Gallagher is directing his own script for his Lighthouse debut. With 35 years of acting experience across Canada, Gallagher began his career as a writer about 20 years ago.

“I grew up in a small town that happened to have a little theatre in it. The first time I went to the theatre, I don’t remember what play it was, but I know I went with my mom. She loved Agatha Christie. It was a murder mystery that took place in some sort of manor,” recalled Gallagher. “This is my homage to those Agatha Christie plays, but it’s also sort of a spoof of those plays.” 

The show, set in a country manor, centres around the murder of owner Roger Ackerton, described by Gallagher as a “horrible human being.”

“We see him murdered by an unseen murderer in the first five minutes of the play,” he said. “Then the next two hours we meet all the suspects in the play.”

All of those characters will be portrayed by just three actors, with returning Lighthouse performers Adrian Shepherd-Gawinski (Bed and Breakfast) and Eliza-Jane Scott (Come Down From Up River) being joined by newcomer Andrew Scanlon.

Eliza-Jane Scott, Andrew Scanlon & Adrian Shepherd-Gawinski in Murder at Ackerton Manor.

“We have this amazing group of actors who are really invested in the style and tone of the show and they’re having a great time on stage,” said Gallagher. “They play seven different characters, with full costume changes. One actor plays the butler, he also plays the gardener and a southern belle. Another actor plays the dead person’s sister as well as a German scientist.” 

He warned audiences to not get too caught up in the laughter, however.

“There is a real mystery. We don’t divulge the killer until the very end. A lot of people are kept guessing, we hope…. Everyone is a suspect in our play. We balance the murder-mystery with the zaniness of the farce as well,” said Gallagher.

Guests will have the opportunity to guess the killer during the show’s intermission, adding to the Clue-like fun of the evening.

“We want to make sure (attendees) are interested in guessing who the killer is, while laughing as well,” he said.


Adrian Shepherd-Gawinski, Andrew Scanlon & Eliza-Jane Scott in Murder at Ackerton Manor.

As for the Mel Brooks influence, Gallagher added, “I love physical comedy. There’s a lot of verbal and physical puns. I love Mel Brooks’ irreverence, and how far can you go without crossing a line.”

Those interested in joining in the hunt for the murderer can catch ‘Murder at Ackerton Manor’ at the Lighthouse Festival Theatre until June 29. It then moves to Port Colborne’s Roselawn Theatre, where you can catch it from July 3-14.

For tickets and more info, visit lighthousetheatre.com, or call the box office at 1-888-779-7703.

After studying journalism at Humber College, Mike Renzella desired to write professionally but found himself working in technical fields for many years. Beginning in 2019 as a freelancer, he joined the team full-time later that year. Since then, Mike has won several awards for his articles thanks to his commitment to presenting an unbiased, honest look at the important news and events shaping our community.

Meet the cast of Murder at Ackerton Manor | Andrew Scanlon as Roger Ackerton + other roles

Making his Lighthouse debut, Andrew Scanlon has killed it in Kinky Boots (Original Canadian Company & First US National Tour), as Captain Hook in Peter Pan (Drayton Entertainment), and in Neptune Theatre’s production of Sweeney Todd, just to name a few. Andrew was kind enough to chat with us about what drew him to this role in Murder at Ackerton Manor, how he approaches character development for complex roles (read: his multiple roles in Murder at Ackerton Manor!), and his most memorable audience reaction.

Andrew Scanlon as Roger Ackerton + other roles

Lighthouse Festival (LF): What drew you to this role in Murder at Ackerton Manor?

Andrew Scanlon (AS): Steven Gallagher, the writer and director of Murder at Ackerton Manor, is an old friend and one of my favourite theatre artists to collaborate with. Much like the work he creates, he is thoughtful, creative and incredibly funny. When he invited me to join the company of his joyful, original, zany play at Lighthouse, I immediately jumped at the chance! 

(LF): Can you describe your most memorable audience reaction?

(AS): After almost twenty-five years in live theatre, it’s hard to narrow it down to just one experience. I will say that over and over again, one of my favourite moment in the process of a show is the instant you come to places for the first time with an audience and hear the hum and energy of all those voices out there again. It never, ever, ever gets old. 

(LF): How do you approach character development for a complex role?

(AS): It’s easy to become overwhelmed in a big part. I always find the key is getting back to 2 fundamentals: What does my character want, and what are they doing to achieve it? When you can answer these questions clearly in every moment of the play, it’s easier to work outwards and address any of the larger, complex, more technical requirements of a part.

(LF): What are the challenges and rewards of live theatre compared to other forms of acting?

(AS): In theatre, so much work is done by so many people ahead of opening night: A completed script, decisions about characters,  relationships and staging, full design concepts. And when the curtain finally goes up, there’s no editing, no post-production, no do-overs. So, as actors, we must honour every element of that plan, in real time, ensuring everyone’s collaborative contributions come across exactly as they intended. It takes a lot of discipline, but it’s also a real honour.

(LF): How do you balance personal life and the demanding schedule of theatre productions? 

(AS): I’m a big sports fan. In recent years,  “recovery” has been accepted as a critical element of high level athletic performance. I really believe the same approach is needed for professional artists: Whether it be rest, time spent with friends and family, enjoying the outdoors, cooking, travel, reading, exercise… you just have to find time to include self-care and balance in your life, or your creative output won’t be nearly as rich or productive.

Meet the cast of Murder at Ackerton Manor | Eliza-Jane Scott as Ariadne Ackerton + other roles

Last winter, Eliza-Jane Scott played someone we’ve all come to know, somewhat understand, and kinda love; the teenager with a smart phone! She also played in last summer’s first production, Come Down From Up River by Norm Foster. We’re very pleased that she’s back this summer, playing Ariadne Ackerton and other roles in Steven Gallagher’s comedic murder-mystery, Murder at Ackerton Manor. We chatted with Eliza-Jane to talk about the role of theatre in today’s society, what drew her to the role of Ariadne Ackerton, and what is the biggest misconception of working in theatre.

Eliza-Jane Scott as Ariadne Ackerton + other roles

Lighthouse Festival (LF): How do you see the role of theatre in today’s society?

Eliza-Jane Scott (EJS): Seeing live theatre obviously brings people together but it’s what we learn about ourselves through sharing stories that uplift and celebrate life. I am so grateful to have had a life in the theatre as both a performer and an audience member!

(LF): What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

(EJS): The most rewarding part of my job is putting a smile on people’s faces, or a tear in their eye. I feel so connected to audiences: it’s their presence that makes me feel so connected to life!

(LF): What drew you to this role in Murder at Ackerton Manor?

(EJS):  The comedy aspects of the play definitely drew me to this role. It’s such a fun and zany comedy….it’s absurdity at its best and I so love comedy!

(LF): What are the challenges and rewards of live theatre compared to other forms of acting?

(EJS): Live theatre is like being at church for me: being with community, witnessing each other and our shared experiences. 

(LF): What do you think is the biggest misconception people have about working in theatre? 

(EJS): Perhaps people don’t understand how much work and sacrifice is involved in making theatre…but perhaps they do. I’m just very grateful that people support the theatre and the community.