Moonshine by Jim Nolan
29 Oct 2010 Leave a Comment
Biographies
Jim Nolan – Playwright
Based in Waterford, Jim Nolan is a writer and director, and co-founder of the Red Kettle Theatre, celebrating its 25th year. His play, The Salvage Shop, won the Irish Times’ award for Best New Play in 1998 and he looks back only to ponder some of the same themes he explores in Moonshine, the need for each soul to have a voice, the need for those ‘who sing for those who cannot speak’.
Interestingly, although he has a successful professional career with productions mounted at the Abbey, the Garter Lane Arts Centre and the Theatre Royal, he has a high regard for community companies like The Irish Players and has praised the commitment and sacrifice of amateurs and acknowledged that some of his richest experiences have come in the collaboration of the professional artist and the amateur. We hope he would be pleased with this collaboration of our artists with his work.
Maureen Dorey-Lukie – Director
Maureen Dorey-Lukie was welcomed into TIP in 1995 with Dancing at Lughnasa. Since then, she has directed Red Roses and Petrol and the musical adaptation of James Joyce’s The Dead, and most recently appeared as counsellor Suzy in I Do Not Love Thee, Dr. Fell. On this same stage, she was Mrs. Bennett in Pride and Prejudice for the Alumnae Theatre. She will finish this season in Barefoot in the Park for Amicus, and by directing Having Hope at Home, also for Amicus.
Stephen Flett – McKeever
Steve is an award-winning actor who has appeared in far too many plays spanning far too many years. This year, he played a Welsh producer in A Chorus of Disapproval (winning a Thea award for Best Actor in a Comedy), an American producer in Moonlight and Magnolias, and now an Irish producer in Moonshine – hmmm… typecasting? This is his fourth appearance with TIP – previously appearing in The Warrior Bard, Moll and Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me (Thea award – Best Acting Ensemble.) Amongst his many other shows are A Flea In Her Ear, Hockey: The Musical and The Stage Manager in Our Town. Recently: The Flying Avro Arrow (Fringe) Next: Rough Justice (East Side).
Myrthin Stagg – Elizabeth
Myrthin is delighted to be making her debut in Toronto with The Toronto Irish Players. After recently graduating from Dalhousie’s Theatre Acting Programme in Nova Scotia, she made her way across the country to pursue acting. Previous roles include Scipio the Younger in Dante’s Divinus: Inferno, Incubus in Fairy of the Lake, and The Governor’s Wife in The Caucasian Chalk Circle (Dalhousie Theatre). She would like to thank her friends and family for their love and support.
Declan Whelehan – Reverend Langton
A native Dubliner, Declan has acted with several companies over more years than he cares to (or can) remember.
This is his third outing with TIP, most recently appearing as Mick in their production of The Muesli Belt.
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Carlyn Rhamey – Bridget
Carlyn Rhamey is a recent graduate of the Fanshawe College Theatre Arts Program. Selected credits include: Shakespeare on the Subway directed by Victoria Urquhart (Spur of the Moment Shakespeare Collective), Splendor in the Grass directed by Brenda Bazinet (Fanshawe), Sissy in Unity 1918 directed by Brenda Bazinet (Fanshawe), Ophelia in Hamlet directed by Maja Ardal (Fanshawe), and Sandy in a workshop of The Crackwalker (Fanshawe). Carlyn would like to thank her friends and family for their never ending support, John, Ingrid, Francesca, and Karen for giving her the ‘push’ into the real world and providing her with the tools to survive, and Maureen and Michael for giving her this fantastic opportunity and “beating the cuteness out”.
Gregory Cruikshank – Michael
A survivor of the infamous York University strike of ‘09/10, Gregory is proud to be part of the Toronto Irish Players’ production of Moonshine, his first collaboration with them. Past credits include, Life on a Limb (pettichild*productions), and Brian Morton’s New Talent (Theatre Erebus), which toured the London, Toronto, and Hamilton Fringe Festivals this past summer. He is also an aspiring voice actor, having done numerous commercial voiceovers for the York radio station; and a burgeoning playwright, presently developing an original piece with Robert K Brown. Gregory can also be seen at the Annex Live in Roger Dundas’ remount of Sex, Relationships, and Sometimes… Love.
William Mowat – Griffin
William Mowat is very happy and enthused to be working with the TIP for the first time. William has been onstage since 1986, where he first played the Tin Man, and has been passionate ever since. Since graduating from the theatre program at Brock University where he performed shows such as The Misanthrope, The Rover and Woyzeck, William has been actively involved in the Toronto theatre and film industry, acting in a variety of commercials, short and feature films.
Mary Lepik – Margaret
LangtonMary was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland before moving to Toronto at the age of twenty. For the past 12 years she has been performing competitively in a Sweet Adeline’s Chorus. This is her first appearance with The Toronto Irish Players.
