Everyman Program

Everyman, a Medieval Morality Play adapted by Carol Ann Duffy Cast: EVERYMAN - Jenn Ethier GOD/GOOD DEEDS – Daniel Medema DEATH – Payton McPherson KNOWLEDGE – Rubi-Ann Armson MOTHER – Mary Ohianwusi FATHER – Connor Greenough SISTER – Emma Richard WORLDLY GOODS – Mikayla Ahlstrom, Amara Bell, Keera Kalynchuk & Liliana Ortiz Sanchez WEATHER REPORTERS – Connor Greenough, Donald Morin & Stefan Sikanja EVERYBOY – Keera Kalynchuk SINEAD – Mikayla Ahlstrom ENSEMBLE -- FELLOWSHIP/SENSES/WITS – Mikayla Ahlstrom, Amara Bell, Linnet Gee, Connor Greenough, Keera Kalynchuk, Donald Morin, Mary Ohianwusi, Emma Richard, Liliana Ortiz Sanchez & Stefan Sikanja

Artistic Team Director Caroline Howarth

Lighting & Sound Operator River Buhler

Production Designer & Technical Director Josiah Hiemstra

Scenic Painter Amy Powell

Movement Coaching & Choreography Daelyn Myggland

Composition of Rap Sequences Daniel Medema & Corban Miller

Assistant Director Jennifer Shermak

Music Consultation and Support John Brough & Donald Morin (guitar accompaniment)

Wardrobe Betty Kolodziej

Poster Design Aaron Parker

Stage Manager Kristin McLagan

Publicity and Promotions Liam Salmon & CUE Communications Team

Assistant Stage Managers Amelia Kuntz & Alexis Moore Setting: Everyman’s Birthday celebration

Time: 2023

The show runs approximately 75 minutes without intermission Copyright © Carol Ann Duffy. Reproduced by permission of the author c/o Rogers, Coleridge & White Ltd., 20 Powis Mews, London W11 1JN We wish to acknowledge that the land where we gather and create is Treaty 6 territory, and a traditional meeting ground and home for many Indigenous peoples, including Cree, Saulteaux, Blackfoot, Métis, and Nakota Sioux Peoples.

Director Notes Everyman is a medieval morality play from the early 1500s. Even though it was written centuries ago it still resonates with society today as we wrestle with contemporary ideas of morality. Carol Ann Duffy’s exciting adaptation brings the play firmly into the 21st Century, weaving in concerns of climate change, consumerism and belief.

What does it mean to be a human being? What is right and wrong? What does it mean to give a reckoning of your life?

These questions relate to our modern day society especially as we grow older. People in their 20s ask these questions as they think about what they want from life and what life has in store for them.

The students of Concordia have done a wonderful job taking on the challenge of portraying these tough life questions.

We can't wait to share this story with you and hope you take away some new thought provoking questions or perhaps even some answers.

Enjoy the show!

-- Jennifer & Caroline

Special Thanks Edmonton Opera, Opera Nuova, John Adria, Sarah Fyvie, Xavier Adria, CUE’s Marketing team, Kelly and the team at Bookish, Tix on the Square, Dr. Danielle Lisboa, Jill Fraser-Bittner, Tyson Goodreau, Phoenix Phillips, Chenu Aitchedji, Glenda Stirling, Tyrion Hiemstra, Ashley Oloske and our Front of House Volunteers.

Company Biographies Mikayla Ahlstrom (Fellowship, Sinead, Worldy Goods, Beauty) Mikayla is a first-year psychology major student at Concordia. She is very excited to be a part of the production of Everyman. This is her first performance on the Concordia stage and she feels honoured to be part of such a talented cast and crew! Previously, Mikayla has been part of Shrek The Musical as Donkey, and Spamalot! as Patsy, and a crew member for Northern Crossing Music and Drama Society. We hope you enjoy the show and learn about morality in Everyman. What life lesson did you learn the hard way?

Rubi-Ann Armson (Knowledge) Rubi-Ann is in the last year of her 3 year drama degree at Concordia. She has loved working with the amazing Everyman cast and crew over the past 2 months.

This is the first production that she has acted in at Concordia, however, she did assistant stage manage last semester's production of Chrysothemis. Previously, Rubi-Ann has been a part of The Sting, Almost Maine, Memory, Jane Eyre, and many others. She hopes you enjoy the show! What meal would you have at your last supper?

Amara Bell (Fellowship, Worldly Goods, Discretion) Amara is a third year student at Concordia who grew up in Barrhead, Alberta. I'm majoring in Drama and minoring in Early Childhood Education. I’m also the vice president of operations for the Concordia drama club. Last term, I got the opportunity to play one of the Ancients in Chrysothemis. The top three roles that I have played are Rosie from Mamma Mia, Narrator from Cinderella, and Wardrobe from Beauty and the Beast. Everyman will be the 10th production that I have gotten to act in. I am also currently working on a commercial that will be premiered at the Spring Arts Festival. What do you think happens when we die?

Do we become a star, or are we just wandering around, or are we in Heaven/Hell? That's all I have to say, so enjoy the show.

River Buhler (Light and sound Operator) River is a second year student at Concordia, they are completing a double concentration in Music and Drama. They were one of the assistant stage managers last semester in Chrysothemis, helped out shortly with The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime in the Fall 2021 semester, they were also in two musicals in high school. What do you think your good deeds are? Enjoy the show!

Carol Ann Duffy (Playwright) Carol Ann Duffy, an award-winning Scottish poet is best known for writing love poems that often take the form of monologues.

Her verses, as an Economist reviewer described them, are typically “spoken in the voices of the urban disaffected, people on the margins of society who harbour resentments and grudges against the world.” Duffy’s poetry has always been strong and feminist. She was the United Kingdom’s poet laureate from 2009 to 2019, the first woman to be appointed to the position in 400 years. Duffy’s poetry collections included Standing Female Nude (1985), The Other Country (1990), The World’s Wife (1999), Rapture (2005), and Sincerity (2018).

During this time she also authored such plays as Take My Husband (1982) and Little Women, Big Boys (1986). At the beginning of the 21st century, much of her work was written for children, including the picture books Underwater Farmyard (2002), The Tear Thief (2007), The Princess’s Blankets (2009), and the poetry collection The Hat (2007). She continued to produce verse for adults as well, notably issuing the collections Love Poems (2010), The Bees (2011), and Sincerity (2018), and her stage credits included retellings of the story of Casanova (2007) and of the morality play Everyman (2015). Duffy is a professor of contemporary poetry and the creative director of the Writing School at Manchester Metropolitan University. She lives in Manchester.

Jenn Ethier (Everyman) Jenn is a second year drama student at Concordia. She is very excited to be a part of the production of Everyman. This is her first performance on the Concordia stage and is thrilled to be part of such a talented cast and crew. Previously, Jenn has been part of over a dozen shows including Donna in Mamma Mia! and Rusty in Footloose. We hope you enjoy the show and learn a bit about morality in Everyman. What song do you want to be playing when you die?

Linnet Gee (Fellowship, Senses) Linnet is a student at Concordia taking a 3-year Bachelor of Arts program with music as her major and drama as her minor. Because her mom is a drama teacher, she has been exposed to a lot of drama her whole life. In elementary school, she sang as part of the choir in the school musical, and attended drama camp at the University of Saskatchewan between the ages of 10-18. At Concordia, she performed for kids as part of her Theatre For Young audiences course in 2022, and is now thrilled to be appearing for the first time on the Concordia mainstage. The question she would ask you to consider after watching our show is how should you live your life and what you are thankful for?

Connor Greenough (Fellowship, Father, Weather Reporter, Sight) Connor is a 3rd year student at Concordia. He majors in Psychology and Minors in Drama. He will be pursuing Education as an after degree. This will be Connor’s first production with Concordia. He is excited to explore the different aspects of his characters and how they mirror each other.

Connor has been in few other presentative productions previously, as an actor. He was in Chicago, run by Bellerose Composite High School and the other was a piece called Reconciliation, performed at the Fringe. He has additionally worked as part of the orchestra for Bellerose rendition of Into the Woods where he was one of two percussionists for the production. How does God see religion? Does he care or is it just a man made thing? Can you be seen as a good person by God without being religious?

Josiah Hiemstra (Production Designer and Technical Director) Josiah is the Technical Director for the Al and Trish Huehn Theatre and an instructor for the Concordia Drama Department. He has a BFA in Technical Production from the U of A and is a member of IATSE, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. His credits include, Head Electrician for Freewill Shakespeare in the Park, Venue Technician for The Edmonton International Fringe Festival and the St. Albert Children’s Festival. Josiah has done many school tours with Concrete Theatre, a company producing theatre for young audiences. Josiah currently works as production designer and technical director for all of the mainstage productions at Concordia including: The Secret Garden, Dido and Aeneas, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Macbeth, Urinetown, Waxworks, as well as The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime and Tuck Everlasting this past year. Josiah also designed lights for All Shook Up at Mayfield Dinner Theatre and Bluebirds with Wishbone Theatre. Josiah continues to pursue his professional career while working with new and returning students at CUE; introducing them to the massive world of technical theatre and design.

Caroline Howarth (Director) Caroline has been a drama professor here at CUE for over 25 years.

She has directed many shows and teaches acting, directing and Theatre for Young Audiences. She has directed many production at CUE including the CUE 100 Cabaret, The Dada Play and the opera Dido and Aeneas. She is a co-founder and current Artistic Associate of Concrete Theatre, a theatre creating work for young audiences. She has directed and facilitated many productions and projects with the company including most recently Songs My Mother Never Sung Me - a chamber opera in American Sign Language and sung English. Caroline has also worked with Edmonton Opera, Opera Nuova, The Citadel Theatre and the Edmonton Fringe Festival. A question that Everyman raises for Caroline: how do you want to be remembered? A question that Caroline’s directing has raised for the cast: how many times does One More Time really mean?

Keera Kalynchuk (Fellowship, Worldly Goods, Everyboy, Sensuality, Taste) Keera is a 3rd year Drama Major student at Concordia. I’m honoured to be a part of the production of Everyman and so excited for everyone to see the show. This is my first production at Concordia but I’ve been in productions all throughout Jr.High and High School. One of my favourite performances was getting to be Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz musical where I acted, sang and danced my way across the stage. Everyman is unlike any other production that I’ve been a part of and let’s just say this is my first show I get to enter on a scooter. A huge thank you to everyone who is a part of the production behind the scenes and the amazing and talented cast and crew. I hope you enjoy the show as you discover that death is inevitable. If you knew today was your last day on Earth, how would you spend it?

Betty Kolodziej (Costumes) Betty became involved with costumes while getting her voice opera degree from University of Alberta. Since then she has worked as costume co-ordinator, builder and/or designer for numerous theatre groups including Concrete Theatre, Concordia University, Keyano Theatre, Red Deer College and Beaumont High School. She was the costumer for Kompany! Dance and Edmonton Musical Theatre for over 20 years and has been the in-house costumer for Opera Nuova for 22 years. Besides her costuming work she has been a member of the Edmonton Opera chorus for over 30 years.

Amelia Kuntz (Assistant Stage Manager) Amelia is a second year Drama Major at Concordia and this is her third time being part of a production here. Some of her favourite shows she has performed in include Bring it On, Diary of Anne Frank, and Chicago, and you may have seen her in Chrysothemis last semester. She has stage managed as well as ran lights multiple times in the past and is excited to be working on the tech side of things for “Everyman”! She is so proud of this cast and hopes you enjoy the show as much as she does!

Kristin McLagan (Stage Manager) Kristin is in her third year at Concordia, she is majoring in drama and her minor is in education. She has been involved with theatre programs for 12 years where she acted and danced. In high school she changed directions and started working backstage, specifically sewing and creating costumes for performances such as Into The Woods, Chicago, and Sister Act. She has also been involved in productions at CUE such as The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night and Tuck Everlasting where she was an assistant stage manager and helped create props. She also was the stage manager for Chrysothemis and is thrilled to have the opportunity to continue her stage managing journey for this production.

Payton McPherson (Death) Payton is in her second year of a Bachelor of Arts 3yr Drama concentration at Concordia University. She grew up as a dancer and has always been passionate within the arts. In 2019, she had the opportunity to work her dream job as a performer for Disney Cruise Line aboard the Fantasy.

Throughout high school she performed in many shows such as: Newsies as Medda Larkin, The Great Gatsby as Daisy Buchanan, Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat as Mrs. Potiphar, and Rock of Ages as Anita Bath.

Most recently she had the opportunity to fill in for her former teacher, Aimee Storey at her high school (Salisbury Composite) as the musical theatre 15 choreographer for Seussical. As well having been provided an opportunity to work with and learn from her other former teacher Lianne Lister-Frank, making it special. “I wouldn’t be the performer I am today without my dramily.”- Payton. This will be her first time performing on Concordia’s stage. She feels grateful for this new learning experience and process over the last few months. She hopes you enjoy the show and perhaps learn about the views of morality. Will your life be lived before dying?

Daniel Medema (God/Good Deeds & rap co-composer) Daniel is a First year Drama student at Concordia University! He is so very excited to be your God during this production of Everyman. This is his second performance at Concordia, last semester's Chrysothemis being his first! Daniel has previously been in a few musicals and plays around the city! He hopes you enjoy the show and really think about littering. Do you see God when someone offers you a seat on the bus, or when someone offers you a ride home, is He our good deeds? or just in them?

Corban Miller (Rap Composer)

Corban is an HR Management student at Athabasca University, who makes music when prompted, not unlike a wind-up monkey. In his limited free time, Corban helps local artists to produce and release their music on professional platforms. Is love the favourite theme for a grand tragicomedy where humans are just puppets in an absurd game with which they fight the terrible boredom of eternity?

Alexis Moore (Assistant Stage manager) Alexis is a third year student at Concordia, graduating this spring with a Bachelor of Arts in Drama. She is super excited to be assistant stage manager for Everyman.

Alexis has acted in a few shows, including last semester’s production of Chrysothemis, in which she played Clytemnestra. She will also be starring in her own show this spring during Concordia’s Fine Arts Festival. Alexis loves to act, but this is her first time being a part of the production team, and so far it has been a fun, new, and challenging experience. She has enjoyed getting to know the talented cast and crew in Everyman, and hopes to carry on what she’s learned to her career in theatre. She wonders, have you ever ridden a scooter?

Donald Morin (Fellowship, Weather Reporter, Sound, Guitar Accompaniment) Singer /Songwriter, Filmmaker, modern dancer, actor and teacher, Donald Morin’s lineage is of the Gros Ventre, Sarcee, Cree, Saulteaux, and French genealogy and currently resides in Treaty 6 territory of Edmonton, Alberta. Donald is at Concordia University studying music, directed studies and indigenous studies. October 2019, he secured his diploma in Graphic Design technology upgrading his filmmaking skills from a Bachelor of Arts Degree FPA Major Film Concentrate at SFU School for Contemporary Arts in Burnaby, BC. 1989 Previous work consisted of the lead role of “Sam Wolf” for Caravan Farm Theatre summer musical IOU LAND 2005. March 94, he worked as a principal actor in the NBC Movie of The Week with Richard Crenna and Beverly D’ Angelo in Seattle, Washington. He was a filmmaker and modern dancer for Karen Jamieson Dance in Tokyo, 1994. Donald Morin also performed the LEAD role of Eddy LaRoche in the Quebec 35mm film Windigo in 1993. Mr. Morin began his 40 year career in September,1980 and continues to work as a performer and filmmaker today. His inspiration today to continue education is his granddaughter who is the next artist in his line. Thank you for the inspiration dear Aeliana. All inquiries for Mr. Morin can be directed to his agent or email donaldmorin@gmail.com. His music can be found at https://www.n1m.com/donaldmorin. In closing Donald gives credit to the Creator for giving him music to share to the world. Miigwech, all my relations!

Daelyn Myggland (Movement & Choreography) Daelyn is in her 4th and final year in the Drama Program at Concordia. She had the honor of acting in CUE’s production of The Curious Incident of a Dog in the Night-Time, and is now stepping into the role of Movement Coach. Daelyn has been dancing since she was 3 and has been a lifelong lover of creating and expressing her craft. She is so excited for the audience to witness Everyman’s talented cast and booming themes. When was the last time you felt a thunder in your head?

Mary Ohianwusi (Fellowship, Mother, Touch) Mary is a 3rd year Psychology student at Concordia. She is very excited to be a part of the production of Everyman. This is her first performance on the Concordia stage and she feels honoured to be part of such a talented cast and crew. Previously, Mary has been part of The Little Mermaid, Little Shop of Horrors, and Annie. We hope you enjoy the show and learn a bit about morality in Everyman. To what extent can money make you happy?

Emma Richard (Fellowship, Sister, Smell) Emma is a first year drama major, and education minor at Concordia University. Emma is from Bonnyville Alberta, and found her passion of acting during her early years of high school where she performed in shows like Mama Mia!, The Drowsy Chaperone, 50 Historically Bad Dates, and The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon. In those high school years Emma found her home both on stage, and backstage so she decided to come to Concordia to get her bachelor of arts with the hopes of later becoming a high school drama teacher herself. Emma has really enjoyed being a part of the cast of Everyman and hopes you enjoy the show as much as she does. A question for the audience… What would your last words be?

Liliana Ortiz Sanchez (Fellowship, Worldly Goods, Insecurity) Liliana is a second year Drama student at Concordia. She is very excited to be a part of the production of Everyman. This is her first performance on the Concordia stage and feels honoured to be part of such a talented cast and crew. Previously, Liliana has been part of Snow White in her hometown in Mexico. We hope you have fun and enjoy every moment in Everyman. How would you like to be remembered?

Jennifer Shermak (Assistant Director) Jennifer is a 4th year drama student who is graduating this spring and hopefully going into the education program at Concordia. Jennifer did the Cue 100 Cabaret and has done a few shows back in high school. Jennifer really enjoys acting but wanted to learn more about what goes into putting a show together which led her to this production of Everyman. She is the assistant director for Everyman and has worked with the cast in line memorizing and character development. She has really enjoyed this journey and hopes you enjoy the show. Jennifer wants to know what does it truly mean to be a good person?

Stefan Sikanja (Fellowship, Weather Reporter, Strength) Stefan is a fifth year Marketing Major at Concordia. He is excited to be a part of his first mainstage production at Concordia. He has trained at the Citadel Theatre being part of the 2021/22 Young Companies season, as well as gaining an invaluable amount of knowledge from his classes in the drama program at Concordia.

His most recent credit is Gaston in Beauty and the Beast: The Musical at Festival Place. He would like to thank Andrew, Malachi, Jamie, Madison, Kevin, Seb, Sarah and the countless others who have supported him and helped him grow into the actor and person he is today. He hopes you enjoy Everyman and asks, what’s God like?