Based on the Touchstone Pictures Motion Picture “Sister Act” written by Joseph Howard Orchestrations by Doug Besterman
Vocal and Incidental Music Arrangements by Michael Kosarin
Dance Music Arrangements by Mark Hummel
Produced on Broadway by Whoopi Goldberg & Stage Entertainment in association with The Shubert Organization and Disney Theatrical Productions
World Premiere Produced by
Pasadena Playhouse, Pasadena CA
Sheldon Epps, Artistic Director
Lyla White, Executive Director
Tom Ware, Producing Director
Set Designer Scott Penner
Stage Manager Jordan Guetter
Alliance Theatre, Atlanta GA
Susan V. Booth, Artistic Director
Tom Pechar, Managing Director and
Director & Choreographer
Julie Tomaino
Music Director Paul De Gurse
Costume Designer Rachel Berchtold
Fight Director Joe Bostick
Georgia Bennett
Matthew G. Brown
Karen Burthwright
Michael Clarke
Vanessa Cobham
Dave Comeau
Stephan Dickson
Lighting Designer Linas Kairys
Sound Designer Allan McMillan
Assistant Choreographer Julius Sermonia
Assistant Stage Manager Kelsey Jensen
The
Company (in alphabetical order)
Daren Dyhengco
Donna Fletcher
Dieter Lische-Parkes
Caitlin McKeon
Kyla Musselman
Mary Pitt
Annie Ramos
Apprentice Stage Manager Vivi Valo
Glynis Ranney
Julius Sermonia
Nico Solarte
Sarah Strange
Curtis Sullivan
Emma Vickers
Sister Act is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com
The video or audio recording of this performance by any means is strictly prohibited.
sister act show sponsors
Season Sponsor
Design Sponsors
Media Sponsors
2026 season support
Funding provided by Government of Ontario
Cruiser Sponsor Marketing Sponsor
Tourism Sponsor
Set Relocation Sponsor
Major Sponsor
Storage Sponsor
Rental Sponsor
Beer Sponsor
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Musical Numbers
Act One
Take Me To Heaven (Nightclub).....................................................Deloris, Michelle, Tina
Fabulous, Baby!..............................................................................Deloris, Michelle, Tina
The Perfect Place.....................................................................................................Nuns
Here Within These Walls................................................Mother Superior, Deloris, Nuns
It’s Good To Be A Nun................................................................................Deloris, Nuns
When I Find My Baby.....................................................................Curtis, Joey, TJ, Pablo
I Could Be That Guy...............................................................................Eddie, Ensemble
Here Within These Walls (Reprise)...........................................Mother Superior, Nuns
Raise Your Voice..........................................................................................Deloris, Nuns
Take Me To Heaven (Nun Choir)...................................................................Deloris, Nuns
Act Two
Sunday Morning Fever...............Deloris, Monsignor O’Hara, Nuns, Eddie, Mother Superior
Lady In The Long Black Dress........................................................................Joey, TJ, Pablo
I Haven’t Got A Prayer............................................................................Mother Superior
Spread The Love Around.............................................................................Full Company
Raise Your Voice (Full Company)................................................................Full Company
the cast
(In alphabetical order)
Georgia Bennett (Tina)
Drayton Entertainment: Beehive – The ‘60s Musical. Other theatre: The Wizard of Oz (Canadian Stage); “A Whole New World” & “Music of the Night” tours (Sound the Alarm); 9 to 5: the Musical, Ghost: the Musical, Classic Country Roads, Little Women, The Magician’s Nephew, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (CTF); Storybook Search (Bad Hats); Rumspringa Break! An Am-ish Musical (CMTP, TPM, Next Stage Theatre Festival); Dogfight, Senza Luce, Footloose (Theatre Sheridan); Back to B4: A Bingo Bonanza (Smile Theatre); One Small Step (Toronto Fringe). Film/TV: Ginny & Georgia (Netflix). Sheridan College Bachelor of Music Theatre Performance. Love to golden Rosie girl.
Matthew G. Brown (Eddie)
Drayton Entertainment: Sister Act. Other theatre: The Christmas Market (B-Current/Studio 180/Crows); Romeo and Juliet (Dream in High Park); Is God Is (Canadian Stage, Obsidian, Necessary Angel); Controlled Damage (Neptune, NAC); The Real McCoy (Blyth Festival); Appropriate (Associate Director, Coalmine); Intimate Apparel (Belfry); Billy Elliot, Little Shop of Horrors, To Kill A Mockingbird (Stratford Festival); I Think I Can (YPT, NAC); Jersey Boys (Dancap, Dodgers). Film/TV: Mother Father Sister Brother Frank (Highball TV); Fellow Travelers (Showtime); Pretty Hard Cases (CBC); The Kennedys (History Television); Hailstorm (CFC); Instant Star (CTV). Education: Randolph College, CFC Actors Conservatory. Social Media: IG, TikTok & BlueSky @ItsMrMGB.
Karen Burthwright (Deloris Van Cartier)
Drayton Entertainment: Pilar in Legally Blonde. Other theatre (selected): Broadway: Paradise Square, Jesus Christ Superstar. National Tours: Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, Dirty Dancing, Hairspray, Mamma Mia!. Regional: Piaf/Dietrich (GrandTheatre); Tell Tale Harbour (Mirvish); The Colour Purple (Neptune, MTC/Citadel); ILYYPNC (George Street Playhouse); Sweet Charity (Writer’s Theatre); Ragtime, Hot Mikado, Aida (Drury Lane Oakbrook). TV/Film: Memory Of A Killer (FOX); Ripple (Hallmark); DOC (FOX); Adults (FX); The Holy Hustle, Son of a Preacher Man (BET+). Insta: @kburth.
Michael Clarke (Curtis)
Drayton Entertainment: The Full Monty, Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story, Legends. Other theatre: Lloyd Boateng in One Man, Two Guvnors (Canadian Premiere, Theatre Calgary); Understudy Simba/Bonzai in Disney’s The Lion King (Mirvish Productions), and over 15 productions across Canada as King Curtis/Sax player in Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story Film/TV: Series Co-Host for Get Set For Life (CBC); Mr. & Mrs. Loving (Showtime); Due South (CBS/Alliance Atlantis).
Vanessa Cobham (Michelle)
Drayton Entertainment: Sound of Soul, Rock of Ages, Evita, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Tanya in Mamma Mia!, Tiara in Elf: The Musical, Linda McKenna in Rocky the Musical, Dynamite in Hairspray, Crystal in Little Shop of Horrors, Michelle in Sister Act, South Pacific. Other theatre: Apollo singer in Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story (Theatre Aquarius); Dreamgirls (MTC Theatre); June in Chicago (Neptune Theatre); Disney’s The Lion King (Mirvish). Film/TV: A Novel Christmas (Uptv); Sandra/Bline dancer in The Porter (BET/CBC); The Boys (Amazon Prime); Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (NBC); Grand Army (Netflix); Madame C.J. Walker (Netflix); Man Seeking Woman (FXX); Gretl in The Pacifier (Disney Pictures); Heroes Reborn (NBC). I would like to thank my family and Drayton Entertainment. Instagram: @vanessacobham.
Dave Comeau (Joey)
Drayton Entertainment: Shrek: The Musical, Wizard of Oz: The Panto. Other theatre: Who’s Under Where?, Footloose (Stage West); Titanique (Mirvish/Segal); Rock of Ages (Elgin Theatre); 9 to 5 The Musical (Capitol Theatre); The Secret Garden (Theatre Calgary); Twice Charmed/Tangled the Musical/Disney Dreams (Disney Cruise Line). Film/TV: What We Do In The Shadows (FX); In The Dark (CW). Dave Comeau is a proud graduate of Sheridan College’s Bachelor of Musical Theatre Performance Program, Class of 2017. A huge thank you to my family; chosen and blood, Sarah & Jessica at 10 Talent, and Jared. @comeaudodragon.
Stephan Dickson (Ernie)*
Drayton Entertainment: Beauty and The Beast, All Shook Up, Mamma Mia, Footloose, Snow White: The Panto, High School Musical. Other theatre: Griswolds’ Broadway Vacation (The Fifth Avenue Theatre, Seattle, WA); The Music Man (Stratford Festival); Beauty and the Beast (Theatre Aquarius); Chicago, Fiddler on the Roof (Stage West Calgary); Mary Poppins (Rainbow Stage). Film/TV: Odd Squad (TVO/PBS/Netflix); Mean Girls (Paramount Pictures); The Cheetah Girls (Disney); Come Dance with Me (Hallmark). Thank you to this amazing cast, creative team, Julie, the Talent House, my friends, family, and love to Kris, Lil L, Monster Mash, and Cam. Enjoy the show!
*Fight Captain
Daren Dyhengco (Ensemble)
Drayton Entertainment: Sonny in Grease. Other theatre: The Tale of the Gifted Prince (Theatre Calgary). Disney’s: Frozen the Musical (Theatre Aquarius). David Caballero in Ma-Buhay!: A New Musical (Rainbow Stage); Christian in Prison Dancer (NAC/Citadel Theatre). Film/TV: A Million Little Things S4 (ABCs); Silent Battles: The Movie (MHP). Daren’s excited to be back in Drayton this season. He would like to thank his agent Sarah, his family and friends for the never ending support! Shout out to my dog Snuggles!
Donna Fletcher (Mother Superior)
Drayton Entertainment: Brighton Beach Memoirs, Beauty & the Beast. Other theatre: Murder on the Orient Express, Our Town, Lady be Good! (RMTC); Master Class (RMTC/NAC); Johnny Belinda & Anne of Green Gables (Charlottetown); Little Shop of Horrors (Persephone); I Love You, You’re Perfect… (Belfry, PTE); Guys & Dolls (Stage West); 16+ shows at Rainbow Stage including Sister Act & CATS; A Little Night Music & Follies (Dry Cold). TV/Film: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Lionsgate); A Suite Holiday Romance & The Snow Must Go On (Hallmark). Dry Cold Productions co-founder; Rainbow Stage Wall of Fame inductee & proud mum to Amalia.
Dieter Lische-Parkes (TJ)
Drayton Entertainment: Debut. Other theatre: The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe (2025)(Shaw Festival); Chicago (2024)(YES Theatre); Romeo and Juliet (2023); The Wizard of Oz (2022); Night Owls Series Cabaret (2021); Emerging Artist Cabaret (2017); Hockey Dreams (2016/17); Late Company (2024)(Green Light Arts); As You Like It, Dark of The Moon, Harvey, Jane Eyre (2024)(George Brown Theatre). Film/Tv: Boston Blue (2026), Wayward (2025), I’m Glad It’s Christmas (2022), Mistletoe Time Machine (2022). Dieter is beyond excited to be a part of the festival this year! Instagram: dlp_acting.
Caitlin McKeon (Ensemble)
Drayton Entertainment: Jesus Christ Superstar. Other theatre (selected): 9 to 5 (Thousand Islands Playhouse); Jesus Christ Superstar, Elf the Musical (Magnus Theatre); Flashback Memories of the Summer of Love, Honky Tonk Angels (Canada Playhouse); 9 to 5 (Capitol Theatre); The Roaring Twenties, What a Wonderful World, Everything Elvis, Canada Sings (Victoria Playhouse); Anne and Gilbert (The Guild); Legally Blonde (Grand Theatre); A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline (McManus Theatre); Picnic (Good Foundation); Summertime (The Arts Project). Magic Credits: Magic Immersive Chicago, Illusionarium Toronto. Film/TV: Rachel in Revenge of the Black Best Friend. Caitlin would like to thank her family and friends for their continuous love and support!
Kyla Musselman (Ensemble)
Drayton Entertainment: Newsies, Snow White: The Panto. Other theatre (selected): White Christmas (Shaw Festival); Dirty Rotten Scoundrels associate choreographer, Spamalot, Frankenstein Revived, Chicago (Stratford Festival); Frozen (Globe Theatre); Mamma Mia! (Thousand Islands Playhouse); Addams Family, Beauty and the Beast, Mary Poppins (Neptune Theatre); Jersey Boys, Legally Blonde (Stage West); Saturday Night Fever (North American Tour); Crazy For You (Capitol Theatre); Anne of Green Gables, Evangeline (Charlottetown Festival).
TV/Film: The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu/MGM); Murdoch Mysteries (CBC). Kyla is also a founding board member of the Canadian Guild of Stage Directors and Choreographers. Love to my people. Enjoy!
Mary Pitt (Sister Mary Theresa)
Drayton Entertainment: Liars at a Funeral, Steel Magnolias, The Sweet Delilah Swim Club, It Runs in the Family. Other theatre: Little Women, Too Close to Home, The Bluff, The Beaver Club (Theatre Orangeville); Into the Woods (Canadian Stage); Man of La Mancha, The Miracle Worker, Gypsy (Stratford Festival); Caroline or Change (Acting Up Stage); Bingo Ladies (Port Stanley Festival Theatre); A Second Helping (Victoria Playhouse); Florence Foster Jenkins in Souvenir (Gravenhurst Opera House); Quiet! I’m Talking (Sudbury Theatre Centre). Mary also performs in feature films and television. Mary is thrilled to be back with Drayton Entertainment performing in Sister Act
Annie Ramos (Sister Mary Martin-of-Tours)
Drayton Entertainment: Sister Berthe in The Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof, Evita. Other theatre (selected): Mabel in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance, Maria in West Side Story, Princess Tuptim in The King and I (Stratford Festival); Goddess Diana in Shakespeare’s Pericles; award-winning Sanctuary Song (National Arts Centre); Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music (Vancouver Arts Club); DORA Winner, R.U.R. A Torrent of Light (Tapestry Opera); Cosette in Les Misérables, Sister Berthe/Elsa Schraeder in Sound of Music (Thousand Islands Playhouse); Rosencrantz and Player Queen Hamlet in Hamlet (The Shakespeare Company). The Grand London, Sister Margaretta. Love to beautiful family and my Adam. IG: itsanniesgram.
Glynis Ranney (Sister Mary Lazarus)
Drayton Entertainment: Miss Hannigan in Annie, Mrs. Tottendale in The Drowsy Chaperone. Other theatre: Sense & Sensibility, Romeo & Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing, The Sound of Music, The Mikado (Stratford); Mack & Mabel, Tristan, Floyd Collins, The Constant Wife, Happy End, She Loves Me, Easy Virtue (Shaw); Into the Woods [New Zealand, Toronto, Barrie]; The Other Place, Sweeney Todd [UK & Toronto - Dora Award] (Talk Is Free); London Road, Passion, The House of Martin Guerre (CanStage); Anything That Moves (Tarragon - Dora Award); Falsettos (Musical Stage); A Streetcar Named Desire (Atlantic Theatre); The Glass Menagerie (PTE); My Fair Lady (Neptune, Centaur, PTE, ATP).
Julius Sermonia (Ensemble)*
Drayton Entertainment: Finding Neverland, Jesus Christ Superstar, Priscilla, Marathon of Hope, Damn Yankees, Beauty and The Beast. Other theatre: Recently: The Tale of The Gifted Prince (Theatre Calgary); Robin Hood (Canadian Stage); Rizal workshop (NAC); Waitress (Grand/ Aquarius); Frozen (Neptune); asst. chor Something Rotten (Stratford); asst. dir/chor Maggie (Aquarius); The Play That Goes Wrong (Charlottetown). Selected: Miss Saigon, The King and I, Zhivago, JCS, Cats (Broadway); Miss Saigon, The King and I, Contact, Cats (Broadway National Tour); 9 seasons with Stratford Festival; Holiday Inn (Shaw); Beauty and the Beast (Aquarius); Elf, Mary Poppins (Neptune); Charlie and The Chocolate Factory (Grand); The Drowsy Chaperone (MTC); Sweet Charity (StageWest); Hair (Canadian Stage). Film/TV: Mother of All Shows (Goldstrike); The Boys (Sony/Amazon); Hellcats (CW); The Tony Awards (CBS). Social: @juliussermonia
*Dance Captain
Nico Solarte (Pablo)
Drayton Entertainment: Motel in Fiddler on the Roof, Ché in Evita, Ja’Keith in Rock of Ages, Ritchie Valens in Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story. Other theatre: Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar (Western Canada Theatre, Thousand Islands Playhouse); Willie Lopez in GHOST (Starvox); Bobby Dupree in the Australian premiere of Memphis The Musical (StageArt); Centéno in Cacao: A Venezuelan Lament (Victoria Mata Productions/Aluna Theatre); Angel cover in Rent (Chapel Off Chapel); Parade (Lincoln Centre/Manhattan Concert Productions). Film/TV: The Westies (MGM+); Tiny Pretty Things (Netflix); A Very Jonas Christmas Movie (Disney+). Nico is a Colombian-Canadian interdisciplinary artist and the founder of Existt SoulCare, an inclusive, experiential, artist-driven wellness collective. IG: @nico.sol.arte
Sarah Strange (Sister Mary Patrick)
Drayton Entertainment: Out of Order, Singin’ In the Rain, Snow White: A Panto. Other theatre: Sound of Music, Mary Poppins, 9 to 5 (Thousand Islands Playhouse); Anne of Green Gables (Tweed & Co.); Nunsense (Bruce County Playhouse); Sister Act, Shrek (Rainbow Stage); A Belly Full (Theatre Aquarius); Mary Poppins (Young People’s Theatre); Menopause the Musical Canadian National Tour (Shaggypup Productions); My Fair Lady, Beauty and the Beast (Capitol Theatre, Port Hope) Other: Series Lead, Animated Series: Fireman Sam. Sarah is thrilled to be back with Drayton Entertainment, and beyond stoked to step back into Mary Patrick’s giggle-shoes! Many Thank Yous to Bruce and the TH Team! All of my love to my wife Dana & Noodle. This one, and every one, is for Deb and Skye.
Curtis Sullivan (Monsignor O’Hara)
Drayton Entertainment: Carousel, Oliver, Man of La Mancha. Other theatre: Footloose (Stage West); The Sound of Music (The Grand Theatre); Tchaikovsky Discovers America (San Diego Symphony, National Arts Centre, the Kennedy Centre); The Sound of Music, The Gondoliers, Carousel (Stratford Festival); Don Giovanni, The Marriage of Figaro (Mirvish); Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid (Capitol Theatre Moncton); The Music Man, Guys & Dolls (Capitol Theatre Port Hope); The Magic Flute (Opera Columbus); Don Giovanni, La Boheme (Calgary Opera); Peter Grimes, Carmen, Pirates of Penzance (Vancouver Opera); Taming of the Shrew (Pacific Opera Victoria); Dido and Aeneas (Singapore Arts Festival); Armide (Glimmerglass Festival); Persee (Royal Opera Versailles); The Merry Widow (San Francisco Opera).
Emma Vickers (Sister Mary Robert)
Drayton Entertainment: Dyanne in Million Dollar Quartet. Other theatre: Wednesday in The Addams Family Musical, Liesl in The Sound of Music, The Rocky Horror Show, The Wizard of Oz (Capitol Theatre); The Little Girl in The Adventures of The Little Girl and the Wind (performance nominated for a TNS Merritt Award), The Hobbit (Festival Antigonish Summer Theatre); Elf! The Musical, TYA School Tour (x2) (Magnus Theatre); TomorrowLove, The Beloved (Highland Arts Theatre); Seeds of Change (Neptune Theatre TourCo). Film/ TV: Kids Vs. Aliens (RLJE/Shudder); Monica’s News (Second Wave Films); Aversion (Shocked Pictures); Diggstown (CBC). Thanks to all who make theatre possible everywhere!
the creative team
Julie Tomaino (Director & Choreographer)
Drayton Entertainment: Debut. Other theatre: Come From Away, Million Dollar Quartet (The Grand); Anne of Green Gables & Sense and Sensibility (Stratford Festival); Elf (MTC); Jersey Boys, Once, 9 to 5 (Citadel); Kinky Boots, Beautiful, Jersey Boys (Arts Club); Footloose, 9 to 5 (Chemainus); Jersey Boys, Once (TIP); Full Monty (Capitol & Neptune); Pollyanna, NCNM (Aquarius); Liars at a Funeral (PSFT); Jesus Christ Superstar (Magnus); Margaritaville (Theatre Calgary). Film & TV: Choreographer for Idina Menzel in the Lifetime Movie Remake of BEACHES. Former Radio City Rockette. Dora and Jessie Award Winner for Outstanding Choreography. Thank you to Alex and David. www.julietomaino.com.
Paul De Gurse (Music Director)
Drayton Entertainment: Sister Act (2016), Beauty and the Beast (rehearsal MD). Other theatre: Frozen, Billy Elliot, Mamma Mia, Beauty and the Beast (Neptune Theatre); On Native Land (Urban Ink); Afterlight, End of the Line (world premieres, Winnipeg). Paul is proud to be based in Winnipeg Manitoba, where he plays in bands and writes songs and works on theatre shows. Thanks to Drayton for having me back. This show and all future shows are for Tom.
Scott Penner (Set Designer)*
Drayton Entertainment: Liars at a Funeral. Other theatre (selected): Job (Broadway, Helen Hayes Theater); Indecent (RMTC); Dion, A Rock Opera (Coalmine); Guys & Dolls (Arts Club); Fireflies, Intimate Apparel (Northlight Chicago); Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (Flint Rep); Rasheeda Speaking (Jeff Award Nomination, Shattered Globe Chicago); Shirley Valentine, The Extinction Therapist (Theatre Aquarius); Shakespeare’s Will (Indiana Rep); Cymbeline (Stratford); A Raisin in the Sun, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Constellations (APT Wisconsin); Gently Sinking (Prague Quadrennial); Waitress, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory (Grand); Body Politic, A Few Brittle Leaves (Buddies); Billy Bishop Goes To War, The Drowning Girls (Globe). Scott is a proud member of IATSE Local ADC659.
Rachel Berchtold (Costume Designer)
Drayton Entertainment (selected): Cinderella: The Panto, Million Dollar Quartet, Crazy For You, A Christmas Carol: The Panto, Kiss Me, Kate, Peter Pan: The Panto, Sh-Boom! Life Could Be a Dream (2023), Mamma Mia!, Annie, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty: The Panto, Disney’s Newsies, Holiday Inn, The Drowsy Chaperone, Million Dollar Quartet, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Sister Act, Anything Goes, Anne of Green Gables, The Music Man, Snow White: The Panto, The Wizard of Oz, Les Misérables, Mary Poppins. Other theatre: Million Dollar Quartet (Stage West Calgary/Mirvish Productions); The King and I, Crazy For You (Theatre Under the Stars). Thanks always to Jennie, Jess and Alex.
Linas Kairys (Lighting Designer)*
Drayton Entertainment: Debut. Other theatres: Stranger Sings (Mansfield Entertainment); Three Sisters (Birmingham Conservatory, Stratford Festival); Uphill Climb (Berklee College of Music NYC); Into the Woods, Newsies (Yellow Door Theatre); Little Rock Show (Robbie Roth Production); Tinkerbell (University of Windsor); Last days of Judas Iscariot, This is How We Live (Toronto Metropolitan University). Linas has a Masters in Creative Media & Production from Berklee College of Music NYC. He is also a proud member of IATSE local ADC659. Thank you Vida, Jurgis & Lukas for supporting me. Linaskairysdesigns.com
Allan McMillan (Sound Designer)
Drayton Entertainment (selected): 42nd Street, Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, Finding Neverland, Dear Evan Hansen, Cinderella: The Panto, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Full Monty, Crazy For You, White Christmas, Fiddler on the Roof, Evita, Jersey Boys, Kinky Boots, Man of La Mancha, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Rock of Ages. Allan is a graduate of the Technical Production Program at Sheridan College, and over his 35+ years of experience, has held many positions in production, from Technical Direction, Lighting Design, Carpentry and Production Management.
*Indicated designers on this production are represented by the Associated Designers of Canada, IATSE Local ADC659.
Joe Bostick (Fight Director)
Drayton Entertainment: Misery, Crazy For You, Peter Pan: The Panto, Disney’s Newsies, The Miracle Worker, Rocky: The Musical, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, One for the Pot, Deathtrap, I’ll Be Back Before Midnight. Other theatre (selected): Miss Saigon, Les Misérables, Ragtime (Broadway & U.S. National Tours); Les Misérables, Heart of Robin Hood, Dirty Dancing, The Lord of the Rings, Beauty and the Beast (Mirvish); Heart of Robin Hood (National Theatre, Iceland/Grand Theatre, Hong Kong); Beauty and the Beast (Aquarius); Trainspotting (Canadian Stage); Romeo and Juliet (Theatre by the Bay); I Hate Hamlet (Stage West); New Canadian Curling Club (Orangeville); Romeo & Juliet (National Ballet). Trained with S.A.F.D and various Fight Masters. Founding member of Fight Directors Canada. Love to Stephanie, Devon and Jesse.
Julius Sermonia (Assistant Choreographer)
Drayton Entertainment: Finding Neverland, Jesus Christ Superstar, Priscilla, Marathon of Hope, Damn Yankees, Beauty and The Beast. Other theatre: Recently: The Tale of The Gifted Prince (Theatre Calgary); Robin Hood (Canadian Stage); Rizal workshop (NAC); Waitress (Grand/Aquarius); Frozen (Neptune); asst. chor Something Rotten (Stratford); asst. dir/chor Maggie (Aquarius); The Play That Goes Wrong (Charlottetown). Selected: Miss Saigon, The King and I, Zhivago, JCS, Cats (Broadway); Miss Saigon, The King and I, Contact, Cats (Broadway National Tour); 9 seasons with Stratford Festival; Holiday Inn (Shaw); Beauty and the Beast (Aquarius); Elf, Mary Poppins (Neptune); Charlie and The Chocolate Factory (Grand); The Drowsy Chaperone (MTC); Sweet Charity (StageWest); Hair (Canadian Stage). Film/TV: Mother of All Shows (Goldstrike); The Boys (Sony/ Amazon); Hellcats (CW); The Tony Awards (CBS). Social: @juliussermonia.
Jordan Guetter (Stage Manager)
Drayton Entertainment: Newsies. Other theatre: Elf, Frozen, The Play That Goes Wrong, Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music, Million Dollar Quartet, Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, A Christmas Carol, Chariots of Fire (Grand Theatre); Richard II, The Diviners, Love’s Labour’s Lost (Stratford Festival); Don Giovanni, Carmen, Die Vögel, Il Trittico (Pacific Opera Victoria); Mamma Mia (Neptune); Baskerville (Chemainus); The Music Man, Serving Elizabeth, Kim’s Convenience, Ring of Fire (Thousand Islands Playhouse); R.U.R. A Torrent of Light, Oksana G (Tapestry Opera); Baskerville (Chemainus); Cock (TIFT); Passing Strange (The Musical Stage Company/Obsidian); Jordan has also worked with Soulpepper, Volcano, Cahoots, b current, Lighthouse Festival Theatre, Sudbury Theatre Centre and more.
Kelsey Jensen (Assistant Stage Manager)
Drayton Entertainment: Jesus Christ Superstar. Other theatre: She Holds Up Stars (Red Sky Performance); Perfect on Paper (Talk is Free Theatre); Sound of Music (Grand Theatre); Bedtime Stories (Upper Canada Playhouse); Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 (Crow’s Theatre); Chris, Mrs. (Boldly Productions); Much Ado About Nothing (Stratford Festival) Other: BA[H] Drama in Education and Community (University of Windsor). Thank you to my friends and family for all their support, and to Joey, my everything.
Vivi Valo (Apprentice Stage Manager)
Drayton Entertainment: Cinderella: The Panto, Evita, The Crooner, Fiddler on the Roof, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. Other theatre: Murder at Ackerton Manor (Theatre Orangeville); Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night (Theatre Erindale). Performance: Cockfight, Five Faces for Evelyn Frost (Theatre Erindale). Vivi is a 2024 graduate of the University of Toronto and Sheridan College Theatre and Drama Studies program. Thank you to her family for all of their constant support and she hopes you enjoy the show!
2026 Season Dedication
The Drayton Festival Theatre 2026 Season is dedicated in memory of Bruce Schieck, founding Board member who proudly served for 34 consecutive years (1991 – 2024), and Victor Roberts, whose love of theatre resulted in many enjoyable performances on the Drayton Entertainment stage over the decades.
Bruce Schieck
Victor Roberts
the band
Paul De Gurse (Music Director/Keys I)
Drayton Entertainment: Sister Act (2016), Beauty and the Beast (rehearsal MD). Other theatre: Frozen, Billy Elliot, Mamma Mia, Beauty and the Beast (Neptune Theatre); On Native Land (Urban Ink); Afterlight, End of the Line (world premiers, Winnipeg). Paul is proud to be based in Winnipeg Manitoba, where he plays in bands and writes songs and works on theatre shows. Thanks to Drayton for having me back. This show and all future shows are for Tom.
Erik Larson (Bass)
Drayton Entertainment: The Crooner, A Gentleman’s Guide…, Fiddler on the Loose, Marvelous Wonderettes, Fiddler on the Roof, Good Ol’ Country Gospel, Music Man. Other theatre: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Stratford); Come From Away, Piaf/Dietrich, Million Dollar Quartet (Grand); Frozen (Aquarius); Kelly V Kelly (Musical Stage); Forever Plaid (Starvox); Mary Poppins (YPT); Legally Blonde, Rocky Horror Show, Hair, Heathers, Hedwig…, Into The Woods, Jesus Christ Superstar (Hart House), and several productions at the Victoria Playhouse Petrolia. Erik has been fortunate enough to play with some of Canada’s most celebrated musical talents, including Steven Page, Jully Black, The Tenors, and Emilie-Claire Barlow. @ErikSonOfLars.
Steve Lavoie (Keys II)
Drayton Entertainment: Dear Evan Hansen, Cinderella: The Panto, Mean Girls, The Full Monty, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Legally Blonde, Mamma Mia!, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Annie, Canada 151, Hairspray. Other theatre (selected): Ghost the Musical (Starvox); Freaky Friday (Theatre Aquarius); Rent, Evita, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Spamalot, Sweeney Todd, The Who’s Tommy (Scarborough Music Theatre); Les Misérables, Ragtime (Etobicoke Musical Productions); Winterfest (Canada’s Wonderland). In addition to music directing, Steve is an audition and rehearsal accompanist in and around the GTA. Find him online on YouTube or visit theaccidentalaccompanist.com.
Chris Norley (Guitar)
Chris Norley is a jazz guitarist, vocalist, teacher, and composer based in the London, Ontario area and an active member of the regional jazz and broader music scene. He performed at the sold-out Ed Bickert at 80 – A Jazz Celebration concert at the Glenn Gould Studio among a veritable who’s who of Canadian jazz luminaries. It was recorded live and broadcasted on CBC Radio’s Canada Live in celebration of Ed Bickert’s 80th birthday. Chris performed alongside Steve Wallace, Barry Elmes, and Jake Langley. Bickert remarked, “I really enjoyed your playing.” Chris has appeared at Drayton Entertainment, C2 Productions’, Grand Theatre, Upper Canada Playhouse, Hudson Village Theatre, and Globus Theatre. He performs regularly with many of the region’s finest jazz musicians and his recordings with 5PGB have received airplay on JazzFM 91.1. In addition, Chris performs as a freelance musician in a wide variety of settings, including solo guitar and vocal engagements. www.ChrisNorley.com.
Dave Robilliard (Drums)
Drayton Entertainment: Finding Neverland, Yesterday Once More, Fiddler on the Loose, Good Ol’ Country Gospel. Other theatre: Summer of ’69, Mark Payne’s East Coast Kitchen Party, You’ve Got a Friend, Happy Together 1967, Starbright Christmas (Victoria Playhouse Petrolia); Piaf/Dietrich, Waitress, Dreamgirls (Grand Theatre); Waitress (Theatre Aquarius). Musician: Duo Percussion, Windsor Symphony, London Symphonia, Jeans ’n’ Classics Rock Symphony, Oklahoma City Philharmonic, Hamilton Philharmonic, Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony. Dave is a proud graduate of Western University and Oklahoma City University, and he is honoured to play Pearl/Adams Drums and Concert Percussion and DREAM Cymbals and Gongs. This season is for Dad.
The Musicians and Music Director engaged for this production are members of the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada, and are performing in the jurisdiction of the Central Ontario Musicians’ Association, Local 226.
the authors
Alan Menken (Music)
ALAN MENKEN (Composer). Theater: God Bless You Mr Rosewater, Little Shop Of Horrors, Real Life Funnies, Atina: Evil Queen Of The Galaxy, Kicks, The Apprenticeship Of Duddy Kravitz, Beauty And The Beast, A Christmas Carol, Weird Romance, King David, Der Glöckner Von Notre Dame, The Little Mermaid, Sister Act, Leap Of Faith, Aladdin and Newsies. Film: Little Shop Of Horrors, The Little Mermaid, Beauty And The Beast, Newsies, Aladdin, Pocahontas, The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, Hercules, Life With Mikey, Lincoln, Home On The Range, Noel, Enchanted, Shaggy Dog, Tangled and Mirror Mirror. Songs: Rocky V, Home Alone 2 and Captain America. Awards: 8 Oscars (19 nominations), 11 Grammys (including Song of the Year), 7 Golden Globes, Tony® (plus 4 nominations), Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, New York Drama Critics, Olivier and London’s Evening Standard Award, Drama League. Honors: Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, Doctorates from New York University and University of North Carolina School of the Arts.
Glenn Slater (Lyrics)
Glenn Slater (Lyrics) co-created Disney’s 2010 worldwide smash Tangled (2011 Grammy Winner, 2010 Oscar and Golden Globe nominee), as well as the Broadway and international hit musicals Sister Act (2011 Tony nominee - Best Score) and The Little Mermaid (2008 Tony nominee - Best Score, Grammy nominee - Best Cast Album), and, most recently School of Rock (2015). With longtime collaborator Alan Menken, he is Executive Producer and Lyricist for the ABC-TV musical comedy series Galavant, and has also written songs for the Disney animated film Home On The Range (2004) and the Broadway musical Leap of Faith (Tony nominee - Best Musical, 2012). In the West End, Glenn provided both book and lyrics for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies (2010 Olivier nominee - Best Musical), the sequel to Phantom of the Opera. Other work includes an Emmy-nominated song for the ABC-TV comedy The Neighbors (2013), and the stage revue Newyorkers at The Manhattan Theatre Club (Lucille Lortel, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle nominations). Glenn is the recipient of the prestigious Kleban Award for Lyrics, the ASCAP/Richard Rogers New Horizons Award, and the Jonathan Larson Award. He is an alumnus of the BMI Musical Theatre Workshop, and a member of both ASCAP and the Dramatists’ Guild.
Cheri Steinkellner (Book)
Cheri Steinkellner has won four Emmy Awards, two Golden Globes, The People’s Choice, BAFTA, Writers Guild Award, Parents Choice and TV-Land Legend Awards, for writing and producing Cheers (recently named one of the Top 10 Best Written Comedies in TV history), and The Jeffersons, Facts of Life, Family Ties and Who’s The Boss, and for creating the acclaimed Disney animated Saturday morning TV series and feature film, Teacher’s Pet. A 2011 Tony-nominee for Sister Act (with husband Bill Steinkellner, Alan Menken and Glenn Slater); Cheri has also written Princesses (with Bill, David Zippel and Matthew Wilder); and book and lyrics for Mosaic (with Georgia Stitt), and Jailbirds on Broadway (with Bill and Jeff Rizzo). Other stage includes Our Place, and Instaplay - L.A.’s original - and longest-running - improvised musical-comedy. An Indy Award winner and Ovation nominee for Hello! My Baby, Cheri currently teaches writing at Stanford and UCSB and directs youth theatre in beautiful Santa Barbara, where she and Bill raised their three favorite children/writers/ artists: Kit, Teddy, and Emma.
Bill Steinkellner (Book)
Award-winning television and screen writer: Cheers and Disney’s Teacher’s Pet (Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAS, Writers Guild and People’s Choice Awards). Book writer (with wife, Cherri): Sister Act the Musical (London Palladium, Hamburg, Broadway 2011), Princesses (Goodspeed, 5th Avenue). Writer/director (with Paul Reubens): the original Pee-wee Herman Show (Groundlings, Roxy Theatre, HBO). Creator/director: Instaplay, L.A.’s first all-improvised musical-comedy. Author: the L.A. Times bestseller Postcards From the Moon.
Douglas Carter Beane (Additional Material)
Douglas Carter Beane’s play The Nance opened on Broadway starring Nathan Lane, where it received five Tony nominations and won three. It was filmed for PBS Live from Lincoln Center and was shown in movie theaters and then broadcast on PBS.
Beane’s previous play The Little Dog Laughed opened on Broadway where it was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play and won a Tony award for Julie White. It then opened in the West End at the Garrick Theater where it starred Tamsin Grieg and Rupert Friend and Gemma Arterton and was nominated for the Olivier for Best New Play.
His other plays include Fairycakes starring Mo Rocca, Jackie Hoffman, Ann Harada, and Julie Halston, Shows for Days featuring Patti Lupone and Michael Urie, The Country Club starring Cynthia Nixon and Amy Sedaris, Mr. & Mrs. Fitch which starred John Lithgow and Jennifer Ehle , Music From a Sparkling Planet and As Bees in Honey Drown which won the Outer Critics Circle John Gassner Award and an Obie award for its star, J. Smith Cameron. His first play Advice From A Caterpillar was nominated for an Outer Critics Circle award and was made into a film starring Cynthia Nixon and Timothy Oliphant. It received the Aspen Comedy Festival Best Feature award.
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He wrote the film, To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar which starred Patrick Swayze, John Leguizamo, Wesley Snipes, Robin Williams and Stockard Channing.
A respected practitioner of musical theater his adaptation of Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella ran on Broadway for two years and was also nominated for Tonys for both Best Book of a Musical and Best Musical Revival. His musical stage version of the film Xanadu also ran on Broadway for two years and was nominated for a Tony for Best Book of a Musical and Best Musical. It received the Drama Desk Award for best book of a musical and the Outer Critics Circle Best Musical award. Beane’s new book for the musical Sister Act ran on Broadway for two years and was nominated for the Tony for Best Book of a Musical and Best Musical. It opened in London this summer with Jennifer Saunders as Mother Superior. He wrote the book for the Broadway musical, Lysistrata Jones and received both the Drama Desk and Tony nomination for Best Book of a musical.
He wrote the book to the stage adaptation of MGM’s The Bandwagon which was produced at the Old Globe and Encores and he’s written the summer show for the Rockettes and Radio City Music Hall. His libretto for Die Fledermaus debuted at the Metropolitan Opera and is in their repertoire.
He is married to composer Lewis Flinn and they have two children Cooper and Gabrielle who like theater but don’t want to do it.
music theatre international
Music Theatre International (MTI) is one of the world’s leading theatrical licensing agencies, granting theatres from around the world the rights to perform the greatest selection of musicals from Broadway and beyond. Founded in 1952 by composer Frank Loesser and orchestrator Don Walker, MTI is a driving force in advancing musical theatre as a vibrant and engaging art form.
MTI works directly with the composers, lyricists and book writers of these musicals to provide official scripts, musical materials and dynamic theatrical resources to over 100,000 professional, community and school theatres in the US and in over 150 countries worldwide.
MTI is particularly dedicated to educational theatre, and has created special collections to meet the needs of various types of performers and audiences. MTI’s Broadway Junior® shows are 30- and 60-minute musicals for performance by elementary and middle school-aged performers, while MTI’s School Editions are musicals annotated for performance by high school students. Launched in May 2025, MTI’s Broadway Senior™ musicals are geared and adapted for adult performers 55 and over.
