Merrily We Roll Along Program

May 22-26, 2024

Yesterday is done

See the pretty countryside

Merrily we roll along, roll along

Bursting with dreams

Tend your dream...

Dreams take time...

Time goes by...

How can you get so far Off the track?

Why don't you turn around And go back?

After producing the hit National Premiere of The Prom last year, we began to think of all the years and dreams lost to us because of COVID 19. How would things be different if we could just go back? Then we were gifted the rights to produce Merrily We Roll Along and those thoughts came more into focus! Merrily affords us the opportunity to tell the stories of artists and the dilemmas that artists face. Would you or would you not compromise artistic integrity and family for security, fame and, maybe most importantly, the acceptance of an audience? If you had the chance to turn around and go back, would you live your life differently?

Merrily We Roll Along is a wonderful jigsaw puzzle doled out one piece at a time. As you live each vignette with our characters, you don’t see a complete picture until the last piece is placed and the show is over. It’s about how we look back but don’t see the big picture of our lives until it’s too late — we just merrily roll along, making choices that sometimes serve us but mostly cause us and those we love pain. This achingly bittersweet show makes us laugh and breaks our hearts all the while providing us with a mirror to examine our own lives. Merrily is a gift, allowing us the opportunity to observe Franklin taking paths that lead him from those he

loves. The final scene of the show gently shows us so much promise in a universe of possibility - allowing us to contemplate his and our own life journeys all the while vowing not to make the same mistakes.

We are so happy to be presenting the Manitoba Premiere of Merrily We Roll Along – a cautionary tale full of hope and heart – showcasing an incredibly gifted cast, creative team, crew, and band of artists from our own community.

Enjoy the show!

Reid + Donna

Land Acknowledgment

Dry Cold Productions and the members of our production of Merrily We Roll Along recognize the importance of acknowledging that we are working & creating on Indigenous land. Land that is home to the Anishinabe, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota, and Dene peoples - Treaty One Territory and the Heartland of the Métis Nation. We appreciate this land, those who came before us and acknowledge the wrongs done to our First Nations People. WELCOME FROM

Dry Cold Productions

Where music meets theatre.

Based on George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart’s 1934 play of the same name, Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s Merrily We Roll Along traces the lives of brilliant composer, Franklin Shepard, and his two estranged friendslyricist Charley Kringas and writer Mary Flynn. The most autobiographical of Sondheim’s works, we follow the characters backwards in time from 1976 to 1957, learning how Frank accomplishes his dreams, all the while losing his beloved friends and family. As we travel through time with our trio of friends, we are firsthand witnesses to the cost of Frank’s fame and fortune as our trio of friends are forced to abandon their original dreams. Those who began the journey with Frank become collateral damage along the way, and though he has enormous commercial success and wealth, he is left empty and alone.

As we follow Mary, Frank, and Charley through each joyful, rocky, and triumphant milestone of their personal and professional lives, the show’s finale is a bittersweet one. The talented best friends are at the start of their careers, hopeful and facing a bright future: idealistic and enthusiastic about the worlds waiting to be conquered. Stephen Sondheim and George Furth expertly blend the excitement of a backstage musical with a poignant and emotional story about the importance of staying true to one’s ideals, treasuring those closest to you, and tending your dreams.

My love affair with Stephen Sondheim has been a long and rewarding one - having directed three, music directed one and performed in five shows. I love them all and Merrily We Roll Along is the newest of his shows to transfix my imagination. I currently serve as the Vice President of our National Actors Association CAEA and during COVID my duties included checking in with all the wonderful folk in our community so disastrously affected by the myriad cancellations and resulting trauma caused by the loss of work. Students and colleagues sought advice regarding the viability of remaining in the business. It was a deeply sobering and exhausting time in my life. There were moments where I despaired because it truly felt like we would never return to the stage. It was at that time that Merrily We Roll Along became my salvation. This show that was a terrible failure when it first premiered continued to be revived, reworked, and revisited – slowly achieving the success it deserved. The revival currently running on Broadway was one of the last things Sondheim worked on before his death. It was the show that he could never walk away from and has benefited from the trials and tribulations it endured. The achingly beautiful ballads, the fabulous vocal tour de forces, the rollicking Vaudeville inspired numbers, and the inspired Sondheim lyrics and George Furth dialogue fed my soul and gave me hope. Merrily We Roll Along deals with lost dreams, disappointment, fractured friendships, and regret. But it also lays out a beautiful path of promise for us. The promise that if we turn back the clock and examine our choices & mistakes, we can choose hope and inspiration. Franklin’s story is a cautionary tale – a tale that shows us it is never too late and that we can dig deep and begin again. Merrily We Roll Along was my touchstone through those dark COVID times and now shines so brightly as a beacon for our industry. We struggle, we fall, and we rise again. Just like Merrily We Roll Along rose from the ashes and triumphed, so can we all!

Donna

Merrily We Roll Along is one of Sondheim's most pop/jazz-influenced scores and Jonathan Tunick's original orchestration features saxophones, trumpets, and trombone. Because Dry Cold's Merrily is much more intimate, one of my tasks as music director was to find a way to deliver the energy and vigour of the original orchestration but with four musicians! Naturally, I needed bass and drums to provide a solid rhythmic foundation; I also opted to use a synthesizer so I could incorporate a wide variety of colours. However, I challenged myself to think outside of the box and refrain from using any artificial brass and woodwind sounds; I did not want to try to fool you, our audience, into thinking there were real horn players in the room (I know you would be able to tell the difference). Instead, I took a different approach and used predominantly keyboard instrument sounds (e.g. organs, harpsichord, clavinet, various vintage electric pianos). I am grateful to Paul De Gurse for embracing this challenge with me and for doing a masterful job with the keyboard programming. I am also grateful to Matt Kozicki and Brendan Thompson for being a stellar rhythm section. I hope you enjoy our new take on this music!

Merrily is a personal favourite of mine, not only because of the great tunes (many of which have become standards), but also because of how cleverly Sondheim manipulates and embeds musical themes. In this sense, Merrily (like all of Sondheim's shows) has a puzzle-like quality. For example, the melody line from the song "Old Friends" is hiding in plain sight as the accompaniment figure in another song - see if you can identify it! When Sondheim does this kind of thing, he is not just showing off his chops - he is communicating something dramatically and giving us character insight. How cool is that? I hope you love the puzzle that is Merrily as much as I do! Joseph

Act I

Overture Orchestra

“Merrily We Roll Along”

Company

“That Frank” Franklin, Mary, and Guests

“First Transition” Company

“Old Friends” (Part I) Mary and Charley

“Like It Was”

“Franklin Shepard, Inc.” Charley

“Second Transition” Company

“Old Friends” (Part II) Mary, Franklin, and Charley

“Growing Up” ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ Franklin and Gussie

“Third Transition” Company

“Not a Day Goes By” Beth

“Now You Know” Mary and Company

Act II

Entr’acte

Orchestra

“Act Two Opening” Gussie

“It’s a Hit”

Franklin, Charley, Mary, Joe, and Beth

“Fourth Transition” Company

“The Blob”

“Growing Up” (Part II) Gussie

“Good Thing Going” Charley and Franklin

“The Blob” (Part II) Company

“Fifth Transition”

“Bobby and Jackie and Jack”

Charley, Beth, and Franklin

“Not a Day Goes By” (Reprise) Beth, Franklin, and Mary

“Sixth Transition” Company

“Opening Doors”

Franklin, Charley, Mary, Joe, and Beth

“Seventh Transition” Franklin Shepard Jr., Beth, and Mr. & Mrs. Spencer

“Our Time”

Franklin, Charley, Mary, and Company

Dry Cold Productions

Where music meets theatre.

MUSIC AND LYRICS BY STEPHEN SONDHEIM

BOOK BY GEORGE FURTH

BASED ON THE PLAY BY GEORGE S. KAUFMAN AND MOSS HART

ORCHESTRATIONS BY JONATHAN TUNICK

ORIGINALLY DIRECTED ON BROADWAY BY HAROLD PRINCE

ORIGINALLY PRODUCED ON BROADWAY BY LORD GRADE, MARTIN STARGER, ROBERT FRYER AND HAROLD PRINCE IN ASSOCIATION WITH RUTH MITCHELL AND HOWARD HAINES

May 22-26, 2024

RMTC Tom Hendry Warehouse 140 rupert avenue, winnipeg

Merrily We Roll Along is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com

Our Cast

Alphabetical Order

Josh Bellan Franklin Shephard

Katie German

KT/Mrs. Spencer/Ensemble/Mary & Beth Cover

Kevin McIntyre Joe Josephson

Alex Menec Charley Kringas

Nathaniel Mercer Franklin Shepard Jr.

Simon Miron

Shephard/Ensemble/Charley Cover

Nathaniel Muir Jerome/Ensemble/Frank Cover

Rhea Rodych-Rasidescu Beth Spencer

Stephanie Schmid Meg/Scotty/Ensemble/Gussie Cover

Jillian Willems

Mary Flynn

Catherine Wreford Gussie Carnegie

Our Creative Team

Director Donna Fletcher

Music Director Joseph Tritt

LX Designer Liam Naughten

Set Designer

Kari Hagness

Production Manager Liam Naughten

Stage Manager Samantha Desiree

Apprentice Stage Manager Carolin Schroeder

Costume Coordinator

Esther Koepnick

Costumes Jan Malabar & Harlequin The Dance Store

Sound Nyle Hawrylyshen - Industry Audio Production Services Inc.

Intimacy & Fight Consultant Samantha Hutchings

Our Band

Joseph Tritt Conductor/Keyboard 1

Paul De Gurse

2/Programming

Brendan Thompson Drums/Percussion

Matt Kozicki Bass

Our Dry Cold Production Team

Liam Naughten Production Manager

Master Carpenter

Aaron Frost

Head Scenic Artist Aaron Frost

Lighting Crew

Carpenters/Set Up Crew

TL Kosininski, Robbie Playter, Josh Ranville

& Cat Mello-Schultz

Meg Chrest, Laura Gomes, Willow Issac, Keira Jordan, Rowan Lundy, Melissa Smigelski

Painters Meg Chrest, Lauren Gomes, Willow Issac, Melissa Smigelski

Backstage Runner

Patricia Cyre

Child Minder Amalia Hickerson

Light Walkers Isaiah Anthony, Mary Horst, Anne Love, Lynne Martin & Armin Wiebe

Ushers Grace Budoloski, George Budoloski, Joanie Sheps, Shawn Saifer, Cathy Litman, Bonnie and Murray Gadd, Chael Donald, Arshia Batta, Keith and Anne Love, Dona Watts, Diane Wreford, Mike Beaupre, Sandy Bauldic, Maureen Eskow, Teresa and Doug Cameron, Nelda Jane, Brian Johnson, Sylvia and Miriam Flam, Patricia Vineberg

RMTC Tom Hendry Warehouse Staff

Venue Technician Tim Clark & Jaymez

Technical Director Jaxun Maron (Warehouse), Don Osler (Mainstage)

Front of House

Betsy Ruck

Josh Bellan

Franklin Shepard

Josh is excited to be joining Dry Cold once again for their production of Merrily We Roll Along. Josh Is a Graduate of the University of Manitoba Faculty of Music and The VIC. Josh’s previous acting credits include The Little Mermaid, Strike, South Pacific (Rainbow Stage), Kiss of The Spiderwoman (Dry Cold), Fame, Reefer Madness, American Idiot (WST), Breaking Up With Me (JHG). As a pit Musician Josh has Played in Rent, Hockey Sweater (Rainbow Stage), Afterlight (The Keep), End of The Line Staged Reading (W&T/TPM).

Katie German

KT/Mrs. Spencer/ Ensemble/Mary & Beth Cover

Katie is a Métis performer, director, educator, and mother. Born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Katie is currently the owner and director of Junior Musical Theatre Company (JMTC) and is proud to be called Mom by a creative 9-year-old and

a joy-filled 3-year-old who keep her laughing and running. Recent performance credits include: The Sound of Music (The Citadel Theatre), Rez Sisters, Into The Woods, The Sound of Music (Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre), Hockey Sweater, Breaking Up Is Hard to Do (Rainbow Stage), A Year With Frog And Toad, Seussical The Musical (Manitoba Theatre for Young People), Sweeney Todd (Dry Cold Productions) and the TVO cartoon, Wolf Joe (Media Rendezvous & TVO).

Kevin Mcintyre

Joe Josephson

Born and Raised in Winnipeg Canada, Kevin is happy to be back on the Dry Cold stage after appearing in "The Addams Family " in 2015 (Gomez) He most recently appeared in "The Hockey Sweater" at Rainbow Stage (Father Delisle) Other credits include Mamma Mia: (Sam) and Strike (AJ Andrews) for Rainbow Stage and "Stars of David" for The Winnipeg Jewish Theatre. He also directed "Forever Plaid" for Rainbow Stage is 2008. Select theatre credits include Miss Saigon,

(Chris), the Canadian National Tour of Les Miserables. Other favourite roles include “Frankie” in Forever Plaid in both Toronto and Vancouver and “Josh Baskin” in “Big the Musical at Rainbow Stage. He has also traveled the US and Scotland as the lead singer in “Celticfusion”, a celtic rock musical. He has also appeared in numerous Television/Film projects shot in Winnipeg, including Little Bird for Crave, Love Strikes Twice and Snowkissed for Hallmark, The Spencer Sisters for CTV and the soon to be released "Psycho Killer" for New Regency. Enjoy the show!

Alex Menec Charley Kringas

Alex is a graduate from the University of Manitoba Desautels Faculty of Music where he specialized in Vocal Performance. During his time at the U of M, he performed with the Musical Theatre Ensemble, in selections from musicals such as Into the Woods where he played the Baker as well as Sunday in the Park With George playing the title character, George. Alex has also performed

in multiple shows in the Winnipeg Fringe Festival including 35MM: A Musical Exhibition and the Harry S. Rintoul award winning play, The Cause, written by a local team of playwrights JHG Productions, where he played Jovan. Alex also played Toby in Flipside Opera’s production of The Medium. Most recently, Alex played Kevin in Dry Cold Productions’ National Premier of The Prom. As a self-proclaimed “Sondheim fanatic,” Alex is incredibly excited to be back with Dry Cold playing Charley Kringas in their production of ‘Merrily We Roll Along’!

Nathaniel Mercer

Franklin

Shepard Junior

Nathaniel studies voice with Shoshana Goldenberg and enjoys performing vocal solos in the community. At the 2024 Winnipeg Music Festival, Nathaniel was awarded the Stewart M. Thomson trophy for the most outstanding performance by a vocalist with an unchanged voice, 14 years or younger. Nathaniel was in the children's chorus for the April

2024 Manitoba Opera production of Carmen and is a proud member of the Winnipeg Boys' Choir. Nathaniel is also a budding composer, keyboardist and ukulelist. Nathaniel is thrilled to be making his musical theatre debut with this landmark production.

Simon Miron

Tyler/Mr. Spencer/ Ensemble/ Charley Cover

Simon is a two spirited, francophone Métis, multi-disciplinary artist, from Treaty One Territory. Ancestral families include: Ladéroute, Pontbriand & Sansregret. They are interested in making weird art that encourages growth and challenges the boundaries of their own theatre practices. They hold a master’s degree from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and also studied in Edmonton, Toronto, and The Stratford Festival. They are a founding member of the Village Conservatory for Music Theatre, a local performing arts education program. www.villageconservatory.com Simon has worked on over 100 shows with companies across Canada and the UK. This is Simon’s

third production with Dry Cold.

Nathaniel Muir

Jerome/Ensemble/ Franklin Shepard Cover

Nathaniel Muir is a multidisciplinary artist born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Nathaniel’s professional theatre career began in 2022, playing the Cowardly Lion in Rainbow Stage’s production of the Wizard of Oz. Since then, he has returned to Rainbow Stage as Chef Louis in the Little Mermaid (2023). In addition to theatre, Nathaniel sings with the rock band the Love Letters. Nathaniel is thrilled to be a part of Dry Cold for the very first time! He would like to thank his family and friends for their love, support, and inspiration.

Rhea RodychRasidescu

Beth Spencer

Rhea is a performer, writer, educator, dialect coach, and director living and working in Treaty 1 Territory. She trained at

the University of Winnipeg and received her B.A. Hons. in theatre performance. Rhea is thrilled to be making her Dry Cold Productions debut in Merrily We Roll Along. Prior to this she performed in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, a co-production between The Segal Centre in Montreal and the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre), Into the Woods (RMTC), Tuck Everlasting (Opera NUOVA), Love’s Labours Lost, Arcadia (U of W), Women of Manhattan (Beau Theatre Co./ RMTC Shanley Fest). While being a multifaceted theatre artist, Rhea is passionate about teaching and working with youth. She is an Instructor at Manitoba Theatre for Young People (MTYP). Her work with MTYP also extends as a dialect coach; her most recent credit being Frozen River/nîkwatin sîpiy. Thank you to Donna and Joseph, our entire cast and crew for this wonderful journey. Here’s to us!

Stephanie Schmid Meg/Scotty/ Ensemble/ Gussie Cover

Stephanie is a seasoned performer and a proud graduate

of the Sheridan Musical Theatre performance program. Known for her dynamic stage presence, Stephanie has captivated audiences in diverse roles, including her standout performances as a Cancan dancer and the vivacious "Gertie" at Diamond Tooth Gerties in Dawson City, Yukon. An interpreter of Stephen Sondheim's works, Stephanie has previously showcased her talent in productions such as "Assassins" and "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" with Theatre Sheridan, solidifying her admiration for Sondheim as her favorite composer/ lyricist. With gratitude for this new chapter, Stephanie is thrilled to be a part of Dry Cold Productions: “Merrily We Roll Along” and eagerly anticipates sharing the stage with such talented individuals. She was recently seen in Carmen with the Manitoba Opera which was both a challenge and a joy. She looks forward to the journey ahead, fueled by a genuine passion for performing.

Catherine Wreford

Gussie Carnegie

Catherine Wreford was born and raised in Winnipeg and is a true inspiration and a force to be reckoned with. She performed at the Stratford Festival, on Broadway, played roles in movies and TV shows, ran a mortgage company, became a nurse, starred in 10 performances with Rainbow Stage, choreographed and performed at RMTC and is now making her debut with Dry Cold! On June 24, 2013, she was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer after the birth of her second child and was given 2-6 years to live. Undeterred, Catherine defied the odds and embraced her true calling as a performer and a motivational speaker. Her triumph on Season 8 of The Amazing Race Canada, alongside her best friend Craig Ramsay, amplified her mission to raise awareness and find a cure for brain cancer. Catherine is a living testament to the indomitable human spirit, an unwavering advocate for life, and an empowering voice that encourages

us all to “run your own amazing race.” This one is for her truly magical children, Elliot, and Quinn.

Jillian Willems

Mary Flynn

Sondheim obsessed Jillian is ecstatic to be back with her “old friends” at Dry Cold after having last appeared in Follies. Select performance credits include Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (RMTC), Cinderella (Rainbow Stage), South Pacific (WSO/Rainbow), A Charlie Brown Double Bill (MTYP), South Pacific (Regina Symphony), and Heathers (WST). Select creative credits include Afterlight (Director/ The Keep, Walk&Talk, Rainbow); Into the Woods (Choreographer/MTC), The Snail and the Whale (Director/ MTYP), Guys & Dolls (Director, WSO/ Rainbow); Pippin (Choreographer, WST/ViC); Breaking Up is Hard to Do (Choreographer, Rainbow Stage); American Idiot (Choreographer, WST). Jillian is an artistic associate and dance teacher for The Village Conservatory for Music Theatre (ViC).

Patricia Cyre Backstage Runner

Patricia was last seen in the cast of Dry Cold Productions National premiere of The Prom and is excited to be back with Dry Cold in a different role backstage. Patricia received a Bachelor of Arts from The University of Winnipeg’s Department of Theatre and Film. She has trained with Rainbow Stage, The Village Conservatory, and was a participant in Creative Manitoba’s Mentorship Program. Patricia would like to thank Donna and Reid for this opportunity, and her parents for introducing her to the love of her life, Stephen Sondheim. Enjoy the show!

Samantha Desiree Stage Manager

Samantha is thrilled to be working with Dry Cold. Selected Credits include: Clue, Yaga, Into the Woods, Network, The Rez Sisters, Orlando (RMTC), Narnia (Bad Hats/MTYP), Castor et Pollux, The Mansplaining

Division (MUO), The Wizard of Oz (Rainbow). She holds a Bachelor of Arts Honours from the University of Winnipeg. Recently, she has had the privilege of co-producing with other indie companies as Artistic Founder of Beau Theatre Co. She is looking forward to continuing the role of Performer Services Manager for the Winnipeg Fringe Festival (2023/24). As always, I couldn't do it without my partner, Matt, and cat, Zella. Please enjoy the magic!

Donna Fletcher Director

Donna is pleased to return to the Dry Cold stage where she last directed Bridges of Madison County, The Addams Family, The Light in the Piazza & A Man of No Importance. Her love affair with the musicals of Stephen Sondheim began at 15 when she first listened to Sweeney Todd on vinyl in her boyfriend’s basement! She parted ways with the boyfriend but never lost her love for Sondheim! A veteran theatre artist, co-founder of Dry Cold Productions and 2012 inductee into the Rainbow Stage Wall of Fame,

Donna has performed coast to coast from the Belfry Theatre in Victoria to the Charlottetown Festival. As a director Donna’s favourite credits include Phantom of the Opera, The Sound of Music & Into the Woods (Opera on the Avalon), Carousel, City Workers in Love The Melody Lingers On and Kiss Me Kate in Concert (NUOVA), Brundibar (Manitoba Chamber Orchestra), South Pacific & Annie (Rainbow Stage), Love Loss and What I Wore (Winnipeg Jewish Theatre) and the world premiere of Merry Christmas Stephen Leacock (Little Opera Company). Donna is an instructor in voice and Musical Theatre at the U of M Desautels Faculty of Music and the U of W Theatre Department. Her favourite role of all time is being mum to Amalia Grace.

Aaron Frost

Master Carpenter/

Head Scenic Artist

Aaron Frost is the Technical Theatre Instructor and Master Carpenter for the Department of Theatre and Film at the University of Winnipeg. When he isn't busy teaching and building the University of Winnipeg's theatre

productions, Aaron assists various theatre companies. He’s worked on the carpentry crew for Rainbow Stage since 2013. Aaron has helped with the construction of The Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre’s productions of Come From Away, Matilda, Clue, and Sound of Music, with make-up for The Manitoba Opera, has been Master Carpenter for various productions by Dry Cold Productions, Sarasvàti Productions, Junior Musical Theatre Company, The All Dentist Musical, One Trunk, Theatre Projects Manitoba, and Theatre Vice Versa, as well helped with set up and strike of major touring shows.

Kari Hagness Set

Designer

Kari Hagness, a graduate of the National Theatre School Design program, has been active behind the theatrical scenes in Winnipeg since 1986. This is her second Dry Cold Set Design credit, following the 2013 production of Closer Than Ever, (Kimberley Rampersad, Director). Other set design credits include several for RMTC in

association with the Manitoba Bar Association for what is colloquially called "The Lawyer Show".

Esther Koepnick Costume Coordinator

Esther Koepnick (she/her) is a theatre maker living on Treaty One territory. She is a multidisciplinary artist whose pursuits include acting, singing, songwriting, playwriting, and delving into how clothes tell stories. She loves how costumes can give the audience a deeper understanding of who a character is. In her spare time, she makes her own clothes. Past costuming credits include: Wind in the Willows (Hillcrest Christian School).

Liam Naughten

Lighting Designer/ Production Manager

Liam Naughten is honoured to be working with Dry Cold Productions on their production of Merrily

We Roll Along. Liam has worked in the arts community both in theatre and other live events for

almost a decade, doing a little bit of everything. Currently he is working as the Sales/Events manager at Eventlight.ca. Other design work from Liam include his lighting design for last October’s vampire musical Afterlight. He is very thankful to be working with Dry Cold again as it is the company which started his acting career back in 2019. Hope you enjoy the show lighting, and you don’t see too many spots after it’s done!

Carolin Schroeder Apprentice Stage Manager

As emerging Stage Manager and Theater Maker, Carolin feels grateful to be calling Winnipeg, Treaty 1 Territory, home. Originally born and raised in Germany, she made Canada her home in 2017. Carolin has worked with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School both as administrator and as School

Production & Event Coordinator, and most recently worked as Stage Management apprentice for Rainbow Stage and Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Carolin is enrolled at the University of Winnipeg and is

currently completing an BAH degree in Production & Stage Management.

Joseph Tritt

Music Director/ Keyboard 1

Joseph is honoured to be returning to Dry Cold, having served as music director for A Man of No Importance and Follies. Other music direction credits include Once, Billy Elliot, Cabaret (Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre); Les Misérables, The Producers (Rainbow Stage); Freaky Friday (Theatre Aquarius); Lucky Stiff (Drayton Entertainment); and Crazy for You (Theatre Sheridan). Joseph has also had the privilege of music directing three pantomimes for Ross Petty Productions, as well as multiple workshops of Britta

Johnson and Sara Farb’s Kelly v Kelly. As an educator, Joseph has been a sessional instructor in the Bachelor of Music Theatre Performance program at Sheridan College, as well as a masterclass clinician and adjudicator in various settings. As a composer, he has contributed incidental music to plays at the Shaw Festival and participated in The Musical Stage Company’s Noteworthy lab for emerging music theatre writers. Joseph is an alumnus of the Shaw Festival’s music direction internship, under Maestro Paul Sportelli, and the University of Manitoba’s Desautels Faculty of Music. In addition to his musical endeavours, Joseph is pursuing a master’s degree in counselling psychology. Thank you to Donna, Paul DG, Jill, Shaun, and my parents!

Paul De Gurse

Keyboard II/ Programming

Paul is thrilled to be back with Dry Cold after providing music direction for Closer Than Ever and The Bridges of Madison County. Recently he has appeared on Winnipeg stages for the world premier of both Afterlight and Outside Joke: Bigger Dickens Energy, as well as traveling to Halifax's Neptune Theatre as music director for Billy Elliot The Musical. Paul is the Managing Director at the Village Conservatory for Music Theatre, an arts education organization with a focus on creating new work located in Winnipeg.

Matt Kozicki is a freelance bassist, composer, and music educator based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Matt graduated from Brandon University in February 2020 with a Bachelor of Music and a major

in Jazz Performance, winning both the Brandon University Gold Medal in the Bachelor of Music and the Lieutenant Governor’s Gold Medal for his academic distinction. Since graduating, he has enjoyed collaborating with many members of the diverse Manitoba music scene, playing jazz, musical theatre, classical, rock, pop, country, soul, funk, and more. He regularly works with a variety of artists and collectives, including Mitchell Makoons, Ila Barker, SanCarlos, the Graydon Cramer Band, the Sean Taylor band, Walk & Talk Theatre Company, Diogo Peixoto, Emmanuel Bach, Matthew Steckler, and others. With these artists, he has performed across Canada and as far as Sydney, Australia. Matt also teaches privately and regularly runs clinics in schools across the province.

Brendan Thompson Drums/Percussion

Percussionist Brendan Thompson is a highly active performer throughout Manitoba. An enthusiast of musical theatre, Brendan has been the pit drummer/percussionist

Matt Kozicki Bass

for over 30 musical theatre productions with companies such as Rainbow Stage, Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Dry Cold Productions, Winnipeg Studio Theatre, and Walk & Talk Theatre Company. He performs regularly with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, including his role as the Acting Principal Timpanist for the 2014/15 season. In

addition, Brendan has performed with Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Manitoba Opera, Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. With a strong interest in music education, Brendan currently teaches as a sessional instructor at both Brandon University and the Canadian Mennonite University.

DRY COLD PRODUCTIONS

Co-Founders

Donna Fletcher & Reid Harrison

Board Members

Venetia Bourrier

Kathryn Deeley

Robin Dow

Dry Cold Productions Team

Pamela Roz

Hollie Hatt-Sissons

Jaz Sealey

Jovanni Sy Joseph Tritt

Maria Vincenten

Andrea Spiers Design

Robin Dow/Venetia Bourrier Volunteer Coordinators

Kayla Gordon Photographer

Marketing Committee

Kathryn Deeley

Donna Fletcher

Pamela Roz

Andrea Spiers

Maria Vincenten

Dry Cold Productions extends our thanks to the following individuals and organizations who graciously provided their support, resources, and time:

Canadian Actors Equity Association

Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre

IATSE Local 63

Music Professionals of Manitoba

Our Piano Sponsor – St. John’s Music & Ed Peters

Red Rover Entertainment

Christopher Brauer, Melinda Tallin & the University of Winnipeg Theatre Department

Manitoba Theatre for Young People

Kate Campbell - Staging Works

Winnipeg

We sincerely thank all of our donors (received as of May 15th, 2024).

Northern Lights ($500 & Beyond)

Denis & Barb Fletcher

Heather Pullan

Anthony Steffes

Susan Glass & Arni Thorsteinson

Snowflake ($400-499)

Icicle ($300-399)

Susan & Roger LeGrand

Chris & Lori Luby

Snow Angel ($200-299)

Anonymous

Colin Bourrier

Venetia Bourrier

Glynis Corkal

Bruce Dean

Rebecca Gibson

Kim Hasselriis

Keith & Anne Love

Sharon Goszer Tritt

Sun Dog ($150-199)

Glynis Corkal

Carolyn Meadows

Valerie Ross

Doug & Sandy Meacham

Whiteout ($100-149)

Anonymous

Rachel Cameron

Teresa Cameron

Darlene Chimilar

Hollie Hatt-Sissons

James Hickerson

Debbie Maslowsky

Liam Naughten

Linda Schmid

Brenlee Carrington Trepel

Maria Vincenten

Melanie Whyte

Kathryn & Robert Young

Blizzard ($50-99)

Christin Freeman

Judith Friesen

Laurie McPherson

Joanie Sheps

Murray Wm. Vint

Windchill ($10-49)

Colin Simm

CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION SPONSORS

Many thanks to all of our sponsors for the 2023/24 season.

Presenting Sponsor

Performance Sponsor

Northern Lights Sponsors

Foundations

THE ZITA AND MARK BERNSTEIN FAMILY FOUNDATION

KPMG is proud to support Dry Cold Productions kpmg.ca

Tog et he r, fo r b et te r, w e m a ke

Dry Cold Productions

Where music meets theatre.