Image: Featuring performers from left to right, Paige Fraser & Steffanie Davis. Puppet design by Dusty Hagerüd. Photo by Pink Monkey Studios.
Incorporating beautifully handcrafted puppets and an original pop/ rock musical score, Cementland comes to life as two enigmatic garbage collectors tell the story of a very special boy whose singular wish is to find a TREASURE!
One day, the Boy discovers a rusty tin box packed with colorful envelopes and an old, wrinkled note: “Put my wondrous riches into the earth and enjoy.” So the Boy opens the envelope and tosses the contents - “hundreds of tiny gray specks” - onto the ground. Nothing happens! But night will come, and the specks must be protected from junkyard thieves so the boy invents a guard… “he gathers wet smelly socks, moldy old pillow stuffing and scraggly wire bringing his creation, Frog Belly Rat Bone, to life.”
Frog Belly isn’t the sharpest, or the quietest, but it works. In time, Cementland blooms with beautiful flowers and delicious vegetables, and the junk pile of dark grays yields to an explosion of colour. With some strategy, strong communication, a lot of patience and goodwill, we can all grow wondrous riches, transforming dark surroundings into something beautiful.
Image: Featuring performers from left to right, Paige Fraser & Steffanie Davis. Puppet design by Dusty Hagerüd. Photo by Pink Monkey Studios.
ABOUT AXIS THEATRE
In the age of “looking down,” Axis draws young eyes up to engage them in interactive experiences that educate, inspire, and transform. Audiences experience smart, entertaining interpretations of traditional and cutting-edge physical theatre. Axis incorporates combinations of red-nose clown, mime, movement, mask work, puppetry, and improvisation to expand the meaning and impact of the stories presented. It is deceptively simple, completely fresh, and memorable.
Axis Theatre acknowledges that we live, work, and play on the unceded and traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples – sḵwxwú7mesh (Squamish), selílwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh), and xʷməθkʷəyəm (Musqueam) nations.
Book and illustrations by Timothy Basil Ering
Adapted and Directed by Chris McGregor
Scenic, Costume, and Props Design by Amy Harris
Original Music and Sound Design by Erik Gow
Puppet Design and build by Dusty Hagerüd
Stage Managed by Cat Main
CHRIS MCGREGGOR | DIRECTOR
Chris is a third generation settler from Scotland and England. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Drama from Bishop’s University and a Masters in Theatre in Directing from the University of British Columbia. He has taught physical theatre, Commedia dell’arte, mask and Red Nose Clown at the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, Bishop’s University and Studio 58. He has directed more than 60 productions across Canada, has won four Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards and been nominated for three Ovation Awards for directing. Chris has adapted the children’s books: SOMEBODY LOVES YOU, MR. HATCH, FROG BELLY RAT BONE and CRY, HEART, BUT NEVER BREAK into puppets plays for the stage.
TOM PICKETT | NARRATOR
Tom Pickett has appeared in numerous Vancouver theatre productions and made his eighth season appearance at Bard on the Beach as the King of France in Henry V in The Douglas Campbell Theatre tent on the Howard Family Stage. Santa Claus for the Arts Club in Elf: The Musical. His recent film/tv credits include Christmas Time Is Here for GAC Family, Director Christie Will Wolf and a recurring role in Fire Country as Charlie (CBS). Tom hails from Berkeley, California and now resides in Tsawwassen, BC.
CAST & CREATIVE TEAM
PAIGE FRASER | BOY / GARBAGE COLLECTOR
Paige is thrilled to be working with Axis in Frog Belly Rat Bone! She has worked with companies across Vancouver and toured across the country.
Select credits include: Elf The Musical (Arts Club), What If, Like It Or Not (Green Thumb), Glory (Chemainus Theatre), and Cabaret (Studio 58). She is a graduate of Studio 58 and Capilano University, a two time Ovation Award winner and two time Jessie Award nominee. Big thank you’s to Shannon and Melissa at da Costa, and Gabe. Paige was raised on the unceded land of the K’ómoks, Homalco, Wei Wai Kai and Wei Wai Kum nations.
STEFFANIE DAVIS | FROG BELLY / GARBAGE COLLECTOR
Steffanie is an actor, singer, dancer and model based in Vancouver, BC. Last year she was one of ten artists chosen from across the country to participate in the EveryBody On Stage’s “Leading Players Project” in Toronto. Recently she starred as Belle in Beauty & The Beast: The East Van Panto with Theatre Replacement. Other select credits: World premiere of Someone Like You (Arts Club Theatre), We Will Rock You (Theatre Under the Stars); Cabaret (Raincity Theatre); Stile & Drewe’s The Three Little Pigs (Carousel Theatre for Young People); Grease (Chemainus); The Best Laid Plans (Patrick Street Productions). IG Steffwithanff.
COLOUR
FROG BELLY!
CAT MAIN | STAGE MANAGER
Cat Main is a recent graduate of the University of British Columbia’s Theatre Production and Design program as well as Capilano University’s Technical Theatre program. Her stage management credits include The Wolves (UBC Theatre), Betty Blue Eyes (CapU Theatre), and Underbelly (Ragmop Theatre). Her previous children’s theatre credits include the Vancouver International Children’s Festival.
DUSTY HAGERÜD | PUPPET DESIGNER
Originally from Fernie, BC, Dusty Hagerüd is a member of the Ktunaxa/Kinbasket Nations of the Lower East Kootenays. From childhood, he has been enchanted by the world of puppets, and draws inspiration from the animated puppets of Jim Henson, Noreen Young and Paul Fusco.
As the creative director and founder of Color Sound Lab Puppet Makers, Dusty has been performing and designing puppets for 20 years, in a broad range of styles from marionettes, hand and rod puppets to 2-D paper puppets, Bunraku and shadow puppets. He is also one of the co-founders of the Vancouver International Puppet Festival. Most recently he is in Calgary working on the new Fraggle Rock television series, he won a 2019 Leo Award for Best Art Direction in an Animation Program or Series for the stop motion animated film, Biidaaban (The Dawn Comes), with Amanda Strong, Cat Hayes and Femke van Delft, which can be viewed in MOA’s current feature exhibition; Shadows, Strings & Other Things: The Enchanting Theatre of Puppets
AMY HARRIS | SET DESIGNER
Amy Harris recently moved to Vancouver, bringing 18 years of experience working backstage in the theatre industry across South Africa. She has toured internationally with world-renowned Musicals, including Singin’ in the Rain and Priscilla Queen of the Desert across Germany, Korea and New Zealand, to name a few. Her skills range from designing, puppet making, scenic carpentry, scenic painting and prop making.
Amy obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Performing Arts Technology (Cum Laude) at the Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa. Her thesis entailed the production of cable-controlled underwater puppets. Career highlights include lead carpenter and scenic painter for the South African Fan experience of Stranger Things Season 4 (Netflix series) and Deputy Stage Manager for the multi-awardwinning Chicago the Musical world tour. She loves sharing her magic through creating and making one-of-a-kind pieces for stage, film, events and personal adventures.
ERIK GOW | SOUND DESIGNER / COMPOSER
Erik Gow (he/him) is a Vancouver actor, playwright, composer, and educator who lives and practices on the traditional, ancestral, unceded territories of the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh, and Musqueam nations. A graduate of the prestigious Studio 58 theatre school, he has been working onstage, in front of the camera, and behind the mic for more than 10 years. As an emerging playwright and composer Erik has created scores For shows with Axis Theatre, the Beach House Theatre, two original musicals for Studio 58, and sound designed for other companies in the Lower Mainland. As a playwright Erik’s original play “First Lady” has been workshopped and developed by Zee Zee Theatre under esteemed Canadian Playwright Dave Deveau, and director Cameron Mackenzie. Most recently, Erik was a resident artist with the Arts Club Emerging Playwright Unit for the 2019/2020 season where he developed his original musical “Death’s A Bitch” as both composer and book writer. Erik has also written several pantos and an original concert adaptation of A Christmas Carol for the Metro Theatre.
Erik is one of the founders of Booklight Media with Nico Dicecco and is available for videography, photography, archival, and film services.
