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CAST
JACOB JAMES
17 CHARACTERS IN TOTAL
CREATIVE TEAM
CHARLOTTE GOWDY DIRECTOR
BRENDA DURAN SET & COSTUME DESIGNER
HOLLY MEYER-DYMNY LIGHTING DESIGNER
JACKSON FAIRFAX-PERRY SOUND DESIGNER
VIRG IREDALE STAGE MANAGER
Dear Audience,
When playwright Mark Crawford first wrote and performed Chase the Ace in 2021, much of the world was in lockdown. He performed outdoors, with only a table and a chair from Ikea — the entire set fit in the back of his car. There were no stage lights, minimal sound, and the audience sat six feet apart.
In the face of protocols and limitations, he found a way to keep making live theatre, to keep people connected in real life, and to tell an inspiring story about the pursuit of truth and integrity—with laughs to boot.
Five years later, that kind of resilience, creativity, and commitment to human connection feels more important than ever.
How do we keep going in the face of incredible challenges — individually, and collectively? In the face of darkness, corruption, greed, injustice, lies, dehumanization and unfathomable desecration, how do we lift our spirits out of the muck and create meaningful lives for ourselves and for our communities? How do we live by our values? And what are we willing to risk to uphold them?
These are the questions Charlie—and Chase the Ace—ask of us.
At its heart, this play reminds us that even in times of uncertainty, chaos, and collapse, even when the odds feel stacked against us, the joys of heartfelt human connection are still possible—and, I would argue, essential.
Heartfelt human connection is our best bet.
Thank you for being here to connect in real life and share this story with us. May we all have the courage and integrity to pursue truth, stay connected, and to keep up!
Charlotte Gowdy Director
On behalf of everyone at Neptune, I am delighted to welcome you to tonight’s performance of Chase the Ace by Mark Crawford. This production is from Ship’s Company Theatre in Parsboro, and we are thrilled to bring this hysterical comedy to our audiences.
In a time when arts funding faces increasing pressure, collaborations like this one are more than creative opportunities. They are essential. By working together, theatres large and small can share resources, support artists, and ensure that live theatre continues to thrive in communities across Nova Scotia and beyond. Partnerships like this help keep the stage lights glowing when the challenges feel heavy, and they remind us that
theatre is strongest when it is built collectively.
We are deeply grateful that you chose to spend your time with us. Your presence here is one of the most meaningful ways you can support live theatre. If tonight’s performance moves you, makes you laugh, or gives you something to carry home, I hope you will consider extending your support with a donation. Contributions of any size help us continue to create and share stories like this one.
Thank you for being here, for supporting Canadian theatre, and for helping keep this vital art form alive.
Kimberlee Stadelmann Executive Director
JACOB JAMES
ROLE: 17 Characters in total! NEPTUNE: Richard Hannay in The 39 Steps OTHER THEATRE: Seven seasons with The Stratford Festival, six seasons with Drayton Entertainment, five seasons with Videocabaret and Thousand Islands Playhouse. Theatre Aquarius, Globe Theatre Regina, Tweed and Co., Cleveland Playhouse, Cinncinati Playhouse in the Park, New York Shakespeare Exchange, Theatre Kingston, Festival of the Classics, National Arts Centre, Magnus Theatre, and more FILM/TV/ VOICE: Fireman Sam (animated series), Turn Washington’s Spies (AMC), Mayday, The Stranger Experiment. Graduate of The National Theatre School, Birmingham Conservatory (Stratford Festival), Second City Conservatory. Other one-person shows: Billy Bishop Goes to War (three separate productions) and Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol (Magnus Theatre) OTHER: Jacob is excited to work with Charlotte, who was his classmate in theatre school
MARK CRAWFORD
ROLE: Playwright NEPTUNE: Writer of Stag and Doe and The New Canadian Curling Club OTHER THEATRE: As one of Canada’s most-produced playwrights, Mark’s scripts have been performed across the country and internationally. He is the author of nine plays including Bed and Breakfast, The Birds and the Bees, The Gig, and The Golden Anniversaries—which will be produced at Cape Breton’s Theatre Baddeck this summer. His newest play, a family holiday comedy called Ruby and the Reindeer premiered last December. Also an actor, Mark has performed from coast to coast. Recent acting credits include: Murder on the Orient Express (Theatre Aquarius), Liars at a Funeral and Crazy for You (Drayton Entertainment), and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Mirvish). OTHER: Thanks to everyone at Neptune Theatre, Ship’s Company Theatre, Charlottetown Festival, and the fantastic folks working on Chase the Ace. markcrawfordplays.com
CHARLOTTE GOWDY
ROLE: Director NEPTUNE: Stag & Doe (actor/Dee) OTHER THEATRE: Bakkhai, Taming of the Shrew, The Lion, Witch & Wardrobe (Stratford Festival), Dear Rita, Chase the Ace (Charlottetown Festival), The Crucible, Major Barbara, The Autumn Garden, Invisible Man, Hotel Peccadillo, Cassilis Engagement (Shaw Festival), The Winter’s Tale (Canadian Stage), ROOM, Dry Streak (The Grand Theatre), The Importance of Being Earnest (Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre), Venus in Fur, RED (Theatre Kingston), Salt Water Moon (Blyth Festival), A Christmas Carol, Ivor Johnston’s Neighbours (Theatre NorthWest), Educating Rita, Harvest, Peg and the Yeti, Birdbrain, Boeing Boeing (Thousand Islands Playhouse). Measure for Measure, Taming of the Shrew (St Lawrence Shakespeare), They All Do It (Odyssey Theatre), Village Wooing, Old King Cole (Theatre Lac Brome), Crimes of the Heart (Watermark Theatre), Beyond The Sea, Myth of the Ostrich, Real Estate (Victoria Playhouse). A graduate of NTS and École Philippe Gaulier in Paris, France, Charlotte teaches clowning around the world. In 2017, she won the Dora Mavor Moore award from Stratford Festival for her work on Bakkhai. During her time as the Associate Artistic Director of the Thousand Islands Playhouse, she did original dramaturgy on Mark Crawford’s play Bed & Breakfast. Charlotte splits her time between PEI and an ashram in the French Alps. Tout est possible. Enjoy the show!
BRENDA DURAN
ROLE: Set & Costume Designer NEPTUNE: Heather’s The Musical, Almost Maine, Mischief/ Colonial Park, OTHER THEATRE: Goodnight Moon (Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia) Dance Nation (Keep Good Theatre / HEIST), Alice in Wonderland / Twelfth Night (Shakespeare by the Sea), A Beginners Guide to the Night Sky (Villains Theatre) Downed Hearts (Ship’s / EFT / Matchstick) TRAINING: York University Theatre Production and Design BFA OTHER: Credit goes to my family, amazing friends and fellow artists who have supported me through crazy but rewarding times.
HOLLY MEYER-DYMNY
(they/she)
ROLE: Lighting Designer NEPTUNE: The Wizard of Oz, Winter Moons, Billy Elliot The Musical, The Full Monty, A Midsummer Night’s Dream OTHER THEATRE: Dance Nation (Keep Good/ HEIST); In My Own Little Corner (EveryBODY on Stage); The Wind in the Willows (Two Planks and a Passion); Into The Woods (The Grand Theatre); The Fourposter, Death Trap, Pygmalion (Classic Theatre Festival); Pippin, (Sheridan Theatre); Legally Blonde, The Penelopiad, Titus Andronicus (Hart House Theatre); Crypthand (Galeforce/Ships Company Theatre); Tosca, Into The Woods, Phantom of the Opera (Opera on the Avalon); Angel’s Bone (Sound The Alarm, Loose Tea); Llandovery Castle (Opera Laurier), La Traviata (Loose Tea Musical Theatre)
JACKSON FAIRFAX-PERRY
ROLE: Sound Designer NEPTUNE: Debut
(he/him)
An award winning African Nova Scotian composer, sound designer, musician and musical director living in Kjipuktuk, Mi’kma’ki (Halifax, Nova Scotia). For years, Jackson has honed his skills as an in demand saxophonist and keyboardist both on the road and locally with artists such as Hillsburn and David Myles, among others. He collaborates frequently with local hip hop and r&b artist Aquakultre, co-writing songs and working as the musical director for his live band. A prominent collaborator with local theatre and dance artists, Jackson has composed and created sound designs for companies such as 2b theatre company, Eastern Front Theatre, Ship’s Company Theatre, and Mocean Dance among numerous others. Recent credits include Matriarchs (Aquakultre, Nocturne), Dance Nation (Keep Good (Theatre) Company, Heist), Sea Unseen (Mocean Dance, The Sable Island Institute), Deepwater (The Villains Theatre) and Downed Hearts (Ship’s Company Theatre)
