JONNO

Originally from New York, Alix Sobler is a theatre artist who now splits her time between the United States and Canada. She is a Canadian Fringe Festival Circuit veteran, having performed in festivals coast to coast. She was a regular contributor to CBC’s Definitely Not The Opera, and her plays have been workshopped and produced at theatres across North America. She is a graduate of Brown University, and will receive her MFA in playwriting from Columbia University in 2017. Alix is thrilled to be premiering her new play with Echo Theatre and working with such dear friends who happen to be brilliant artists.

Playwright

Kevin has been directing, performing, writing and producing theatre in Winnipeg for more than 20 years, including many collaborations with Echo Theatre. His directing credits include Dr. Kellogg's System, Lulu: A Monster Tragedy, Le Grand-Guignol Sur La Praire, The MissAdventurous Perils of Pauline and Poet And The Rent (Echo Theatre) as well as Dog Act (Nancan Boogie), and Merry Wives of Windsor (Shakespeare in the Ruins). He is thrilled and honoured to be directing this incredible and important play, written by the incredible and important playwright Alix Sobler. Kevin is also a proud member and product of the Reg Skene legacy.

Director

Heather works in various capacities as a stage manager, seamstress and props builder for regional and independent theatre companies - sometimes all in the same production! She is happy to be working with Echo Theatre once again (previously: Blithe Spirit, Lulu: A Monster Tragedy, The Smell of Dead Mums) and with awesome theatre friends both old and new. She makes custom garments et al under the name Heather Lee Bea (including Mr. Donkey Long Ears).

Stage Manager, Props/ Wardrobe

Best known for her work with the 3-time Canadian Comedy Award nominated sketch troupe Hot Thespian Action; actor/writer/director Shannon Guile jumped at the opportunity to switch gears to her other passion- Stunts.  Shannon is very excited to work on such a powerfully keen play with this group of incredibly talented actors. As a stunt professional, you may have seen her getting punched in the face, breaking tables or bracing the fall of Christmas trees in such cinematic delights as: A Dog’s Purpose (Dream Works), Todd and the Book of Pure Evil (Space Network) and Home Alone 5 (Fox Television Studio).

Big thanks to Echo Theatre for this opportunity and to the talented playwright, Alix Sobler, for ‘going there’ in such a masterful way. 

Fight Choreographer

Darryl moved from making props at the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre to Technical Direction, Stage Management, and then both set and costume Design and lighting at many Winnipeg theatre companies, and Winnipeg Fringe Festival Companies and productions, as well as television productions.  Darryl’s love of the stage space has never left him, he returned as a professional model builder, and also returned a few years ago to the University of Winnipeg as an honours student in set, costume and lighting Design.  He is the past recipient of the Banff Centre Scholarship in Theatre Production, and was awarded the Royal Manitoba Theater Centre Design Apprentice in 2014, 2015, and 2016, and recently awarded membership in the Associated Designers of Canada and Canadian Institute for Theatre Technology.

Lighting and Set Designer

Elena Anciro is a graduate of the University of Winnipeg’s Department of Theatre and Film. Recent theatre credits include: Chimerica (RMTC/ Canadian Stage), National Elevator Project: The Club (Theatre Yes/ Sarasvàti Productions), Coriolanus (Mad Cows Productions), Fallen Angels (Tara Players), and Fefu and Her Friends (Sarasvàti Productions). Elena is excited to bring JONNO to the Winnipeg Fringe with this talented group of artists!

Bernadette

It’s a delight to be back creating with the wonderful Echo Theatre, especially on a play (by the remarkable Alix Sobler) that is so quintessentially fringe: politically pertinent, necessarily NOW and unabashedly brave. Previous credits with Echo Theatre include Lulu: A Monster Tragedy, Grand Guignol on the Prairie and The Poet and the Rent. Other favourite roles include Elena in Butcher (PTE), Octavia/ Soothsayer/Clown in Antony & Cleopatra (SIR), Annette in Le Dieu du Carnage (TCM), Hermione & Dorcas in The Winter’s Tale (Tom Tom Theatre) and Pixie & Sonya in Essay & The Russian Play (WJT). Alicia is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada.

Maureen

Rob is a local actor who has been in several past Echo Theatre productions including "Dr. Kellogg's System", "Grand-Guignol Sur La Prairie" and "Lulu: a Monster Tragedy".  He has performed on stage at RMTC, PTE, SIR and many other local theatre companies.

Donkey Long Ears

Ray is a Winnipeg actor who has been fortunate to work with various local theatre companies (Black Hole Theatre Company, MTC, PTE, SIR, MTYP, WJT) and also a couple other theatre companies in Canada (Theatre Calgary, Obsidian, CanStage, Studio 180). Ray's first Fringe experience was a decade ago with the Fringe hit Shock Corridor and is happy to be back with the innovative and daring Echo Theatre.
 

Jonno Kordesh

'JONNO' marks Stephanie's 14th show in Winnipeg's Fringe Festival and is honoured to be returning with such important work by the intelligent and ferociously talented Alix Sobler. Selected credits include: Petra- A Little Night Music [Upcoming], Jo March- Little Women (Dry Cold Productions), Ensemble/US Scaramouche- We Will Rock You (1st National Tour), Lady Bug- James and the Giant Peach (MTYP), Gabe- 'Yorkville' the Musical (Blyth Festival), Penelopiad, Romeo & Juliet (RMTC), Nora- A Doll's House, Margareta- Faust{us}: a fantasy (UofW), Rusty- Footloose (Rainbow Stage), Christmas Eve- Avenue Q (DTC), Lily- A History of Breathing/SATAward Nominee (Persephone). For more of Stephanie's face, her nephew/dog/life adventures check out Instagram: stephaniesy_. Tremendous thanks to Echo Theatre for this opportunity.

Marcy

Charlene is the artistic producer of Echo Theatre and has performed with the company as part of the Winnipeg Fringe in: Roald Dahl's The Twits, The Missadventurous Perils of Pauline, Grand-Guignol Sur La Prairie, & Lulu: A Monster Tragedy .

Fringe credits outside of Echo include the fringe hits: Dog Act (Nancanboogie productions), and  Die, Shakespeare, Die! (Saucy Gal Productions).

Other theatre includes: The Woman in Black, Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, Bleeding Hearts (RMTC), Stripped-Down Macbeth, The Comedy of Errors, The Merry Wives of Windsor and A Midsummer Night's Dream (SIR), Two "Munsch" tours with PTE and several shows and workshops with local independent theatres.

A big thanks to Alix for writing this very funny, very poignant play and letting us produce it in the 2016 Winnipeg Fringe, and to Kevin and the cast for sharing their talented selves with us!

Check out the rest of the website for past, present, and future Echo Theatre endevours.

Dana