Kanata Theatre: the 40^th season (2007-2008)

Scotland Road cast new to
Kanata Theatre stage

     April 14 marks the 97th anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic.

Ninety years ago, people would have been talking about the Titanic. Today, they are talking about Scotland Road by Jeffrey Hatcher and the four local actors who are bringing the story to life on the stage of the Ron Maslin Playhouse.

Kanata Theatre alumna, Diane Côté, last seen playing Lillian in I Hate Hamlet by Paul Rudnick, plays the role of Titanic survivor Frances Kittle. The intricacies of this character continually evolve with each rehearsal. Every character has their own set of secrets and Diane is challenged by playing an individual many times her age.

Tim Finnigan, who has recently completed his role as Marco in Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge, presented by Chamber Theatre, is a newcomer to Kanata Theatre. Tim finds himself on a different spectrum with this role, portraying a dispassionate scientist who finds himself adrift in life, residing in Iceland. Also a filmmaker, Tim is enjoying the chance to step out from behind the camera and onto the stage, where he's discovering the character of Dr. Halbrech through performance as opposed to direction.

Kristy Allen, an alumna of Kanata Ballet School, is also a newcomer to Kanata Theatre but not to the stage. She was last seen as Sophie in Fame, presented by the Orpheus Musical Society. Her character, Winifred, has developed into a much stronger woman than she originally saw her as being. Winifred has the courage to explore and confront the secrets that surround her instead of letting them consume her. As much as she is a victim being held against her will, Winifred is that much more of a detective needing to understand everyone else's secrets before she can understand her own. The greatest secret of all is: why is she here?

The fourth member of the cast, and another newcomer to Kanata Theatre, is Stavros Sakiadis who played Sir Andrew and Sebastian in A Company of Fools production of Twelfth Night. Last summer, Stavros was the fight choreographer for both Romeo and Juliet (Company of Fools) and Knight Life (Odyssey Theatre). Moving now from Twelfth Night to 1912, Stavros finds himself in a very different, serious, and challenging role playing John in Scotland Road. John has many hidden layers that reveal themselves through the course of the play. When not on stage, Stavros is thedrama teacher at Holy Trinity Catholic High School. His recent directing credits include Twelve Angry Jurors, The Merchant of Venice which received eight Cappies nominations including best play and best actor, and he is currently producing The Hollow for Holy Trinity.

Director Dorothy Gardner last staged The Drawer Boy by Michael Heale for Kanata Theatre and is thrlled to have the opportunity to work with this incredibly talented cast. Dorothy and assistant director Wendy Wagner have taken this diverse group of talented performers "all the way up to the Hebrides!"

Come join us on our adventure up Scotland Road on stage at the Ron Maslin Playhouse in Kanata from April 28 to May 2 and May 5 to May 9. Tickets are $15 each and curtain is at 8 p.m. sharp. Advance tickets can be purchased from the Ron Maslin box office, located at 1 Ron Maslin Way just off Terry Fox Drive. Box Office hours are 5 to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday and 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.

For more information please call the box office at 831-4435 or visit our website at www.kanatatheatre.com.