The Blyth Festival
The Memorial Hall in Blyth, Ontario has a special place in the Canadian theatre landscape, and in the hearts of Canadian theatre artists. It has a special place in my heart too. In 2014, then Artistic Director Marion DeVries invited me to direct the premier of her new musical, Kitchen Radio. It marked my main stage directing debut.
In 2018 the current AD, Gil Garret invited me back to stage a revival of Colleen Curran’s 1984 hit, Cakewalk. Designer Laura Gardner and I decided it would be fun to re-visit the ‘80s. I had a cast loaded with some of the funniest actors around and we had a blast.
Kitchen Radio , 2014
book by Marion DeVries
music & lyrics by Marion Devries and David Archibald
Kitchen Radio, 2014 Set: Laura Gardner, rehearsal photo taken by K. Fox
Elizabeth Kalles photo: Terry Manzo
Elizabeth Kalles and Greg Gale photo: Terry Manzo
l-r: Nicole Joy-Fraser, David Archibald, Jason Chesworth, Marion Day, Greg Gale, Rebecca Auerbach, Emily Lukasik, Elizabeth Kalles photo: Terry Manzo
l-r: Elizabeth Kalles, Emily Lukasik, Nicole Joy-Fraser, Rebecca Auerbach. photo: Terry Manzo
Emily Lukasik with the band photo: Terry Manzo
l-r: Nicole Joy-Fraser, Emily Lukasik, Marion Day photo: Terry Manzo
Marion Day and Jason Chesworth photo: Terry Manzo
Elizabeth Kalles and Rebecca Auerbach photo: Terry Manzo
Rebecca Auerbach photo: Terry Manzo
Elizabeth Kalles and Rebeccah Auerbach photo: Terry Manzo
Director: Kelli Fox
Musical Director: David Archilbald
Set Design: Laura Gardner
Costume Design: Jennifer Triemstra-Johnston
Lighting Design: Rebecca Picherack
Sound Design: Todd Charlton
Fight Director: Anita Nittoly
Stage Manager: Crystal MacDonell
l-r: David Archibald, Jason Chesworth, Greg Gale photo: Terry Manzo
Cakewalk , 2018
by Colleen Curran
Everything about this revival is dynamic . . .
Paula Citron
l-r: Catherine Fitch, Rebecca Auerbach, Rachel Jones photo: Terry Manzo
l-r: Nathan Howe, Catherine Fitch photo: Terry Manzo
Rachel Jones and Nathan Howe photo: Terry Manzo
l-r: Nathan Howe, Catherine Fitch photo: Terry Manzo
Lucy Hill photo: Terry Manzo
l-r: Nathan Howe, Catherine Fitch photo: Terry Manzo
Caroline Gillis with Lucy Hill photo: Terry Manzo
l-r: Rachel Jones, Rebecca Auerbach photo: Terry Manzo
Director: Kelli Fox
Set/Costume Designer: Laura Gardner
Lighting Designer: Louise Guinand
Sound Designer: Verne Good
Stage Manager: Christine Oakey
“ . . . Fox’s cast goes for the jugular. The action never flags and the laughs come a mile a minute.”
Paula Citron
photo: Terry Manzo