Avon Theatre

May 5 – October 24 |

Opens May 28

Classic

DEATH OF A SALESMAN

By Arthur Miller

Directed by Dean Gabourie

A father's hope, a family's heartbreak

An aging commercial traveller chases a fading dream of success, blind to the illusions that have shaped his life and shattered his family. As memories blur with reality, his desperate pursuit of worth reveals the quiet tragedy of a man out of step with the world around him.

MEIGHEN FORUM EVENTS

CAST & CREATIVE

CAST

2026: Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman and Estragon in Waiting for Godot. 19th season. Stratford (selected roles): Macbeth, Richard III, Coriolanus, Edmund Tyrone, Macheath, King John, King Arthur, Vladimir (Waiting for Godot), Vershinin, Brutus, Captain Hook, Valmont, Friar Lawrence, Aslan, Horace Vandergelder, Judge Brack, Arthur Miller. Elsewhere (selected roles): Shaw: Peter Pan, Androcles, King George III, Charles II, Ephraim Cabot. Toronto and environs: Hamlet, King Lear, Leontes, Angelo, Claudius, Thom Paine, Rhett Butler, Marc Blitzstein, Mozart. Film/TV (selected): I Love a Man in Uniform, The Sweet Hereafter, Long Day's Journey into Night, Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, Room, Orphan Black, Anne with an E. Awards: Dora Award, Genie Award, Gemini Award, ACTRA Award. Et cetera: Tom lives on a farm in Warkworth with his wife, Chick Reid, and their two dogs.

2026: Linda Loman in Death of a Salesman and Miss Prism in The Importance of Being Earnest. 39th season.

Birmingham Conservatory, 2014/2015

2026: Happy in Death of a Salesman and appears in Othello. Fifth season. Stratford (selected): The Winter's Tale, Timon of Athens, The Madwoman of Chaillot, Shakespeare in Love, The Lion…Wardrobe, Hamlet. Theatre (selected): Jack in Scavenger's Daughter (Buddies in Bad Times/Paradigm); Isle of Demons (Guild Festival); Where You Are (Globus Theatre); Sam Phillips in Million Dollar Quartet, Comedy of Errors (The Grove); Book Club (Port Stanley); Armstrong's War (Theatre Kingston). Playwriting: Deer Blood, TOMORROW (Wildside Festival). Producing: Evil Dead the Musical, Faulty Towers: The Dining Experience, Xavier Mortimer (Starvox Entertainment). Film/TV: Mrs. America (FX), Thicker Than Water (Incendo). Awards: Michael Mawson Award, Douglas Campbell Award (Guthries). Online: joshjohnston.ca, @edwardthegirl. Et cetera: This season is dedicated to my Granny and Grandpa, who introduced me to Arthur Miller. Love to my family and Kaleigh.

2026: Charley in Death of a Salesman and understudy in The Importance of Being Earnest and Saturday, Sunday, Monday. Fifth season. Stratford: Macbeth, The Winter's Tale, The Goat or, Who is Sylvia?, Cymbeline, Love's Labour's Lost, Richard II, Grand Magic, Hamlet. Elsewhere: Duke Vincentio in Measure for Measure, Don Pedro in Much Ado About Nothing, Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night (Repercussion); Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream (Canadian Stage); Sir in Encore (Tableau D'Hôte); Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in The Mountaintop (Persephone). Film/TV/video games: Lucy Grizzli Sophie, La Maison Bleue, Assassin's Creed Nexus VR. Training: Dawson College, Soulpepper Academy. Awards: Outstanding Lead Performance META for Martin in MOB (Centaur). Online: matthewkabwe.com, agencebridgetdechene.com. Et cetera: Matthew sends wishes of love and thanks to his many supporters; especially Dr. AAHW. Matthew is thrilled to be returning to the Stratford Festival. Matthew is also B.

2026: Uncle Ben in Death of a Salesman and Lucky in Waiting for Godot. 10th season. Stratford: Kent (King Lear), Poseidon (Trojan Women), Flores (Fuente Ovejuna), Jud (Oklahoma!), Horatio (Hamlet), Clarence/Richmond (Richard III), Cominius (Coriolanus), Nathaniel (Love's Labour's Lost), DeFlores (The Changeling). Elsewhere: David, Dinner with the Duchess (Here For Now/Crow's), Father Christopher, Children of God (Urban Ink); Singer, Leonard Cohen: The Secret Chord (Soulpepper); Dad, Billy Elliot (Mirvish); Dennis, Rock of Ages (Mirvish); David, True Love Lies (Factory Theatre); Officer Lockstock, Urinetown (CanStage); Sam, Mamma Mia! (Broadway). Film/TV: The Terminal List, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, 10 Truths About Love, Albatross, Murdoch Mysteries, Heartland, Akilla's Escape, Good Witch, Suits, Designated Survivor, Who Killed Jon Benet, Republic of Doyle, Saving Hope, Copper, The Manchurian Candidate. Recordings: Two Houses, Love and Carnage, Gasoline Rainbows. Awards: Dora Award Urinetown (CanStage); Best Actor Albatross (Austin International Film Festival). Online: davidkeeley.ca.

(he/him)

Birmingham Conservatory 2025/2026

2026: Biff in Death of a Salesman and John Worthing in The Importance of Being Earnest. Second season. Stratford: Forgiveness, As You Like It (2025). Elsewhere (selected): A Christmas Carol (Theatre Calgary); The Woman In Black, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, The Extractionist (Vertigo Theatre); Premium content, Air (Major Matt Mason), Chariots Of Fire (Rosebud Theatre / The Grand); Gordon (Theatre Network); This Is War (Punctuate); The Circle (Alberta Theatre Projects); SIA (Downstage Theatre). Film/TV (selected): The Expanse (Amazon Prime); Black Summer (Netflix); Range Roads, O Brazen Age, The Valley Below (North Country Cinema); Bodycam (Brandon Christensen); Blood Mountain (Nocturnal Productions). Training: BFA acting - University of Alberta, Mount Royal College. Awards: Several Outstanding Performer nominations, including Betty Mitchell Theatre Awards, Calgary Critics Award, Sterling Theatre Awards and Rosie Film & TV Awards. Online: joewperry.com, @Joewperry. Et cetera: Love to Allison and to his family in Alberta.

(he/him)

2026: Howard Wagner in Death of a Salesman and Lane in The Importance of Being Earnest. 24th season. Stratford (selected): As You Like It, Forgiveness, La Cage aux Folles, Richard III, Serving Elizabeth, Guys and Dolls, Julius Caesar, 42nd Street, A Little Night Music, The Neverending Story, Pericles, King John, The Pirates of Penzance, Titus Andronicus, Three Sisters, The Merchant of Venice, Cabaret, Trojan Women, The Tempest, Timon of Athens, The Swanne: Princess Charlotte, Macbeth, London Assurance, Twelfth Night, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Elsewhere (selected): Casey and Diana (Soulpepper); The Immigrant (Harold Green); London Road (Canadian Stage); Othello (Segal Centre); The Winter's Tale (McCarter/Shakespeare Theatre); Phèdre (A.C.T.); A Christmas Carol, The Turn of the Screw (Grand Theatre); The Importance of Being Earnest (Roundabout); Copenhagen (U.S. national tour). Film/TV: 12 Monkeys, Mayday, Murdoch Mysteries, Dark Matter, Reign, Defiance. Training: Juilliard. Awards: Dora Award, Toronto Theatre Critics' Award.

Birmingham Conservatory, 2003

2026: Second Waiter in Death of a Salesman and understudy in The Hobbit. 13th season.

2026: Stanley, composer and music curator in Death of a Salesman and appears in Othello. Stratford debut. Elsewhere: Various roles - Counting Sheep by Lemon Bucket Orkestra (Broadview Place, Edinburgh Fringe, Germany, Ireland, California and 3LD/NYC - two Doras, six awards at Edinburgh including Scotsman Fringe First), Aaronow - Glengarry Glen Ross (13th Column), playwright/self - solo show, Twisting For Peace (Rhubard/Buddies in Bad Times), Howard - Death of a Salesman (Tribal), music director/Joey - Lady Speak Easy (LaMAMA ETC-NYC), Professor - The Lesson (Actor's Lab), playwright/Judas - Absolutely the Last Supper (Fringe Toronto/Montreal). Film: Bride of Chucky, The Circle Game, himself in documentaries Push, A Different Path. TV: Wild Card, Street Time, Robo Cop, Highlander: The Raven. Music: Solo artist, founding member - Lemon Bucket Orkestra, bandleader - Red Rhythm, Rambunctious, The New Kings, trumpet - Big Rude Jake. Et cetera: That singing bartender at Communist's Daughter, Toronto. Online: michaellouisjohnson.ca.

(he/ him)

2026: Devan Pillay in The Tao of the World and understudy in Death of a Salesman and The Hobbit. Stratford debut. Elsewhere: Don John and the Sexton in Much Ado About Nothing, Sir Eglamour in The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Lucio and Kevin in Measure for Measure, the Courtesan and the Second Merchant in The Comedy of Errors, Bardolph and the Dauphin in Henry V (Bard on the Beach); Ensemble and understudy in Mahabharata (Why Not Theatre); Rexy and Jason in The Legend of Georgia McBride (Arts Club Theatre). Training: University of British Columbia. Awards: The Edmund Kean Sword Award, Bard on the Beach 2022. Online: @karthik.dhananjaikadam. Et cetera: Karthik dedicates this season to the memory of his beautiful mother, Sandhya.

Birmingham Conservatory, 2017

2026: Appears in Othello and understudy in Death of a Salesman. Fourth season. Stratford: King Lear, understudy in Much Ado About Nothing, Richard III, All's Well That Ends Well, The Comedy of Errors, Paradise Lost, understudy in Long Day's Journey Into Night. Elsewhere (selected): Mischief (Neptune/Tarragon/Native Earth); Heist (The Grand/The Citadel); King James (Theatre Aquarius/Alberta Theatre Projects); Little Women, A Christmas Carol (Theatre Calgary); The Tempest (The Shakespeare Company); Murder in the Studio (Vertigo Theatre); Crime Does Not Pay (Downstage); three seasons at Two Planks and A Passion. Training: National Theatre School of Canada, Birmingham Conservatory Et cetera: Special thanks to Talent House and lots of love to everyone who has and continues to support me on this journey.

(she/her)

2026: Ms. Forsythe in Death of a Salesman and Desdemona in Othello. Fifth season. Stratford: Diana in Casey and Diana, Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, Maggie in Bunny, Joyce in Possible Worlds. Elsewhere: Electra in Orestes (Tarragon); Cathleen in Long Day's Journey Into Night, Debbie in The Real Thing, Emily in Our Town, Luisa in The Fantasticks, Mary Snow in Salt-Water Moon (Soulpepper); Nellie in Floyd Collins (Patrick St. Productions/Talk Is Free Theatre); Carol in Oleanna (Sweetline Theatre). Film/TV: Anne Boleyn in Reign (CW), series lead: Leslie Bennett in Republic of Doyle, Murdoch Mysteries (CBC), The Tudors (Showtime/CBC), Hudson & Rex (Citytv). Training: National Theatre School of Canada. Awards: Canadian Screen Award nomination: Best Actress in a Dramatic Series, Republic of Doyle. Jessie Award nomination: Best Supporting Actress in a Musical, Floyd Collins. Online: @krystinpellerin. Et cetera: Big love to my beautiful family xo.

2026: Jenny in Death of a Salesman and Lodovica, assistant director of Othello. 13th season. Stratford (selected): Clytemnestra, Agamemnon, Iphigenia in Ransacking Troy, Morag in The Diviners, Pisanio in Cymbeline, Queen Katherine in Henry VIII, Cassius in Julius Caesar, Katherina in Taming of the Shrew, Olga in Three Sisters, Jean Louise in To Kill a Mockingbird, Catalina in Mother's Daughter, Marmee in Little Women, Thérèse Dubuc in Les Belles-Soeurs, Kate in The Little Years. Elsewhere: The Little Years (Dora Award, Tarragon); Leisure Society (Dora Award, Factory Theatre); The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (Dora Award, Birdland); God of Carnage (Citadel Theatre); The Gigli Concert, Happy Place (Dora nomination, Soulpepper); How Do I Love Thee? (Dora nomination, Canadian Rep). Film/TV: Frankie Drake, Salvation, Indian Horse, Cardinal, Reign, Murdoch Mysteries, Republic of Doyle. Director: Ruby and The Reindeer, Here For Now Theatre.

2026: The Woman in Death of a Salesman and Barbantia in Othello. 14th season. Stratford: Adelaide Schiano, Iris, Puck, Countrywoman, Cook, Grandma, Alice, Lady Markby, Abbess, Belinda, Inez, Old Lady, Margaret, Lucetta, Lady Capulet, Calpurnia, Margery, Vivian, Kate, Andromache, Miss Lucy, Maisie Madigan, Mimi LaFlamme, Lady Squeamish, Mistress Page. Elsewhere: Theatres across Canada and the U.S., including the Shaw Festival, Theatre Plus Toronto, NAC, Grand, MTC, Neptune, Westben, Tarragon, Broadway, Actors' Theatre of Louisville. Film/TV: Most recently, Everything's Going to Be Great with Bryan Cranston, Fairfield Road, Everything She Ever Wanted. Awards: Recipient of the 2013 Max Helpmann Award; Life Member of CAEA 2018. Et cetera: 2026 marks Chick's 50th year in CAEA. She recently retired from Queen's University (Adjunct Professor) where she taught Shakespeare for twenty years, lives on a farm with her husband, Tom McCamus, and breeds Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers.

(he/him)

2026: Bernard in Death of a Salesman and understudy in The Hobbit. Stratford debut. Elsewhere: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in The Mountaintop (Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Citadel Theatre); Narrator/Mysterious Man in Into the Woods (RMTC); Caliban in The Tempest (Citadel Theatre); MacDuff in Macbeth (Shakespeare in the Ruins); Othello in Othello (Beau/Echo/Raven); Calpurnia (RMTC/NAC); The Whipping Man (Winnipeg Jewish Theatre); The Brothers Paranormal (Vertigo Theatre). Directing: King James (RMTC); Velveteen Rabbit, Billie and The Moon (Manitoba Theatre for Young People); Hedda Gabler (Echo Theatre). Film/TV: Recurring - The Porter (CBC/BET); Vandits (5'7 Films); Violent Night (Universal Pictures). Training: Black Hole Theatre Company; Citadel/Banff Centre. Awards: Winnipeg Theatre Award winner; Sterling, and ACTRA award nominee. Online: @raystrachanacts. Et cetera: Love to Mom, Dad, Gerls. Big hugs Zaydie.

2026: Merriman in The Importance of Being Earnest, Michele in Saturday, Sunday, Monday and understudy in Death of a Salesman. Third season.

Birmingham Conservatory, 2025/2026

2026: Letta in Death of a Salesman and Kamila in The Tao of the World. Second season.

(she/her)

2026: Kili in The Hobbit, Anna in The Tao of the World and understudy in Death of a Salesman. Fourth season. Stratford: Anne of Green Gables, Forgiveness, Get That Hope, Les Belles-Soeurs, King Lear and Much Ado About Nothing. Elsewhere (selected): Rapunzel (Capitol Theatre); POTUS (Segal); Wedding at Aulis, Animal Farm, Alligator Pie, As You Like It, Threepenny Opera, The Time of Your Life (Soulpepper); James and the Giant Peach, Hana's Suitcase, Seussical the Musical, A Year With Frog and Toad, Blue Planet (YPT); Vietgone, Top Girls, My Fair Lady (RMTC). Film/TV: The Understudy (Stratford Festival/Paunch Pictures), Handmaid's Tale (Hulu), DeSync (Sheridan). Voiceover: Hyperscape (Ubisoft), Stillwater School for Mosquitoes (Bad Hats/The Mulligans). Awards: Guthrie Award (2023 Elliot Hayes Playwright Development Fund). Online: Instagram: @jennifer_villaverde. Training: B.A. Theatre - Honours, University of Winnipeg; Soulpepper Academy (2006-2008). Et cetera: Jennifer is a proud hockey mom - Go, Aces!

CREATIVE

2026: Director of Death of a Salesman. 12th season. Dean Gabourie has been creating provocative theatre in Canada and abroad for over 35 years. Gabourie is an artist, scholar, educator and founding artistic director of the award-winning ACME Theatre Co. Stratford: Assistant/associate artistic director 2008-2012. Director of The Goat or, Who Is Sylvia?, The Thrill, The Best Brothers, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Bereav'd of Light. Awards: Tyrone Guthrie, Jean Gascon Directors' Award. Training: Gabourie holds a master's degree in Theatre Studies from the University of Guelph and is an alumnus of the Theatre School, Toronto Metropolitan University. Dean is currently a member of the faculty at Fanshawe College's Acting for Screen and Stage. Online: acmetheatreco.com. Et cetera: For my Brother Mitchell and my Sister MaryAnn.