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FESTIVAL THEATRE CANOPY
September 9 – September 26
Cabaret

FINALLY THERE'S SUN

Curated and Directed by Sara Farb and Steve Ross

For details and tickets for the virtual performances, click here.

A CABARET OF RESILIENCE

After their success with The Victory Cabaret and The New Cabaret, Sara Farb and Steve Ross return, along with Noah Beemer and Germaine Konji, to take us on a musical journey through a year of enormous change and growth. They explore the isolation, the loneliness, the upheaval and the unexpected silver linings that came out of a time like no other. Join us to reflect on this “great pause” as we move forward and get back to living freely.

House Program:  Finally There's Sun

Runtime: One hour and 25 minutes no intermission.


Production support is generously provided by Jody & Deborah Hamade and by Dr. Robert & Roberta Sokol.


Production Co-Sponsor 
RBC Logo

 

CAST & CREATIVE

CAST

    Portrait of Noah Beemer
    Noah Beemer
    Singer

    2021: Singer in Finally There's Sun. Stratford debut. Elsewhere: Marlow in She Stoops to Conquer (Talk Is Free Theatre), Lampwick in Pinocchio (Young People's Theatre), Gabriel in Kiss of the Spider Woman (Eclipse Theatre), Macheath in The Threepenny Opera and Gabey in On the Town (Theatre Sheridan). Training: Bachelor of Music Theatre Performance at Sheridan College; Mechanicals Program at Factory Theatre. Et cetera: Noah would like to thank his family and friends as well as the team at Talent House for all their love and support. 

    Portrait of Sara Farb
    Sara Farb
    Singer

    2021: Co-curator and co-director of and Singer in Finally There's Sun. Sixth season. Broadway: Delphi in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Stratford: Juliet, Anne Frank, Cordelia, Mary (The Last Wife, The Virgin Trial), Petra (A Little Night Music), Lucy (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe), Constance (She Stoops to Conquer), Cherry (The Beaux' Stratagem), Jessica (The Merchant of Venice), others. Elsewhere: Medium Alison in Fun Home (Musical Stage/Mirvish, Dora nominee, TTCA winner); Brigid in The Humans (Canadian première at Citadel/Canadian Stage); productions at Soulpepper, Theatre Calgary, Tarragon, Theatre Passe Muraille, Segal Centre, YPT and others. Sara and Britta Johnson's original musical, Kelly v. Kelly, was postponed due to COVID but will hopefully see a full production this coming theatre season. Thanks to the Stratford Festival for providing this opportunity, and to Steve.

    Portrait of Germaine Konji
    Germaine Konji
    Singer
    2021: Singer in Finally There's Sun. Stratford debut. Germaine Konji (she/they) is a Kenyan-Canadian actor, singer, writer and activist. Her artistry lives where the theatrical, cultural and political intersect. They're co-founder of The And, Stage Company, a not-for-profit creating theatre opportunities for women and non-binary folks who are comfortable in spaces that centre women. She is the mother of Curtain Up, a movement by community for community, working to end toxicity in arts education. Training: 2020 graduate, Sheridan Music Theatre Performance Program. Awards: 2020 Musical Stage Company Banks Prize, 2020 Outstanding Contribution to the Canadian Music Theatre Project - Sheridan College, 2019 Highest Achievement in Acting Performance - Sheridan College. Writing Credits: After the Reckoning, Centaur Theatre 2020; The Rising, 2021 Confederation Centre of the Arts Young Company; The Lobster Who Cried Person, Bad Hats Theatre 2021.
    Portrait of Steve Ross
    Steve Ross
    Singer

    2021: Co-curator and co-director of and Singer in Finally There's Sun. 18th season. Stratford: Music Man, Rocky Horror, Guys and Dolls, The Lion, the Witch…, Shakespeare in Love, Hamlet, The Alchemist, Man of La Mancha, Crazy for You, Tommy, Grapes of Wrath, The Misanthrope, Kiss Me, Kate, Cyrano de Bergerac, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Odyssey, Midsummer Night's Dream, Coriolanus. Elsewhere: goldfish (Here for Now), Every Brilliant Thing, The Foursome, For the Pleasure of Seeing Her Again (New Stages); Fleeto, Oh, the Humanity, 4th Graders (Tiny Room); London Road (Dora Award), Indian Ink, Into the Woods, Dream (Canadian Stage); Assassins (Dora Award) (TIFT); Frog and Toad (MTYP); Orson's Shadow (Pilot Group); A New Brain (Musical Stage Company); Shrek, A Christmas Story (Grand); The Producers (Mirvish/Neptune); Seussical, Sylvia (Aquarius); The Three Musketeers (Chicago Shakespeare); Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Citadel); Three Sisters (ATF).

    Portrait of Franklin Brasz
    Franklin Brasz
    Keyboard

    2021: Director of Music for the Stratford Festival. Music director of and Keyboard for Why We Tell the Story and Finally There's Sun. 12th season. Stratford: Billy Elliot, The Music Man, HMS Pinafore, A Little Night Music, Carousel, Man of La Mancha, Pirates of Penzance, Kiss Me, Kate, Funny Thing Happened... (Stratford/Mirvish). In concert: Up Close and Musical (Stratfest@Home), The Fantasticks, Passion, Next to Normal. Elsewhere: Toronto/US tours: Show Boat, Ragtime, The Lion King, Mamma Mia!, Hairspray, Lloyd Webber's The Wizard of Oz, The Sound of Music, Billy Elliot, Irving Berlin's White Christmas, The Lord of the Rings, Threepenny Opera (Soulpepper); London Symphonia's Enchanting Broadway. Recordings: Carousel, Crazy for You (Stratford cast recordings); The Voice Next Door (Marcus Nance). Training: Vocal Coaching and Accompanying, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dedication: Franklin dedicates this season's performances to the memory of his cherished friend Pablo Keselman, who supported great singers and musicians, and deeply admired cabaret.

    Portrait of David Campion
    David Campion
    Drum Kit

    2021: Drum Kit for You Can't Stop the Beat and Finally There's Sun. 39th season. Stratford: As a drummer and percussionist, David has performed in over 100 productions at the Stratford Festival. Elsewhere: David can be heard on dozens of recording projects playing in all kinds of styles and genres. He's been timpanist for Tafelmusik, Canada's Juno Award-winning and internationally acclaimed period-instrument orchestra, for almost 40 years. He teaches percussion at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo and is a regular performer with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony and local jazz groups. Et cetera: David has his morning coffee in Stratford at the fabulous revel with Anne, whom he loves and cherishes so very much, and often also with his daughter, Arielle, and son, Dylan, and spouses, Dave and Julie.

    Portrait of Michael McClennan
    Michael McClennan
    Acoustic Bass, Electric Bass
    2021: Basses for You Can't Stop the Beat and Finally There's Sun. Stratford: Slim in Crazy for You; Billy Elliot, The Rocky Horror Show, Fiddler on the Roof, A Chorus Line, A Little Night Music, The Sound of Music, Carousel. Elsewhere: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Anastasia (Mirvish); Caroline, or Change, Grey Gardens, The Wild Party (Musical Stage). Writing/Arranging Credits: Dance Legends (Drayton/Grand); The Wizard of Oz (Grand); The Producers, Cabaret, California Dreaming, Fever, Love Train, One Hit Wonders, et al. (Stage West), IAJE (inaugural winner of the Phil Nimmons/SOCAN emerging composer award). Professor of Music Theory and Bass at Toronto's Humber College. Training: Master of Music Performance, University of Toronto. Recordings: Dozens of CDs as bassist, producer and/or arranger. Michael's own CD, Sing In Me Muse, is available on iTunes, or visit michaelmcclennan.com.
    Portrait of Dave Thompson
    Dave Thompson
    Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar

    2021: Guitars for Finally There's SunStratford: Billy Elliot the Musical, Little Shop of Horrors, The Rocky Horror Show, Tommy, Wanderlust, Jesus Christ Superstar. Elsewhere: Drayton: Rock of Ages, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Cinderella: The Panto, Legends of Rock 'n' Roll, Canadian Legends, Little Shop of Horrors, Aladdin: The Panto, Snow White: The Panto, Peter Pan, Sweet Charity, Robin Hood, The Christmas Show. Dave has been a freelance touring and session guitarist, recording engineer, writer, arranger and educator for almost 30 years. Dave holds a Bachelor of Music from Berklee College of Music in Boston, is a professor at Heritage College in Cambridge, and is Music Director at Nexus in Kitchener. Online: @davethompson.

CREATIVE

    Sara Farb
    Co-Curator and Co-Director

    2021: Co-curator and co-director of and Singer in Finally There's Sun. Sixth season. Broadway: Delphi in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Stratford: Juliet, Anne Frank, Cordelia, Mary (The Last Wife, The Virgin Trial), Petra (A Little Night Music), Lucy (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe), Constance (She Stoops to Conquer), Cherry (The Beaux' Stratagem), Jessica (The Merchant of Venice), others. Elsewhere: Medium Alison in Fun Home (Musical Stage/Mirvish, Dora nominee, TTCA winner); Brigid in The Humans (Canadian première at Citadel/Canadian Stage); productions at Soulpepper, Theatre Calgary, Tarragon, Theatre Passe Muraille, Segal Centre, YPT and others. Sara and Britta Johnson's original musical, Kelly v. Kelly, was postponed due to COVID but will hopefully see a full production this coming theatre season. Thanks to the Stratford Festival for providing this opportunity, and to Steve.

    Steve Ross
    Co-Curator and Co-Director

    2021: Co-curator and co-director of and Singer in Finally There's Sun. 18th season. Stratford: Music Man, Rocky Horror, Guys and Dolls, The Lion, the Witch…, Shakespeare in Love, Hamlet, The Alchemist, Man of La Mancha, Crazy for You, Tommy, Grapes of Wrath, The Misanthrope, Kiss Me, Kate, Cyrano de Bergerac, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Odyssey, Midsummer Night's Dream, Coriolanus. Elsewhere: goldfish (Here for Now), Every Brilliant Thing, The Foursome, For the Pleasure of Seeing Her Again (New Stages); Fleeto, Oh, the Humanity, 4th Graders (Tiny Room); London Road (Dora Award), Indian Ink, Into the Woods, Dream (Canadian Stage); Assassins (Dora Award) (TIFT); Frog and Toad (MTYP); Orson's Shadow (Pilot Group); A New Brain (Musical Stage Company); Shrek, A Christmas Story (Grand); The Producers (Mirvish/Neptune); Seussical, Sylvia (Aquarius); The Three Musketeers (Chicago Shakespeare); Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Citadel); Three Sisters (ATF).

    Franklin Brasz
    Music Director

    2021: Director of Music for the Stratford Festival. Music director of and Keyboard for Why We Tell the Story and Finally There's Sun. 12th season. Stratford: Billy Elliot, The Music Man, HMS Pinafore, A Little Night Music, Carousel, Man of La Mancha, Pirates of Penzance, Kiss Me, Kate, Funny Thing Happened... (Stratford/Mirvish). In concert: Up Close and Musical (Stratfest@Home), The Fantasticks, Passion, Next to Normal. Elsewhere: Toronto/US tours: Show Boat, Ragtime, The Lion King, Mamma Mia!, Hairspray, Lloyd Webber's The Wizard of Oz, The Sound of Music, Billy Elliot, Irving Berlin's White Christmas, The Lord of the Rings, Threepenny Opera (Soulpepper); London Symphonia's Enchanting Broadway. Recordings: Carousel, Crazy for You (Stratford cast recordings); The Voice Next Door (Marcus Nance). Training: Vocal Coaching and Accompanying, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dedication: Franklin dedicates this season's performances to the memory of his cherished friend Pablo Keselman, who supported great singers and musicians, and deeply admired cabaret.

    Kaileigh Krysztofiak
    Lighting Designer

    2021: Lighting designer of Why We Tell the Story, You Can't Stop the Beat, Play On!, Freedom and Finally There's Sun. Ninth season. Stratford: Lighting designer, Othello, The Comedy of Errors. Assistant lighting designer, six seasons (2011-2016). Selected credits: A Chorus Line, Tommy, A Word or Two, Jesus Christ Superstar. Studio Theatre technical director, 2013. Elsewhere: Honour Beat (Grand), After the Fire, The Particulars (Punctuate, The Theatre Centre); Kinky Boots, Newsies (Drayton Entertainment); Salt-Water Moon (Mirvish, Factory, Why Not); Wildfire (RARE, Soulpepper); The Emancipation of Ms. Lovely, The Breath in Between (Crow's); Superior Donuts (Coal Mine); Laurier (Charlottetown Festival, TNB); Beaver (Storefront); Noises Off (Soulpepper); A Line in the Sand, The Crackwalker (Factory Theatre); Hana Hashimoto (Carousel Players). Training: National Theatre School of Canada. Et cetera: Course Lecturer at Ryerson University, Instructor at the NTSC, General Manager of Lights On Stratford, a two-time Dora nominee and a 2020 Pauline McGibbon Award nominee.

    Peter McBoyle
    Sound Designer
    2021: Sound designer of Why We Tell the Story, You Can't Stop the Beat, Play On!, Freedom and Finally There's Sun. 26th season. Stratford (selected): Over 60 productions including Billy Elliot, Little Shop of Horrors, The Music Man, The Rocky Horror Show, Guys and Dolls, A Chorus Line, Shakespeare in Love, Crazy for You, A Word or Two. Elsewhere: Peter has worked at most major Canadian theatres and in US cities such as New York, Las Vegas, Boston, Los Angeles, Dallas and Atlanta. Broadway credits: Come Fly Away and Barrymore. Tours include Sister Act, Catch Me If You Can, Come Fly Away, Legally Blonde and West Side Story. Recent projects include Little Canada (Toronto), Immersive Van Gogh (Canada/US), Battle of the Blades (CBC). Training: Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Music (McGill). Awards: Suzi (Atlanta), Come Fly Away; Dora nomination, Caroline, Or Change, Fire. Et cetera: Thanks to Meghan, Ella and Beatrice for their unending support.
    Maxwell T. Wilson
    Stage Manager
    2021: Stage manager of Finally There's Sun. 23rd season. Stratford: Selected productions: Nathan the Wise, An Ideal Husband, Treasure Island, The Breathing Hole, Breath of Kings: Rebellion, Carousel, Man of La Mancha, The Three Musketeers, Taking Shakespeare, Henry V, Hosanna, Peter Pan, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Cabaret, South Pacific, My One and Only, The Winter's Tale and Death of a Salesman. Elsewhere: Max's career spans over 30 years, including work with Citadel Theatre, Theatre Calgary, Edmonton Opera, Opera Atelier, the Canadian Opera Company, Canadian Stage, Young People's Theatre and Mirvish Productions. Training: BA, University of Lethbridge. Awards: 2012 and 2017 Guthrie Awards. Et cetera: For a "pandemic pivot," Max works with a leading purveyor of orchid growing supplies at ravenvision.ca.
    Cynthia Toushan
    Production Stage Manager

    2021: Production stage manager of the Festival Theatre Canopy and Studio Theatre. 25th season. Stratford: Shows include Chicago (interrupted by COVID), Billy Elliot, A Chorus Line, Crazy for You, Fiddler on the Roof, Camelot, Oklahoma!, West Side Story, My Fair Lady, Man of La Mancha, Hello, Dolly!, The King and I and others. Elsewhere: Over 40 years as a stage manager in live entertainment including gala events, music concerts, opening ceremonies and fundraising events including A Christmas Carol for the Stratford Hospice. Over 25 years with the Canadian Opera Company as a stage manager; production stage manager and resident director of Jersey Boys, Toronto; 25 years as a singer/dancer and choreographer in Canadian theatre; associate director/choreographer to her mentor, Alan Lund. Et cetera: Love to Paul, daughters Stephanie and Jennifer, son-in-law Andrew, and her grandchildren, Kennedy, Koston and Connor. I am so grateful to be back at work.

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