In This Issue
A video message from Diane Llewelyn-Jones
Powerhouse President
Meet the Newly Elected Powerhouse Board of Directors
A big thank-you to our nominating committee for their hard work during this year’s elections: Penny Bayne (Chair), Bob Oldfield, Sheryl Bossons.
2024-2026 Board Members – 1-year Term
President: Tiffany Wolters – Acclaimed
Director of Marketing: Vacant – This position reverts to the Board
Director at Large: Sharon Pratico – Acclaimed
2024-2026 Board Members – 2-year Term
VP Productions: Therese Parent – Acclaimed
VP Facilities: Lorne Tregaskis
Treasurer: John Lomas – Acclaimed
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!
Music, Mirth and Monologues Social
Annual Theatre Clean-Up and BBQ
August 10,2024 beginning at 9:30 a.m
The following tasks are available:
- Take pictures and document all items in the mezzanine area on stage right – 2 people with a camera
- Build a box on wheels to house the sandbags – 1 person
- Construct a covering for the flats and risers in the yard – 2 people
If interested in this job, please contact Lorne or Scotty at the emails below for more information
- Assist Joan in the Costume Bank to relocate items to another area in the theatre – 2 people
- Transport larger items (rolled up artificial grass, large black curtains) to Elephant Storage – 2 people with a truck
- Go through the paint and tidy/dispose – 1 person
- Clean up the extension cords and replace worn out ties. Put those needing repair aside – 1 person
- Take rubbish to the dump – 1 person with the truck
- Check and tighten the bolts of the seats in the auditorium – 2 people
A thank-you BBQ will be offered at 1:00 p.m. and the bar will be open in the Green Room.
To aid with BBQ planning, please RSVP to lornetreg@shaw.ca or s_mclean@shaw.ca by August 5th.
Thank you for helping to ensure our theatre is kept in tip-top shape!
Callout for Submissions to Join the Artistic Committee
Dear Members,
We would like to express our gratitude to Christopher Marioni, Brandice Mohr and Sharon Pratico for their service on our Artistic Committee this year. Together with Morgan Hillis, Kristine Larsen and Sharilyn Poole, they created a wonderful team and we have a fantastic 2024/2025 season to look forward to! Unfortunately, due to personal circumstances, each of them has found they need to leave their position on the committee.
We are seeking 3 members to fill the vacancies and serve in staggered commitments of 1- or 2-year terms. We are looking for members to put their names forward for consideration on the board-appointed Artistic Committee that has the following make-up:
- 1. A cross section of ages
2. A cross section of theatrical experience
3. A cross section of theatrical knowledge about Powerhouse
4. A cross section of theatrical knowledge from other places outside of Vernon and Powerhouse
5. A cross section of gender
PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR NAME FOR CONSIDERATION AS INDICATED AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS NOTICE.
Who will you work with?
Ongoing Artistic Committee members are Morgan Hillis, Kristine Larsen and Sharilyn Poole.
What is the Artistic Committee (AC)?
1. The AC is a group of people charged with the responsibility to create the Powerhouse Theatrical Society’s artistic vision for each season of plays that brings a balance between.
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a. Audience engagement, growth, and retention
b. Artist engagement, growth, and retention
c. Membership engagement, growth, and retention
2. The AC has a dramaturgical role – they research the playwright, all design aspects, and historical components, and match them to the physical and talent resources within the Powerhouse and Vernon community.
3. They have a working knowledge of the capabilities of the members. i.e. – directors, producers, designers, actors, etc.
What is your responsibility?
1. Gather and read plays.
2. Suggest possible directors and other design heads to mount the chosen works.
3. Under the direction of the board, present a selection of plays that can make up a season, and then continually work a season ahead.
4. Organize and mount workshops that support the needs of the season and the interests of the membership.
5. Consider fiduciary responsibility in the cost of production.
6. Attend Artistic Committee meetings as determined by its members.
How will you do it?
1. The Powerhouse members are welcome and encouraged to submit plays and ideas for workshops to the AC including past/future directors and workshop presenters.
2. Reading and seeing lots of plays. Funds are also set aside to do this research.
- a. Access our own library of plays
b. Attend other plays and festivals
c. Order plays from play publishing companies
3. Attend workshops to get ideas and engage with presenters.
IF YOU HAVE AN INTEREST IN SUBMITTING YOUR NAME FOR CONSIDERATION, PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL TO INFO@POWERHOUSETHEATRE.NET WITH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:
Thank you,
The Powerhouse Theatre Board
Callout for Director’s Workshop – Workshop Coordinator
As announced in the April 2024 Spotlight, Powerhouse will be offering a Director’s Workshop with award-winning director, Matt Brown. The content will cover key topics beginning with pre-production and moving through all the production phases that culminate in opening night.
Dates: September 2024 – four dates to be confirmed; 6 hours of instruction & practical experience will be offered each day. Pre-registration will be required and spaces will be limited. Look for more information regarding how to register coming soon.
This is a callout for a Workshop Coordinator whose role will be to provide on-site assistance as needed, such as:
- Organizing attendees
- Working with the presenter and his set-up needs
- Preparing the physical space for the workshop and returning the physical space post-workshop
- Managing workshop evaluations
- Preparing a brief summary of the workshop for the board (number of attendees, etc.)
If you are interested and available to assist with what promises to be a very interesting workshop, please send your name and contact information to info@powerhousetheatre.net by August 7, 2024.
The Exquisite Hour
Results from the Okanagan Zone and Mainstage Festivals
Congratulations to the entire production team of The Exquisite Hour which brought home several awards from both the Okanagan Zone and Mainstage Festivals! You did Powerhouse proud!
Okanagan Zone Festival 2024 Results
Best Production: ’The Exquisite Hour’ By Stewart Lemoine
Best Director: Tanya Laing Gahr
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Male role: Paul Philps
Best Set Design: Chris Bayne
Best Lighting Design: Jessika LaFramboise
Best Sound Design: Bob Oldfield
Ozzie Award: Penny and Chris Bayne
Mainstage Festival 2024 Results
Promotional material: Sarah McLean
Best Set Design and Set Decor: Chris Bayne and Sheryl Bosson
Powerhouse Season Celebration – Our First Annual!
Wow, way to go Powerhouse! Members and theatre volunteers gathered together on June 2, 2024 and attendees agreed how nice it was to celebrate the three productions of the 2023/2024 season – It’s A Wonderful Life, The Importance of Being Earnest and The Exquisite Hour.
Many were pleasantly surprised to start off the evening with a free drink ticket along with a yummy buffet, celebrating each other ‘theatre style’. Everyone had the opportunity to chat with the cast and crew members that they had rehearsed and performed with over so many months, taking time to remember a great year as well as celebrate the recent Okanagan Zone Festival win by The Exquisite Hour!
Moving from the foyer into the auditorium, the audience enjoyed welcoming remarks and interesting theatre stats shared by the terrific MC’s, Tiffany Wolters and Diane Llewelyn-Jones. Team games were so much fun (dressing the stage managers with production costume pieces!) and huge smiles and laughs culminated in wonderful handmade prizes thanks to the fabulous work of Amy Bell and Tiffany Wolters. Great door prizes were handed out to boot – excellent as always Eileen Podanowski!
An amazing slideshow, which was beautifully planned and executed by Dave Ellacot and Jessika LaFramboise, transported everyone back to fond memories. The directors, Jackson Mace, Emily MacArthur, and Tanya Laing Gahr shared lovely stories about each of their journeys. The upcoming 2024/2025 season was unveiled by Artistic Committee members Morgan Hillis, Kristine Larsen and Sharilyn Poole.
The evening ended with a beautiful cake on wheels and a whole line of family members who gathered to honour a very surprised Scotty (Sarah) McLean. She was moved by the recognition as a slideshow of memories celebrated her amazing 60 years at Powerhouse.
Already looking forward to next season’s celebration!
A Christmas Story – Cast Announcement
Director Jackson Mace is pleased to announce the cast of our upcoming fall production.
Ralph – WILL CULLEN
The narrator is perhaps the most integral part of this cast. He sets the tone and guides the audience through our story. Will has earned the part of Ralph. Will has a strong background in theatre, has served as a narrator in the past and really had a good feel for the humour in the script. Congratulations Will!
The Old Man – ANTHONY YSKES
I worked with Anthony last year in It’s a Wonderful Life. He proved himself to be a talented, dedicated and versatile actor. I hope Anthony enjoys learning how to mock swear! Welcome to the show!
Mother – TIFFANY WOLTERS
Tiffany absolutely blew us away with her audition! She has a deep theatre background in Ontario and, oh yeah, … she is the new President of Powerhouse. I’m happy to provide
the opportunity for Tiffany to work with her son Josiah in this show! Welcome Tiffany!
Miss Shields – SHARON PRATICO
This was perhaps the most difficult role to cast. There were several contenders who auditioned very well. But in the end, the part goes to Sharon. Sharon last appeared in Butterflies are Free. In my opinion, she deserved an award for her stellar work in that show. A Christmas Story is her favourite Christmas movie and she is a lovely person to work with. Welcome to the show, Sharon!
Ralphie Parker – CARTER LELOND
We needed a young man with a dynamic personality to portray Ralphie. After all, he needs to slip into the role of Red Ryder himself, a blinded-by-Lifebuoy child and an Indiana Jones-like explorer. We found that young man in Carter. He had a great audition and demonstrated wonderful enthusiasm for this challenge. Welcome to A Christmas Story, Carter!
Randy Parker – JOSIAH WOLTERS
We may have found the perfect Randy! Not an easy casting call. But Josiah fit the bill perfectly. Think of all the “how does the little piggy eat?” practicing that will be going on at the Wolters’ home this fall! A big welcome to Josiah!
Flick – ROLAND ZAYTSOFF
We had some great kids audition for the various roles offered. One of them was Roland. He
demonstrated a strong presence and a boatload of enthusiasm! Start practicing mumbling with your tongue stuck to lamp post, Roland. Welcome!
Scut Farkus – BENNETT DAVIDSON
We needed a bully so we cast a young man who is the opposite in real life! Bennett played Tommy in Miracle on 34th Street. He was far from a bully then as well. So it will be fun for Bennett to stretch and mean up! We welcome Bennett and his talent to our show.
Helen – RUBEE WADE was knockout last year as Zuzu Bailey and young Mary in It’s a Wonderful Life! She’s back and we’re so glad she is! Rubee will appear as the brilliant and tough Helen.
Esther Jane – LANIE KASHUBA’s sister Jadyn also played multiple roles in last year’s show. Lanie had a terrific audition and we are pleased to welcome her to this show to portray Esther Jane!
Schwartz – TY ORTON was one of our young actors who received a callback. He was very enthusiastic and was very open to suggestion. Welcome to the show, Ty!
Get your tickets early…this one’s gonna be another sellout!
New Powerhouse Theatre Members
Dave Pope
We are pleased to welcome Dave who has already immersed himself in Powerhouse activities. We are glad to have him on board!