All Shook Up

Van Wilmott

Artistic Director

Welcome to the Mayfield Dinner Theatre and our production of All Shook Up. This uber-fun musical is set in the Midwest circa 1955, Smallville USA where nothing exciting ever happens and seemingly never will…spoiler alert! Something happens! A bad-ass, guitar-slinging stranger shows up and the town will never be the same! Part Fonz, part James Dean with a dash of Elvis thrown in, this Roustabout turns the town on its head. A fabulous comedy about unrequited love, mistaken identity, a bit of gender confusion and an ending you never saw coming! All Shook Up is about the power of love and its ability to change these characters, and all of us for that matter, for the better!  This production features a stellar direction team guiding a crazy talented cast of 17 actors representing the best talent the country has to offer, all tied together with the amazing songs of Elvis Presley telling the story. Elvis won’t be here but his music will be and you are in for an unforgettable evening of musical theatre. ENJOY!

Kate Ryan

Director

Kate is thrilled to be working with this amazing company of artists. She has recently directed I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, Jesus Christ Superstar and The Last Resort at the Mayfield. She has also performed here in Boeing, Boeing, 9 to 5, Saturday Night Club, Carousel, Oklahoma and Sound of Music. Other performances include Mary Poppins, A Christmas Carol, True Love Lies and Measure for Measure (Citadel Theatre); The Light in the Piazza (Theatre Calgary). Kate is also the Director of Plain Jane Theatre Company where she recently directed Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (www.plainjanetheatre.com). She has received Sterling Awards for her direction in the musicals It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s Superman and Bells Are Ringing. Kate is also an instructor at Citadel Theatre’s Young Musical Company and MacEwan University’s Theatre Arts program and directed The Drowsy Chaperone, Nice Work if You Can Get It and Sondheim on Sondheim. Enjoy the show!

Cindy Kerr

Choreographer

Cindy is thrilled to be part of the artistic team bringing this delightful Jukebox musical to the Mayfield Stage. It has been an absolute pleasure working with this amazing cast and crew. Cindy has been involved in the Edmonton Theatre Community for over 25 years and has choreographed for a variety of theatre companies including Leave It to Jane Theatre, The Citadel’s Young Company, and Plain Jane Theatre. Previous Mayfield credits include: I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, Last Resort, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Full Monty, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Saturday Night Club, Gypsy, Mile High Madness, Singin’ in the Rain and Forever Plaid. Enjoy the show. There’ll be a whole lotta shakin’ going on!

Steve Thomas

Musical Director/Keyboards

As composer, arranger and musical director, Steve has worked on musicals throughout Canada and the U.S. Steve’s most recent musical direction credits include Saturday Night Fever (US Tour NorthCore), Honk, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Mamma Mia, The Little Mermaid, The Music Man, Pirates Of Penzance, Damn Yankees, South Pacific and Spamalot (Drayton Entertainment). Rum Runners (Lighthouse Festival), The Full Monty and The Buddy Holly Story (Charlottetown Festival, Theatre Aquarius). Steve has also collaborated with award winning playwright Norm Foster writing the musicals Jasper Station, Race Day, Sitting Pretty and One Moment. Visit Steve at sthomasmusic.com Enjoy!

Jill Agopsowicz

Ensemble/Understudy Natalie

Jill is ecstatic to be back in her hometown, performing in All Shook Up! Originally from Edmonton, she currently resides in Toronto, where she attended the Randolph College for the Performing Arts. Some credits include Anne of Green Gables: The Musical (Theatre Calgary), The Last Christmas Turkey (Theatre Orangeville), Suitcases (art & lies productions), and One Man, Two Guvnors (Citadel Theatre). She’d love to thank her beautiful friends and family for all the love and support!

Nelson Bettencourt

Ensemble/Understudy Dennis

Nelson is excited to be in Edmonton making his début with Mayfield Theatre. Born in Winnipeg, Nelson received his bachelor of music from the University of Manitoba and masters of fine arts from The Boston Conservatory. Recent credits: A Chorus Line, South Pacific (Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra / Rainbow Stage), Les Misérables (Rainbow Stage), You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown / Charlie Brown Christmas (Manitoba Theatre for Young People), Into the Woods (District Theatre Collective), Spring Awakening, Fresher The Musical (Winnipeg Studio Theatre), Rent (Sask. Express) Zanna Don’t (Stage 16). During this past year Nelson was an educator at the Manitoba Conservatory of Music and Arts and this summer he will be returning to Rainbow Stage to perform in both summer productions. Nelson is also a recurring performer on AIDA Cruises. Thank you for supporting the arts and enjoy All Shook Up.

Jenni Burke

Sylvia

Jenni is beyond overjoyed to be returning to the Mayfield and reuniting some beloved friends. You may remember her as Mamma Morton in Chicago a few years ago or just recently as Rosie in Mamma Mia at the Citadel. Jenni is an award winning actor has appeared on screen and stages and across Canada. Recent credits playing Christmas Present in A Christmas Carol at the National Art Centre, King Lear and Twelve Night for Canadian Stage. Other favorite theatre credits include: Funny Girl (Segal Center), Les Miserable, Little Shop of Horrors, Cinderella, Mary Poppins, Drowsy Chaperone, Shout Sister, The Buddy Holly Story, Once on this Island, Toute Comme Elle, Vagina Monologues, Bat Boy, The Miracle Worker, Ain’t Misbahavin’. Some Film and Television credits include: Sensitive Skin, Rookie Blue, If I Were You, Da Kink In My Hair, Blues Brothers 2000, This is Wonderland, Half Baked, Under Cover Brother, The Music Man with Disney.

Malinda Carroll

Ensemble/Understudy Lorraine

Malinda is delighted to be back in Edmonton for her second production with the Mayfield Dinner Theatre. She is a recent graduate of St. Clair College’s Musical Theatre program and eager to join the professional world. Past credits include Soul Sista’s (Mayfield Dinner Theatre), Ragna the Sea Witch in The Little Mermaid (Canadian Tour), Columbia in Rocky Horror Picture Show (St. Clair College).

Adam Charles

Dean/Understudy Chad

Adam is so excited to join the amazing team at All Shook Up for his Mayfield debut. Selected credits include Galileo in We Will Rock You (Magnus Theatre); Sky in Mamma Mia (TSJ); Fredrick in Pirates of Penzance (TIP); Link in Hairspray, Eddie in Blood Brothers (ACTC); Joseph in Joseph… (CTF); Marius in Les Misseables, Coneybear in Spelling Bee (WCT). Adam would like to thank Van, Kate and the entire Mayfield creative team for this opportunity and all of their guidance, the daCosta team, his incredible parents and sisters; and Sam for his unwavering love and support. Enjoy the show.

Kendra Connor

Mayor Matilda


Kendra is very excited to be making her Mayfield debut. She’s performed with many notable Alberta theatre companies including Citadel Theatre (Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music), Theatre Calgary (Mary Poppins), Teatro La Quindicina (I Heard About Your Murder, The Hothouse Prince, Whiplash Weekend), Theatre Network (Irma Voth), Workshop West/Fringe Theatre Adventures (Maggie Now), Plain Jane Theatre (Wish You Were Here, Fiorello, Drat! The Cat!), and Edmonton Opera (Pirates of Penzance). She also produces and directs plays through her company, Praise Doris Productions. Kendra is a graduate of Theatre Arts and a student of Arts & Cultural Management at MacEwan University and a four-time Sterling Award nominee.

Paul Morgan Donald

Jim/Ensemble


Paul is delighted to be back at the Mayfield, having previously appeared in Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story and Folkswaggin’.  Other recent productions include Working and A New Brain for Plain Jane Theatre and Urinetown for Grindstone Theatre.  As well as acting, Paul is a musician and songwriter, and has co-created more than twenty original musicals. Paul also works extensively as a musical improviser for improv comedy with such groups as Rapid Fire Theatre, Grindstone Theatre, White Rhino Productions, and Die-Nasty, Edmonton’s live improvised soap opera, now in its 27th year.  Enjoy the show!

Gabriel Gagnon

Ensemble/Understudy Dean

Gab graduated the MacEwan University Theatre Arts Program. Show credits include: at MacEwan: Randy in Curtains, Robert Martin in The Drowsy Chaperone, Lyle in Footloose, Cinderella’s Prince in Into the Woods. He was Jeff and Beast in 70 Scenes of Halloween (Edmonton Actors Theatre), Little Bern in Bello (Concrete Theatre and L’UniThéâtre), Sleeping Beauty (Tom) in Fort Edmonton Park’s Pantomime Sleeping Beauty, and Carlos in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown with Plain Jane Theatre. Gab is incredibly excited to make his debut at the Mayfield Dinner Theatre with such an amazingly talented cast and crew!

Jason Hardwick

Dennis/Ensemble


Jason could not be happier to be back onstage at the Mayfield! Jason is an Edmonton based actor, improviser and choreographer. Some favorite credits of his are Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, A New Brain, Ah! Romance, Mack and Mabel, Little Fish (Plain Janes), Chicago, All Shook Up (Stage West Calgary) and Hairspray, Chicago, The Wedding Singer, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Footloose (Mayfield). Jason can also be seen Monday nights at Die-Nasty at the Varscona.

Corben Kushneryk

Ensemble/Understudy Jim

Corben is absolutely delighted to be back at the Mayfield, having previously appeared in Jesus Christ Superstar and 9 to 5: The Musical. Other recent credits include: Mamma Mia! (Citadel Theatre), Shakespeare’s R&J (Kill Your Television), The Bully Project (Concrete Theatre/ Persephone Theatre), 10 out of 12 (Wild Side Productions), The Best Little Newfoundland Christmas Pageant Ever (Whizgiggling Productions) and a number of creations with Toy Guns Dance Theatre. Corben is also the founder of Edmonton theatre collective Impossible Mongoose and has been their resident director for five years. Some favourite directing credits include: The Fall of the House of Atreus (three 2017 Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Awards), Prophecy, Harold and Vivian Entertain Guests, Coraline, 35MM: A Musical Exhibition (Impossible Mongoose) and Never, Never (Promise Productions). He holds a BFA (Acting) from the University of Alberta and is a proud graduate of MacEwan University’s Theatre Arts Program.

Melissa MacPherson

Miss Sandra

Melissa is thrilled to tread the boards at the Mayfield again with such a fabulous bunch of talents! Past Mayfield credits include Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Peace, Love & Rock ‘n Roll and Little Shop of Horrors. Enjoy the show and remember to shake your legs!

Jameela McNeil

Lorraine/Understudy Sylvia


Jameela is delighted to return to the Mayfield stage after performing in Soul Sistas earlier this season. She is an Edmonton-based artist and recent graduate of MacEwan’s Theatre Arts program where she was seen in: The Drowsy Chaperone, Footloose: The Musical, and Into the Woods. Other credits include: John Ware Reimagined (WWPT) and Sleeping Beauty (Capitol Theatre). Many thanks to my family and friends for the constant support. Enjoy the show!

Leah Paterson

Ensemble/Dance Captain

Leah is thrilled to be making her Mayfield debut! She is a proud graduate of MacEwan’s Theatre Arts program and Richmond Academy of Dance’s professional division. Select performance credits include: The Yellow Wallpaper (Laura Krewski/Chinook Series); Cats (Theatre Calgary); Mack and Mable (Plain Jane Theatre); and Brigadoon (Gateway Theatre). Leah is the founder and artistic director of Synaethesis Dance Theatre, which was recently nominated for a Sterling Award for Outstanding Fringe Production. Select choreography credits include: The Steadfast Tin Soldier, Hansel and Gretel (Alberta Opera); Letters and Words, Self(ish), Felix Checks Out, The Heliotrope (Synaethesis Dance Theatre); With Glowing Hearts, Shakespeare’s Sirens (SITG Burlesque); and Double Double (Finally Sauces). A big thank you to her family and the entire All Shook Up team! Enjoy the show!

Melanie Piatocha

Natalie (Ed)


Melanie is thrilled to be spending One Night With You getting All Shook Up! Recent credits with the Mayfield include: JCS, Only in Vegas!, Cabaret, Hairspray… Elsewhere: Shockers Delight! (Teatro), Mamma Mia! and West Side Story (Citadel), The Marvelous Wonderettes (Stage West); Jailbait, Victoria Martin: Math Team Queen, The Oedipus Project (Northern Light Theatre); Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Winter’s Tale… (Freewill Shakespeare Festival); Drat The Cat! and Little Fish (Plain Jane); and Les Feux Follets (The Charlottetown Festival). Melanie was born, raised and trained in Edmonton. She is a graduate of the MacEwan theatre arts program and recent participant of the Citadel/Banff Program. Up next Melanie will be taking on the role of Pam in Myth of the Ostrich at Victoria Playhouse back home in Prince Edward Island! She wants to thank you for supporting live theatre in Edmonton and hopes you enjoy the show!

Gianna Skelton-Read

Ensemble/ Understudy Miss Sandra

Gianna is thrilled to be making her Mayfield debut with this amazing cast and crew!  Gianna is a graduate of the MacEwan University Theatre Arts program, as well as having her Bachelor’s Degree in Music from the University of Alberta.  Past theatre credits include:  Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Ah, Romance! and A Night at the Movies (Plain Jane Theatre), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Uniform Theatre), Mary Poppins (Festival Players), Catch Me if You Can, Sondheim on Sondheim, and Urinetown (MacEwan University), and Orpheus in the Underworld (Halifax Summer Opera Festival). Thanks to my husband Glenn, family, and friends for all your love and support! Enjoy the show!

Robbie Towns

Chad

Training: Grant McEwan University Theatre Arts program and a Masters in Performance from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Select Credits: Mamma Mia! (Citadel Theatre); Bittergirl (Globe Theatre); Our Man in Havana (Vertigo Theatre); Rock of Ages (The Arts Club Theatre); Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike, It’s A Wonderful Life, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Persephone Theatre); Much Ado About Nothing, Othello, Romeo and Juliet, The Taming of the Shrew (Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan); Legally Blonde (Savoy); Scrooge (Palladium); Lift (Soho Theatre, Off-West End); The Tempest (Theatre Royal, Bath); Evita (UK Tour); The Wizard of Oz, Footloose, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (Mayfield Theatre); Desire Under the Elms, Peter Pan (Citizens Theatre, Glasgow); Wild Honey (RCS, Glasgow); The Iron Curtain (Edinburgh Festival); Johnny Guitar (Leave It To Jane Productions); Like You Like It (IFMT, Cardiff). Robbie has two SATAward’s for Outstanding Performance as Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing and for his work in Our Man In Havana. Upcoming: Shear Madness (Drayton Entertainment)

Lew Wetherell

Sheriff Earl


A veteran stage performer from Western Canada, Lew is thrilled to be making his Mayfield Theatre debut. Some of his credits include Sid in The Last Resort (Stage West, Calgary), Chief Bromden in One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest (Theatre Northwest, Prince George), Caliban in The Tempest (Globe Theatre, Regina), Roy in Lone Star (Wheatland Theatre, Regina), Bobby in American Buffalo (Wheatland Theatre), Snug in Midsummer Nights Dream (Globe Theatre). Edmontonians may recognize Lew from one of several productions with Jubilations Dinner Theatre or from his time working as a professional wrestler with Monster Pro Wrestling as the Sin City Strangler. Lew has also performed as a clown with the Wheaties clown troupe. Lew would like to dedicate his performance to Debbie, his one true love.

Ryan Davidson

Guitar

Ryan is a freelance guitarist who has performed and recorded professionally for more than 20 years. He holds a Master of Music in Jazz Studies Performance from the University of North Texas and in 2009, Ryan became the guitarist of the 6 time, Grammy nominated One O’clock Lab band. In 2010, Ryan recorded “LAB 09” with the One O’clock for which the group received 2 Grammy Nominations. Ryan has been nominated 6 times for CCMA “Guitarist of the Year” and has won it twice. In addition, he can be heard on 2 Juno nominated country records in 2014. In November of 2016, Ryan was a featured guitarist on the epic pop recording, “Vinyl Hampdin”. The music was composed by 3 time Grammy nominee Steve Wiest and produced by 7 time Grammy nominee and Academy Award winner Phil Bulla (Whitney Houston, Billy Joel). This band included Frank Greene (David Letterman) Herrmann (Chicago the Band).

Steve Hoy

Drums

One of the most respected and in-demand drummers in Western Canada, Stephen performs and records with numerous national and international artists. Known for his versatility and keen musicianship, Stephen is looking forward to performing again with the Mayfield Dinner Theatre.

Paul Lamoureux

Reeds/Keys

Multi-instrumentalist Paul Lamoureux was born here in Edmonton. He holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in music from North Texas State University, and a diploma in Performing Arts from Grant MacEwan College. Paul has performed with Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas (“O” at the Bellagio), the Tommy Banks Band, and Princess Cruises. Mayfield Dinner Theatre productions include Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Full Monty, The Wedding Singer, Chicago, and Cabaret. He has backed up Robert Goulet, Flip Wilson, Mickey Rooney, Red Skelton, and toured with Grammy-nominated Christian rock act “Degarmo and Key”. Fluently bilingual, Paul was Musical Director of CBC French radio’s Gala Albertain de la Chanson for 8 years and has recorded 4 CDs of his own instrumental pop/jazz music on his own label. When not working in theatre, Paul loves to entertain Seniors under the stage name “Lam-Chops”. Paul would like to add: There IS a live band on this show – we’re backstage, but not in an industrial trailer in the parking lot like we used to be!

Derek Stremel

Bass

Derek grew up in a musical family and started playing at a young age. He moved to Alberta after high school, leaving his Manitoba farming roots behind and began his professional musical career. During that time he also took a job for Otis Elevator Company. Like every job, it had its ups and downs. For almost two decades now he has been employed at the Mayfield Dinner Theatre playing musical revues and Broadway musicals. He endures the music of Elvis and thinks his music really grates and he hopes you do too. Derek would never use gratuitous italics and is always delighted by the opportunity to write about himself in the third person. He’d love to go into more detail but only has 150 words and has unfortunately run out of