Dark Star: The Life & Times of Roy Orbison

Van Wilmott

Director/Musical Director

Welcome to the 2015/2016 Season at the Mayfield Dinner Theatre and specifically this evening to Dark Star: The Life and Times of Roy Orbison. The first show of any theatre season should set the tone for the rest of the season and Dark Star is the perfect fit. First conceived and performed here in 2010, it was a smash hit then and has been perhaps one of the most requested shows that we’ve had for a return engagement. We are thrilled to bring back almost the entire original cast, including Roman Pfob in the lead role. Ryan Parker joins us this time around in the role of the Narrator. Dark Star tells the life story of Roy Orbison, one of the most influential and iconic pioneers of American Rock n Roll. It was truly a pleasure to direct this show again, with an unbelievably talented ensemble! I sincerely thank you for choosing to spend your evening with us, and welcome your feedback on this show and any other coming up this season. So sit back and enjoy, Roy is gonna rock your world…again. :-)

Jennifer McMillan

Vocals/Ensemble

Jennifer is thrilled to be back onstage for her 10th Mayfield show! You last saw her here, playing piano in her underwear for Cabaret. Past favourites include: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, 9 to 5: The Musical and Hairspray. As an accompanist, she has played for the Kokopelli Association, numerous high schools, the Citadel, and MacEwan University. She frequently collaborates with Bridget Ryan on various cabarets and theatre shows. As a vocalist, Jen has lent her talents numerous vocal ensembles in Edmonton. She sings for various vocal jazz and choral publishing demos, has been a featured recording vocalist for Universal Studios Tokyo, has been a background singer for Ben Folds and has been heard on CBS’s hit television drama: Hawaii Five-0. She has recently moved permanently back to Edmonton after living part time in Los Angeles and enjoys life with her husband and baby girl.

Kieran Martin Murphy

Vocals/Ensemble/Roy Understudy

Martin has just come off of a very busy summer playing King Arthur in Spamalot for Stage West Calgary and followed that with Jean Valjean in Les Miserables in Vancouver for the Arts Club Theatre.  He is excited to be back in this remount of Dark Star with this talented cast and even more thrilled that he gets to take on the role of Roy Orbison for the Wednesday Matinees.  Selected Credits: CATS (Theatre Calgary), All Shook Up, Jesus Christ Superstar (Stage West), The Full Monty, Evita, The Wizard of Oz, The British Invasion (Mayfield), The Pavilion (Shadow), Oliver! (Citadel).  Listen for Martin on the upcoming season of CBC’s Irrelevant show and look for him on iTunes, especially for the single “Ben Mulroney”.  Also, keep your eyes open for a possible return of The PreTenors this spring.

Ryan Parker

Narrator

Ryan is delighted to be joining this amazing team here at the Mayfield with the remount of Dark Star. Ryan has a BFA in Acting from the University of Alberta and a Theatre Arts Diploma from MacEwan University. Selected credits include; Nevermore (Off Broadway: Catalyst Theatre/Radio Mouse), As You Like It/Coriolanus (Freewill Players), One Man, Two Guvnors (Citadel Theatre), It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane! It’s Superman! the Musical (Plain Jane Theatre), Barefoot in the Park, East of My Usual Brain (Teatro La Quindicina), Buddy/Wedding Singer/Spelling Bee (Mayfield Dinner Theatre). When he’s not on stage, Ryan can be found at home in his photography studio, www.pkphotography.tv. Ryan can be seen later this season in The Last Resort, here at the Mayfield. Love to his wife Claire and newborn son Jackson.

Roman Pfob

Roy Orbison

Roman is delighted to be returning to the Mayfield for this remount of Dark Star: the Life and Times of Roy Orbison. Roman’s theatre credits include Hamlet; Richard III; Homeward Bound; A Christmas Carol (6 times!); Sweeney Todd – the Demon Barber of Fleet Street and The Sound of Music for the Citadel; The Stone Angel, Young Art and Your Wildest Dreams for Theatre Network and Race for Theatre Yes!. His favourite Mayfield credits include: the original production of Dark Star; The British Invasion; Forever Plaid; Peace, Love, and Rock’n’roll; and Nashville Outlaws (as Johnny Cash). Roman can be seen later this season in Back to the 80’s: A Most Excellent Musical Adventure for the Mayfield and West Side Story for the Citadel.

Devra Straker

Vocals/Ensemble

Mayfield Theatre: Hairspray, A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline, Dark Star: The Life and Times of Roy Orbison, The Full Monty, Peace Love & Rock n’Roll Part 1&2, Evita, Gypsy, The Golden Age of Rock, Pop & Doo Wop, Wizard of Oz, Rockin’ Vegas, Singin’ In The Rain, Oklahoma, The Sound of Music, Guys And Dolls. Other Theatre: Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash (Persephone Theatre); Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash, A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline (Globe Theatre); Top of the Pops, The Rocky Horror Show (Theatre Aquarius); A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline (Souris Valley Theatre); Move Over Mrs. Markham, A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline, Jesus Christ Superstar, Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, The Rocky Horror Show (Stage West Calgary); Oliver!, The Sound of Music (Citadel Theatre); A Chorus Line, 42nd Street (Rainbow Stage). Upcoming: Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash (2016 Globe Theatre tour). Other: Devra is thrilled to be back at the Mayfield and rejoining her friends in this great show. Much love to her husband James and all her family and friends for their never ending support – without you none of this would be possible. Enjoy the show!

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.

Lisa MacDougall

Keyboards

Lisa is happy to be back in Edmonton for Dark Star. Lisa’s music has taken her around the world with such greats as Rita MacNeil, Roger Whittaker, and Molly Johnson, to name a few. For 4 seasons Lisa was music director of Anne & Gilbert in Charlottetown, PEI. Other theatre credits include Le Cage Aux Folles, Elf, Legally Blonde, Jesus Christ Superstar, Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story, Flying On Her Own, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, The Rocky Horror Show, Cats, Annie, Chicago, The Sound of Music, Evita, Oliver, Beauty and the Beast and most recently Mary Poppins (Neptune Theatre, Halifax); Nashville Icons, Super Groovy 70′s parts 1 & 2, A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline, History of Rock ‘n Roll, Folkswaggin’: Music of the People, Top of the Pops and Cabaret (Mayfield Dinner Theatre). Enjoy the show!

Mark Sterling

Guitar/Vocals/Harp

I am very pleased to be back for the second time doing Dark Star: The Life and Times of Roy Orbison. Out of the nine shows I have done at the Mayfield, this show and Folkswaggin’ that I did last fall are my two favourites!  I am looking forward to working again with some of my favourite musicians and friends. I hope that everyone enjoys the show as much as we love to play this timeless music of one of the all time greats.

Derek Stremel

Bass/Mandolin

Derek and Roy first met in 1980 in a small village at the local UFA store. This meeting would see a resurgence in Roy’s career, after admiring the Hutterite ladies purchasing chicken feed and penning perhaps his greatest hit, ‘Pretty Woman’. Derek and Roy also wrote another of Roy’s biggest hits while spending their days on the streets on skid row livin’ in a bottle, the timeless ‘Only the Lonely’. And the classic ‘Blue Bayou’ came about when the duo was living in the Canadian East Coast and working on a squid ship. An altercation led Roy to grab Derek by the throat and shout like a Newfie, “I’ll choke ya ’tils you’re black and blue, b’y-you!”. Ahhh, the memories. Derek and Roy…unforgettable times, an unforgettable duo. (Note: no squids were harmed in the making of Dark Star).

Harley Symington

Guitar/Vocals

Harley is excited to be onstage with this great group taking on the music of Roy Orbison once again. Last season at the Mayfield he was playing for both Folkswaggin’ – Music of The People and Top Of The Pops – A British Rock Invasion. He was also the live sound engineer for Cabaret and continues to work as Head of Audio for the theatre. Past Mayfield highlights as guitarist/performer include Four Lads Who Shook The World – The Beatles Story Parts 1 and 2 (as George Harrison), Super Groovy 70’s Parts 1 and 2, and Jesus Christ Superstar back in the 90’s. He has toured extensively with artists of many different genres, including stops at events such as Lilith Fair and major jazz festivals. Outside of the theatre he plays and sings with his own group in support of his debut jazz/blues CD, entitled “Don’t Talk”. He also holds a diploma with honors from the Computer Systems Technology program at NAIT