Top of the Pops: A British Rock Invasion

Van Wilmott

Artistic Director / Musical Director

Welcome to the Mayfield Dinner Theatre and our production of Top of the Pops. Every year at this time we present a musical review – part comedy, part music, sometimes reflective, sometimes absolutely ridiculous. It may be our way of dealing with the winter months that lie ahead but this show continues to be the most popular show of the season. Last year, The History of Rock n Roll: Stars & Stripes played to packed houses the entire run. It focused on American music of the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s. This year we continue that history and cross the pond to celebrate all things British. No single event in art history has impacted our cultural lives more than the British Invasion of the 60’s. Whether we are aware of it or not, most of what we listen to today is connected in some way to the music that came over during that time. This evening’s production is a celebration of British pop music spanning 50 years, from 1964 to present day. Top of the Pops features an amazing cast of performers, all veterans of the Mayfield stage, assembled to tell this story. I’d also like to thank our team of Directors, Designers, Choreographers and Crew for all their inspired work on this show. Please enjoy our production this evening of Top of the Pops!

John Kirkpatrick

Staging

John is an award-winning actor/director and former Artistic Director of the Freewill Shakespeare Festival. Recent directing credits include: Deathtrap, 9-5: The Musical, Boeing, Boeing! and The 39 Steps (Mayfield Dinner Theatre); Human Remains (Studio Theatre); The Tempest, Julius Caesar, and Macbeth (Freewill Shakespeare Festival). Recent acting credits include: A Few Good Men, Rock ‘n’ Roll, Julius Caesar, Noises Off, and A Christmas Carol (The Citadel Theatre); Alice Through The Looking Glass and Christina, The Girl King (Stratford Festival), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Mayfield Dinner Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream and King Lear (The Freewill Shakespeare Festival); The Gift of the Coat and The Age of Arousal (Alberta Theatre Projects); and Of Mice and Men (Theatre Calgary). John has a B.F.A. Acting from the University of Alberta. Enjoy the show!

Christine Bandelow

Choreographer / Cast

Christine has appeared in many shows here at the Mayfield including Chicago, 9 to 5, The Wedding Singer, Hair, Gypsy and Jesus Christ Superstar. Other favorite performing credits include Rent (Mirvish Productions and US National Tour), Oliver, West Side Story, and Cabaret (Citadel Theatre), Jesus Christ Superstar and Victor, Victoria! (Stage West Calgary), The Merry Widow (Opera Ontario), Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story (Neptune Theatre), Damn Yankees (Drayton Festival), and Featherland (One Yellow Rabbit). Choreography credits include One Man, Two Guvnors (Citadel Theatre), It’s A Bird! It’s A Plane! It’s Superman! (Plane Jane Theatre), Hello…Hello (Kill Your Television), I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (Neptune Theatre), Rent (Montreal, Mexico City and Barcelona) as well as fourteen productions at the Mayfield Theatre. So much love and gratitude to my friends and family for their ongoing support and encouragement.

John Banister

Cast

John is an honours Graduate of The Royal Academy of Music in London, England and began his career as a classical musician playing with some of Britain’s top orchestras such as The Royal Philharmonic, Welsh National Opera and Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet. As an actor/musician, he has appeared in several of London’s West End shows such as The Buddy Holly Story, Jailhouse Rock, Great Balls of Fire and The Sound Of Music. He is now the Music Supervisor for The Buddy Holly Story through Buddy Worldwide Ltd and has directed and appeared in many productions across Europe and North America. John was nominated for The Sterling Award for best Musical Director for the Mayfield’s production of Buddy. He recently appeared in Folkswaggin’: Music of the People and is extremely pleased to be back for Top Of The Pops.

Kevin Dabbs

Cast

Ello! Ow are oo!? Kevin is thrilled to be working with many close friends in this awesome show! Some of his favourite appearances here: Folkswaggin’ (Bob Dylan, Neil Young), The Full Monty (Malcolm), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Andre), The Wedding Singer (Robbie Hart), Nashville Outlaws (Willie Nelson), Four Lads 1 & 2 (Paul McCartney), The Buddy Holly Story (Jerry), Dark Star: The Life and Times of Roy Orbison (Narrator, George Harrison, Everly Brother). Kevin sends love and kisses out to Christine, Madison, and Jack. Enjoy!

Gerrad Everard

Cast

Gerrad is thrilled to be returning to the Mayfield with such a great cast, crew and show!  Selected Theatre: Hair, Buddy Holly Story, Rocky Horror Picture Show, British Invasion I and II, Twist and Shout, Super Groovy 70’s, Anne of Green Gables, The Wedding Singer, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, History of RnR, and Disco Cirque.  Selected Film and Tv:  Paranormal Witness, Close Encounters, Chocolate Confidential, Doodlebops.  Gerrad lives in Stratford, ON but originally hails from a family farm near Wawanesa, MB.  Please meet and pick up a copy of his album R0K 2G0 in the lobby after the show or for more info on Gerrad please visit www.gerradeverard.com. His album is dedicated to Canadian artists and farmers, please support them both; Farmers feed cities, they matter.  Happy Holidays to all, this ones for Uncle T ox

Pamela Gordon

Cast

Mayfield Theatre: History of Rock ‘n Roll: Stars & Stripes, Chicago, The British Invasion, Rockin’ Vegas, Country, Rock and a Whole Lotta Soul, 2000 – A Rock and Roll Odyssey, Poodle Skirts to Platform Shoes, Singin’ in the Rain, Guys and Dolls, Rock and Roll Reunion and Hair. Other Theatre: Citadel Theatre; Oliver, West Side Story, Grease, Cabaret, Little Shop of Horrors; Theatre Aquarius; Legally Blonde, Top of the Pops; Neptune Theatre; CATS, The Rocky Horror Show, Cabaret; Theatre Calgary; West Side Story; Jubilations Dinner Theatre; Pirates of the North Saskatchewan III; Norwegian Cruise Lines. Film/T.V.: Halo (2005 release), voice work for the X-box video game Jade Empire. Et Cetera: Pamela is a Sterling award nominee and recipient. She has also spent the majority of eleven years singing with her husband and their band, Earth Beat. Pamela would like to dedicate these performances to her husband and co-worker Brad, and to her very supportive group of friends and family. Have a great time tonight and enjoy the show!!!

Kieran Martin Murphy

Cast

My first performance at the Mayfield in 2001 was for The British Invasion and here I am again celebrating music from the British Isles, only this time I am doing it 120 LBS lighter than the first go around.  I’ve spent the past 4 months playing Jean Valjean in Les Miserables at the Chemainus Theatre Festival, and will reprise the role again next summer for the Arts Club in Vancouver.  I will be out in the lobby after the performance and I would love to meet you. I have two CD’s available including the recently recorded ‘Theatrics’.  Selected Credits: Les Miserables, The Buddy Holly Story (Arts Club); Les Miserables (Chemainus); CATS (Theatre Calgary); The Full Monty (Ground Zero/Hit & Myth); Jesus Christ Superstar, All Shook Up (Stage West); The Pavilion (Shadow); Gypsy, Evita, The Wizard of Oz, The British Invasion, The Full Monty, The Wedding Singer, 9 to 5: The Musical (Mayfield).  Listen for me this season on CBC’s Irrelevant Show.  www.kieranmartinmurphy.com

Laura Mae Nason

Cast

Laura Mae is happy to be back at the Mayfield for another Holiday season. Theatre Credits: Susan in Tick, Tick, Boom!, Margot in Legally Blonde: The Musical (Theatre Aquarius), Amber Von Tussle in Hairspray (Mayfield Theatre, Drayton Entertainment, Charlottetown Festival, and Rainbow Stage), Holly in The Wedding Singer (Mayfield Theatre), Josie Pye in Anne of Green Gables (Charlottetown Festival), Twist & Shout:A British Invasion (Drayton Entertainment), Chicago (Mayfield Theatre and Neptune Theatre), Beauty & the Beast (Arts Club), Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (Charlottetown Festival), British Invasion (Stage West Calgary and Charlottetown Festival), Queen for a Day: The Musical  (April 30th Entertainment), Guys & Dolls, Shout: The Mod Musical, Why Do Fools Fall in Love and Cabaret (Stage West). Thank you to everyone at the Mayfield, and to the Talent House, friends and family for their constant love and support. Happy Holidays! 

Brad Wiebe

Cast

Brad is happy to be returning to the Mayfield stage and working alongside ‘family’ this Christmas season. His most recent appearances here on our stage were as Dwayne (Dolly’s Husband) in 9 to 5 and as ‘young Elvis’ and a mix of other artists in The History of Rock n Roll: Stars & Stripes. You may also have seen him in Ghostbusted or as Captain Nobeard in Pirates of the North Saskatchewan 3 at Jubilations Dinner Theatre. Other recent credits include Cabaret (Theatre Aquarius) and if you happened to do some travelling you may’ve seen him sing in his former band Earthbeat in Europe, S.E. Asia or the Middle East. Brad would like to thank his family and lovely wife Pamela for their support and wish you all a safe and magical Christmas season! Forget about life for awhile, relax and enjoy the ride through our British Invasion, cheers!

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), and the Tommy Banks Band. Mayfield Dinner Theatre productions include Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, The Full Monty, The Wedding Singer, 9 to 5: The Musical, Hairspray, and Folkswaggin’. He has backed up Robert Goulet, Mickey Rooney, Red Skelton, and toured with Grammy-nominated Christian rock acts Degarmo and Key and DC Talk. Fluently bilingual, Paul was Musical Director of CBC French radio’s Gala Albertain de la Chanson for 8 years and was Musical Director for Theatre Francais de Toronto’s musical retrospective Et si on chantait… in 2008. Paul has recorded 4 CDs of his own pop/jazz music on his own label. When not working in theatre, Paul travels the world as a musician with Princess Cruises, playing saxophone, woodwinds, piano, and piano/vocal.

Lisa MacDougall

Keys/Vocals

Lisa’s music has taken her around the world with such greats as Rita MacNeil, Roger Whittaker, and Molly Johnson, to name a few. With a busy touring schedule, Lisa considers herself truly fortunate. Selected 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 and Folkswaggin’: Music of the People (Mayfield Dinner Theatre). Lisa is happy to be back in Edmonton and is currently working on a new solo album. Enjoy the show!

Derek Stremel

Bass

Derek was born one fine winter’s eve in the lovely little farming town of Elkhorn, Manitoba. Third of four children in a musical family, he discovered his first instrument, the drums, while banging on his highchair in the demands of further nourishment. His passion for playing continued in the family band, community jams, and finally the move out to Alberta to seek employment/higher education in the field. Now, in his 14th-ish year at the Mayfield, it is just his sincere pleasure to be playing the ever-exciting bass lines from the British fave’s of the 60’s onward…especially those good ol’ Davie Bowie classics. Though Derek did enjoy his first official ‘acting’ gig in Folkswaggin’, he is glad to be back behind the music stand to have the opportunity to read magazines between songs and share fart jokes with the boys in the band. As always, Derek loves writing about himself in the third person – which is surprising, considering his continuous denial of his wife’s request to turn in a bio drove his daughter to write it. From whoever the author of this bio is, we hope you enjoy the show. And if you listen close, you might be able to hear the ad-lib shenanigans from the band.

Harley Symington

Guitar/Vocals

Harley is looking forward to playing some great British rock and roll once again after just completing a successful run performing in Folkswaggin’ – Music of The People. Last season at the Mayfield he was on stage for both A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline and The History of Rock & Roll – Stars & Stripes, and was the live sound engineer for Hairspray. Past Mayfield highlights as guitarist/performer include Four Lads Who Shook The World – The Beatles Story Parts 1 and 2 (as George Harrison), Dark Star – The Life and Times of Roy Orbison, 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.