CAST
Riley Anne (Sophye) is originally from the East Coast and moved to Toronto four years ago. In her short time here, she has already been able to work in some wonderful productions. This will be Riley’s fourth show with Amicus since 2014. Some previous roles include Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet (2017 Bard in the Park), Lucy in Sense and Sensibility (2017 Amicus), Goneril in King Lear (2016 Mortar & Pestle Productions), Ruth Condomine in Blithe Spirit (2016 Mortar & Pestle Productions), Quigley in Robin Hood (2015 Amicus) and Emilia in Othello (2014 Bard in the Park). Riley has recently expanded off the stage and has been working with Mortar & Pestle Productions as both a Costume Designer and Production Manager.
Cabiria Aquarius (Muriel) is happy to be performing with Amicus for the third time. She was last seen as one of the students in our adaptation of Brontë’s Villette and before that she was in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as the girl who was knocked down by Mr. Hyde. More recently she performed in her school’s production of The Drowsy Chaperone. She has also performed in several dance and theatre performances at her high school.
Paisley Aquarius (Florence) This is Paisley’s third production with Amicus. Her first was as the girl in the pastry shop in Cyrano de Bergerac and then she Miss Snowe and one of the students in Brontë’s Villette. Paisley enjoys acting, singing, and tap dancing. She performed in her middle school’s productions of The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast and looks forward to to participating in many more productions now that she has started high school.
Duncan Bailey (Bobby, Gordie, and George) This is Duncan’s first foray into community theatre! Many thanks to Mary Dwyer for this marvellous opportunity. Duncan has enjoyed the theatrical arts for years, having attended five sessions of Theatricks Theatre Co. 4 Kids’ Super Summer Day Camp. He also enjoys swimming, baseball, singing, and playing the violin.
Peta Bailey (May Sexton and others) is thrilled to have the opportunity to be involved in her third Amicus production, having previously appeared in Villette (Mme Walravens) and Sense & Sensibility (Mrs. Dashwood). She has also had the privilege of working with East Side Players in Joyful Noise (Mary Pendarves), and with Scarborough Players in Deathtrap (Myra Bruhl). Many thanks to Mary Dwyer and all the fantastic cast and crew for making Quiet Courage another wonderful experience.
Alex Bortoluzzi (Charlie, Mackey and others) is very pleased to be part of this original production which highlights one of the most tragic incidents in Canadian history. Kudos to Chris for the adaptation and to the production team for bringing it to life on this stage. Alex is an active member of various community theatre groups in the Toronto area. His most recent appearance was with East Side Players’ Office Hours in June. A latecomer to the world of theatre after a career in banking, Alex is thoroughly enjoying the experience.
Martha Breen (Maggie, Engineer and others) is descended from a prominent Nova Scotia family (her ancestor, Richard John Uniacke, built Uniacke House just outside Halifax, today a museum and heritage site), so the story of the explosion has a personal resonance. Martha last appeared onstage as Sonja/Valerie in Speaking in Tongues for Theatre Aurora, and has been serially involved (both onstage and backstage) with Toronto Irish Players, East Side Players and Alumnae Theatre, along with numerous independent film and video projects. By day, Martha is a freelance writer who specializes in design and architecture.
Chris Coculuzzi (Playwright, Joe) is an actor, director, playwright, and producer who’s been involved in community, educational, and independent theatre for over 20 years. Chris became a member of Amicus Productions in 2011 when he played Chris Keller in Arthur Miller’s All My Sons. Previous work as a playwright for Amicus include adapting Charlotte Brontë’s Villette (2016) and he has performed many times including the title role in Cyrano de Bergerac (2014), Oberon in Shakespeare in Hollywood (2016), and Williamson in Glengarry Glen Ross (2017). When not involved in theatre, Chris is a high school teacher for the Toronto District School Board.
Renée Cullen (Mary) has been involved in community theater in Toronto for the last 5 years, appearing on stage for the Toronto Irish Players, East Side Players and Amicus. She played Mme Beck in the Amicus production of Villette, and more recently very much enjoyed the role of the Marquise de Merteuil in Les Liaisons Dangereuses. When not playing pretend, Renée enjoys her day job as a high school Drama teacher for the Toronto District School board.
Roxanne Deans (Ada) is thrilled to be back on stage after a 13-year hiatus. She recently dipped her feet back in the water with two wonderful staged readings with Alumnae Theatre. Since stepping off stage, Roxanne has focused her energy on writing and being a literacy advocate with her bookstore until 2010, the StoryMobs project and her work at The Children’s Book Bank. Some writing credits include a new adaptation of Cyrano de Bergerac with Chris Coculuzzi (2014 ACT-CO Thea Award for Best Adaptation); Piecing Together Pauline with Chris Coculuzzi (Toronto Fringe 2012); White Sheets (2003); Miller’s Court (2001) and Wally, her first play (first staged at the New Ideas Festival in 2000). Favourite acting credits include Celestina in José Rivera’s Cloud Tectonics; Daysi in The Winged Man; Goneril in Lear’s Daughters; Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing; and Roxane in Cyrano de Bergerac.
Daryn DeWalt (James and others) is an award-winning actor with 7 THEA awards to his credit. He has been involved in community theatre for the past 16 years. HIs first production with Amicus was playing Max Rheinhart in Shakespeare in Hollywood and was followed with last season’s outstanding production of Glengarry Glen Ross in which he played the role of Shelly Levene. Daryn was recently seen in the movie The Recall which was produced by Minds Eye Entertainment.
Stephen Flett (Vince, Borden, Le Medec) is an award-winning actor who has appeared in far too many plays spanning far too many years. Previously with Amicus: Dafydd in Chorus of Disapproval, Victor/Poche in Flea In Her Ear, Rageuneau in Cyrano, Selznick in Moonlight and Magnolias, Hank in Affections of May, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Elsewhere: Byrne in Big Maggie, McKeever in Moonshine, Someone to Watch Over Me, Shining City (Toronto Irish); Parade, Cladwell in Urinetown, Narrator in Into the Woods (StageWorks); Carte in Tarantara!, Tarantara!, Rough in Gaslight, and President Hockstader in The Best Man (Stage Centre). Upcoming: Schultz in Cabaret (Jaybird), Trap for a Lonely Man, and See How They Run (Stage Centre).
Catriona Macfarlane (Peg, Nurse, Narrator) is an actor, singer and dancer. She has been seen in recent productions of Legally Blonde (2017), Neil Simon’s hilarious California Suite (2016), A Christmas Carol (2016), The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (2016), Girl Crazy (2012) and The Music Man. She’s also performed with the pre-eminent Toronto Beach Chorale and the internationally acclaimed female a cappella group Harmony Inc. When not involved in theatre she is a biographer, arts and entertainment writer and publicist. Catriona wishes to thank her loving and patient husband; adorable puppies; and Amicus Productions for warmly inviting her to join their touching and thought provoking Quiet Courage.
Paul Micucci (David and Colwell) Paul was recently seen in three previous Amicus shows: Dick Powell in Shakespeare in Hollywood, as Purvis the Peddlar in Robin Hood where he was nominated for a best supporting actor in a comedy, and as several roles in The Madwoman of Chaillot. Before that you might have seen him in Almost, Maine at The Curtain Club. And now he’s back for more!
Scott Moore (Hayes, Ratshesky, and others) After training at the Ryerson Theatre School 25 years ago, Scott has performed in numerous shows in Toronto including: Friar Laurence in Romeo and Juliet, Cassius in Julius Caesar and Clarence in Richard III (Hart House Theatre); Coulmier in Marat/Sade (Soup Can Theatre); Bob Float in The Aquarium and Robert Greene in It Was Kit (Triple Take Productions); Balthazar in The Spanish Tragedy, Gilbert in Knives in Hens, Hitler in Mein Kampf, Tobias in Delicate Balance, and Deflores in The Changeling (Graduate Drama Centre); Caesar in Julius Caesar, Master Ford in Merry Wives of Windsor, Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing, and Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Alchemy Theatre); Goldberg in The Birthday Party and Ernest in The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine (Rhino Productions); and various roles with the Poculi Ludique Societas and the Ancient Comic Opera Co.
Thomas O’Neill (From and others) is an actor/playwright who, after a very long absence, returned to the stage by way of community theatre. Thomas has appeared previously in three of Amicus Productions’ plays: as The Prospector in The Madwoman of Chaillot, Friar Tuck in Robin Hood and as Will Hays in Shakespeare in Hollywood. Thomas portrayed George Frederic Handel in the East Side Players production of Joyful Noise as well as their production of Norm Foster’s Office Hours in the part of Warren Kimble and as Orgon in the Scarborough Theatre Guild production of Tartuffe. Recently, Thomas performed the role of Vanya in the The Curtain Club’s production of Vanya and Sonja and Masha and Spike. When not writing plays, blogging his website or acting in theatre, Thomas works as a television director and announcer.
Kurt Thomsen (Narrator) This is Kurt’s sixth role in an Amicus Production. Most Recently he played Dr Jadin in The Madwoman of Chaillot, and The Bore in Cyrano,. He is also a writer and a director who has had a play produced for the London Fringe in 2006. Kurt has just applied to get his play Pencil Kiss into the 2018 Toronto Fringe Festival. Also he is a trained vocalist and an avid runner.
Nina Tischhauser (Clara, Mabel, and others) is a graduate of the Acting for Screen and Stage Program at Capilano University in Vancouver. She has appeared previously in Crossing Delancey (Metro Theatre), Blue Carotid (Studio 1398), The Old Haunt (Excavation Theatre), Cat Killer (Presentation House), The Good Person of Setzuan (Exit 22) and toured with Australian Theatre Company, Fine Edge Theatre. Nina is excited to be making her Toronto debut along side the dreamy cast and production team of Quiet Courage.
CREATIVE and CREW
Mary Dwyer (Director) This is Mary’s third production with Amicus, after directing Villette (2016) and Cyrano de Bergerac (2014). After studying drama at the University of Toronto and an apprenticeship in Germany, Mary founded Gabriel’s Theatre Company and produced and directed its debut production The Marriage, as well as productions at SummerWorks of The Singular Life of Albert Nobbs and Greenland. Mary has directed several Fringe shows, including Lear’s Daughters, as well as directing for the Alumnae Theatre and the Irish Players.
David Liotta (Stage Manager) is a Toronto born-and-raised stage manager, designer, and “get-things-done”-er. This is his third show with Amicus and Mary, after stage-managing Charlotte Brontë’s Villette and then the more stab-happy Cyrano de Bergerac. Favourite stage management credits include The Killing Game (Art & Lies Productions), The Mousetrap (Lower Ossington Theatre), and The Princess of Porn: The Musical (Me and Snow White Productions). When he’s not doing theatre, David’s day job is in the travel industry, making even more people’s dreams come true.
Sam Ferguson (Sound Design) was born and raised in Toronto and moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, when he has seventeen to train with acclaimed electro-acoustic music composer, Berry Truax. Upon returning to Toronto, Sam became involved in theatre professionally with Freedom 85. Shortly after that Sam was accepted into the Yale School of Drama’s sound design program where his credits include Thunderbodies, Mexico Play, Cloud Nine, Measure for Measure and Romeo and Juliet. This is Sam’s second collaboration with Amicus after designing sound for Brontë’s Villette.
Katherine Johana Cordero (Costume Design) is a textile and clothing designer based out of Toronto and has a BFA in Textiles and Fashion from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. She grew up in a vibrant mountainous landscape in Colombia and was surrounded by the energy of South American culture. She aspires to create beautiful textile pieces that embrace the traditional techniques of craft. She combines natural dyes, silk screen techniques, weaving and embroidery in her work. She teaches weaving and dyeing at Loom Studio (www.loomstudio.ca),a space she created to have a community of like-minded people and share her passion for craft. She loves practicing yoga, watching the X-Files with her boyfriend and taking her dog Nova to the park.
John Murphy (Lighting and Projection Design) is from Nova Scotia and went to technical theatre school in Newfoundland. He is honoured to be working with material that he grew up learning about from his grandfather. Additional to lighting design John loves dance, drag, and making things with his hands. Recent credits include: Production Manager for Tough Jews (Storefront Theatre), LX Designer/SM for Dear Uncle Wish (Dir: Adam Bailey), & Happy Family (Toronto Fringe 2017). To see his work go to johncj.com.
David Howse (Set Design) David is a graduate of the Concordia University Theatre program and has been working in community theatre around Toronto for more years than he cares to count. He has worked with various theatre companies including the Village Playhouse, Alumnae Theatre and was a founding member of Upstart Crow Theatre Group. He is very happy to be able to work with Amicus Productions again after helping out on several productions as well as designing for Robin Hood.
Dave Fitzpatrick (Photography) is delighted to return to Amicus for another show as photographer. Some of David’s previous Amicus credits include: Cyrano De Bergerac, Barefoot in the Park, Villette and Shakespeare in Hollywood and Glengarry Glen Ross. David’s work can be seen at DaveTakeMyPicture.com (DFMServices.ca), and he can be reached at 416.993.3283 or at dafitzpatrick@gmail.com for all your photography needs (wedding, events, portraits, headshots, etc.).
Amicus Productions, Toronto's Most Engaging Community Theatre 