Production Bios & Headshots

John Chase

BUD ABBOTT

John Chase is the Artistic Director of Merlyn Productions, and the Website Director of WinnipegOnstage.com.

As a Winnipeg actor and director with over fifteen years of involvement in the local arts scene, he has produced, directed, stage managed or performed in over seventy-five productions on stage and radio, and served periodically as an acting instructor.

John has worked extensively in children's theatre with Fantasy Theatre for Children, both on and behind the FTC mainstage for the past seventeen seasons. He has directed multiple shows for G.D. Productions (FTC's adult arm), and is an alumnus of The Theatre School, where he obtained five years of formal training under Tony Frost in the early-to-mid 1990s.

John harbours the utmost of respect for Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, and feels very fortunate for the opportunity to portray the legendary comedy duo with performing partner Kevin Hamill.

Kevin Hamill

LOU COSTELLO

Kevin Hamill has been performing on Winnipeg stages for over a decade, and has dozens of shows to his credit. This February, he joined the Merlyn Productions Company Staff as Technical Director, following in a long tradition of building sets with John Chase at all ungodly hours of the night.

He has worked both onstage and off with a variety of local companies, including C.G. Productions, Merlyn Productions, and primarily, Fantasy Theatre for Children. With FTC, Kevin has appeared in numerous children's theatre productions, starred in several plays with G.D. Productions (FTC's adult arm), and become an alumnus of The Theatre School.

In late 2002, he was approached by long time friend and fellow actor John Chase to form an Abbott and Costello team. The pair's first venture was co-hosting a sold-out dinner theatre fund-raiser for G.D. Productions.

In 2005, Kevin welcomed his son Chylar into his life and took a hiatus from theatre. Two years later in 2007, he and John reunited as Chase & Hamill, and have been performing on local stages as Bud and Lou ever since.

Chris Reid

ANNOUNCER / HARRY

Chris Reid is thrilled to be performing in another run of “HEY ABBOTT!”: a show in which he plays a greedy hotel manager, and a radio announcer (who would have guessed!).

Within the past year, he has been cast in the 2008 Winnipeg Fringe Festival production of “HEY ABBOTT! - A Classic Comedy Tribute Show” with Chase & Hamill, “An Hour of Comedy, featuring Brothers in Arms” with Merlyn Productions, as well as both “Max And The Grinch” and “Wind of 1,000 Tales” with Fantasy Theatre for Children.

Previously, Chris also landed roles with Manitoba Theatre for Young People, and Dauphin's Theatre Amisk.

Aside from acting, Chris is recognised as a local broadcaster for CJOB 68 and 101.5 UMFM in Winnipeg. He also has a love for the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, and hosts a daily morning show for the online station known as “Sorcerer Radio”.

Keener Dougherty

MESSENGER / MR DOUGHERTY

Wherever you go on the Winnipeg comedy circuit, “Keener” is certain to be a known name, due to his many performances as a stand-up comic and comedy show host (and extensive collection of trademark shirts that say 'KEENER' on the front).

Keener Dougherty has been performing stand-up comedy for the past three years. Last summer, he hosted Winnipeg's “Sherbrook Street Festival” on the outdoor stage, and made his theatrical début appearing in the 2008 Winnipeg Fringe Festival production of “HEY ABBOTT! - A Classic Comedy Tribute Show” with Chase & Hamill.

Keener is a regular performer in the Tuesday Night Comedy Series ongoing at the King's Head Pub, in which he has performed stand-up comedy, solo alternative comedy in Ryan McMahon's “Comedy Loser”, and occasional sketch comedy cameos with Chase & Hamill.

Leila Marston

SOUBRETTE / MAID / BOOKIE

Leila Marston recently joined the Merlyn Productions Company Staff as Production Assistant in February. Prior to this, she would describe herself as having “played a ridiculous, sarcastic geek for over two decades, 'performing' throughout the U.S. and Canada”.

Her first step onto the stage was with Chase & Hamill last summer, in their 2008 Winnipeg Fringe Festival production of “HEY ABBOTT! - A Classic Comedy Tribute Show”. She has since appeared as a Lady Messenger and Bud's wife Betty Abbott in other gigs with the boys.

Leila most recently performed multiple monologues and the role of Dorothea Browne in “An Hour of Comedy, featuring Brothers in Arms” with Merlyn Productions.

When not taunting Costello onstage, she enjoys the intellectual, as well as cynicism, music composition, and caffeine.