Production Bios & Headshots

Tim Beaudry

OPENING ACT PLAYER / UNCLE JAMES

Tim Beaudry is making his fifth “professional” appearance with Merlyn Productions in “The Boy Comes Home” – having previously played a warden, a doctor, a lawyer, and a business mogul!

Tim's theatrical début was as Warden Holt in the company's 2009 Winnipeg Fringe Festival production of “THE VALIANT”. He portrayed Thomas Gardner in “The Stepmother” that same year, then during the 2010 Season played Mr. Foster in “Woman's Honor” and Uncle James in “The Boy Comes Home”.

Offstage, Tim is an accomplished photographer, and has been part of the Winnipeg Folk Festival Photo Crew for 12 years.

Tim enjoys paddling competitively with his dragon boat team, “Boogie’s Draggin Butt”, and has helped them win two Championship trophies, among others.

Kirsten Wattis

OPENING ACT PLAYER / AUNT EMILY

Kirsten Wattis is making her third appearance with Merlyn Productions, having also performed in “The Boy Comes Home” during the 2010 Season, and as the Famous Actress in “A Matter of Husbands” in this February's programme.

Last year, Kirsten performed in a production of “Love Letters”, which she produced at the Park Theatre. This January, she returned to the Park to perform in an adaptation of August Strindberg’s story “The Duel” for StrindbergFest 2011.

On the film scene, Kirsten has acted in two local pictures with Farpoint Films: “The Oldest Profession in Winnipeg” and “The Paper Nazis”.

As a student of the performing arts, Kirsten’s training includes the Onalee Ames Film Studio, as well as ongoing acting classes taught by Dean Harder.

Born and raised right here in Winnipeg, Kirsten is an outgoing girl that has always been drawn towards the arts. Having spent 15 years away from Winnipeg living her dreams abroad in Europe, she returned home to raise her family. Always a firm believer in “following your dreams and passions,” she now feels able to allow herself to pursue her passion in the Performing Arts.

Jonathan Lawrence

OPENING ACT PLAYER / PHILIP

Jonathan Lawrence is making his second appearance with Merlyn Productions, having also performed in “The Boy Comes Home” during the 2010 Season.

As a graduate of the University of Winnipeg acting honours program, Jonathan has appeared in “The Distance From Here”, “Henry V”, and “Monsieur D'Eon Is a Woman”. He was also seen in the U of W's 2009 Fringe production of “A Doll's House”, and in “Commedia” with Skyline Theatre during Fringe 2010.

This February, Jonathan re-visited the University of Winnipeg as Assistant Director of the 3rd year Theatre Honours show “MACHINAL”.

On the film scene, 2010 marked appearances in his first feature, “How To Save A Life”, as well as in the pilot episode for sitcom “It's All About The Angle” with Karoma Productions. Both are set to première and enter the festival circuit early this year, and Jonathan is already scheduled to shoot several more films with Karoma Productions.

Jonathan looks forward to all that lies ahead, and “continued work with amazingly talented and creative people”.

Rachell Hodgins

OPENING ACT PLAYER / MARY

Rachell Hodgins is making her fourth appearance with Merlyn Productions. During the 2010 Season, she performed in both plays in the October double-feature “WOMAN'S HONOR and SUPPRESSED DESIRES” and continued on into “The Boy Comes Home” in November, before landing the role of Berta in this February's run of “Sunday Costs Five Pesos”.

Rachell's theatre beginnings were at Manitoba Theatre for Young People, which led to the Junior High drama program at John Pritchard School, followed by two years in the Kodiak Moments Theatre Ensemble at River East Collegiate.

Currently, Rachell is a second-year student in the University of Winnipeg theatre program. She appeared in the title role of “Snow White the Comedy” with Chase & Hamill at the 2010 Winnipeg Fringe Festival, and also worked with the boys on their 2009 Kids Fringe hit “Cinderella! Cinderella!”.

When not acting, Rachell can still be found onstage, having been a singer for various bands since age 16.

Anna Woodward

OPENING ACT PLAYER / MRS. HIGGINS

Anna Woodward is making her third appearance with Merlyn Productions, having performed in both “Woman’s Honor” and “The Boy Comes Home” during the 2010 Season. This February, she took on a new position as Stage Manager for “Sunday Costs Five Pesos”. As a military brat with her father in the Armed Forces, she has acted from Comox, B.C., to Belleville, Ontario.

Anna started acting in Grade 5, when she played Little Red Riding Hood. Her other recent stage appearances have been in “Fiddler on the Roof” with the Victorian Operatic Society, and “Sweeney Todd” with the Belleville Theatre Guild.

In addition to stage acting, she has taken six years of vocal lessons.

Outside the arts, Anna is working in Winnipeg as an ECE II, having moved from Ontario, where she completed her Social Service Worker Diploma.

John Chase

OPENING ACT PLAYER

John Chase is the Artistic Director of Merlyn Productions Theatre Company. As a Winnipeg actor and director, he has produced, directed, stage managed or performed in ninety 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 for the past nineteen 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.

As one half of Chase & Hamill on the local comedy scene, John can be found portraying quintessential straight man Bud Abbott of Abbott & Costello fame, alongside performing partner Kevin Hamill (Lou Costello). Their 2008 Winnipeg Fringe Festival production “HEY ABBOTT! - A Classic Comedy Tribute Show” became an award-winning, five-star smash hit, and another script is currently being penned for the 2011 Winnipeg Fringe Festival in July.

John became an instant and adamant fan A. A. Milne upon his first reading of several of the author's works, and feels privileged for the opportunity to bring one such piece to life on the live stage this evening.

Leila Marston

OPENING ACT PLAYER

Leila Marston was appointed to the position of Wardrobe Mistress on the Merlyn Productions Company Staff in August 2010 – an assignment in which she has thus far designed costumes for four plays.

Leila most recently appeared onstage last Autumn, as Henrietta Brewster in “Suppressed Desires”, and also in An Evening of Milne, featuring “The Boy Comes Home”. Prior to that, Leila served as Production Assistant throughout the 2009 Season, during which she also appeared in four plays.

Leila's initial step onto the stage was with Chase & Hamill in their 2008 Winnipeg Fringe Festival production of “HEY ABBOTT! - A Classic Comedy Tribute Show”. The experience not only encouraged her to pursue theatre in earnest, but she has since become an avid Fringe performer, appearing with the boys in “Cinderella! Cinderella!” (2009) and “Snow White the Comedy” (2010).

Offstage, Leila enjoys writing, cynicism, and delivering lengthy spiels full of multisyllabic words.

Kevin Hamill

OPENING ACT PLAYER

Kevin Hamill has been performing on Winnipeg stages for fifteen years, and has dozens of shows to his credit. In February 2009, he joined the Merlyn Productions Company Staff as Technical Director, and has consistently performed in the plays each season. His most recent appearance in a major role was this February, as Fidel in “Sunday Costs Five Pesos”.

Kevin has worked with a variety of other local companies, including C.G. Productions and RGI International. With Fantasy Theatre for Children, he has appeared in numerous children’s productions, starred in several plays with G.D. Productions (FTC’s adult arm), and become an alumnus of The Theatre School.

As one half of Chase & Hamill on the local comedy scene, Kevin can be found portraying funny man Lou Costello of Abbott & Costello fame, alongside performing partner John Chase (Bud Abbott).

Kevin made his solo directing début with the 2009 Winnipeg Fringe Festival production of “CINDERELLA! CINDERELLA!”, and co-directed “Snow White the Comedy” at the 2010 Kids Fringe.